Recall 03V006000: 1999–2003 Saab 9-5

Report received

Jan 13, 2003

Manufacturer

Saab cars usa, inc.

Potentially affected

70,726vehicles

Model years

1999–2003

Check your own vehicle. A recall applies only to vehicles within the affected build range. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer.

What NHTSA recorded

On certain passenger vehicles, if an owner changes their wheels/tires between summer and winter using a steel wheel in the winter and an alloy wheel in the summer, it is possible for rust and contamination to build up on the wheel hub during the steel wheel usage. If this occurs and the contamination is not removed, it is possible that after the tire change service, some of this contamination could flake or grind away resulting in reduced clamping force of the wheel to the hub. Over several seasons, it is possible that this reduced force could result in fractures developing in the wheel bolts due to wheel to hub movement.

Possible consequence

These fractures would result in wheel bolt breakage, allowing the wheel to detach from the wheel hub, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Owners will be contacted by mail and asked whether they change between steel and alloy wheels. If they do engage in this practice, they will be instructed to bring their cars to an authorized dealer. The dealer will remove the wheels, clean any contamination from the wheel and wheel hub, and replace the wheels using new improved bolts with attached washers. Owner notification began march 31, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact saab at 1-800-955-9007.

Affected model years

Pages for each model year show complaints, parts, mileage and other recalls.

• 1999 Saab 9-5118 complaints
• 2000 Saab 9-5119 complaints
• 2001 Saab 9-5104 complaints
• 2002 Saab 9-565 complaints
• 2003 Saab 9-547 complaints