2003 Saab 9-5

THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE LOADED ANYWHERE NEAR IS GVWR AND MAINTAIN ITS ORIGINAL RIDE HEIGHT (OR ANYTHING CLOSE TO THE UNLOADED RIDE HEIGHT) AT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN LOADED THE CAMBER SHIFTS (DUE TO THE REAR SUSPENSION TYPE) VERY NEGATIVE CAUSING POOR HANDLING AND EXTREME TIRE WEAR ON THE INSIDE EDGE OF THE REAR WHEELS. I HAD A BLOWOUT AT HIGHWAY SPEED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. *NM

CAR STALLED WHILE CRUISING AT 75 MILES PER HOUR ON A BUSY INTERSTATE. CAR COULD NOT BE RESTARTED, EVEN AFTER PULLING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. NO PRIOR INDICATION OF IMMINENT FAILURE WAS GIVEN'THE ENGINE SIMPLY CUT OUT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER DIAGNOSED AS THE FAILURE OF AS A BAD THROTTLE BODY. THIS IS A KNOWN WEAKNESS IN THE CAR FOR WHICH SAAB HAS BEEN TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION FOR YEARS. THE SERVICING DEALER WAS SURPRISED THAT THE PART WAS NOT IN STOCK SINCE IT FAILS OFTEN. MANY PEOPLE HAVE THROTTLE BODY PROBLEMS WHICH TRIGGER LIMP HOME MODE AND REQUIRE A CLEANING AND/OR REPLACEMENT OF THE THROTTLE BODY. REPORTEDLY NEWER SOFTWARE TRIGGERS A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEFORE COMPLETE FAILURE. THIS EARLY WARNING WAS NOT GIVEN THIS CASE. IT IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE THAT THIS SHOULD STILL BE AN ISSUE ON A 2003 MODEL YEAR VEHICLE WHEN THE PROBLEM FIRST SHOWED ITSELF IN 1998. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE IN A REAR END COLLISION BEFORE SAAB OR THE NHTSA WILL ACT ON THIS? *NM

TIRE TREAD SEPARATION DUE TO SUDDEN WEAR ON THE INSIDE EDGES OF BOTH REAR TIRES. NEGATIVE CAMBER ON REAR WHEELS LEADS TO CUPPING AND WEAR ALONG THE INSIDE EDGE OF BOTH BACK WHEELS. WITH CAR FULLY LOADED, TREAD CAN SEPARATE AFTER ONLY A FEW THOUSAND MILES. AT THE VERY LEAST THE TIRES MUST BE REPLACED AFTER A FEW THOUSAND MILES TO AVOID SUDDEN TREAD SEPARATIONS AND LOSS OF AIR PRESSURE. *NM

THE VEHICLE STALLED ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS FROM VARIOUS SPEEDS OF 25 MPH OR MORE WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE DEALER HAS CLEANED AND TIGHTENED THE BATTERY CABLES, THE FIRST TIME, THEY REPLACED THE CRANK SENSOR, T-7 AND THE IGNITION SWITCH, THE SECOND TIME AND THE THIRD TIME, THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *JB THE ECM WAS REPLACED BUT THE VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN, THE CUP HOLDER CRACK AND HAD BROKEN, THE BATTERY CABLES WERE LOOSE AND DIRTY, THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT SHIFT PROPERLY AND CAUSED A JERKING MOTION, THE ELECTRICAL GAUGES DROPPED AND THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION. *SC

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR END THE CONSUMER. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE WAS HIT MY OTHER VEHICLE'S FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES. BOTH FRONTAL AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES AND WERE TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED OUT BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *NM NEITHER THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAGS NOR THE HEAD RESTRAINT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *NM

WE PURCHASED OUR 2003 9-5 ARC IN MARCH OF 2003. IMMEDIATELY, I NOTICED THE EXHAUST SMELLED OF HUMAN GAS, SERIOUSLY. SOON AFTER THE STENCH SEEPED INTO THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE. AT 7000 I COULDN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE AND I BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO HAVE CHECKED OUT BY THE DEALER. THEY INFORMED ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, THAT SOMETIMES NEW CARS SMELL. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT I USE ONLY PREMIUM OR BETTER FUEL TO LESSEN THE SMELL. 3000 MILES LATER, THE CAR STUNK. I BROUGHT IT IN FOR ITS FIRST OIL CHANGE AND INFORMED THEM THAT THE CAR STILL STUNK. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS DEFECTIVE AND IT WAS REPLACED, NO CHARGE TO ME. NOW AT 14000+ MILES THE CAR STILL STINKS. I BROUGHT THE CAR IN TODAY 1/12/04 AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO. BASICALLY, I HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE SMELL. I'VE BEEN DRIVING THIS VEHICLE FOR TEN MONTHS WITH NAUSEATING FUMES SEEPING INTO THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE. THESE FUMES NOT ONLY UPSET MY STOMACH BUT CAUSE ME HEADACHES. I'VE BEEN WAKING UP WITH HEADACHES SINCE SPRING OF 2003. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE. PLEASE RESPOND ASAP. I'M LITERALLY SICK OVER THIS SITUATION. - KIM *LA