9000 Auto Transmission Problem

My '98 9000 Anniversary 2.3T Auto (100,000 miles) is misbehaving and my dealer is having problems so any sage advice or observations will be greatly appreciated...

A month or two ago, as I was driving off the motorway and coming to a stop, I felt a jolt just before the car actually stopped at the junction. It was like something had gently rear ended me. No engine racing as far as I can remember or anything else odd.

I half dismissed it as a rough/late change-down though I've never experienced anything like this before. I was near home so I just drove back gently but noticed similar jolts again, always just before actually stopping. None of them were as dramatic as the first though. The jolt is literally just before the car stops. My previous 9000 didn't do it (at

160,000 miles with no rebuilt transmission) and neither does the other one that I drive from time to time.

Just to be on the safe side I had the car taken to my local Saab dealer where they diagnosed an internal fault in the transmission. The unit was taken out and sent off to a specialist for a re-build. While it was still open on the bench the mechanic called me to ask for more specific information about the problem as he couldn't see anything wrong. The transmission was overhauled, the seals etc. replaced, and put back in the car. It made no positive difference at all. On the negative side (apart from the 1400 GBP that it cost!) sometimes when accelerating from very slow speed or stopped it doesn't seem to "engage" first properly and races slightly before down shifting.

So, the car went straight back and this time the "valve body" was replaced. I went for a test drive with the "rebuilder" who said that the jolt (which when we went out was not very obvious - it is erratic anyway) was not curable and was just something that every auto transmission does. He couldn't explain why the other 9000's I drive/have driven don't exhibit this behaviour at all though. He was sure that the more recent problem with first not engaging properly would be cured with the new valve body - it wasn't.

The dealer is looking into the problem and is talking about replacing the transmission completely but in the meantime I'm wondering if anybody here has any ideas about what could be causing this.

Thanks in advance.

Piers

pierskenney (a t) tiscali (d o t) co (d o t) uk

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PJDK
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