2006 SAAB 9-3 Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems

ON JULY 22ND 2010 AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 EST, I STARTED MY CAR, A 2006 SAAB 9-3 AERO SPORT SEDAN AND PLACED IT INTO REVERSE TO EXIT MY GARAGE/ DRIVEWAY ON MY WAY TO WORK. AS I NEARED THE STREET I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN AND ENTER THE STREET BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL SEEMED TO BE INEFFECTIVE AND I ENDED UP PUTTING THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND ENTERING THE STREET AT AN ANGLE. AFTER I HAD STOPPED IN THE STREET I PUMPED THE BRAKES AND PUT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON AND SHORTLY (2MIN) I WAS ON MY WAY WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I REPORTED THIS INCIDENT TO MY SAAB DEALER, AND THEY SAID THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS BEFORE AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO AS IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. DURING THE REST OF THE SUMMER I DROVE THAT CAR I HAD NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. (IT IS MY PARENTS CAR THAT I DROVE WHEN I WAS HOME FOR THE SUMMER). I LATER FOUND OUT THAT MY PARENTS ALSO HAD THIS PROBLEM INTERMITTENTLY SO I BEGAN SEARCHING ONLINE AND FOUND OTHERS THAT HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM AND REFERENCED A REPORT PE08005 WHICH SEEMED TO DESCRIBE MY PROBLEM. I BROUGHT THIS REPORT TO THE SAAB DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD NEVER SEEN IT AND COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *TR

Mileage: 58,000

LOW OF VEHICLE POWER BRAKE ASSIST. AFTER SITTING FOR SEVERAL HOURS, WHEN THE CAR WAS FIRST STARTED THE POWER BRAKE ASSIST WOULD NOT WORK OR WOULD WORK AT A REDUCED RATE. THERE WERE NOT CHECK ENGINE OR BRAKE LIGHTS TO NOTIFY US OF A FAILURE. THIS ALMOST RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. IT TOOK NEARLY 20 FT TO GET THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP. HAD THIS OCCURRED IN A PARKING LOT OR IN ANOTHER LOCATION WERE A PERSON OR VEHICLE WAS CLOSE BY AN ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. THE VACUUM PUMP WAS REPLACED I BELIEVE THE PART # IS 12822387. HAD A NOTIFICATION BEEN GIVEN THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE SUCH AS A CHECK ENGINE OR BRAKE LIGHT, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AS BIG OF AN ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 45,236

ON A COLD START, THE BRAKES FAIL. *TR

Mileage: 36,000

BRAKE VACUUM PIPE CHECK VALVE BROKE APART, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF BRAKING POWER AND CHECK ENGINE FAULT. CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE AFTER INCIDENT. *TR

Mileage: 53,000

ON COLD STARTUP THE VEHICLE HAS NO POWER ASSISTED BRAKES. THIS HAS LEAD TO NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHERE YOU GET IN THE CAR AND BEGIN TO BACK OUT AND NEARLY HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. IT TAKES NEARLY A MINUTE AFTER STARTUP OF THE VEHICLE BEFORE IT IS SAFE TO PUT IT IN GEAR. *TR

Mileage: 37,564

FOUND MY CAP TO MY BRAKE RESERVOIR CRACKED OPEN LIKE A TIN CAN ABOVE THE THREADS. THE PLASTIC LITERALLY SPLIT IN TWO. THE CAP STILL COULD BE TWISTED ON AND OFF EASILY, BUT WOULD NO LONGER PREVENT BRAKE FLUID FROM ESCAPING. CAP WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE. I HAVE HEARD SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE WITH MY CAR POSSIBLY RELATED TO THE HEAT GENERATED BY THE TURBO. 2006 SAAB 9-3 AERO 2.8L V6. *TR

Mileage: 39,000

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. *TR

Mileage: 32,500

2006 SAAB AERO V6, AT A COLD START AND WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES VERY HARD AND THE CAR WILL NOT STOP FOR 15 -20 FT. *TR

Mileage: 33,200

SIMILAR ISSUE TO NHTSA DEFECT INVESTIGATION # PE08005. LOSS OF BRAKE POWER ASSIST AFTER A COLD START UP AND REVERSING. THE VEHICLE IS VERY HARD TO STOP, REQUIRING HIGH PEDAL PRESSURE, UNTIL THE CAR HAS WARMED UP FOR ~30 SECONDS. THIS HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE PAST 6 MONTHS. IT IS MORE PROMINENT AFTER SITTING FOR SEVERAL DAYS. ALSO WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD, WHEN A BUMP IS HIT WHILE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, BRAKES MAKE A METAL-ON-METAL GRINDING SOUND AND THE BRAKING ACTION DOES NOT WORK UNTIL ADDITIONAL PRESSURE IS APPLIED. THIS ALSO HAPPENED WHEN BRAKING ON SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITIONS SUCH AS SNOW OR RAIN. THIS CAUSED A NEAR ACCIDENT WHEN MY CAR DID NOT STOP FOR ANOTHER 10 FEET THAN INTENDED AND ENTERED AN INTERSECTION ON A RED LIGHT. *TR

Mileage: 40,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SAAB 9-3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. IMMEDIATELY, THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS FAILED TO RESPOND AND THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESTART AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE IDLING WITHIN THE COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR IDENTICAL FAILURES. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURES WERE RELATED TO THE TEMPERATURE SENSOR, WHICH WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AND THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,550.

Mileage: 40,000

LOSS OF BRAKE POWER ASSIST AFTER A COLD START UP. THE VEHICLE IS VERY HARD TO STOP, REQUIRING HIGH PEDAL PRESSURE, UNTIL THE CAR HAS WARMED UP FOR ~30 SECONDS. THIS HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE PAST 6 MONTHS. *TR

Mileage: 51,000

ON COLD START, MY HYDRAULIC BRAKES FAILS TO OPERATE. *TR

Mileage: 20,000

CAR WILL NOT STOP WHEN IN REVERSE AFTER MORNING START-UP. NO BRAKING POWER IN REVERSE EVEN AT IDLE. PROBLEM HAS BEEN ADDRESSED 3 TIMES BY DEALERSHIP. CAR IN AGAIN FOR SAME PROBLEM ONLY 5 DAYS AFTER PREVIOUS "FIX" IN SHOP AGAIN NOW ALMOST 2 WEEKS AS OF TODAY. *TR

Mileage: 20,000

WHEN A BUMP IS HIT WHILE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, BRAKES MAKE A METAL-ON-METAL GRINDING SOUND. WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED AFTER BRAKING (PULLING INTO OR OUT OF PARKING SPACE) METALLIC CLICKING SOUND IS HEARD. BRAKES WORK BETTER AFTER CAR IS WARMED UP. *TR

LOSS OF BRAKE POWER ASSIST AFTER A COLD START UP. THE VEHICLE IS VERY HARD TO STOP, REQUIRING HIGH PEDAL PRESSURE, UNTIL THE CAR HAS WARMED UP FOR ~30 SECONDS. THIS HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE PAST 6 MONTHS. THE CAR HAS BEEN LEFT WITH 2 DIFFERENT DEALERS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, TO ALLOW THEM TO OBSERVE AND DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE IT. I HAVE GIVEN THE DEALERS INFO ABOUT THE CURRENT NHTSA INVESTIGATION (PE08005) PERTAINING TO THIS SAME COMPLAINT FOR THIS MODEL CAR FROM SEVERAL OTHER SOURCES, AND NOTED THAT EARLIER MODELS OF THIS CAR WERE RECALLED FOR A (POSSIBLY) SIMILAR DEFECT. *TR

Mileage: 15,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SAAB 9-3. ON THREE OCCASIONS, WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH. THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. SHE PUMPED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY STOPPED. ON THE THIRD OCCASION, SHE ENDED UP IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPPED. THE DEALER CURRENTLY HAS THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE AS MENTIONED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER PE08005 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: POWER ASSIST:VACUUM:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS). THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,300 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000. UPDATE 04-02-08 *BF THE DEALER REPLACED THE MAST CYLINDERE. UPDATED

Mileage: 15,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SAAB 9-3. ON THREE OCCASIONS, WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH. THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. SHE PUMPED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY STOPPED. ON THE THIRD OCCASION, SHE ENDED UP IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPPED. THE DEALER CURRENTLY HAS THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE AS MENTIONED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER PE08005 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: POWER ASSIST:VACUUM:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS). THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,300 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000. UPDATE 04-02-08 *BF THE DEALER REPLACED THE MAST CYLINDERE. UPDATED

Mileage: 15,000

MY 2006 SAAB 9-3 AERO HAS A SERIES OF UNPREDICTABLE BRAKING MOTIONS. I HAVE HAD THE BRAKING SENSOR ASSEMBLY REPLACED - HOWEVER BRAKE PRESSURE AND CONTROL ARE UNPREDICTABLE. LETTING UP ON THE BRAKE SLOWLY RESULTS IN A LOSS OF ALL BRAKE PRESSURE IN A NON-PROGRESSIVE FASHION. THERE ARE ALSO TIMES THAT ONLY BY PUSHING THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE STOP THAT THE CAR CAN BE HELD IN PLACE WHEN IDLING. *TR

Mileage: 21,200

MY 2006 SAAB 9-3 AERO HAS A SERIES OF UNPREDICTABLE BRAKING MOTIONS. I HAVE HAD THE BRAKING SENSOR ASSEMBLY REPLACED - HOWEVER BRAKE PRESSURE AND CONTROL ARE UNPREDICTABLE. LETTING UP ON THE BRAKE SLOWLY RESULTS IN A LOSS OF ALL BRAKE PRESSURE IN A NON-PROGRESSIVE FASHION. THERE ARE ALSO TIMES THAT ONLY BY PUSHING THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE STOP THAT THE CAR CAN BE HELD IN PLACE WHEN IDLING. *TR

Mileage: 21,200

MY 2006 SAAB 9-3 AERO HAS A SERIES OF UNPREDICTABLE BRAKING MOTIONS. I HAVE HAD THE BRAKING SENSOR ASSEMBLY REPLACED - HOWEVER BRAKE PRESSURE AND CONTROL ARE UNPREDICTABLE. LETTING UP ON THE BRAKE SLOWLY RESULTS IN A LOSS OF ALL BRAKE PRESSURE IN A NON-PROGRESSIVE FASHION. THERE ARE ALSO TIMES THAT ONLY BY PUSHING THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE STOP THAT THE CAR CAN BE HELD IN PLACE WHEN IDLING. *TR

Mileage: 21,200

INTERMITTENT LOSS OF BRAKE POWER ASSIST ON COLD START, GIVING VERY HARD PEDAL. RECOVERS WITH SEVERAL PUMPS OF BRAKE PEDAL, OR SEVERAL SECONDS OF IDLE TIME. BEGAN ABOUT MID-JUNE, 2007, AND WAS REPORTED TO DEALER. BEHAVIOR IS NOT CONSISTENT, AND MAY VARY WITH WEATHER CONDITIONS. BARELY AVOIDED A LOW-SPEED ACCIDENT IN A PARKING DECK FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED. CAR TAKEN TO DEALER SPECIFICALLY TO IDENTIFY / REPAIR PROBLEM ON 11-7-07. DEALER RESPONSE HAS BEEN POSITIVE, BUT UNABLE TO LOCATE SPECIFIC PROBLEM. DEALER FOUND THAT OTHER SAAB 9-3 AERO (V6) MODELS EXHIBITED SIMILAR CHARACTERISTIC, INCLUDING BRAND NEW 08. FURTHER PURSUIT WITH SAAB GOT NEGATIVE RESPONSE, AS DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM, AND REPORTED THE CAR "NORMAL" IN THAT IT BEHAVED AS OTHER SIMILAR MODELS ON COLD START. I THEN REPORTED TO A SAAB OWNER WEBSITE, AND RESPONSES FROM OTHERS LED TO COVERAGE OF CURRENT NHTSA INVESTIGATION PE08005. *TR

Mileage: 18,000

FEAR OF ACCIDENT COMING FROM BRAKE BOOSTER CONTINUING TO GO BAD IN MY CAR. BRAKE WILL STIFFEN AND NOT STOP CAR - WILL ONLY SLOW DOWN. CAR HAS BEEN LOOKED AT 5 TIMES SINCE NOV. 2006 FOR THIS CONDITION. GM WILL NOT DO ANYTHING BUT REPLACE THE PART AND IT HAS FAILED NUMEROUS TIMES, REPLACED 2 TIMES AFTER COMPLAINTS. *TR

Mileage: 19,000

THE ABS SYSTEM WAS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY FOR THE FIRST 6 MONTHS THAT I OWNED THE CAR. THIS CAUSED THE REAR BRAKES TO BE PARTIALLY ENGAGED ALL THE TIME WHEN THE CAR WAS DRIVEN. IT WAS SO BAD THAT YOU COULD HEAR AND SMELL THE BRAKES SCRAPING. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS ALL RIGHT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I TOOK THEM APPROX. 6 MONTHS TO GET THE CORRECT PARTS TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. ALL THE TIME THE BRAKES WERE RUBBING WHICH CAUSED THEM PREMATURELY WEAR OUT. I HAVE NEVER IN MY LIFE HAD REAR BRAKES WEAR OUT IN 15K MILES. ONE OF TWO THINGS HAS HAPPENED. THE ABS CAUSED THE PADS TO WEAR OUT OR THEY HAD BAD BRAKE PADS TO BEGIN WITH.(NOTE: MY OTHER SAAB HAS 30K MILES ON IT AND STILL HAS IT'S ORIGINAL REAR BRAKES). *TR

Mileage: 100

TL*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.

Mileage: 15,383

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SAAB 9-3. WHILE REVERSING THE VEHICLE AT 4 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. HE HAD TO STAND ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY SIX TIMES AND ONLY WHEN DRIVING IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2007. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V236000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS). THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 13,000.

Mileage: 13,000

22 JUNE 07 REAR BRAKES REPLACED, NOTICED ON INITIAL DRIVING THAT BRAKE PEDAL WOULD 'BOTTOM OUT' , BRAKES WOULD MAKE METAL ON METAL SOUND, AND VEHICLE SLOW TO STOP. 13 JULY 07 VEHICLE RETURNED TO DEALER WITH BRAKE COMPLAINT, HAND BRAKE ADJUSTED. 17 AUG 07 VEHICLE RETURNED TO DEALER WITH SAME ABOVE COMPLAINT, VACUUM BOOSTER PIPES AND NON-RETURN VALVE REPLACED 5 SEP 07 VEHICLE RETURNED TO DEALER WITH SAME COMPLAINT, VACUUM PUMP PIPE ASSEMBLY REPLACED AGAIN. 10 SEP 07 VEHICLE RETURNED TO DEALER WITH SAME COMPLAINT, NO PROBLEM FOUND. AS OF THIS DATE BRAKES CONTINUE TO MALFUNCTION ON INITIAL STARTUP, ONCE BRAKES HAVE BEEN USED FOR SEVERAL STOPS THEY APPEAR TO START WORKING MORE CORRECTLY. *JB

Mileage: 28,825