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How to replace neutral safety switch?

11K views 8 replies 5 participants last post by  jwear21 
#1 ·
After reading a lot of the posts in this forum I'm about 99% sure I need to replace my neutral safety switch. I've found the part online for $289 and given that the part alone is already fairly pricey I was considering replacing it myself to try to save some $$. I'm not overly mechanical, but I can follow directions. I've done some basic stuff in the past (fixed a leaking power steering reservoir, removed the radio to install a Sirius FM direct adapter) but that's about it. How involved is it to replace the NSS, and is there any online resource that could walk me through it (preferrably with photos)?

Thanks in advance,
Matt
 
#3 ·
#4 ·
Thanks for the replies, I will check out the links. My wife took it on a short errand this morning, about a 15 minute drive. She ran into a store and came out a few minutes later, and the car wouldn't start. Good electrical, but no crank whatsoever (we've already had the crank sensor replaced about 4 months ago). Upon our Saab mechanic's advice, she put it in neutral, and it started right up. I read a lot of similar stories on these forums and the common response was that it's the NSS
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the replies, I will check out the links. My wife took it on a short errand this morning, about a 15 minute drive. She ran into a store and came out a few minutes later, and the car wouldn't start. Good electrical, but no crank whatsoever (we've already had the crank sensor replaced about 4 months ago...(This has nothing to do with cranking, as its a position sensor). Upon our Saab mechanic's advice, she put it in neutral, and it started right up.Everyone in the trade knows this one, and if the current to the solenoid still flows when the shifter is in, shall we say, P + 0.2 or N -0.2, then we know that the cable adjustment is off.. I read a lot of similar stories on these forums and the common response was that it's the NSS
This is an easy one, as we have a no-crank due to, apparently, a bad NSS..
I don't think Saab set out to design the NSS to be "serviceable", but it had to be "able to be assembled"...which, in a way, is much the same thing....
But, is the cable adjustment correct ?
There is little room for error here...
 
#6 ·
Thanks again for the help. As I mentioned, I'm not at all a mechanic, so a lot of what you've said and pointed me to is over my head. And now that you mention it, I realize the crank sensor wasn't responsible for the cranking (why would anyone think that, given its name), but we had it replaced due to the car stalling while idling and not starting up again.

I may just ask my mechanic to check the cable adjustment. I would attempt to bypass the NSS via Frank's suggestion but don't know where the relay is located (the manual says under the instrument panel next to the steering wheel, but I don't see anything, even after removing the panel), and once there I wouldn't have a clue how to find the proper pin and I don't want to make things worse.
 
#8 · (Edited)
To get to the relay holder you have to remove that panel that is above your legs when you're in driving pos. The relay holder is a little white tray not far from the fuse holder.Saab's instructions for the location of that relay holder are quite dismally poor. Pin numbers are on the relays themselves, but you have to look closely to find them
 
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