NHTSA Complaint #10169807 — 2002 SAAB 9-5

LEAVING THE I-287 IN NJ FRIDAY AROUND 3.30 PM THE CAR STARTED TO LOOSE POWER BY NOT RESPONDING TO ANY THROTTLE PRESSURE. I PULLED OVER TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE AS SOON AS I COULD AND CAME TO A FALTERING HALT ON THE EXIT RAMP. I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND ON AGAIN TO SEE IF ANY WARNING DISPLAY INFORMATION WAS GIVEN. I LOOKED UNDER THE BONNET BUT COULD SEE NO SIGN OF ANY LEAKAGE OR EXCESS HEAT. I GOT BACK IN AND STARTED IT AGAIN AND IT FIRED UP BUT ONLY WITH LITTLE POWER AND WOULD HARDLY REV UP. I WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD OFF OF THE EXIT RAMP AS I WAS IN A VERY DANGEROUS POSITION ON A FAST UPHILL GRADUAL 90 DEGREE TWO LANE RAMP WITH NO SHOULDER, THERE WAS TRAFFIC COMING CONSTANTLY, IT WAS FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND POURING WITH RAIN. WHEN EVER I PUT IT INTO GEAR IT WOULD START TO MOVE BUT AS IT WAS UPHILL IT WAS NOT VERY PRODUCTIVE. I GAVE UP AFTER THE ENGINE STALLED AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN, BUT DID MANAGE TO GET THE CAR AS CLOSE TO THE RIGHT HAND BARRIERS AS POSSIBLE SO THAT TRAFFIC COULD PASS ME WITHOUT STRADDLING LANES. I CALLED MY LOCAL GARAGE WHO ARRANGED FOR A BREAKDOWN TRUCK TO COME AND GET ME. IN THE 45 MINS IT TOOK TO FOR THEM TO GET ME I WAS EXTREMELY NERVOUS THAT A TRUCK OR FAST CAR WOULD HIT INTO THE REAR OF MY CAR, SO I HAD THE HAZARD LIGHTS ON AND KEPT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO ILLUMINATE THE BRAKE LIGHTS. IT WAS A DANGEROUS POSITION TO BE IN AND THE TRAFFIC WAS BUILDING QUICKLY FOR THE EVENING RUSH. THE TOW TRUCK GOT TO ME AT AROUND 4.30 PM AND TOOK ME AND THE CAR TO MY LOCAL GARAGE. THE GARAGE DIAGNOSED THE IDM UNITS AS FAILED, AND REPLACED THEM. ONCE I HAD THE CAR BACK, THE VERY NEXT DAY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THIS HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS BEING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER BEING FAULTY, WHICH I UNDERSTAND IS A RESULT OF THE IGNITION UNITS FAILING AND UNBURNED FUEL BEING PUMPED IN TO THE UNIT. *JB