2003 Saab 9-5

SAAB INFORMATION DISPLAY PIXEL FAILURE. THE PIXELS ON THE INFORMATION DISPLAY HAVE BEEN FAILING, AND NOW ARE TO THE POINT WHERE ALMOST UNUSABLE DISPLAY. SAAB SERVICE SAID IT IS A COMMON ISSUE, BUT SINCE THE WARRANTY HAS PASSED, WOULD HAVE TO BUY A NEW DISPLAY UNIT(APPROX. $500) SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET, I HAVE FOUND MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. THERE ARE EVEN SITES SET-UP TO SEND UNIT IN FOR REPAIR.(EX. WWW.SIDREPAIR.COM) *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SAAB 9-5. ON JULY 6, 2007, THE CONTACT RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE # 07V087000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS). THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY LOCATED IN SPAIN. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY ARE NOT OBLIGATED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE FOR FREE BECAUSE IT IS LOCATED OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO REFUSED TO PROVIDE THE CONTACT WITH A COPY OF THE RECALL NOTICE IN SPANISH. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48,063 AND THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE.

DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE - EXITED ONTO AN INTERCHANGE RAMP AT 50 MPH - AND THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. VEHICLE AT REAR NEARLY REAR-ENDED MINE - BUT MISSED BY A HAIRS WHISKER. ANOTHER PIECE OF LUCK WAS THAT I WAS AT THE CREST OF THE RAMP SO MANAGED TO "COAST" TOWARDS THE SHOULDER. WAITED FOR A BIT - THE CAR WOULDN'T RESTART. HAD TO SPEND PERILOUS TIME ON THE LEFT SHOULDER BEFORE GETTING MY CAR TOWED. AT THE TIME OF WRITING - THE CAR IS SITTING IN THE DEALERS LOT. NOTHING SPECIAL HAPPENED PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. PREVIOUSLY A SIMILAR INCIDENT HAD OCCURRED JUST OUTSIDE MY RESIDENCE - AND THE DEALER CHECKED IT OUT AND SAID IT MIGHT JUST BE "BAD GAS". SAAB'S CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WAS USELESS. BASED ON THE OTHER INCIDENTS REPORTED - REFER TO ODI #S: 10162804, 10137685, 10097342 - THERE IS SOMETHING DEFINITELY WRONG WITH THIS VEHICLE. PLEASE TAKE ACTION BEFORE SOMEONE LOSES THEIR LIFE.*JB

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

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

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

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON 2003 SAAB 9-5 AERO DIAGNOSED AS FAILING IGNITION CASSETTE WHICH IS THE SAME FAULTY PART FOR RECALL ON THE 2000-2002 CARS ONLY. A COMPLETE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE ENGINE TO TOTALLY SHUTDOWN. THIS PART WAS REPLACED AT MY COST, BUT THE ORIGINAL PART NUMBER WAS INSTALLED VS. THE NEWER UPGRADED VERSION TO HOPEFULLY PREVENT FUTURE FAILURES. RE: CAMPAIGN ID# 05V399000. SHOULDN'T THE FAULTY "ORIGINAL" PART BE PULLED FROM DEALER STOCK AND WHY HAS THE 2003 MODEL YEAR AND OTHER YEARS BEEN EXCLUDED SINCE THE FAULTY PART IS EXACTLY THE SAME? *NM

THE VEHICLES GVWR IS OVERSTATED. THIS IS BASED UPON MY OWN AND OTHER OBSERVATIONS OF PERMANENT DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND TIRES WHEN USING THE VEHICLE NEAR THE STATED GVWR. I PERSONALLY HAD A TIRE BLOW OUT ON ME AND HAVE HAD PERMANENT DAMAGE TO THE TIRES AND/OR THE VEHICLE AND/OR THE VEHICLES SUSPENSION COMPONENTS. THE MANUFACTURER HAS TO DATE NOT BE ABLE TO FIX MY VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY, DESPITE REPLACING THE ENTIRE REAR SUSPENSION. THE VEHICLE SQUATS DANGEROUSLY WHEN LOADED RESULTING IN UNSAFE HANDLING. *JB