1999 SAAB 9-3 Complaints

ON, OR ABOUT THIS DATE, MY CONVERTIBLE TOP CEASED TO OPERATE. THE "RAMS" WERE LEAKING HYDRAULIC FLUID, AND THE HYDRAULIC PUMP WAS MISSING TEETH IN ITS' GEAR RING. THIS CAR HAS ONLY 31,000 MILES AND JUST WENT OVER FOUR YEARS OLD IN FEBRUARY; WHICH WAS ALSO THE END OF ITS' MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY. I CONTACTED SAAB CARS USA TO ADVISE THEM OF THIS PREMATURE FAILURE OF SEVERAL PARTS WITHIN THE CONVERTIBLE TOP. THEY PAID FOR PARTS ON ONE OF THE REPAIRS (THE RAMS). FOLLOWING THIS INCIDENT WITH THE TOP, AND AFTER IT WAS REPAIRED, A INTERMEDIATE SWITCH IN MY CONVERTIBLE TOP FAILED, AND WAS REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE . I NOTIFIED SAAB CARS USA OF MY DISSATISFACTION CONCERNING THESE FAILED PARTS, BUT THEY NO LONGER WISHED TO ASSIST. THEY CLAIMED THAT THEY HAD HELPED WITH THE PREVIOUS REPAIR, AND WOULD NOT HELP WITH THIS ONE. IT SEEMS, INSTEAD OF LISTENING TO WHAT THE ACTUAL COMPLAINT OR PROBLEM WAS, THEY FOLLOW SOME TYPE OF TEMPLATE ON HOW MUCH ASSISTANCE THEY GIVE A VEHICLE OR AN INDIVIDUAL. THESE FAILURES ARE MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE TOP, AND THEY OBVIOUSLY FAILED PREMATURELY.*AK

BATTERY CABLE CORROSION AND BATTERY LEAKAGE. SINCE JUNE 1999 WHEN VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE POSITIVE LEAD BATTERY CABLE HAS CORRODED TOTALLY THROUGH FOUR TIMES. TWICE SNAPPING IN HALF AND LEAVING ME ON THE ROAD REQUIRING A TOW. THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED THE CABLE FOUR TIMES AND THE BATTERY THREE TIMES. HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO OCCUR. THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT FIND A PROBLEM OTHER THAN CONTINUING TO REPLACE THE CABLE. THE LAST CABLE LASTED ONLY TWO MONTH BEFORE IT CORRODED THROUGH... *LA

I WANTED TO ALERT YOU TO A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION IN THE '99 SAAB 9-3. THEY HAVE A CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM PROBLEM THAT CAN CAUSE THE VENTILATION SYSTEM CONTROLS TO BECOME SO STIFF THAT IT CAUSES THE KNOB TO SNAP OFF RENDERING THE SYSTEM USELESS. SAAB IS FULLY AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND REQUIRES THE CONSUMER TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS THAT IN THEIR TERMS "MAY" SOLVE THE PROBLEM FOR A SHORT TIME. THESE INCLUDE REPLACING THE KNOB ($10.00), THE SHAFT ($200.00), AND THE VENTILATION CONTROL BOX ($600.00). IT APPEARS THAT SAAB CONSIDERS THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS TO BE A LUXURY NOT A NECESSARY SAFETY SYSTEM. I THINK THAT YOUR AGENCY WOULD DISAGREE WITH SAAB ASSESSMENT AND SHOULD REQUIRE A MORE PROACTIVE CORRECTIVE PLAN FROM THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER. *LA

THE CONSUMER HAD JUST FILLED THE GAS TANK WITH FUEL AND WAS DRIVING AWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED FOR NO REASON. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND DROVE TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THE STALLING PROBLEM. *NLM

THE CONTROL KNOB FOR THE DEFROSTER/AIR DIRECTION HAS BROKEN 7 TIMES. THE SAAB DEALER, SAAB NASHUA NORTH SAID IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR THAT YEAR AND MODEL. SAAB HAS REFUSED TO COVER THE REPAIR NOW THAT THE WARRENTY HAS RUN OUT.*AK

WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IF TRAFFIC COMES TO A SUDDEN STOP, BRAKING IS HORRIBLE. THE CAR DOES NOT GRIP THE ROAD IT SLIDES. WHEN PUTTING CAR INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE, CAR HESITATES FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS THEN JERKS INTO ACTION. THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM STOPPED WORKING. THE CAR IS LITERALLY FALLING APART PIECE BY PIECE. *NLM

CRADLE BOLT HEAD (SAAB PART NUMBER 43-45-674) WAS FOUND UNDER LEFT SIDE OF CAR. IT APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN FRACTURED. CAUSE UNKNOWN, BUT DEALER STATED IT WAS DUE TO POT HOLE. IT COULD HAVE ALSO BEEN OVER TOQURED AT INSTALLATION/SERVICE, OR DEFETIVE BOLT.

99 SAAB 93 - AT 60K MILES..NEEDED TO DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD...TURN THE VENTILATOR CONTROL AND IT SNAPPED OFF...SAAB TELLING ME THEY ISSUED DEALERS A BULLETIN ON THIS..REPAIR COST ESTIMATED BETWEEN $600 AND UP TO $2000.00 US DOLLARS...WILL ONLY WARRANTY THE REPAIR FOR 1 YEAR INFERRING THAT AT 120K MILES THIS MIGHT HAPPEN AGAIN...PERSONALLY FEEL THE ASSEMBLY IS DEFECTIVELY ENGINEERED . VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT THE COST TO REPAIR CAN APPROACH 1/5 THE CAR'S BLUE BOOK VALUE...VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS WILL OCCUR AGAIN AFTER BEING REPAIRED AND PUT MY SAFETLY IN JEAPORDY. *JB

TURNED SWITCH TO ON POSITION, VEHICLE STARTED UP AND BACKED INTO A GARAGE. THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATES WHEN STARTING ENGINE, THE CLUTCH PEDAL HAS TO BE FULLY DEPRESSED. TOOK TO DEALER AND DEALER STATED CLUTCH DOES NOT HAVE TO BE DEPRESSED TO START VEHICLE. NLM *JB

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH STEERING WENT COMPLETELY OUT, AND CUSTOMER LOST CONTROL. BUT, WAS ABLE TO GET IT OFF ROAD. CONTACT DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM.*AK