There are 10 owner-reported suspension complaints for the 2008 Saab 9-3in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS WHILE DRIVING, SNAPPED IN HALF, AND DISLOCATED FROM VEHICLE, 6 MONTHS APART. WAS DRIVING AT 30 MPH, AND THE PASSENGER FRONT SPRING SNAPPED IN TWO. HAD NO FOREWARNING, BEFORE IT EXPLODED APART. THE PASSENGER-SIDE COIL-SPRING SNAPPED OFF THE VEHICLE, IN TWO+ PLACES, AND WAS RETRIEVED FROM THE HIGHWAY. METAL SHOWED A CLEAR SNAP. THE METAL APPEARED CORRODED AND AS IF THE METAL WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO WORK LONG-TERM. SIX MONTHS LATER, THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT-COIL-SPRING SNAPPED AND DISLODGED IN THE EXACT SAME MANNER, AND WHEN THE FAILED PIECE WAS RETRIEVED FROM THE HIGHWAY, IT SHOWED THE SAME CLEAR SNAP LINES, AS ITS PREDECESSOR. BOTH INSTANCES CAUSED THE CAR TO LOSE CONTROL. CLEARLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT WITH SUB-PAR METALLOIDS THAT LIKELY WILL KILL SOMEONE IF THEY ARE TRAVELING FAST. PLEASE RECALL AS ITS THE SAME DEFECT THAT APPEARS IN 2003 - 2006 SAAB MODELS. IN 2010, GENERAL MOTORS OFFERED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON ABOUT 66,000 2003 - 2006 SAAB 9-3 VEHICLES TO COVER THE COST OF REPLACING FRONT SPRINGS THAT BREAK DUE TO CORROSION. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON OCCURRENCE ON FOR SAAB 9-3 MODELS, BUT IS NOT COVERED BY GM SPECIAL COVERAGE #15917 BECAUSE THAT EXTENDED WARRANTY ONLY APPLIES TO 2003-2006 VEHICLES.
BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS WHILE DRIVING, SNAPPED IN HALF, AND DISLOCATED FROM VEHICLE, 6 MONTHS APART. WAS DRIVING AT 30 MPH, AND THE PASSENGER FRONT SPRING SNAPPED IN TWO. HAD NO FOREWARNING, BEFORE IT EXPLODED APART. THE PASSENGER-SIDE COIL-SPRING SNAPPED OFF THE VEHICLE, IN TWO+ PLACES, AND WAS RETRIEVED FROM THE HIGHWAY. METAL SHOWED A CLEAR SNAP. THE METAL APPEARED CORRODED AND AS IF THE METAL WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO WORK LONG-TERM. SIX MONTHS LATER, THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT-COIL-SPRING SNAPPED AND DISLODGED IN THE EXACT SAME MANNER, AND WHEN THE FAILED PIECE WAS RETRIEVED FROM THE HIGHWAY, IT SHOWED THE SAME CLEAR SNAP LINES, AS ITS PREDECESSOR. BOTH INSTANCES CAUSED THE CAR TO LOSE CONTROL. CLEARLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT WITH SUB-PAR METALLOIDS THAT LIKELY WILL KILL SOMEONE IF THEY ARE TRAVELING FAST. PLEASE RECALL AS ITS THE SAME DEFECT THAT APPEARS IN 2003 - 2006 SAAB MODELS. IN 2010, GENERAL MOTORS OFFERED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON ABOUT 66,000 2003 - 2006 SAAB 9-3 VEHICLES TO COVER THE COST OF REPLACING FRONT SPRINGS THAT BREAK DUE TO CORROSION. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON OCCURRENCE ON FOR SAAB 9-3 MODELS, BUT IS NOT COVERED BY GM SPECIAL COVERAGE #15917 BECAUSE THAT EXTENDED WARRANTY ONLY APPLIES TO 2003-2006 VEHICLES. HTTP://WHEELS.BLOGS.NYTIMES.COM/2010/04/02/PROBLEMS-SPRING-UP-FOR-2003-6-SAAB-9-3S/?_R=0. *TR
NOTICED A BRITTLE BREAKING SOUND AND ASSUMED IT WAS MY FRONT BRAKES. HAD NEW BRAKES PUT ON THE CAR BUT STILL HAD RUBBING AND ROTATIONAL TICKING SOUNDS COMING FROM THE FRONT WHEELS. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW AND THEY TOLD ME THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE BOTH BROKEN AND NEEDED REPLACED WITH THE MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDED REPAIR WHICH WAS AUTHORIZED FOR 2003-2006 MODEL YEAR 9-3 SAAB. AND THAT MY 2008 SAAB (CURRENT VEHICLE) WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THIS DEFECT REPAIR ORDER FROM GM. THIS INCIDENTALLY NOW HAS HAPPENED ON BOTH OF MY LAST TWO SAABS, THE 2004 9-3 I HAD BEFORE THIS CURRENT 2008 9-3 MODEL SAAB. I AM AMAZED THAT THIS ISSUE HAS CONTINUED TO OCCUR AND NOT BE COVERED BY ANY RECALL BEYOND THE 2006 MODEL YEAR AS DESCRIBED TO ME. ADDITIONALLY IT IS EXTREMELY COINCIDENTAL THAT THESE LAST TWO SAAB I'VE OWNED HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM BUT NOW I HAVE TO BEAR THE BURDEN OF THE OVER $600 REPAIR AND PARTS FOR THIS CURRENT VEHICLE WHEN THE 2004 MODEL WAS COVERED.
FRONT SPRINGS WERE CORRODED AND BOTH SNAPPED EFFECTING HANDLING. *TR
VEHICLE'S FRONT PASSENGER SIDE COIL SPRING HAS FRACTURED AS A RESULT OF POOR DESIGN. *TR
MY 2008 SAAB 9-3 2.0T HAD A SIMILAR ISSUE TO THE SAAB'S AFFECTED BY THE 2003-2006 WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS. I AM IN A SALT BELT STATE, MASSACHUSETTS, AND MY FRONT COIL SPRINGS FAILED AT 64,500 MILES. IT WAS FOUND DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION. CLEARLY THE DESIGN CHANGES MADE AFTER THE 03-06 ISSUE WERE NOT ENOUGH TO STOP THE FRONT COIL SPRING FRACTURES AND THE ENGINEERING ANALYSIS DONE WAS NOT ADEQUATE. *TR
FRONT DRIVER SIDE SPRING BROKE WHILE DRIVING. LOUD BANG AND SUDDEN DROP IN RIDE HEIGHT. SOME LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. THIS IS A RECALLED ISSUE UP TO 2006, IT SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO COVER 2008 MODELS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY RISK. *TR
THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT COIL SPRING HAS BROKEN CAUSING IT TO BECOME DETACHED. AUTO REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT BOTH SPRINGS MUST BE REPLACED TO GIVE THE SUSPENSION SAFE STABILITY. *TR
SAAB 9-3S HAVE WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE WITH THE FRONT STRUT SPRINGS BREAKING DUE TO CORROSION CAUSED BY ROAD GRIT AND PARTICULATE SCRAPING AWAY ANTI-CORROSION PAINT. GM OWNED 100% OF SAAB FROM 2000 THROUGH 2010. GM OFFERED TO COVER COST OF REPAIRS FOR MODEL YEARS 2003-2006, BUT HAS DECLINED TO COVER COSTS FOR 2007 AND BEYOND. MY 2008 9-3 HAS THE FAULTY SPRINGS, AND ONE OF THEM JUST BROKE. REPAIRS COSTS ARE SUBSTANTIAL ($700-$1500) AND THE ISSUE PRESENTS A POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL. *TR
REPLACED BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS AT RECOMMENDATION OF DEALER. ONE SPRING WAS BROKEN COMPLETELY AT BOTTOM (ON DRIVER'S SIDE), AND THE OTHER WAS CRACKED (ON PASSENGER SIDE). SPACER LEAFS WERE REPLACED ALSO. I'VE RETAINED THE PARTS. EXPENSE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY ALTHOUGH THE CAR HAS ONLY 47,500 MILES. IT IS 4 YEARS, 5 MONTHS OLD. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR
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