2001 SAAB 9-3 Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SAAB 9-3. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL STOPPED FUNCTIONING AND THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD TO BE APPLIED WITH MORE PRESSURE THAN NORMAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURS EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY DIFFERENCES IN THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THAT I HAVE SPENT $494.97 ON WHAT WAS A RECALL PREVIOUSLY, I HAVE A SAAB 93 CONVERTIBLE AND WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STARTED LOSING POWER. TOOK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND NEED THE DI-CASSETTE REPLACED. ON THIS VEHICLE I HAVE ALSO HAD THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED 3 TIMES IN 2 YEARS. *TR

THE DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE HAS BEEN REPLACED FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES. THE INITIAL REPLACEMENT WAS ONLY 8,000 MILES INTO THE ORIGINAL OWNERSHIP. THE LAST TWO WERE IN 2006 WITH 80,000 MILES. IT IS APPARENT CONTINUED PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCED WITH THIS VEHICLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SAAB 9-3. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DROVE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE IGNITION CASSETTE FAILED. SHE THEN FOUND A RECALL ON HER VEHICLE FOR THE SAME FAILURE HER VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING; HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT HER VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL BECAUSE IT IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 82,347. UPDATED 05/20/08. *LJ THE DOOR HANDLE WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 05/20/08

2001 SAAB 9-3 WITH OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART WHEN PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF REPORTS OF OIL SLUDGE ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL. *KB THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE, DUE TO SLUDGE BUILD-UP IN THE OIL PAN.

NO WARNING. OIL LIGHT GOES ON WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. VEHICLE TOWED TO SAAB DEALERSHIP. ENGINE SEIZED. SLUDGE FOUND IN THE OIL PICKUP PAN. PERFECT SERVICE RECORDS. SAAB/GM WILL NOT HONOR EXTENDED 8 YEAR WARRANTY. FOR KNOWN SLUDGE PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SAAB 9-3. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE RISING FROM UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT. HER LEGS BECAME EXTREMELY HOT SO SHE PULLED OVER AND SHUT OFF THE SEAT WARMER. THE VEHICLE BECAME ENGULFED WITH SMOKE AND A HOLE WAS BURNED INTO THE DRIVER SEAT. SHORTLY AFTER THE SEAT WARMER WAS SHUT OFF, THE SMOKE CEASED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 94,000.

WHILE DRIVING ON EXPRESSWAY, MOTOR FAILED DUE TO LACK OF OIL CIRCULATION BROUGHT ON BY PLUGGING OF OIL PUMP INTAKE SCREEN FROM DEGRADATION OF OIL, DUE TO DESIGN OF SAAB 9/3 THAT COOKS OIL IN TURBOCHARGER AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER DIRECTLY BENEATH OIL PAN. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS LONG OIL CHANGE INTERVAL, (10,000 SAAB RECOMMENDATION), VEHICLE HAD 8,000 MILES SINCE LAST OIL CHANGE. ALSO -3*F TEMPERATURE FURTHER IMPEDED OIL CIRCULATION. COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE RESULTED. VEHICLE DISABLED. ENGINE SHORTBLOCK WAS REPLACED AT DEALERSHIP

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SAAB 93. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS SAFETY RECALL ON THE IGNITION DISCHARGE MODULE. THE FIRST TIME HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE SAFETY RECALL REPAIR WORK DONE WAS 04/17/2006. THE CONTACT DROVE BACK HOME AT 60 MPH FOR APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES, AND DURING THAT TIME AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON. THE CONTACT WENT BACK A SECOND TIME ON 05/11/2006 BECAUSE THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON AND, THERE WERE GAS FUMES IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WENT BACK TO THE DEALER ON 06/08/2006 BECAUSE THERE WERE OVERWHELMING GAS FUMES IN THE VEHICLE. CURRENTLY THE ENGINE ON LIGHT STAYED ON CONSISTENTLY. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT HE WOULD BE CHARGED FOR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,949 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 17,900. *AK THE CONSUMER PROVIDED THE INVOICES FOR REPAIRS AND DOCUMENTS FOR THE SAAB DEALERSHIP. UPDATE 4/25/07 *TR

CAR TAKEN TO DEALER TWICE BECAUSE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" ON INTERMITTENTLY; TOLD THERE WERE "NO PROBLEMS" AND INSTRUCTED ON HOW TO CLEAR MESSAGE. "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" AND "OIL" LIGHT BEGAN TO FLICKER INTERMITTENTLY; TAKEN TO 2 INDEPENDENT MECHANICS FOR CHECK; BOTH STATED THERE WAS OIL IN THE PAN, OIL IN THE ENGINE, NO OBVIOUS PROBLEM. "CHECK ENGINE" AND "OIL" LIGHTS CAME ON AND STAYED ON; CAR BEGAN MAKING NOISE. PULLED OVER AND HAD TOWED TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED BEARINGS WERE SHOT AND NEW ENGINE NEEDED. SAAB USA HAS PERSISTED IN DENYING CULPABILITY DESPITE LETTER AND MECHANIC'S STATEMENT. TOLD ME CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY RESULTING IN TOWING FROM INDEPENDENT SHOP TO DEALER; DEALER THEN SAID CAR WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. BBB COMPLAINT FILED; NOW SAAB USA INSISTS ENGINE MUST BE TORN DOWN TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM AND I MUST ACCEPT RISK THAT IF THE PROBLEM IS NOT THEIRS, I WILL OWE $1500 FOR TEAR-DOWN; DEALER WANTS STORAGE CHARGES. CAR OUT OF SERVICE NOW 43 DAYS AND COUNTING. *JB