Follow-up on the earlier thread :
How many here have already had this happen?
It is widely rumored that this part fails often, and owners are reminded
to carry a spare, as replacement is simple, and failures are common.
Yet I have never seen one fail.
I'm assuming the rumors have at least some factual basis, even if they
may be exaggerated, so how many have seen thyese things fail?
Does anyone know the typical explanation or failure scenario?
Thanks,
GF
Blacksmith - 17 Dec 2006 11:16 GMT
I changed my DI cassette after 210000 kilometres. I think that is NOT a
common failure.
Saab 9000 -96
/B
> Follow-up on the earlier thread :
> How many here have already had this happen?
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> Thanks,
> GF
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johannes - 17 Dec 2006 11:27 GMT
> Follow-up on the earlier thread :
> How many here have already had this happen?
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> Thanks,
> GF
Harsh environment of heat and vibration on top of engine. I replaced mine
at 60k miles and opened it up. One coil had burned out. Once the wire
insulation weakens, the vibrations will do the rest. The replacement
DI is still OK, now on 128k miles.
Greg Farris - 17 Dec 2006 12:10 GMT
>Harsh environment of heat and vibration on top of engine. I replaced mine
>at 60k miles and opened it up. One coil had burned out. Once the wire
>insulation weakens, the vibrations will do the rest. The replacement
>DI is still OK, now on 128k miles.
Thanks for these responses -
I did find one site that discusses it, though it's not very technical:
http://www.mitt-eget.com/saab/faq_electrical.shtml#di
Cheers,
GF
Colin Stamp - 17 Dec 2006 11:39 GMT
>Follow-up on the earlier thread :
>How many here have already had this happen?
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
>Does anyone know the typical explanation or failure scenario?
Although I started the earlier thread after having mine changed, I'm
not convinced there was ever anything wrong with it. I noticed the
engine warning light on as I drive away from my Saab dealer who'd just
done some checks on the car. When I took it back, they said it was a
DI cassette fault but it was no problem because they could change it
under the recall notice. It seems an awfully big coincidence to me. If
I had to guess, I'd say they left a connector off first time, and made
up the DI story to cover the mistake...
Cheers,
Colin.
Eeyore - 17 Dec 2006 14:24 GMT
> >Follow-up on the earlier thread :
> >How many here have already had this happen?
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> I had to guess, I'd say they left a connector off first time, and made
> up the DI story to cover the mistake...
If it was the DI - the car would have stopped.
Graham
solarsell - 19 Dec 2006 03:38 GMT
> If it was the DI - the car would have stopped.
My 93 9000CSET limped along for a few hours till I replaced it.
MH - 17 Dec 2006 12:17 GMT
> It is widely rumored that this part fails often, and owners are reminded to
> carry a spare, as replacement is simple...
http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/4281/tkkontainer2oq5.jpg

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Greg Farris - 17 Dec 2006 12:27 GMT
>> It is widely rumored that this part fails often, and owners are reminded to
>> carry a spare, as replacement is simple...
>
>http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/4281/tkkontainer2oq5.jpg
LOL!
Is there a separate bin for the red ones?
Eeyore - 17 Dec 2006 14:25 GMT
> > It is widely rumored that this part fails often, and owners are reminded to
> > carry a spare, as replacement is simple...
>
> http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/4281/tkkontainer2oq5.jpg
And all because the GM accountants - sorry bean counters - got involved.
Graham
- Bob - - 17 Dec 2006 16:16 GMT
>> http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/4281/tkkontainer2oq5.jpg
>
>And all because the GM accountants - sorry bean counters - got involved.
You mean the failure rate ? I disagree that it's the fault of the GM
accountants, although I'd be happy to blame them for lots of other
things.
I own of have owned three cars with DI type systems, two of them
relatively "reliable" Japanese cars. On all, a DI coil has gone bad in
the 50-80K range. And, I'm the sort of guy who maintains his cars so
it's not related to that. Likewise I've heard of issues with many
makes and Audi was wholesale replacing DI coils at such a rate that
the manufacturer could not keep up, there was a worldwide shortage
with folks waiting months to get parts. Saabs seem to average 75K.
They do have the disadvantage of not being able to replace just one
coil.
I think the problem is with putting electronics on top of an engine
where they bake and vibrate every time they run.
johannes - 17 Dec 2006 16:47 GMT
> >> http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/4281/tkkontainer2oq5.jpg
> >
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> I think the problem is with putting electronics on top of an engine
> where they bake and vibrate every time they run.
AFAIK, there is no electronics in the DI, the electronics
processing is done elsewhere. The DI receives 400 Volts to each coil
which steps up to the spark voltage. The higher input voltage
reduces the bulk of the coils. The failure is in the insulation
of the coil windings.
Eeyore - 17 Dec 2006 14:23 GMT
> Follow-up on the earlier thread :
> How many here have already had this happen?
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> Does anyone know the typical explanation or failure scenario?
Failure of active electronic components ( semiconductors ).
This means it's more likely where there are high temperatures.
Graham
John B - 17 Dec 2006 16:01 GMT
> Yet I have never seen one fail.
> I'm assuming the rumors have at least some factual basis, even if they
> may be exaggerated, so how many have seen thyese things fail?
My wife's failed while driving on the highway a year or two ago (2001 9-3).
It took the catalytic converter with it. Good thing it was all covered under
the extended warranty!
This was maybe a year before the recall was issued.
John
rammy121 - 19 Dec 2006 10:03 GMT
is there a recall on these?? mine went TWICE!! fist time around 50k
miles,then around a 100k miles. from what my engineer/grease monkey
told me, yesm they do go but the more recent ones are more reliable.
check the manufacture date. my car is 9-3 2001, i've had i from new so
the fir DI cassette was the original. the second was a newer one. what
i will say is, when the new one went in, the engine warning light came
on. yeh, i did the little trick with disconnecting the battery, go have
a cup of tea and come back, plug it all in and it dissappears. it goes
off once in a while. another mechanic told me that when it went the
second time, because i turned the engine over too much (well, i didn't
because i knew from experience the first time), that this could have
disrupted the cat. conv. and now the light comes on. i reckon it was
when it went the first time and ignorantly i turned the engine over so
many times!! F O O L !! anyway, another little thing, people think you
can not tell when they're about to go. in my experience and that of a
few other mechanics, the cabin of the car will occasionally have a
burning smell, like hair burning or plastic. well folks that's my six
pence worth. oh btw, i now carry a spare D.I. cassette. what a sad
world we drive in!!
rammy
> > Yet I have never seen one fail.
> > I'm assuming the rumors have at least some factual basis, even if they
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> John
Andrew Sinclair - 21 Dec 2006 09:15 GMT
>is there a recall on these??
There is. I got my letter the other day (9-5 MY2000 but the recall
affects 9-3s as well), I guess it is taking time to get all the letters
out.
The recall only affects a certain range of cars, engines and DI serial
numbers so you may not be covered, especially if the DI has been
replaced in the past, I read somewhere that they will only entertain
retrospective claims for failed DIs going back a few months.
If you have not registered your car with Saab then you may not be on
their records - I think they are using their own database to trace
owners rather than the DVLA records.
There is a helpline number on the letter for UK owners - 0118 945 8430 -
give them a call.
Andy

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rammy121 - 04 Jan 2007 07:46 GMT
andrew,
thanks forthat, very useful, i'll give them a bell today. cheers.
> >is there a recall on these??
> There is. I got my letter the other day (9-5 MY2000 but the recall
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>
> Andy
- Bob - - 17 Dec 2006 16:22 GMT
>Does anyone know the typical explanation or failure scenario?
The older red ones tend (and I emphasize "tend") to start to miss. You
get a CEL misfire code. They get worse over a couple days - then it
stops working. No guarantees, sometimes they just fail. My own started
missing, I got to drive 10 miles home before it died.
The black ones are known to go with less warning. Apparently they just
die. The recall has to do with DI's that are dying at much lower
mileages than normal.
Since replacement is a 10 minute job, many folks like to carry a spare
"just in case".
Craig - 18 Dec 2006 21:32 GMT
I had one fail on my '94 9000 CSE. I think it went at around 90k on the
clock.

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> Follow-up on the earlier thread :
> How many here have already had this happen?
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> Thanks,
> GF
Keith Winchester - 19 Dec 2006 09:14 GMT
> Follow-up on the earlier thread :
> How many here have already had this happen?
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> Thanks,
> GF
I had one fail on my 2001 9-5 Aero about 1 month ago. it has about
75,000 km on the clock. The engine just died without warning, luckily
on a quiet suburban street. The recall has not been announced in
Australia yet but I have been advised by Saab that it will happen soon.
Bob (but not THAT Bob) - 23 Dec 2006 05:39 GMT
> Follow-up on the earlier thread :
> How many here have already had this happen?
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> Thanks,
> GF
Bought 2 red ones this year.
On my '95 9000 (190k) it was dead in a parking lot - would not restart.
No prior warning.
On my wife's '99 9-3 (130k) it started missing badly but was still
driveable.
vinci - 27 Dec 2006 00:53 GMT
> Follow-up on the earlier thread :
> How many here have already had this happen?
> It is widely rumored that this part fails often, and owners are reminded
> to carry a spare, as replacement is simple, and failures are common.
I don't know which DI casette you are referring to but the 9-5 had a
recall on which the DI casette was replaced for free due to the fact that
they were failing during peak electrical power consumption

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