NEW

I RECENTLY CAME ACROSS THE FOLLOWING HORROR STORY.

Posted by ---- on July 16, 1998 at 14:05:52:

I was real excited about going to look a '95 900 someone is selling until i started looking through the alt.autos.saab newsgroup. The following horror story concerns me. The guy selling the one I am looking at hasnt had one problem. I also read something about the 1995 1st series having problems which were worked out by the 3rd series. Does anyone know if this is true and how to tell which series it is?

Much appreciation in advance, ----

On Tue, 09 Jun 1998 00:07:15 -0700, ----- ------ wrote:

August 95 my wife and I bought our first new car, a very elegant silver SAAB 900SE.

What follows is the list of repairs (I'm not sure if I've got them all because I'm going through the invoices that we kept). All comments are taken directly from service print-out.

9/22/95 1623 miles Oil change etc./1000 mile service. Driver side seat belt is twisted. Remote not working & replaced. Rubber trim around windows is defective & 8 moldings are replaced.

10/31/95 5697 miles Oil change etc./5000 mile service. SID unit is replaced (for those who don't know this is the complete information display unit/computer). RF window seal replaced.

11/30/95 9081 miles Oil change etc. Check for oil leak/low oil light keeps coming on/found leak (accounts for smell of burning oil).

2/22/96 12762 miles Failed headlights. Two headlight bulbs replaced.

3/11/96(incorrect date) 14048 miles Oil change etc. Oil light keeps coming on. Oil sensor is too sensitive and oil level needs to be above normal level.

17/7/98 17010 miles Oil change etc./15000 mile service. Rear doors hard to open/not within specs/adjusted. Knocking noise from front of car (suspension?) at highway speeds/problem not solved. Oil light keeps coming on/oil topped up.

1/8/96 17352 miles Rear lower vents loose/reinstall. Knocking noise from front of car (suspension?) at highway speeds/problem not solved.

28/1/97 22735 miles Oil change etc./25000 mile service. Knocking noise from front of car (suspension?) at highway speeds/problem not solved. Oil light keeps coming on (turns out to be faulty SID). SID display numbers missing. SID is replaced again. Hissing sound/exhaust pipe replaced.

20/3/97 24073 miles SRS warning light/Fixed. (This is the airbag system.)

16/4/97 24879 miles Replace CK valve. Replace timing belt. Replace tooth belt (Don't remember what was wrong but that's what the service sheet states).

28/4/97 25325 miles Oil change.

8/8/97 28186 miles Brake light. Brake fluid low. Windshield washer jets not working/replace left side washer nozzle.

30/8/97 29505 miles Battery dead. Tow-in & replace battery.

10/10/97 29400 miles Oil change. Shifter badge loose/reglued. (Really sloppy job, glue all over top of shifter & badge, still their today.)

4/11/97 30430 miles Low coolant level warning light keeps coming on. Leak/replaced complete oil cooler & reseal. Replace 2 oil cooler seals, 8 sealing rings and 1 something else. Windshield washer jets not working/replaced 1 washer pump, 2 valves, 2 nozzles.

16/12/97 31496 miles Low coolant level warning light keeps coming on. Leak/replaced 2 O-rings, thermostat, outlet pipe, 2 oil cooler seals, 8 sealing rings, 1 flange, 1 gasket and 3 something else.

1/27/98 31925 miles Low coolant level warning light keeps coming on. Replace cover? Replace complete oil cooler & reseal. Replace 2 oil cooler seals, 8 sealing rings and 1 flange.

13/3/98 32543 miles Low coolant level warning light keeps coming on. Reseal oil cooler. Replaced 2 oil cooler seals and 8 sealing rings.

22/5/98 33781 miles Oil change etc. Repair slow leak in RR tire. Washer jets blocked again/cleaned.

Today, washer jets blocked again, need to make another appointment. Easier to stop at gas station and clear windshield, at least I know it works.

After months of knocking noise from front of car (suspension?) at highway speeds, it is no longer present. Service people say nothing was replaced?

Service people say their is a known problem with oil cooling system, but that it should be fixed. Also state that known problem with windshield washer system, partly due to plastic in system promoting fungus growth.

Each time we have to schedule an appointment, drop the car off/pick it up. And we thought we bought a New Car...
In addition we bought a dealer car cover, mud-flaps & dealer installed,

Right, this sounds all too well known!! I am sorry to say that the new shape 900's (Actually based on an Opel/Vauxhall chassis) are way down on quality and built finish!

I was horrified to see FOUR of these cars at my Saab specialist, when dropping off our 9000i (1988 model) for a service.

All of what you have described, is too common. It seems that GM forced SAAB to cut corners where it came to quality control. I have heard horror stories about engines collapsing (mind you we drive a lot faster here in the Netherlands, althought that IS illegal)|grin| We have heard about aircon units rusting through in under 3 years, allsorts of crappy constructions etc. I was tempted at buying a new style 900, but NO WAY! I am sticking with the old ones. THe 9-3 is too short on the market to be sure of all these problems having been sold!!

Even the 9-5 has its share of niggling problems, too familiar from what I experienced with our 9000i, which has got 290,000 miles under its fanbelt!

If I were you, I would drive this nightmare of yours through the showroom window, and demand a full refund. SAAB used to be a synonym for quality, lasting for years on end (one had to shoot it, to get rid of it). I would write a letter to SAAB Sweden, stating exactly what crap has been happening with your car! KEt them sort it out, this is far below average, and needs somekind of compensation!! Yet again, be carefull, look at the JD Power survey as was done in the UK, where the SAABs didn't fare that terribly well!

GOOD LUCK!!

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All of the information on these pages is to my knowledge either an accurate summary of events and facts or is my opinion. It doesn't represent the views of Saab (urgh), my Internet service provider, or anyone else.