Check engine light kept going on and off and car had made a loud popping noise from the electrical system, when trying to start one day. I checked online for recalls, which stated there was a recall for electrical, ignition issues. I took my car into a repair shop to check on check engine light. There is a recall 06v410000, oct 26 2006 for this very issue but for 6 cylinder, and mine is a 4 cylinder engine. The repair shop replaced the ign cassette. This was a very expensive repair, $582.45 and should be covered by saab. My car could have caught on fire. What do you have to say about that!
Saab 9-5 fire or smoke problems
29 of the 557 owner complaints about the Saab 9-5 describe fire, smoke or burning smell, most of them for the 1999 model year.
- owner complaints
- 29
- worst model year
- 1999
- typical repair cost reported
- $582
- typical mileage
- 75,000
Is there a fix? There are 2 recalls for this area of the car. See below
By model year
Often reported together
Stalling 11Loss of power 9Check engine light 9Overheating 2Engine failure 2Won't start 1Shudder 1Misfire 1
What owners say
Tl*the contact owns a 2000 saab 9-5. While approaching a stop light at 10 MPH, the vehicle began vibrating excessively and the engine light illuminated on the instrument control panel. Minutes later, the interior lighting dimmed, the vehicle dramatically decelerated, and a burning smell was present. The vehicle lost power, but was restarted 15 minutes later. The vehicle was driven to a local dealer and they stated that the vehicle was experiencing the same failure as stated in the federal safety agency campaign id number 05v399000 (electrical system:ignition:module). The contact would have to pay for the repair. The vehicle is currently being repaired. He filed a formal complaint with the manufacturer. The VIN and engine size were unknown. The failure and current mileages were 59,000.
Tl*the contact owns a 2002 saab 9-5 arc. While driving 20 MPH, the engine misfired and the contact noticed a burning smell. Approximately ten minutes after she parked the vehicle, there were flames coming from the rear of the vehicle near the fuel tank. The flames engulfed the vehicle and caused damaged to the trees and driveway. The fire destroyed the vehicle. As of december 5, 2007, the insurance company or manufacturer had not inspected the vehicle. The contact stated that recall #07v087000 (fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings) was performed two weeks prior to the failure. The contact felt that the recalled part caused the failure. The current and failure mileages were 66,500.
Tl*the contact owns a 2000 saab 9-5. The contact believes that the ignition discharge module was the cause of her vehicle catching fire. The contact stated that before the fire occurred, the check engine light flashed. The contact's husband was driving when he noticed smoke rising from under the hood. He pulled over and exited the vehicle as it caught fire. The fire department extinguished the fire and the vehicle was towed. A police report was filed. The purchase date and speed were unknown. The current and failure mileages were 92,000.
1999 saab 9-5 v6 (127,000 miles). No prior related problem before this incident. Upon start up, vehicle ran rough at idle. Low power when attempting to accelerate. Parked vehicle and raised hood. Noticed smoke coming from ignition module on front side of engine, strong smell of burning plastic. Also smelled raw gas coming from exhaust. Check engine light came on. Engine stalled and would not run again. This all took place in less than 5 minutes. Vehicle was towed back home. Replacement ignition cassette currently on order.
Letter from insurance company regarding loss of saab due to fire with request for payment**cc the consumer noticed that one of the lights on the dashboard had illuminated and the vehicle began to act strangely. The consumer arrived home parked the vehicle in the garage and then suddenly the vehicle caught on fire. *jb updated
My direct ignition module failed right as I was exiting the freeway. The car started shaking violently and I picked up the burning smell of electronics coming from the front of my car. If it had happened moments before, I would not want to imagine what would've happened. This has been a widely reported issue and a recall has been issued for the federal safety agency campaign id number : 05v399000 . However, I believe that saab is skirting on their responsibilities since the v6 model uses the exact same part as the one covered under the recall. This is a very dangerous defect and should be addressed for all saabs with these part numbers.
Stall and surging to the point the brakes would not hold the car back at a stop. Later idm failed without warning . Seen smoke coming form coil, pack.
August 12, 2006 our 2002 saab 9-5 sportwagon caught fire. Returning home from vacation the check engine light displayed. Information in the owner's manual and a phone call to our saab dealer lead us to believe that the car was safe to drive. As we approached the toll plaza in mays landing, nj the car stalled and began to smoke. We evacuated the car. Toll personnel extinguished the fire and summoned the laureldale fire company and the nj state police. The action taken by the toll personnel prevented a potential disaster. The car was towed to an impound lot in egg harbor ctiy, nj . After a few hours we were able to arrange fora rental to transport us and our vacation baggage home. At this time we did not know the extend of damage to the car other than it could not be driven to our home and it was a saturday. The closest saab dealer in cherry hill, nj was not open for service calls. We arrived home 5 hours later than expected with a rental car that cost $125/day and $0.20 a mile + gas. We droveback to nj in the morning to return the rental because we did not want to incur any unnecessary expenses. Sunday august 13 we traveled back to galloway, nj to return the rental vehicle. This fire should not have occurred and saab should pick up any expenses relating to a car fire of a 2002 vehicle with 59,518 miles. The car has been repaired, we picked it up from the dealer in cherry hill, nj august 19, 2006. Repairsr were covered by saab along with the towing to the dealership. The failure of two ignition cassettes caused a fire in the catalytic converter, damaging the converter, exhaust pipe, and mounts. Saab has not explained why the mechanical failure caused the fire and has given us no assurance that it will not happen again. Saab has declined to pay the additional cost we incurred which total less than $500.00 we filed a complaint with saab customer service and a claim with our insurance carrier.
Dt*: the contact stated while parking, smoke was noticed coming in through the vents. After exiting the vehicle, it caught on fire. The fire department extinguished the fire and filled out a report. A police report was also filed on the scene before the vehicle was towed. One passenger sustained minor injuries. The dealer has not been alerted.
Related recalls
Electrical system: ignition: module
- What is wrong
- Certain passenger vehicles equipped with 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 january 2003. The recall is expected to begin during december 2005. Owners may contact saab at 1‑800‑955‑9007. Note: this recall is an expansion of a previous campaign (please see 05v399).
Recall number 06V410000 · Recall details
Electrical system: ignition: module
- 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
Questions about the Saab 9-5 fire or smoke
Which Saab 9-5 years have fire, smoke or burning smell problems?
The model years with the most reports are 1999 (9 complaints), 2001 (7 complaints) and 2002 (7 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix fire, smoke or burning smell on the Saab 9-5?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $582 (median of 6 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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