Date: Fri, 15 Feb 2002 03:51:26 GMT From: "Beverly Hackett" <bhackettnopsamp.rr.com> Subject: Re: 1996 900S Check Engine Light
"Kenneth S." <nimrodnopsams.com> wrote in message news:3C64B823.26DEnopsams.com... > Maura Bracco wrote: > > > > I have owned a 1996 900s for around 2 1/2 years, after buying it at around > > 59,000 miles. It now has around 102,000 on it. The check engine light has > > come on several times since I bought it. I had the knock sensor replaced at > > one point but kept getting the check engine message now and then. My > > previous garage said the engine sounded OKand would simply reset the light > > after I burned a few tanks of gas whenever it came on, they said the engine > > is finicky regarding gas in this model. They suggested I run 94 octane. > > This seemed to do the trick. > > > > Recently I moved to an area that only has 91 octane as the highest octane > > level. The check engine light has come on a few times. A mechanic at the > > new garage in this area tells me it "could be an expensive problem", they > > seemed OK, but that comment gave me concern.... I'm thinking of just buying > > a reset tool for around $150 and resetting it when it comes on since thats > > what the old garage did, and I trusted them. > > > > Anyone think this is the best route to go? Anyone have similar experiences > > with a 1996 900s? Possible causes? Solutions? Comments? > > > I have a 1996 900SE, which I have owned for about a year. About two > months after I bought it, the check engine light came on, and stayed on, > for no apparent reason. Took it to the Saab dealers, who could find > nothing wrong, and suggested that I had not tightened up the gas cap > sufficiently. > > Light came on again, and stayed on, after a few weeks. Went to the > emissions testing station, and had the gas cap tested, to see if it was > defective. Everything OK, except that the light was out for several > miles after I replaced the gas cap, which had been off the car for about > half an hour while they tested it. Very mysterious. > > Took it again to the dealers, and said that, on every previous car I > had owned, the check engine light was a sign that the oxygen sensor > needed to be replaced, but the mileage on my car (about 65,000) seemed > to be too low for that. They replaced the oxygen sensor with a new > one. Light off for a week or so, then came back on. Took it in to the > dealers again. This time they fixed it properly. They decided the > problem was something to do with the wiring harness, and they fixed > that. No further problem (although for several weeks I thought someone > was trying to drive me insane, a la "Gaslight." I have a 1995 900S with 186,000 miles. My "Check Engine Light" has been going on and then going off for the last 2 weeks. I noticed that the temperature gauge seemed to be running cool (i.e. less than the mid-point). The CEL appeared to come on when the temperature gauge dropped even further. (to about 1/3 or less) They replaced the thermostat today and so far the light hasn't come back on. The car has be running fine the whole time.