NHTSA Complaint #10716700 — 2008 SAAB 9-3

I FIRST NOTICED A DIFFERENCE IN HOW MY CAR WORKED ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. I PURCHASED IT CERTIFIED PRE-OWED FROM A CERTIFIED SAAB DEALER AT THE TIME. WHEN I FIRST NOTICED THE "COLD-STARTS" I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND MAYBE NEEDED AN OIL CHANGE. I ALWAYS USE PREMIUM GASOLINE AND GET THE VEHICLE SERVICED REGULARLY BY THE DEALER. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER IN THE BEGINNING OF 2014, THE TECHNICIAN SAID HE'S FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM THAT I WAS HAVING. HE SAYS THE ISSUE IS WITH THE COMPRESSION VALVE. HE TOLD ME THAT I WAS "UNLUCKY" THAT I PURCHASED THIS CAR BECAUSE SAAB MANUFACTURED 2007-2009 9-3 MODEL ENGINES WHERE THE VALVES WERE MADE OF WEAKER METALS THAT WHEN SURROUNDING METALS. AS THE EDGES OF THE VALVES IMPACT THE ENGINE WALLS, THEIR ORIGINAL CONVEX DESIGNED BECAME CONCAVE, THUS CAUSING A LOSS IN PRESSURE AND COMBUSTION. (I'M NOT AN ENGINE SAVVY GUY, SO PLEASE EXCUSE MY LACT OF TERMINOLOGY). SO, HE QUOTED ME ABOUT $3,000 FOR A VALVE REPLACEMENT. THAT'S REDICULOUSNESS! HOW CAN GM PRODUCE A VEHICLE WHOSE VALVES WILL DETERIORATE AFTER NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR? THIS HAS LED TO NOT ONLY COLD STARTS BUT ALSO DECREASED RESPONSIVENESS ON THE HIGHWAY. SOMETIMES WHEN DRIVING, I WOULD APPLY THE ACCELERATOR AND MY CAR SHAKES FOR A FEW SECONDS. WHEN GIVING A RIDE TO OTHERS THEY LOOK AT ME LIKE, "THAT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN." MY CAR HASN'T STALLED OR SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING, BUT I'M GUESSING IF I DON'T GET THIS FIXED SOON IT MAY HAPPEN. THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT I'M SURE GM IS AWARE OF; ACCORDINGLY, THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL TO GET THIS ISSUE RESOLVED.