NHTSA Complaint #10138968 — 1999 SAAB 9-5

WHILE DRIVING ON A VERY BUSY L.A. FREEWAY ON A SATURDAY EVENING MY CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER WITH NO WARNING TO THE POINT OF ALMOST STALLING. LUCKY FOR ME I SAY MY PRAYERS AND WAS ABLE TO NAVIGATE TO THE OFF RAMP AND COAST ON TO THE STREET WHERE I WAS PUSHED OUT OF TRAFFIC BY A GOOD SAMARITAN (I'M A SINGLE FEMALE DRIVER). I NOTICED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. I WAS ABLE TO START IT AGAIN AFTER AWHILE AND CHUGGED HOME 30 SLOW MILES TO MY HOUSE ( I WAS ALL OUT OF TOWS ON AAA AND NO MECHANICS OPEN AT THAT TIME).NEXT WEEK MY SAAB MECHANIC INDICATES THAT IT IS THE DI FAILING. ESTIMATED COST PART/LABOR IS $550.00. I JUST REPLACED THE DI 9/15/2003 AFTER A SIMILAR INCIDENT HAPPENED AND ALL POWER WAS LOST WHILE DRIVING, I COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HAD IT TOWED TO SAAB. COST TO ME THE FIRST TIME WAS APPROXIMATELY $450.00 NOT INCLUDING CAR RENTAL. NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD ON THE '99S AS ALL THESE POSTED COMPLAINTS INDICATE AND I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING WHY THE CURRENT RECALL IS NOT INCLUDING '99S. I'VE HELD OFF REPLACING THE REPLACEMENT THAT LASTED ONLY 20,000 MI/2 YEARS HOPING TO GET SOME RECOGNITION/HELP FROM SAAB WITH THIS. PART IS AVAILABLE. OBVIOUSLY THE CURRENT (FAILED) DI IN MY CAR IS A 2000 - 2002 SAAB DI - SO WILL THEY TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS REPAIR? THIS IS RIDICULOUS! I ADAMANTLY BELIEVE SAAB SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM ON THE 99S AS (I HAVE FOUND OUT) IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AMONG OWNERS. *NM