1995 Saab 900

BRAKES LIGHT PORTIONS OF THE TAILLIGHT MELT AND DEFORM. WHILE THE OPTICS OF THE TAILLIGHT LENS IS DEGRADED THERE IS ALSO INTERNAL DEFORMATION THAT MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THE BULB, WHEN IT BURN OUT. THE DEFORMATION OF THE LENS CAUSES IT TO BE NEARER TO THE HEAT OF THE BULB CAUSING CONTINUED DEFORMATION. ULTIMATELY THE LENS WILL CONTACT THE BULB AND PROBABLY CAUSE IT TO BREAK. WHEN THE BULB BURNS OUT OR BREAK THE ENTIRE TAILLIGHT ASSEMBLY WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED. ALL DUE TO DESIGN FLAW THAT MANIFESTS ITSELF WHENEVER THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.

I EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC MANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 38,324 MILES. THE CAUSE WAS A SEIZED BEARING/BUSHING THAT SUBSEQUENTLY CAUSED THE CLUTCH CABLE TO BREAK WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT GEARS (I WAS ACCELERATING AWAY FROM A STOPLIGHT ON NJ STATE HIGHWAY 46E AT TIME OF FAILURE). REPAIR COST WAS ~$1K, BUT UPON COMPLAINING, THE DEALERSHIP PROVIDED THE PARTS (GOODWILL) AND I PAID THE LABOR: $600 OUT-OF-POCKET. THEIR RECEIPT COPY INDICATED THAT THE PARTS WERE BEING REPORTED AS A WARRANTY REPAIR.*AK

AS I WAS DRIVING THE CAR, A STRANGE ODOR COULD BE SMELLED IN THE CAR. I OPENED THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW TO DETERMINE IF THE ODOR WAS COMING FROM OUTSIDE OR INSIDE THE CAR. AS I REALIZED THE ODOR WAS COMING FROM INSIDE THE CAR, THE BOTTOM TWO OR THREE INCHES OF THE WINDSHIELD BEGAN TO FOG UP. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE MAIN STREET TO PARK THE CAR AND TURN THE ENGINE OFF. JUST AFTER I TURNED THE CORNER, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG EXPLODED. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE CAR, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, AND GOT OUT OF THE CAR. WHEN THE AIR BAG EXPLODED IT RIPPED APART THE TOP OF THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE DASHBOARD, IT SHATTERED THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD, AND IT FILLED THE CAR WITH FUMES (EVENTHOUGH THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WAS STILL ALL THE WAY DOWN). THE EXPLOSION OCCURED AT APPROXIMATELY 7:30 P.M. ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2000. THE AIRBAG EXPLODED AFTER THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 3/4 OF A MILE. BECAUSE IT WAS FRIDAY EVENING, I HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME. CARTER SAAB WAS CONTACTED ON MONDAY AND THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP ON TUESDAY. THE CAR HAS VERY FEW MILES ON IT AND HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ANY DAMAGE TO THE CAR. ALL SERVICING TO THIS CAR HAS BEEN PERFORMED BY CARTER SAAB, AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP AND REPAIR SHOP. ALL MANUFACTURER'S SERVICE AND WARRANTY WORK WAS PERFORMED BY CARTER. ALL MANUFACTURER'S RECALL WORK WAS PERFORMED BY CARTER. WHEN I STARTED THE CAR THE SRS WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. BEFORE DRIVING THE CAR, I READ THE SECTION CONCERNING THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE MANUAL CONTAINS THE INSTRUCTIONS THAT THE DRIVER IS TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE NEAREST DEALER IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE THE AIR BAR MAY NOT ACTIVATE IN CASE OF A COLLISION.

DRIVING @ 40MPH LOST ALL POWER IN CAR - ACCORDING TO MECHANIC, TIMING BELT JUMPED OFF (DIDN'T BREAK) . ENGINE VALVES WERE DESTROYED. I HAVE FOUND SOME INFORMATION (VIA INTERNET) THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED FREQUENTLY IN THE 95 V6 MODELS, YET SAAB CLAIMS NO SAFETY RECALL AND WILL NOT TELL ME IF IT FALLS UNDER THE "SERVICE CAMPAIGN" IN SPRING OF '95 - THEY TOLD ME TO CALL A SAAB DEALER! ANY HELP IN DETERMINING IF I HAVE AN RECOURSE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THIS CAR HAD ONLY 30K MILES ON IT!

STARTED AUTOMOBILE AND WENT 2 CAR LENGTHS AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD. SHUT ENGINE DOWN AND OPENED HOOD. CAUSE OF SMOKE WAS A CABLE THAT WAS ON FIRE. NOT HUGH, BUT LIKE BIC LIGHTER FLAMES. ABOUT 3 TO 5. BLEW OUT FIRE. WENT INTO OFFICE GOT SOME BOTTLED WATER. CAME BACK. RESTARTED AUTO. GOT OUT AND LOOKED AT ENGINE. FIRE AGAIN. PUT OUT WITH WATER. NOTHING ON ELECTRONIC INFOR DISPLAY INDICATED FIRE. CALLED DEALER AND MECHANIC ADVISED TO HAVE CAR TOWED IN, WHICH I DID. AT FIRST SAAB REP DID NOT EVEN WISH TO PAY FOR CAUSE OF PROBLEM, THE ELECTICAL HARNESS. FINALLY DID, BUT THIS IS A FIRE. I HAVE DROVE CARS FOR THE PAST 40 YEARS. THEY (SAAB) SHOULD NOT TAKE A FIRE LIGHTLY. I THINK THEY SHOULD RECALL THE CAR AND INVESTIGATE WHY IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THEY ELECTED EASY WAY OUT. THEY SHOULD PROVIDE ME WITH A NEW REPLACEMENT AND HAVE THEIR ENGINEERS GO THROUGH TO FIND OUT CAUSE AND MAKE REMEDIES. WHY DOES IT TAKE A LOSS OF LIFE TO GET ACTION? MY DEALERSHIP PEOPLE MENTIONED THAT THIS IS THE 4TH ELECTRICAL HARNESS THAT HAS NEEDED REPLACING AND THIS IN ONLY ONE DEALER. I KNOW THIS IS THE FIRST FIRE THAT THE DEALERSHIP HAS SEEN. DO THE PUBLIC A SERVICE AND TAKE SAAB TO TASK. AS MY NEW WEB PAGE STATES, A FIRE SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. I CAN ONLY THINK YOU WILL AGREE. *AK