Home › Vehicles › Saab › Saab 9-3
The short version
- The 9-3 wheel bearing chart hinges on one strange year: 2003, where the convertible and the sedan are not the same car.
- Front 510052 covers 1994-2002 cars, shared with the classic 900 and the early 9-5, and the 2003 convertible carries it too.
- Front 513191 is the bolt-on hub for the new-generation 2003 sedan and every sedan after it through 2009.
- Rear splits by generation: 512145 for 1999-2002, then HA590290 for 2003-2008.
Saab kept selling one platform’s convertible a year after the sedan moved on, and that decision still trips up parts orders decades later. A 2003 9-3 wheel bearing lookup needs the body style before it needs anything else.
2003 is two different cars
The 2003 sedan is the new-generation 9-3 and takes bolt-on front hub 513191, the same part every sedan after it uses through 2009.
The 2003 convertible kept the old platform for one more year and takes press-in 510052 instead, the same bearing as 1994-2002 cars.
9-3 wheel bearing part numbers
| Years | Detail | Number |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 onward, XWD | Front and rear bearings | own listings, match by VIN |
| 2003 onward, sedan, new generation | Front bearing, bolt-on hub | 513191 check price |
| 2003, convertible only, old platform | Front bearing, press-in ball | 510052 check price |
| 1994-2002, shared with classic 900 and early 9-5 | Front bearing, press-in ball | 510052 check price |
| 2003-2008 | Rear hub | HA590290 check price |
| 1999-2002, also 1994-1998 900 rear | Rear hub | 512145 check price |
Every model year this chart resolves: 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.
Price links lead to Amazon searches for that number. As an Amazon Associate this site earns from qualifying purchases.
Lookups run through the cross reference page.
A 2003 9-3 wheel bearing order cannot go by model year alone. The convertible and the sedan sat on different platforms that single year.
Confirm the body style before ordering, since 510052 and 513191 are not interchangeable.
What carries from the classic 900
Front 510052 is not a 9-3-only part. It is the same press-in bearing used in the classic 900 and in the early 9-5, which shared the older platform’s front end.
The rear story overlaps too: 512145 covers both the 1999-2002 9-3 and the 1994-1998 900 rear. The full make page is on the Saab vehicles page.
Newer cars, thinner data
Once XWD arrived in 2008, the catalog stops giving one clean part number. Buy by VIN and confirm fitment before it ships.
Both front eras are press jobs or hub swaps depending on generation, so budget the work to match the car on the lift.
Diagnosing a 9-3 wheel bearing
- Confirm the body style for a 2003 car. Sedan and convertible split that year, so this comes before anything else.
- Listen for a speed-linked drone. A worn 9-3 wheel bearing hums louder with road speed, not engine RPM.
- Rock the wheel at twelve and six. Play at either end points at the bearing.
- Weave slightly at low speed. The turning noise page helps place a load-sensitive growl on the correct side.
- Rule out the tires. The checking page covers separating tire wear from a bad bearing.
Common questions
Which front bearing fits a 2003 9-3?
It depends on body style. The sedan takes 513191 while the convertible takes 510052.
Does the classic 900 share a 9-3 wheel bearing number?
Yes. Front 510052 and rear 512145 both carry over from the classic 900.
What is the rear bearing for a 2005 9-3?
HA590290, used across 2003-2008 rear applications.
What fits a 2009 or later XWD 9-3?
There is no single catalog number. XWD cars are own listings, so match by VIN.
Is the 9-3 front bearing a press-in or bolt-on part?
Both exist. Pre-2003 cars and the 2003 convertible press in, while 2003 sedans onward bolt on.