NHTSA Complaint #10185738 — 1999 SAAB 9-5

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A USED 1999 SAAB 9-5 SE SEDAN WITH A 2.3 LITRE ECOPOWER ENGINE WITH TURBO. BARELY 5 DAYS AFTER MY PURCHASE OF THIS VEHICLE THERE WAS A VERY SUDDEN ONSET OF A LOUD KNOCKING COMING FROM THE ENGINE. I IMMEDIATELY HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP THE SERVICE MANAGER AT WHICH INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A DAMAGED BALANCING SHAFT AND THAT MY ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF ENGINE SLUDGE. WHAT I WAS NOT TOLD, HOWEVER I DID FIND OUT WAS THAT ENGINE SLUDGE IS A PROBLEM KNOWN TO SAAB ON THIS CAR. HOWEVER IN ORDER FOR SAAB TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIR, I WOULD HAVE THE UNREASONABLE TASK OF PROVIDING SAAB WITH ALL MAINTENENCE RECORDS FOR A CAR THAT I'VE OWNED FOR 5 DAYS. AFTER MUCH TRACKING I WAS ABLE TO FIND A SATISFACTORY NUMBER OF RECEIPTS, HOWEVER SAAB STILL REFUSED TO COVER THE WARRANTY BECAUSE OF A DATE DISCREPANCY ON ONE OF THE RECEIPTS THAT IS COMPLETELY OUT OF MY CONTROL. *AK