Four problems related to brakes failed have been reported for the 2006 SAAB 9-3. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2006 SAAB 9-3 based on all problems reported for the 2006 9-3.
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.
On cold start, my hydraulic brakes fails to operate.
On a cold start, the brakes fail.
The contact owns a 2006 SAAB 9-3. The contact discovered that his brakes failed shortly after starting the vehicle when he placed the vehicle in reverse to back out of his parking space. When the transmission is shifted from park into reverse or drive before the engine has been warmed up, the brakes do not work to slow the vehicle and the brake pedal feels rock hard. To stop the vehicle the contact shifted the transmission into park. Brake function appeared to return to normal after the engine warmed up. This failure has occurred on four separate occasions. At 15,383, the contact struck another vehicle when the brakes failed while reversing out of a parking space. The crash occurred at low-speed approximately 2mph and no one was injured. The contact's vehicle was scratched but there was no apparent damage to the other vehicle. Dealer replaced electric vacuum pump multiple times under warranty. Contact claims faulty vacuum check valve caused brake booster to leak and electric vacuum pump to run too long and burn out. The contact pursued remedy under lemon law and the vehicle was repurchased by SAAB on January 7, 2008.