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Saab Maintenance and Repair
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Comments
Thanks for any feedback.
Stephanie
Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, the car started losing powering upon acceleration, and was slamming into gear when I would downshift. I was in front of a transmission shop when I noticed it and pulled in. They said it was too complicated of a computer system and it really needed to go to Saab. I went to Saab and they told me it needed a softward update. ( This car ALWAYS needs a softward update of some kind) They updated it charged me over $100.00 and said it didn't have transmission problems and would be fine. Today, I got a message that the Gearbox had malfunctioned and it had Limited performance available. They put it on the computer and told me it needed a new $400 sensor. They then told me if that didn't fix it, it would need a new transmission at $4,000.
ARE THEY SERIOUS?????? Can this really be???? I drive this car like a grandma. It may have high miles, but I drive from Detroit to Chicago most weekends. I have never had a car need a new trans and I have driven many cars until they had well over 150,000 miles on them.
If you have any advice on how to get some where w/ Saab, or deal w/ my service Dept. I would be so appreciative.
Sincerely,
Stephanie - sashley11@yahoo.com
Did Saab check the fluid level? Was the fluid ever replaced? Hard shifting in my experience has usually been low fluid levels.
The "Tighten Fuel Filler Cap" message would frequently appear on the (Saab Information Display) above the radio. A related symptom is that the yellow "Service Engine" light would come on. Using the code reader borrowed from the local auto parts store, I identified the message as P0442--a vacuum leak. I tried both tightening the cap, and replacing the cap but to no avail.
The dealer determined that the fuel filler pipe had bulged out enough so that the tire had rubbed a hole in it. When this pipe was replaced, the problem went away.
Over the next two days this happens intermittently, but often enough to return to dealer. They could not reproduce the noise until I returned for a second time. Then the tech rode with me, took it to his service bay, but found no 'fault' message on computer. We drove together again and I couldn't reproduce the sound. This evening the dealer is working on it, and my driving experience is the loaner car (Corolla).
The sound reminds me of a scraping of two rough brick surfaces together, rapid, short scrapes that stop when the car stops or I release the brakes. My '89 BMW's ABS system sounds somewhat like it, but applies only on super hard braking.
Anybody got a similar experience?
Mine also has the similar problem likes gearbox malfunction... but my dealer in westmont(chicago area) had ithem taken care of for all free. they are all covered by warranty. for my 2003 9-3 linear i have it replaced steering wheel column, gearbox fixed, key changed (yes, steering wheel lock malfunction so they turn out to gave me one pair of new key), some light bulb out. for now except the break and rotor, others all free service from here.
I have a 1995 900 SE Turbo. I just got it about 5 months ago.
When I first got it, it had trouble getting into reverse. The gear shift slides fine to the right, but it gets caught on something as I pull back and doesn't get into gear. Sometimes it shifts fine, sometimes it takes 10-15 tries.
So I took it in and the dealership replaced the gear box. When I got it back, nothing had changed. Sometimes it shifted into reverse, sometimes it didn't.
I took it back in, and they said some pins were missing....so they replaced those.
I got it back again...and NO CHANGE! I figured I was an idiot, so I dealt with it for a couple of months.
Then it started having problems finding 5th on the highway. (Great fun on the turnpike!)
So....back again to the dealership. This time they said the engine mount was broken in half, which caused the shift linkage to wear down, which was causing the problems. (Keep in mind....I never felt anything break or change when I was driving it. It was always the same problem.)
I just repaired those for $800. Got it back.....GUESS WHAT!?!! No change.
It still doesn't shift into reverse every time!!
I've tried letting out the clutch to reset the gears, I've tried putting it in first and moving a bit, I've tried going through all the gears....but the reverse catches as I try to pull back on the shifter.
Someone, anyone, please help! I don't know what to do!
I am in the same situation that you are. I took my 2004 Saab 9-3 to my local dealer today because for the third time, the engine has completely failed mid-drive. The steering wheel locks and the car stalls without any warning whatsoever. The service manager was extremely condescending, warning me that it is unlikely that they'll be able to reproduce the problem, and therefore unlikely that they'll be able to rectify it. I'm stunned that he seemed to be under the impression that I would just "take my chances" with this car on the road if they indeed can't find anything. I have never been involved in any sort of legal action, but I absolutely will be if they cannot figure this problem out and fix it.
I'm wondering if you've had any resolution to your problem, or whether you have any information that could help me on the legal front.
Thank you so much.
The garage doesn't open until Monday morning, & I don't know what to do! Does anyone know what could be wrong?
Thank you so much!
Vickie
I don't think you should be worried about this. Often when it's really hot out (like summer), the radiator fan will continue to stay on after you turn the engine off too cool it down. This happens usually when you have been driving in stop-and-go traffic and there wasn't much wind able to be taken into the engine (like when you are on the highway). Depending on the car, some radiators are louder than others, but they all make a humming noise. It shouldn't stay on for more than a few minutes. I hope this helps!
Just saw your post. have I got a story for you. Go get a beer and some chips. I own a 1999 9-5 and have replaced the following....DI cartridge, throttle body, sump, locking system, water pump, oil pump, battery, SID display screen, and I haven't even started yet.
I live in Scotland, and in the summer of last year, I was driving to London, when my oil pressure light came on. I stopped, switched off the engine and waited 10 minutes then checked the oil level. All ok. I called my local repair guy whom I know real well, and he told me not to drive it 2 feet, and not to switch the engine on. He told me it was the "oil sludge" problem, and that the oil crystallises in the sump strainer at the bottom of the engine, thereby starving the top of the engine of oil. Apparently, the first thing to happen is your turbo will blow. Then your engine fails completely and needs replaced. I had to get it towed to a saab dealer where the sump was removed and the strainer cleaned, Sump replaced. All ok. 15,000 miles later, same thing. Towed again. Sump cleaned again. All ok. 4,000 miles later, same thing AGAIN! Towed again. Not so lucky this time. I lost my engine. It will cost me about £3-4,000 ($6-8,000?) to get a replacement engine,(used with low mileage) and that is NOT through a saab dealer, where in this country, it will cost twice as much to get a brand new engine. My car has now been off the road since the 4th Oct LAST YEAR. (partly because I had to raise the damn money) I eventually got my replacement engine, and I get my car back in about 3 weeks. So, whoever else may be reading this, this problem apparently goes back to 1998, and saab say that it was rectified after 2001. The situation as i understand it now, is that if your car has FULL SERVICE HISTORY and is less than 8 years old, Saab are repairing them for free. So I hear. The mechanic I use has been great to me for 12 years ( I have had 4 saabs in that time) and he has personally repaired, in the last 2 years alone, 14, yes14 9-5s and mine will number 15.....and 4 9-3s. ALL with the same oil sludge problem. Unlike you, I have not even tried the saab dealer, as my car's warranty had expired when I got it, but I've been told that until VERY recently, saab were just not interested in even acknowledging this problem. I find this staggeringly arrogant, and if had were in your shoes with a live warranty (is it still live?) and the means to do it, I would sue their asses off. I myself am a lawyer, but only in the criminal area. Hey...that might be relevant!!! Good luck, feel free to e mail me and keep me posted!!
I'm not certain that I completely trust the dealer to be forthright, so I'm hoping to get some answers here.
Any info would be GREATLY appreciated!
-jim
Regards,
John
I am afraid I cannot offer you any advice on your oil leak, but it doesn't seem like it could be related to a sensor replacement. My reason for contacting you is that I too own a Saab 9-5 wagon and it is having spontaneous loss-of-power. This problem seems to occur only when the car is hot and running at low speeds. Also we are experiencing intermittent loss-of-braking power at low speeds. You step on the peddle and it is much harder to push down than normal. Any ideas? Thank you.
Ken
I have a 2001 Saab 9-5 wagon and it is having spontaneous loss-of-power. This problem seems to occur only when the car is hot and running at low speeds. Also we are experiencing intermittent loss-of-braking power at low speeds. You step on the peddle and it is much harder to push down than normal. 2 trips to the dealer have yielded nothing because they cannot reproduce the problem. It occurs after running the car for about 30-40 minutes.Any ideas? Thank you.
Ken
The estimated cost according to my local Saab dealer is...gulp... $4,600! And that's NOT INCLUDING LABOR!
I have been in touch with Saab USA in Norcross, GA and the most they are willing to contribute to the cause is 1/3 of the transmission replacement. Saab only offered 4 year/50k warranty. Transmission goes, you lose.
Additionally, I was willing to purchase a new Saab but was offered a scant $5,500 as a trade for my four year old vehicle. Insult to injury.
I purchased a Saab with the intent of owning it well beyond the 60 month loan, but it's apparent that Trollhattan has simply become another Detroit. I knew the SE was the GM Opel-shared V6, but a new transmission at 69K? Are you kidding me?
Are there any other Saab 9-5 SE owners out there who have had similar issues?
No wonder Debra-Kelly Ennis and Peter Augusson abandoned this sinking ship. So will I. I've driven my last Saab.
I just found out that my 2002 Saab 9-3 w/ 62K miles needs to have the transmission replaced, and I'm definately not happy about it.
I will never buy another Saab (I've already had a lot of work done to it)...
I'm trying to decide if I should just get rid of it and cut my losses.
What have you decided to do?
Meade
Since it was a lease, I chose not to spend $6k for a car that was going to be turned in soon anyway.
I gave them receipts but Saab said it wasn't enough (even though its the receipts they asked for). Also, there was a leaking head gasket issue that was a warrenty repair. My coolant was leaking into the engine. Long run, they didn't pay so I rolled a ton of neg. equity into a new car (a Saab with big incentives). I love my new car, but boy, it burns me to know that I'm ultimately still paying for Saab's sludge issue. Anyone have any success with fighting them on the sludge issue?
Dealer advised turn key to "on" position but not to "start". Wait for chime to ring 3 times. Then turn to start. Seems to work, I have 2001 SE V-6.
Advice appreciated
A.Saab Driver.
As the car cools the fuel condenses and the problem disappears.
I had this problem on a Vauxhall Cavalier SRi about 15 years ago. It was OK most of the time but often took up to an hour to restart if it had been left for about ten minutes.
Have any of you experienced problems with this model?
I was driving along, minding my own business and both of my headlights suddenly went out. Both went out at the same time and there was no message on the SID screen at all. The fog lights still work, so we were able to see our way home.
We checked all of the fuses and they are all fine. My boyfriend opened up the main fuse box under the hood and checked all of the wires. Nothing was loose or appeared damaged.
We don't have a tech manual. Are there any fusable links or other secrets that we might be missing. Our dealer can't get us in for over a week and we need to get this fixed a.s.a.p. Last week our other car blew up so we are down to one car and only during daylight hours. HELP!
Have disconnected the battery and indicator lights are reset - car runs normal. Any ideas/suggestions as to the cause of this intermittent problem. Thanks.
I think you know what to do, you've already summed it up in one word ... 'Sigh' Its time to move on. Fix it for the next owner, and try a ... ???? Hyundai (Coupe )perhaps ?
good luck