Automatics and towing...

Apr 03, 2006 3 Replies
D

Hi all,



A quick question to which I hope there's a nice answer :o)



The battery on my 9000CDE died yesterday leaving me stranded on a busy road, with no option but to tow her 4 miles to a safe location. During the journey there was an increasing smell similar to a frying clutch or brake pads, and then the speedometer stopped working. I've a nagging doubt that this might be the brake bands in the 'box and I've knackered it - what do you think please?



Also, for a '93 CDE with not a huge retail value, might it be worth more to break it for spares and then build something silly from the rolling chassis? All experience gratefully rec'd!



Cheers, Dave


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C

Did you have the transmission selector in the correct position for towing the car? And did you make sure that you released the parking brake fully? Silly things to ask but if you're worked up because the car's died you might have forgetten to do those things. It's possibly fatal (to the trans) to tow a car with an auto trans that isn't in neutral for any significant distance.

Hopefully it's neither of those things though.

Craig.-- Craig's Saab C9000 Page -

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D

Hi Craig,

Yes, the trans was in neutral, but the smell and then the speedo packing up has got me a little worried... :o(

If the box has gone, might a conversion to a manual box be more affordable?

Dave

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N

By towing, do you mean the front wheels were "off the ground" when it was under tow? If so, the wheels weren't turning at all. How could the transmission of this FWD car be damaged?

If the wheels were on the ground during towing, I'm afraid putting the transmission to N gear is not enough. The owner's manual specifies that in these circumstances the ATF must be topped up way above MAX before towing starts and be drained back to the normal level before driving at the conclusion of the towing, and that during towing, a certain speed limit (I can't remember the figure) should not be exceeded.

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