SAAB Complaints

2002 SAAB 9-5 HAS HAD FAILURE OF HEADLIGHT BULBS AT A RATE OF ONE OR TWO PER YEAR FROM THE VERY FIRST YEAR I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR. NO OTHER BULB HAS BURNED OUT IN THE PAST 8 YR. A LOCAL GARAGE MECHANIC TOLD ME IT WAS RELATED TO A FAULTY FRONT ELECTRICAL HARNESS IN THE SAAB BUT THE DEALER SAID THIS WAS NOT A RECALL, EVEN THOUGH IT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FROM THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP. NOW I HAVE 2 HEADLIGHT BULBS BURNING OUT WITHIN ONE DAY OF EACH OTHER -- ONE HIGH BEAM, ONE REGULAR. IS THERE A RECALL OF ELECTRICAL HARNESS ON SAABS TO CORRECT FREQUENT HEADLIGHT BULB BURNOUT? SO FAR I HAVE JUST BEEN REPLACING THE BULBS AT $50/BULB AT THE RATE OF ONE OR TWO PER YEAR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE COIL SPRING FAILED. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, SHE HEARD A NOISE AS HER FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT CALLED HER INSURANCE COMPANY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.

WHILE DRIVING MY WIFE EXPERIENCES A SCRAPING SOUND. THEN HER RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT AND WAS SHREDDED. FORTUNATELY SHE WAS TRAVELING VERY SLOWLY ON A LOCAL STREET, AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER; OTHERWISE THE TIRE BLOWOUT COULD HAVE CAUSED HER SERIOUS HARM. TURNS OUT IT WAS THE SPRING (OR COIL) THAT HAD BROKEN. COST US $650.00 TO REPAIR AND REPLACE BOTH SPRINGS (SAAB SAID YOU HAVE TO REPLACE BOTH SPRINGS AT SAME TIME, EVEN THOUGH ONLY ONE BROKE) AND FOR A NEW TIRE. SAAB DEALER SAID BROKEN SPRINGS/COILS NOT COVERED. I KEPT THE BROKEN SPRING. WE HAD THE LOCAL CAR REPAIR SHOP DISCARD THE SHREDDED TIRE. *TR

ENGINE BLEW DO TO EXCESSIVE CARBON BUILD UP, SAAB HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM SINCE 1999 AND OFFERED A EXTENDED WARRANTY TO ORIGINAL BUYERS TILL 8 YEARS AND UNLIMITED MILEAGE. TO FIX, ENGINE HAS TO BE REPLACED. CAR ONLY HAS 100,000 MILES. THE OIL PORTHOLES THAT SQUIRT INTO THE PISTONS ARE CLOGGED BURNING OUT THE CYLINDERS. TO FIX THE CONCERN $4-5,000, IF WE CAN USE THE ENGINE THAT CAME WITH THE CAR, USED ENGINES ARE GOING FOR $2-3000 AND YOU CANNOT BUY A NEW OR REBUILT ONE. *TR

THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE SPRING BROKE. HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR WAS SITTING STILL. *TR

2003 SAAB 9-3 ARC. STARTED CAR AND SMELLED TIRE BURNING, DROVE AROUND BUILDING, CHECKED TIRES -- ALL 4 LOOKED FINE, CHECKED, DROVE ABOUT 1 MILE AND RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW. HAD AAA CHANGE TIRE, AND WAS SHOWN IT BLEW FROM THE INSIDE. TOOK VEHICLE TO COSTCO FOR TIRE REPLACEMENT. WAS INFORMED THAT THE SPRING COIL BROKE (WAS HANDED ABOUT A 6 INCH PIECE) AND THAT WAS WHAT BLEW THROUGH THE TIRE. CAR WAS TOWED TO THE SAAB DEALERSHIP AND BOTH SPRINGS WERE REPLACED. THE LEFT FRONT IS VERY ERODED FROM RUST AND ALSO APPEARS READY TO BREAK. CONSEQUENCES - 2 NEW TIRES, 2 NEW FRONT COIL SPRINGS AND A TOW. *TR

I WAS DRIVING THROUGH THE TED WILLIAMS TUNNEL AND THE LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE. I DID NOT HIT A BUMP. THE SPRING CAUSED A CATASTROPIC FAILURE OF THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. I HAD TO BE TOWED OUT OF THE TUNNEL AND HAVE NEW COIL SPRINGS INSTALLED. *TR

CAR RUNS PERFECTLY AND AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WILL RANDOMLY STALL. IF YOU CAN MANAGE TO NOT GET INTO AN ACCIDENT THE CAR WILL START RIGHT BACK UP AFTER YOU TURN OFF THE KEY AND RESTART. SOMETIMES EVERY COUPLE OF MILES, AND CAN GO SEVERAL MILES WITHOUT THE STALL. SEEMS TO ONLY HAPPEN AT CONSTANT SPEEDS. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. DIAGNOSTIC CODES ARE P1230 AND P1261, BUT I THINK THESE ARE RESULTS OF THE SUDDEN STALL, AND NOT THE PROBLEM. *TR UPDATED 03/10/09. *LJ

FRONT RIGHT SUSPENSION SPRINGS ON MY 2003 SAAB 9-3 BROKE. NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, BUT COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY IF IT WAS ON THE FREEWAY. THERE SEEMS TO BE A PATTERN OF THIS. . SOMETHING LIKE THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING ON THIS TYPE OF CAR. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE NEAREST DEALER THAT WANTS TO CHARGE $1100 FOR THE FIX BECAUSE I AM OUT OF WARRANTY BY. I AM ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING SAAB USA. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SAAB 9-3. THE CONTACT HEARD A STRANGE NOISE IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FRONT COIL SPRING SNAPPED. HE CHOSE NOT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED BECAUSE HE BELIEVES IT IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, THE CONTACT FOUND AN OPEN INVESTIGATION FOR THE SAME FAILURE (NHTSA ACTION NUMBER EA08026 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS) DATE INVESTIGATION OPENED : DECEMBER 22, 2008). HE BELIEVES THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 85,000.