[Ryan_1909]

Hey everyone,
I purchased a 2003 Saab 9-3 se convertible that has around 76000 miles on it. I’m preparing to get it ready for the summer months as the car is currently in storage.
My question is, what sort of maintenance work should be done on the car just to ensure it stays in great shape? The previous owner always took care of the car and stored it in the winter but lacked a little when it came to maintenance work outside oil changes and such. Is there certain things I should get done now or soon?
Thanks for your help!

 

[Saaberachi]

Drop the oil pan so you know! Make sure pcv update #6 is installed. Check the condition of the motor mounts & suspension/steering components, specifically rubber parts. Check convertible top fluid level. Also verify that the low speed is working on the radiator cooling fan

 

[rich1068]

And if you want it to drive as it should I'd invest in the Abbott Rack Brace Kit and Stainless Steel Sub-frame Brace. They'll transform a convertible.

 

[pokeyjoe]

I would go after the commonly neglected maintenance items. Flush and replace the brake fluid and the coolant. If the previous owner did indeed take care of the car, sludge should not be a problem. Regular oil changes? PVC #6 was developed to address oil leaks per the technical service bulletin (not sludge). Do it, but no hurry. If there is any clunking coming from the front end, it's probably some failed rubber parts or the motor mounts.

 

[Ryan_1909]

How would I check if the pcv upgrade has been done and also the low setting on the radiator?
So far I have replaced the dic, spark plugs, cps, boost control valve, and sid. I have also replaced vacume hoses that we're broken/missing...
Right now I'm having an issue with the neutral safety switch where the car goes into limp mode every now and then. I simply turn the car off and back on and it seems to go away for a while. I plan on removing the switch and repairing it when I have the time... Unless there is an easier alternative?
I was looking at the steering rack brace and 6-point subframe from genuine saab. Is the braces from them just as good as the ones from Abbott?

 

[jvanabra]

The switch is not super likely to cause a limp home mode - that was a common failure on the early design switch in the '90s, but switch on the 9-3 doesn't usually suffer from that. I would pull the codes and see what you're dealing with to be sure.

I would DEFINITELY drop the pan as @Saaberachi suggests... low miles cars are at high risk for sludge. That should be Job 1.

 

[Germaniac]

When you have the car on a lift, check for rust especially behind the arch liners and take a look at the bushings.

Inspect the area of the firewall at the corners to the wheel housings, some CV are known to have cracks at these spots.

There was also a bulletin (801-2413) regarding an improper sealing of the A-pillar causing water to leak inside.

 

[Saaberachi]

When I got my 03 convertible it was going into limp mode and it turned out to be the t7 throttle body unit

 

[Ryan_1909]

When I got my 03 convertible it was going into limp mode and it turned out to be the t7 throttle body unit

The code that comes up is p0705

 

[Saaberachi]

Oh in that case pull the NSS off the transmission take it apart clean it grease it and reinstall it I just went through that on a 2002 SE 5 door

 

[AUSSIE900]

+ 100 , Drop the pan , A good maintenace regime with oil does not guarantee sludge avoidance .
Its a must do .

Testing low speed on fan , A simple test , just remove the black connector ( 2 wire) and jumper 12v from battery Neg to black pos to green. If it does not run its a failed resitor . (assuming it runs on high speed)

 

[BobSaabit]

Just to jump on the bandwagon, Saab paid to replace a lot of motors back in the day. Most were in the 50-80k range (the lower because they need three years or so on the road to get sluged and the upper limited because the cars were not that old.

They would only replace or repair them if you could prove you'd changed your oil per the schedule.

Putting those two together: they paid to replace a lot of motors that had documented oil changes done. So, that's no protection.

 

[Ryan_1909]

Just to jump on the bandwagon, Saab paid to replace a lot of motors back in the day. Most were in the 50-80k range (the lower because they need three years or so on the road to get sluged and the upper limited because the cars were not that old.

They would only replace or repair them if you could prove you'd changed your oil per the schedule.

Putting those two together: they paid to replace a lot of motors that had documented oil changes done. So, that's no protection.

So just installing the pcv kit will prevent this?

 

[Mort]

+1 to the comments above re pan drop, DIC and PCV update #6.
I also suggest you look at:
1. Serpentine belt + Idler pulley + Tensioner replacement is required. Keep a belt + pulley in the trunk for emergencies.
2. Fuel filter is recommended to change at 80k I think.
3. Check the status and condition of your coolant hoses.
4. Cabin filter and air filter if it's been in storage for a while.
5. I'd ensure in due course your chain is not extended.
6. Check the condition of your vacuum hoses and in particular the check valves.

** important also to have a spare key because lost keys with OG9-3 are expensive to fix.

 

[Saaberachi]

So just installing the pcv kit will prevent this?

That, & religous high quality oil changes, proper cooling in warm temps

 

[BobSaabit]

So just installing the pcv kit will prevent this?

No. Installing the kit after dropping the pan and cleaning the oil screen should prevent it. The pan drop is a PITA job, but we can guide you.

If the kit had been installed at 35K-50K, I might be semi-comfortable with it. I'd still want to drop it evenntually, but I might not be rushing.

Pull off the engine cover and take a photo of what the PCV system looks like. We need to see the larger hoses that go from the cam cover to the throttle body area then head down the back. Just a photo from the top is what we need that shows the right side.

 

[Ryan_1909]

No. Installing the kit after dropping the pan and cleaning the oil screen should prevent it. The pan drop is a PITA job, but we can guide you.

If the kit had been installed at 35K-50K, I might be semi-comfortable with it. I'd still want to drop it evenntually, but I might not be rushing.

Pull off the engine cover and take a photo of what the PCV system looks like. We need to see the larger hoses that go from the cam cover to the throttle body area then head down the back. Just a photo from the top is what we need that shows the right side.

I'll get a picture as soon as possible. The car is currently in storage that's about a three hour drive away... I believe I checked before I put the car in storage and, at the time, thought I saw the kit installed. I would need to double check as I've become more familiar over the past few months while reading up on things. Any idea what year they would have done the kit through the dealership? Before I bought the car a man had owned it for 9 years, and before that it was the original owner who purchased the car in 2003. It is originally from Florida.

 

[Mort]

So you should see some hoses connected to your oil filler tube (dipstick). The key issues with pcv kits is the hoses and check valve will need inspection after some years to ensure they are still fit for purpose. There are a few videos that show you how to check, but’s that basically it.

 

[EdT]

My 2003 9-5 with B235 would have had a similar PCV system to a 2003 9-3 with the B205. Possibly slightly more advanced, because my car was a late (May 2003) production. Whatever PCV updates it may or may not have had, it did not have the PCV 7 system, which I did have installed. Oil change history? Unknown.

I haven't dropped the pan, not do I plan to unless something happens.

Car has 291,000 km. The oil light goes out promptly on starting the engine and never comes on afterwards. Even after an oil change which includes a thorough drain (30 minutes or so as I putter about) and of course a new and dry oil filter, the oil light stays on for only a second or two on startup.

So, dropping the pan is a pointless exercise--unless something changes. And there are more than a few old B2x5 cars out there that have not had the pan drop, nor the PCV 7 system installed. If the engine has made it with no problems this far, why would it suddenly develop issues? It might, it might not. So don't break what isn't broken.

The shop, which would be quite willing to take my money if I wanted to drop the pan, told me that needing a pan drop is not a universal thing. Some cars need it, some don't.

I suppose the trick is knowing in advance which ones do need it. But as far as I'm concerned, as long as the oil light is going out promptly, there is unlikely to be an issue. If that changes, then yes, pan drop time.

 

[pokeyjoe]

The voice of reason. Thank you. I'm on my third 9-3 and have never taken the pans off any of the them. The PVC #6 update was introduced well after production of the car ended. None of my cars had it. If you buy a car that does, I would assume the car was well taken care of.