SAAB Complaints

WHEN ACCELERATING FROM 55 TO 65 MPH IN THE PASSING LANE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE UP TO 90 MPH. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES HARD TO REDUCE THE SPEED DOWN TO 70 MPH, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATES UP TO 95 MPH. CONSUMER REAPPLIED THE BRAKES AND GOT THE VEHICLE DOWN TO 10 MPH WHEN HE SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. A FIRE HAS TEMPORARY DEVELOP IN BOTH FRONT WHEELS AND EXTINGUISH ITSELF WITHIN 5 MINUTES. CONSUMER GOT BACK INTO THE VEHICLE AND DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. DEALER IS REPLACED THE COMPLETE BRAKING SYSTEM AND THE CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH. *AK

WAS DRIVING DOWN THE GSP DURING THE EVENING RUSH HOUR (5PM OR SO) IN THE LEFT LANE ON THE EXPRESS SIDE. PICKUP TRUCK APPROXIMATELY 4 FT OFF MY REAR BUMPER(NJ YOU KNOW). HEAVY RAIN. MY 2000 SAAB 9-3 VIGGEN JUST SHUT OFF.NO WARNING. NO POWER TO GET TO APPROPRIATE SHOULDER SO I HAD TO DRIVE THE CAR OFF THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE ROAD INTO THE MUD. AFTER BEING TOWED TO DEALER I GOT THE CAR BACK THE NEXT DAY. DI CASSETTE FAILURE WAS THE DIAGNOSIS.COME TO FIND OUT, THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE SAAB DI CASSETTES. ONE DAY LATER, CAR BACK IN SHOP FOR 4 DAYS. DEALER NEEDED TO REPLACE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR DUE TO NO ENGINE POWER. CATALYTIC CONVERTOR FAILURE A DIRECT RESULT OF DI FAILURE. I AM REPORTING THIS BECAUSE HAD THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS GETTING ON THE HIGHWAY IT COULD HAVE BEEN A BIG PROBLEM. IT HAPPENS TO SOME LITTLE OLD LADY, IT'S DEFINITELY A PROBLEM AT SPEED. WITH THE ADVANCED ON BOARD DIAGNOSTICS AND INFORMATION DISPLAYS, THERE IS NO WAY THIS SHOULD HAPPEN.*AK

EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE. IT SEEMS THE ROUTING OF THE CABLE CAUSES WEAR AND HAS ALLOWED WATER TO ENTER THE CABLE AND FREEZE, RENDERING THE E. BRAKE NON FUNCTIONAL DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. AS THE VEHICLE HAS HAD THE ISSUE SINCE IT HAD APP 62,000 MILES I HAVE TRIED TO GET SAAB TO CORRECT A SIT IS A SAFTEY ITEM, BUT TO NO AVAIL.

MY 2002 SAAB 9-3 STALLED IN TRAFFIC AND COULD NOT BE STARTED AGAIN. THE DIRECT IGNITION MODULE HAD BURNT OUT SUDDENLY, AND SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING OUT OF THE CONNECTOR WHEN I TRIED TO START THE CAR. THE MODULE FAILED WITH NO WARNING AT ALL, AND I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN IN HEAVY, BUT SLOW TRAFFIC. THE MODULE WAS REPLACED AND THE CAR IS RUNNING. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON IT, SO THE SUDDEN FAILURE OF SUCH A CRITICAL COMPONENT IS SURPRISING AND DISCONCERTING. I HAVE LITTLE FAITH THAT THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN, WITHOUT ANY WARNING.*AK

WHILE STOPPED THE CONSUMER SMELLED FUEL COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE EXITED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. IT WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION, THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK *SC *JB PHONE INTERVIEW UPDATE: THE COMPLAINANT SMELLED FUEL ODOR AND SAW A TRAIL OF LEAKED FUEL BEHIND THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT AND NO NOTICABLE LOSS OF VEHICLE PERFORMANCE.

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH VEHICLE SHUT OFF. DEALER STATED ENGINE NEED TO BE CLEANED OF SLUDGE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING OWNER SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AND THOUGHT IT WAS COMING FROM OUTSIDE. OWNER PARKED THE VEHICLE AND WENT INTO THE DEPARTMENT STORE TO SHOP.OWNER WAS IN THE STORE FOR APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES. WHEN THE OWNER RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE FIRE TRUCKS WERE OUTSIDE EXTINGUISHING THE FLAMES. IT APPEARED THAT THE FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. OWNER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING OWNER SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AND THOUGHT IT WAS COMING FROM OUTSIDE. OWNER PARKED THE VEHICLE AND WENT INTO THE DEPARTMENT STORE TO SHOP. WHEN THE OWNER RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE FIRE TRUCKS WERE OUTSIDE EXTINGUISHING THE FLAMES. IT APPEARED THAT THE FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. OWNER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK

DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW CONTINUES TO EITHER FAIL OR NON-OPERATE. AUTOMATIC DRIVERS WINDOW HAS: 1) MALFUNCTIONED TO WHERE IT WOULD NOT GO UP AFTER 5 - 10 MINUTES OF TRYING, 2) COMPLETELY BROKEN ONCE TO WHERE IT WOULD NOT GO DOWN, 3) WAS REPLACED AND SAME PROBLEMS WERE EXPERIENCED TO WHERE IT WILL NOT GO UP AFTER 5-10 MINUTES OF TRYING. 4) WAS REPLACED A SECOND TIME 5) HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THE FIRST TWO WINDOW LIFTS TO WHERE IT TAKES 5 - 10 MINUTES SOMETIMES TO LIFT UP AND IS MAKING THE SAME NOISES AS THE FIRST TWO WHEN THEY BROKE. NO MAJOR CONSEQUENCES, EXCEPT THAT I HAVE HAD TO LEAVE MY WINDOW OPEN SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE IT WILL NOT LIFT UP. A COUPLE OF TIMES IT HAS BEEN RAINING, BUT LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO FIND A GARAGE TO PARK IN. I HAVE TALKED WITH ANOTHER 9-3 OWNER AND THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE AND HAVE HAD THE WINDOW MODULAR REPLACED TWICE AS WELL. I'VE HAD THE CAR INTO THE DEALER 4 TIMES FOR THE WINDOW LIFT, ONCE TO HAVE IT COMPLETELY REPLACED AND THE NEW LIFT IS STARTING TO MAKE THE SAME NOISES AS THE FIRST ONE DID WHEN IT BROKE

AFTER BLOWING A TIRE BY RUNNING OVER A POTHOLE, I DISCOVERED THAT MY PIRELLI TIRES WERE SERIOUSLY WORN MUCH EARLIER THAN ANYONE SHOULD EXPECT. MY TIRES HAVE ROUGHLY 12,000 MILES ON THEM AND THEY ARE WORN DOWN TO THE WEAR TREAD INDICATORS. AFTER A BRIEF CONVERSATION WITH MY DEALER I DISCOVERED THAT SAAB AND PIRELLI ARE AWARE OF THE SITUATION, BUT THEY HAVE FAILED TO LAUNCH A RECALL TO FIX THE PROBLEM. INSTEAD, THEY ARE REPLACING TIRES ON AN "AS-DISCOVERED" BASIS. IN OTHER WORDS, AS SAAB OWNERS DISCOVER THEY HAVE A TIRE ISSUE AND ACTUALLY REPORT THIS TO THE DEALER, THE TIRES ARE THEN REPLACED. SO, IF A SAAB OWNER DOES NOT THINK TO COMPLAIN TO THE DEALER, HIS/HER TIRES WILL NOT BE REPLACED AT NO CHARGE. THIS TO ME IS A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD AS NO DRIVER SHOULD EXPECT TIRES TO BE WORN TO NEAR BALDNESS AFTER ONLY 12,000 MILES. A BLOWOUT HAZARD SEEMS TO BE QUITE POSSIBLE, YET NEITHER SAAB NOR PIRELLI SEEM INCLINED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT UNTIL THEY'RE FORCED TO REPLACE THE TIRES OF ONLY THOSE WHO COMPLAIN.*AK