Table 1 shows two common exterior lighting related problems of the 2005 SAAB 9-3.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Headlights problems | |
| Exterior Lighting problems |
Ongoing during routine driving: the headlights on my 2005 SAAB 9-3 burn out on approximately a monthly basis requiring replacement of the bulb. According to knowledgeable sources this is due to a corrosion issue with the headlight sockets known to the manufacturer and service providers. This is a safety concern due to the fact that when one headlight bulb burns out - the other headlight bulb burns out shortly thereafter exposing me to four occurrences where I have lost illumination in both headlights while driving at night. In addition, the headlight sockets are of poor construction as I have had two occurrences of one of the three tabs which secure the headlight socket into the headlight assembly break off. This initially creates a situation where the headlight bulb moves out of alignment causing improper illumination of the roadway ahead. Ultimately, the broken tab on the socket leads to bulb failure due to vibration associated with vehicle operation. Replacement sockets available from the manufacturer are of the same construction and the underlying issues have not been addressed.
Frequently the car stalls suddenly in traffic, looses power I can't accelerate this is very dangerous potential to get hit. The other problem is the car vibrates and all of sudden a lot of smoke comes out from back and rich gasoline smell comes and the speed turns to 0. I turn it off for five minutes and restart sometimes it starts ok sometimes it vibrates again. This happens very frequently.