CAR IS A SAAB 9-5 2.3L, LPT WAGON, 1999. THE DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE FAILED, FORTUNATELY THE CAR WAS NOT TOTALLY DISABLED AND WE COULD GET TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS, WITH THE CELL ON. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF THE FAILURE OF THIS PART AT HIGHWAY SPEED, WHICH RISKS A CATASTROPHE. THIS VEHICLE BEGAN TO RUN BADLY AND WITHIN 4 DAYS THE CELL CAME ON AND THE NEXT TIME IT WAS DRIVEN WAS TO THE DEALER. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AND THE DIG AND PLUGS REPLACED. THE CAR IS 5 MONTHS OLD ON A 4 YEAR WARRANTY, BUT MILEAGE IS ON 35,900 AT THE DEALER. AFTER DISCUSSION WITH SAAB CONSUMER SERVICE, SAAB AGREED TO PAY FOR ALL PARTS BUT NOT THE LABOR. APPARENTLY THEY ARE AWARE INTERNALLY OF THIS PROBLEM ON 1999 AND LATER SAAB 9-5'S AND THE DIRECT IGNITION CASSETTE. THERE OUGHT TO BE AN ABSOLUTE RECALL FOR THIS, AND IF SO WE SHOULD ALSO BE REIMBURSED OUR LABOR CHARGE. WE ARE ALSO UNCERTAIN AS TO WHETHER THE CASSETTES NOW PRODUCED ARE EQUALLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO FAILURE.*AK
2008
AIR BAGS
I HAVE A 2008 9-5 SAAB AND THE PASSENGER AIRBAG TURNS ITSELF ON AND OFF WHILE SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT AND THE CAR IS MOVING. THE SENSOR IS SUPPOSED TO BE SET TO TURN AIRBAG ON FOR 90 LBS BUT MY WIFE AND KIDS WEIGH ABOUT 120 LBS AND THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP THE AIRBAG SENSOR ON IS TO PULL YOURSELF DOWN IN THE SEAT AND HOLD ON. I HAVE NOTIFIED SAAB ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THEY CANNOT FIX NOR DO THEY SEEM WILLING TO TRY. MY WIFE SAT IN OTHER 2008 9-5?S AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AT THE DEALERSHIPS AND THEY WITNESSED THE PROBLEM SO IT IS NOT JUST OUR CAR. I HOPE SOMEONE AT SAAB/GM WILL TAKE THIS UP AND GET IT FIXED BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED OR HURT DUE TO FAULTY AIRBAGS ON ALL 2008 9-5 MODELS! THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE SENSOR IS LOCATED SUCH THAT THE WEIGHT OF THE PERSON SITTING IN THE SEAT IS DISTRIBUTED AWAY FROM THE SENSOR AND THE ?REPAIR? NOTED IN THEIR MANUAL DOES NOT WORK. THEY DO NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM IN THEIR OTHER LINE OF CARS AS THEY HAVE DIFFERENT SENSORS. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP NOTIFIED ME THAT THEY KNOW GM ALSO HAS THIS PROBLEM IN THEIR LINE OF VEHICLES WITH THE SAME SENSOR/SEAT PROBE. I HOPE BY GETTING THIS INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC, NO ONE WILL BE HURT OR KILLED IN A CRASH INVOLVING A 2008 9-5 SAAB WHEN THE AIRBAG DOES NOT DEPLOY BECAUSE THE PERSON IS LESS THAN 140 LBS AND SITTING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. *TR