[jvanabra]

Can anyone explain/describe where the vent duct that runs from the center console attaches up front? Inexplicably, the one on this car is missing and I'm trying to determine how much of a junkyard car I need to dismantle to get one.

 

[jmkcc]

I will double check when I get home tonight, but I'm almost certain it travels straight forward then bends right up and across the shift rod and then bends straight upwards and attaches to the ductwork in the front/center. So only the floor center console and the lower dash center console (with the ACC and other switches) need to come out. A couple of nuts a few machine screws and the two plastic rivet pins pointing straight up that attach the center lower dash console to the dash.

I'm almost certain I have one or two from a vert in the trunk of my "spare" you can have for shipping but might be cheaper and quicker to get at local salvage.

 

[lark888]

The only part I found confusing was getting the ignition switch off to access the attachment screw between the two center console covers. The switch needs to be rotated (don’t remember which way ) to unlock the bayonet style engagement.

 

[jvanabra]

So weird... That makes total sense from the parts diagrams, but I have the ACC & lower bin out of the dash and can't see where it would connect. I'm wondering if maybe someone sliced it up or something. Bah!

Well, something to do this weekend I suppose.

 

[BobSaabit]

I was just in there assembling one a couple weeks ago... the snout for the feed is about ACC height, a little left of center, rectangular and about 1"x3". With the center console out it should be very obvious. EDIT: "top of ACC panel height".



Figuring out where the long duct to the rear rides is a little time consuming, but there's only one way it works. Eventually falls into place and it's "oh, yeah, that's obvious".

 

[jvanabra]

The duct runs behind the ACC panel, yeah?

 

[BobSaabit]

Definitely behind the ACC, down the left side of the console aside the brake lever, then up to the rear vent.



Should be a little snout there. It's not long, but it's not really hiding. Should be right behind or aside the wiring hanging down AFAIR.

 

[jvanabra]

Someone has to have cut something. That's what I expected but didn't see, and when I didn't I got confused. I can see what I think is the duct behind the ACC, but somewhere between there and the floor it must be cut or broken. Unfortunately being an automatic getting that floor console out is a royal PITA. Man, people do weird stuff to cars.

 

[BobSaabit]

I seem to recall that I once got the console out of an automatic without removing the shifter plate by careful manipulation of it on the axis of the shifter and lifting the console out. But, I was in a junkyard, so I may have been less than gentle and I may have forgotten some damage that occurred.



If the duct is there, you should be able to feel it through the ACC hole and ashtray hole down almost to the floor. Reach back and to the left. At the floor it takes a 90 degree turn to head out the left side of the shifter. It's about 1"x3" and changes shape as it goes... then thins out after the turn at the floor.



If there's no air at the rear, the most obvious problem would simply be the rear of the console not being installed correctly so that the external vent isnt properly connected to the pipe.

 

[jvanabra]

I can see that at least most of the duct is missing - with the arm rest "mount" gone and the window switch pack removed I can clearly see when the duct should be, so I know it isn't there. But I can't see past the shifter tower, nor at the junction between lower forward and center consoles so I don't know where it's detached. It seems like everything behind the ACC panel is there... so the point of disconnect is a mystery.

I was trying to figure out the minimally invasive way to get one from a junkyard, but also I want to be sure I get everything that's missing so I don't end up short bits.

 

[BobSaabit]

That is odd. It's one oddly shaped piece from behind the ACC to the rear exit in the console. Someone would have to cut it to have part of it missing. I will admit to spending a few minutes puzzling as to how it went back in as I had taken it out months ago and didn't recall the route. Perhaps the previous owner took it out and then got frustrated on the reinstall... then just cut it off instead of figuring it out.

 

[jvanabra]

I think this car has a quirky range sensor with attendant intermittent no start... it does add up that the PO had the ignition switch apart at some point, so who knows what happened after.

 

[BobSaabit]

I think this car has a quirky range sensor with attendant intermittent no start... it does add up that the PO had the ignition switch apart at some point, so who knows what happened after.

yyeah... If they took the shifter out to get to the ignition switch then it all would have come out and go back in.

 

[jmkcc]

Here's a pic from NG900 with everything including the vents taken out (this car has ACC). On the manual the rear inserts into the center opening and the two on each side go straight down and feed the floor/under seat vents.

 

[jvanabra]

Really appreciate that picture. ;ol;

That really reinforces my belief someone took an Xacto to the duct. There'd be a big obvious hole up there if that duct was fully missing.

I'm gonna try and hit up a junkyard tomorrow and snag one. There was a pretty nice '02 there last time... it was a couple weeks ago, hopefully nobody has decimated it yet. You see, around here, most people don't use parts from Saabs, they just pointlessly destroy things.

 

[jvanabra]

Got new duct... and for better or for worse, someone had already removed a bunch of the interior so I wasn't able to see how the key transceiver is supposed to be affixed... looks like maybe just taped to the duct?

http://www.sacsaabs.org/sacsaabs.org/misc/01935door_centerduct.jpg

Anyone know?

 

[lark888]

Not attached to the duct! I removed all three ducts to get at the heater core and the ducts were just the plastic with cables tie-wrapped to them. I reviewed the pics and video that I have from that work without ever seeing that component.

My Saab is a 2002 9-3 convertible.

 

[BobSaabit]

Got new duct... and for better or for worse, someone had already removed a bunch of the interior so I wasn't able to see how the key transceiver is supposed to be affixed... looks like maybe just taped to the duct?

http://www.sacsaabs.org/sacsaabs.org/misc/01935door_centerduct.jpg

Anyone know?

The transceiver unit is not mounted to anything per se. It looks like the ends would fit over the screws that mount the rear of the console, but they don't. I seem to recall that my "out of the factory" unit was taped somehow but I don't recall where. They antenna (wire) is supposed to have little tie wraps with studs that hold it into the rear or the console but it's not worth worrying about them. Just wrap it up and around the upper section to get a the highest exposure you can inside the console.

Is that white piece of wire attached to your antenna lead?

 

[jvanabra]

I'm gonna say yes, but I don't know. Everything works, so whatever's supposed to be connected is connected.

I'll just stuff that box in somewhere and secure with good thoughts.

 

[BobSaabit]

The reason I asked about the wire is that some guys had experimented with extending the antenna up into the roof area with a long wire to get the remote to work from a reasonable distance per most other cars. That wire is not original...looks like 14G romex extract from here. I'm thinking that someone tried the extended wire solution. (FWIW... AFAIK, it shouldn't help to put in a long wire as an antenna since the wavelength is then seriously messed up, but they reported good results in experiments).