Saab Cars USA, Inc.: Electrical System › Ignition › Module
Saab Cars USA, Inc. reported this defect to federal regulators on Sep 14, 2005 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 103,202. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH B205/B235 4-CYLINDER GASOLINE ENGINES AND B308 6-CYLINDER GASOLINE ENGINES MAY EXPERIENCE OVERHEATING AND BURNOUT OF THE ISOLATED GATED BIPOLAR TRANSISTOR (IGBT) WITHIN THE IGNITION DISCHARGE MODULE (IDM) DUE TO INCREASED SUSCEPTIBILITY TO ELECTRICAL LOADS.
The risk
OVERHEATING OF THE IGBT OCCURS MOST OFTEN AT ENGINE START-UP, BUT IT MAY ALSO OCCUR WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING. ENGINE STALLING MAY OCCUR, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT TO SEE WHAT VERSION IDM IS IN THE VEHICLE AND REPLACE THE IDM IF IT IS A VERSION BUILT PRIOR TO THE INTRODUCTION OF QP3. AN INTERIM LETTER WILL BE MAILED TO OWNERS IN OCTOBER 2005, INFORMING THEM OF THE CONDITION. PARTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE AND OWNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES IN TO THE DEALERS TO HAVE THE IDM REPLACED BY LETTER DATED MARCH 13, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SAAB AT 1-800-955-9007.
6 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 Saab 9-3 | 37 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 2002 Saab 9-5 | 65 | 6 | 5 | 2 |
| 2001 Saab 9-3 | 59 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| 2001 Saab 9-5 | 104 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| 2000 Saab 9-3 | 50 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 2000 Saab 9-5 | 119 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 05V399000.
Full record for the 2002 Saab 9-3 → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →