NHTSA Complaint #10147037 — 2003 SAAB 9-3

GEARBOX MALFUNCTION HAS OCCURRED TWICE LEAVING ME STRANDED ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE CAR WILL NOT GO OVER 5 MPH. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS THIS OCCURS UNEXPECTEDLY IN TRAFFIC. DEALER FIXED BOTH TIMES, BUT TRANSMISSION STILL SLIPPED AND I FEARED DRIVING IT. THE DEALER TOOK IT IN AGAIN AND HAD THEIR TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST DRIVE AND INSPECT IT. THE DEALER SAYS THAT THERE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE 2003 9.3 SAABS WITH CONTAMINATION OF THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IS COOLED WITHIN A SECTION OF THE RADIATOR. THE BLOCK THAT SEPARATES THE COOLANT FROM THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IS BAD AND CAUSES THE COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. I WAS SCHEDULED FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION, A NEW RADIATOR (UNDER WARRANTY), BUT THE CAR FAILED A 3RD TIME WHEN I WAS TRYING TO DRIVE TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE. THEY HAD ANOTHER 9.3 SCHEDULED AT THE SAME TIME FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. ADDITIONALLY, THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT I NEED FRONT AND BACK BRAKES - NOT UNDER WARRANTY - WILL COST ME $1,000. THIS IS THE MOST SERIOUS OF THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH THIS CAR, BUT HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP 16 DAYS FOR NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH HEADLIGHTS, ON STAR, SID, LOCKS, DOOR ISSUE, WINDOW ISSUE, OIL LEAKS. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT A CAR WITH THIS SAFETY RATING CAN HAVE THIS MANY PROBLEMS AND ESPECIALLY THE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TRANSMISSION ISSUES THAT LEAVE YOU STRANDED IN TRAFFIC. *NM