Saab the GM stepchild…

[sjrobinson]

So I have an old post, mostly on the spark plugs. I think thats been resolved for now. I’m new to Saabs and am used to working on Hondas.

This ’03 9-3t linear has a gearbox malfunction indicator now and the battery keeps dying. Apparently the gearbox malfunction is common. As for the battery, I will do a parasitic load test but my brother (who owns the car) says that it was the OnStar and thought that it had been disabled by the mechanic.

I had him check the coolant since the gearbox malfunction seemed to be an issue with the o-ring or could just be a simple switch. He said the coolant was low.

I will check the transmission fluid for coolant remnants but since its a rather long drive to get to his car I’m hoping for a bit more info.

The car also had a bad fuel pump that I replaced. But that was a pain and I ended up cutting and matting the evap hose. Gasket sealer isn’t doing the job as it keeps getting an evap code so I’m gonna try epoxy. But I’m wondering if the o-ring could be bad. I know, I know, rather unprofessional :whistle: but I was expecting an easier fix since on most 93’s you do not need to drop the tank to change the pump. This repair was mediocre but it got the car running.

[b]
I recommend he take it to a Euro car expert or GM dealer but the issue is getting it there. Hes very far from the closest Saab mechanic so towing it would be very expensive. So I’d like to get it running or at least diagnose it first. With the Gearbox malfunction I hear that you could end up dead on the side of the road or fine. I don’t wanna risk it yet.[/b]

So there are a few things there. My questions are

How can I disable OnStar if that is the cause of the parasitic drain?
What are common causes for battery drain on these cars?
What else could I check to find out the cause of the gearbox malfunction?
And what would you recommend to seal the EVAP system?

Any input is appreciated. Thanks for your help guys

Topic

[EricTheCarGuy]

I don’t know if it’s possible to disable the Onstar as on some vehicles it’s tied into other critical systems. That said, you don’t know if that’s the cause of your draw, if you do indeed have one. Here’s a video on how to find one however.

As for the evap, you’ll probably need to get your hands on a smoke machine to help you find the source of the leak. Given the issues you’ve had there, this might be your only option.

As for the transmission problem.

http://www.ericthecarguy.com/faq/solving-transmission-problems

For good measure.

http://www.ericthecarguy.com/faq/solving-automotive-electrical-problems

http://www.ericthecarguy.com/faq/finding-and-fixing-fluid-leaks

Keep us posted on your progress.

[sjrobinson]

Thanks for your help. I posted this on a Saab forum and got a great response. OnStar can be disabled by removing the box and connecting a loopback connector to the fiber optic to allow the rest of the connected electrical to work (i.e radio).

When his battery went dead a year ago the mechanic said it was the onstar. He paid them to ‘disable’ it and that was that.

Funny enough he didn’t mention that AAA had jumpstarted his car backwards. I suspect alternator issues now since that has been reported to be a cause of this gearbox indicator light.

On the forum the guy asked me if the front speakers or blower motor had stopped working. And as a matter of fact the blower had stopped working.

So with the gearbox malfunction indicator it seems that Saabs get them a lot. Sometimes they are harmless and other times they mean a new transmission. If the transmission fluid isn’t milky I guess this is all related.

I watched the parasitic draw test video a quite while ago but will be watching it again now that I need it. And I will definitely read those other links.

Thanks

[sjrobinson]

So far the situation looks simpler than it did at first. After fighting to get the car jumped because the immobilizer was being cranky I finally got it running to do some tests. I also checked the alternator’s ability to charge the battery under heavy load, it seemed fine.

After trying a few culprit fuses for amp draw with the car off, I just started pulling one at a time. Turns out it was the radio/infotainment fuse. The amps dropped to <.5 after that. What I was told was that in those cars there's an amp under the driver's seat that tends to get wet and cause shorts from corrosion. This is the main suspect. I will have to go back and check it out. The electrical issues can also cause the Gearbox Malfunction Indicator and other problems. After that was pulled the engine even ran better. So as for the blower motor, that wasn't a blown fuse. It also appears that the motors often get corrosion at the connections. This car is just infested with electrical design flaws. Looking around, Saabs seem to constantly have problems. Fun to drive but not to own.

[Author]

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