2000 Saab 9-5 complaints

ON TWO OCCASIONS, THERE HAS BEEN A TOTAL LOST OF POWER TO THE CAR. THE FIRST TIME ON A SIDE STREET GOING ABOUT 25 OR 30. AFTER HAVING THE CAR LOOKED AT A SAAB DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR AND SENT ON MY WAY. OVER THIS PAST WEEKEND WHILE DRIVING ON I-95 AT ABOUT 70 MPH IT HAPPENED AGAIN WHILE I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE. NO STEERING, NO BRAKES, NO NOTHING. EVERY PERSON I HAVE TALKED TO WHO HAS OWNED A SAAB (MODEL AND YEAR DIFFERENCE DO NOT SEEM TO MATTER) HAS EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. THE MECHANICS ARE NOW SAYING THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE THROTTLE BODY, WHATEVER THAT IS. MY GENERAL IMPRESSION OF SAAB'S REPRESENTATIVES (MECHANICS, PERSONNEL, ETC.) IS THAT THIS DEFECT IS NOT A BIG DEAL. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. *JB

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. ECM WAS REPLACED BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. (NAR) *LA *CB

TWICE IN THE 4 YEAR, 60K LIFE OF MY SAAB 9-5 WAGON, THE REAR CENTER SEAT BELT HAS LOCKED UP, SO AS NOT TO BE USABLE. BOTH TIMES AFTER FULLY FOLDING DOWN THE REAR SEAT AND RAISING IT BACK TO ITS UPRIGHT POSITION. THE FIRST TIME, SAAB MADE REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE YET TO CONTACT SAAB OR SEARCH YOUR SERVICE BULLETINS. I DOUBT I HAVE FOLDED DOWN THIS SEAT MORE THAN 20 TIMES SO THE FAILURE RATE, FOR ME, IS >10%.*AK

INTERMITTENTLY, WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH POWER STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO INSPECTED VEHICLE FOUR TIMES, BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

2000 SAAB 9-5 SEDAN SUDDENLY STALLED OUT AT 60 MPH AS 2 TRACKER TRAILERS NEARLY COLLIDED INTO MY VEHICLE. NO SHOULDERS ON THIS HIGHWAY LEAVING MY FAMILY IN A HORRIBLY DANGEROUS PLACE. VERMONT STATE POLICE RESPONDED TO PROVIDE PROTECTION. THE CASSETTE WHICH HOUSES THE IGNITION FAILED. BOTH THE DEALER AND OTHER OWNERS HAVE EXPRESSED THAT THIS OCCURS AL THE TIME WITH SAABS AND THERE IS NO WAY TO PREVENT THESE CARS FROM STALLING AT ANY TIME!*AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT A CONSTANT 50 MPH, THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. THERE WAS NO INDICATION ON AN IMPENDING FAILURE. ONE MOMENT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING NORMALLY AND THEN SUDDENLY IT STOPPED COMPLETELY. FORTUNATELY, I MANAGED TO GET THE CAR SAFELY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED A FAILED DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE. CONSIDER MYSELF VERY LUCKY THAT I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN SPITE OF THE HEAVY TRAFFIC.*AK

MY HUSBAND AND I PURCHASED A 2000 SAAB 9.5 SEDAN. WHEN I CALLED SAAB TO GET A TETHER TO INSTALL OUR CHILD SAFETY SEAT, THEY TOLD ME THAT DUE TO A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM, TETHERS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR AN INDEFINTE TIME. THIS PUTS OUR CHILD AT AN UNECESSARY SERIOUS RISK IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE HELP. THANK YOU. ALICE FRADIN

DOOR DOES NOT UNLOCK WITH UNLOCK SWITCH WHEN DOOR IS LOCKED MANUALLY. IF YOU LOCK THE DOOR MANUALLY -- BY RESTING YOUR ELBOW ON THE LOCKING BUTTON -- THE UNLOCK SWITCH DOES NOT UNLOCK THE DOOR. THE UNLOCK SWITCH MAKES A NOISE LIKE IT IS TRYING TO UNLOCK THE DOOR BUT IT DOES NOT ACTUALLY UNLOCK IT. THE DEALER VERIFIED THAT THIS OCCURS ON OTHER MODELS OF THIS SAME CAR. *NLM

NOXIOUS TERRIBLE SMELL --SUE TO A POORLY DESIGNED CATALYTIC CONVERTER---REPLACED CATALTIC CONVERTER W/NEW DESIGN NOTHING HELPED--SULPHUROUS SMELL THAT IRRIATES WIFE'S LUNGS

THE IMPACT WAS FRONT END - I HIT A STEEL AND CEMENT POLE AT 25 MPH AND THE AIR BAG NEVER DEPLOYED. MY HEAD CRASHED THE WINDSHIELD AND I SUSTAINED A SEVERE HEAD INJURY WITH AMNESIA, LOSS OF CONCIOUSNESS, APHASIA, LEFT SIDED WEAKNESS, FRACTURED RIBS, AND SEVERE POST CONCUSSIVE SYNDROME. MY SEATBELTS CAUSED 4 BROKEN RIBS ON THE RIGHT. IF THE AIRBAG HAD DEPLOYED ACCORDING TO MY DOCTOR I WOULD HAVE NOT SUFFERRED THESE INJURIES. I CONTACTED SAAB CORPORATE OFFICE AND REPORTED THE INCIDENT AND THEY WERE NOT HELPFUL AT ALL.*AK

THERE IS A VERY STRONG POLLUTED SMELL OF FUMES COMING FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. ODOR HAS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO BE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WHILE DRIVING.*AK

THE RETENTION CLIPS FOR THE RIGHT SIGNAL/PARKING LIGHT ASSEMBLY BROKE OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT 55MPH. THE ASSEMBLY FELL OUT OF THE SOCKET AND WAS RETAINED BY WIRING HARNESS. UPON NEXT VISIT TO DEALER WAS INFORMED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM CAUSED BY PLASTIC FAILURE WHICH EXISTS IN SAAB 9-3 MODELS. FIRST TIME THEY HAVE SEEN ON 9-5 MODEL. SAAB WILL NOT REPLACE ASSEMBLIES. DEALER SUGGESTED CHECKING OTHER ASSEMBLY WHICH I DID AND FOUND PLASTIC BROKEN ON THIS ASSEMBLY AS WELL. IN ADDITION, THE BRACKET WHICH HOLDS THE SCREW TO RETAIN THE LAMP HAS BROKEN AS WELL. THIS IS A PREMATURE FAILURE OF REQUIRED SAFETY EQUIPMENT.

WHILE DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON THE VEHICLE TWICE FAILED TO BRAKE WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE SECOND TIME I WAS EXITING THE FREEWAY AND COULD NOT STOP AT THE END OF THE RAMP. I TRIED TO DOWN SHIFT AND TURN RIGHT ON THE INERSECTING HIGHWAY WHEN MY CAR SPUNOUT DOING A 450 DEGREE SPIN IN FRONT OF A SEMI IN THE OTHER LANE WHICH NARROWLY MISSED ME AND THEN I SLID DOWN THE EMBANKMENT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE OVERPASS AND FINALLY CAME TO A STOP. THE DEALER RETURNED OUR CAR SAYING THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AFTER ONLY DRIVING 50 MILES, MOST OF THOSE AROUND TOWN WITHOUT THE CRUISE CONTROL ON.

HEADLIGHTS KEEPS BLOWING OUT, AND DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE. DEALER REPLACED HEADLIGHT ASSEBLY, BUT DEFECT KEEPS OCCURRING.*AK

OPTIONAL WAGON SLIDING LOAD FLOOR SAAB P/N 02-69-645 COVERS REAR TETHER ANCHOR POINTS BEHIND SEAT, RENDERING THEM UNUSABLE. ORIGINAL WAGON FLOOR HAD CUTOUTS FOR TETHER ANCHORAGE CLEARANCE.

I HEAR FUEL SLOSHING/THUNKING SOUND WHEN THE TANK IS 1/2-3/4 FULL. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD, BUT IT CONCERNS ME. THE MFG. HAS TOLD ME IT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE.

FUEL TANK IS DEFECTIVE--FUEL RUSHES TO FRONT OF TANK UPON BRAKING AND THUNKS THE ENTIRE VEHICLE. THIS STRESS ON THE FUEL TANK COULD POSE A THREAT, SUCH AS A FUEL EXPLOSION, IN A CRASH. PROBLEM EXISTS WHEN TANK IS 1/2 TO 3/4 FULL. SAAB IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND STATES THAT IT IS CAUSED BY COMPLIANCE WITH CA EMISSIONS STANDARDS. NO OTHER MANUFACTURERS HAVE HAD SUCH PROBLEMS IN COMPLYING WITH CA EMISSIONS. I HAVE SPOKEN BY THE INTERNET WITH OVER 10 OTHER SAAB 9-5 OWNERS WHO ALL REPORT THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT, NOT AN INDIVIDUAL COMPLAINT. *AK

THE FUEL TANK MAKES A UNBEARABLE LOUD NOISE. THE FUEL IS BANGING AGAINST THE WALLS OF THE TANK WHICH COULD EVENTUALLY RUPTURE THE TANK OR LOOSEN THE CONNECTING COMPONENTS. *AK

A LOUD NOISE IS COMING FROM THE GAS TANK AS GAS MOVES IN THE TANK. *MJS