2001 Saab 9-3 problems

What is wrong

On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel pump retaining tabs holding the fuel lines were damaged during production.

Risk

Over time, this could cause the fuel lines to loosen from the pump resulting in fuel leakage. If an ignition source were present, the fuel may ignite resulting in a vehicle fire.

Remedy

Dealers will develop a securing bracket that will secure the fuel lines to the fuel pump even if the plastic retaining tabs should break. The recall began on may 12, 2006. Owners may contact saab at 1‑800‑955‑9007.

Recall number 06V126000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Certain passenger vehicles equipped with b205/b235 4-cylinder gasoline engines and b308 6-cylinder gasoline engines may experience overheating and burnout of the isolated gated bipolar transistor (igbt) within the ignition discharge module (idm) due to increased susceptibility to electrical loads.

Risk

Overheating of the igbt occurs most often at engine start-up, but it may also occur while the engine is running. Engine stalling may occur, which could result in a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect to see what version idm is in the vehicle and replace the idm if it is a version built prior to the introduction of qp3. An interim letter will be mailed to owners in october 2005, informing them of the condition. Parts are now available and owners will be notified to bring their vehicles in to the dealers to have the idm replaced by letter dated march 13, 2006. Owners may contact saab at 1‑800‑955‑9007.

Recall number 05V399000 · Recall details

What is wrong

On certain passenger vehicles, the fuel pump retaining tabs holding the fuel lines were damaged during production.

Risk

Over time, this could cause the fuel lines to loosen from the pump resulting in fuel leakage. If an ignition source were present, the fuel may ignite resulting in a vehicle fire.

Remedy

Dealers will develop a securing bracket that will secure the fuel lines to the fuel pump even if the plastic retaining tabs should break. The recall began on march 14, 2005. Owners should contact saab at 1‑800‑955‑9007.

Recall number 04V557000 · Recall details

What is wrong

Vehicle description: certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with requirements of fmvss no. 208, "occupant crash protection." the air bag alert labels may not be permanently affixed as required by this standard.

Risk

These vehicles do not comply with the requirements.

Remedy

Dealers will clean the sunvisor surface and apply a new air bag alert label on both sunvisors. Owner notification began july 30, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact saab at 1‑800‑955‑9007.

Recall number 01V168000 · Recall details

On november 19, 2004 gm notified odi of a defect condition that could result in fuel leakage at the fuel pump connections in approximately 17,400 model year (my) 2001 and 2002 saab 9-3 passenger vehicles built at the uusikaupunki, finland assembly plant between may 2000 and july 2002 (gm recall no. 14101, the federal safety agency recall no. 04v‑557).according to gm, plastic fuel pump retaining tabs holding the fuel lines were damaged during the manufacturing process for some of the 9-3 vehicles built at the finland plant.gm indicated that, over time, this could cause the fuel lines to loosen from the pump resulting in fuel leakage which, in the presence of an ignition source, couldcause a vehicle fire.the recalled vehicles were fitted with a securing bracket to hold the fuel lines to the fuel pump even if theretaining tabs should break. Rq05-003 was opened to investigate complaints of fuel pump retaining tab failure resulting in fuel leakage in my 2001 saab 9-3 vehicles built at the trollhatten, sweden plant.in its response to rq05-003 gm indicated that concerns with the retaining tab failure in my 2001 saab 9-3 vehicles were not limited to vehicles produced in finland.in an april 20, 2006 letter (copy attached), gm informed the federal safety agency that it was expanding its recall to include the my 2001 9-3 vehicles built in sweden (gm recall no. 14101, the federal safety agency recall no. 06v‑126).saab plans to begin mailing owner letters for the additional vehicles in may 2005.this investigation is closed.

RQ05003

Odi opened pe05-017 based on 35 reports of alleged engine stalling due to the failure of the idm cassette on the subject vehicles.all complainants reported that the engine shut down suddenly without warning and most reported that the vehicle would not restart.in 3 incidents, the complainants reported smoke and/or fire resulted from the idm failure.during pe05-017, additional failure data was identified as noted in the failure report summary above.the complaint data represents incidents where the complainants alleged a stall or fire.on september 13, 2005, general motors (gm) notified the federal safety agency of a safety defect on 95,081 my 2000-2002 saab 9-3 and 9-5 vehicles with 4-cylinder gasoline engines and 8,117 my 2001 9-5 vehicles with 6- cylinder gasoline engines (recall 05v‑399).the notification stated that certain vehicles within these populations may experience overheating and burnout of the isolated gated bipolar transistor (igbt) within the idm due to increased susceptibility to electrical loads.overheating of the igbt occurs most often at engine start-up for both a 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder engine, but it may also occur while the engine is running.when the idm fails on a 4-cylinder while it is running, the engine may stall without warning, with no ability to be restarted.when the idm fails on a 6-cylinder engine while it is running, the driver will initially experience reduced power and rough operation because the engine will only be running on three cylinders.the check engine light will flash.if the driver continues, unburnt fuel in the exhaust can cause thermal damage to the catalytic converter.the engine may stall and not restart.thermal damage to other underhood components and the underbody may also result from prolonged driving.the recall population encompasses 84% of the stalling and fire complaints (215 for vehicles with 4-cylinder engines and 36 for vehicles with 6-cylinder engines).the 36 months in service (mis) stalling rates for each model year of recalled vehicles with 4-cylinder engines were all greater than two percent.although the 36 mis stall rate for the recalled my 2001 vehicles with v6 engines was lower, at 1.3 percent, these vehicles also had the highest rate of confirmed (open flame verified) fires at 62 per 100,000 vehicles.gm will instruct owners to bring their vehicles to a dealer for idm inspection and replacement, if necessary.consequently, this investigation is closed.odi will monitor the effectiveness of the scope and remedy of gm's action and take further action if warranted.

PE05017