Date: 10 May 2002 16:19:09 -0700 From: echo888xnopsamo.com (Robert Adams) Subject: saab 9000 air conditioning / fan problem
I seem to be having a problem which I don't fully understand. My 9000 started making an odd screeching noise about the time the power died. I restarted it and drove home (without the noise). I noticed that there was an unusual fan type noise coming from the engine compartment. I found out that it was probably the a/c fan. This was confirmed when the sound stopped after turning the climate control to the off position. After looking things over under the hood while idling (with climate control on), some smoke briefly appeared from a/c compressor area. It seems like my a/c compressor has seized (smoke -- and not producing cold air), but what does this have to do with the fan being on anytime the climate control is on? The day before this happened, I had the high speed (not a/c) fan switch replaced along with the thermostat. Could there be any connection with that, or just coincidence of timing? If the compressor has seized, is the car all right to drive (with the climate control turned off)? I'm assuming that the compressor is disengaged and turns freely when in off position --- or am I frying my belt trying to turn a seized mechanism? Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.