[polars]

I just recently purchased a 94 900S with minor front end damage (busted headlight and grill and dented hood) at auction and it runs and drives fine but no radio or instrumentation at all. No backlights, gauges or warning lights when you turn the key on. No odometer either.
All fuses are good, both under the hood and in dash fuse panels were checked. Any ideas?

 

['97 Saab SE Turbo]

First of all, welcome to the forum.

It sure sounds like you have more than one problem, but they all may be caused by the accident. I would start with using a volt/ohm meter to check all the bulbs for resistance because the impact from the accident may have broken the elements. Then I would check for voltage at the bulb sockets. You can turn on the head lights, turn signals, and 4-way flashers to get most the bulbs to light. As far as the instrument cluster goes, there is one large connector (50-pins or so) behind it. That may have come loose.

The speedometer and odometer both run off the ABS system. There are ABS sensors in the wheel hubs and the ABS unit under the hood. The ABS unit can be repaired for $75 or so. And a bad ABS unit might be the cause of the accident... Ron

 

[polars]

Cut off at the cluster

Well I finally got my Saab into the garage this weekend and tore into the dash. What a mess I found! Everything was disconnected. The wiring to the instrument cluster was completely cut off and the connector is gone! Red wires about 4 inches long were soldered onto all the ends of each of the wires.
I found a wreck with the connector and installed it on my harness but when it is plugged in the backlighting and gauges still do not work. The warning lights and oddometer do work however.
It was a color for color reattachment for the most part so I believe the wiring is mostly correct. The plug did however come from a 98 and mine is a 94. I had the wiring diagram for both years so I hope that these are correct. There were three wires that were not color for color on pins 2, 26 and 53. The plug I got had a blue brown wire in pin 52 and no wire in pin 53 so I added a pin in 53 to attach my blue/white (Headlights) wire and I had a spare blue brown wire I assumed went to pin 52 but my wiring diagram for the 94 does not show any wire there. It doesn't show any blue brown wire anywhere. Any Ideas?
I am guessing the gauges were a problem before that is why whoever the prior owner was went to the drastic measure of chopping the connector off and soldering in some other instrumentation.
I found another instrument cluster so I will change it out when I get it.

 

[polars]

Success!

The replacement dash fixed everything. All the lights and indicators work fine.

 

['97 Saab SE Turbo]

Remember to save the lights out of the old instrument cluster as they go for around $10/light at the dealer. They will also fit the ACC and SID as long as you match up the base color... Ron

 

[polars]

Thanks!

Ya! So true. When I was troubleshooting I took several of the lights out and checked them and they were all good so Yes I certainly will keep them around for future use. Thanks!