1995 Saab 900: complaints, problems and recalls

I AM CONTACTING YOU REGARDING SAAB CARS USA INABILITY TO NOTIFY ME OF A TIMING BELT RECALL RELATING TO CERTAIN PULLEYS. PURSUANT TO A CONVERSATION WITH MR. GRANT HESSMAN OF SAAB CARS USA (SAAB COMPLAINT # 1-57069705), I WAS NOTIFIED THAT SAAB WILL NOT PAY FOR THE PART NOW THAT IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY THE DEALER SINCE MY CAR HAS GONE OVER THE SAAB IMPOSED MILEAGE LIMIT. IT IS MY INTENTION TO DETERMINE WHY SAAB WILL NOT PAY FOR THIS PROBLEM SINCE IT IS THEIR ENGINEERING PROBLEM AND THEIR INABILITY TO NOTIFY ME OF THIS PROBLEM.…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10005695 at NHTSA ↗

SAAB REFUSES TO FOLLOW UP ON A CONFIRMED (MEDIA-PUBLISHED) RECALL ANNOUNCED IN NOV 2002 (3 MONTHS AGO) CONCERNING RANDOM AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. SAAB CORPORATE REFUSES TO SPECIFY VINS OR GIVE ANY PLANNED RESOLUTION, AND THE SAAB DEALERS CONFIRM THAT MY CAR IS LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED, BUT NO ONE WILL TAKE ANY ACTION YET, AND SAAB IS DRAGGING THEIR FEET! ISN'T THEIR A TIME LIMIT FOR THEM TO START THIS RECALL? HOW DO WE ESCALATE THIS SITUATION, PLS?

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10007869 at NHTSA ↗

THE ALTERNATOR FROZE, WHICH CAUSED THE TIMING BELT TO BREAK.*JB *TS

Owner-reported narrative. 43,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10009289 at NHTSA ↗

NAR 03-24-2003 MR WHILE THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT. THE CONSUMER SUSPECTED THERE WAS A PROBLEM IN THE STEERING. WHEN THERE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED, THERE WERE NO ABNORMALITIES FOUND IN THE STEERING SYSTEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED BUT THE CONSUMER IS AFRAID THAT IF PROBLEM IS NOT FIXED IT MAY CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL AND ENDANGER OTHERS. *CB *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10012408 at NHTSA ↗

ENGINE SPROCKET AND BALANCE CHAIN FAILURE. *MR *PH

Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10020406 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING, THE FAN BELT BROKE, WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SEIZE. THIS WAS THE THIRD FAILURE UNDER 50,000 MILES. *AK PH *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 32,759 miles reported. Look up ODI 10024107 at NHTSA ↗

1995 SAAB 900 SE STALLS UPON COLD START AND ALSO CUTS OFF (STALLS) WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE IS TOTALLY TUNED AND ALL THROTTLE, FUEL INJECTORS ARE CLEAN ETC. I CONTACTED DEALER AND SAAB WEB-SITE TO INQUIRE ABOUT RECALL 95V066000 BUT I WAS TOLD THIS WAS NOT APPLICABLE TO MY VEHICLE.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10025197 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH THE VEHICLES PASSENGERS AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THE DRIVER EXITED THE VEHICLE TO LET THE SMOKE CLEAR. WHEN THE CONSUMER GOT BACK INTO THE VEHICLE AND DROVE ABOUT 40 YARDS THE DRIVERS AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE SEAT BELTS ALSO LOCKED . *AK *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 92,128 miles reported. Look up ODI 10031240 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2002-11-14 (November 14, 2002)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE AIR BAG ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) IS DESIGNED TO SENSE AND DISCRIMINATE FRONTAL IMPACT EVENTS, COMMAND AIR BAG AND SEAT BELT PRETENSIONER DEPLOYMENTS IN A TIMELY MANNER, AND PERFORM CONTINUOUS DIAGNOSTICS OF THE AIR BAG SYSTEM IN THE VEHICLE. DUE TO THE POSSIBLE INSUFFICIENT SEALING OF THE BOTTOM OF AN ELECTROLYTE CAPACITOR, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR IT TO LEAK ELECTROLYTE WITHIN THE AIR BAG ECU. ALSO, IN HIGH HUMIDITY ENVIRONMENTS, THE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE AIR CONDITIONER CAN CAUSE RAPID COOLING OF THE ECU, WHICH IN TURN MAY CAUSE THE FORMATION OF CONDENSATION WITH THE UNIT.

Consequence: IF THIS MOISTURE COMES INTO CONTACT WITH THE ELECTROLYTE FROM THE CAPACITOR, IT FORMS A HIGHLY CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL THAT COULD CREATE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT. THIS ELECTRICAL SHORT COULD TRIGGER THE AIR BAGS AND SEAT BELT PRETENSIONERS.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW AIR BAG ECU. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 4, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SAAB AT 1-800-955-9007.

Reported: 1994-11-18 (November 18, 1994)

ONE OR MORE OF THE ARC WELDS CAN BE MISSING ON THE SEAT BACK FRAME RECLINER.

Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN A SEAT BACK FALLING BACKWARDS UNDER A LOAD.

Remedy: BOTH FRONT SEAT BACKS WILL BE INSPECTED WITH THE USE OF A HOOK TO PULL BACK THE SEAT BACK UPHOLSTERY. FOR ANY SEAT WITH MISSING WELDS, THE SEAT BACK FRAME/RECLINER WILL BE REPLACED.

Reported: 1995-03-29 (March 29, 1995)

UPON STARTUP, A VOLTAGE DROP TO THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE CAN CAUSE A MALFUNCTION WHERE ENGINE SPEED FLUCTUATES FROM 600 TO 3,000 RPM FOR UP TO 30 SECONDS BEFORE NORMAL ENGINE IDLE OF 900 RPM.

Consequence: UNEXPECTED MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE MAY CAUSE THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL AND INCREASE THE POTENTIAL OF A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW REVISED ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE.

Reported: 1995-03-29 (March 29, 1995)

IT IS POSSIBLE TO MOVE THE SHIFT LEVER INTO THE REVERSE GEAR POSITION, REMOVE THE IGNITION KEY, AND STILL HAVE THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL, OR, TO ACCIDENTLY DISENGAGE REVERSE BY STRIKING THE GEAR LEVER.

Consequence: IF THE PARKING BRAKE IS NOT APPLIED, THE CAR CAN ROLL FROM ITS ORIGINAL PARKED POSITION INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE TRANSMISSION LINKAGE COMPONENTS AND COMPLETE A SPECIALLY DEVELOPED SERVICE ADJUSTMENT PROCEDURE THAT WILL ENSURE THAT WHEN THE SHIFT IS MOVED TO THE REVERSE POSITION, THE REVERSE GEAR IS ACTUALLY ENGAGED.

Reported: 1996-01-23 (January 23, 1996)

THE STEERING COLUMN SHAFT WAS INCORRECTLY INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE COLUMN TO BE OUT OF ALIGNMENT.

Consequence: IF MISALIGNED, AN ALUMINUM CONNECTING PIECE CAN FAIL DUE TO FATIGUE, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE STEERING COLUMN ALIGNMENT TO ENSURE THAT NO MISALIGNMENT EXISTS. IF A MISALIGNMENT IS FOUND, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY AS A UNIT.

Reported: 1997-03-21 (March 21, 1997)

CORROSION AROUND THE ZINC-COATED THROTTLE CONTROL LEVER BUSHING CAN CAUSE THE THROTTLE LEVER TO BIND.

Consequence: THIS BINDING CAN RESULT IN THE THROTTLE PLATE NOT RETURNING TO THE CLOSED POSITION WHEN THE THROTTLE PEDAL IS RELEASED AND A SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF THROTTLE CONTROL.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ZINC-COATED THROTTLE CONTROL LEVER BUSHING WITH A NICKEL-COATED BUSHING AND BOLT.

Reported: 1998-02-24 (February 24, 1998)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR PROPERLY AIMING THE HEADLIGHTING SYSTEM WERE OMITTED. THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."

Consequence: IF THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES ARE REPLACED, CUSTOMERS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PROPERLY AIM THE HEADLIGHTS.

Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE SENT AIMING INSTRUCTIONS, AND DIRECTIONS FOR AFFIXING THESE INSERTS TO THE OWNER GUIDES. IF AN OWNER SO DESIRES, A DEALER CAN AFFIX THE INSERTS IN THEIR OWNER GUIDE FOR THEM.