Table 1 shows two common equipment related problems of the 2000 SAAB 9-3.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Air Conditioner problems | |
| Equipment problems |
2000 SAAB 9-3 with several problems after repairs were made. Consumer states that after the serpentine belt was replaced. The new belt shred. Dealer said to pay for the second repair and then get reimbursed. The consumer also stated following the replacement of the water pump which failed twice, the vehicle developed a rattling sound. The dealer stated the problem was the clutch, however the consumer disagreed with their findings. The dealer then installed an ac compressor bracket incorrectly which resulted in another failure of the serpentine belt. The dealer stated the failure of the serpentine belt was not a result of it being faulty, it was due to the belt being damaged or cracked. The dealer stated the air conditioning bracket had broken and in doing so, it threw the belt off of the pulleys. The ac bracket was the casual part failure not the belt. The belt was damaged when it came off. The oil pump ring and crankshaft seal were replaced due to an oil leak at the pump.
The driver's side, side air bag deployed spontaneously. There was no apparent reason or cause, ie no side impact of any kind, no door slamming or other provocation. The car was parked in a garage for six hours before I sat in the car, closed the door, then blam! temperature was moderate, where as the car is often parked on a city street in direct sun. Air bag deployment was a loud bang followed by smoke from an explosive, and a sting on my neck and shoulder where the bag hit me. Bits of foam from the seat interior, where the air bag was located, blew around the car interior. I suffered temporary hearing loss in my left ear due to the loud bang. I was also quite startled. No other people were at risk. No other air bags have deployed since I've owned the car, approx. 20 yrs. , purchased used. I will consult an authorized repair shop, insurance agent, and a dealer service center for more info. A SAAB dealer service center told me a new replacement air bag would be available from sweden at a cost of $700. That would be in addition to the cost of repairing the seat, door frame panel, and other items. There were no prior dash board or related fault code messages. The car has never been in an accident or impacted in any way to the best of my knowledge (I saw a carfax report at purchase).