2002 SAAB 9-3 Complaints

ON AUGUST 13, 2006, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2002 SAAB 9-3 CONVERTIBLE WHEN THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. SHE WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR SAFELY, BUT THE CAR WAS DESTROYED. INVESTIGATIONS BY INTERNATIONAL MOTORS (FALLS CHURCH, VA) AFTER THE EVENT SHOWED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD DISINTEGRATED AND TRANSMISSION FLUID HAS SPRAYED THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUSING THE FIRE.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR CONDITIONER AND THE DEFROSTER HAS BEEN REPAIRED MULTIPLE TIMES DUE TO A SENSOR PROBLEM. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED A FEW MONTHS AGO BUT THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE WAS NOISY.

2002 SAAB 9-3 WITH 54K MILES CAUGHT FIRE WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING IT ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 13, 2006. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AN ODOR OF FUEL WAS DETECTED WHILE DRIVING AND WHILE STOPPED A PUDDLE WAS NOTICED ON THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THE VEHICLE HAD LEAKED FUEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO DETERMINED THE RETAINER TABS HOLDING THE FUEL LINE WERE DEFECTIVE AND THEY WERE REPLACED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, #04V557000, PERTAINING TO THE FUEL LINES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

2002 SAAB 93, MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO REIMBURSE CONSUMER. *KB THE IGNITION DISCHARGE MODULE BROKE WHILE DRIVING. THE CONSUMER HAD THE REPAIRS MADE BEFORE THE RECALL WAS RECEIVED. THE CONSUMER WAS ASSURED HE WOULD RECEIVED REIMBURSEMENT WITHIN 60 DAYS (RECALL 05V399000). *JB

NOTICED BLUE SMOKE ON ENGINE START-UP. DEALER SAID TURBO CHARGE HAD FAILED SEAL. REPLACED TURBO. 28,000 MILES ON CAR. SEEMS TO BE A FAIRLY COMMON FAILURE ON SAABS SINCE AROUND 1999. *JB

FILLED MY CAR WITH GAS ON WEDNESDAY. NOTICED A STRONG GAS ODOR AND QUICKLY DROPPING FUEL LEVEL. TOOK MY CAR TO LOCAL GARAGE. THEY IDENTIFIED BROKEN TABS/BRACKETS HOLDING FUEL LINES. CONTACTED SAAB DEALER IN DUBLIN ABOUT A RECALL ON THIS ITEM - DEALER INFORMED THEM IT DIDN'T APPLY. I CALLED SAAB CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD MY VIN NUMBER DIDN'T FALL WITHIN THE SAAB RECALL #15018 (GM RECALL 04101). IT OBVIOUSLY ISN'T A COINCIDENCE MY 2002 9-3 HAS THE SAME PROBLEM BEING RECALLED ON OTHER 2002 9-3S. *NM

2002 9-3 SAAB STALLED ON 2 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING. *TS THE CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT SINCE HE DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM HE EXPERIENCED WAS RECALL RELATED. *JB UPDATED

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT 2002 SAAB 93SE HAD A FUEL LEAK. THE FUEL PUMP RETAINING TAB WAS DEFECTIVE. IT BROKE AND CAUSED ONE FUEL LINE TO DISENGAGE ANDS SPILL FUEL ALL OVER THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR. WITH THE CAR IDLING A LARGE POOL OF GAS WOULD GATHER UNDER THE CAR. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED FOR ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE. THE CAR WAS DEEMED UNSAFE TO START, AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO REPAIRED THE VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY. THE OWNER CONTACTED SAAB, AND THEY WERE CONTACTING THE DEALER. *AK

DT: THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING SLOWLY SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO REPAIR FACILITY. THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION MODULE. *JB THE VEHICLE STALLED SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE RADIO AND CD PLAYER STOPPED WORKING. THE CONSUMER HEARD TIRE NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TOT HE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE TIRES WERE CUPPED AND CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. THE ALIGNMENT WAS OK ON THE FRONT BUT THE REAR COULD NOT BE ADJUSTED, THE PIRELLI TIRES WERE CHANGED TO YOKOHAMA BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. *NM