NHTSA Complaint #10320599 — 2004 SAAB 9-3

CAR INSTRUMENTATION PANEL TURNS OFF WHILE DRIVING. CAR "ACTS" AS IF IT WAS OFF WITH THE RED CIRCULAR ALARM FLASHING, CONSOLE LIGHTS OFF, CLOCK OFF, YET I AM DRIVING AT 50 MPH AND THE BRAKES, STEERING ARE PERFORMING AS IF I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD (AS I AM). STOPPED FOR DINNER CAME OUT AND CAR DID NOT TURN ON, LIGHT CAME ON, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON BUT NOTHING ELSE - COULD NOT OPEN TRUNK FROM THE KEY FOB THING OR FROM THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR SWITCH. CALLED AAA THEY COULD NOT TURN THE CAR ON AND THE CAR BATTERY WAS CHARGED. KEY IN IGNITION AND BRAKE DEPRESSED DID NOT RELEASE CAR SHIFTER TO NEUTRAL. THIS WENT ON FOR AN HOUR. FINALLY I NEED TO GET INTO TRUNK AND FOUND A PLASTIC CAP BEHIND THE REAR SEAT HEAD REST AND DEPRESSED A SWITCH THAT OWNED THE TRUNK ALTHOUGH IT WAS TO PULL DOWN THE REAR SEAT... WE JOKED THAT NOW THE CAR WOULD TURN ON AND IT DID WHEN BY HAPPENSTANCE THE HIGH BEAMS WERE DEPRESSED. GOT IN THE CAR AND DROVE IT HOME BUT AGAIN THE CAR STILL DRIVING NORMALLY LOST THE CONSOLE LIGHTS AND FUNCTIONALITY SO I FLASHED THE HIGH BEAM AND ALL CAME BACK EXCEPT FOR CLOCK, OH, DID I MENTION NOW I HAVE A "GEAR BOX MALFUNCTION" DISPLAYED AS AN ERROR CODE. OH, I REPORTED THAT I REPLACE HEADLIGHTS ALMOST EVERY 2-3 MONTHS. MY INTERIOR CABIN FAN ISN'T WORKING AND THAT WAS AFTER IT WORKED EVEN WITH THE CAR TURNED OFF. *TR