2004 SAAB 9-3 Complaints

ON JULY 25 2008, MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING MY 2004 SAAB 9-3 SPORT SEDAN. SHE WENT OFF THE ROAD, SIDE SWIPING 2 TREES BEFORE SLAMMING INTO A DRAINAGE PIPE/EMBANKMENT. THE LEFT SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS WERE THE ONLY ONES THAT DEPLOYED. THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS WITH EXTENSIVE FRONT-END DAMAGE. IF NOT FOR HER WEARING HER SEAT BELT, I WOULD LIKELY BE MAKING FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS. THIS IS THE SECOND FRONT-END COLLISION WITH THIS VEHICLE WITHOUT THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYING. I QUESTIONED SAAB IN 2004 ABOUT THE FIRST INCIDENT WHICH THEIR REPLY WAS THAT THE CAR PERFORMED AS IT WAS DESIGNED. THAT ACCIDENT WAS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO TRIGGER ALL THE SEAT BELT SENSORS AND FRY THE MAIN COMPUTER. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2004 SAAB 9-3 AROUND MARCH 15, 2007. A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AGO, I WAS VACATIONING IN FLORIDA WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE LOCAL SAAB DEALERSHIP IN ORLANDO, FL WHERE I WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO PURCHASE A SPEED SENSOR. THIS WAS DONE AND THE COST WAS APPROXIMATELY $515.00. THE DAY AFTER THE REPAIR, I NOTICED THE CAR CONTINUED TO HAVE ROUGH AND INAPPROPRIATE SHIFTING. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL SAAB DEALERSHIP IN DUBLIN, OH WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS CHANGED AND THE TRANSMISSION REPROGRAMMED. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS, 'MILKY AND DARK IN APPEARANCE.' THEY SUGGESTED THAT I TAKE THE CAR, DRIVE IT FOR 2 WEEKS AND BRING IT BACK TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR 2 WEEKS I RETURNED IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE COST FOR THIS IS $7000.00. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT THE COUPLINGS HAD GONE BAD AND CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THESE SAME COUPLINGS WERE RECALLED BY SAAB IN 2003-2004. HOWEVER, BY VIN NUMBER, MY VEHICLE DOES NOT FALL WITHIN THE DATES OF THE RECALL. THE RADIATOR AND COUPLINGS WERE MANUFACTURED DURING THAT RECALL PERIOD AND ARE CONSIDERED TO BE DEFECTIVE PARTS. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP TO CONTACT GM/SAAB TO TRY AND OBTAIN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. I HAVE BEEN IN THAT PROCESS FOR ALMOST 1 MONTH NOW. ORIGINALLY, THEY OFFERED TO PAY 25% TOWARDS PARTS AND LABOR FOR THE NEW TRANSMISSION (ADMITTING GUILT) WHICH WOULD DECREASE THE COST FOR ME TO $5000.00. I SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING FOR THEIR NEGLIGENCE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING 35~40MPH SUDDEN VERY LOUD POP NOISE. DIDN'T HIT A HOLE OR ANYTHING. CAR WAS STILL DRIVABLE, BUT STOP TO THE SIDE TO INSPECT THE TIRES. NO FLAT TIRES AND CAR SEEMED STRUCTURALLY OK. CONTINUED TO DRIVE OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS. A RATTLING NOISE WAS ALWAYS PRESENT OVER BUMPS. FINALLY LOOKED BEHIND THE FRONT LEFT TIRE AND SAW THE COIL SPRING WAS BROKE IN TWO LOCATIONS. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THE RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE AND THEN PUNCTURED TIRE CAUSING BLOW OUT. WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR AND PULL OFF ROAD. HAD I BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY A DIFFERENT OUTCOME COULD HAVE BEEN EXPECTED. HAD NO SYMPTOMS LEADING UP TO THIS. *TR

FUEL GAUGE IS NORMAL. I FILL THE CAR UP COMPLETELY AND THEN THE FUEL GAUGE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE NEEDLE DROPS TO EMPTY. THIS HAPPENS RANDOMLY EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS FILLED WITH FUEL. *TR

EVERYTIME I FILL THE GAS TANK TO FULL AND I START DRIVING (ESP. ON A HIGHWAY), THE FUEL GAUGE DROPS TO EMPTY--EVEN THOUGH IT IS FULL. THE, I HAVE TO STOP THE CAR AND TURN IT ON SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE FUEL GAUGE GOES BACK UP TO FULL AGAIN. *TR

THE KEYLESS ENTRY AND ALARM SYSTEM HAVE NOT BEEN WORKING. THEY STARTED SLOWING DOWN IN WORKING, BUT THEN THE KEYLESS ENTRY MODULE (THE ACTUAL KEY) JUST STOPPED. I CHANGED THE BATTERY ON THE KEY, YET IT STILL DOES NOT WORK. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SO LONG. *TR

INTERIOR CABIN FAN.. THE FAN STAYS ON ALTHOUGH THE CAR IS "OFF" (KEY OUT OF IGNITION), AND WHILE AC OR HEAT ARE OFF (AT 0). THERE IS ALSO A NOISE AT TIME COMING FROM THE FAN UNDER THE GLOVE BOX. DEALER CLAIMS THIS IS NOT A DEFECT AND WILL COST AROUND $1000, THE DARN CAR IS LESS THAN 3.5 YEARS OLD AND NOT A DEFECT.. SURE. *TR

HEADLIGHTS.. I HAVE REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT BULBS 3 TIMES IN ONE YEAR. CURRENTLY THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHTS, SIDE LIGHT LOWER BUMPER, AND LIGHT WITHIN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY HAVE BLOWN. THERE SEEMS TO A AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHTS AS THEY CONTINUE TO BLOW OUT.. SHORT LIGHTS AS HIGH BEAM ARE OKAY. I HAVE PURCHASED THE LIGHT BULBS IN AUTOZONE, PEPBOYS AND OEM TO ENSURE THAT ITS NOT VENDOR SUPPLIER ISSUE. *TR

COOLING SYSTEM .. ALTHOUGH THE CAR DOES NOT "OVER HEAT" THE ANTIFREEZE IS SPILLING OUT. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A FEW MONTHS AND I ALWAYS CONSIDERED THIS TO BE A PROBLEM OF OTHER CARS SINCE MY CAR IS RELATIVELY NEW. THE OTHER DAY THE CAR INDICATED THAT THE COOLANT WAS LOW. *TR