2004 Saab 9-3 complaints

ENGINE MAY STALL WHEN COLD AND CAR IS TRAVELING 30-45MPH. NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE ON 2 OCCASIONS DUE TO LOSS OF STEERING AND RAN ONTO SHOULDER/LAWN OF HOMEOWNER. WE HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN 4 TIMES FOR REPAIRS OR MODIFICATIONS IN ATTEMPTS TO FIX THIS BUT SAAB WILL NOT EVEN ADMIT THERE IS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS FIXING. *JB

I AM AN OWNER OF A 2004 SAAB 9-3SS AND IT HAS COME TO MY IMMEDIATE ATTENTION THAT THERE MAY BE A FAULT WITH THE ELECTRONIC STEERING WHEEL LOCK ENGAGEMENT ON THIS VEHICLE. I HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ACCIDENT AS A DIRECT RESULT OF MY SEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP. THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HILL. BEFORE THE PHYSICAL LOCK-UP OF THE STEERING WHEEL I DEPRESS MY CLUTCH GETTING READY TO ENGAGE A GEAR COMING OUT OF NEUTRAL, THE ENGINE MAGICALLY DIES (THE RPM?S DROP FROM IDLE SPEED TO ZERO, THEY KEY IS IN THE ?ON? POSITION AND THE CAR IS MOVING), WITHOUT ANY NOTICE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP AS IF THE KEY WAS REMOVED, ALL WHILE I?M ATTEMPTING TO NAVIGATE WINDING DOWNHILL TURNS. I COULDN?T TURN THE STEERING WHEEL SO I REACTED QUICKLY BY GETTING ON THE BRAKES AND SLOWING THE VEHICLE WHILE TURNING THE KEY OFF THEN ON AGAIN TO RELEASE THE LOCKED STEERING WHEEL SO THAT I COULD STEER THE VEHICLE. *AK

AIR BAG CAN DISCHARGED WITHOUT BEING IN AN ACCIDENT. *BF THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THE AIR BAGS TO BE DISCONNECTED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DUE TO PREVIOUS INJURIES. *SC *JB

COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL." I HAD AN ACCIDENT WITH MY CAR. THE AIR BAG ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DID NOT DEPLOY YET THE PASSENGER SIDE DID. IT WAS A TOTAL FRONT COLLISION IN WHICH I HIT A FORD ECONOLINE VAN IN THE REAR END AND WAS DRIVING AT THE SPEED OF APPROX 50 KPH. NO ONE WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. I WAS DRIVING AND BELTED YET MY AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. ALL THE MECHANICS THAT SAW THE CAR AND HEARD OF THE ACCIDENT COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT TO OFF. THERE WAS OVER $17,000 IN DAMAGE TO THE CAR AND I WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. A GM ENGINEER CAME OUT AND CHECKED OUT THE BLACK BOX ON THE MY CAR, IT WAS ALSO FAULTY AND WAS UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH HIS COMPUTER." PLEASE SEND COPY OF THE PICTURES YOU E-MAILED BACK WITH YOUR COMPLAINT FORM. *JB

PULLED INTO A STANDARD, PAVED, PARKING SPACE TURNED ELECTRONIC IGNITION KEY TO OFF POSITION AND REMOVED KEY. CAR DID NOT TURN OFF, ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CONTINUED TO FUNCTION AS THOUGH KEY WAS IN IGNITION.*AK ONBOARD COMPUTER DISPLAYED "STEERING WHEEL LOCK FAILURE: CONTACT SERVICE." TURNED STEERING WHEEL, CHECKED FOR OBSTRUCTIONS, AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN CAR OFF BY REINSERTING KEY INTO IGNITION. WHEN KEY INSERTED INTO IGNITION, ONBOARD COMPUTER TOGGLED TO "KEY NOT RECOGNIZED: CONTACT SERVICE" AND THEN BACK TO PREVIOUS MESSAGE. WAS ONLY ABLE TO TURN CAR OFF BY REMOVING FUEL PUMP FUSES, AND THEN BY REMOVING BATTERY TERMINAL TO PREVENT BATTERY DRAINAGE AS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CONTINUED TO FUNCTION. CAR ONLY HAS 4000 MILES AND WAS BROUGHT IN INITIALLY BY TOW TRUCK TO SAAB DEALERSHIP ON 6/15 AND IGNITION WAS SAID TO BE REPLACED. ON 6/16, DROVE CAR HOME AND TURNED OFF WITHOUT PROBLEM. ON 6/17, DROVE TO WORK AND EXACT SAME SITUATION WAS REPEATED, WITH A TOW REQUIRED. CAR CONTINUES TO BE IN SERVICE, NEW RELAY ORDERED, BUT PROBLEM PERSISTS, AND OTHER DIAGNOSTICS ARE BEING RUN BY SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE IS NO RECORD OF SIMILAR OCCURRENCE IN 2004 SAAB 9-3 SPORT SEDAN. WILL MOST LIKELY NEVER BUY ANOTHER SAAB OR VOLKSWAGEN AGAIN.

THE HEATING SYSTEM, UPON EACH INITIAL START UP, BLEW A FOUL-SMELLING GAS INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. (NAR) *PH *CB

WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH AND LEAVING A SHOPPING MALL CONSUMER DEPRESSED THE BRAKES, AND SECONDS LATER THE TRACTION CONTROL FAILURE LIGHT CAME ON. VEHICLE STALLED, AND COULD NOT BE STARTED. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER TWICE, WHO REPLACED THE T6ECM OR MAIN COMPUTER.*AK