There are 26 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2006 Saab 9-3in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
VEHICLE STALLS WHILE IN DRIVE THERE IS INTERNAL FUEL ISSUE CAUSING ENGINE TO MISFIRE AND POTENTIAL DAMAGE
WHEN BACKING OUT OF MY GARAGE THIS MORNING THE VEHICLE BRAKES WERE VERY DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE AND HAD TO FORCIBLY DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE (WHICH STILL DID NOT PROVIDE FULL BRAKING FORCE) AND AVOID RUNNING INTO THE PARKED VEHICLE BEHIND ME. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR AS LONG AS I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. TYPICALLY OCCURS WHENEVER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN PARKED FOR SOME TIME (E.G. OVER NIGHT OR DURING THE WORK DAY) - JUST REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS AND THIS HAD ABSOLUTELY NO POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE PROBLEM. DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR
2 INCIDENTS OCCURRED. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR 1 WEEK AND, OCCASIONALLY ON COLD STARTS, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO BACK UP AND STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL IS HARD TO DEPRESS MAKING BRAKING EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. ADDITIONALLY, ON OCCASION, IF I ACCELERATE AND THEN ATTEMPT TO DEPRESS BRAKE PEDAL, THE PEDAL IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS MAKING STOPPING DIFFICULT. THIS HAS ALMOST RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT DURING HGH TRAFFIC SITUATIONS. *TR
LOW OF VEHICLE POWER BRAKE ASSIST. AFTER SITTING FOR SEVERAL HOURS, WHEN THE CAR WAS FIRST STARTED THE POWER BRAKE ASSIST WOULD NOT WORK OR WOULD WORK AT A REDUCED RATE. THERE WERE NOT CHECK ENGINE OR BRAKE LIGHTS TO NOTIFY US OF A FAILURE. THIS ALMOST RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. IT TOOK NEARLY 20 FT TO GET THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP. HAD THIS OCCURRED IN A PARKING LOT OR IN ANOTHER LOCATION WERE A PERSON OR VEHICLE WAS CLOSE BY AN ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. THE VACUUM PUMP WAS REPLACED I BELIEVE THE PART # IS 12822387. HAD A NOTIFICATION BEEN GIVEN THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE SUCH AS A CHECK ENGINE OR BRAKE LIGHT, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AS BIG OF AN ISSUE. *TR
UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE AFTER SITTING, THE BRAKES HAD GREATLY INCREASED PEDAL EFFORT TO APPLY AND GREATLY REDUCED BREAKING RESULT. THE CAR FAILED TO STOP AND STRUCK A POLE WHILE BACKING UP.
ON JULY 22ND 2010 AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 EST, I STARTED MY CAR, A 2006 SAAB 9-3 AERO SPORT SEDAN AND PLACED IT INTO REVERSE TO EXIT MY GARAGE/ DRIVEWAY ON MY WAY TO WORK. AS I NEARED THE STREET I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN AND ENTER THE STREET BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL SEEMED TO BE INEFFECTIVE AND I ENDED UP PUTTING THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND ENTERING THE STREET AT AN ANGLE. AFTER I HAD STOPPED IN THE STREET I PUMPED THE BRAKES AND PUT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON AND SHORTLY (2MIN) I WAS ON MY WAY WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I REPORTED THIS INCIDENT TO MY SAAB DEALER, AND THEY SAID THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS BEFORE AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO AS IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. DURING THE REST OF THE SUMMER I DROVE THAT CAR I HAD NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. (IT IS MY PARENTS CAR THAT I DROVE WHEN I WAS HOME FOR THE SUMMER). I LATER FOUND OUT THAT MY PARENTS ALSO HAD THIS PROBLEM INTERMITTENTLY SO I BEGAN SEARCHING ONLINE AND FOUND OTHERS THAT HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM AND REFERENCED A REPORT PE08005 WHICH SEEMED TO DESCRIBE MY PROBLEM. I BROUGHT THIS REPORT TO THE SAAB DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD NEVER SEEN IT AND COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *TR
BRAKE VACUUM PIPE CHECK VALVE BROKE APART, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF BRAKING POWER AND CHECK ENGINE FAULT. CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE AFTER INCIDENT. *TR
ON COLD STARTUP THE VEHICLE HAS NO POWER ASSISTED BRAKES. THIS HAS LEAD TO NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHERE YOU GET IN THE CAR AND BEGIN TO BACK OUT AND NEARLY HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. IT TAKES NEARLY A MINUTE AFTER STARTUP OF THE VEHICLE BEFORE IT IS SAFE TO PUT IT IN GEAR. *TR
FOUND MY CAP TO MY BRAKE RESERVOIR CRACKED OPEN LIKE A TIN CAN ABOVE THE THREADS. THE PLASTIC LITERALLY SPLIT IN TWO. THE CAP STILL COULD BE TWISTED ON AND OFF EASILY, BUT WOULD NO LONGER PREVENT BRAKE FLUID FROM ESCAPING. CAP WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE. I HAVE HEARD SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE WITH MY CAR POSSIBLY RELATED TO THE HEAT GENERATED BY THE TURBO. 2006 SAAB 9-3 AERO 2.8L V6. *TR
2006 SAAB AERO V6, AT A COLD START AND WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES VERY HARD AND THE CAR WILL NOT STOP FOR 15 -20 FT. *TR
INTERMITTENT BRAKE FAILURE. MORE NOTICEABLE AT COLD STARTS PULLING OUT FORWARD OR BACKWARD. BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR WITH VERY LITTLE BRAKING POWER. VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND WE PARKED THE CAR AND CONTACTED THE DEALER. THEY HAVE NOW HAD THE CAR FOR 4 WEEKS AND ARE WAITING ON A PART FROM THE FACTORY. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION ON THIS CAR AND COULD VERY EASILY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT WITH INJURIES OR DEATH. I AM A MALE AND IT WAS ALL I COULD DO TO GET THE CAR STOPPED ON AT LEAST 2 OCCASIONS. I HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON ONE OCCASION TO AVOID A COLLISION. THIS CAR HAS 32,000 MILES ON IT. THE DEALER SAID THE PROBLEM WAS A VACUUM LINE ON THE BRAKE BOOSTER BUT THE REPLACEMENT MUST COME FROM SAAB. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS WILL RESOLVE THE PROBLEM OR NOT. *TR
SIMILAR ISSUE TO NHTSA DEFECT INVESTIGATION # PE08005. LOSS OF BRAKE POWER ASSIST AFTER A COLD START UP AND REVERSING. THE VEHICLE IS VERY HARD TO STOP, REQUIRING HIGH PEDAL PRESSURE, UNTIL THE CAR HAS WARMED UP FOR ~30 SECONDS. THIS HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE PAST 6 MONTHS. IT IS MORE PROMINENT AFTER SITTING FOR SEVERAL DAYS. ALSO WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD, WHEN A BUMP IS HIT WHILE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, BRAKES MAKE A METAL-ON-METAL GRINDING SOUND AND THE BRAKING ACTION DOES NOT WORK UNTIL ADDITIONAL PRESSURE IS APPLIED. THIS ALSO HAPPENED WHEN BRAKING ON SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITIONS SUCH AS SNOW OR RAIN. THIS CAUSED A NEAR ACCIDENT WHEN MY CAR DID NOT STOP FOR ANOTHER 10 FEET THAN INTENDED AND ENTERED AN INTERSECTION ON A RED LIGHT. *TR
LOSS OF BRAKE POWER ASSIST AFTER A COLD START UP. THE VEHICLE IS VERY HARD TO STOP, REQUIRING HIGH PEDAL PRESSURE, UNTIL THE CAR HAS WARMED UP FOR ~30 SECONDS. THIS HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE PAST 6 MONTHS. *TR
CAR WILL NOT STOP WHEN IN REVERSE AFTER MORNING START-UP. NO BRAKING POWER IN REVERSE EVEN AT IDLE. PROBLEM HAS BEEN ADDRESSED 3 TIMES BY DEALERSHIP. CAR IN AGAIN FOR SAME PROBLEM ONLY 5 DAYS AFTER PREVIOUS "FIX" IN SHOP AGAIN NOW ALMOST 2 WEEKS AS OF TODAY. *TR
ON COLD START, MY HYDRAULIC BRAKES FAILS TO OPERATE. *TR
ON A COLD START, THE BRAKES FAIL. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SAAB 9-3. ON THREE OCCASIONS, WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH. THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. SHE PUMPED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY STOPPED. ON THE THIRD OCCASION, SHE ENDED UP IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPPED. THE DEALER CURRENTLY HAS THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE AS MENTIONED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER PE08005 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: POWER ASSIST:VACUUM:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS). THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,300 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000. UPDATE 04-02-08 *BF THE DEALER REPLACED THE MAST CYLINDERE. UPDATED
WHEN A BUMP IS HIT WHILE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, BRAKES MAKE A METAL-ON-METAL GRINDING SOUND. WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED AFTER BRAKING (PULLING INTO OR OUT OF PARKING SPACE) METALLIC CLICKING SOUND IS HEARD. BRAKES WORK BETTER AFTER CAR IS WARMED UP. *TR
MY 2006 SAAB 9-3 AERO HAS A SERIES OF UNPREDICTABLE BRAKING MOTIONS. I HAVE HAD THE BRAKING SENSOR ASSEMBLY REPLACED - HOWEVER BRAKE PRESSURE AND CONTROL ARE UNPREDICTABLE. LETTING UP ON THE BRAKE SLOWLY RESULTS IN A LOSS OF ALL BRAKE PRESSURE IN A NON-PROGRESSIVE FASHION. THERE ARE ALSO TIMES THAT ONLY BY PUSHING THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE STOP THAT THE CAR CAN BE HELD IN PLACE WHEN IDLING. *TR
THE ABS SYSTEM WAS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY FOR THE FIRST 6 MONTHS THAT I OWNED THE CAR. THIS CAUSED THE REAR BRAKES TO BE PARTIALLY ENGAGED ALL THE TIME WHEN THE CAR WAS DRIVEN. IT WAS SO BAD THAT YOU COULD HEAR AND SMELL THE BRAKES SCRAPING. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS ALL RIGHT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I TOOK THEM APPROX. 6 MONTHS TO GET THE CORRECT PARTS TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. ALL THE TIME THE BRAKES WERE RUBBING WHICH CAUSED THEM PREMATURELY WEAR OUT. I HAVE NEVER IN MY LIFE HAD REAR BRAKES WEAR OUT IN 15K MILES. ONE OF TWO THINGS HAS HAPPENED. THE ABS CAUSED THE PADS TO WEAR OUT OR THEY HAD BAD BRAKE PADS TO BEGIN WITH.(NOTE: MY OTHER SAAB HAS 30K MILES ON IT AND STILL HAS IT'S ORIGINAL REAR BRAKES). *TR
Showing 1–20 of 26 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026