1990 SAAB 900 Complaints

ATT: NHTSA I HAVE A 90 TURBO CONV AND WHILE DRIVING MY LOWER A-ARM BROKE WHERE THE WELD IS. I HAVE HEARD THIS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH 900'S THAT HAVE OVER 100,000 MILES ON THEM BUT HAVE FOUND NO RECALLS. I WAS DOING 65 MPH AT THE TIME IT BROKE BUT IF THIS HAD BEEN SOMEONE ELSE OR IF I HAD BEEN GOING FASTER YOU COULD HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER WITH MINOR DAMAGE. THIS FAILURE DID NOT HAPPEN IN REVERSE AS MOST PEOPLE CLAIM.........IT HAPPENED WHILE MOVING FORWARD AT 65 MPH.........THIS IS MY CONCERN. IF THE ARM FATIGUES AT THE WELD STRESS POINT AND BREAKS WHILE BACKING UP JUST IMAGINE HOW BAD THE CRACK MUST BE BEFORE THIS HAPPENS. SINCE THE LOAD CAN'T BE AS GREAT ON THE ARM AS IT IS WHEN AT SPEED AND TURNING THIS IS A REAL PROBLEM THAT I WILL INVESTIGATE FURTHER. I WILL POST PIC'S AS SOON AS I GET IT BACK FROM THE SHOP. I SENT THIS E-MAIL TO SAAB CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND I'M WAITING FOR A RESPONSE WHICH I WILL FORWARD. I ALSO POSTED THIS ON SEVERAL SAAB WEBSITES. PLEASE IF ANYONE KNOWS OF SAFETY RECALLS FOR THIS LET ME KNOW, ALSO IF ANYONE KNOWS WHO TO CONTACT TO REPORT THIS I WOULD APPRECIATE A CONTACT SINCE THIS COULD LEAD TO SOMEONE GETTING HURT OR EVEN KILLED. ATT: SAAB USA I POSTED THIS ON SAABNET.COM AND HAVE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE E-MAIL ME. I'M ALSO GOING TO FORWARD THIS TO THE NHTSA SINCE I FEEL THIS IS A POTENTIALLY A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE FIXED WITH A RECALL. I HAVE A MORAL OBLIGATION TO INFORM OTHERS OF THIS AND WILL INVESTIGATE THIS MORE TO SEE IF ANYONE HAS BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED FROM THIS PROBLEM. THANKS FRANK 510-413-1663 [email protected]

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION , VEHICLE WILL STEER TO THE RIGHT, AND LOSE TOTAL CONTROL. *AK

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH AN SUV, BOTH TRAVELING AT 35 MPH, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG. THE SAAB HAS BEEN TOTALLED. *AK

AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY IN A HEAD-ON 35MPH CRASH. BOTH VEHICLES, TRAVELING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS WERE BOTH TRAVELING AT 35MPH. DRIVER FRACTURED STERNUM AND THE FRONT END WAS FORCED BACK INTO THE ENGINE.

VEHICLE PULLS SEVERLY TO THE LEFT WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THIS IS DUE TO ABS STICKING AND ALL BRAKING POWER IS DIRECTED TO THE LEFT SIDE OF SYSTEM.

VEHICLE'S ENGINE WOULD SUDDENLY AND UNPREDICTABLY ACCELERATE AS THE RPMS DROPPED. AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE IDLE CONTROL VALVE THE PROBLEM DID NOT REOCCUR.

VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT DURING BRAKE APPLICATION. MECHANIC CLAIMS VALVE IN THE ABS STICKING RESULTED IN ALL BRAKING POWER TO BE DIRECTED TO THE LEFT SIDE OF SYSTEM ONLY.

FRON ENGINE MOUNT FAILED, RESULTING IN VEHICLE PULLING TO ONE SIDE/LOSS OF CONTROL. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ANY SPEED, LOST PART OF BRAKING ABILITY, BRAKES HARD, VEHICLE PULLS TO SIDE, INTERMITTENT PROBLEM, NEARLY CAUSED A CRASH, ACCORDING TO DEALER, ABS SOLENOID FAILED, NEEDS REPLACING. *AK

THE CAR WAS INVOLVED IN A REAREND COLLISION AND THE DRIVER'S SEATBACK FELL BACK, INJURING THE DRIVER. *AK