SAAB Complaints

DRIVING AT 65MPH IN FAR LEFT LANE OF HIGHWAY AND SUDDEN LOSS OF SPEED--COULD ONLY GO 20-30 MPH FOR A FEW MINUTES BEFORE BURNING SMELL. WAS ABLE TO COME TO RIGHT SHOULDER WHILE DODGING HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE (DIC) FAILURE 1 OF 2 DIC'S IN 6 CYLINDER ENGINE). SECOND VISIT REQUIRED FOR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT--WAS CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THIRD VISIT FOR ANOTHER CEL FOR SECOND DIC FAILURE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY HESITATED AND STALLED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, WHO DID NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. ALSO, CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO REFUSED TO ASSIST THE CONSUMER.*AK

WHILE ENTERING I-80 FROM A REST STOP AND ACCELERATING TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS ENGINE JUST QUIT. I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND IT RE-STARTED IMMEDIATELY. I CONTINUED WITH NO FURTHER PROBLEM. ON REACHING COLORADO SPRINGS, I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL SAAB DEALER, EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM, AND THEY COULD FIND NO PROBLEM. THEY SUGGESTED THAT PERHAPS MY WIFE HAD ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE KEY WHEN ADJUSTING HERSELF IN THE CAR, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO QUIT, AND SUGGESTED IF IT HAPPENED AGAIN TO JIGGLE THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. THE DATES GIVEN FOR THE INCIDENT BELOW ARE A SLIDE FICTION - IT HAPPENED IN 2004, AND I THINK IN MAY, BUT DO NOT RECALL FOR SURE, NOR DO I RECALL THE EXACT DATE. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 45 MPH. CONSUMER STATED TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP. CONSUMER BUT MANAGED TO PULL VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER. *AK

I USED THE CAR ONLY FOR WEEK END SKI TRIPS TWICE A MONTH OR LESS THROUGH THE WINTER. THIS OCCASIONALLY REQUIRED JUMP STARTS. THE WEEK OF THE FAILURE THE CAR STARTED OKAY TO MOVE IT TO THE GARAGE SO I COULD TAKE THE SNOW TIRES OFF, I THEN MOVED IT BACK TO ITS SPOT. THAT FRIDAY, I DROVE OVER 100 MILES FROM CT TO BRATTLEBORO, VT, WHERE I WENT TO A SUPERMARKET, THEN A RESTAURANT. IT RAN PERFECTLY, UNTIL I FINISHED DINNER, AND IT WOULD NOT START. IT WOULD CRANK, BUT THERE WAS NO COMBUSTION. AFTER A FEW LONG WALKS AND MANY PHONE CALLS, NO ONE COULD HELP WITH IT AND THERE WAS NO PLACE TO STAY FOR THE NIGHT OR CARS TO RENT. I TOOK A TAXI 20-30 MILES TO MY FAMILY SKI HOUSE IN NEWFANE. THE NEXT MORNING, I CALLED SEVERAL SHOPS AND FOUND ONE THAT COULD LOOK AT IT. (NO DEALERS IN THE AREA) THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THEM, AND I GOT A RIDE FROM MY NEIGHBOR DOWN THE MOUNTAIN AND BACK INTO TOWN. THE SHOP DETERMINED IT WAS NOT A SIMPLE FIX, AND COULD NOT GIVE IT ANY MORE TIME UNTIL LATER IN THE WEEK. I CALLED SOME DEALERS BACK IN CT, AND HAD IT TOWED THERE. I GOT MY UNCLE TO COME BRING ME AND MY DOG HOME. TUESDAY, I CALLED THE DEALER IT WAS AT, AND THEY TOLD ME THE DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE FAILED, AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE SPARK PLUGS. THE REPAIR COST $619.01, AND FIXED THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE IN THE PASSING LANE IN MY 1999 SAAB 1995 ACCELERATING FROM 65 MPH TO 75 MPH, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED RUNNING WHEN I REACHED ABOUT 75 MPH. IT SMELLED LIKE PLASTIC WAS BURNING AND NOTHING ON THE CAR WAS OPERATIONAL.*AK TRAFFIC WAS VERY HEAVY AND LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO ROLL TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT GETTING HIT OR CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AT THAT HIGH SPEED. SUCH CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF A COMPONENT IS UNACCEPTABLE WHEN DRIVING AT TODAY?S SPEEDS AND TRAFFIC. AFTER HAVING THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY REPLACED THE DIC (DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE) FOR $738.10. THE CAR WAS JUST OUT OF WARRANTY.

MY 2000 SAAB 9-5 WITH APPROX. 30,000 MILES STALLS WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING. CAR RESTARTS IMMEDIATELY. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT FOUR TIMES IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS. IT ALSO SURGES THEN STALLS WHILE STOPPED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT OR IN TRAFFIC. CAR RESTARTS IMMEDIATELY. HAVE HAD CAR IN FOR SERVICE AT DEALERSHIP THREE TIMES IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS AND THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. SURGING PROBLEM IS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND HAPPENING MOST EVERY DAY. HAVE NOT BEEN IN ACCIDENT (MY DRIVING IS LOCAL AND ALOT OF STOP AND GO) BUT I WILL NOT DRIVE CAR ON PARKWAY FOR FEAR OF STALLING. *AK

STATION WAGON STALLED TRAVELING AT SPEED OF 40 MPH. WAS ABLE TO START CAR AFTER ABOUT 1 HOUR. TOOK CAR TO SAAB DEALER FOLLOWING DAY, THEY WERE UNABLE TO IDENTIFY PROBLEM. NEXT DAY CAR STALLED GOING UP HILL AT 20 MPH - CAR HAD TO BE PUSHED INTO SERVICE STATION. NEW IGNITION CASSETTE WAS INSTALLED BY FRITSCHS EXXON 99 S. NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA 19063 12/30/2004. THEY KEPT OLD PART. PHONE 610-353-3007. THEY OBTAINED NEW PART FROM MAINLINE SAAB IN ARDMORE, PA. I HAD TO RENT A CAR.*AK

THIS IS A FAILURE OF THE DIRECT IGNITION CASETTE IN A 2001 SAAB 9-5 WAGON WITH THE 2.3 4 CYLINDER ENGINE. I WAS IN THE PASSING LANE OF A HIGHWAY WHEN THE CAR STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. IT NEEDED TO BE PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TOWED TO A DEALER. THE DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE HAD FAILED AND WAS REPLACED.*AK

2003 SAAB 9-3 VECTOR HAS PROBLEMS WITH SUNROOF, FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT, ALARM SYSTEM, GAS CAP, SIDE VIEW MIRRORS AND THE BOARD COMPUTER. ***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE ONBOARD COMPUTER COULD NOT BE FIXED AFTER 3 SERVICE VISITS, UNTIL FINALLY THE VEHICLE WAS RECALLED AND EXCHANGED FOR ANOTHER. THE GAS CAP WOULD NOT CLOSE PROPERLY, THE ALARM SYSTEM WENT OFF INADVERTENTLY, THE SIDE VIEW MIRRORS WOULD ADJUST THEMSELVES AFTER THE CONSUMER TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. THE CD PLAYER MALFUNCTIONED. THE SEAT BELT LIGHT CAME ON EVEN WHEN THERE WERE NO PASSENGERS. THE FRONT SPOILER IS FALLING APART. *JB