2003 Saab 9-5 Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL DOOR LOCKS WOULD BECOME STUCK WHEN ACTIVATED BY THE ELECTRONIC DOOR LOCK SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.

TL* THE CONTACTS OWNS A 2003 SAAB 9-5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

AFTER DRIVING MY CAR TO MY DESTINATION, I PUT THE CAR IN PARK BUT THE CAR WON'T STAY IN PARK. THE CAR POPS OUT OF PARK INTO REVERSE, THEN IT WON'T START WHEN I GET BACK INTO MY CAR. *TR

MY CAR WAS BUILT IN 2002 AS WELL AS OTHERS REPORTED, I PURCHASED IT USED 3 YEARS AGO WITH 64K MILES. MY DIRECT IGNITION CONTROL IN 2003 9-5 LINEAR SEDAN 2.3T CEASED. UPON RESEARCH, MY DIC IS THE ORIGINAL PART 9197559 TK3.6 2000-2002 ARE RECALLED AND 'SOME' 2003 VIN'S. WITH THE OVER ABUNDANCE OF DIC FAILURES WITH THE EXACT SAME PART NUMBER, THESE NEED TO BE RECALLED AS A WHOLE. UPON REMOVAL OF THE DIC, THE ENGINE IS LEAKING AT THE SEAMS OF THE HEAD FROM WHERE THE BOLTS ARE LOCATED, INSIDE THE DIC AND ENGINE SECTION IS PERFECTLY CLEAN. BOLTS IN THE HEAD OF THE ENGINE LOOSE, 1 WAS LIFTED OUT ENOUGH TO JUST REMOVE STRAIGHT OUT. CAR BLOWS BLUEISH SMOKE WHEN IT WAS STARTING, SWITCHES ARE DEFECTIVE (GM KNOWN ISSUE), OIL / ENGINE / HEAD KNOWN ISSUES, SUSPENSION KNOWN ISSUES (AMONG OTHER SERIOUS SAAB FAILURES). I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON THIS VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASE. THE KNOWN RECALLS MUST BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE PARTS, NOT JUST 'YEAR' OR 'SPECIFIC VIN'. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SAFE, RELIABLE CAR BUT INSTEAD IS CAUSING SERIOUS FINANCIAL ISSUES. PLEASE HELP THE OWNERS ALL OVER THE WORLD, WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR ALL OF THIS.. WE ALREADY PAID FOR THEIR 'BAILOUT'! SINCERELY~ CAN NOT TAKE ANY MORE REPAIRS!!! *TT

I HAD TO REPLACE FUEL PUMP 3 TIMES IN 4 YEARS. IT SMELLED LIKE FUEL IN MY CAR.

I WAS DRIVING THE CAR WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR WHEN DEAD WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT.I WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS ABLE TO RESTART IT AND THERE WAS A GAS STATION RIGHT NEAR BY. IT DID NOT START UP NORMALLY AND WAS VERY SLUGGISH. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC WHEN THIS HAPPENED BUT FORTUNATELY NOT HEAVY TRAFFIC AND IN THE RIGHT LANE. IT WAS VERY SCARY. THEY TOWED MY SAAB TO A SAAB DEALER FOR ME WHO HAD TO INSTALL A NEW IGNITION. THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 4-5 YEARS AGO ON MY SAAB 2003 9-5 STATION WAGON WHICH WAS BUILT BY GM. I BELIEVE IT WAS BUILT ON THE SAME PLATFORM OF ONE OF THE CADILLACS THAT IS UNDER RECALL. *TR

PURCHASED A "CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED" 2003 SAAB 9.5 AERO IN LATE AUGUST 2006 BEGAN HEARING HORRIBLE (AND WORSENING) GRINDING NOISE SOON AFTER PURCHASE. WE WERE THINKING IT WAS THE BRAKES NEEDING TO BE REPLACED...TOOK IT TO A WELL RESPECTED NATIONAL BRAKE SHOP WHO TOLD US WE NEEDED NEW RIGHT SIDE WHEEL BEARING AND THE COST WOULD BE OVER $700.00 THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 60000 MILE ON IT AND I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH TO FIND THAT I AM NOT THE FIRST PERSON TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL THINK IT IS A DEFECT THAT COULD PROVE FATAL IF NOT ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY.*JB

SOME OR ALL SAAB 9-5'S WERE MANUFACTURED WITH DEFECTIVE REAR AXLE SUBFRAMES. THESE SUBFRAMES FATIGUE AND DEFORM RESULTING IN TIRE FAILURES, UNSAFE HANDLING, PREMATURE TIRE WEAR, AND/OR OTHER POTENTIALLY FATAL PROBLEMS. I EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT AT HIGHWAY SPEED, PREMATURE TIRE WEAR, EXCESSIVE TIRE NOISE, AND UNSETTLED VEHICLE DYNAMICS FOR OVER 6 MONTHS WHILE SAAB FOUGHT NOT TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. ONLINE BULLETIN BOARDS SUCH AS WWW.SAABNET.COM INDICATE THAT NUMEROUS OTHER OWNERS OF 9-5 SEDANS AND WAGONS, MY 1999-PRESENT HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS, ALMOST ALWAYS RELATED TO USING THE VEHICLE AT OR NEAR ITS GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING, WHICH I BELIEVE TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY OVERSTATED BY SAAB. THE 9-5'S SUSPENSION CANNOT WITHSTAND A FULLY OR NEAR FULLY LOADED VEHICLE FOR ANY SIGNIFICANT LENGTH OF TIME AND/OR MILEAGE. *NM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SAAB 9-5 EQUIPPED WITH HANKOOK TIRES HKH405, SIZE 225-45-17. THE DOT AND SERIAL NUMBERS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WHEN THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE FRONT TIRES TREAD WAS WORN PREMATURELY. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000 UPDATED 08-24-12 *BF

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SAAB 9-5 EQUIPPED WITH NEXEN N5000 TIRES (N/A). WHILE HAVING THE VEHICLE SERVICED AT AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, HE WAS INFORMED THE REAR DRIVER SIDE AND FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BOTH HAD VERY LARGE CRACKS ALONG THE SIDEWALL. THE TIRES HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED OR REPLACED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 96,900.

AFTER DRIVING MY CAR TO MY DESTINATION, I PUT THE CAR IN PARK BUT THE CAR WON'T STAY IN PARK. THE CAR POPS OUT OF PARK INTO REVERSE, THEN IT WON'T START WHEN I GET BACK INTO MY CAR. *TR

MY CAR WAS BUILT IN 2002 AS WELL AS OTHERS REPORTED, I PURCHASED IT USED 3 YEARS AGO WITH 64K MILES. MY DIRECT IGNITION CONTROL IN 2003 9-5 LINEAR SEDAN 2.3T CEASED. UPON RESEARCH, MY DIC IS THE ORIGINAL PART 9197559 TK3.6 2000-2002 ARE RECALLED AND 'SOME' 2003 VIN'S. WITH THE OVER ABUNDANCE OF DIC FAILURES WITH THE EXACT SAME PART NUMBER, THESE NEED TO BE RECALLED AS A WHOLE. UPON REMOVAL OF THE DIC, THE ENGINE IS LEAKING AT THE SEAMS OF THE HEAD FROM WHERE THE BOLTS ARE LOCATED, INSIDE THE DIC AND ENGINE SECTION IS PERFECTLY CLEAN. BOLTS IN THE HEAD OF THE ENGINE LOOSE, 1 WAS LIFTED OUT ENOUGH TO JUST REMOVE STRAIGHT OUT. CAR BLOWS BLUEISH SMOKE WHEN IT WAS STARTING, SWITCHES ARE DEFECTIVE (GM KNOWN ISSUE), OIL / ENGINE / HEAD KNOWN ISSUES, SUSPENSION KNOWN ISSUES (AMONG OTHER SERIOUS SAAB FAILURES). I HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON THIS VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASE. THE KNOWN RECALLS MUST BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE PARTS, NOT JUST 'YEAR' OR 'SPECIFIC VIN'. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SAFE, RELIABLE CAR BUT INSTEAD IS CAUSING SERIOUS FINANCIAL ISSUES. PLEASE HELP THE OWNERS ALL OVER THE WORLD, WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR ALL OF THIS.. WE ALREADY PAID FOR THEIR 'BAILOUT'! SINCERELY~ CAN NOT TAKE ANY MORE REPAIRS!!! *TT

SOME OR ALL SAAB 9-5'S WERE MANUFACTURED WITH DEFECTIVE REAR AXLE SUBFRAMES. THESE SUBFRAMES FATIGUE AND DEFORM RESULTING IN TIRE FAILURES, UNSAFE HANDLING, PREMATURE TIRE WEAR, AND/OR OTHER POTENTIALLY FATAL PROBLEMS. I EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT AT HIGHWAY SPEED, PREMATURE TIRE WEAR, EXCESSIVE TIRE NOISE, AND UNSETTLED VEHICLE DYNAMICS FOR OVER 6 MONTHS WHILE SAAB FOUGHT NOT TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. ONLINE BULLETIN BOARDS SUCH AS WWW.SAABNET.COM INDICATE THAT NUMEROUS OTHER OWNERS OF 9-5 SEDANS AND WAGONS, MY 1999-PRESENT HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS, ALMOST ALWAYS RELATED TO USING THE VEHICLE AT OR NEAR ITS GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING, WHICH I BELIEVE TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY OVERSTATED BY SAAB. THE 9-5'S SUSPENSION CANNOT WITHSTAND A FULLY OR NEAR FULLY LOADED VEHICLE FOR ANY SIGNIFICANT LENGTH OF TIME AND/OR MILEAGE. *NM

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

I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30-35 MPH DOWN A FOUR LANE ROAD WHEN THE CAR STALLED LEAVING ME WITH NO POWER AT THE ACCELERATOR. IT BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER THE CAR AND THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME VERY HARD TO DEPRESS. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO COAST OFF THE ROAD WHERE THE CAR CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP BLOCKING THE ENTRANCE/EXIT OF A GAS STATION. I WAS LESS THEN 200 FEET FROM WHERE I WAS TURNING ONTO THE ENTRANCE RAMP OF A HIGHWAY. THE GAS STATION ATTENDANT WAS VERY UPSET TELLING ME I CAN NOT LEAVE MY CAR THERE. THE CAR WOULD NOT START AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE MECHANIC. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT THE SERVICE STATION FOR OVER 2 WEEKS NOW. THE TECHNICIAN IS UNABLE TO FIND THE REASON THE CAR STALLED. HOWEVER HE EXPLAINED THAT THE FUEL PUMP AND THE FUEL PUMP RELAY ARE OPERATIONAL. HE ALSO EXPLAINED THAT THERE IS NO ELECTRICITY GETTING TO THE FUEL PUMP. HE HAS ALREADY REPLACED THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR AND IS IN THE PROCESS OF CHECKING ALL SENSORS AND RELAYS. DURING MY OWN RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THAT THESE CARS HAVE FAULTY ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS WITH MANY RECALLS ON THE DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE (DIC). AT THIS POINT, WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER WITH 2 YOUNG CHILDREN AND RELY ON THIS AUTOMOBILE ON A DAILY BASIS. IN FACT, I HAD JUST DROPPED MY DAUGHTER (9 YEARS OLD) OFF AT DANCING SCHOOL. I WAS JUST ON THE HIGHWAY 20 MINUTES PRIOR TO DROPPING MY DAUGHTER OFF AT DANCING SCHOOL. I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. I CAN NOT AFFORD TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM HAPPEN WITHOUT CAUSE AND WARNING. WOULD YOU PLEASE FORWARD ME ANY INFORMATION VIA E-MAIL OR REGULAR MAIL THAT WOULD HELP ASSURE ME THIS PROBLEM WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. IF YOU KNOW THIS CAR IS PROBLEMATIC THEN PLEASE INFORM ME TO SELL THE CAR SO I CAN GET A MORE RELIABLE CAR THAT WILL PREVENT THE RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH TO ME AND MY FAMILY. *TR

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

2003 SAAB 9-5 AERO TRANSMISSION LEAKING DIRECTLY THROUGH PORES IN METAL CASING (NOT SEAM OR GASKET) AT LESS THAN 51000 MILES (LESS THAN 1000 MILES OVER WARRANTY) REQUIRING FULL TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. SAAB USA OFFERS TO PAY ONE THIRD ($1700) OF $5100 ESTIMATED COST. ALTHOUGH CAR HAD BEEN IN A WRECK WHEN IT WAS ABOUT A YEAR OLD, THIS COULD NOT BE RELATED. ALL RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED BY THE DEALER AT OR BEFORE THE PRESCRIBED MILEAGE WAS REACHED.*JB

THE FRONT SEATBELTS FRAY NEAR WHERE THE BUCKLE SECURES THE BELT WHEN IN USE. THE SEATBELT WAS REPLACED WITH OEM PARTS FOR THIS REASON. THE NEW BELT HAS FRAYED AGAIN OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. OTHERS REPORT SIMILAR PROBLEMS, PERHAPS DUE TO SOMETHING ROUGH ABRADING THE BELT SOMEWHERE ALONG THE BELT PATH. *TR

THE FRONT SEATBELTS FRAY NEAR WHERE THE BUCKLE SECURES THE BELT WHEN IN USE. THE SEATBELT WAS REPLACED WITH OEM PARTS FOR THIS REASON. THE NEW BELT HAS FRAYED AGAIN OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. OTHERS REPORT SIMILAR PROBLEMS, PERHAPS DUE TO SOMETHING ROUGH ABRADING THE BELT SOMEWHERE ALONG THE BELT PATH. *TR

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR END THE CONSUMER. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE WAS HIT MY OTHER VEHICLE'S FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES. BOTH FRONTAL AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES AND WERE TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED OUT BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *NM NEITHER THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAGS NOR THE HEAD RESTRAINT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *NM