NHTSA Complaint #10105635 — 2004 SAAB 9-3

I AM AN OWNER OF A 2004 SAAB 9-3SS AND IT HAS COME TO MY IMMEDIATE ATTENTION THAT THERE MAY BE A FAULT WITH THE ELECTRONIC STEERING WHEEL LOCK ENGAGEMENT ON THIS VEHICLE. I HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ACCIDENT AS A DIRECT RESULT OF MY SEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP. THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HILL. BEFORE THE PHYSICAL LOCK-UP OF THE STEERING WHEEL I DEPRESS MY CLUTCH GETTING READY TO ENGAGE A GEAR COMING OUT OF NEUTRAL, THE ENGINE MAGICALLY DIES (THE RPM?S DROP FROM IDLE SPEED TO ZERO, THEY KEY IS IN THE ?ON? POSITION AND THE CAR IS MOVING), WITHOUT ANY NOTICE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP AS IF THE KEY WAS REMOVED, ALL WHILE I?M ATTEMPTING TO NAVIGATE WINDING DOWNHILL TURNS. I COULDN?T TURN THE STEERING WHEEL SO I REACTED QUICKLY BY GETTING ON THE BRAKES AND SLOWING THE VEHICLE WHILE TURNING THE KEY OFF THEN ON AGAIN TO RELEASE THE LOCKED STEERING WHEEL SO THAT I COULD STEER THE VEHICLE. *AK