<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-07-11</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001103795</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SAVE THE WORLD AIR INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ZERO.PK</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001112799</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DARGAN CHARLES K</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>8055 W. MANCHESTER AVE.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 405</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PLAY DEL REY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90293</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief Financial Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Options to Purchase Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.61</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-07-11</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2007-07-11</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2017-07-11</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>45000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Issuer has agreed to grant to the Reporting Person additional options to purchase 5,000 shares of the Issuer's Common Stock on August 13, 2007; provided that the Reporting Person is, on such grant date, the Chief Financial Officer of the Issuer. The exercise price for such options will be equal to the closing price per share of the Issuer's Common Stock on the grant date.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Charles K Dargan II</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-07-12</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
