There are 5 owner-reported visibility & wipers complaints for the 2003 Saab 9-3in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I AM THE OWNER OF A 2003 SAAB 9-3. MY MOONROOF SHATTERED WITHOUT ANY EXPLANATION. AS I WAS DRIVING MY CAR, IT SOUNDED LIKE AN EXPLOSION. GLASS RAINED DOWN ON ME. THERE WAS NO OBJECT THAT HIT THE MOONROOF. IT SIMPLY SHATTERED. IS THIS A PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL? *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW MADE A GRINDING SOUND AND WOULD NO LONGER GO UP OR DOWN. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE POWER WINDOW FAILED DUE TO FREEZING RAIN. THE WINDOW WAS REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 34,895 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,700. UPDATED 3/5/08 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALERSHIP OFFERED A GMC SMART CURE WHICH IS A PACKAGE COIL CHANGE AND TIRE ROTATION AT NO COST. UPDATED 03/05/08 *TR
MOON ROOF THINKS IT IS PINCHING AND RETRACTS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE. *TR
THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED MANY PROBLEMS WITH 2003 SAAB 9-3 LINEAR AS ENGINE FAILURE LIGHT APPEAR AND ECT. *BF THERE WERE REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH THE SUN ROOF REMAINING STUCK OPEN, STABILITY CONTROL PROBLEMS, LOW FRONT HEAD BEAM, GETTING AIR TO THE GAS CAP, THE MUD FLAP WAS CRACKED, AND ON ONE OCCASION WHEN DRIVING UP A HILL THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING. *SC *JB
DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW CONTINUES TO EITHER FAIL OR NON-OPERATE. AUTOMATIC DRIVERS WINDOW HAS: 1) MALFUNCTIONED TO WHERE IT WOULD NOT GO UP AFTER 5 - 10 MINUTES OF TRYING, 2) COMPLETELY BROKEN ONCE TO WHERE IT WOULD NOT GO DOWN, 3) WAS REPLACED AND SAME PROBLEMS WERE EXPERIENCED TO WHERE IT WILL NOT GO UP AFTER 5-10 MINUTES OF TRYING. 4) WAS REPLACED A SECOND TIME 5) HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE FIRST TWO WINDOW LIFTS TO WHERE IT TAKES 5 - 10 MINUTES SOMETIMES TO LIFT UP AND IS MAKING THE SAME NOISES AS THE FIRST TWO WHEN THEY BROKE. NO MAJOR CONSEQUENCES, EXCEPT THAT I HAVE HAD TO LEAVE MY WINDOW OPEN SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE IT WILL NOT LIFT UP. A COUPLE OF TIMES IT HAS BEEN RAINING, BUT LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO FIND A GARAGE TO PARK IN. I HAVE TALKED WITH ANOTHER 9-3 OWNER AND THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE AND HAVE HAD THE WINDOW MODULAR REPLACED TWICE AS WELL. I'VE HAD THE CAR INTO THE DEALER 4 TIMES FOR THE WINDOW LIFT, ONCE TO HAVE IT COMPLETELY REPLACED AND THE NEW LIFT IS STARTING TO MAKE THE SAME NOISES AS THE FIRST ONE DID WHEN IT BROKE
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