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Well, new Aero is going back to dealer tomorrow (Symes in Pasadena) for a third visit. I've had it 24 days, and 14 of the last 16 it has been in the shop. I did some soul-searching before posting this, because I love Saab (sounds corny) and I don't want to add to its woes or damage its reputation, but SaabNet has become a community based on honest sharing - advice, problems, solutions, praise and rants. And we wrote a big check for this car and can hardly remember what it looks like.
Visit one (10 days) was for no A/C (but zero ACC faults on repeated recalibrations) and SID warning "theft protection failure" at each startup. As they trouble-shot, they replaced the coolant, the "water valve" (50-48-830), "reprogrammed" the T7, R&R the “pump shut-off valve,” replaced the DICE unit, then replaced the T7 (this item not on the invoice, but orally reported by the service advisor), reprogrammed ACC computer, and recharged the A/C system. When I picked it up last Friday, it was a hot day and the A/C was making cold air, but not nearly as much as my wife's 2002 Linear would have (or my 1996 900SET!). When I started it the next morning, the "theft protection failure" was still on the SID. Drove straight back to the dealer with the error message still displayed.
That was visit two (4 days). When I picked it up this afternoon, the "theft protection failure" message was gone but the A/C was weaker than before (and it was only 72F in Pasadena today). I ran the ACC re-calibration 5-6 times and got fault "19" every time. Recirculation pump problem, I read on this board. Before visit #1, there had been no fault codes. Between visits #1 and #2, I didn’t check – I confess I was more concerned with the alarm system fault. Anyway, this evening I didn’t have time to get back to Symes before they closed, so…
Back it goes tomorrow, and I suppose I'll be once again in “Moby Dick” (the Great White 14mpg Caddy DeVille land yacht loaner that has actually begun to grow on me after two weeks driving it - once I found the cup-holders).
I really like my new Aero, but I think this particular copy has some kind of electronic gremlins. The Symes crew are diligently trying their best to trace down these gremlins and I’m sure they hope to see the last of me for a while each time I drive away. No complaints about them – they have treated me well throughout. And Saab Customer Service has been following the saga via phone and e-mail.
Stay tuned.
BTW - I'll be at the Aero Academy on June 12/13.
/Geoff
Active
'04 Aero - 840 miles – battling gremlins
'02 Linear - 19k miles - 100% trouble-free since day one
'96 900SET - 107k mi - looking better and better
Emeritus
'95 900S (in Hong Kong - RHD)
'88 900S
'87 900S (RIP – saved wife and kids)
'82 900
posted by 24.205.42...
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