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2005 Saab 9-5 repairs by problem area

Engine (51%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (0%)

Brakes and Traction Control (3%)

Suspension and Steering (15%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (19%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (9%)

Other (3%)

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Chart based on 116 repairs.

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2005 Saab 9-5 engine repair cost distribution

$2500+ (0%)

$1000 - $2499 (6%)

$500 - $999 (32%)

$100 - $499 (21%)

< $100 (40%)

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Chart based on 47 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

134000 mi US $600	Car idles badly especially with A/C on (stalls), otherwise runs OK. Throttle body replacement, unclear if it helped, vacuum leak? Mechanic says there isn't one. Might try swapping ignition cassette for a known good one.
135000 mi US $150	repaired small, slow fuel line leak under rear door between tank and engine

US $13	Coolant Flush >ENTIRE REPLACEMENT< Replaced thermostat Spark Plugs
98589 mi US $20	Replace PCV valve & related hoses
104381 mi US $26	Crankshaft Positioning Sensor
113058 mi US $30	Heater Bypass Valve Replace hooter valve

23000 mi	replace water pump, leaking
28000 mi	replace leaking heater control valve

143920 mi C $700	Direct Ignition Coil module failed, resulting in a check engine light. The part was supplied by my Saab independent shop and was $600+CDN.
179800 mi C $330	Exhaust system replaced. Center muffler was rotted out. A coolant hose feeding the heater started to leak. This is a custom part that has a plastic tee and three ends. It is a factory only part and is expensive and hard to get to. The SAAB specialist says it rarely fails.
193740 mi C $600	Installed new engine mounts. You can't really tell until you strip out a lot of stuff. But two of four look fine.
202740 mi C $1400	As a result of my DIY timing/balance chain repair last year, the engine developed an oil leak that required the head gasket to be replaced. Two broken exhaust manifold studs were also replaced while the head was off. The two studs at the extreme ends of the exhaust manifold tend to break off at the interface between the manifold at the head. This is due to the difference in the thermal expansion of the two parts, the head being aluminum and the manifold being ductile iron. The exhaust manifold probably also gets much hotter as it isn't water cooled. These two studs are made extra long with a tubular spacer under the nuts to improve their flexibility to resist this distortion, but this is only partly effective. The car can operate quite nicely without them for a long time as the remainder of the studs are enough to prevent an exhaust leak. That is until another one breaks, which would cause a leak and need to be repaired. I intend to run this car to about 450,000 km, so a reasonable level of repair is necessary. Note that this is my second 9-5 and the same thing happened to it at about the same distance but I never had it repaired. It is something that will happen to virtually every car with this motor sometime after 250,000 km.

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216380 mi

C $1200

Replaced direct ignition cartridge.

214560 mi	Water pump and seals
216380 mi	Replaced oil trap assembly (from cobra to intake), Replaced PCV assembly Thermostat
216680 mi	Replaced flex pipe.
218240 mi	Exhaust leak up front. Valve noise. Prematurely worn rear tires. Noisy alternator/pully and balance chain noise got worse.

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102000 mi US $300	Bad temp sensor and thermostat replaced
111000 mi US $450	Needed new muffler.

122000 mi

US $812

Replaced Radiator after it cracked.

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51469 mi US $499	Water pump leaking, replaced.
56332 mi US $90	Replaced belt guard
71641 mi US $490	Water pump replaced.
97273 mi US $407	Coolant bypass valve replaced. PCV valve replaced.
99282 mi US $503	Water pump replaced

91000 mi

US $1300

Radiator leaking at connector Valve cover seal Heater bypass valve

162000 mi US $23	Replaced breather hose (Pro Parts# 5955927)
168300 mi US $503	Heater bypass valve leak. Replaced.
180000 mi	New oil pressure switch to fix oil leak.
182000 mi US $268	New turbo bypass valve to clear CELs (P0101, P0300, P0455).
187135 mi US $20	Heater coolant bypass valve replaced due to coolant leak
196686 mi US $600	Exhaust replacement (cat-back).
208963 mi US $46	Replaced camshaft cover gaskets
227994 mi US $172	Replaced coolant lines with Do88 kit. Required worm screws.
238069 mi US $179	Replaced DIC to fix CEL 1413
242003 mi US $973	New sub frame bushings
257477 mi US $70	Replaced starter. Replaced oil trap and all 3 vent hoses. Replaced timing chain o-ring and seal. Replaced water pump pulley assembly and water pump seals. New thermostat and coolant temperature sensor.
260049 mi US $59	Replaced CPS

87000 mi

US $500

Fuel filter rusted through two oil leaks

230500 mi US $500	Replaced oil sending unit and head gasket both leaking oil
238000 mi US $900	Replaced exhaust manifold to mid-muffler
246000 mi US $320	Coolant bypass valve and vacuum leak fixed
268000 mi US $1400	Cooling system - water pump and brakes