SAAB Complaints

I WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC WHEN MY ENGINE STARTED TO STALL AND LOST POWER. I NOTICED A BURNING SMELL COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I PULLED THE CAR OVER AND COULD NOT RE-START IT. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED A FAILED IGNITION MODULE. MY CAR IS A 2002 SAAB 9-5 AND HAD BEEN RE-CALLED BECAUSE OF FAILURES OF THIS COMPONENT. HOWEVER, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE CAR ENGINE WAS OF THE TYPE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY THE RECALL, WHEN SAAB NOTIFIED ITS' DEALERS IT LIMITED THE MODULES TO BE REPLACED TO ONLY CERTAIN SERIAL NUMBERS. THIS, DESPITE THE FACT THAT ACCORDING TO NHTSA ALL ENGINES NOT HAVING THE QP3 MODIFICATION, WHICH MY CAR DOES NOT, SHOULD HAVE BEEN RE-CALLED. THUS, SAAB REFUSES TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE PART EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE SAME PART THAT WAS FAILING AND PROMPTED THE RECALL INITIALLY. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A HAZARD DUE TO THE OVERHEATING OF THE PART WHICH LED TO STALLING AND COULD HAVE STARTED A FIRE. SAAB SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO LIMIT THE SERIAL NUMBERS REPLACED BECAUSE OTHER SERIAL NUMBERS APPEAR TO HAVE THE SAME DEFECT. *JB CONSUMER CALLED ON 9/12/06 TO REPORT A SECOND IDM FAILURE INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED ON 8/18/06. THE FOLLOWING IS PER A CONVERSATION W/ MRS. ALDER ON 9/14/06: DURING THIS INCIDENT, HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO LOSE POWER. AS SHE WAS PULLING OFF THE HWY, SHE SMELT A BURNING SMELL AND SAW SMOKE COMING INTO THE CAR. PULLED OVER AND STARTED TO CALL HUSBAND WHEN SHE SAW FLAMES COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT OUT FIRE AND VEHICLE WAS TOWED. SHE REPORTED THAT THE DEALER SAID HER CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAD BURNED. *CAR

WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH THE TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BOTH CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME. VEHICLE WENT INTO "LIMP MODE", WHERE POWER IS MINIMIZED MAKING FOR A DANGEROUS DRIVING SITUATION. TOOK VEHICLE TO KACHINA SAAB DEALERSHIP IN SCOTTSDALE, AZ AND WAS TOLD TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING WITH ONLY 50K MILES OF ALL HIGHWAY DRIVING. ALSO WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC AT DEALERSHIP THIS IS COMMON OCCURRENCE ON ALL SAABS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, ALTHOUGH I HAD A FULL VEHICLE SERVICE AND INSPECTION DONE JUST 2 WEEKS AGO, AT THIS SAME DEALERSHIP, AND ALL CHECKED OUT "GREAT". *JB

I PURCHASED MY 2006 SAAB 9-3 AERO SPORT SEDAN ON MARCH 10, 2006. BY APRIL 1, 2006, I WAS EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY STARTING THE VEHICLE, I.E. IT WOULD SPUTTER, MISFIRE, SKIP AND IDLE AT MORE THAN 1,770 RPM. EVENTUALLY THE ENGINE WOULD EVEN OUT AND I WOULD BE ABLE TO PULL OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. ON THE MORNING OF MAY 1, 2006, THE CAR CONTINUED THIS STARTING BEHAVIOR, RESULTING IN THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT COMING ON. I IMMEDIATELY DROVE THE CAR TO MY SAAB DEALER. THEY KEPT IT FOR 21 DAYS AND STILL DID NOT FIX IT, EVEN THOUGH THE DEALER REPLACED EVERY FUEL INJECTOR ON THE CAR. ON MAY 29, 2006, I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER FOR RESOLUTION AND WAS TOLD ON JUNE 6, 2006, THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN COMING OUT ABOUT THE PCM, AFTER THEY HAD KEPT IF FOR WEEK WITHOUT EVEN TRYING TO FIX IT. EVIDENTLY, THE PCM EITHER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED OR REPROGRAMMED. *NM

THE ABS CONTROL MODULE DIED INSTANTLY WHEN THE CAR HAD DONE LESS THAN 100,000 KM. THE INITIAL COST WAS $2500 BUT THE DEALER AGREED TO SUPPLY THE ECU SEPARATELY SINCE THE ABS HYDRAULIC SYSTEM WAS INTACT. ECU COST IS ABT $1000 AND CONTROL TURBO, ODOMETER, CRUISE CONTROL, SPEEDOMETER, TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS. DID NOT BUY THE PART BECAUSE IT MAY FAIL AGAIN SINCE THERE WAS NO EXPLANATION OR REASON FOR THE FAILURE. *NM

2000 SAAB 9-3 STALLS WHILE IN MOTION DUE TO IGNITION DISCHARGE MODULE (IDM). *TS THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE . ON BOTH OCCASIONS THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE MAY HAVE IDM PROBLEMS, BUT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *NM

THE CHECK ENGINE CAME ON RECENTLY AND I TOOK MY 1999 SAAB 9-5 TO THE DEALER. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM , IT WAS FOUND TO BE A CRACK IN THE FUEL TANK. THE CAR WAS STORED OUTSIDE WITH LITTLE GAS IN THE TANK WHILE WAITING FOR SAAB TO LOCATE A NEW TANK. IT HAS TAKEN OVER 5 WEEKS AND SAAB CLAIMS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. MY QUESTION IS: HAVE THERE BEEN OTHER REPORTS OF CRACKED FUEL TANKS MADE FOR SAAB CARS FROM 1999 TO 2005 WHICH ALL USE THE SAME TANK? *NM

LEAKING FUEL TANKS. I HAVE REPLACED THE FUEL TANK ON THIS VEHICLE TWICE. THE TANK IS NOW LEAKING AGAIN. THE LEAKS CAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON (SMALL EVAPORATE LEAK CODE) AND OCCASIONALLY CAUSE FUEL VAPORS IN THE CABIN. THE TANK IS MADE OF PLASTIC, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO REPAIR - MUST BE REPLACED. WITHOUT REPLACEMENT, VEHICLE WILL FAIL EMISSIONS TESTING AND I FEAR FIRE HAZARD. *NM

DEFECT IN BRAKING SYSTEM CAUSING UNEVEN WEAR ON FRONT BRAKES. EVENTUALLY THE ONE SIDE IS WORN DOWN COMPLETELY CAUSING BRAKE FAILURE. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED FUEL WAS NOTICED LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED ROAD DEBRIS PUNCTURED THE TANK. THE FUEL TANK DOES NOT HAVE ANY PROTECTION FROM DEBRIS. THE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 06/15/06 - DEALER DIAGNOSED AND DROPPED GAS TANK . SWAPPED OVER FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY TO NEW GAS TANK. *TT

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE COASTED OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT. IT WAS RESTARTED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT EXCEED 35MPH AND WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE IGNITION MODULE HAD FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN ONLY 30 MILES MORE WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT RE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAD FAILED. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, 05V399000, REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: IGNITION MODULE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.