2001 Saab 9-5 Engine Problems

THE FIRST TIME THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON WAS IN MID OCTOBER 2006, AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR OF DRIVING. THERE WAS NO OTHER INDICATION OF A PROBLEM (NOISE, VIBRATION, CHANGE IN HANDLING, ETC). THE OIL HAD RECENTLY BEEN CHANGED, BUT IT WAS RECHECKED AND TOPPED OFF ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD ANYWAY. EVERYTHING SEEMED GOOD FOR ABOUT 20 MIN WHEN THE OIL LIGHT CAME BACK ON DURING A TURN. I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE AIRPORT SO I PARKED THE CAR AND TOOK IT TO A SERVICE SHOP TWO DAYS LATER WHEN I RETURNED. IT WAS GIVEN AN OIL CHANGE AND AN OVERALL CHECK. THE OIL LIGHT DID NOT COME ON DURING THE TEST DRIVE. I DROVE IT HOME WITH NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON IN THE FIRST PLACE. IN EARLY 2007, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON TOO. EVERYTHING WAS CHECKED OVER AND NOTHING FOUND WRONG. EVEN THE SENSORS WERE WORKING FINE. FOR THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF, THE OIL AND ENGINE LIGHTS WOULD GO ON AND OFF AT ODD INTERVALS ACCOMPANIED BY NO OTHER SIGNS. SOMETIMES THEY WOULD ONLY FLICKER ON AND OFF DURING A SHORT DRIVE AND OTHER TIMES THEY WOULD STAY ON FOR WEEKS AND THEN GOING OFF AGAIN FOR NO REASON. EACH TIME, THE OIL AND ENGINE WOULD BE LOOKED OVER AND NOTHING FOUND TO BE WRONG. THE LAST TIME THERE WAS AN ISSUE WAS ON JUNE 13TH 2008. I WAS DRIVING FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND THE OIL LIGHT AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THIS TIME ACCOMPANIED BY A TICKING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AT THE NEXT EXIT AND HAD THE CAR TOWED. AFTER ANOTHER CHECKOVER, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE ENGINE IS FAILING DUE TO SLUDGE BUILD UP AND THAT IT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. IT HAS 98,300 MILES ON IT. ALL REGULAR SERVICES WERE DONE, AND OIL CHANGES WERE DONE AT MORE FREQUENT INTERVALS THAN STATED IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. WE WERE TOLD IT WOULD COST BETWEEN $5000.00 TO $9000.00 DEPENDING ON WHAT TYPE OF REPLACEMENT MOTOR WAS FOUND (NEW OR USED). THE VEHICLE IS STILL SITTING IN OUR GARAGE AND HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN. THE SAAB COMPANY REFUSES ANY RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10266149

Incident

Jun 13, 2008

Mileage

98,300 mi

ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2008 AT APPROXIMATELY 4:45 PM I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN VEHICLE ENGINE STOP. THIS OCCURRED ON A RESIDENTIAL 4-LANE STREET WHILE TRAVELING IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS A 2001 SAAB 95 ARC WAGON. . THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STARTED TO RUN ROUGH AND THEN THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. THIS CAUSED ME TO HAVE TO GLIDE THE AUTO TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THERE WAS A CURB. I THUS REMAINED IN A LANE OF TRAFFIC WITH A DISABLED VEHICLE. THE CAUSE WAS A DEFECTIVE CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR. WHEN THIS BECOMES INOPERATIVE THE COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS ENGINE MANAGEMENT SHUTS DOWN AND DISABLES THE CAR. THIS REQUIRED A TOW TO THE DEALER REPAIR SHOP. AND IT REQUIRED A NEW CRANK SHAFT SENSOR PART TO BE INSTALLED. THE OLD PART IS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MAIN IRK ABOUT THIS IS THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE REPLACED THIS PART IN 15 MONTHS. THE ORIGINAL SENSOR THAT CAME WIT THE CAR WHEN I PURCHASED IT NEW LASTED 87,199 MILES AND 5.5 YEARS. THE SECOND SENSOR WAS REPLACED ON JULY 16, 2007. THE THIRD SENSOR WAS REPLACED AT 101,507 MILES...A MERE 15 MONTHS AND 13 DAYS WITH A MILEAGE USAGE OF 14,308 MILES. HAD THIS FAILURE IN OCTOBER 2008 OCCURRED JUST 5 MINUTES BEFORE WHEN I WAS TRAVELING ON A SIX-LANE INTERSTATE AT 60 MPH I WOULD HAVE HAD A SERIOUS PROBLEM DRIFTING ACROSS SEVERAL LANES OF TRAFFIC IN ORDER TO PULL OVER FOR SAFETY. I BELIEVE THAT SAAB HAS A SUPPLIER PROVIDING THEM WITH AN INFERIOR PART. *TR

NHTSA ID

10247843

Incident

Oct 29, 2008

Mileage

101,507 mi

RANDOM ENGINE CUTOFF WHEN DRIVING, LOOSING POWER STEERING CAPABILITY AT THE SAME TIME. MOST OFTEN HAPPENED WHEN APPROACHING INTERSECTION AT THE TIME WHEN CAR SPEED WAS LOWERED. HAPPENED ON MULTIPLE DAYS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10246326

Incident

May 4, 2006

Mileage

80,030 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE DIED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING 60 MPH, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THE SERVICE DEALER DETERMINED THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. THE CONSUMER HAD THE ENGINE REPLACED. UPDATED 01/26/07. *JB

NHTSA ID

10173772

Incident

Nov 4, 2006

Mileage

71,000 mi

I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS WHERE I FILE A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD MY 2001 SAAB 9-5 CE ,THE HEAD ON THE ENGINE IS LEAKING OIL DOWN THE ENGINE BLOCK, NEAR AND ONTO THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE LEAK IS ON THE BACK REARWARD SIDE OF THE ENGINE TOWARD THE DRIVE BELT. HAVING BEEN ON THE SAABNET.NET FORUM FOR SAAB OWNERS , I REALIZE THAT I AM NOT ALONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID

10169805

Incident

Oct 2, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WAS A LOSS OF ALL VEHICLE POWER, AND THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP WHO DETERMINED THE SERPENTINE BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SERPENTINE BELT, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS AGAIN INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE THROTTLE BODY CASING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED.

NHTSA ID

10168968

Incident

Sep 21, 2006

Mileage

73,000 mi

AT 8:00 PM THIS EVENING, I WENT TO DINNER. EVERYTHING WAS WORKING NORMALLY ON MY CAR. AT 8:20 PM, TWENTY MINUTES LATER, I START MY CAR AND IT ENTERS "LIMP-HOME" MODE WITH A BLINKING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, INDICATING MISFIRE. GIVEN THE WAY THE CAR WAS ACTING, THE TIMING BELT HAS BROKEN. IN MY RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THIS MOTOR IS A GM L81 MOTOR, 3.0L V6. THIS MOTOR HAS ALSO BEEN USED IN THE SATURN VUE AND CADILLAC CATERA. ACCORDING TO THE NHTSA RECORDS, THERE WAS A RECALL ON TIMING BELTS FOR THE 97-2002 CATERAS. AS STATED EARLIER, THIS IS THE SAME MOTOR IN MY 2001 SAAB 9-5 SE V6 3.0L. *JB

NHTSA ID

10164441

Incident

Aug 3, 2006

Mileage

59,400 mi

2001 SAAB 9-5, CONSUMER HAS NOT RECEIVED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE RECALL WORK DONE ON THE VEHICLE. *KB THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER IN THE MAIL ONE MONTH LATER, AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE ALREADY PAID FOR. WHEN THE CONSUMER CALLED TO INQUIRE ABOUT HER REFUND, SHE WAS TOLD BY THE MANUFACTURER, THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE ALL OF THE PAPERWORK AND ALSO THEY DIDN'T HAVE HER ADDRESS. NINE MONTHS LATER, THE CONSUMER STILL HAS NOT RECEIVED REIMBURSEMENT. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10162650

Incident

Jan 18, 2005

Mileage

43,701 mi

2001 SAAB 9-5 IDM IS DEFECTIVE, CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT ALL THE SPARK PLUGS NEED TO BE REPLACED. *TS *NM***NAR***

NHTSA ID

10157342

Incident

Mar 14, 2006

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A LETTER FROM SAAB STATING THAT PROBLEMS WITH THE IDM COULD CAUSE REDUCED POWER AND ROUGH OPERATION. THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM WITH HIS 2001 SAAB 9/5. *NM THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH PRIOR TO THE VEHICLE STALLING. *NM

NHTSA ID

10157292

Incident

Mar 15, 2006

Mileage

117,785 mi

I OWN A 2001 SAAB 95 SE V6. WAS DRIVING DOWN THE NJ TPK AND THE CAR LOST POWER AND HAD A SMALL ELECTRICAL LIKE FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. HAD TO GET THE CAR TOWED FROM THE NJ TURNPIKE OFF AND THEN AGAIN TO MY PLACE IN BENSALEM PA. TOTAL COST $77 + 66. FOUND OUT THAT THE DI CASSETTE BURNED OUT, COST ME APPROX $600 TO FIX. A DAY LATER THE CAT CONVERTER FAILS (CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN). THIS IS CERTAINLY DUE TO DI CASSETTE BURNING OUT. VERY FRUSTRATING FOR A CAR WITH ONLY 60K MILES ON IT. *NM

NHTSA ID

10149105

Incident

Jan 22, 2006

Mileage

60,100 mi

MY 2001 SAAB 9-5 STALLED ONE DAY ALL OF A SUDDEN AFTER I REACHED A SHOPPING MALL. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL SAAB DEALER AND THEY REPLACED MY IGNITION SYSTEM FOR A CHARGE CLOSE TO 600 DOLLARS. THEY SPOKE TO ME THAT IT WAS AN ISOLATED EVENT. FROM THE RECALL NOTICE YOU RELEASE I REALIZE THAT IT WAS INTRINSIC MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE GOOD WORK. I HOPE I WILL GET A REFUND. *NM

NHTSA ID

10141484

Incident

May 16, 2005

MY CAR HAS ONLY 50,000 MILES. NO WARNING, NO ESCALATION, JUST SUDDEN. SID L.C.D. DISPLAY IS MISSING DOTS AND LINES CAUSING UNREADABLE DISPLAY. CHECKED SEVERAL "SAAB" DISCUSSION FORUMS AND APPERANTLY THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WHICH DAMAGES THE VALUE OF A $40,000+ CAR. I AM AFRAID TO FIND OUT HOW MUCH THIS IS GOING TO COST TO REPAIR AFTER SEEING HOW MANY 9-5 OWNERS HAVE POSTED "HOME REMEDY" REPAIR METHODS FOR THIS. UPPER RADIATOR HOSE- THIRD ONE IN FIFTY THOUSAND MILES FROM MYSELF AND THE PREVIOUS OWNER WHOM I KNEW. THEY ALL BURST IN THE SAME PLACE. PRESSURE RELIEF CAP TESTED OK. THERE IS NO AFTERMARKET MANUFACTURER OF THIS HOSE THAT I KNOW OF TO FALL BACK ON FOR A POSSIBLY MORE RELIABLE PRODUCT. AND ALSO, I AGAIN AFTER SEARCHING THROUGH DISCUSSION FORUMS DISCOVERED I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. HOOD BADGE. ENAMEL CRACKED AND FLACKED OFF OF THE HOOD BADGE ON THIS GARAGE KEPT CAR. LUCKILY I HEAR (BECAUSE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE) THAT THESE ARE CHEAP. MY CAR HAS LOST VALUE TO NO FAULT OF MINE AND I AM GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE THESE THINGS REPAIRED (ALTHOUGH THEY SHOULD NOT NEED TO BE) TO REGAIN THAT LOST VALUE.

NHTSA ID

10123890

Incident

May 28, 2005

Mileage

50,000 mi

DRIVING AT 65MPH IN FAR LEFT LANE OF HIGHWAY AND SUDDEN LOSS OF SPEED--COULD ONLY GO 20-30 MPH FOR A FEW MINUTES BEFORE BURNING SMELL. WAS ABLE TO COME TO RIGHT SHOULDER WHILE DODGING HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE (DIC) FAILURE 1 OF 2 DIC'S IN 6 CYLINDER ENGINE). SECOND VISIT REQUIRED FOR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT--WAS CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THIRD VISIT FOR ANOTHER CEL FOR SECOND DIC FAILURE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10117971

Incident

Sep 16, 2004

Mileage

23,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10110993

Incident

Nov 5, 2004

Mileage

55,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10105773

Incident

Dec 24, 2004

Mileage

41,000 mi

MY 2001 SAAB 9-5 HAS JUST UNDER 80,000 MILES AND HAS GONE THROUGH 2 CATALYTIC CONVERTERS. IT ALSO BURNS OUT A LOT OF LIGHTS--HEADLIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS, ETC. EVERY FEW MONTHS. ALSO THE LED DISPLAY ON THE DASH HAS A LOT OF PIXELS OUT. I'M WONDERING IF THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT IS PERHAPS A LITTLE TOO HIGH AND THAT COULD BE WHAT'S CAUSING ALL OF THE PROBLEMS?*AK

NHTSA ID

10093700

Incident

Oct 3, 2004

Mileage

79,100 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT NO SET SPEED VEHICLE ENGINE STALLED. DEALERSHIP SERVICED VEHICLE 6 TIMES, AND TECHNICIAN COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10079688

Incident

Jun 23, 2004

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLES ENGINE SHUT OFF. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10019765

Incident

May 7, 2003

Mileage

11,000 mi

CONSUMER STATE WHILE TRAVELING AT 30 MPH WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE STALL CONSUMER PULL VEHICLE OVER AND NOTICE SMOKE COMING FROM ENGINE SOON AFTER ENGINE WAS ON FIRE IN RESULT OF TOTAL LOST OF VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA ID

8023588

SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE, CONSUMER BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE FREQUENCY OF NOXIOUS FUMES COMING THROUGH THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE FROM THE EXHAUST, WHEN CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO REPORT THE PROBLEM HE WAS GIVEN A SERVICE BULLETIN WHICH IDENTIFIED THE EMISSION AS HYDROGEN SULFIDE AND THE BULLETIN FURTHER STATED THERE WAS NO WAY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, THE MANUFACTURER HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM BUT HAS FAILED TO DISCLOSE THE INFORMATION.(LAWYER, JEFFREY MILLER ON BEHALF OF CLIENT)*JB

NHTSA ID

564966

AFTER BRINGING IN TO DEARLER MANY TIMES FOR "ENGINE LIGHT" AND BEING TOLD IT WAS NOTHING I PROCEEDED WITH MAINTENANCE.DUE TO LATE OIL CHANGE DEALER CLAIMS, AFTER OIL CHANGE, AND COMPLAINT FROM ME THAT THERE WAS A FLUTTER SOUND IN THE SYSTEM; THEY OFFER TO REPAIR FOR APPROX 3500 WITH NO GUARANTEE. MY CAR IS NOT ABUSED AND IS NEW. AFTER DISCUSSING WITH OUTSIDE REPAIR IT SEEMS THIS IS A PROBLEM DUE TO THE OIL USED BY SAAB. APPARENTLY THERE ARE PRESENTLY SIX OTHER VEHICLES AT OUTSIDE REPAIR SHOPS CHANGING OIL BRAND AND FLUSHING FOR PERFECT RESULTS. THOSE OUTSIDE SOURCES CHARGE APPROX $350. PERSONALLY I HAVE ONLY OWNED NEW VEHICLES OVER THE PAST TWENTY YEARS. ALL FIRST QUALITY: HONDA, BMW, VOLVO, JAGUAR, SAAB,

NHTSA ID

754558

Incident

Oct 15, 2001

THE CAR HAS STALLED TWICE WITHOUT WARNING, ON THE SECOND OCCASION THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED, IN THE FIRST INSTANCE THE DEALER REPLACED THE D1 CASSETTE BECUSE IT MALFUNCTIONED BUT IN THE SECOND INSTANCE DIAGNOSTIC TEST DID NOT REVEAL A CAUSE FOR THE SHUT DOWN. NLM

NHTSA ID

563124

Incident

Jul 6, 2001

WHITE SMOKE EXITS THE EXHAUST AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AND SITS, AND IS STARTED AGAIN. SAAB CUSTOMER SERVICE FIRST TOLD ME A TSB WOULD BE ISSUED CONCERNING THE PROBLEM. POQUET AUTO AND MORRIES SAAB BOTH STATED "SOME" SAABS HAVE A PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO THE CSR, THE INJECTORS RELEASE TOO MUCH FUEL UPON STARTUP WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD AND THAT CAUSES THE SMOKE. WHEN THE SAAB IDLES, IT STOPS. I WAS INFORMED THAT SAAB WAS WORKING ON THE PROBLEM AT FIRST. NOW I AM TOLD, THERE IS NO PROBLEM. THIS DEFECT SERIOUSLY DIMINISHES THE OVERALL VALUE OF A $40K CAR.*AK

NHTSA ID

751097

Incident

Aug 24, 2001