Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1998 13:45:40 -0700 From: Leslie Aust <laustnopsamdchoice.com> Subject: An irritation I need answered.
I live in Phoenix, Arizona. My 1996 Saab 900 s has exceeded my expectations until I took a weekend trip to Flagstaff. The temperature in Phoenix was 58F at the time but the problem arose on the morning I stayed overnight in Flagstaff were the 6 am temperature was a nippy 13F. Starting the car was trouble. The engine would try it's best to start but it would not. It was on the third attempt the engine finally kept on going by itself but only at a sluggish 300 rpm. Car shook. Pressing the accelerator revved the rpm over 1500 rpm and I held my foot on it until I knew the engine was warm enough to be left idling. This was a month after my 35000 miles service. I reported this to my dealership service dept. After not anything wrong they said to change my fuel I was using. Stick to 92 octane of a well know brand. Which I have done. This morning at a tepid 53F I started my car and the rpm dropped again down to 800 rpm, shaking the car before I revved the engine again. Now I do not want to go back to the service people again and tell them of my experience because they will probably not find anything again. At all times the car acted like it should when the engine was warm. No lights came on. No computer message. This is a cold weather car. Could it be just the fuel? and this morning was just the last of the old dirty fuel left in the tank being burnt off!! The car is otherwise a solid reliable vehicle. Saab 900 s 96 automatic.