1999 SAAB 9-3 Complaints

ON THE MORNING OF DECEMBER 6, 2006, MY 1999 SAAB 9-3 WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY OF MY HOUSE WHEN I STARTED THE CAR TO WARM IT UP TO TAKE MY FIVE YEAR OLD TO SCHOOL. MY 5 YEAR OLD SAT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AS THE CAR WAS WARMING UP. WITHOUT NOTICE OR PROVOCATION THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED IN MY 5 YEAR OLDS FACE. THIS VIOLENT EXPLOSION CAUSED A SCRATCH AND REDNESS ON MY DAUGHTERS FACE. UPON SPEAKING WITH SAAB I WAS INFORMED THAT THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING, AND UPON THEIR INSTRUCTION - I TOOK THE CAR THE LOCAL SAAB DEALER, WHO UPON EXAMINING THE CAR SAID THAT THE REASON FOR THIS HAPPENING IS INCONCLUSIVE. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE. SAAB IS GIVING US THE RUNAROUND, AND WE NEED SOMEONE TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS INCIDENT. I AM HOPING THAT FILING THIS COMPLAINT WILL HELP. *JB

THE KNOBS FOR THE HEAT, AIR, AND WHERE THE HEAT AND AIR GOES BREAKS OFF! I HAVE REPLACED EACH ONE ONCE, AND THE COST WAS 135.00. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, MY 1999 SAAB 9-3 EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER AND THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. THERE WAS NO WARNING OF A PROBEM UNTIL A SINGLE "CLUNKING NOISE" WAS DETECTED AND THEN THERE WAS NO POWER IN 5TH OR 4TH GEAR. BY THE TIME I DOWNSHIFTED TO 3RD GEAR, THE ENGINE HAD STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE, BATTERY/ALTERNATOR, AND OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHTS LIT. THE CAR WAS NOT ABLE TO BE RESARTED. I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE CAR TO THE DISTRESS LANE AND SUMMON HELP (911). THE CAR NEEDED TO BE TOWED FOR REPAIRS. THE LOCAL SAAB DEALER DETERMINED THE IGNITION DISCHARGE MODULE (IDM) HAD FAILED (BURNED UP). THE DEALER ALSO INFORMED ME OF A RECENT RECALL (I BELIEVE IT'S 05V-399) FOR THE 2000 - 2002 MODEL YEARS AND THAT PERHAPS THE IDM ON MY CAR HAD A SIMILAR DEFECT. THE DEALER INSTALLED A NEW IDM (REPLACEMENT PART 55-561-132) AND 4 NEW SPARK PLUGS WHICH HAD BEEN FOULED FROM MY REPEATED EFFORTS TO RESTART THE CAR. I DID NOT RECEIVE OLD PARTS BACK.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING 45-50 MPH ON A SNOW COVERED HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THE RECOGNITION CASSETTE MODULE FAILED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. UPDATED 11/3/2006 - ON 11/24/05 THE VEHICLE'S DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL WHILE BEING DRIVEN IN THE SNOW. AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE THE REPAIR FACILITY ALSO HAD TO REPLACE TWO OXYGEN SENSORS AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE TECHNICIAN SAID IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT RAW FUEL DAMAGED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER DURING THE INITIAL FAILURE OF THE DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE. *NM

DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE FAILED ON MY 1999 SAAB 9-3. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR 2000-2002 SAAB 9-3 AND I FEEL THIS RECALL SHOULD INCLUDE THE '99 MODEL AS WELL BECAUSE THIS PART HAS A LESS THAN REASONABLE LIFE. *JB

THE DIRECT IGNITION FAILED ON MY 1999 SAAB 93. IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" LIGHT CAME ON WHICH ALERTED US TO THE PROBLEM. MY AUTHORIZED SAAB MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS THE WISEST COURSE TO REPLACE THIS FAULTY PART BEFORE IT FAILED COMPLETELY. THE COST TO DO SO $500 OUT OF MY OWN POCKET TO REPLACE THIS INHERENTLY FAULTY PART. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT TWO VEHICLES WERE TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR REPAIRS ON THE DI CASSETTE OR THE ID MODULE. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE TWO VEHICLES MAY BE UNDER RECALL FOR THE PARTS AFFECTED. HOWEVER AFTER AN INVESTIGATION IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES. THE VEHICLES WAS REPAIRED THREE TIMES PRIOR WITH THE SAME PART. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 7/19/2006 - *NM

I BELIEVE MY 1999 SAAB 9-3 SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN RECENT SAAB IGNITION MODULE RECALLS, MY IGNITION MODULE IS NO DIFFERENT THAN THE 2000 MODELS, THE RECENT FAILURE OF THIS PART INVOLVES SAFETY FACTORS SAME AS THE 2000 MODELS, REPLACEMENT COST IS OVER 400.00 AND SHOULD BE REIMBURSED. *JB

DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE (IGNITION DISCHARGE MODULE) FAILED. ENGINE WOULD NOT START AFTER BEING TURNED OFF. CAR WAS TOWED, EVALUATED, AND THE IGNITION DISCHARGE MODULE WAS REPLACED. THE IGNITION DISCHARGE MODULE THAT FAILED WAS IDENTICAL TO THE IDM THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDER RECALL FOR 2000-2002 MODEL YEARS. I AM REQUESTING THAT THE RECALL BE EXTENDED TO INCLUDE THE 1999 MODEL YEAR. I HAVE RETAINED THE FAILED PART. *NM

ON THURSDAY JAN 26 2006 AT APROX 12 PM I PARKED PUT CAR IN A PARKING LOT AND WENT INTO THE BANK IN CANTON, GEORGA. ON RETURNING I GOT INTO CAR, PUT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION ,AND AS I TURNED THE KEY TO START THE CAR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED, DESTROYING THE DASHBOARD/DAMAGING THE WINDSHIELD AND BLOWING OUT THE RADIO AND VARIOUS CONTROL KNOBS.*AK