NHTSA Complaint #10121771 — 2001 SAAB 9-5

1. DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40MPH, COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE WITH OUT ANY WARNING. 2. CAR COULD BREAK BUT POWER ASSISTED STEERING WAS NON FUNTIONAL, STEERING FUNCTIONED WITH OUT POWER ASSISTANCE, BUT VERY HARD TO SAFELY STEER VEHICLE. 3. WAS ABLE TO MOVE CAR OFF ROAD INTO GRASS DITCH AWAY FROM REAR TRAFFIC. 4. BLACK SMOKE CAME FROM DRIVERS SIDE OF ENGINE WITH SMELL OF BURNT PLASTIC AND RUBBER. 5. CERTIFIED SAAB MECHANIC DIAGNOSED CAR AND FOUND THAT THE IGNITION CASSETTE FAILED AND BURNED FROM WITHIN. REPLACED IGNITION CASSETTE AT A COST OF $500. 6. THERE ARE TWO IGNITION CASSETTES IN THE SAAB 95. THE REMAINING UNIT HAS 60,000 MILES ON IT. 7. IF THIS FAILURE TOOK PLACE ON A HIGHWAY IN FAST MOVING TRAFFIC, A TRAGIC ACCIDENT COULD RESULT. THERE IS NO WARNING OF THE FAILURE. I HAD THREE CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE. 8. THERE WAS SOME MINOR SMOKE DAMAGE IN THE VEHICLE COMPARTMENT, THE FIRE WAS INTERNAL TO THE FAILED UNIT AND DID NOT SPREAD. HOWEVER TOXIC LIKE FUMES FROM THE BURNING PLASTIC EXISTED IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT CAUSING PASSENGERS TO COUGH. 9. SAAB USA KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM. AFTER THE INCIDENT I REVIEWED MANY SAAB WEBSITES AND FOUND OTHER INCIDENTS OF COMPLETE ENGINE FALURE DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. IT IS AN EXPENSIVE PROBLEM TO FIX. IT ALSO POSES A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD RESULT IN TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES. 10. SAAB USA SHOULD FIX THIS PROBLEM AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER.