SAAB Complaints

DT: THE CONTACT STATED VEHICLE STALLED WHILE IN A PARKING LOT. HE TRIED TO RESTART IT TEN MINUTES LATER BUT IT WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY REPLACED THE DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR LATER MODEL VEHICLES AND THE PART WAS THE SAME UNIT THAT WAS IN THIS VEHICLE. *AK UPDATED 11/29/05. *JB UPDATED 11/29/2005. *NM

DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE BURNED CAUSING ENGINE TO STALL. I WAS LUCKILY ABLE TO DRIVE IN LIMP-HOME MODE. CAR TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP. DIAGNOSED AS BURNED DIC. MECHANIC STATED THAT CAR SHOULD HAVE DIED. VERY FORTUNATE TO LIMP HOME. DIC REPLACED WITH NEW UNIT AT MY COST (OUT OF WARRANTY).*JB

DT CONTACT STATED THE FUEL LINE WAS LEAKING. THERE WAS RECALL 04V557000. WHEN SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF A QUART OF GASOLINE WILL POUR OUT UNDER THE VEHICLE. HE CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND THEY REPAIRED THE VEHICLE WITH THE RECALL REPAIR KIT. THE KIT WAS A CLAMP TO SECURE THE FUEL LINE FROM COMING LOOSE. *AK PHONE INTERVIEW UPDATE: ESTIMATED LEAKAGE RATE WAS ABOUT ONE QUART OF FUEL EVERY 5 MINUTES.

DT: CONTACT STATED THE INBOARD DASHBOARD SIDE INFORMATION DISPLAY PANEL GARBLED, AND THERE WAS NO LEGIBLE DISPLAY PRINTING OFF. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THIS WAS A FREQUENT PROBLEM, AND HE WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE IT OFTEN. HE HAD THE SYSTEM REPAIRED PREVIOUSLY ,AND WAS EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM AGAIN. THE MANUFACTURER WILL OFFER NO FREE REMEDY. *AK

I WAS DRIVING VEHICLE 2001 SAAB 9-5 SE (V6 ENGINE) WAGON AT 45-50 MPH WHEN IT SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND DECELERATED. I KNEW ABOUT DI CASSETTES FAILURE AND STOPPED IMMEDIATELY. NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED PRIOR OR AFTER THIS EPISODE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO LOCAL SAAB DEALER. PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE AND REPLACED WITH A NEW PART FOR FREE DUE TO FUTURE RECALL (DI CASSETT ONLY). THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS DAMAGED DUE FAILURE OF THE IDM TOO, BUT IT DOES NOT COVERED AND IT WAS REPLACED AT COST OF $2026.48. +10 DAYS I WAS WATING FOR PARTS. THIS CAR HAS HAD OTHER "SMALL" ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS LIKE MULTIPLE LIGHT BULB BURN OUTS, LOSS OF PIXELS ON THE SID DISPLAY, SUDDEN INCREASE BRIGHTNESS OF ALL LIGHTS, FAILURE OF REAR SEATS HEATER. *NM

DRIVING SMOOTHLY AT 50 MPH IN 1996 SAAB 900 SE TURBO, 99K MILES. ENGINE RPM SUDDENLY BUT SMOOTHLY DROPS TO ZERO AND STOPPED IN A VERY UNSAFE PLACE ON THE HIGHWAY. CAR WOULD NOT RE-START. ABSOLUTELY NO FAULTS OF ANY KIND OCCURRED DURING THE MONTHS LEADING UP TO THIS INCIDENT. THIS CAR'S DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE WAS REPLACED ONCE ALREADY IN JAN. 2000 BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE FUEL LINE CAME OFF THE FUEL PUMP. THE CAR WAS SPURTING GAS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE CAR TO THE NEAREST GARAGE. THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. HE FOUND NHTSA RECALL 04V557000/SAAB RECALL 15018 WHICH DEALT WITH A SIMILAR PROBLEM AS HIS VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD HIM THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. WHEN THE CONTACT TALKED TO THE MANUFACTURERS, THEY TOLD HIM THAT BECAUSE HE DID NOT TAKE THE CAR TO A GM OR SAAB DEALERSHIP TO HAVE RECALL REPAIR WORK DONE THE REPAIR WORK WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. *AK PHONE INTERVIEW UPDATE: THE COMPLAINANT WAS DRIVING HOME WHEN HE SMELLED FUEL ODOR. THE REPAIRING GARAGE REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP BECAUSE THE FUEL LINE RETAINING TAB ON THE PUMP IS BROKEN WHICH CAUSED THE FUEL LEAK.

ANOTHER VOICE: COMMON SUDDEN FAILURE OF SAAB ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY CAUSING IMMEDIATE STALL AT SPEED, IN TRAFFIC. NO CRASH. UNDRIVEABLE "LIMP HOME" MODE. NECESSITATED LONG TOW AND EXPENSIVE REPAIR. THIS ITEM CITED FREQUENTLY ON SAAB-RELATED WEBSITES, BUT GOT ME TODAY! NOTE THAT CURRENT RECALL IS FOR A DIFFERENT PART, EQUALLY SAFETY-RELATED. *NM

MY 2001 SAAB 9-5 STALLED ONE DAY ALL OF A SUDDEN AFTER I REACHED A SHOPPING MALL. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL SAAB DEALER AND THEY REPLACED MY IGNITION SYSTEM FOR A CHARGE CLOSE TO 600 DOLLARS. THEY SPOKE TO ME THAT IT WAS AN ISOLATED EVENT. FROM THE RECALL NOTICE YOU RELEASE I REALIZE THAT IT WAS INTRINSIC MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE GOOD WORK. I HOPE I WILL GET A REFUND. *NM

1. CAR WAS HESITATING AND MIS-FIRING. EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE SAAB RECALL NO. 05087. 2. WITH FAMILY, CAR COMPLETELY DIED WHILE GOING UP A HILL. SINCE IT WAS A 5 SPEED, I WAS ABLE TO ROLL BACK DOWN THE HILL AND SUBSEQUENTLY HAVE THE CAR TOWED. 3. DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE (DIC) AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED. WITH DEALER ASSISTANCE, SAAB REPLACE THE PART AND RELATED REPAIR AT MINIMAL COSTS. UNLIKE THE SAAB RECALL NO. 05087, 1999 OWNERS ARE BEING EXCLUDED FROM THE REMEDY FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUES AND FAILURES. SAAB / GM NEED TO REMEDY THE EXACT SAME ISSUE IN SAAB RECALL NO. 05087 FOR THE 1999 OWNERS. THE FAILURE AND SAFETY CONCERNS ARE EXACTLY THE SAME. *JB