Coil Springs Redux

[JonV]

The NHTSA has closed the Preliminary Investigation and opened an "Engineering Analysis" on the SS Front Spring Issue, this from NHTSA.Gov:

ON AUGUST 28, 2008, THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION (PE08-051) TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGED FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING FRACTURES IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2003-2004 SAAB 9-3 VEHICLES SOLD OR REGISTERED IN "SALT BELT" STATES. (NOTE: FOR PURPOSES OF THIS INVESTIGATION, THE "SALT BELT" INCLUDES CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA AND WISCONSIN). SUBSEQUENT ANALYSIS OF DATA PROVIDED BY GENERAL MOTORS CORP. (GM) HAS LED THE AGENCY TO EXPAND THE SCOPE OF THIS INVESTIGATION TO INCLUDE ALL MY 2003-2006 SAAB 9-3 VEHICLES SOLD OR REGISTERED IN "SALT BELT" STATES. TO DATE, ODI IS AWARE OF 53 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS AND/OR FIELD REPORTS THAT ALLEGE COIL SPRING FRACTURE IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, INCLUDING 23 ALLEGING THE FRACTURED SPRING DAMAGED A TIRE, WITH 16 OF THOSE INVOLVING A TIRE PUNCTURE. ANALYSIS OF WARRANTY DATA PROVIDED BY GM IDENTIFIED 1,218 CLAIMS PAID TO REPAIR SUBJECT VEHICLES THAT EXPERIENCED THE ALLEGED DEFECT, OF WHICH 138 VEHICLES ALSO SUFFERED DAMAGE TO THE ADJACENT TIRE AND OF THOSE, 79 VEHICLES EXPERIENCED A TIRE PUNCTURE. ODI IS NOT AWARE OF ANY CRASHES OR INJURIES RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT. GM MADE SEVERAL DESIGN CHANGES TO THE COIL SPRINGS AND/OR MCPHERSON STRUT ASSEMBLIES USED IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES IN AN APPARENT EFFORT TO ADDRESS THE ALLEGED DEFECT CONDITION. HOWEVER, GM MAINTAINS THAT THE SUBJECT VEHICLES REMAIN WELL CONTROLLED IN THE EVENT OF TIRE PUNCTURE, THAT THE RATE OF TIRE PUNCTURE INCIDENTS RELATED TO COIL SPRING FRACTURES IS LOW, AND THAT THE ALLEGED DEFECT DOES NOT POSE AN UNREASONABLE RISK TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY. ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO FURTHER STUDY THE SAFETY CONSEQUENCES OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT.

[robhurlburt]

thats good that they are continuing to investigate, but what about people not in the salt-belt states?

[turbosupra12]

.. Or Canada?

Question: What can come of this...?? I mean, what can come from the NHTSA doing this..? I replaced my springs like 2 months ago cause they were broken. Could this result in reimbursement? (down the line?)

[JonV]

Originally Posted by turbosupra12

.. Or Canada?

Question: What can come of this...?? I mean, what can come from the NHTSA doing this..? I replaced my springs like 2 months ago cause they were broken. Could this result in reimbursement? (down the line?)

Yes it could result in reimbursement if The NHTSA issues a recall.

Canada has different Laws, they are not Subject to NHTSA Mandares.

[DanS]

Originally Posted by turbosupra12

.. Or Canada?

Question: What can come of this...?? I mean, what can come from the NHTSA doing this..? I replaced my springs like 2 months ago cause they were broken. Could this result in reimbursement? (down the line?)

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration doesn't have anything to do with Canada, but you could use their studies/results.

[Krieg]

Thanks for the find, Jon.

The GM warranty data is interesting. 1200 or so failures for how many cars sold over that period? 30000 cars or so? I'm sorry, but that's a high defect rate for a part that, on most cars, NEVER fails.

[detroitsaab93]

Originally Posted by Krieg

Thanks for the find, Jon.

The GM warranty data is interesting. 1200 or so failures for how many cars sold over that period? 30000 cars or so? I'm sorry, but that's a high defect rate for a part that, on most cars, NEVER fails.

Yeah, I was pretty amazed when mine broke last May!! It sucked even more when I had to pay 1/2 the bill since I was 7 months out of warranty on a part that shouldn't just snap! This has been a year of unreal problems for my car! ha! It's a good thing my 9-5 has had zero problems or my love of Saabs may have been weakened!

[glowing626]

im in the team now.... last weekend i was working on the car and I realized that it was a piece of my coil spring on the bottom of the shock...

How come they broke like that??
i have a 2004 aero and from canada (montreal)

[JonV]

Originally Posted by glowing626

How come they broke like that??

I'd venture to say poor Steel quality from the Vendor GM chose to get the springs from..... probably the lowest bid.

[Our1stSaab]

Add us to the list. My wife's 04 Linear just had it's springs replaced last week. Glad we have the extended warranty and the dealer replaced both which tells me that they won't hesitate to replace both if only one is broken and the other is showing signs of possible failure. Sounds like a white flag to me. Bad thing is the warranty didn't cover the wheel alignment .

[JonV]

insist they replace both, there is a new improved spring. Also file a complaint with the NHTSA

[Our1stSaab]

Originally Posted by JonV

insist they replace both, there is a new improved spring. Also file a complaint with the NHTSA

sure you got a link for that

[robhurlburt]

Originally Posted by Our1stSaab

sure you got a link for that

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/index.cfm