# 2008 SAAB 9-3 — ENGINE
> NHTSA complaint `1212467` · 2015-08-24 · General Motors, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** SAAB
- **Model:** 9-3
- **Year:** 2008
- **Manufacturer:** General Motors, LLC
- **Component:** ENGINE
- **Miles at failure:** 84,000
## Narrative
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 ALON
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*