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Saab 9-5 Sedan

2237 messages,  Last post on Jul 17, 2012 at 6:08 PM

You are in the Saab 9-5 Forum.

What is this discussion about? Saab 9-5, Sedan

Messages Page 195 of 225

#1932 of 2237 2001 9-5 troubles by altbigd

Jul 20, 2005 (9:42 am)

I have a 2001 9-5 with 85,000 miles. At 55,000 miles (last summer) I had to replace the engine due to oil sludge and had to pay $ 3000. I have had nothing but trouble with this car. (worst decision I have ever made) Last week the O2 sensor need replacement - this week they say I need a catalytic converter for $1840. Oops & they will refund me for the O2 sensor. I have smoke coming from the car at start up and and waiting for the turbo to go. As the dealer said would happen with the sludge issue.
What to Do?
Can't trade - the resale on SAAB's is awful.
Any suggestions - I have contacted SAAB regarding a refund - they indicated tit wasn't probable.
Also - is the converter issue related at all to the sludge issue?

#1933 of 2237 Re: 2001 9-5 troubles [altbigd] by blckislandguy

Jul 22, 2005 (3:25 pm)

Replying to: altbigd (Jul 20, 2005 9:42 am)
While you are a bit vague on details, my impression is that you now have a '01 9-5 with 30K on a remanufactured engine. How complete was the engine that was installed last summer and what was the warranty? ($3000 probably did not get you a complete remanufactured engine and installation. It is too low.) Apparently the engine smokes on start up. You probably have worn valve guides on the engine which at 30K miles is the fault of the remanufacturer. Is the replacement engine still within warranty? If not and if you can't live with it, the cylinder head has to come off and be redone at your expense.
 
Not sure what you mean by "waiting for the turbo to go". But if you are having problems with your turbo maybe an independent shop could install a remanufactured-exchange one for you.
 
All in all, European car at 4 years and 85K miles will have some problems. But at least when it is running well you have the satisfaction of driving a 9-5.

#1934 of 2237 DI Casette on what year? by volvocurious

Jul 22, 2005 (7:47 pm)

I have seen a lot of reports of problems with the DIC. Is this a problem on all 9-5's or just a specific model year(s)? Please be specific. I am looking at a 2002 and want to know if it will have similar problems. The salesman told me that they are replacing the old DI casettes with upgraded ones that won't be so unreliable. Is this bull?

#1935 of 2237 '01 9-5 DIC failure at 55K and 60K by jdowen

Jul 25, 2005 (8:19 am)

I have an '01 9-5 and have had the DICs fail twice, once melting the catalytic converter. The first failure was in 2003 at 55K miles without warning and I had one cassette replaced. About 5 months later, the engine light came on a day before failure. The second failure caused the catalytic converter to burn up. This time the technician said that both DI cassettes have to be replaced when one fails or you run the risk of recurrence (either I was had by this guy, or the first guy installed it wrong) - expensive stuff! I happened to be far from home both times so they were different dealerships. Fortunately I was credited for the cost of the first replacement.
 
I was just told last week that my car requires an update to the engine computer software that is intended to prevent DI cassette failures. Does anyone know much about this update? Does this mean that there was a problem with the old engine software causing the failures? Or is this update just what it says - added fail-safes to help reduce the occurrences of the failures?

#1936 of 2237 gvt in the dic trail by ffb13

Jul 25, 2005 (7:12 pm)

the nhtsa has published a paper on the saab dic unit.
 
it has a full report of failure rates and anticipated failure rates.
 
sorry i cannot tell you were to go to find it but do a search and use saab dic to see if this will take you to the site with the report.
 
or try the gvt. site.
 
it is a problem.
 
i have been carrying my spare for 3 years now.
major problem is that if it goes ,chances are that your cat conv. will to . but they go for $ 800. if you shop the net.
 

#1937 of 2237 Re: DI Casette on what year? [volvocurious] by aerodriver

Jul 29, 2005 (12:10 am)

Replying to: volvocurious (Jul 22, 2005 7:47 pm)
I can't reply specifically to your question on the DI cassette in a 2002 9-5, but keep in mind that the 2002 model year for the 9-5 was extensively refreshed, with numerous parts upgrades to improve performance and reliability. My 2002 Aero has had zero problems (cross my fingers!).

#1938 of 2237 Ideal Car? by blckislandguy

Aug 02, 2005 (8:14 pm)

I just came back from a long weekend in Montreal. Lovely city, great food, nice people without the anger so endemic in the Northeast US, good real estate prices, etc. My mind drifted to what might be the ideal car to do this 700 mile round trip once or twice a month year round to a condo on Sherbrooke St (yes, Montreal is that nice).
 
Running through the list of possibilites, I came up with the SAAB 9-5 as the ideal all weather interstate blaster. Nice ride, great fwd traction, great seats, and not an outrageous buy-in price (especially if you buy a used one a year or two old). The 9-5 is much better than the big SUVs I saw on the trip, more fun than a Volvo S70 AWD, and a lot less money than the runner up on my list, the MB E Series with AWD. Spec it out with Zenons, install some Blizzaks on all four corners, and you would be all set for some fun motoring, even in January.
 
On a different note, I was thinking today about the cost to repair Volvos/SAABs/Audi\/MB etc. and peoples reactions. My thought was that the cost for most any part is probably roughly the same across these car lines. A windshield wiper assembly, for example, on a Volvo is probably as expensive as on an E Series MB. The technicians certainly get paid the same. But people with the entry level lux cars (i.e., Volvo, SAAB, Audi) get excited and angry. They must think that because their SAAB or Volvo is not as expensive to buy as a MB or a Lexus , the cost of parts and service should be lower. This however has nothing to do with the cost of parts or service.

#1939 of 2237 2002 Saab 9.5 Areo Service by peterson33

Aug 05, 2005 (2:06 pm)

Service on my car was included up to the 30,000/36mo service. But looking at the service book, most items are listed as check this and check that.
 
The car is 3 years old and I have had the 36mo service. The car only has 20,000 miles on it. At this point I have had the oil changed every 10,000 miles (will do 5k from now on) and had the engine air filter and cabin air filter replaced along with the battery at the 36mo service.
 
Here's my question... when should you have the Auto trans fluid changed? How about the engine coolant, the fuel filter, the brake fluid? Seems like the dealer will change these things "when I need to" after they check them if I keep going back every 10k miles. the service book lists the spark plugs as needing to be changed at 40k.
 
I think it makes sense to "check' everything when I bring it in but there has to be a point at which service should be done. Especially if it's required to keep with the warranty. For example, I don't think i'd go past 50k on the coolant even if it is 100k coolant.
 
Any thoughts??

#1940 of 2237 my dilemma by mhuntlee

Aug 07, 2005 (12:51 pm)

i have made a 13.5k offer for a 01 9-5 SE v6 including one year bumper to bumper warranty.
dealer said 14k and i left without the car. i have looked at the carfax and there are 14 service records on it that are not oil changes. i asked for a full printout of detailed service history(most repairs were done at said dealership) and the dealer denied, citing legal restrictions, but i was allowed to speak with the saab service manager. the service manager informed me that repairs were all minor: headlight here, alternator there, a/c compressor (a common problem with all cars in the climate in which i live), oil leak (a little alarming)....
so my question is: am i being offered a good deal or lemon? i love the feel of the car but i am new to the luxury car arena. last car was a 91 honda civic.

#1941 of 2237 oil / tranny fluid change by ffb13

Aug 07, 2005 (2:45 pm)

peterson
 
in reply to your question.
i enjoy doing all the fluid changes myself.
good therapy and it gets done and right.
 
anyhow ,i change the oil every 3k
 
and i change the tranny fluid every 3 or 6k depending how i feel.
 
it is easy to do.
just pull out a medium size plug .
if car is hot about 4 will come out if not 3.
 
then screw it back
 
you will have to buy a washer ,an expansion washer to replace the old one. the tranny plug is forward of the oil on the drivers side.

Messages Page 195 of 225

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