Date: Tue, 09 Jun 1998 00:20:45 -0700 From: Laurence Lavelle <lavellenopsamucla.edu> Subject: 1995 SAAB 900SE IS 100% NOT RELIABLE
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 fixed/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, door protectors & dealer installed. Car is kept in underground garage at home and work. We leased the car (36 months) with the intention of buying it. If we don't purchase the car this July we lose $18,300 in payments already made. (Assuming there are no additional fees, which their should not because car has low mileage and no damage/no accidents.) All the repairs that were done under warranty I estimate would cost ~$10,000. So do we walk away and take our $18,300 loss or anticipate BIG repair bills after the warranty expires? Laurence (P.S. I've tried real hard to keep my head cool [no pun intended] while writing this.)
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