- #2355 of 2410
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Re: Please help me figure out what is wrong with my Saab's transmission [mi
by Mr_Shiftright HOST
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Jul 17, 2008 (8:53 am)
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Replying to: misben (Jul 17, 2008 6:04 am)
I'm with Kiawah here. The problem is that the car is worth very little, even if it were clean and running well. Perhaps $3,500 is all the money in the world for this car, so if you sell it AS IS for $1,000 or spend $2,500 more in order to get $3,500, you are in the same boat either way.
I'd just punch out if I were you, have a few drinks, eat your losses and stay away from Saabs for the rest of your life.
Good luck, sorry this turned out so badly for you.
PS: If this solution is too hard for you, you could spend a few hundred dollars and get a really good diagnosis from a qualified transmission shop. It seems painfully obvious that whoever has been working on the car in the past needs as much help as you do right now.
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- #2356 of 2410
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Re: Please help me figure out what is wrong with my Saab's transmission [mi [Mr_Shiftright]
by misben
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Jul 17, 2008 (10:50 am)
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Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jul 17, 2008 8:53 am)
Unfortunately, it's a Saab dealer that has done all the work for me. I tried to complain to Saab...but they are all independent and everyone passes the buck.
Thanks for the suggestion... I do not drink but this maybe a good time to start.
Do you think that it could be the range or as it is otherwise called, safety /neutral transmission switch? Would it cause these symptoms?
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- #2357 of 2410
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Re: My 2000 daewoo Leganza isnt working! [asouthard]
by burdawg
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Jul 17, 2008 (11:39 am)
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Replying to: asouthard (Jul 17, 2008 8:32 am)
So when you try to put it in gear, drive, reverse or other it does nothing, or is it that you can't move the trans selector at all?
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- #2358 of 2410
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Re: Please help me figure out what is wrong with my Saab's transmission [mi
by Mr_Shiftright HOST
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Jul 17, 2008 (1:01 pm)
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Replying to: misben (Jul 17, 2008 10:50 am)
It's hard for me to say without driving it. I can't tell if maybe you are starting out in 2nd gear or what. That's why I was suggesting a competent diagnosis. Also I can't see how you need an alternator if the car is actually starting and running, nor can I understand why the codes can't be cleared. So much about this car doesn't seem to add up, it's kind of confusing to make good guesses. I wish I could drive it.
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- #2359 of 2410
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Re: Please help me figure out what is wrong with my Saab's transmission [mi [Mr_Shiftright]
by misben
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Jul 17, 2008 (3:33 pm)
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Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jul 17, 2008 1:01 pm)
God, I wish you could drive it too...I spoke to another shop today (they say they work on lots of Saab's) they told me that it sounds like the car is operating on "Limp" mode and if that is so, the computer doesn’t know what the car should be doing and the transmission is not engaging at all. He suggested that we replace the neutral switch (I replaced this a couple of years ago already). He said that this could be the reason the car is functioning this way. . I spoke to yet another shop and they said it sounds like the transmission pump is not working and neither is the gearbox. All i know is when you put it in drive, it takes several seconds before it goes into gear and then it does but it sounds and feels like it is all bound up, like you are runing the car with the E. brake on or dragging tons of rocks.
To answer a couple of your questions: I know that the linkage cable has slipped and needs to be adjusted so that the gears line up again on the shifter, but I compensate for the slippage and still have it in drive when I try to run it. The codes are indicating "low Voltage" and that is why they are telling me that I need to replace the alternator first and clear that code and then they can see what other codes come up..the check engine and gearbox lights are on though.
I just do not know who or what to believe anymore. I think what I might do is go ahead and tow it to the first shop I indicated above and have them see if there is a way to test out the transmission switch and see if it is faulty and go from there. My fear is that they will replace this ($600) and it may not be it and if it does not clear the issue, I maybe stuck still replacing the transmission. 
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- #2360 of 2410
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Re: Please help me figure out what is wrong with my Saab's transmission [mi
by burdawg
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Jul 17, 2008 (6:19 pm)
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Replying to: misben (Jul 17, 2008 3:33 pm)
I've been reading your posts but have been more or less mum on your problems, but I do have one comment. If your getting a low voltage code readout, then why don't they just check the alternator and see if it's working? You could have some other electrical problem that is causing these multiple symptoms and is dragging the voltage down. This could be one of those hard to find electrical malfunctions that only the right experienced person could find. Unfortunately those type of people are hard to find, especially for a Saab.
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- #2361 of 2410
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Re: Please help me figure out what is wrong with my Saab's transmission [mi
by kiawah
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Jul 17, 2008 (6:49 pm)
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Replying to: misben (Jul 17, 2008 3:33 pm)
I should do full disclosure here. I've been in your shoes. One of my first vehicles back in the 70's was a used SAAB. I had to tow it home when I bought it and fix it, and that was an indicator of things to come. I had it for about 3 years, and it forever was having something major go wrong with it. The only place you could find parts was at the dealer, and they were way overpriced. The only place that had skills to fix it was at the dealership, and they were way overpriced.
I kept it alive and running as long as I could, and finally one day I called up the SAAB dealership, asked them if they wanted to buy it for parts, and they sent a tow truck to haul it back. I would have given it away if I had to. I swore I would NEVER own another SAAB, and haven't.
I'd be figuring out the minimum I had to do to unload it. Life's too short to have to worry about vehicles that are un-reliable.
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- #2362 of 2410
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Re: Please help me figure out what is wrong with my Saab's transmission [mi [kiawah]
by burdawg
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Jul 18, 2008 (5:46 am)
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Replying to: kiawah (Jul 17, 2008 6:49 pm)
I don't know much about Saabs, and most people say it's better for me if I keep it that way.
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- #2363 of 2410
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Re: Please help me figure out what is wrong with my Saab's transmission [mi
by Mr_Shiftright HOST
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Jul 18, 2008 (1:46 pm)
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Replying to: burdawg (Jul 17, 2008 6:19 pm)
My feeling exactly. Why doesn't a shop simply test the alternator instead of throwing expensive parts at this car? If the alternator is bad, and we have low voltage throughout the electrical system, that will screw up all the computers in the car anyway and might cause these symptoms.
"limp mode" sounds like a good guess, but why can't they read the codes instead of guessing?
Does ANYONE know what they are doing here, is the question of the day!
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- #2364 of 2410
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by wtd44
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Jul 21, 2008 (9:14 am)
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Does Saab have an oversight administration of some sort, such as "district managers" or a rough equivalent? I wonder if such a manufacturer's representative could help out in this sort of situation.
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