2008 Saab 9-3 engine problems
66 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine on the 2008 Saab 9-3 — 36% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“Had to have valve job done due to bad /defective/inferior intake valves, from manufacturer. Had to have all intake valves replaced, with modified/upgraded intake valves. Obtained po300 - random misfire codes, had rough idle, checked engine compression, had 45psig in cylinder number 4. Engine had…”
filed Dec 30, 2020
“My vehicle doesn't start/idle well in the cold due to the air intake manifold bolts slowly becoming loose. **when driving and shifting** the vehicle cannot handle the extra unclean air entering the system and will stall out while going anywheres from 0-60+ mph, once the engine shuts off all power…”
filed Dec 3, 2020
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related service bulletins
This service bulletin provides information for maintenance cleaning of the fuel injectors and gasoline detergent additive.
04-06-04-051J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 27, 2024
Engine problems in other 9-3 years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 9-3 | 1 | 3% |
| 2010 9-3 | 2 | 7% |
| 2009 9-3 | 12 | 28% |
| 2007 9-3 | 18 | 12% |
| 2006 9-3 | 5 | 3% |
| 2004 9-3 | 3 | 1% |
| 2003 9-3 | 7 | 3% |
| 2002 9-3 | 1 | 3% |
| 2001 9-3 | 1 | 2% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2008 Saab 9-3
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.