SAAB 9-5 Complaints (1999)

118 consumer complaints on file.

#10139824October 16, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
FAILURE OF DIRECT IGNITION (DI) UNIT (1) CAR BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AND STALLING AT STOP LIGHTS. A PROGRESSIVE WORSENING PROBLEM THAT THE DEALER COULD NOT DIAGNOSE AFTER COUPLE OF MENTIONS OF PROBLEM. (2) CAR DIED IN MIDDLE OF STREET, HAD TO CALL SERVICE TO TOW TO DEALERSHIP. (3) UNIT WAS REPLACED (UNDER WARRANTY AT TIME). *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10139325October 11, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND INDICATED A MISFIRE CYL. ONE. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED UNTIL TOTAL FAILURE OF THE ENGINE 12 MILES LATER. THE DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE WAS REPLACED AND THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM THROUGHOUT THE 1999-2003 MODEL YEAR RANGE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10138968October 7, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
WHILE DRIVING ON A VERY BUSY L.A. FREEWAY ON A SATURDAY EVENING MY CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER WITH NO WARNING TO THE POINT OF ALMOST STALLING. LUCKY FOR ME I SAY MY PRAYERS AND WAS ABLE TO NAVIGATE TO THE OFF RAMP AND COAST ON TO THE STREET WHERE I WAS PUSHED OUT OF TRAFFIC BY A GOOD SAMARITAN (I'M A SINGLE FEMALE DRIVER). I NOTICED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. I WAS ABLE TO START IT AGAIN AFTER AWHILE AND CHUGGED HOME 30 SLOW MILES TO MY HOUSE ( I WAS ALL OUT OF TOWS ON AAA AND NO MECHANICS OPEN AT THAT TIME).NEXT WEEK MY SAAB MECHANIC INDICATES THAT IT IS THE DI FAILING. ESTIMATED COST PART/LABOR IS $550.00. I JUST REPLACED THE DI 9/15/2003 AFTER A SIMILAR INCIDENT HAPPENED AND ALL POWER WAS LOST WHILE DRIVING, I COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HAD IT TOWED TO SAAB. COST TO ME THE FIRST TIME WAS APPROXIMATELY $450.00 NOT INCLUDING CAR RENTAL. NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD ON THE '99S AS ALL THESE POSTED COMPLAINTS INDICATE AND I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING WHY THE CURRENT RECALL IS NOT INCLUDING '99S. I'VE HELD OFF REPLACING THE REPLACEMENT THAT LASTED ONLY 20,000 MI/2 YEARS HOPING TO GET SOME RECOGNITION/HELP FROM SAAB WITH THIS. PART IS AVAILABLE. OBVIOUSLY THE CURRENT (FAILED) DI IN MY CAR IS A 2000 - 2002 SAAB DI - SO WILL THEY TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS REPAIR? THIS IS RIDICULOUS! I ADAMANTLY BELIEVE SAAB SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM ON THE 99S AS (I HAVE FOUND OUT) IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AMONG OWNERS. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10138971October 7, 2005
WHEELS:HUB
DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS RECALL 03V006000 ON THE WHEEL BOLTS, AND BECAUSE HE IS IN ANOTHER COUNTRY TEMPORALLY, MANUFACTURER WILL NOT SEND HIM THE REPLACEMENT PARTS. HE IS ON MILITARY DUTY. *AK UPDATED 11/19/05. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10138343October 3, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN THE EXPRESS LANES OF 90/94 IN CHICAGO AND EXPERIENCED A DRAMATIC LOSS OF POWER. WAS ABLE TO SLOWLY TRAVEL TO EXIT AND GET OFF ONTO SURFACE STREETS. HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED TO DEALER. DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE WAS REPLACED. THIS IS THE *SAME* COMPONENT THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDER A VOLUNTARY RECALL FOR LATER MODEL YEARS OF MY VEHICLE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10138390October 3, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
REGARDING NHTSA ACTION NUMBER : PE05017 I EXPERIENCED ENGINE STALLING DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE IGNITION DISCHARGE MODULE (IDM)) "CASSETTE" ON MY (MY) 1999 SAAB 9-5. THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE SLOWING DOWN AT A RED LIGHT FROM APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. I DID NOT CONFIRM WHETHER CATALYTIC CONVERTER DAMAGE WAS EXPERIENCED AS WELL. MY CAR AT REST IN A BUSY INTERSECTION WAS MOST CERTAINLY A HAZARDOUS SITUATION, AT THE CORNER OF ST. ANDREWS BLVD AND GLADES ROAD IN BOCA RATON, FLORIDA 33431. I REPLACED THE IDM AND HAVE KEPT THE ORIGINAL FOR POTENTIAL STUDY OF FAILURE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10138201September 30, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
THE IGNITION CASSETTE ON MY 1999 SAAB 9-5 REQUIRED REPLACEMENT TWO YEARS AGO WHEN MY HUSBAND OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM THE UNIT. IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, AND WE PURCHASED THE PART AND MADE THE REPLACEMENT OURSELVES (ONE OF THE FEW THINGS ON A SAAB THAT IS NOT DIFFICULT). I SEE NOW THAT SAAB HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR CARS BECAUSE THIS PROBLEM, BUT INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, THE RECALL DOES NOT COVER THE 1999 MODEL. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10138228September 30, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
I WAS SHOPPING WITH MY WIFE AND 2 LITTLE CHILDREN, WHEN WE CAME OUT THE CAR WOULD NOT START, REQUIRED TOW AND ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION, TURNED OUT TO BE THE IGNITION MODULE OR DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE, REPLACED WITH NEW ONE AT DEALER AT MY EXPENSE OF $400. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10138263September 30, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
DT: THE CONSUMER OWNS A 1999 SAAB MODEL 95 THAT EXPERIENCED AN IGNITION PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WOULD START BUT WOULD NOT RUN PROPERLY. THE CAR WOULD LURCH OR CONVULSE WHILE DRIVING. THE ENGINE WOULD STALL AND THEN DIE COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE WOULD RESTART BUT CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE SAME PROBLEMS. THE VEHICLE HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS AN ISSUE WITH DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE AND THE DIC WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. SINCE THE REPLACEMENT THERE HAVE BEEN NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10138282September 30, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
CAR WAS RUNNING FINE AND SUDDENLY WOULD NOT START. TOWED TO DEALER, DIAGNOSED AS DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE FAILURE. DEALER REPLACED PART. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10136824September 17, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
CAR STALLS WHILE DRIVING, NO WARNING LIGHTS ,NO PRECURSOR-VERY DANGEROUS AS IS UNPREDICTABLE- MECHANIC UNABLE TO FIND CAUSE-OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AND IDLING, AM AFRAID FOR MY FAMILIES SAFETY TO DRIVE CAR. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10131956August 8, 2005
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
SAAB 1999 WAGON- PRIOR TO EVENT COMPUTER INDICATED REAR LIGHT FAILURE. THEN BRAKE FAILURE OCCURED, AND CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. CAR COULD NOT BE STOPPED, COLLISION WITH HIGHWAY WALL. CAR DESTROYED. NO INJURIES. *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10130043July 26, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
2 DIRECT IGNITION MODULES FAILED ON MY SAAB 95 SE V-6 CAR WHICH CAUSED RAW GAS TO RUIN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. REPAIR COST ~$2600. TOOK CAR IN FOR SERVICE IN APRIL COMPLAINING OF SURGING AND JERKING WHILE DRIVING. THREE DAYS LATER SAAB SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM - THEY RESET THE COMPUTER WHICH ALLEVIATED THE SITUATION FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THE PROBLEM RETURNED. IN JULY THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY IDENTIFIED THE DIRECT IGNITION PROBLEM. WITH THE FREQUENCY THAT SAAB'S DI'S ARE FAILING, WHY HAVEN'T THEY RECALLED THE PART? IT CREATES A DANGEROUS SITUATION - BOTH FROM THE CAR FAILING AT HIGHWAY SPEED TO POTENTIAL FIRE. ALSO,IF MY PROBLEM HAD BEEN DIAGNOSED PROPERLY IN APRIL, I WOULD HAVE AVOIDED THE EXPENSE OF A NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTER ($1400 PLUS LABOR & TAX). AFTER INVESTIGATING SAAB USER NETS, THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. WHY ISN'T SAAB DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THIS?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10129693July 22, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
1999 SAAB 9-5 WITH V6 ENGINE. SUDDEN FAILURE OF BOTH IGNITION DISCHARGE MODULES (IDM) ON HIGHWAY RENDERED CAR INOPERABLE. ON A BUSINESS TRIP WITH TWO COWORKERS, DRIVING NORTH ON NEW YORK INTERSTATE 87 AT AROUND 65-70 MPH, CAR STARTED TO BUCK AND SURGE, WITH DRAMATIC LOSS IN ENGINE POWER. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I MANAGED TO CROSS TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC TO GET TO APPROACHING OFFRAMP. BUCKED AND WHEEZED MY WAY TO A BUSNIESS PARK, WHERE I CALLED FOR A TOW TO THE LOCAL SAAB DEALRSHIP. FAILURE WAS IMMEDIATE AND WITH NO WARNING. CONSEQUENCES WERE PUTTING THREE LIVES IN PERIL ON THE INTERSTATE BY SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND FORCED CANCELLATION OF BUSINESS TRIP DUE TO LACK OF TRANSPORTATION. DEALER DIAGNOSED CRITICAL FAILURE OF BOTH IGNITION DISCHARGE MODULES (ALSO REFERRED TO AS DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTES). BOTH MODULES REPLACED ALONG WITH 6 SPARK PLUGS, AT A TOTAL COST OF $835.33 TO ME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10126606June 26, 2005
TIRES
AFTER REPLACING ALL FOUR TIRES ON MY WIFE'S 1999 SAAB 9-5 AND ON MY 1999 SAAB 9-5 A VIBRATION SHOWED UP AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. EACH CAR UNDERWENT NUMEROUS TIRE REBALANCINGS AT DIFFERENT TIRE SHOPS AS WELL AS OUR SAAB DEALER. NOTHING HELPED. ON MY CAR, I RETURNED THE TIRES AND BOUGHT NEW, MORE EXPENSIVE ONES THINKING THAT MAYBE THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE TIRES. AFTER THE NEW SET WERE INSTALLED, THE VIBRATION WAS STILL THERE. I POSTED MY CONCERNS ON A POPULAR SAAB WEBSITE SAABNET.COM FOR ADVICE FROM OTHER SAAB OWNERS. THE RESPONSE WAS OVERWHELMING. SEEMS AS THOUGH MANY OTHER SAAB 9-5 OWNERS HAVE HAD THIS EXACT PROBLEM AFTER CHANGING TIRES. NO ONE HAS FOUND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, SOME WENT AWAY BY THEMSELVES AND OTHERS ARE JUST DEALING WITH IT. I THINK SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE 9-5 AND NOW THAT I KNOW MANY HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM, I AM VERY CONCERNED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10126607June 26, 2005
TIRES
VIBRATION AFTER CHANGING TIRES. HAD REBALANCED 3 TIMES AND NOTHING HELPED. I HAD THE CAR CHECKED FOR SUSPENSION PROBLEMS, NOTHING WAS FOUND. AFTER TALKING TO SEVERAL OTHER SAAB OWNERS, I REALIZED THAT I WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO IS EXPERIENCEING THIS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10121309June 20, 2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
DT: THE ENGINE JUST SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THERE WAS ONLY A CLICKING NOISE. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. THE FIRST INCIDENT, THE IGNITION CASSETTE WAS REPLACED, AND THIS SUBSEQUENTLY HAPPENED AGAIN. MORE REPAIR WORK WAS DONE AND THIS HAPPENED FOR A THIRD TIME. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY IN SHOP. *AK THE THROTTLE BODY HAD TRIPPED AND WENT INTO LIMP MODE ON THE THIRD INCIDENT. THE DEALER COULD NOT DETECT THE ROOT CAUSE. *SC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10125725June 19, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
THIS COMPLAINT IS REPRESENTS AN ADDITIONAL EVENT UNDER NHTSA ACTION # PE05017. ON MAY 15, 2004 THE AUTOMOBILE WAS APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE FROM MY RESIDENCE, HAVING BEEN USED TO DO LOCAL ERRANDS, WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED BUCKING AND SURGING. GIVEN THE CLOSENESS OF THE RESIDENCE TO THE START OF THE PROBLEMS, THE CAR LIMPED HOME, WAS STOPPED IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE, AND THE IGNITION WAS SHUT OFF. AT THAT POINT, A BURNING SMELL PERMEATED THE AIR. AFTER THE CAR COOLED DOWN, WE TRIED TO START IT AGAIN, TO NO AVAIL. WHEN THE CAR TURNED OVER, WE COULD SEE WISPS OF SMOKE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. A TOW TRUCK WAS CALLED AND THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP, WHICH INSTALLED TWO DI CASSETTES AT A COST OF $1200.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10124900June 10, 2005
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK
ABS BRAKES LOCK UP WHEN DRIVING. ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS. AS AN EXAMPLE, TYPICALLY BRAKES LOCK UP WHEN IN STOP AND GO HEAVY TRAFFIC, COMMONLY AT MORNING AND EVENING RUSH HOURS. DANGEROUS WHEN TRAFFIC CLEARS UP AND THERE IS SUDDENLY NEED TO ACCELERATE TO KEEP PACE WITH TRAFFIC FLOW AND THE CAR LOCKS UP.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10122384May 28, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
DROVE CAR (COLD) FROM HOME TO NEXT TOWN - MAYBE 10MILES APART. LET THE CAR SIT FOR @45 MINS. DROVE BACK IN THE DIRECTION OF HOME - ABOUT 8 MILES INTO DRIVE HOME, CAR STARTED TO CHUG WITH NO WARNING, WAS NOT SPEEDING, LOCAL ROAD WITH TRAFFIC, "CHECK ENGINE"LIGHT CAME ON - PULLED OFF TO NEAREST GAS STATION - ABOUT MILE DOWN THE ROAD. CHECKED OIL - CAR DID NOT NEED OIL. DROVE CAR TO MECHANIC - ANOTHER MILE FROM GAS STATION - CAR CONTINUING TO CHUG. TECHNICIAN TESTED CAR WITH COMPUTER AND SAID THE #2 CYLINDER IN THE DIRECT IGNITION, WAS NOT FIRING PROPERLY AND THAT WAS THE PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHTS, ALL THE GAUGES READ "NORMAL" CAR IS SERVICED PROPERLY. WHY SHOULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED? THE CARE IS RARELY DRIVEN THROUGHOUT THE WEEK - I COMMUTE VIA FERRY SO THE CAR IS GENERALLY COLD OR DRIVEN 10-15 MILES REGULARLY. OCCASIONAL LONG TRIPS @90MILES AT MAX. PLEASE INVESTIGATE - I DO NOT THINK I SHOUDL HAVE TO PAY FOR "NEW IGNITION" ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE WAS NO WARNING FROM THE CAR'S SYSTEM AND THE CAR IS SERVICE REGUARLY. THE CAR IS 1999 SAAB 9.5SE 4 CYLINDER WITH @90K MILES. I DO NOT EXPECT THIS FROM SAAB - MY FAMILY HAS ALWAYS HAD SAABS AND EXPECT BETTER PERFORMANCE. PLEASE CONTACT ME ASAP. THANK YOU. MARIA ROSE
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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