[stevecarter1000]

Hi guys,

On the M25 coming past Heathrow earlier today when ABS, TC, BRAKE warning lights all come on, fuel, temperature and rev counter all drop to zero and Speedo sticks at 55 ish which I presume is the speed that I was travelling at.

Whilst still rolling, put it in neutral, turned off at key and tried to re-start - nothing. Speedo dropped to zero when ignition was or off and immediately back to 55 when ignition back on but starter didn't turn. Still rolling, I bump started it and drove home - 40 miles ish. No problems with engine power or brakes. Wipers, lights, radio all working (RIP Ray Wilkins!). Fuel consumption, distance to empty, average speed figures all wiped out.

Got home, switched off, tried to start again - nothing.

Googled it all and found that ABS sensor can cause similar problems but can't find anything that also causes the starter motor not to function. Haven't measured battery output but it doesn't even click the starter motor when trying to turnover but lights are still bright. Obviously something electrical I reason, but what?

Any clues/ideas/ suggestions please?

Many thanks...

Car has done 155,000 miles

 

[Mimmi]

Check main relay and its wiring to ECU.
Main relay is in UEC (R7). You can test to bypass it with jumper between 30 and 87. If car starts now, you have bad wire between UEC pin M6 and ECU pin B72 (larger connector).
Do not leave bypass wire, because it will drain your battery in few hours.

ECU placing is worst that I ever met, just front of right front wheel under mud shield and front bumper.

 

[stevecarter1000]

Thanks Mimmi, but all to no avail I'm afraid. Pulled all the relays out, no evidence of damp or rust, replaced all, checked fuses all pushed home, jumped the pins 30 and 87 but still nothing. Dash lights come up but fuel gauge still at zero.

I did think last night that it seems to be a main circuit problem but your kind suggestion hasn't resolved it.

Any more ideas please?

Any thoughts anyone else please?

Thanks,

Steve

 

[Rickl]

Hi Steve,
Sounds like it could possibly be a broken wire in the loom between the battery and the engine (nearly under the battery shelf). Fairly common in the 1.9 diesel. You may find a better response on saabscene.com which is more UK/European based. It happened to mine several years ago and was fixed by Saabtech Welwyn (when they were in Stevenage).

Cheers

Rick

 

[stevecarter1000]

Thanks Rick, appreciated. If the problem is as you suggest then presumably it'll need to be checked by an auto-electrician as opposed to being physically possible to find the culprit just by looking?

Cheers,

Steve

 

[Rickl]

Hi Steve,
You could be lucky finding it yourself, but as you say it's probably best to take it to the experts. I don't know where in Bedfordshire you are but the nearest authorised Saab service centres to you are (in case you don't know) - Saab Centre Milton Keynes 01908 227009 or poss Cambridge Saab 01223 841616. If you are in South Beds then possibly Saabtech Welwyn 01707379950 is near enough. Also Two Stroke to Turbo at Bassingbourn near Royston 01763 246699.

Hope this helps.

Rick

 

[stevecarter1000]

Thanks again Rick,

Mercifully, I appear to have made progress. I read somewhere about disconnecting the battery can reset some things so I removed the earth terminal and let it rest for 10 minutes before reconnecting it. Still nothing from the starter motor but I noticed that a warning came up on the central top display that the traction control was inoperative. I 'ok'd it and a warning then showed that there was water in the oil which I also 'ok'd. Then I noticed that the distance till empty was registering a figure instead of just being a line of dashes so I scrolled through the menu until I got to the clock which wasn't showing a time so I set it via rds. It took much longer than usual to set so I assumed that it was just something else that wasn't working when the clock suddenly set itself, the fuel gauge climbed to where it should be and the glow plug symbol lit up. When it went out I turned the key and the damned thing started! Bloody car's!

Hopefully that'll be that and I don't have an intermittent problem or that it's a temporary reprieve before it fails completely.

Thanks for the help....

Cheers,,

Steve

 

[Mimmi]

Check both battery wires. If they are warm, you have internal corrosion. I have changed few and wires are corroded internally under battery terminal crimp joint. They all looked just fine.

 

[stevecarter1000]

It's happened again, only this time undoing the battery earth lead hasn't helped.

Thanks Mimmi, I'll have a closer look.

Any other ideas anyone please...?

Thanks,

Steve

 

[Diggs]

pull ecu and give it a look. rubbish placement on the tid cars.

 

[stevecarter1000]

Thanks Diggs!

Yeah, under the front offside mud guard I understand, By the bumper?

Looking for what though? Corroded terminals? Arcing? Forgive my ignorance.

If there's an issue, will a replacement just plug in and play or will it need re-programming/technical intervention?

Cheers!

 

[RDISaab]

It's happened again, only this time undoing the battery earth lead hasn't helped.

Thanks Mimmi, I'll have a closer look.

Any other ideas anyone please...?

You should check the excellent ideas you've already received.

Seems likely your problem is battery or battery cable related. Remove both battery cables, clean up battery posts and cable ends with a wire brush or abrasive and remake connections with dielectric grease. In the process visually inspect cables for corrosion.