1999 SAAB 9-3 Complaints

NOTE: THIS IS THE EXACT PART AND SYMPTOM DESCRIBED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 05V399000 FOR 2000-2003 YEARS. 1) I WAS DRIVING UP A HILL, AND THE CAR STOPPED DRIVING. 2) ONCE IT CAME TO A STOP, I COULD NOT RESTART THE CAR. ) THE IGNITION WAS REPLACED, AND THE SERVICE CENTER CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS THE SAME PART THAT IS COVERED IN THE 2000-2003 RECALL. *AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH NO KEY IN THE IGNITION. WHEN THE CONTACT LEANED OVER TO THE PASSENGER SEAT, THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE AIR BAG WAS CUT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE IS DRIVABLE. *NM

DIC (DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE) FAILURE, ALSO KNOWN AS THE IDM CASSETTE OR IGNITION COIL. I HAVE READ SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THE IGNITION CASSETTE FAILING AND THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. IT IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR, AS WELL. APPEARS THAT THERE IS A PENDING RECALL ON THE 2000-2002 MODELS AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE RECALL EXTEND TO THE 1999 MODELS; SAME MODULE. I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE PENDING RECALL ON THE 2000-2002 MODELS EXCEPT THAT I HAVE A FRIEND WHO RECEIVED A LETTER AND I DECIDED TO INVESTIGATE. PLEASE ADVISE WHY THE DEFECT INVESTIGATION PE05017 WAS CLOSED PENDING GM'S ACTIONS ON THE 2000-2002 MODELS. THE 1999 MODEL AND ANY OTHER AFFECTED MODELS SHOULD BE COVERED BY ANY RECALL, AS WELL. I'M SURE MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT AWARE OF ABILITY TO REPORT ISSUE AND REALIZE THAT IT IS A MAJOR DEFECT. PLEASE ADVISE. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED VEHICLE STALLED, AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE IGNITION CASSETTE WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE IS WORKING PROPERLY AT THIS TIME. *AK

DT: THE CONTACT STATED VEHICLE STALLED WHILE IN A PARKING LOT. HE TRIED TO RESTART IT TEN MINUTES LATER BUT IT WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY REPLACED THE DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR LATER MODEL VEHICLES AND THE PART WAS THE SAME UNIT THAT WAS IN THIS VEHICLE. *AK UPDATED 11/29/05. *JB UPDATED 11/29/2005. *NM

DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE (AKA DIRECT IGNITION MODULE, IDM, DI, DIC) HAS DIED ON MY 1999 9-3 2 TIMES. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR SINCE NEW, IT NOW HAS 66,000 MILES. WHEN THE DI CASSETTE DIES THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY SHUTS DOWN WHICH CAN RESULT IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION IF ONE IS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. MY DI CASSETTE FIRST DIED AT 50,000 MILES. THE CAR SIMPLY WOULD NOT START, NO PRIOR WARNINGS. A BRAND NEW DI CASSETTE FROM SAAB WAS PUT IN. THE 2ND DI CASSETTE DIED AT 63,000 MILES, WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING AGAIN. THE CAR SHUT DOWN AS I WAS DRIVING, AND I LOST POWER STEERING. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SINCE I WAS GOING SLOW. DI CASSETTE WAS REPLACED AGAIN, SO I AM CURRENTLY ON DI CASSETTE #3. THE PART IS UNCHANGED, SO I FEAR IT COULD DIE AGAIN AT ANY MOMENT. I'VE HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR ALL OF THE DI CASSETTES. *JB

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE I WAS HIGHWAY DRIVING; I PARKED THE VEHICLE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND DIDN'T USE IT UNTIL THE MECHANIC WAS AVAILABLE. THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST SHOWED DIRECT IGNITION FAILURE, THE PART WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW PART. BEING A LONG-TIME SAAB OWNER, OF SEVERAL MODELS, I AM AWARE THAT CERTAIN MODELS HAVE ASSOCIATED PROBLEMS, SUCH AS THIS PART. *JB

DT: CONSUMER STATES THE FUEL PUMP RETAINING TABS THAT HOLD THE FUEL LINE TOGETHER FAILED ON A 1999 SAAB 9-3 CONVERTIBLE. THE CONSUMER SMELLED GAS, WHILE DRIVING. PULLED OVER AND SAW THAT THE GAS WAS LEAKING OUT EVERYWHERE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE MODELS 2001-2002 WERE RECALLED ON THE EXACT SAME THING. THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING FINE BEFORE THIS. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD CONSUMER THAT HIS CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER SAID THAT IT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. IF THERE WERE MORE COMPLAINTS THEY WOULD BROADEN THE RECALL YEAR. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REGULARLY MAINTAINED . THE CAR WAS FIXED TODAY.*AK

IN THE COUPLE OF MONTHS PREVIOUS TO THIS INCIDENT, MY VEHICLE'S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON THREE TIMES, STAYED ON FOR A DAY OR TWO, AND THEN SHUT OFF. EACH TIME THE LIGHT CAME ON (FIRST IT BLINKS, THEN REMAINS STEADY UNTIL TURNING ITSELF OFF) I EXPERIENCED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS SOME KIND OF IGNITION FAILURE. ON THE MORNING OF THE INCIDENT, I WAS TRAVELING IN THE PASSING LANE HEADING NORTH/EAST ON ROUTE 365 FROM VERONA TO ROME, NY WHEN I EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE IGNITION FAILURE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON (FIRST BLINKING, THEN STEADY) AND I HAD COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. I MOVED THE VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT LANE PREPARING TO COAST TO A STOP ON THE SHOULDER, BUT THE VEHICLE REGAINED POWER AFTER ABOUT 15 SECONDS AND I CONTINUED ON. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL IT SHUT ITSELF OFF LATER IN THE DAY AS I WAS RETURNING HOME (A TWO AND ONE HALF HOUR TRIP). I PLAN TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT TO HAVE THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED.*JB

WHILE TRAVELING DOWN I-70, THE DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE FAILED ON MY 1999 SAAB 9-3. THE ENGINE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY WHICH AFFECTED THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO COAST OFF THE HIGHWAY AND ONTO A SIDE STREET. THE NEXT DAY I WENT TO THE SAAB PARTS DEALER, BOUGHT ANOTHER FOR AROUND $375, AND WAS TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. MY CAR ONLY HAD 60,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. ONCE THE DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE WAS REPLACED, THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. *NM