Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2002 03:01:33 GMT From: Geoff Waters <grw888nopsamell.net> Subject: Re: 1996 900S Check Engine Light
"Kenneth S." wrote: > Maura Bracco wrote: > > > > I have owned a 1996 900s for around 2 1/2 years, after buying it at around > > 59,000 miles. It now has around 102,000 on it. The check engine light has > > come on several times since I bought it. I had the knock sensor replaced at > > one point but kept getting the check engine message now and then. My > > previous garage said the engine sounded OKand would simply reset the light > > after I burned a few tanks of gas whenever it came on, they said the engine > > is finicky regarding gas in this model. They suggested I run 94 octane. > > This seemed to do the trick. > > > > Recently I moved to an area that only has 91 octane as the highest octane > > level. The check engine light has come on a few times. A mechanic at the > > new garage in this area tells me it "could be an expensive problem", they > > seemed OK, but that comment gave me concern.... I'm thinking of just buying > > a reset tool for around $150 and resetting it when it comes on since thats > > what the old garage did, and I trusted them. > > > > Anyone think this is the best route to go? Anyone have similar experiences > > with a 1996 900s? Possible causes? Solutions? Comments? > > I have a 1996 900SE, which I have owned for about a year. About two > months after I bought it, the check engine light came on, and stayed on, > for no apparent reason. Took it to the Saab dealers, who could find > nothing wrong, and suggested that I had not tightened up the gas cap > sufficiently. > > Light came on again, and stayed on, after a few weeks. Went to the > emissions testing station, and had the gas cap tested, to see if it was > defective. Everything OK, except that the light was out for several > miles after I replaced the gas cap, which had been off the car for about > half an hour while they tested it. Very mysterious. > > Took it again to the dealers, and said that, on every previous car I > had owned, the check engine light was a sign that the oxygen sensor > needed to be replaced, but the mileage on my car (about 65,000) seemed > to be too low for that. They replaced the oxygen sensor with a new > one. Light off for a week or so, then came back on. Took it in to the > dealers again. This time they fixed it properly. They decided the > problem was something to do with the wiring harness, and they fixed > that. No further problem (although for several weeks I thought someone > was trying to drive me insane, a la "Gaslight." I had more or less the same experience with my 96 900SET between 52000 and 77000 miles (two years). My first Saab dealer (Charlotte, NC) was useless. After I moved back to L.A., I took it to Symes in Pasadena. They kept the car for a few days, tried swapping parts for lots of the usual "check engine" stuff (DI cassette, oxygen sensor, vacuum lines, fuel cap, wrong plug type, etc.). After they checked with Saab HQ (or whatever it is called), they told me it was a known grounding fault in the wiring to the ECU. They replaced and re-soldered part of the wiring harness behind the lining of the RH front footwell (no charge even tough out of warranty). Now about 2000 more miles on it and light staying out. Also runs better than ever and MPG up about +2.
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