Problems · by component

2011 Saab 9-3 air bags problems

25 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2011 Saab 9-3 cite air bags, 83% of all 30 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
25
83% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE AIR BAG SENSOR WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 1, 2020Air bagsODI 11326728
“LETTER IS RESPONSE TO THE RECALL OF A DEFECTIVE AIR BAG; SEEKING HELP FOR THIS DILEMNA NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 16V063. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE RECALL EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. UPDATED 06/29/2017 *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 29, 2017Air bagsODI 11002290
“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V063000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AT 800-955-9007. THE CONTACT ASKED THE MANUFACTURER TO HAVE THE DEALER NEARBY REPAIR THE AIR BAGS. THE MANUFACTURER REFERRED THE CONTACT TO DEALER THAT WAS 60 MILES AWAY FROM THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 20, 2017Air bagsODI 11000230
“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V063000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. DORSHAL AUTOMOTIVE WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND INITIALLY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE PART WAS BEING SENT; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT STILL WAS NOT ABLE TO GET THE RECALL REMEDIED DUE TO THE LACK OF PART AVAILABILITY. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. UPDATED 08/29/17*LJ *CN”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 2, 2017Air bagsODI 10992890
“TAKATA RECALL. THE RECALL ISSUE HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW YET NO REMEDY IS AVAILABLE FOR THIS MODEL VEHICLE. CONSIDERING THE DANGER AND GRAVITY BEHIND THIS KNOWN ISSUE, IT IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT A REMEDY IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR ALL VEHICLES TO ENSURE THE SAFETY THE PERSONS INVOLVED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 27, 2017Air bagsODI 10981017
“TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V063000(AIR BAGS) WAS RECEIVED IN FEBRUARY OF 2016. AFTER CONTACTING THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED FOR THE RECALL REMEDY WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE AND NO ESTIMATED TIME FOR RECEIVING THE PARTS COULD BE PROVIDED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 24, 2017Air bagsODI 10956806

Showing 6 of 25 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Air bags: inflator module

Free remedy

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Saab 9-3 vehicles manufactured May 31, 2002, to February 15, 2011, 2006-2009 Saab 9-5 vehicles manufactured June 7, 2005, to May 28, 2009, and 2008-2009 Saturn Astra vehicles manufactured April 11, 2007, to July 24, 2008. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Air bagsReported Feb 3, 2016NHTSA 16V063000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 8, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.