SAAB Complaints

WHILE DRIVING AT 11:30 PM ON A SMALL (PAVED) COUNTRY ROAD WITH MY HIGH BEAMS ON, MY WARNING SYSTEM INDICATED "LEFT HIGH BEAM FAILURE. I CONTINUED DRIVING AND ABOUT A MINUTE LATER I NOTICED SPARKS ALONG THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR. I PULLED OVER TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG AND THE LEFT HEAD LIGHT WAS IN FLAMES. WITHIN 15 MINUTES THE ENTIRE FRONT HALF/ENGINE OF THE CAR WAS IN FLAMES AND THE ENTIRE FRONT HALF OF THE CAR ESSENTIALLY BURNED TO THE GROUND. *TR

THE FUEL PUMP IS FAULTY. I WAS TOLD FROM MY SAAB MECHANIC THAT HE HAD SEEN 3 OTHER MODELS JUST AS MINE, WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. HE TOLD ME THAT THERE IS CURRENTLY NOT A RE-CALL ON THE PART. I CAN NOT TELL HOW MUCH GAS IS IN MY VEHICLE, AND NEED TO MAKE SURE I GAS UP EVER 300 MILES. I WAS TOLD THIS PROBLEM WILL KEEP RE-OCCURRING SO I HAVE NOT BOTHERED TO HAVE IT FIXED, AS I CAN'T JUST THROW MONEY AWAY. I FEEL THAT A RE-CALL SHOULD HAPPEN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WERE PROGRESSIVELY BECOMING MORE DIM OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, REDUCING VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THIS FAILURE WAS A KNOWN ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

THE GAS GAUGE IS STOPPED WORKING AND DISPLAYS THE WRONG READING, THIS CAUSED MY WIFE AND CHILDREN TO STALL ON THE HIGHWAY, A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR

BURNT EXHAUST VALVE IN CYLINDER 1 AT ONLY 75000 MILES. HAD TO HAVE THE HEAD REMOVED AND MACHINED. MECHANIC STATED THAT THE VALVE SEAT WAS FAULTY. DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT ASSIST IN THE REPAIR. APPROXIMATE COST WAS $1800. *TR

THE FUEL LIGHT INDICATOR DOES NOT GO OFF. I HAVE PUT GAS IN THIS VEHICLE ON 2 SERERATE OCCASIONS IN 1 DAY AND IT DID NOT IDICATE ANY FUEL. IT CONTINUED TO SAY "LOW FUEL". I JUST PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE TODAY... *TR

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEPT GOING ON AND OFF AND CAR HAD MADE A LOUD POPPING NOISE FROM THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, WHEN TRYING TO START ONE DAY. I CHECKED ONLINE FOR RECALLS, WHICH STATED THERE WAS A RECALL FOR ELECTRICAL, IGNITION ISSUES. I TOOK MY CAR INTO A REPAIR SHOP TO CHECK ON CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THERE IS A RECALL 06V410000, OCT 26 2006 FOR THIS VERY ISSUE BUT FOR 6 CYLINDER, AND MINE IS A 4 CYLINDER ENGINE. THE REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE IGN CASSETTE. THIS WAS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR, $582.45 AND SHOULD BE COVERED BY SAAB. MY CAR COULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT! *TR

MY FUEL GAUGE READING HAS BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH FROM EMPTY TO FULL. I HAVE PUT A FULL TANK OF GAS IN IT AND IT READS EMPTY. THIS BEGAN A FEW WEEKS AGO AND HAS NOT STOPPED. IT HAS CAUSED MY ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON AS WELL. I WENT TO HAVE IT TESTED AT A SHOP AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE FUEL SENDER. I HAVE RESEARCHED AND FOUND A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS. I ASK HOW WILL I BE COMPENSATED FOR THIS INCONVENIENCE? *TR

GAS GAUGE EITHER DOES NOT ACCURATELY MEASURE GAS IN THE VEHICLE OR DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED OVER THE PASS YEAR AND HAS FINALLY QUIT WORKING. HAVE RUN OUT OF GAS ON 3 OCCASIONS. ON ONE INCIDENT HAD 5 MONTH OLD BABY IN CAR AT NIGHT. *TR

THE IGNITION CASSETTE CRACKS CAUSING IGNITION PROBLEMS, STALLING, ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. IT MAKES IT UNPREDICTABLE. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE PREVIOUS RECALL PASTED BELOW. WHY DOES IT NOT COVER THESE OTHER MODEL YEARS? NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V410000 WWW.NHTSA.DOT.GOV MANUFACTURER SAAB CARS USA, INC. RECALL DATE: OCT 23, 2006 POTENTIAL NUMBER OF UNITS AFFECTED: 5078 DESCRIPTION ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE SUMMARY CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH B308 6-CYLINDER GASOLINE ENGINES MAY EXPERIENCE OVERHEATING AND BURNOUT OF THE ISOLATED GATED BIPOLAR TRANSISTOR (IGBT) WITHIN THE IGNITION DISCHARGE MODULE (IDM) DUE TO INCREASED SUSCEPTIBILITY TO ELECTRICAL LOADS. CONSEQUENCE OVERHEATING OF THE IGBT OCCURS MOST OFTEN AT ENGINE START-UP, BUT IT MAY ALSO OCCUR WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING. ENGINE STALLING MAY OCCUR, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. REMEDY DEALERS WILL INSPECT TO SEE WHAT VERSION IDM IS IN THE VEHICLE AND REPLACE THE IDM IF IT IS A VERSION BUILT PRIOR TO JANUARY 2003. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING DECEMBER 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SAAB AT 1-800-955-9007. NOTE: THIS RECALL IS AN EXPANSION OF A PREVIOUS CAMPAIGN (PLEASE SEE 05V399). *TR