NHTSA Complaint #10436305 — 2003 SAAB 9-3 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Complaint Details

ODI Number	10436305
Vehicle	2003 SAAB 9-3
Component	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Date of Incident	April 7, 2011
Date Filed	November 18, 2011
Mileage	90,000 miles
Crash	No
Fire	No
Injuries	0
Deaths	0
Vehicle Towed	No
State	FL

Consumer Description

THE SAAB WILL INTERMITTENTLY FAIL TO START. WHEN THE KEY IS TURNED IN THE IGNITION, ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS OPERATE AS DESIGNED, HOWEVER THE CAR WILL NOT TURN OVER. THIS IS NOT A BATTERY OR STARTER PROBLEM. THE CAR DOES NOT MAKE ANY CRANKING SOUNDS OR STARTER CLICKS. RATHER, THERE IS NO ENGINE TURN OVER AT ALL. AFTER WAITING FOR 30 - 60 MINUTES, THE CAR WILL START AS IF THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WHATEVER. THE ISSUE APPEARS TO BE THE NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH. THERE IS NO ELECTRONIC DIAGNOSTIC TEST FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS NOT "RECREATABLE." IT IS 100% UNPREDICTABLE AS TO WHEN IT WILL OCCUR. A SEARCH OF THE INTERNET FOR "SAAB 9-3 (OR S900) INTERMITTENT START" WILL RETURN THOUSANDS OF POSTS FROM DRIVERS DESCRIBING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. FIXES INCLUDE POURING WATER OR SNOW ON TOP OF THE NSS, DRILLING A HOLE IN THE DASHBOARD AND RUNNING A BY-PASS SWITCH TO THE STARTER, AND REPLACING THE NSS. DEALERSHIP WILL TRY TO REPLACE STARTERS, BATTERIES, ECT AND CLAIM THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF THE NSS PROBLEM. *TR

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