95 (98-05) Blend Door Repair Kit

[pokerplayer]

Have you guys bought this $225 kit? Please let me know, I know for the fact that this is my problem. Stealer charges about $1900 for this fix(%90 of it is labor). I would love to get a feedback, like how long does it take, and pictures if you have it. This is the only problem I have so far with my car. Here is the page, bottom part is what I am talking about(part number is SSBDRK.

http://www.thesaabsite.com/95/95Cabinfan.htm

Your feedback is sincerely appreciated.

Thank you

[robw]

Have not tried it though I am a victim of the 08 ACC fault code. If you get it let me know how it works out. It's getting cold here!

[Kermit]

Not used this kit...its rrp is over £400 in the UK.

[robw]

Just ordered the kit. I'll let you know how it works out.

[pokerplayer]

Originally Posted by robw

Just ordered the kit. I'll let you know how it works out.

I can't wait. It would be awesome if you took pics and time yourself. There is an article on http://www.thesaabsite.com/95/95heaterboxrepair.html guy says it should not take more than 2 hours. But according to pictures, he took the whole heater box out. I went in there, it doesn't look like a 2 hour job.

Your help is sincerely appreciated.

Thank you

[robw]

Alright,

So my $225 blend door shaft repair kit arrived over the weekend and I went to install it today......



First, remove the lower dash piece as shown here:





When I removed it, this little piece fell out :




I then removed the motor (yellow arrow) and the vent elbow (white arow):



Once these were off, I had access to the belnd door shaft:






Turns out, my shaft was still intact. Apparently the 1...08 code can also be caused by a broken stop lever which attaches to the end of the blend door shaft.

So now I have ordered a new stop lever(the broken piece above part #5334701) from the dealership for $17. I will try and see if I can get Saabsite to accept a return of the aluminum one as I have no need for it but their site clearly stated "NOT RETURNABLE".

My advice to all would be to remove the pieces and physically confirm that the shaft is broken before ordering the kit. It is a pain in the *** working under the dash on the drivers side, but it didn't take too long to get in there (about 30 mins or so and would have been less if I didn't bother taking piccys).

I can see how this would be an easy fix for a broken shaft and one that Saab themselves should employ rather than charging customers $2000 to put a plastic shaft back in that would still be susceptible to breaking again.

[Chris 9-5]

Great pics thanks for the update, good luck on the refund

[Kermit]

Good job Rob. Can you enlarge the piccys a little more?

[robw]

Thanks guys.

Andy - I'll see how big I can get them - how big is your monitor?

[Chris 9-5]

He's got a 42" plasma


But they still didnt fit

[robw]

Ah there now.....

That should be better!

[Saaby]

So the consensus is:

If you get 01.....08 take apart the dash. If the motor or stop lever are broken, than you can replace them yourself for cheap. If the shaft is broken, you can fix it using the $225 kit.

Yes?

[pokerplayer]

Hey Rob! First of all I want to thank you for the trouble taking pictures. That is very kind of you. My code is 08 too, and months ago I did what you did. I realized that yellow plastic piece broken. Is that the shaft you are talking about? If that is the case, this is the kit I need. See? I went as far as you did, I took the stepping motor out, it was working. I saw the yellow plastic door holder(mover) broken.

Good luck with your fixand refund. Please post more pictures if you take them. It took me roughly 15-20 minutes to get there too. Pain in the %^$# to fit there....

[robw]

Originally Posted by Saaby

So the consensus is:

If you get 01.....08 take apart the dash. If the motor or stop lever are broken, than you can replace them yourself for cheap. If the shaft is broken, you can fix it using the $225 kit.

Yes?

Correct.

Originally Posted by pokerplayer

I realized that yellow plastic piece broken. Is that the shaft you are talking about?

Yes.

If that is the case, this is the kit I need.

Yes it is, and I may have one I need to get rid of .

[Saaby]

THANKS A MILLION ROB! AND YES, I KNOW I'M SHOUTING!

I'm sorry you ended up with an expensive kit that is of little use to you, but I can now sleep better at night knowing that the $1500 boneheaded problem that possibly awaits can be fixed for much cheaper.

You know what this means don't you?

Engine sludging? Yeah, it's a worry, but totally preventable.
ACC problem? It can be fixed for a reasonable amount of money.

What other big problems does the 9-5 suffer from?

[robw]

Ok So I got my $17 little plastic stop lever and installed it on the end of the shaft:



Then I go to reassemble and realize that the shaft on the motor side is not turning even though I hear the motor crank when I adjust the temperature. Call Saab - it's a $164 part that needs to be ordered. Before ordering, I take the motor apart into its 3 pieces:



- turns out the small shaft with the gear on it (yellow arrow) is sticking out too far and is not making contact with the gears in the gearbox. Gently tap it back in, reassemble the motor, install it and voila! The heating and cooling work great and no more 08 code! I am now a happy man! (Let's just hope it doesn't go again!)

[Finn]

Top job fella, and very well done on the photos..

[Chris 9-5]

Originally Posted by Finn

Top job fella, and very well done on the photos..

Agreed, well done Rob

[mfong]

How do you know if your blend door is broken?
just maaking sure =)

~Mike

[robw]

Thanks guys.

Originally Posted by mfong

How do you know if your blend door is broken?
just maaking sure =)
~Mike

If you are getting hot air when you turn up the temp on the ACC and cold air when you turn down the temp, you're blend door shaft is probably fine.

If not, press the OFF and AUTO buttons simultaneously (at the same time for you) and wait to see if the display returns anythin other than 0. A code 1......08 may mean a broken blend door shaft.

If that doesn't work, just insert a new light bulb, being careful not to bend the connector pins .