2003 Saab 9-3 Power Train:automatic Transmission Problems
NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION · data through 07/12/2026
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
How power train:automatic transmission ranks on this vehicle
Share of the 212 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2003 Saab 9-3 overview page.
What owners report
“ABRUPTLY, AT 53,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. DEALER COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY, EXCEPT TO CITE VARIOUS "CODES." DEALER SAID THEY DO NOT CHECK THOSE CODES…”NHTSA complaint 10172203 — filed 10/30/2006
“"GEAR BOX MALFUNCTION". AFTER OWNING A PRE-OWNED 2003 9-3 SAAB FOR NOT EVEN THREE WEEKS, THE TRANSMISSION IN THE VEHICLE WENT OUT. NOW THAT THE…”NHTSA complaint 10167925 — filed 09/12/2006
“TRANSMISSION SLIPS CONSTANTLY. SERVICE CENTER STATES THAT THE DIAGNOSTIC IS NOT INDICATING ANY ISSUES AND ALL IS NORMAL. THE INCIDENT DATE WAS THE LAST TIME…”NHTSA complaint 10162738 — filed 07/18/2006
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints by year filed
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2003 Saab 9-3 have power train:automatic transmission problems?
Power Train:automatic Transmission is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2003 Saab 9-3: 23 of 212 complaints on file (10.8%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.
How many complaints does the 2003 Saab 9-3 have in total?
212 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 12 involved a crash, 6 involved a fire, 17 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.
What does NHTSA's power train:automatic transmission category include?
NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.
