SAAB 9-5 Complaints

557 consumer complaints on file.

• #10116148March 31, 2005
  PARKING BRAKE

  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.

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10114451March 22, 2005
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

  THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THIS PART WOULD FAIL, UNTIL IT DID FAIL. I WAS DRIVING AND THE ENGINE JUST SHUT OFF, ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND ROLL OFF AN OFF-RAMP, BUT DID CREATE AN UNSAFE CONDITION WHILE STILL ON THE HIGHWAY. THE PART WAS A "DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE", PART #9197559, AND IT WAS EASILY REPLACED BY MY MECHANIC AFTER THE CAR WAS TOWED TO HIS FACILITY.*AK

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10114491March 22, 2005
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  DIRECT IGNITION CARTRIDGE FAILURES. ON THREE OCCASIONS MY CAR HAS SUDDENLY STOPPED WITH NO WARNINGS. FORTUNATELY IN EACH CASE I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SAFELY. IN EACH CASE THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE CARTRIDGE CALLING IT "DEFECTIVE". I AM NOT ON MY FOURTH CARTRIDGE IN 35,000 MILES.*AK

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10113714March 7, 2005
  SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST

  2002 SAAB 9-5 LINEAR SEDAN, PASSENGER SIDE SEAT MOVED BACK ON IT OWNS. *BF THE SEAT PINNED THE CONSUMERS DAUGHTER AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO MOVE. THE CONSUMER STATED SOME PAPERS FELL BETWEEN THE SEAT AND THE DOOR HITTING THE CONTROLS WHICH ACTIVATED THE SEAT MOVEMEN.T EVEN AFTER THE CONSUMER TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF THE SEAT DID NOT STOP MOVING, ONCE THE CONSUMER GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND OPENED THE DOOR THE SEAT STOPPED. *JB

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10112654March 7, 2005
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

  WHILE DRIVING OUR 2004 SAAB 9-5 ON THE HIGHWAY, AT OVER 60 MPH, THE IGNITION HAS BEEN ACCIDENTALLY TURNED OFF. THIS CAUSES AN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES, MAKING THE CAR VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER AND STOP. LUCKILY I WAS IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE DURING BOTH INCIDENTS AND COULD PULL OVER AND STOP WITHOUT CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. IF I HAD BEEN IN ANOTHER LANE, THE RESULTANT LOSS OF SPEED AND AN ATTEMPT TO CHANGE LANES COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. HE IGNITION KEY IS LOCATED ON THE CONSOLE BETWEEN THE TWO FRONT SEATS AND IS NOT PROTECTED NOR LOCKED IN ANY WAY TO SAFEGARD BUMPING THE KEY AND TURNING OFF THE IGNITION. MY LOCAL DEALER HAS NO PARTS OR REPAIR TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND SAAB USA DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT A PROBLEM EXISTS.*AK

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10112200February 26, 2005
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE

  I OWN A SAAB 9-5 WAGON, 2001. WHEN IT WAS ONLY 3000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY, TWICE THE UNIT (ALARM SYSTEM) FAILED, PRESUMABLY BECAUSE IT HAD GOTTEN WET. SAAB SAYS THAT WHEN THE AC DRAINS ARE BLOCKED, IT CAN BACK UP INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE, THUS CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE TWICE UNIT. WHEN THE TWICE UNIT FAILS, IT BURNS OUT ALL 5 DOOR LOCK MOTORS, SINCE IT ERRONEOUSLY SENDS A CONSTANT ELECTRICAL SIGNAL TO THE MOTORS. I SEE THIS PROBLEM AS A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW. THE TWICE UNIT SHOULD NOT BE LOCATED UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND SHOULD NOT BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO WATER DAMAGE. ALSO, THE AC DRAINS SHOULD NOT GET BLOCKED SO EASILY, CAUSING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF DAMAGE. AND THE FAILURE OF THE ALARM SYSTEM SHOULD NOT CAUSE THE DOOR LOCK MOTORS TO BURN OUT. SAAB DOES NOT HAVE A VEHICLE SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS PROBLEM AND DOES NOT CONSIDER IT A MAJOR DEFECT OR DESIGN FLAW. IT COSTS THE CONSUMER OVER $2500 TO REPAIR. I HAVE HAD THE TWICE UNIT REPLACE, BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD NOT OPERATE WITHOUT A FAILED UNIT. THE DOOR LOCKS HAVE NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *JB

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10112080February 24, 2005
  ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

  WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, CHECK ENGINE DISPLAY CAME ON, BUT BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD THE CAR COMPLETELY STALLED. CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP (VILLAGE SAAB,ACTON, MA), AND TOLD I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. OIL ALWAYS CHANGED WITHIN SPECIFIED PARAMETERS, W/ 76K MI. SAAB NOTES DEFECT-BUT OFFERS NO HELP. *NM

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10112091February 24, 2005
  TIRES

  AFTER SIGNIFICANT VIBRATION UNDER FRONT END AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS APPEARING AT LESS THAN 10,000 MILES, CAR UNDERWENT ALIGNMENT AND 3 HIGH SPEED BALANCES. ACCORDING TO DEALERSHIP, "ALL 4 TIRES WERE WORN ON INSIDES AND COULD ONLY BE CAUSED BY DEFECT." DEALER STATED THAT "ROAD FORCING WILL NOT ALLOW TIRES TO BE WITHIN THE LIMIT. TIRES NEED TO BE REPLACED. SENT TIRES TO MANUFACTURER FOR WARRANTY." SERVICE COMPLETED ON 10.29.04, WITH PIRELLIS REPLACED BY SAME SIZE MICHELINS. WORK ORDER WAS COMPLETED ON 1.7.05, WHICH WAS THE FIRST TIME I SAW DETAILS AND CHARGES, DESPITE REPEATED REQUESTS SINCE 10.29.04. MY UNDERSTANDING, AND AUTHORIZATION AT THE TIME, WAS FOR THE PIRELLIS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF THE DEFECTS, BUT WITH MICHELINS, TO AVOID POSSIBILITY OF DEFECTS WITH THE REPLACEMENT PIRELLIS, AT A COST OF UP TO $50 PER TIRE BECAUSE OF THE CHANGE. DEALER MAINTAINS I OWE $915. 82 FOR THE MICHELINS, LESS THE $212.80 CREDIT PIRELLI ISSUED ON 1.7.05. IRONICALLY, THE VIBRATION IN THE CAR CONTINUES WITH THE NEW MICHELINS. I DO NOT BELIEVE IT WAS THE INTENT OF THE DEALER TO MISLEAD ME, BUT THAT WAS THE RESULT. A WORK ORDER PROVIDED AT THE TIMES REQUESTED INSTEAD OF OVER TWO MONTHS LATER WOULD HAVE DEFINED THE AGREEMENT AND RESULTED IN A DIFFERENT COURSE OF ACTION. *NM

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10110538February 14, 2005
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

  MY CAR PERIODICALLY WILL NOT START. THE LIGHTS COME ON; THERE APPEARS TO BE POWER; BUT WHEN I TURN THE IGNITION, ALL I HEAR IS A CLICK. THE CAR WILL START ON A BUMP START (MANUAL TRANS) AND WILL TAKE A JUMP. I HAVE HAD THE CAR TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES BUT THEY CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM. HAPPENS MAINLY ON COLD STARTS.*AK

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10110537February 14, 2005
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE

  ON 8/11/03 I WAS DRIVING ON US ROUTE 9 IN HUDSON NEW YORK WHEN MY ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD. HAD TO BE TOWED TO SAAB DEALER 40 MILES AWAY. REPLACE IGNITION CASSETTE. WAS ADVISED DUE TO MY ATTEMPT TO RE-START THE CAR, RAW GAS GOT INTO CATALYTIC CONVERTER. TYHAT HAD TO BE REPLACED SEVERAL WEEKS LATER. I AM WRITING THIS SO LATE AS I WAS UNAWARE THIS MAY NOT BE AN ISOLATED INSTANCE.*AK

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10110993February 7, 2005
  ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE. CURRENTLY, THE ENGINE SEIZED. OWNER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER, AND NEITHER IS WILLING TO ASSIST THE OWNER. *AK

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10109841February 4, 2005
  FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

  I PARKED MY CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY, WENT OUT TO MOVE IT INTO THE GARAGE AND IT WOULD NOT START. I HAD THE CAR TOWED AND LEARNED IT WAS AN INTERNAL PROBLEM IN THE FUEL PUMP. I HAD TO PURCHASE A FUEL PUMP. THIS HAPPENED IN NOVEMBER 2003, I OWNED THE CAR LESS THAN THREE YEARS. THE TIME BEFORE THAT IT HAD TO BE TOWED, IT JUST LOST SPEED, AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY. I HAD TO HAVE TORQUE SEALS & RING BLOCK REPLACED IN JANUARY 2005, THE OIL WAS RUNNING OUT OF MY TRANSMISSION. I JUST HAD TO HAVE THE BRAKES REPLACED FOR THE 2ND TIME, IN FIVE YEARS, IN JANUARY 4, 2005. *JB

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10111062January 26, 2005
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR

  WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. NO RESTART. INTERNAL FAILURE OF CAT. CONVERTER, REPLACED CAT. CONVERTER. *BF THE PROBLEM WAS THE R & R IGNITION MODULE. AFTER THE IGNITION REPAIR, THE CONSUMER FELT A LOSS OF POWER. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS CLOGGED. *SC *JB

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10106474January 17, 2005
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

  ADD ME TO THE LIST OF DRIVERS STRANDED ON THE HIGHWAY WITH TOTAL LOSS OF POWER BECAUSE DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE BURNT UP. THE CAR ONLY HAD 62,000 MILES. IT COST OVER $1,300 TO REPLACE. *JB

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10109061January 7, 2005
  STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

  ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. (THE HOOD BURNED) *SC ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, THE FIRE WAS A RESULT IN THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM WHICH ALLOWED FLUID TO LEAK ON THE EXHAUST WHICH CAUSED THE FIRE. *JB

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  Yes

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10105773January 4, 2005
  ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

  MULTIPLE TIMES THE CAR, WHEN WARM WILL JUST WITHOUT WARNING. ALL ELECTRICAL AND ENGINE SIMULTANEOUSLY QUITS LEAVING THE DRIVER TO DEAL WITH A SITUATION OF NO POWER BRAKES AND STEERING. MULTIPLE TRIPS TO DEALER HAS RESULTED IN NO DIAGNOSIS AND GENEARL APATHY ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THE CAR IS STIL UNDER WARRANLTY BUT IT OFFERS NO VALUE. CLEAR SAFETY ISSUE AS THE LAST EVENT WAS AT A ELEMENARY SCHOOL WHERE A CHILD WAS ALMOST HIT AS THE LACK OF BRAKING AND STEERING POWER. HOW CAN SUCH A SYMPTOM BETREATED WITHSUCH APATHY. WE WILL BE FORCED TO SEL THE CAR FOR SAFETY REASONS AND NO RESPONSIBILITY IS TAKEN BY SAAB. IRONICALLY WE HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH A 1994 9000.*AK

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10105653January 3, 2005
  VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:FAN/MOTOR

  MY 2000 SAAB 9-5 HAS ONLY 39,500 MILES. IT HAS LOST THE ABILITY TO HEAT THE DRIVERS SIDE WHICH IS A SAFETY CONCERN WHILE DRIVING IN THE WINTER. THE SYSTEM CAN NOT GENERATE ENOUGH HEAT TO MELT THE ICE ON THE WINDSHIELD. I HAD THE CAR DIAGNOSED AT THE SAAB DEALER AT THE BEGINNING OF DECEMBER. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT A MOTOR SHAFT IN A HEATER BOX WAS BROKEN. LAST WEEK I FOUND THIS SHAFT ON THE FLOOR. IT HAS EXTENSIVE MECHANICAL DAMAGE. IN MY OPINION THE ONLY EXPLANATION IS THAT IT WAS DEFECTIVE WHEN IT WAS INSTALLED IN THE CAR OR THE DESIGN OF THE HEATING SYSTEM WAS NOT DONE PROPERLY. *AK

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10104428December 23, 2004
  FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY

  A FAILED FUEL LINE RETAINING TAB AT THE FUEL PUMP ON MY 2001 SAAB 1995. NHTSA RECALL # 04V557000 IS THE SAME PROBLEM I HAD WITH MY SAAB, BUT I OWN A 1995, NOT A 1993. THIS DEFECTIVE TAB ALLOWED GASOLINE TO SPRAY FREELY TO THE GROUND MUST BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY RELATYED ISSUE.*AK

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10097342December 9, 2004
  ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, STRUCTURE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  THE VEHICLE STALLED ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS FROM VARIOUS SPEEDS OF 25 MPH OR MORE WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE DEALER HAS CLEANED AND TIGHTENED THE BATTERY CABLES, THE FIRST TIME, THEY REPLACED THE CRANK SENSOR, T-7 AND THE IGNITION SWITCH, THE SECOND TIME AND THE THIRD TIME, THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *JB THE ECM WAS REPLACED BUT THE VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN, THE CUP HOLDER CRACK AND HAD BROKEN, THE BATTERY CABLES WERE LOOSE AND DIRTY, THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT SHIFT PROPERLY AND CAUSED A JERKING MOTION, THE ELECTRICAL GAUGES DROPPED AND THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION. *SC

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0

• #10102395December 8, 2004
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE

  MY 2002 SAAB 9-5 STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART IN THE MIDDLE OF A VERY BUSY 4 LANE ROAD. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THERE ARE 14 OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AS MINE. THIS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS PROBLEM A VEHICLE STALLING ON A HIGHWAY OR ANYWHERE ELSE CAN RESULT IN A CRASH OR DEATH. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING OF SAID ISSUE. SAAB DEALER FOUND CODE P1310 REFERRED TO TSB248-2428 AND REPROGRAMMED THE SPS. NEW #5387691 COMPLETED IDM TEST AND FOUND CURRENT STATUS 141 IDD CHECK CODE 57047. LOCATED AS AN INTERNAL FAULT IN THE IDM AND ALSO FOUND THE SPARK PLUGS FOULED. REPLACED IDM AND SPARK PLUGS. DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE. A TSB MEANS THAT SAAB KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I FEEL UNSAFE GETTING INTO MY VEHICLE NOW. *JB

  Crash:

  No

  Fire:

  No

  Injuries:

  0

  Deaths:

  0