2008 SAAB 9-3 Engine Problems

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 72862MILES, ON IT, THIS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BY SAAB/GM.

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 STEERING ALSO SHUTS DOWN. THE SECONDARY ISSUE IS AN ACCELERATION PROBLEM BECAUSE THE SEALS ON THE AIR INTAKE VALVES INTO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER HAVE BECOME FAULTY RESULTING IN CYLINDER MISFIRES AND A HIGH AMOUNT OF VIBRATION INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING, THE SYMPTOMS COME AND GO WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY AS TIME GOES ON. THIS SECONDARY ISSUE TIES INTO THE FIRST ISSUE BECAUSE OF SHIFTING WITH A STANDARD MY VEHICLE TODAY (12/3/2020) SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING 7 TIMES TO AND FROM MY JOB.

Mileage: 160,000

MY CAR WOULDN'T START SO I REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. IT DROVE FINE AND THEN I PARKED IT AND WENT OUT A LITTLE LATER AND IT WOULD JERK AND TRY TO STALL WHILE I WAS DRIVING, SPUTTERING LIKE I WAS RUNNING OUT OF GAS. IF I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR, IT WOULDN'T ACCELERATE AND THEN IT WOULD SURGE FORWARD. I RAN SOME ERRANDS AND IT DROVE FINE. AFTER MY FINAL ERRAND, THE CAR STRUGGLED TO START BUT DID AND IDLED REALLY ROUGHLY. I PUT IT INTO GEAR AND IT DIED. I COULDN'T GET IT STARTED AGAIN. AFTER READING OTHER POSTS, THIS SEEMS LIKE AN ISSUE WITH THESE YEARS AND VEEY DANGEROUS.

Mileage: 101,000

I BROUGHT MY 08 SAAB 9-3 TO A SHOP FOR A COMPRESSION TEST CAUSE IT KEPT STALLING WHEN I WOULD GO TO START IT, IT'S AN AUTOMATIC. I WAS TOLD MY INTAKE VALVES WERE WEARING DOWN AND IT'S DUE TO GMS FAULTY VALVES. YESTERDAY MY CAR STARTED TICKING WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND I LOST ALMOST ALL MY POWER, COME TO FIND OUT MY VALVES WERE ABOUT TO SNAP. NOW I'M MAKING PAYMENTS ON A CAR I CAN'T DRIVE AND GM REFUSES TO FIX THIS ISSUE AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE CASES OF THIS HAPPENING TO 08-10 SAAB 9-3 WITH THE GM FACTORY VALVES. *TR

Mileage: 157,000

EXPERIENCED HARD STARTING IN COLD WEATHER IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST THE PAST FEW YEARS. DID RESEARCH AND FOUND A TSB REGARDING THE INTAKE VALVES FOR 2.0 ECOTEC 4 CYLINDER. HAD A COMPRESSION TEST FOLLOWING SEVERAL CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS AND MULTIPLE READINGS DIAGNOSE A P0300 ENGINE CODE . COLD AND WARM COMPRESSION TEST SHOWED CYLINDER 2 COMPRESSION WELL OUT OF SPECIFICATION. DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. QUOTED $4000 FOR ENGINE REBUILD.

Mileage: 109,500

THE VALVES ON THESE CARS ARE DEFECTIVE AND START FAILING AROUND 60K MILES. THIS IS A WIDELY KNOW ISSUE AFFECTING THE 2008 SAAB 9-3 2.0L ENGINES. GM NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE REPAIRS GIVEN THE KNOWN MANUFACTURING DEFECTS. CAR WILL NOT START WHEN COLD AND THERE IS NOTHING THE DEALER CAN DO OTHER THAN PERFORM A MAJOR VALVE JOB (+$2300) => HTTPS://WWW.SAABCENTRAL.COM/THREADS/08-SAAB-COLD-START-ROUGH-IDLE.327778/

Mileage: 80,000

SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN AVERAGE MPG (PROBLEM FROM RESEARCH ONLINE SUGGESTS IT IS FROM LOWERED COMPRESSION FROM INTAKE VALVE DESIGN/MATERIAL USED). 109700 MILES ON ENGINE. METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED BY US NAVY SUBMARINER. HAVEN'T CONTACTED GM OR SAAB AFFILIATE YET. FORUMS USED INFER THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD FOR 2007-2009 SAAB 9-3 2.0T WITH B207 ENGINE. SUMMER TIME MPG IS AROUND 32-33, WINTER MPG IS 30-31 IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. LAST 3 FILL UPS, AVERAGE MPG HAS DROPPED STEADILY FROM 30.5 TO 26 ON THE MOST RECENT FILL UP. RESPECTFULLY REQUEST TO KNOW IF A RECALL OR FINANCIAL COMPENSATION BY THE MANUFACTURER TO CONSUMERS HAS BEEN ORDAINED?

Mileage: 109,700

ROUGH IDLE AND START ON COLD STARTS. THIS ISSUE IS WELL KNOWN IN THE SAAB COMMUNITY DUE TO GM PUTTING WEAK MATERIAL IN FACTORY FUEL INJECTOR VALVES. ENGINE LOSES COMPRESSION UNTIL CAR IS WARM, BUT MAY RESULT IN STALLS OR LIMP MODE

Mileage: 100,000

VEHICLE EXHIBITS ALL SIGNS OF PREMATURE INTAKE VALVE WEAR CAUSING LOSS OF COMPRESSION AND/OR HARD START/NO START WHEN AMBIENT AIR TEMP IS BELOW 40 DEGREES. SEE ALL PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME ISSUE!

Mileage: 150,000

JUST PURCHASE VEHICLE FROM A FRIEND 2008 SAAB 9-3 2.0T CONVERTIBLE . WHEN I FIRST START UP THE VEHICLE (IT IS NOW COLD OUTSIDE) THE ENGINE IS RUNNING RUFF UNTIL IT WARMS UP. I UNDERSTAND MANY OTHER SAAB 2008 OWNERS HAVE THE SAME COMPLAINT AND HAVE READ THAT THE INTAKE VALUES USED BY GM ARE FAULTY.

Mileage: 129,200

CAR STRUGGLED TO START WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WAS BELOW 40 DEGREES. AFTER A NUMBER OF TRIPS TO THE SHOP THAT MAINTAINS MY CAR THEY RESEARCHED ONLINE THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR SAAB WITH THIS ENGINE AND GM ISN'T WILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. PLEASE DO SOMETHING!

HARD STARTING COLD WITH ENGINE MISFIRE AND LOW COMPRESSION, VEHICLE STARTS AND RUNS NORMALLY WHEN HOT 2007-11 9-3 B207 & 2011 9-5 A20NFT ______________________________________________ THIS IS A RE-ISSUE OF A PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED DOCUMENT WITH UPDATED INFORMATION HIGHLIGHTED INRED. MODELS: 2007-2008 SAAB 9-3 B207R (THIS PI DOES NOT APPLY TO THE B284 ENGINE) UPDATE: THIS CONDITION COULD ALSO OCCUR ON 2009-11 B207 OR 2011 9-5 A20NFT CONDITION/CONCERN: A TECHNICIAN MAY COMMENT OF HARD OR NO STARTING WHEN COLD. THEY MAY ALSO FIND ENGINE MISFIRES WITH DTC'S P0300, P0301, P0302, P0303 OR P0304. THE VEHICLE WILL START AND RUN NORMALLY WHEN HOT. RECOMMENDATIONS/INSTRUCTIONS: THIS CONDITION MAY BE CAUSED BY A WORN INTAKE VALVE AND IS TYPICALLY FOUND ON VEHICLES WITH 50,000 OR MORE MILES. DUE TO THE NATURE OF THIS ISSUE IT CAN BE MORE FREQUENT IN COLD CLIMATES AND COULD EXHIBIT THE CONDITION AT A LOWER MILEAGE; INVERSELY IN WARMER CLIMATES IT MAY OCCUR AT A HIGHER MILEAGE. TAC HAS FOUND INTAKE VALVE WEAR OF THE VALVE SEAT FACE WILL CAUSE SIGNIFICANT COMPRESSION LOSS IN COLD TEMPERATURES THAT WILL NOT BE READILY APPARENT WHEN HOT. TO PROPERLY DIAGNOSE THIS CONDITION PERFORM A COLD (AFTER AN OVERNIGHT STAY IS BEST) COMPRESSION AND LEAK DOWN TEST. AS AN EXAMPLE, AN ENGINE WITH A 150-175 PSI HOT CRANKING COMPRESSION READING MAY ONLY SHOW 75 TO 90 PSI WHEN COLD. ONCE A TECHNICIAN HAS DETERMINED HE HAS THE ABOVE DESCRIBED CONCERN HE MUST INITIATE A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER (TAC) CASE BY EMAIL AT XXXX OR BY PHONE AT XXXXX PROMPT #3. TAC WILL PROVIDE THE FULL INFORMATION ON THE PARTS/REPAIR PROCEDURE WHEN THE CASE IS SET. PARTS REQUIRED: INLET VALVE 2007 TO 2011, BIOPOWER 55563529 (8 REQUIRED)

WE OWN A 2008 9-3 SAAB THAT HAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000 MILES ON IT. WHEN IT IS COLD OUTSIDE (50 DEGREES AND BELOW), OUR CAR STARTS VERY ROUGHLY AFTER 2-3+ MINUTES OF CONTINUOUS CRANKING. ONCE THE CAR STARTS AND HAS WARMED UP, IT RUNS QUITE SMOOTHLY. HOWEVER, IT CURRENTLY ISN'T STARTING AT ALL NOW AND IS IN THE SHOP. WE HAVE BEEN DOING RESEARCH ONLINE TO SEE IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG OTHER 2008 SAAB OWNERS. SO FAR WE HAVE SEEN A LARGE AMOUNT OF OTHER OWNERS OF 2008 SAABS EXPRESSING THE SAME CONCERNS/PROBLEMS AND HAVE EXPERIENCED A $2,00-$3,000 EXPENSE TO FIX IT. OUR DIAGNOSIS IS THAT THERE ISN'T ANY COMPRESSION AND IT IS ASSUMED THAT THE LOWER INTAKE VALVES ARE FAULTY AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED FOR AN ESTIMATED COST OF $2,000-$3,000. I HAVE CONTACTED GM AND AM AWAITING THEIR RESPONSE AS TO WHETHER THERE ARE ENOUGH OTHER COMPLAINTS TO WARRANT A RECALL OR RECEIVE ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO COMPLETE THE REPAIRS. IT APPEARS THAT THE ORIGINAL GM PARTS ARE FAULTY AND BECOME WORN, WHICH RESULTS IN DIFFICULTY IN COLDER TEMPERATURES. WE PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 2003 SAAB, WHICH WAS BUILT BY SAAB, AND WE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANY OF THESE SAID PROBLEMS.

Mileage: 125,000

AS IS THE CASE WITH MANY OTHER SAAB 9-3 BUILT AFTER 2006, MY DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT RECENTLY IDENTIFIED A PROBLEM WITH THE INTAKE VALVES IN MY VEHICLES ENGINE, WHICH HAS EXPERIENCED PREMATURE FAILURE AT 77,000 MILES. OTHER POSTINGS ON LINE LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS MAJOR ISSUE AFFECTING THOUSANDS OF THESE VEHICLES BUILT BY GM IN YEARS 2007 AND LATER. THE CAUSE IS WIDELY KNOWN AND IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT RESULTING IN FAILURE OF THE VEHICLE TO START IN COLD WEATHER. THE FIX REQUIRED IS A REPLACEMENT OF ALL OF THE ENGINE INTAKE VALVES. THIS IS COSTLY FIX IN THE RANGE OF $3,000 PER VEHICLE. WHETHER GM KNEW IT WAS USING INFERIOR PARTS PRONE TO FAILURE OR NOT, THEY ARE STILL RESPONSIBLE AND SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PERFORM THE REPAIRS AT THEIR COST, OR TO AT A MINIMUM PARTICIPATE IN SOME WAY IN THE COST OF THE REPAIRS.

Mileage: 77,545

RECENTLY, WHILE STARTING THE CAR IT STARTED UP VERY ROUGH. A FEW WEEKS AGO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO CAME ON AND THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THERE WAS AN ISSUE IN CYLINDER 2. WE REPLACED ALL SPARK PLUGS AND COILS, AND THE ISSUE DID NOT GO AWAY. IN ADDITION, THE CAR HAS ALSO STARTED STALLING RANDOMLY. LUCKILY, I HAVEN'T BEEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS WHEN THIS HAS HAPPENED BUT IT'S NOW SHUT OFF ABOUT 7 OR 8 TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH. BEEN WONDERING IF ITS INTAKE VALVES, FUEL PUMP, POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE, CAMSHAFT TIMING... SOUNDS LIKE LOTS OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR ISSUES AND HOPING MINES NOT BECAUSE OF THE INTAKE VALVES. PLEASE EMAIL [XXX]@HOTMAIL.COM IF YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR ISSUES AND KNOW THE FIX. CAR IS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION.*JB

Mileage: 90,000

CAR STARTS AND SHUTS OFF.

Mileage: 97,000

REACHED 100K MILES, AND CAR BEGAN RUNNING VERY ROUGH. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND DIAGNOSED AS BAD IGNITION COIL. PAID FOR TUNE-UP, IGNITION COIL, AND AND FUEL SERVICE. LESS THAN A MONTH LATER, SAME ISSUE. CAR RUNNING FINE, THEN SUDDENLY ALMOST STALLS AND ENGINE LIGHT BLINKS THEN STAYS ON - CAR RUNS VERY ROUGH AT IDLE AND ACCELERATION. REPLACED 2 MORE COILS. LESS THAN ONE MONTH ISSUE, SAME ISSUE - CAR RUNNING OK, THEN JUST ALMOST STALLS AND RUNS ROUGH - ENGINE LIGHT BLINKS THEN STAYS ON - RELACED #5 COIL. WHEN DIAGNOSING, SERVICE TECH ADVISED THAT ISSUE WAS LIKELY WORSE, NOT MAINTAINING COMPRESSION - LIKELY REQUIRED VALVE JOB. HAVE ALREADY PAID SEVERAL THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON IGNITION COILS AND OTHER SERVICE TO DEALERSHIP FOR THIS ISSUE, NOW FACING LARGE BILL FOR VALVE JOB.

Mileage: 99,000

I HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH MY CAR FOR A WHILE NOW AND COULDN'T FIGUREOUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. WHEN STARTED FROM A COLD START WOULD TAKE 2 OR 3 TIMES TO GET THE CAR RUNNING IT WOULD STALL OUT AND RUN REALLY ROUGH. AFTER A NUMBER OF TRIPS TO THE SHOP THAT MAINTAINS MY CAR THEY RESEARCHED ONLINE THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR SAABS WITH THIS ENGINE AND GM ISN'T WILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I HAD TO SPEND JUST UNDER 2000.00 TO GET THIS ISSUE FIXED. I SEE THERE ARE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE POSTING ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM THE INTAKE VALVE ISSUE IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH GM SUPPLIED INTAVE VALVES ON 2007-20011 SAABS WITH THE B207 MOTOR.

Mileage: 77,000

INTAKE VALVE ISSUE IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH GM SUPPLIED INTAVE VALVES ON 2007-20011 SAABS WITH THE B207 MOTOR. CAR STRUGGLED TO START WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WAS BELOW 40 DEGREES. WHEN IT FINALLY STARTED, THE CAR IDLED ROUGHLY. IN ADDITION CAR STALLED A COUPLE OF TIMES WHILE BEING DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY. TOOK IT TO THE SERVICE CENTER AND THEY PERFORMED A COLD BLOCK COMPRESSION TEST. VALUES WERE WELL BELOW 100 ON 2 OF THE VALVES. THE OTHER TWO TESTED ABOUT 20% BELOW NORMAL. 66K MILES, SERVICED REGULARLY, AND PREMIUM FUEL WAS USED EXCLUSIVELY. ALSO, SOUTHERN CARE FROM DAY 1.

Mileage: 64,000

I HAVE OWNED MY 2008 SAAB 9-3 FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW AND I HAVE HAD AN ONGOING ROUGH RUNNING ISSUE THAT SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE. WHEN I START MY CAR UP IN THE MORNING IT RUNS VERY ROUGH AND RECENTLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN TURNING ON AND OFF WITH CYLINDER MISFIRE CODES. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND HAD THIS PROBLEM DIAGNOSED, SEVERAL TIMES, AS HAVING BAD INTAKE VALVES. AFTER DOING MORE RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM, I HAVE COME TO FIND THIS IS A RATHER COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS SPECIFIC YEAR MAKE AND MODEL. THIS IS CONCERNING BECAUSE I HAVE HAD THIS REPAIR QUOTED AT OVER $2000.00. I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH MANUFACTURER RECALLS AND HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MULTIPLE DEALERSHIPS TO SUBMIT A COMPLAINT IN ORDER FOR THIS PROBLEM TO BE COVERED UNDER A MANUFACTURER RECALL DUE TO FAULTY PARTS. *TR

Mileage: 130,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND STALLED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE EXTENSION TANK WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES. THE INNER HOSE DETACHED INTERNALLY AND THE DEALER PROVIDED NO SOLUTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED NO REMEDY. THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN IF THE PART WAS REPLACED A FOURTH TIME AND IF THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

I HAVE WHAT I'VE SEARCHED IS THE "COLD START PROBLEM". WHEN STARTING THE ENGINE IN COLD WEATHER, IT TAKES IT A TRY OR TWO TO START, BUT UPON IGNITION, IT SPUTTERS FOR A MINUTE OR TWO AND ONCE IT WARMS, IT RUNS PERFECTLY FINE. FROM READING REVIEWS ONLINE, IT SOUNDS LIKE MANY OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS AND IT IS THE RESULT OF THE VALVES GOING BAD, MEANING I NEED A WHOLE NEW REBUILD DONE. CAR ONLY HAS 127K MILES ON IT AND IS IN MINT CONDITION. PER THE NUMBER OF CASES I'VE READ ONLINE ABOUT THIS, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE '07-'08 MODELS WERE THE ONE'S THAT WERE DEFECTIVE IN MY CASE. BOUGHT THE CAR RECENTLY FROM A FRIEND WHO THOUGHT IT WAS JUST A FUEL PUMP ISSUE NEEDING TO BE REPLACED, WHICH I'D PAY THE FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR THAT, NO PROBLEM. BUT NOW LOOKING AT CLOSE TO $3,000 TO HAVE FIXED??

Mileage: 127,000

I WAS DRIVING AT 55 MILES PER HOUR ON THE LODGE FREEWAY IN METRO DETROIT, I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE AND THERE IS NO EMERGENCY LANE ON THE LEFT, AND MY ENGINE TURNED OFF ON ITSELF (SCARY!). AS WE ARE AWARE, BRAKES PRETTY MUCH STOP WORKING WHEN THE ENGINE IS OFF AND I WAS DRIVING WITH 55 MPH WITH MANY VEHICLES AROUND ME. I MANAGED TO PULL OVER TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT GETTING HIT. WHEN I STOPPED, I TRIED TO START THE CAR, IT WOULD START FOR 5 SECONDS AND IT WILL STALL AND I HAD ABOUT 10 GALLONS OF GASOLINE IN THE TANK. I HAD TO GET THE VEHICLES TOWED TO MY HOUSE. NEXT DAY I STARTED READING THE BLOGS ONLINE TO FIGURE OUT HOW IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE ENGINE TO STALL LIKE THAT WITHOUT ANY WARNINGS, ESPECIALLY ONE IS GOING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. IT TURNED SAME THING HAPPENED TO A LOT OF SAAB OWNERS AS WELL - ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT ANY WARNINGS WHEN THEY WERE DRIVING. I HOOKED UP THE VEHICLES TO A DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER AND IT SHOWED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR STOPPED WORKING. IF THERE ARE OTHER SAAB OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS, WE SHOULD DO SOMETHING TO PREVENT ANY INJURIES - HAPPY TO DISCUSS IT WITH ANYBODY.

Mileage: 105,000

THE STOCK INTAKE VALVES ARE BAD, NOTICED PROBLEM AT 75,000 MILES AND BOUGHT THE CAR AT 74,000. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS YEAR INCLUDING ENGINE FAILURE. OVER A 3,000$ FIX.

Mileage: 74,000

CAR WAS MANUFACTURED WITH A BAD SET OF INTAKE VALVES WHICH IS NOTED ON MANY SAAB OWNER THREADS. VALVES BREAK DOWN IN COLD WEATHER AROUND 50K MILES. CAR STARTS AND BOTTOMS OUT SOMETIMES AND HAS ROUGH IDLE UNTIL WARMED. ACCELERATING WHILE ENGINE IS COLD CAN CAUSE SAFETY ISSUE. QUOTED REPAIRS RUN $2000-3000.

Mileage: 90,000

DEFECTIVE INTAKE VALVES. REPAIR CENTER SPECIALIZING IN SAAB PERFORMED COLD COMPRESSION TEST ON CYLINDERS AND FOUND THAT 2 OF 4 HAD LOW COMPRESSION. INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAVE FOUND 90% OF THE SAABS THEY TEST FROM 2007-08 HAVE THIS PROBLEM FROM CHEAP VALVES USED SPECIFIED BY GM.

INTAKE VALVE ISSUE - CAR WILL NOT START ON A COLD DAY AND, SOMETIMES AT A STOP SIGN /LIGHT, WILL STALL - HAD TO TWO MECHANICS DEPICT THE ISSUE AND IT IS THE INTAKE VALVE ISSUE - MANY SAAB'S HAVE REPORTED THIS ISSUE AND NOTHING WAS DONE BY GM - I CALLED GM AND THEY SAID THAT THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE - THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED SEVERAL TIMES AND THERE ARE SEVERAL THREADS AS WELL.

Mileage: 100,000

I DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, BUT I MOVED TO NEW YORK AT ABOUT 75K MILES - AND I NOTICED A PROBLEM RIGHT AWAY. ROUGH IDLING STARTED, AND WOULD EVEN TURN ON, THEN RIGHT BACK OFF. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT AN ISSUE AGAIN DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, SO I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO 83K MILES. NOW THAT IT IS WINTER TIME, EVEN THOUGH IT IS GARAGED IT WILL NOT START IF IT IS UNDER 45 DEGREES. I HAD IT CHECKED OUT WITH A CERTIFIED SAAB MECHANIC AND HE CONFIRMED BY WAY OF COMPRESSION TEST THAT IT IS INDEED THE DREADED INTAKE VALVE PROBLEM. THE ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR IS $2,230!

Mileage: 75,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SAAB 9-3. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, IT IDLED ROUGHLY. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE WOULD SOMETIMES TAKE A LONG TIME TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

Mileage: 90,000

HARD/ROUGH START ESPECIALLY IN COLD TEMPERATURES. MECHANIC SAID #4 CYLINDER IS MISFIRING. CONFIRMED TO BE LOW COMPRESSION DUE TO PREMATURELY WORN INTAKE VALVES. #1 CYLINDER/INTAKE VALVE IS NOT FAR BEHIND #4. BECAME A SERIOUS PROBLEM WHEN ENGINE STALLS WHEN SITTING IN TRAFFIC. ALSO VEHICLE ENGINE HAS STALLED/SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN PARKING LOTS, REDLIGHTS, 4 WAY STOPS.

Mileage: 108,954

ROUGH COLD START. COMPRESSION ON CYLINDER 4 TO LOW.INTAKE VALVE PROBLEM.

79,000 MILES BEGAN WITH SLUGGISH COLD STARTS UNTIL WARMED THAN BEGAN TO RUN O.K UNTIL STOPPED TURNING OVER. ANOTHER OWNER OF GM SCREWING THE PUBLIC WITH CRAPPY VALVES INSTALLED IN THESE ENGINES. WHEN WILL THERE BE ENOUGH COMPLAINTS TO CREATE A RECALL. ORDERING PARTS FROM EAST COAST SAAB PARTS STORE AND LOOKING FOR REASONABLE AND KNOWLEDGEABLE CALIFORNIA BASED MECHANIC. EXPECTING TO PAY APPROXIMATELY $2K. WILL UPDATE THIS COMPLAINT WHEN JOB COMPLETE. ANOTHER GM DISAPPOINTMENT IN CAR OWNERSHIP!

Mileage: 79,000

THE ENGINE LOST TOTAL COMPRESSION DUE TO WHAT THE MECHANIC SAID WAS A WELL-DOCUMENTED CASE OF INTAKE VALVE FAILURE, HAPPENED IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. THE ENGINE CUT OUT WHILE I WAS IN TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY, THE CAR STOPPED, AND THE CAR WAS GRAZED FROM BEHIND. NOT MUCH OF A PROBLEM DUE TO DAMAGE, JUST A QUICK RE-PAINT OF THE BACK BUMPER, AND PAID OUT OF POCKET. THE ENGINE WAS GONE. THE SAAB SPECIALIST TOLD ME THAT SO MANY 9-3'S,ESPECIALLY ON THE EAST COAST, HAVE EXPERIENCED TOTAL INTAKE VALVE FAILURE LIKE MINE. I CONTACTED SAAB AND THEY ESSENTIALLY SAID TO GO SCREW MYSELF. SAAB AND A SUBSEQUENT CALL TO GM CLAIMED THEY HAD "NEVER HEARD OF THE ISSUE" WHICH MY MECHANIC SPECIALIST SAID WAS A "BOLD LIE" BECAUSE THERE'S AN ONLINE HISTORY OF THIS THAT I FOUND, AND THEY DENIED ME ANY HELP IN GETTING IT FIXED. SINCE THE CAR WAS WORTH MORE THAN THE $2,900 COST I HAD TO PAY TO HAVE THE ENGINE REBUILT, WITH THE SAME FAULTY VALVES THAT WILL CAUSE SOMEONE ELSE TROUBLE LATER AS I TRADED IN MY CAR, I DECIDED TO REPAIR IT, AND THEN GET $1,200 MORE OUT OF IT ONCE I TRADED IN MY CAR. YOU NEED TO INVESTIGATE THIS. IT IS NOT FAIR TO OWNERS WHO ARE OUT OF POCKET. THERE WAS A SAFETY CONCERN WITH MY INCIDENT. IF THE CAR BEHIND ME HAD NOT BEEN AWARE ONCE THE FREEWAY STARTED MOVING AGAIN, I COULD HAVE BEEN HURT. SAAB AND GM DENY THIS, YET SEARCH GOOGLE---"INTAKE VALVE PROBLEMS SAAB 9-3" AND YOU'LL SEE FOR YOURSELF. MAKE GM PAY FOR THIS. PEOPLE HAVE LOST A TON OF MONEY ON DEPRECIATION ALONE, AND NOW THE ENGINES FAIL, ALMOST ALL OF THEM,ACCORDING TO THE SHOP WHO FIXED MY CAR AND TO WHAT I'VE READ ONLINE. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL. SAAB AND GM WERE BOTH ESPECIALLY ARROGANT TO ME. THEY SHOULD PAY FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND REIMBURSE ME WHAT I WAS OUT EVEN THOUGH I SOLD MY CAR. I HAVE THE RECEIPTS IF YOU NEED THEM. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! PLEASE EMAIL ONLY. *TR

Mileage: 84,000

I HAVE THE SAME ISSUE THAT OTHERS HAVE TALKED ABOUT. GM PUT CHEAP VALVES IN ENGINE--THEY HAVE NOW FAILED FOR A NUMBER OF US. COLD STARTING, ROUGH IDLE, SMELL OF GAS, ULTIMATELY WILL NOT START. EXPENSIVE REPAIR ON CAR WITHOUT MUCH MILEAGE 60K REPAIR IS 2500-3000 GM SHOULD FIX THESE FOR FREE OR REDUCED COST.

Mileage: 60,500

CAR WILL NOT START ON COLD DAYS. FOUND CYLINDERS 1 AND OR WITH LOW COMPRESSION.INTAKE VALVES NEED REPLACEMENT.

Mileage: 51,426

I FIRST NOTICED A DIFFERENCE IN HOW MY CAR WORKED ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. I PURCHASED IT CERTIFIED PRE-OWED FROM A CERTIFIED SAAB DEALER AT THE TIME. WHEN I FIRST NOTICED THE "COLD-STARTS" I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND MAYBE NEEDED AN OIL CHANGE. I ALWAYS USE PREMIUM GASOLINE AND GET THE VEHICLE SERVICED REGULARLY BY THE DEALER. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER IN THE BEGINNING OF 2014, THE TECHNICIAN SAID HE'S FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM THAT I WAS HAVING. HE SAYS THE ISSUE IS WITH THE COMPRESSION VALVE. HE TOLD ME THAT I WAS "UNLUCKY" THAT I PURCHASED THIS CAR BECAUSE SAAB MANUFACTURED 2007-2009 9-3 MODEL ENGINES WHERE THE VALVES WERE MADE OF WEAKER METALS THAT WHEN SURROUNDING METALS. AS THE EDGES OF THE VALVES IMPACT THE ENGINE WALLS, THEIR ORIGINAL CONVEX DESIGNED BECAME CONCAVE, THUS CAUSING A LOSS IN PRESSURE AND COMBUSTION. (I'M NOT AN ENGINE SAVVY GUY, SO PLEASE EXCUSE MY LACT OF TERMINOLOGY). SO, HE QUOTED ME ABOUT $3,000 FOR A VALVE REPLACEMENT. THAT'S REDICULOUSNESS! HOW CAN GM PRODUCE A VEHICLE WHOSE VALVES WILL DETERIORATE AFTER NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR? THIS HAS LED TO NOT ONLY COLD STARTS BUT ALSO DECREASED RESPONSIVENESS ON THE HIGHWAY. SOMETIMES WHEN DRIVING, I WOULD APPLY THE ACCELERATOR AND MY CAR SHAKES FOR A FEW SECONDS. WHEN GIVING A RIDE TO OTHERS THEY LOOK AT ME LIKE, "THAT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN." MY CAR HASN'T STALLED OR SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING, BUT I'M GUESSING IF I DON'T GET THIS FIXED SOON IT MAY HAPPEN. THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT I'M SURE GM IS AWARE OF; ACCORDINGLY, THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL TO GET THIS ISSUE RESOLVED.

Mileage: 89,000

AT ABOUT 70,000 MILES THE CAR BEGAN TO START ROUGH ON COLD MORNINGS THIS CONTINUED ON UNTIL THIS YEAR 2014-2015 IT WOULD BARELY START ON ALL ON A COLD MORNING, AFTER LESS THEN A MINUTE OF RUNNING IT WOULD BE SMOOTH WITH NO APPARENT LOSE OF POWER. ALL PLUGS AND PLUG IGNITION COILS WE REPLACED WITH NO EFFECT. FINALLY I DID A WEB SEARCH AND FOUND OUT A NUMBER OF 9-3 SAAB'S 2006-2008 HAD BAD METAL IN SOME OF VALVES CAUSING THEM TO WEAR PAPER THIN.ONCE THE ENGINE WAS WARM THE METAL EXPANDED GIVING NORMAL COMPRESSION. A COMPRESSION CHECK ON MINE CAME BACK CYCL 1,3,4 50LBS CYCL 2 200LBS. THIS STARTING PROBLEM WAS FIRST NOTICED AT 70,000 I GOT THE MOTOR FIXED AT 92,000 MILES. OF COURSE THE FIX WAS A VALVE JOB AND A COST TO ME OF $2088.02. I FEEL SAAB (GM) SHOULD SHARE A LARGE PORTION OF THIS COST. THIS PROBLEM WAS VERY WELL DOCUMENTED ON ALL THE SAAB FORUMS. I HOPE ANYONE READING THIS AND HAS THE SAME PROBLEM PLEASE FILE A COMPLAINT THIS IS NOT RIGHT. *TR

Mileage: 710,000

MY 2008 SAAB 93 2.0T HAS INTAKE VALVE FAILURES. IN THE MORNING IT IDLES ROUGH UNTIL IT WARMS UP; THIS HAS BEEN VERIFIED BY A SAAB SPECIALIST. MY ENGINE IS NOT MOLDED OR ALTERED IN ANYWAY OTHER THAN THE CONSUMABLES OVER TIME (BELTS AND SUCH). A QUICK CHECK FOR 2008 SAAB VALVE PROBLEM LEADS TO FORUMS CHALK FULL OF OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. GM SHOULD FOOT THE BILL FOR THIS $2500+ REBUILD OF THE ENGINE THAT THEY POORLY MANUFACTURED IN THE FIRST PLACE. *TR

Mileage: 103,978

ON THE 2007-2011 SAAB 9-39-3 THERE IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE INTAKE VALVE SEALS GOING BAD CAUSING A ROUGH IDLE AND/OR MISFIRE ON COLD STARTS. MINE EXHIBITS THIS BEHAVIOR BUT IS NOT STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THIS IS NOT JUST WEAR AND TEAR IT IS A BAD PART OR BAD DESIGN THAT IS BASICALLY DESIGNED TO FAIL. TO FIX THIS IT COSTS $1500+ AND GM SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A FLAW IN THE VEHICLE REGARDLESS OF THE 5 YEAR/100,000 MILE WARRANTY. *TR

Mileage: 120,543

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SAAB 9-3. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTAKE VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

Mileage: 80,000

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON.. SHOP FOUND MULTIPLE ENGINE MISFIRES.. CHECKED ENGINE COMPRESSION.. COMPRESSION BELOW MANUFACTURERS SPECS.. NEEDED COMPLETE VALVE JOB PER SAAB RECOMMENDATION.. PARTS SENT TO MACHINE SHOP FOR REPAIRS AND RE-CONDITION.. RE-INSTALL OF CYLINDER HEAD ASSEMBLY WITH NEW HEAD GASKET AND ALL OTHER NEEDED GASKET AND SEALS.. FLUSHED AND REFILLED ALL ENGINE TRANSMISSION FLUIDS.. COMPLETE VALVE JOB WITH INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVES.. DEFECTIVE VALVE IS REPORTED ISSUE ON SAAB 9-3 2008.. *TR

Mileage: 81,704

WE PURCHASED A 2008 SAAB 9-3 IN 3/2011 WITH 34,000 MILES. AS OF 2/2015 THE VEHICLE HAS 104,000 MILES. LAST MONTH THE VEHICLE BARELY STARTED AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT AND WOULD TAKE SEVERAL MINUTES TO REACH A NORMAL IDLE. IT WOULD THEN START THE REST OF THE DAY, SOMETIMES AFTER A "HARD" START. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE MECHANIC SAID THE CODE READ AS A "CYLINDER MISFIRE" CODE. 8 DAYS AGO THE CAR WOULD NOT START AND IS NOW SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY. I CALLED A SAAB SPECIALIST ABOUT 2 HOURS AWAY FROM ME WHO KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. HE EXPLAINED THE INTAKE VALVE PROBLEM THAT A LOT OF SAAB OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING DUE TO DEFECTIVE MATERIALS USED BY GM AND/OR SUPPLIERS. HE SAID THE COST WILL BE AT LEAST $2,200 BUT COULD EASILY BE MORE DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT (A SERVICE BULLETIN HAS BEEN ISSUED DETAILING THIS ISSUE) THAT SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO A RECALL. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO FIX AN ENGINE THAT DOES NOT WORK DUE TO SUBSTANDARD VALVES. THIS IS NOT A NORMAL "WEAR AND TEAR" ISSUE, BUT AN ISSUE DEALING WITH PARTS THAT WERE DOOMED FROM THE BEGINNING. *TR

Mileage: 103,000

COMPRESSION IN CYLINDER ONE IS NOT FIRING AT A FULL PSI PER MFG STANDARDS. IT'S CAUSING A COLD START ISSUE AND THE CAR BARELY TURNS OVER TO START WHEN IT'S NOT WARMED UP. *JS

Mileage: 80,300

VEHICLE DOESN'T START DUE TO LOW COMPRESSION ON COLD DAYS. CAR WILL LEAVE YOU STRANDED IN EXTREME TEMPS. *TR

Mileage: 90,000

SAME AS PROBLEM BELOW: SINCE I NEED THE CAR BADLY, I'VE INSTRUCTED MY MECHANIC TO START WORKING ON THE FIX. OVER TIME THE VALVES IN THE 2.0T ENGINE WILL WEAR CAUSING DRAMATIC LOSS IN COMPRESSION. PROBLEM STARTS WITH ROUGH IDLING AND TROUBLE TURNING OVER AT COLD START BUT ESCALATES TO A POINT WHERE THE CAR WILL NOT START WHAT SO EVER. IT APPEARS THAT WHEN MANUFACTURING THE ENGINE GM PUT VALVES MADE OF A SOFTER THAN USUAL METAL. THESE VALVES GET ESSENTIALLY HAMMERED AGAINST THE CYLINDER HEAD TO A POINT WHERE THE EDGES BECOME SO THIN THEY ARE RAZOR SHARP. A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS SENT OUT TO DEALERS FROM SPNA (SAAB PARTS NORTH AMERICA), WHICH MEANS THAT GM IS WELL AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. A SAAB MECHANIC WARNED ME THAT THE PROBLEM COULD GET WORSE AT ANY TIME REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE AND THAT SOONER OF LATER MY CAR WOULD NOT START. TO FIX THIS ISSUE ALL 16 VALVES WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THIS INVOLVES SERIOUS TIME AND EFFORT AND I WAS QUOTED A PRICE OF UP TO $3,000 FOR A REPAIR. PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THIS PROBLEM EFFECTS EVERY SAAB 9-3 WITH THE 2.0T FROM 2007 TO 2011. GM SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THESE FAULTY PARTS AND ISSUE A RECALL. *JS

Mileage: 128,000

FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, WITH TEMPERATURE IN THE TEENS, THE CAR WILL NOT START DUE TO BAD INTAKE VALVES. AS NOTED BY MANY CONSUMERS ON SEVERAL SAAB FORUMS, THIS ENGINE LOSES SIGNIFICANT COMPRESSION IN THE CYLINDERS CAUSING DIFFICULT STARTING, A VERY ROUGH IDLE AND ULTIMATELY RESULTING IN A VALVE JOB. *TR

Mileage: 96,000

ENGINE REFUSED TO START IN COLD WEATHER. SAAB TECHNICIAN CONFIRMED AN ISSUE WITH INTAKE VALVES BEING DEFECTIVE. THE INTAKE VALVES WOULD NOT SEAL CAUSE COMPRESSION TO GET AS LOW AS 40 PSI CAUSING NO START CONDITION. SAAB REFUSED TO COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY ON THE 61ST MONTH OF OWNERSHIP VEHICLE CAME WITH 60 MONTH ENGINE WARRANTY AND THE COST OF REPAIR OUT OF POCKET WAS OVER $2500. THERE WERE DAYS THE CAR WOULDN'T START AWAY FROM HOME AFTER SITTING JUST ONE DAY, LEAVING ME STRANDED IN EXTREME COLD WEATHER WITH NO HEAT. GM AND SAAB KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE AS THEY GOT POOR QUALITY INTAKE VALVES FROM A SUPPLIER. GM HAS NOT YET CAMPAIGNED/RECALLED THESE VEHICLE, AS YOU KNOW GM CULTURE LACKS ETHICS AND HAVE COVERED UP DEATHS IN THE PAST TO SAVE MONEY. AS A GOVERNMENT AGENCY YOUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO PROTECT CONSUMERS AND BE PROACTIVE AND NOT ACT AFTER SOMETHING HORRIBLE HAS HAPPENED. THERE ARE MORE THEN ENOUGH COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE FOR THIS ISSUE. ARE YOU WAITING FOR A DEATH TO OCCUR BEFORE ANYTHING IS DONE ? GM NEW OR OLD SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS ISSUE. ITS A GM ECOTEC ENGINE, CAR WAS PRODUCED ON A GM PLATFORM. PROFITS FROM THE VEHICLE ALSO WENT TO GM. THIS ISSUE ALSO CAUSES AN INCREASE IN EMISSIONS. AS THERE IS LOSS OF COMPRESSION, CYLINDER MISFIRE OR HAS INCOMPLETE COMBUSTION CAUSING AN INCREASE IN HYDROCARBONS AND CARBON MONOXIDE IN THE TAIL PIPE. *TR

Mileage: 60,000

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE P0008 ENGINE CODE OCCURRED, CAR WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, MECHANIC STATED ENGINE CODE WAS INDICATED BY CAMSHAFT SENSOR, AND COULD POSSIBLY BE A WORN TIMING CHAIN. THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE ON GM 2.8 AND 3.6 ENGINES AND GM HAS ISSUED A TSB TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY FOR THE TIMING CHAIN TO 120K MILES OR TEN YEARS. THIS TSB DID NOT INCLUDE THE TIMING CHAIN FOR THE 2.8 LITER ENGINE IN THE SAAB. *TR

Mileage: 90,000

ENGINE FAILS TO START WHEN COLD AND WHEN IT DOES, THE CAR RUNS EXTREMELY ROUGH. CAR HESITATES AND DRIVES POORLY UNTIL ENGINE IS FINALLY WARM. COLD COMPRESSION TEST CONFIRMS THAT THERE IS LOW COMPRESSION AND THAT THERE ARE DEFECTIVE INTAKE VALVES. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR A VEHICLE THAT IS NOT OLD AT ALL. *TR

Mileage: 78,000

COLD START PROBLEM CAUSED BY LOW COMPRESSION / DEFECTIVE VALVES WHEN COLD. RUNS FINE AFTER IT WARMS UP. GETTING WORSE OVER TIME. *TR

Mileage: 42,000

READ OVER THE POSTED PROBLEMS WITH SAAB 9-3. THREE MAIN ISSUES ARE FRONT COILS, FUEL GAUGE, AND FAULTY VALVES. I HAVE HAD ALL THREE OF THESE ISSUES. COILS REPLACED 18 MONTHS AGO (GM WOULD NOT PAY). GAS GAUGE DOES NOT WORK (GM WON'T PAY). JUST HAD THE ENGINE REBUILT TO FIX THE EXHAUST VALVE PROBLEM (OUT OF LUCK AGAIN). OBAMA WAIVED GM OF THEIR HISTORY OF FAULTS (HE NEEDED THE VOTES FOR RE-ELECTION) AND NOW CONSUMERS ARE STUCK. SAAB WAS A QUALITY PRODUCT BEFORE GM GOT A HOLD OF IT. *JS

Mileage: 90,000

OVER TIME THE VALVES IN THE 2.0T ENGINE WILL WEAR CAUSING DRAMATIC LOSS IN COMPRESSION. PROBLEM STARTS WITH ROUGH IDLING AND TROUBLE TURNING OVER AT COLD START BUT ESCALATES TO A POINT WHERE THE CAR WILL NOT START WHAT SO EVER. IT APPEARS THAT WHEN MANUFACTURING THE ENGINE GM PUT VALVES MADE OF A SOFTER THAN USUAL METAL. THESE VALVES GET ESSENTIALLY HAMMERED AGAINST THE CYLINDER HEAD TO A POINT WHERE THE EDGES BECOME SO THIN THEY ARE RAZOR SHARP. A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS SENT OUT TO DEALERS FROM SPNA (SAAB PARTS NORTH AMERICA), WHICH MEANS THAT GM IS WELL AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. A SAAB MECHANIC WARNED ME THAT THE PROBLEM COULD GET WORSE AT ANY TIME REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE AND THAT SOONER OF LATER MY CAR WOULD NOT START. TO FIX THIS ISSUE ALL 16 VALVES WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THIS INVOLVES SERIOUS TIME AND EFFORT AND I WAS QUOTED A PRICE OF UP TO $3,000 FOR A REPAIR. PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THIS PROBLEM EFFECTS EVERY SAAB 9-3 WITH THE 2.0T FROM 2007 TO 2011. GM SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THESE FAULTY PARTS AND ISSUE A RECALL. *TR

Mileage: 58,000

MY WIFE'S CAR IS A 2008 SAAB 93 SEDAN. IT HAD APPROXIMATELY 48,000 MILES ON IT WHEN THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE FAILED AT HIGHWAY SPEED. THIS CAUSED LOSS OF POWER-BRAKES, POWER-STEERING AND ABILITY TO CONTINUE DRIVING. FORTUNATELY, WE WERE ABLE TO COAST OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RE-START. WE WERE ABLE TO RESTART IT AFTER FIGURING OUT WHICH FUSE CONTROL THE "ECM" AND PULLING/RESETTING THE FUSE. THE PROBLEM RE-APPEARED MULTIPLE TIMES ON APPROXIMATELY 100-MILE INTERVALS. WE FINALLY HAD THE ECM REPLACED WITH A USED ONE BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE LOCAL SAAB DEALER QUOTED ~$1000 FOR A NEW ECM. THE USED UNIT COST ~$350 AND REQUIRED THE SHOP TO "MARRY" THE UNIT WITH THE CAR'S VIN. THERE WAS NO WARRANTY ON THIS CAR AS SAAB WENT BANKRUPT. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. FORTUNATELY I WAS DRIVING AND THE KIDS WERE NOT IN THE CAR. *TR

Mileage: 48,000

PREMATURELY WORN INTAKE VALVES RESULTING IN LOW COMPRESSION AND EXCESSIVELY ROUGH RUNNING MOTOR. *TR

Mileage: 86,000

THE PROBLEM OF A COLD START ROUGH IDLE INITIALLY STARTED LAST YEAR AROUND FEBRUARY 2013. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DID COME ON EVERY SO OFTEN AND WOULD EVENTUALLY RESET ITSELF. I HAD THE CODE CHECKED OUT, AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS MISFIRING OF THE SPARK PLUGS. I HAD THE SPARK PLUGS REPLACED, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THIS DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I DID NOT HAVE THE CAR LOOKED AT AGAIN TILL THIS YEAR, FEBRUARY 2014, AS I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I DIDN'T HAVE BAD GAS, OR IT WASN'T CARBON BUILDUP IN THE ENGINE. AFTER INFORMING THE DEALER OF THE PROBLEM I WAS HAVING, THEY SUGGESTED I LEAVE IT OVERNIGHT SO THEY COULD TEST IT OUT THE NEXT MORNING. THAT MORNING THEY CALLED AND TOLD ME THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE INTAKE VALVES GOING BAD. THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF ORDERING THE PARTS AND I WILL HAVE THE WORK COMPLETED IN MARCH 2014. I HAVE CONTACTED SAAB PARTS NORTH AMERICA TO SEE IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO HELP IN ANYWAY SINCE MY CAR WAS JUST OUT OF WARRANTY, AND I WAS TOLD THEY WOULD NOT AND THAT GM PROBABLY WOULDN'T EITHER DUE TO THE BANKRUPTCY. I WILL BE ATTEMPTING TO CALL GM AND SEE IF THEY ARE WILLING TO HELP IN ANYWAY SINCE MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED WHILE SAAB WAS STILL OWNED BY GM. I HAVE ALSO FOUND OUT AT SAAB CENTRAL FORUMS THERE ARE NUMEROUS OWNERS OF THE 07-11 YEARS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM AT ABOUT THE SAME MILEAGE. I HAVE ALSO LEARNED THERE IS A SPNA BULLETIN THAT HAS BEEN SENT TO DEALERS, SO THEY KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT BY ISSUING A RECALL. *TR

Mileage: 75,000

I'M NOT CERTAIN IF THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BUT IT CERTAINLY QUALIFIES AS AN EMISSIONS ISSUE AND A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. ON EVERY COLD START, THE ENGINE WOULD RUN ROUGH UNTIL I PUT IT IN DRIVE AND WOULD RUN FINE AFTER A FEW MINUTES. I LET IT SIT AND IDLE FOR A WHILE ONCE AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AS A RESULT. A LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOUND LOW COMPRESSION ACROSS 2 CYLINDERS AND INFORMED ME IT WAS THE DREADED VALVE ISSUE (INTAKE VALVE CUPPING THEY CALLED IT). THE DEALERSHIP HAD FIXED A NUMBER OF THESE AND FROM VARIOUS ONLINE FORUMS, I SEE THAT A NUMBER OF 2007 AND 2008 SAAB 9-3 OWNERS SEEM TO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. THE REPAIR CONSISTED OF REMOVING AND REPLACING ALL 8 INTAKE VALVES, HAND LAPPING THEM, REMOVING AND REPLACING ALL VALVE SEALS, AND REFINISHING THE HEAD MATING SURFACE. THE REPAIR WAS VERY EXPENSIVE, SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS. I'VE HAD THE CAR BACK FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND THE PROBLEM IS GONE. I WAS TOLD THIS ISSUE SEEMS TO HAPPEN AROUND THIS AMOUNT OF MILEAGE AND IN COLD WEATHER STATES. OF COURSE MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED 6 MONTHS EARLIER AND I IMAGINE THIS IS THE CASE WITH MANY OTHER SAAB 9-3 OWNERS WITH '07 AND '08 VEHICLES. WITH THE NEW PARTS, I WAS TOLD I SHOULDN'T RUN INTO THIS PROBLEM AGAIN. *TR

Mileage: 74,916

IT HAS VERY ROUGH START EVERY MORNING WHEN IT'S COLD. FROM SAAB FORUM (HTTP://WWW.SAABCENTRAL.COM/) THERE ARE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE THAT IS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE FOR NEWER SAAB 9-3'S. THE PROBLEM IS INTAKE VALVES OF ENGINE BECOMING REALLY THIN AND FAILING OVER TIME.. THE ENGINE SHAKES THE WHOLE CAR AND SOMETIME THE CAR DOESN'T EVEN WANT TO START.. I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISE IF ONE DAY I CANT START THE CAR.. *TR

Mileage: 75,000

MY CAR WAS EXHIBITING A HARD START AND MISFIRES FROM 90,000 AND UP. IT WAS MORE PRESENT IN COLD WEATHER. IT FINALLY FAILED TO TURN OVER IN -15 DEGREE WEATHER (-40 WIND CHILL), HAD I BEEN IN A REMOTE AREA THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY REAL DANGER OF HYPOTHERMIA AND FROSTBITE. AFTER SOME ONLINE INVESTIGATION I FOUND THAT NUMEROUS PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH ANY SAAB 9-3 2.0T (B207 ENGINE) OVER 75,000 MILES. THE PROBLEM IS RELATED TO BAD INTAKE VALVES THAT BECOME RAZOR SHARP AND CANNOT HOLD COMPRESSION ESPECIALLY IN COLDER CLIMATES. *TR

Mileage: 102,000

NO START/COLD CLIMATE FOR 2008 SAAB 9-3 2.0T. TOWED TO SAAB DEALERSHIP AFTER COLD NO START YESTERDAY 01/07/2014. SAAB TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSIS(01/08/2014): INTAKE/INLET VALVES WORN CAUSING LOW ENGINE COMPRESSION, HENCE; FAILED START ATTEMPTS. ENGINE COMPRESSION AND LEAK DOWN TESTS PERFORMED TO PINPOINT EXACT PROBLEM.

Mileage: 75,000

ROUGH IDLE AND LOW COMPRESSION WHEN COLD, SYMPTOM DID NOT APPEAR AFTER THE ENGINE IS WARM. INTAKE VALVES FAILED AND COST $1,700 TO REBUILD THE HEAD. *TR

Mileage: 69,000

NOTICED OUR 2008 SAAB 9-3 2.0 HAS BEEN STARTING AND IDLING ROUGH IN COULD WEATHER. ONCE THE CAR WARMS UP TO OPERATING REGULAR OPERATING TEMPERATURE, THE CAR IDLES SMOOTHLY. PERFORMED A COMPRESSION TEST ON THE COLD ENGINE AND FOUND LOW COMPRESSION ON TWO OF THE FOUR CYLINDERS. APPARENTLY, THE INTAKE VALVES IN THE CYLINDER ON THIS MODEL ARE WEARING BADLY NOT SEATING CORRECTLY WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD. ONCE THE ENGINE WARMS UP AND EXPANDS, THE VALVES SEAT CORRECTLY AND ENGINES RUNS NORMALLY. THIS IS A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE AND GM SHOULD RECALL THESE CARS TO REPAIR ENGINE WITH THE PROPER VALVES. I HAVE REQUESTED QUOTED FROM TWO INDEPENDENT SHOPS AND THEY WE $2100 AND $2300 RESPECTIVELY. WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO START THE CAR IN A WEEK. *TR

Mileage: 104,000

THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER WHEN TRYING TO START THE ENGINE FROM A COLD START. IF THE TEMPERATURES WOULD LOWER CLOSE TO FREEZING THE CAR WILL JUST CRANK AND NEVER TURN OVER. IF I WERE ABLE TO GET THE CAR STARTED, ONCE IT WARMED UP, IT RAN JUST FINE. READING ONLINE, IT SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE 2007 & 2008 SAAB 9-3'S. IT'S A FAULTY INTAKE VALVE AND BEGINS HAPPENING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 60,000 TO 80,000 MILES. I BELIEVE SAAB SHOULD LOOK INTO THIS AS IT SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING TO A LOT OF 2007 & 2008 SAAB 9-3'S. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. THE COST TO GET IT FIXED IS OVER $2000. *TR

Mileage: 71,900

DRIVING ON TURNPIKE AND CAR HESITATED VERY BADLY AT 1/2 THROTTLE IN 3RD-5TH GEAR AT 50-70MPH. CAR STUTTERED SO BADLY I BACKED OFF THEN ENGINE MALFUNCTION LIGHT COMES ON FOR 10 SECS, GOES OFF AND CAR THEN IN A DRIVING VERY POOR - ALMOST LIKE ITS IN LIMP MODE. I BELIVE IT WAS LIMP HOME MODE. CAR FELT LIKE IT WAS RUNNING ON 3 CYLINDERS WITH A HOSE BLOWN OFF (NOT THAT I KNOW WHAT A HOSE IS !!). I BASICALLY COULDN'T ACCELERATE WITHOUT THE CAR FEELING LIKE IT WAS GOING TO FALL APART. YOU COULD FEEL THE CAR VIBRATING. I DROVE HOME VERY STEADY AT 50 MPH, BEING PASSED BY ALL OTHER VEHICLES. THERE ARE MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL SAAB TURBOX 9-3 2.8L V6 AND FAULTY IGNITION COILS. I KNOW OF SCORES OF OTHERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE, WITH ONLY 600 OF THIS MODEL PRODUCED. HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NOTES/SAAB-TURBO-X/DEFECT-OF-IGNITION-COIL/104750332952290. *TR

Mileage: 38,500

WHILE DRIVING A NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. THIS IS THE 4TH TIME SINCE NOVEMBER 2012. FOR THE FIRST TWO TIMES, THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. THE LAST TIME THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR FIND A PROBLEM. TODAY, I AM TOLD THAT I NEED ALL 6 IGNITION COILS REPLACED AS WELL AS ALL 6 SPARK PLUGS. I DON'T THINK THIS IS NECESSARY AND THAT THE DEALER JUST WANTS TO MAKE SOME MONEY. THE CAR SHUDDERS AND VIBRATES LIKE CRAZY, EVEN AT IDLE BUT THIS IS WORSE WHEN ACCELERATING. ALSO, THE POWER IS MUCH LOWER THAN NORMAL. HAS ANYONE WITH THIS MODEL HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE OR PROBLEM? *TR

Mileage: 52,300

WHEN ACCELERATING UP TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS ENGINE WILL SLIP, STUTTER, AND MISFIRE REDUCING POWER AND CAUSING UNSAFE AND UNPREDICTABLE MERGING MANEUVERS. HAVE HAD 3 OR MORE VISITS TO DEALER CONCERNING THIS WITH REPAIRS THAT NEVER FULLY RESOLVING ISSUE OF BAD IGNITION COILS OR ENGINE RESOLVE. VEHICLE IS 2008 SAAB 9-3 TURBO X, A LIMITED RUN OF 600. *JS

Mileage: 32,124

MY SAAB IS A 2008 9-3 AERO WITH A 6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. EVER SINCE I BOUGHT IT IN OCTOBER 2010, WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE WHILE ALREADY AT SPEED (I.E., PASSING MANEUVER) THE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION SPUTTERS AND DOES NOT IMMEDIATELY ACCELERATE. THE STUTTERING MAKES PASSING IN TRAFFIC A RISKY/DANGEROUS MOVE. I HAVE MADE SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE DEALER FOR INVESTIGATION AND AM REPEATEDLY TOLD THAT THIS IS THE NORMAL BEHAVIOR FOR THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. (I HAVE NEVER HAD AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CAR ACT LIKE THIS.) NEARLY TWO YEARS LATER, I STILL HAVE THE SAME THING OCCURRING. *JS

Mileage: 42,000