2002 Saab 9-3 Intermittent non starting

At apporx. 35k miles, my car refuses to start on occasion, mostly when the engine is warm, or after doing a couple short errands. The dealer has been unable to replicate it and just sold me so 44K (or something like that) -- a fuel additive for $25. They also suggested giving the engine anovernight bath, for $150. The car is still under warranty. Any suggestions?

Reply to
jose
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Describe to us exactly what it does when it fails to start. Slow/no cranking, odd cranking sounds, no firing/just occasional firing etc.

Cheers,

Colin.

Reply to
Colin Stamp

They sold you a *fuel additive* to cure non-starting ? Are they motor engineers or jokers ?

What size bath are they going to put the engine in overnight ?

Graham

Reply to
Pooh Bear

Hopefully, the symptom will develop to such an extent that the problem will be easier to diagnose. Make sure you keep worksheet documentation to show that the problem was evident while under warranty.

Reply to
Johannes

Injector cleaning fluid. Needed it in my very old 1979 C900.

Why do you find it strange?

Charles

Reply to
Charles C.

As has already been said you need to provide more detailed information.

Cleaning injectors (presumably the additive you were given) is one option. Too few miles on teh car to need the injectors cleaned ... and when I had to do that the additive was supposed to be used once in the life-time of the car.

The other possible problem has been described in this group ... may have to do with fuel evaporating ... yadda yadda yadda ... especially when the engine is warm. Someone with knowledge on injection systems will have to contribute here (I have only gone as far as carburettors).

Regards Charles

Reply to
Charles C.

This issue has been discussed on many other SAAB forums. If your car would start after you let it sit for a while then I would bet you it is faulty crancshaft position sensor (CPS). I had this problem myself when computer wouldn't diagnose it. I replaced it myself on my '01 9-5 V6 engine and if fixed the problem.

H>> At apporx. 35k miles, my car refuses to start on occasion, mostly when

Reply to
KP

"" wrote: > jose wrote: > > > > At apporx. 35k miles, my car refuses to start on occasion, > mostly when > > the engine is warm, or after doing a couple short errands. > The dealer > > has been unable to replicate it and just sold me so 44K (or > something > > like that) -- a fuel additive for $25. They also suggested > giving the > > engine anovernight bath, for $150. The car is still under > warranty. > > Any suggestions? > > Hopefully, the symptom will develop to such an extent that the > problem > will be easier to diagnose. Make sure you keep worksheet > documentation > to show that the problem was evident while under warranty.

hmm...i seem to be getting the same (well, similar) problem. the car starts for the firt twenty times and then all of a sudden, the iginition will turn, the starter motor turns as per normal but no engine start. now, around two years ago, 50K miles, i had what seemed to be the same problem. the a.a. man came round and took one sniff at it (it had that burning smell) and yes, direct ignotion cassette had packed up.o.k. so that was two years ago. then a couple of weeks ago, the same thing happened. however i waited for twenty-thirty minutes whilst i spoke to my mechanic in london. then low and behold, i turned the ignition and it started. hmm, so far, so good, was it a fluke?? so i drove straight back to my apartment. then when i got there i thought "let me try it again" and...it started. now apparently, these are not the symptoms of the D.I. cassette going, as far i know and have been told, when they go, they?re GONE!! anyhow, the car worked fine for the next three days or so. then one night, i left amsterdam on my way south to rotterdam, i pulled over at a service station for some service. when i got back to the car, ony five minutes max!! it failed. i didn?t pannick this time. i waited and waited and waited. must have been 20 minutes. still no luck. then i call National Breakdown (much cheaper and better than the a.a.). just as i was giving the final details, i thought let me try it again...it started. i spoke to the dealer in rotterdam and he said "sounds like the crankshaft sensor". he described my situation down to a T. then yesterday (three days later) i was going to sainsbury?s and on the motorway, i could feel the car starting to splutter. when i got to the car park, i switched off the engine and tried to start it a few moments after...it didn?t start. did my shopping, more than half an hour later, tried again and it worked. however on the way home, it didn?t drive so smoothly, almost as if the engine wasn?t getting fuel or something wasn?t burining it or maybe...the crankshaft sensor is on it?s way out?

well folks, any offers or is it a case of try the cheapest solution first...crankshaft sensor, then d.i. casstte then .. . . ???

b.t.w. it?s a 2001, 9-3 lpt conv.

Reply to
rammy121

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