2001 SAAB 9-5 Complaints

MY 2001 SAAB 9-5 HAS JUST UNDER 80,000 MILES AND HAS GONE THROUGH 2 CATALYTIC CONVERTERS. IT ALSO BURNS OUT A LOT OF LIGHTS--HEADLIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS, ETC. EVERY FEW MONTHS. ALSO THE LED DISPLAY ON THE DASH HAS A LOT OF PIXELS OUT. I'M WONDERING IF THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT IS PERHAPS A LITTLE TOO HIGH AND THAT COULD BE WHAT'S CAUSING ALL OF THE PROBLEMS?*AK

EXITING THE HIGHWAY ON AN OVERPASS BRIDGE THE ENGINE STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING AND WOULD NOT RESTART. A FEW MOMENTS LATER SMOKE WAS VISIBLE FROM UNDER THE DIRECT IGNITION COVER AND SMALL FLAME WAS APPARENT. THE FLAME WENT OUT AFTER A FEW MOMENTS. HOWEVER, WE WERE LEFT STRANDED ON AN UNLIT BRIDGE OVERPASS THAT WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AT DUSK (WITH AN INFANT AND TODDLER). SAAB ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CONTACTED (THEY SUGGESTED WE WAIT WITH THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY AN HOUR UNTIL A TOW TRUCK COULD REACH US.) THIS INCIDENT FOLLOWS A STRING OF MINOR ELECTICAL / ELECTRONIC "BUGS" IN WHICH ERRONEOUS SIGNALS ABOUT LIGHT FAILURES WERE DISPLAYED AND THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO TURN OFF WHEN THE KEY WAS REMOVED (THIS IS AN AUTOMATIC FEATURE ON SAABS).*AK

A PRIOR RECALL ADDRESSED EXTREME CORROSION ON ALLOY WHEELS OF SAABS, IN THE VICINITY OF THE WHEEL BOLTS. MY CONCERN IS THE EXTREME AMOUNT OF CORROSION OCCURING WHERE THE ALLOY WHEEL MEETS THE STEEL HUB. THERE IS AN ORANGE COLORED POWDER, AND DEFORMATION OF THE INSIDE SMALLEST DIAMETER OF THE ALLOY WHEEL, WHERE IT OTUCHES THE HUB. IS THIS A LOAD BEARING SURFACE? IS THIS A CONCERN TO ANYONE?? *AK

SUDDEN COMPLETE POWER FAILURE ON HIGHWAY! RELATIVLY NEW CAR 2001 WITH LOW MILES.TRACED TO BAD DIRECT IGNITION (DI) MODULE. IS A SAFETY HAZARD. NO INJURIES THANKFULLY.*AK

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND BEGAN EXITING WHEN THE SAAB COMPLETELY DIED. NO WARNING..ALL LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE CAR HAD NO POWER. I COASTED DOWN THE RAMP. WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED HAD I BEEN IN THE LEFT LANE? SAAB QUICKLY DIAGNOSED THIS AS A SHORTED OUT DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE. THEY REPAIRED IT RETURNED THE CAR. IT NEEDED TO GO BACK AS IT HAD NO POWER. THE CASSETTE'S FAILURE DESTROYED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AS WELL. I HAVE NOW HEARD OF THIS INCIDENT THREE TIMES ON 2001 SAAB 9-5'S. WHERE IS THE RECALL?*AK

THE ENGINE ON OUR 2001 SAAB 9.5 WAGON COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AS WE EXITED I-10 NORTH OF SAN ANTONIO TEXAS. THE VEHICLE WAS AT A SPEED OF 65 MPH AND THE ENGINE JUST QUIT. WE WERE ABLE TO STOP THE CAR AT THE EXITS INTERSECTION BECAUSE OF ITS LENGTH OF ABOUT 1/4 MILE. THERE WAS NO WARNING, JUST NO ENGINE AND NO RESTART. THE DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE WAS REPLACED. *AK

I WAS TRAVELING AT A HIGH SPEED ON THE BRONX RIVER PKWY AND MY PASSENGER REACHED INTO THE BACK SEAT. HER LEG HIT THE KEY AND TURNED THE CAR OFF WHILE I WAS TRAVELING AT 60 MPH. LUCKILY NOBODY WAS HURT. THE CAR LOCKED UP AND I SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. IT TOOK A FEW ANXIOUS MOMENTS/MINUTE OR TWO BEFORE I REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THIS HAPPENED TWO MORE TIMES WHEN I DECIDED TO CONTACT SAAB. THEIR RESPONSE IN A LETTER IS AS FOLLOWS " WE HAVE REVIEWED YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE PLACEMENT OF THE IGNITION SWITCH WITH GARDEN CITY SAAB, CORPORATE TECHNICIANS, AND FIELD REPRESENTATIVES. SAAB CARS USA, INC. HAS DETERMINED YOUR VEHICLE IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED." !!!!! SO, THEY HAVE DESIGNED A CAR TO SWITCH OFF WHILE DRIVING. ALL I ASKED WAS TO BE LET OUT OF MY LEASE AS THIS IS A DANGEROUS CAR AND I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE DRIVING IN IT. THEY, BY MEANS OF THIS LETTER, ARE REFUSING AND TELLING ME THEY HAVE NO ISSUE. FYI THE 9.3 KEY IS BELOW THE SEAT, IN THE 9.5 THEY DECIDED TO RAISE IT ABOVE THE SEAT. THIS IS PROBABLY WHY THEY HAVEN'T ADDRESSED IT YET. I GUESS THEY ARE WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO GET REALLY HURT OR KILLED. CAN ANY ONE HELP???? *JB

KEY WAS TOUCHED BY A BABY BOTTLE (VERY GENTLY). THE CAR SHUT OFF ON A BUSY EXPRESSWAY. LUCKILY NOBODY WAS KILLED. I WENT TO THE CAR SERVICE AND GENTLY TAPPED THE KEY AND REPRODUCED THE KEY TURNING. THE SERVICE PERSON SAID THAT WAS NORMAL! PLEASE HELP BEFORE SOME ONE IS KILLED.*JB

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING SMOKE STARTING COMING FROM THE ENGINE.VEHICLE STALLED OUT.HAD VEHICLE SERVICED,FIRE WAS A RESULT OF A PROBLEM WITH IGNITION CASSETTE. NLM

SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE, CONSUMER BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE FREQUENCY OF NOXIOUS FUMES COMING THROUGH THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE FROM THE EXHAUST, WHEN CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO REPORT THE PROBLEM HE WAS GIVEN A SERVICE BULLETIN WHICH IDENTIFIED THE EMISSION AS HYDROGEN SULFIDE AND THE BULLETIN FURTHER STATED THERE WAS NO WAY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, THE MANUFACTURER HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM BUT HAS FAILED TO DISCLOSE THE INFORMATION.(LAWYER, JEFFREY MILLER ON BEHALF OF CLIENT)*JB