1999 Saab 9-5 Electrical Problems

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

1999 SAAB 9-5 ENGINE JUST SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING OR IDLING. THERE WAS A RECALL OF THE IGNITION CONTROL UNIT ON THE 2000. DEALER SAID IT'S THE SAME PROBLEM ON THE 1999 BUT WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. ICM HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE AT THE DEALER, THE LAST TIME BEING 2 YEARS AGO AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. GM SAYS NOTHING THEY CAN DO SINCE THE 1999 WASN'T INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET HURT TAKING AN OFF RAMP ON THE HIGHWAY AND HAVING THE CAR JUST TURN OFF. *TR

NHTSA ID

10262238

Incident

Feb 10, 2009

Mileage

150,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SAAB 9-5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER IGNITION CASSETTE WAS FAILING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHEN SHE STARTS HER VEHICLE, IT MOVES SLUGGISHLY AND MAKES NOISE. THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR REMAINS ILLUMINATED AND AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF FUMES EXIT THE EXHAUST. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE IGNITION CASSETTE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND WAS HARMING THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

NHTSA ID

10252814

Incident

Dec 18, 2008

Mileage

135,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SAAB 9-5. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, PRESSURE WAS APPLIED TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THERE WAS EXCESSIVELY LOW POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING ROUGHLY AND WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE IGNITION CASSETTES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR AN IDENTICAL FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 109,000.

NHTSA ID

10246485

Incident

Jul 30, 2007

Mileage

73,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A HILL (JACKMAN ST. AT WATER ST., APPLETON WI) WHEN MY '99 SAAB, WENT DEAD. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL THERE IS A BLIND TURN TO THE LEFT, A STOP SIGN, AND A RAILROAD CROSSING JUST BEYOND THE INTERSECTION. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SPOT TO HAVE YOUR CAR FAIL AND HAVE NO POWER TO THE BRAKES OR STEERING. THE REASON MY CAR STALLED WAS A FAILURE OF THE IGNITION CASSETTE. THE FIRST TIME THIS PART FAILED, IN 2002, THE SITUATION WAS NOT AS DANGEROUS, AND THEN IT WAS COVERED BY WARRANTY. I CONTACTED SAAB CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SENT A PHOTO OF THE HILL. THEY RESPONDED BY PHONE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS FOR THIS PART, NOR WOULD THERE BE A RECALL. THEY REFUSED TO COVER THE COST OF THE TOW AND REPAIR. I THINK THAT LEAVES SAAB OWNERS VULNERABLE TO ACCIDENTS. I WAS LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO PULL OFF AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL WITHOUT HITTING A TRAIN OR CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY TO ANYONE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10240058

Incident

Jun 25, 2008

Mileage

60,000 mi

DASH BOARD DIGITAL DISPLAY (REFERRED TO AS SID) INOPERATIVE AND UNABLE TO REPORT VITAL SAFETY RELATED INFORMATION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10233276

Incident

Jan 15, 2004

Mileage

70,000 mi

DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE FAILURE. IT CAUSED THE CAR TO STALL IN AN INTERSECTION. I WAS IN A TRAFFIC LANE TURNING LEFT WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHEN IT FAILED. I REPLACED IT AT THE DEALER FOR $400.00. *TR

NHTSA ID

10217605

Incident

Sep 15, 2006

Mileage

68 mi

I HAVE A SAAB 9-5 1999 WAGON. MY DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE IS OVERHEATING CAUSING THE CAR TO MISS. I CHECKED ONLINE AND FOUND A RECALL ON THESE CASSETTES. THE RECALL THOUGH ONLY COVERS YEARS 2000-2002. MY CAR IS A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE RECALL AND IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10202979

Incident

Sep 12, 2007

Mileage

93,780 mi

MY SON JUST PASSED HIS DRIVERS TEST AND WE WERE GOING HOME WHEN THE CAR STARTED MAKING NOISES AND THEN STALLED. SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF THE CAR AND SMELLED LIKE BURNT RUBBER. MY SON LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO THE SIDE (AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT). LIFTED HOOD THOUGHT CAR OVERHEATED. I TRIED STARTING THE CAR AND IT SPARKED AND STARTED SMOKING AGAIN. FOUND OUT IT WAS THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, IGNITION DISCHARGE MODULE. MY CAR IS A 1999 9-5 SAAB. I FOUND THAT THE 2000'S HAD A RECALL DUE TO THIS OVERHEATING AND COULD CAUSE A CRASH. THIS COULD OF CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10198275

Incident

Jul 30, 2007

Mileage

121,000 mi

1999 SAAB 9-5 V6 (127,000 MILES). NO PRIOR RELATED PROBLEM BEFORE THIS INCIDENT. UPON START UP, VEHICLE RAN ROUGH AT IDLE. LOW POWER WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. PARKED VEHICLE AND RAISED HOOD. NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM IGNITION MODULE ON FRONT SIDE OF ENGINE, STRONG SMELL OF BURNING PLASTIC. ALSO SMELLED RAW GAS COMING FROM EXHAUST. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ENGINE STALLED AND WOULD NOT RUN AGAIN. THIS ALL TOOK PLACE IN LESS THAN 5 MINUTES. VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK HOME. REPLACEMENT IGNITION CASSETTE CURRENTLY ON ORDER.

NHTSA ID

10196281

Incident

Jul 12, 2007

Mileage

127,000 mi

MY 1999 SAAB 9.5 WAGON JUST DIED. IT WAS TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER DIAGNOSED AND SAID IGNITION CASSETTE WAS BURNED OUT. DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION CASSETTE AND SPARK PLUGS FOR $525.40 + 6.0% TAX FOR TOTAL OF $556.92. MY MECHANIC SAID THERE WAS A RECALL ON THESE CASSETTES. DEALER SAID MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED. I PAID THE BILL. *NM

NHTSA ID

10173064

Incident

Oct 12, 2006

Mileage

73,897 mi

STALL AND SURGING TO THE POINT THE BRAKES WOULD NOT HOLD THE CAR BACK AT A STOP. LATER IDM FAILED WITHOUT WARNING . SEEN SMOKE COMING FORM COIL, PACK. *JB

NHTSA ID

10166621

Incident

Aug 25, 2006

Mileage

54,400 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE RECALL THAT IS ON THE 2000-2002 SAAB 9-5S FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IGNITION MODULE. THE RECALL NUMBER IS 05V399000. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE DEALERSHIP HAD NUMEROUS 1999 SAABS THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10164133

Incident

Jan 1, 2004

Mileage

60,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT TWO VEHICLES WERE TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR REPAIRS ON THE DI CASSETTE OR THE ID MODULE. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE TWO VEHICLES MAY BE UNDER RECALL FOR THE PARTS AFFECTED. HOWEVER AFTER AN INVESTIGATION IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES. THE VEHICLES WAS REPAIRED THREE TIMES PRIOR WITH THE SAME PART. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 7/19/2006 - THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10161278

Incident

Jun 26, 2006

Mileage

90,736 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 TO 65 MPH THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FOR THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS PULLED OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER, UPON INSPECTION THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE HAD FAILED. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 05V399000, REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: IGNITION CONTROL MODULE. THE MODEL YEAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THERE WAS ALSO AN NHTSA INVESTIGATION, # PE5017, REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: IGNITION CONTROL MODULE.

NHTSA ID

10156620

Incident

May 2, 2006

Mileage

75,000 mi

I HAVE A 1999 SAAB 9-5, V6 AND HAD TO REPLACE THE IGNITION CASSETTE MODULE. THE 2000 9-5 HAS HAD A RECALL FOR THIS SAME PART. WHY HASN'T THE 1999 BEEN RECALLED? *JB

NHTSA ID

10155966

Incident

Jan 17, 2006

Mileage

66,032 mi

MY 1999 SAAB 9-5 SUSTAINED THE IDENTICAL FAILURE OF THE IGNITION DISCHARGE MODULE DESCRIBED IN THE 2000-2003 RECALL. REPAIRED BY LOCAL MECHANIC. WAS UNAWARE OF RECALL (AS DID NOT INCLUDE 1999) BUT MY COLLEAGUE POINTED IT OUT TO ME. I CONTACTED SAAB, SENT THEM RELEVANT DOCUMENTATION, AND THEY REFUSED TO CONSIDER MY VEHICLE UNDER THE RECALL. CLEARLY AN IGNITION MODULE SMOKING AND BURNING WHEN ENGINE STARTED IS A VERY UNUSUAL EVENT. I SUSPECT THIS MODULE ALSO BEGAN TO FAIL IN 1999 BUT THAT TOO FEW OF THESE EVENTS WAS REPORTED TO MAKE YOUR RECALL THRESHOLD, BUT I WOULD MAINTAIN THAT SUCH AN ARBITRARY CUTOFF IS INEQUITABLE. SAME PART; SAME UNUSUAL FAILURE. NOT SURE WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THIS MANUFACTURER (USUALLY GOOD FOLK) IS MANAGING THIS WELL. HENCE MY FORMAL COMPLAINT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10155713

Incident

Feb 15, 2006

Mileage

65,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUDDERED FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF ALL POWER. THE WARNING LIGHTS DID NOT ILLUMINATE TO INDICATE A FAILURE. A STRANGE BURNING ODOR WAS PRESENT BUT NO FLAMES OR SMOKE WAS VISIBLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP; THE IGNITION MODULE AND COIL ASSEMBLY WERE REPLACED. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 05V399000, REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 05/04/06. *JB

NHTSA ID

10155352

Incident

Oct 11, 2005

Mileage

122,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. IT WAS PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT AND TOWED TO THE DEALER. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 05V399000, REGARDING THE IGNITION MODULE. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

NHTSA ID

10154512

Incident

Apr 15, 2005

Mileage

85,000 mi

I HAVE A 99 9-5 TURBO. OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST WEEK, MY VEHICLE HAS STALLED ON ME THREE TIMES. THE FIRST, I WAS TRAVELING ALONE AT 20 MPH AND THE CAR STALLED WHEN I MADE A LEFT TURN INTO A GAS STATION, LEAVING ME VULNERABLE TO ONGOING TRAFFIC. AN HOUR LATER, I HAD MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR AND WE PROCEEDED TO GET ONTO THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR STALLED AS I WAS GOING INTO HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. THANKS TO THE SKILLFUL MANEUVERING OF THE OTHER DRIVERS, OUR LIVES WERE SPARED. THE OTHER OCCURRED WHEN WE REACHED OUR DESTINATION. THE CAR STALLED AS WE PULLED INTO THE PARKING SPACE. THIS LED TO THE INABILITY TO TURN SUFFICIENTLY AND ALMOST HITTING THE NEIGHBORING CARS. I HAVE READ VARIOUS FORUMS OF FELLOW SAAB OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THESE SAME LIFE THREATENING INCIDENTS. IT SEEMS TO ME AND MANY OTHERS THAT SAAB DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THEIR DEDICATED CONSUMERS. WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR HAND OUTS, JUST THE RELIABILITY AND SAFETY ANY ONE SHOULD HAVE FROM A COMPANY THAT "ALLEGEDLY" PRIDES THEMSELVES ON THOSE THINGS. I JUST HOPE THAT THE NEXT TIME I SUBMIT A REPORT IT DOESN'T INCLUDE A DEATH OR DISMEMBERMENT OF MYSELF, CHILD, OR ANOTHER LOVED ONE BECAUSE OF SAAB'S LACK OF INTEGRITY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10153692

Incident

Mar 24, 2006

Mileage

102,847 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE SPEED DROPPED TO 10 MPH. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO GET THE VEHICLE HOME AND ONCE THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF, IT WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED THE DEALER, WHERE THE IGNITION CASSETTES AND SPARK PLUGS WERE REPLACED. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE SPARK PLUGS WERE DAMAGED AS A RESULT OF THE IGNITION CASSETTE FAILURE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, #05V399000, REGARDING THE IGNITION MODULE. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THIS HAPPENED ON THE ROAD WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT WAS 30 MPH. IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED AT ONE OF THE HIGHWAYS WHERE PEOPLE ARE DRIVING AT 65 MPH THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A FATALITY. THIS VEHICLE WOULD NOT DO OVER 15 MPH. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME. THE SMALL OF THE CAR WAS VERY BAD SO THE CONTACT WAITED 20 MINUTES BEFORE LEAVING. THERE WAS NO FIRE. BOTH IGNITION CASSETTES WERE REPLACED, AS WELL AS SPARK PLUGS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10152937

Incident

Mar 15, 2006

Mileage

67,187 mi

ON FEBRUARY 15, 2006 AS I WAS EXITING MY CAR (1999 SAAB 9-5 SE), I WAS JOLTED BY FIVE "SHOCKS" WHEN I REACHED FOR THE DOOR (JUST BELOW THE WINDOW) AFTER TURNING THE IGNITION OFF AND REMOVING THE KEYS. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE CAR, IT WOULD NOT START. IT WAS TOWED TO EAST OF SWEDED (SAAB SPECIALISTS) IN BOULDER, CO FOR DIAGNOSIS OF THE PROBLEM AND REPAIR. THE DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE WAS REPLACED, AND THE PROBLEM SOLVED. I WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THAT SAAB USA HAS RECALLED THIS PART ON THE 2000, 2001, AND 2002 SAAB 9-3 AND 9-5S. I WAS TOLD THAT THE DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE WHICH WAS REMOVED FROM MY CAR IS THE EXACT SAME PART THAT WAS RECALLED ON THE OTHER MODEL YEARS, BUT THAT THE 1999 HAD NOT BEEN RECALLED. I STILL HAVE THE PART IN MY POSSESSION. *NM

NHTSA ID

10152418

Incident

Feb 15, 2006

THE CAR DEVELOPED AN ODD BURNING SMELL WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT AND THE ENGINE QUIT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND REQUIRED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTES. *NM

NHTSA ID

10151120

Incident

Feb 7, 2003

Mileage

68,313 mi