SAAB Complaints

WHILE DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, MY 1999 SAAB 9-3 EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER AND THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. THERE WAS NO WARNING OF A PROBEM UNTIL A SINGLE "CLUNKING NOISE" WAS DETECTED AND THEN THERE WAS NO POWER IN 5TH OR 4TH GEAR. BY THE TIME I DOWNSHIFTED TO 3RD GEAR, THE ENGINE HAD STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE, BATTERY/ALTERNATOR, AND OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHTS LIT. THE CAR WAS NOT ABLE TO BE RESARTED. I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE CAR TO THE DISTRESS LANE AND SUMMON HELP (911). THE CAR NEEDED TO BE TOWED FOR REPAIRS. THE LOCAL SAAB DEALER DETERMINED THE IGNITION DISCHARGE MODULE (IDM) HAD FAILED (BURNED UP). THE DEALER ALSO INFORMED ME OF A RECENT RECALL (I BELIEVE IT'S 05V-399) FOR THE 2000 - 2002 MODEL YEARS AND THAT PERHAPS THE IDM ON MY CAR HAD A SIMILAR DEFECT. THE DEALER INSTALLED A NEW IDM (REPLACEMENT PART 55-561-132) AND 4 NEW SPARK PLUGS WHICH HAD BEEN FOULED FROM MY REPEATED EFFORTS TO RESTART THE CAR. I DID NOT RECEIVE OLD PARTS BACK.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING 45-50 MPH ON A SNOW COVERED HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THE RECOGNITION CASSETTE MODULE FAILED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. UPDATED 11/3/2006 - ON 11/24/05 THE VEHICLE'S DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL WHILE BEING DRIVEN IN THE SNOW. AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE THE REPAIR FACILITY ALSO HAD TO REPLACE TWO OXYGEN SENSORS AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE TECHNICIAN SAID IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT RAW FUEL DAMAGED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER DURING THE INITIAL FAILURE OF THE DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED THEN THE ALARM ACTIVATED. AFTER DISCONNECTING AND RECONNECTING THE BATTERY, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SEEN BY A MECHANIC.

"GEAR BOX MALFUNCTION". AFTER OWNING A PRE-OWNED 2003 9-3 SAAB FOR NOT EVEN THREE WEEKS, THE TRANSMISSION IN THE VEHICLE WENT OUT. NOW THAT THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, AT 55K IT IS COSTING WELL OVER $7,000.00!! THE TRANSMISSION SKIPS EVERY GEAR EXCEPT FOR 2ND AND 5TH. VERY NICE CAR, BUT WON'T EVER OWN ANOTHER. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WAS AN ODOR OF SMOKE AND THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO DETERMINED THE IGNITION DISCHARGE MODULE FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. THERE WAS AN NHTSA RECALL, #05V399000, REGARDING THE IGNITION MODULE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 09/20/06. *JB

STALL AND SURGING TO THE POINT THE BRAKES WOULD NOT HOLD THE CAR BACK AT A STOP. LATER IDM FAILED WITHOUT WARNING . SEEN SMOKE COMING FORM COIL, PACK. *JB

WE HAVE A 2002 SAAB 9.5 (6 CYLINDER ENGINE) WHICH HAD A DI CASSETTE FAILURE-LEAD TO CAR LOSING ACCELERATION ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND ULTIMATELY REQUIRING POLICE ASSISTANCE. DI CASSETTE FAILURE LEAD TO CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILING AS WELL. CAR IS NOT PART OF RECALL AND SAAB WON'T PAY AS A RESULT. *JB

2002 SAAB 9-3 WITH 54K MILES CAUGHT FIRE WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING IT ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 13, 2006. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS UPHILL, THE STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE WAS PRESENT IN THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE BUT WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED GASOLINE LEAKED ONTO THE ENGINE DUE TO LOOSENED FUEL LINES ON THE FUEL PUMP. THERE WAS AN NHTSA RECALL, # 06V126000 REGARDING THE FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: DELIVERY: HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 9/15/2006 - *NM