1999 Saab 9-5

ODI OPENED PE05-017 BASED ON 35 REPORTS OF ALLEGED ENGINE STALLING DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE IDM CASSETTE ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.ALL COMPLAINANTS REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING AND MOST REPORTED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART.IN 3 INCIDENTS, THE COMPLAINANTS REPORTED SMOKE AND/OR FIRE RESULTED FROM THE IDM FAILURE.DURING PE05-017, ADDITIONAL FAILURE DATA WAS IDENTIFIED AS NOTED IN THE FAILURE REPORT SUMMARY ABOVE.THE COMPLAINT DATA REPRESENTS INCIDENTS WHERE THE COMPLAINANTS ALLEGED A STALL OR FIRE.ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2005, GENERAL MOTORS (GM) NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A SAFETY DEFECT ON 95,081 MY 2000-2002 SAAB 9-3 AND 9-5 VEHICLES WITH 4-CYLINDER GASOLINE ENGINES AND 8,117 MY 2001 9-5 VEHICLES WITH 6- CYLINDER GASOLINE ENGINES (RECALL 05V-399).THE NOTIFICATION STATED THAT CERTAIN VEHICLES WITHIN THESE POPULATIONS MAY EXPERIENCE OVERHEATING AND BURNOUT OF THE ISOLATED GATED BIPOLAR TRANSISTOR (IGBT) WITHIN THE IDM DUE TO INCREASED SUSCEPTIBILITY TO ELECTRICAL LOADS.OVERHEATING OF THE IGBT OCCURS MOST OFTEN AT ENGINE START-UP FOR BOTH A 4-CYLINDER AND 6-CYLINDER ENGINE, BUT IT MAY ALSO OCCUR WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING.WHEN THE IDM FAILS ON A 4-CYLINDER WHILE IT IS RUNNING, THE ENGINE MAY STALL WITHOUT WARNING, WITH NO ABILITY TO BE RESTARTED.WHEN THE IDM FAILS ON A 6-CYLINDER ENGINE WHILE IT IS RUNNING, THE DRIVER WILL INITIALLY EXPERIENCE REDUCED POWER AND ROUGH OPERATION BECAUSE THE ENGINE WILL ONLY BE RUNNING ON THREE CYLINDERS.THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL FLASH.IF THE DRIVER CONTINUES, UNBURNT FUEL IN THE EXHAUST CAN CAUSE THERMAL DAMAGE TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER.THE ENGINE MAY STALL AND NOT RESTART.THERMAL DAMAGE TO OTHER UNDERHOOD COMPONENTS AND THE UNDERBODY MAY ALSO RESULT FROM PROLONGED DRIVING.THE RECALL POPULATION ENCOMPASSES 84% OF THE STALLING AND FIRE COMPLAINTS (215 FOR VEHICLES WITH 4-CYLINDER ENGINES AND 36 FOR VEHICLES WITH 6-CYLINDER ENGINES).THE 36 MONTHS IN SERVICE (MIS) STALLING RATES FOR EACH MODEL YEAR OF RECALLED VEHICLES WITH 4-CYLINDER ENGINES WERE ALL GREATER THAN TWO PERCENT.ALTHOUGH THE 36 MIS STALL RATE FOR THE RECALLED MY 2001 VEHICLES WITH V6 ENGINES WAS LOWER, AT 1.3 PERCENT, THESE VEHICLES ALSO HAD THE HIGHEST RATE OF CONFIRMED (OPEN FLAME VERIFIED) FIRES AT 62 PER 100,000 VEHICLES.GM WILL INSTRUCT OWNERS TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES TO A DEALER FOR IDM INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT, IF NECESSARY.CONSEQUENTLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.ODI WILL MONITOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SCOPE AND REMEDY OF GM'S ACTION AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED.

DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING IN A SMOOTH STRAIGHTAWAY COUNTRY ROAD AT ABOUT 30-35 MPH. NO OTHER CAS WERE AROUND AT THE TIME AND NOBODY GOT SERIOUSLY HURT, ONLY A MINOR BRUISE ON THE ARM.

NHTSA ID

11124657

Incident

Sep 5, 2018

Mileage

84,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SAAB 9-5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG ERRONEOUSLY DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A CRASH OR ANY TYPE OF IMPACT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST HOWEVER, DEALER DID NOT PROVIDE AN EXPLANATION ON WHAT CAUSED THE AIR BAG TO INADVERTENTLY DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.

NHTSA ID

10520408

Incident

Jun 17, 2013

Mileage

103,000 mi

MY VEHICLE WAS SOLD ORIGINALLY IN CALIFORNIA AND HAS BEEN A CALIFORNIA REGISTERED VEHICLE AT ALL TIMES. IT HAS REAR FOG LIGHTS INSTALLED WITH IT'S OWN SEPARATE SWITCH ON CLUSTER DASH FOR THEM . THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE CALIFORNIA VEHICLE CODE 24602 FOG TAIL LAMPS OR REAR FOG LIGHTS. AS THE CODE STATES: 24602.(B)(3) THE EDGE OF THE LENS OF THE LAMP SHALL BE NO CLOSER THAN FOUR INCHES FROM THE EDGE OF THE LENS OF ANY STOP LAMP OR BRAKE. THIS VEHICLES REAR FOG LIGHT LENSES AND BRAKE LIGHT LENSES ARE RIGHT UP AGAINST EACH OTHER WITH NO SPACE GIVEN BETWEEN THEM. I HAVE ASKED THE MANUFACTURER OWNER ,WHICH WAS GENERAL MOTORS AT THE TIME TO REMEDY ISSUE. THEY HAVE DECLINED ANY ASSISTANCE. I HAVE EXPLAINED THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUES WHICH WAS WRITTEN INTO CALIFORNIA LAW FOR A PURPOSE. THE PROBLEM IS WHEN USING THEM WHEN WARRANTED ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS REQUIRE AND DO TO THEIR PLACEMENT IT CAN BE CONSTRUED AS IF THE VEHICLE IS BRAKING AS COMING TO A STOP OR STOPPED. I VEHICLE BEHIND IT COULD PANIC BRAKE OR HARD STEER TO RIGHT OR LEFT CAUSING AN ACCIDENT . I HAVE ALSO WRITTEN TO THE ORIGINAL SALES DEALER FOR ASSISTANCE. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS MODEL VEHICLE . YOUR ASSISTANCE AND INVESTIGATION INTO THIS APPRECIATED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10476690

Incident

Sep 10, 2012

MY VEHICLE HAS A CRACK ABOUT 2 INCHES IN LENGTH ON THE RIGHT REAR SIDE ON ROOF TOP. I CAN PROVIDE PICTURES AND WOULD LIKE MY VEHICLE INVESTIGATED INTO ON THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10470481

Incident

Jul 29, 2012

Mileage

160,166 mi

VACUUM BRAKE BOOSTER FILLED WITH OIL LEAKING FROM DEFECTIVE VACUUM PUMP RESULTING IN BRAKE FAILURE. DEFECTIVE ABS MODULE CAUSES BRAKES TO SUDDENLY LOCK UP IMMOBILIZING CAR. THIS IS A DESIGN FAILURE IN THE ELECTRONIC ABS BRAKING SYSTEM IN MY OPINION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10435656

Incident

Jul 15, 2011

Mileage

195,000 mi

ALL OF THESE REPAIRS IN ABOUT A TWO YEAR PERIOD: ABS MODULE, OIL COOLER, THROTTLE BODY, UPPER RADIATOR HOSE, AND BOTH DIC CASSETTES. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE FOR WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY A $40K CAR. I HAVE LOVED SAAB'S SINCE MY CHILDHOOD, BUT THIS ONE CAR HAS COMPLETELY TURNED ME OFF OF THEM. FIRST THE ABS MODULE WENT, HAD IT REBUILT ($150) AND NO IMPROVEMENT. SO I BOUGHT A NEW ONE ($350). THEN JUST AFTER THAT THE THROTTLE BODY DIED ($450). THEN JUST A FEW MONTHS LATER THE OIL COOLER ($1100) WENT OUT. IT RAN SMOOTH FOR A SHORT TIME, BUT THEN BOTH DIC'S DIED AT THE SAME TIME ($850). IT IS TIME FOR THIS CAR TO GO AWAY, AND I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER SAAB. WHY IS THERE A RECALL ON THE DIC FOR ALL SUBSEQUENT YEARS, BUT NO THE 1999'S? THANK SAAB!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10432601

Incident

Oct 7, 2009

Mileage

97,000 mi

MY 1999 SAAB'S DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE HAS FAILED -- A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE IN THIS MODEL, FOR WHICH A RECALL WAS ISSUED. THAT RECALL, HOWEVER, EXCLUDED 1999 MODEL YEARS FOR REASONS UNKNOWN TO ANYONE I HAVE SPOKEN WITH. MY CAR IS ESSENTIALLY IDENTICAL TO A 2000 SAAB 9-5, WHICH IS COVERED UNDER RECALL. HAD MY PART FAILED WHILE DRIVING, I WOULD HAVE BEEN LEFT WITH NO POWER BRAKES, STEERING, ETC... THIS IS MY WIFE'S CAR, IN WHICH WE CARRY OUR NEWBORN DAUGHTER. IT'S A VERY LOW-MILEAGE CAR (83K MILES) THAT I TAKE METICULOUS CARE OF. THIS PART SHOULD NOT FAIL, AND SHOULD CERTAINLY BE RECALLED IF A PATTERN OF FAILURES EXISTS (WHICH IT DOES). THANK YOU! *TR

NHTSA ID

10377119

Incident

Jan 14, 2011

Mileage

83,000 mi

IGNITION CASSETTE FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10358312

Incident

Jun 1, 2010

Mileage

140,000 mi

This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.

THIS TECHNICAL BULLETIN PROVIDES A PROCEDURE TO REPROGRAM THE MEDIA DISC PLAYER WITH THE LATEST CALIBRATIONS TO CORRECT A CONDITION OF THE REAR ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM NOT OPERATING AS INTENDED IN COLDER AMBIENT TEMPERATURE AREAS DUE TO CALIBRATION CONCERNS.

Vehicle Recalls

Refinishing Aluminum Wheels This bulletin updates General Motor's position on refinishing aluminum wheels. GM does not endorse any repairs that involve welding, bending, straightening o re-machining. Only cosmetic refinishing of the wheel's coatings, using recommended procedures, is allowed. Evaluating Damage In evaluating damage, it is the GM Dealer's responsibility to inspect the wheel for corrosion, scrapes, gouges, etc. The Dealer must insure that such damage is not deeper than what can be sanded or polished off. The wheel must be inspected for cracks. If cracks are found, discard the wheel. Any wheels with bent rim flanges must not be repaired or refinished. Wheels that have been refinished by an outside company must be returned to the same vehicle. The Dealer must record the wheel ID stamp or the cast date on the wheel in order to assure this requirement. Refer to Refinisher's Responsibility — Outside Company later in this bulletin.

Refinishing Aluminum Wheels This bulletin updates General Motor's position on refinishing aluminum wheels. GM does not endorse any repairs that involve welding, bending, straightening o re-machining. Only cosmetic refinishing of the wheel's coatings, using recommended procedures, is allowed. Evaluating Damage In evaluating damage, it is the GM Dealer's responsibility to inspect the wheel for corrosion, scrapes, gouges, etc. The Dealer must insure that such damage is not deeper than what can be sanded or polished off. The wheel must be inspected for cracks. If cracks are found, discard the wheel. Any wheels with bent rim flanges must not be repaired or refinished. Wheels that have been refinished by an outside company must be returned to the same vehicle. The Dealer must record the wheel ID stamp or the cast date on the wheel in order to assure this requirement. Refer to Refinisher's Responsibility — Outside Company later in this bulletin.

Underbody Component Corrosion The following information may be helpful when addressing underbody component corrosion with customers. Some customers may comment that one or more of their vehicle's underbody components are showing some form of corrosion. This corrosion may be red in appearance (rust) if the component is steel, forged iron or cast iron. This corrosion may also be grey or white in color if the component is constructed of an aluminum alloy.