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2006 9-3 SS 2.0T 75000 miles. At about 15000 miles, in February 2007 in Chicago, it developed an awful clunking/rattling sound in the front end when going over bumps. The dealer (Saab Exchange in Lake Bluff IL) found a TSB for adding something to the struts to prevent water getting into them and rusting, which is supposedly what caused the rattling to begin with. The struts were so bad that they replaced them instead of just adding the TSB parts, which completely fixed the problem.
Fast forward to last winter and about 60000 miles and I noticed the sound returning during 30 degree and colder weather - not as bad, but clearly the same feeling/sound. I describe it as feeling like a 1970's car with loose tie rods, rattling over small bumps in the road like something is loose. It seems to improve after driving the car for a while, either from the struts warming or just loosening up with use. Spring came and the problem goes away completely for the summer. Last week during a cold snap in Chicago I begin feeling/hearing it again - to the point that a passenger asked if something was wrong with the car.
SO, THE QUESTION IS for the mechanics on this site, is this typical? Assuming you agree with the strut being a common problem, is the problem due to the OEM strut design, or would an aftermarket strut suffer the same problem? Is there an aftermarket strut you recommend? (I do not want the ride to be ANY stiffer or "sporty")
I absolutely HATE the feeling of that rattle in the front end and it transforms the car from being very enjoyable to drive to just plain irritating. I remember the first time I drove it after getting them replaced and realizing the difference was night and day!
Miscellaneous notes of interest as of 75K miles:
25.31MPG lifetime actual with with a 60% highway / 40% city mix of driving.
19.2 MPG worst one tank average. Middle of winter - mostly city driving
37.35 MPG best one tank average. Summer driving down the Eastern slope of the Rockies in Colorado into Nebraska.
These are actual calculated MPG's - my SID consistently shows an average that is about 10% high.
I'm still on my original front brakes with about 20% pads left.
Rear brakes were replaced at 59K, along with spark plugs.
Car was built in 10/05 and I just replaced the original battery as a precaution going into winter based on what other on this site have reported with battery life and suddenly dying.
Other than the strut issue, the only warranty repairs to the car have been:
Hood emblem that peeled off
Window pinch sensor that had to be reset
Sunroof stop which caused it to reverse and stay open
Power passenger seat which would, when reaching the end of it's height adjustment, would ratchet the gear instead of stopping the motor. - This turned out to be a debacle for the dealer causing 3 or 4 trips to get fixed properly. Wrong parts ordered, improper reinstallation, etc. Even now, there are a couple of trim pieces under the seat that are not fitted correctly. Last year the driver seat started doing the same thing but without warranty I will simply live with it like this.
CD changer was replaced because it ate a CD
Overall the car is holding up well and I'm hoping to hold on to it for it's entire life. I would like a crystal ball to tell me how long the turbo unit will last:-)
posted by 64.81.226...
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