2009 Saab 9-7X

MY WIFE AND I WERE ON THE DRIVE THRU LINE AT WENDYS, IT WAS RAINING OUT AND I CRACKED THE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW FOR A LITLE AIR. A MINUTE LATER WE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING WE WERENT SURE WHERE THE SMELL WAS COMING FROM UNTIL MY PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW/LOCK/AND HEATED SEAT SWITCH STARTED TO EMIT SMOKE. OF COURSE WE WERE IN A STATE OF PANIC, WE QUICKLY EXITED THE LINE AND PULLED OVER I DIDNT KNOW WHAT TO DO OTHER THAN PULL UP THE SWITCH HOUSING FROM THE DOOR PANEL. AFTER DOING SO THE SMOKE WAS EVIDENT AND THE WIRES AND ACTUAL PLASTIC HOUSING CAUGHT FIRE. I WAS ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. AFTER INSPECTING THE ENTIRE SWITCH HOUSING IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE WIRES OVERHEATED AND SHORT CIRCUITED I WOULD IMAGINE DUE TO THE LITTLE BIT OF RAIN WATER THAT LEAKED INTO IT. THE MANAGER OF THE WENDYS CAME OUT TO CHECK ON US AS HE SAW AND HEARD OUR PANIC. I CALLED GM/SAAB THIS MORNING AND THE REP MADE ME OUT TO BE A LIAR, SHE COULDNT BELIEVE THAT A FIRE ACTUALLY OCCURED. I TOLD HER I HAVE THE SWITCH HOUSING AND IT IS CLEAR AS DAY THAT THE PLASTIC DIDNT MELT AND THE ACUAL METAL TIP OF THE WIRE MELT DUE TO SMOKE OR JUST A HEAT. I SEE THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON 2008 SAAB 97X DRIVER MODULE BUT NOT MY YEAR OR THE PASSENGER SWITCH. THE REP HAD ME SO UPSET I FORGOT TO GET HER NAME AND FILE A COMPLAINT SO WHEN IM DONE ON THIS POST I AM GOING TO CALL BACK AND HAVE THEM LOOK UP MY FILE AND LODGE A COMPLAINT. ALSO THERE IS A RECALL FOR 2008 97X HEADLIGHT MODULE AND OF COURSE MY HEADLIGHTS JUST STOPPED WORKING OUT OF THE BLUE, I REPLACED THE BULBS FROM AUTOZONE TO NO AVAIL THAT IS HOW I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE SECOND RECALL. IM UPSET BECAUSE I HAVE 3 KIDS IN COLLEGE AND 1 IN 10 GRADE AND AM NOT IN A FINANCIAL POSITION TO REPLACE ANY OF THE DEFECTIVE FACTORY PARTS ESPECIALLY AFTER A FIRE IN MY VEHICLE. NOW I AM FORCED TO NOT HAVE FUNCTIONING PASSENGER WINDOW OR LOCK OR HEATED/MEMORY SEAT.

LOW BEAMS WENT OFF WHILE DRIVING ON AUTO WILL NOT COME BACK ON EVEN WHEN CHANGED TO MANUEL ON THIS HAS HAPPENED IN DIFFERENT TYPES OF WEATHER, RAINY, DRY, NIGHT, DAY. IT IS A HAZZARD YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. IT HAPPENED JUST THIS PAST WEEKEND IN A DOWNPOUR AT AFTERNOON TRAFFIC HOUR. QUITE STRESSFULL ! WE HAVE READ OF THIS PROBLEM AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF ANYTHING CAN BE DONE. I DID READ AN EARLIER COMPLAINT OF THIS SAME PROBLEM.

LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS AND DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS INTERMITTENTLY FAIL TO ILLUMINATE, BOTH IN AUTO AS WELL AS MANUAL MODE. LIGHTS FAIL TO ILLUMINATE ON START-UP AS WELL AS SHUT OFF UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE STATED IN THE RECALL FOR 2006-2008 SAAB 9-7X, BUT INEXPLICABLY THE 2009 MODEL IS NOT COVERED UNDER THIS RECALL. THIS VEHICLE MALFUNCTION IS HAZARDOUS AND POSES A THREAT TO THE SAFETY OF OTHERS ON THE ROAD. THE DRIVER'S VIEW OF THE ROAD IS COMPLETELY AND UNEXPECTEDLY IMPAIRED WHEN THE LIGHTS SHUT OFF WHILE IN MOTION AS WELL AS LOWERED VISIBILITY OF THE VEHICLE TO OTHERS ON THE ROAD.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SAAB 9-7X. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS BECAME INOPERABLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V755000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SAAB 9-7X. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED INTO NEUTRAL INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE SOFTWARE NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,300.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SAAB 9-7X. THE CONTACT STATED THAT RIGHT HEADLIGHT WAS BRIGHTER THAN THE LEFT ONE, WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ON, THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT WOULD POINT DOWNWARD, MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR OTHER DRIVERS TO SEE THE VEHICLE AND FOR THE CONTACT TO SEE ONCOMING VEHICLES. FURTHERMORE, WHEN THE HIGH BEAMS WERE ILLUMINATED, THE LIGHT WOULD MOVE TOO FAR UP IN THE AIR MAKING IT HARD FOR THE CONTACT TO SEE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ATTEMPTED TO ADJUST THE LIGHT AND CHANGE THE LIGHT BULBS BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE DEALER ALSO REFERENCED OTHER MODELS FROM THE SAME YEAR BUT DID NOT FIND SIMILAR FAILURES. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,500. UPDATED 05/19/10 *BF UPDATED 09/30/10

DEAR RECEIVER OF THIS, MY NAME IS [XXX] , INDUSTRY VETERAN AND EXPERT IN AUTOMOTIVE HEATED SEAT TECHNOLOGY, FAILURE MODE SAFETY, ANALYSIS AND FAILURE INVESTIGATION. I AM A PASSIONATE PROPONENT FOR CHANGE AND ADVANCEMENT OF IMPROVED HEATED SEAT SAFETY. I HAVE 24 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE OF AUTOMOTIVE HEATED SEAT TECHNOLOGY, AUTOMOTIVE CAR AND SEAT MANUFACTURERS IN USA, EUROPE AND ASIA. I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I AM AVAILABLE AS AN INDEPENDENT TECHNICAL RESOURCE FOR HEATED SEAT TECHNOLOGY KNOW-HOW, SHOULD YOU SEE THE NEED. PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO CONTACT ME WITH ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. BEST REGARDS [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR