What is 9-5 Repair Record

Just had the turbo replaced with 44,000 miles on the car a 2002 9.5.

I keep hearing everywhere about oil sludge issues but I don't know what that is or how to look for it.

Hello, My car had rebuilt engine and new turbo at 78,000 miles before I bought it. It really depends how you take care of the car. All failures are supposed to be due to sludge. Sludge is degradated oil that plugs oil channels and starves the engine of oil. Usually turbo goes first. It is very easy to prevent it and also there is retroactive warranty from SAAB if you can prove oil change history. It is really just about changing oil frequently. If you are in doubt, let your mechanic drop the oil pan check there for any signs of sludge. If there is any they can clean it. Usually sludge builds up when you are driving only short distances around a town and do not change oil frequently enough. Frequently enough is supposed to be every 4000 miles. You may also consider using fully synthetic oil instead of original spec semisynthetic. There is a LOT of about sludge issues here

.By the way we have also 1999 wagon. Sludge issue applies only on 2.3 4 cylinder low pressure engines. In other words all non Aero and non V6 SAAB 9-5 and some of 9-3 up to 2001 make year. Cars made after 2001 should be OK. Hope that helps, Radovan

Jo Anne Coyne wrote:

Oil sludge is not the only problem. Had a big motor repair on a 2000 B205 engine due to balance chain wearout at 90000 km. The Saab dealer pointed out that this type of wearout is fairly common on automatic transmission, as it causes larger and faster rev changes than a normally used manual transmission. My former B204 engine (no turbo) with auto tranny was more solid, no problems for 230000 km.

i have a 2003 9-5 v6 turbo diesel

the handbook says that the factory fill is fully synthetic oil, and that is the preferred option on all petrol engines

the local Saab dealer is Manchester UK certainly charges for fully synth at the services......:)

i have had several Saab company cars before over a 12 year period - AFAIR they all wanted fully synth oil, and 12000 mile service

current oil change in the manual is 12000 / 18000 miles depending on engine, or 1 yr / 6000 miles for "worst case" driving with lots of town running.

=46rom my 1998 9-5SE experience I think it is on a par with most other makes, but certainly cheaper than my Subaru Liberty (Legacy?) My turbo gave indications that it might fail (white smoke puffs) while in warranty and was replaced free. My SID display LCD's also played up and were replaced under warranty. My airconditioning hoses had to be replaced 3 months ago, and last month the fuel pump failed and had to be replaced. Replacing the A/C hoses and recharging cost more than replacing the fuel pump. Incidentally, the whole fuel pump assembly incl the gauge float etc had to be replaced - they couldn't replace just the pump without breaking some plastic fittings. $A800 for replacing the fuel pump assembly, $A900 to replace the A/C hoses. Reason given for the high A/C charge was that they had to dismantle the whole A/C system to get at the hoses.

No other probs, yet.

--=20 Regards, Peter Wilkins

I have a '99 9-5 SE V6 with 75K miles. In the past year or so, I've had an oil leak fixed (parts, $1.50, labor $250), the air conditioner relay replaced ($49) and an DI cassette replaced at about $600.

White smoke = water vapour. Blue smoke = oil burn.

I thought that the sign of a failed turbo would be blue smoke.

Black smoke/soot = overfueling

Me too, and when at a routine service I reported puffs of white smoke on acceleration, I didn't even suspect the turbo. However, the Saab dealer checked the car and said the turbo was part of a bad batch and was about to fail, so they replaced it under warranty. It was definitely white smoke, not blue, and it didn't look a bit like steam/water vapour. Anyone techo minded have any idea why?

--=20 Regards, Peter Wilkins

White Smoke - New Pope Black Smoke - No Pope Blue Smoke? - Let's not go there ... Cheers