NHTSA Complaint #10266149 — 2001 SAAB 9-5

THE FIRST TIME THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON WAS IN MID OCTOBER 2006, AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR OF DRIVING. THERE WAS NO OTHER INDICATION OF A PROBLEM (NOISE, VIBRATION, CHANGE IN HANDLING, ETC). THE OIL HAD RECENTLY BEEN CHANGED, BUT IT WAS RECHECKED AND TOPPED OFF ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD ANYWAY. EVERYTHING SEEMED GOOD FOR ABOUT 20 MIN WHEN THE OIL LIGHT CAME BACK ON DURING A TURN. I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE AIRPORT SO I PARKED THE CAR AND TOOK IT TO A SERVICE SHOP TWO DAYS LATER WHEN I RETURNED. IT WAS GIVEN AN OIL CHANGE AND AN OVERALL CHECK. THE OIL LIGHT DID NOT COME ON DURING THE TEST DRIVE. I DROVE IT HOME WITH NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON IN THE FIRST PLACE. IN EARLY 2007, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON TOO. EVERYTHING WAS CHECKED OVER AND NOTHING FOUND WRONG. EVEN THE SENSORS WERE WORKING FINE. FOR THE NEXT YEAR AND A HALF, THE OIL AND ENGINE LIGHTS WOULD GO ON AND OFF AT ODD INTERVALS ACCOMPANIED BY NO OTHER SIGNS. SOMETIMES THEY WOULD ONLY FLICKER ON AND OFF DURING A SHORT DRIVE AND OTHER TIMES THEY WOULD STAY ON FOR WEEKS AND THEN GOING OFF AGAIN FOR NO REASON. EACH TIME, THE OIL AND ENGINE WOULD BE LOOKED OVER AND NOTHING FOUND TO BE WRONG. THE LAST TIME THERE WAS AN ISSUE WAS ON JUNE 13TH 2008. I WAS DRIVING FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND THE OIL LIGHT AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THIS TIME ACCOMPANIED BY A TICKING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AT THE NEXT EXIT AND HAD THE CAR TOWED. AFTER ANOTHER CHECKOVER, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE ENGINE IS FAILING DUE TO SLUDGE BUILD UP AND THAT IT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. IT HAS 98,300 MILES ON IT. ALL REGULAR SERVICES WERE DONE, AND OIL CHANGES WERE DONE AT MORE FREQUENT INTERVALS THAN STATED IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. WE WERE TOLD IT WOULD COST BETWEEN $5000.00 TO $9000.00 DEPENDING ON WHAT TYPE OF REPLACEMENT MOTOR WAS FOUND (NEW OR USED). THE VEHICLE IS STILL SITTING IN OUR GARAGE AND HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN. THE SAAB COMPANY REFUSES ANY RESPONSIBILITY. *TR