SAAB Complaints

ON THE MORNING OF DECEMBER 6, 2006, MY 1999 SAAB 9-3 WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY OF MY HOUSE WHEN I STARTED THE CAR TO WARM IT UP TO TAKE MY FIVE YEAR OLD TO SCHOOL. MY 5 YEAR OLD SAT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AS THE CAR WAS WARMING UP. WITHOUT NOTICE OR PROVOCATION THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED IN MY 5 YEAR OLDS FACE. THIS VIOLENT EXPLOSION CAUSED A SCRATCH AND REDNESS ON MY DAUGHTERS FACE. UPON SPEAKING WITH SAAB I WAS INFORMED THAT THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING, AND UPON THEIR INSTRUCTION - I TOOK THE CAR THE LOCAL SAAB DEALER, WHO UPON EXAMINING THE CAR SAID THAT THE REASON FOR THIS HAPPENING IS INCONCLUSIVE. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE. SAAB IS GIVING US THE RUNAROUND, AND WE NEED SOMEONE TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS INCIDENT. I AM HOPING THAT FILING THIS COMPLAINT WILL HELP. *JB

I WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON ROUTE 93 NORTH OF BOSTON IN RUSH HOUR. SOMEONE STARTED FLASHING LIGHTS AND HONKING AT ME. I PULLED OVER (FORTUNATELY 150 FEET BEFORE THE BREAKDOWN LANE IS USED AS A TRAVEL LANE) AND SMELLED GAS. THE HIGH-PRESSURE FUEL LINE HAD POPPED OFF THE FUEL TANK UNDER THE ACCESS PLATE UNDER THE REAR SEAT. I CLEANED UP THE MESS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, PUSHED THE FUEL LINE BACK IN, LET IT SIT FOR 15 MINUTES AND THEN PROCEEDED HOME. THE WHITE RETAINING CLIP IS NOT BROKEN. I DON'T KNOW HOW THE FUEL LINE CAME OUT, BUT THIS IS NOW THE SECOND TIME, IT ALSO HAPPENED OCTOBER 29 TO MY WIFE AND WE HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED HOME. I ADDED STAINLESS WIRE TO KEEP THE BRACKET FROM ALLOWING THE FUEL LINE TO POP OUT AGAIN AND ORDERED THE BRACKET THAT SAAB HAS TO ADDRESS A SIMILAR PROBLEM ON THE 9-3. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE IMPACTED A SEMI TRUCK AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT HOWEVER, AFTER THE CRASH, A WARNING MESSAGE ILLUMINATED INDICATING AN AIR BAG MALFUNCTION. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS AT SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT BUT THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE POLICE WAS ALSO PRESENT AND A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE VEHICLE REMAINED INOPERABLE AND NEITHER THE DEALERSHIP NOR THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN CONTACTED YET.*AK

GASOLINE LEAK - I WAS DRIVING WITH MY TWO SMALL CHILDREN IN THE CAR (2001 SAAB 9-5 WAGON (4-CYLINDER) WHEN SOMEONE PULLED UP BESIDE ME TO TELL ME THAT GAS WAS POURING OUR OF MY CAR. I STOPPED THE CAR AND THE REMAINDER OF THE TANK EMPTIED ON THE GROUND. ONCE THE FIRE CHIEF OKAY'ED THE CAR FOR TRANSPORT, (THIS WAS REQUIRED BY THE TOWING COMPANY.) I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THE CLIP FOR THE FUEL LINE HAD COME UNDONE AND THAT THE FUEL LINE HAD COME LOOSE. THEY ALSO INDICATED THAT "THEY HAD SEEN THIS BEFORE". THEY REMOVED THE FUEL TANK, REPLACED THE FUEL LINE, REPLACED THE FUEL TANK AND PLACED A CLAMP OVER THE LINE. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE SAAB 9-3 FOR A RELATED FUEL CLIP PROBLEM. BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE (AND OTHER 9-5 DRIVERS I HAVE SEEN VIA THE INTERNET), I THINK SAAB NEEDS A RECALL OR CHECK ON THIS...*JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND UNOCCUPIED, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 01V222000, REGARDING AIR BAGS:FRONTAL. THE CONTACT DID NOT RECEIVE ANY NOTIFICATION ABOUT THIS RECALL.

UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE GAS GAUGE READ JUST OVER 1 BAR OF FUEL REMAINING WHEN A TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM FAILURE AND GEARBOX MALFUNCTION MESSAGE APPEARED IN THE DISPLAY SCREEN. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND ALL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE FAILED. NO ONE WAS INJURED AT THE TIME DUE TO THE LATE HOUR AND THERE BEING NO OTHER TRAFFIC NEAR BY BUT HAD THERE BEEN TRAFFIC AN ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE MOST LIKELY RESULTED FROM THE FAILURES. *NM

1999 9-5 WHEELS RUST IN WINTER WEATHER CAUSING LUG NUTS TO BREAK. *TS THE LUG NUT WAS BROKEN AND THE HUB SPINDLE WAS CORRODED. THIS CAUSED THE WHEEL LUG NUTS TO LOOSEN WHILE DRIVING AND ONE OF THE LUGS NUTS EVEN SNAPPED OFF. THE OUTER CV JOINT SEIZED IN THE SPINDLE/HUB, NECESSITATING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CV SHAFT AS WELL AS THE HUB. A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM (03V006000 ) AND THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR THIS PROBLEM IN 2003. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE DIED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING 60 MPH, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THE SERVICE DEALER DETERMINED THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. THE CONSUMER HAD THE ENGINE REPLACED. UPDATED 01/26/07. *JB

THE KNOBS FOR THE HEAT, AIR, AND WHERE THE HEAT AND AIR GOES BREAKS OFF! I HAVE REPLACED EACH ONE ONCE, AND THE COST WAS 135.00. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT, BUT MINOR INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE POLICE WERE ALERTED, AND A REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP TO AWAIT REPAIR OF THE BODY DAMAGE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.