Date: Tue, 05 Sep 2000 22:23:14 -0400 From: DRC <drc.dotnopsamwa.com> Subject: High-pressure A/C lines leaking in '94 900S
For the second time in it's short life, the freon in my '94 900S has escaped and attacked the ozone layer. The first time was two years ago, when the line that runs across the front of the engine compartment below the rad sprung a leak. Leak was caused by the steel clip that secures the line to the body. After four years of vibration, the edge of the clip wore through the aluminum line and caused a pinhole leak. A lousy design detail by Saab that cost $500 to replace the complex aluminum line assembly. Now the lines have sprung even more leaks. Dealer has tracked it down to corroded fittings where the various high-pressure freon lines connect to each other. These are passive joints that apparently just corrode over time. Two joints seem to be leaking, which means that three lines need to be replaced. Dealer says only way to repair is to replace all the lines, for $900 (CDN). Has anyone experienced similar failures? Any alternate repair strategies (lots of duct tape around the fittings??!) Thanks, Dave