Paddle Shift on 2002 Saab 9-5 Aero

[-Lummox-]

Hello all,

Just picked up my 3rd turbo Saab, a 2002 9-5 HOT Aero auto for peanuts, but in usual style I'm already looking to fix things which probably don't make good financial sense!

The car has paddle shift controls (and seems to have a manual setting on the shifter too) which I thought only came in on 2003 cars, mine is an 02 reg though?

The paddle shift controls don't seem to work to control gear changes though... the left-hand paddle turns the stereo down, the right hand does nothing, and on the stereo volume controls, up does nothing, and down turns the volume up! Any ideas why this might be???

My first thought was that the car does not have paddle shift and has maybe had the steering wheel and/or airbag replaced with one from a later car that did, hence the connections being different and not working as they should. But then why does the gear shifter itself seem to have a manual position?

Any guidance that can be offered gratefully received!

Thanks

[Veryoldbear]

A total mystery. Mine seem to do what they are supposed to do.

[slugelise]

the steering wheel controls are wired via a single wire and use various resistors to communicate with the car, be it to increase the volume or change gear. Sounds like the steering wheels contacts need a good clean, given some things work but not others.

[-Lummox-]

I changed the clock spring last week to see if that would help, and sprayed everything with contact cleaner, no change.

I've realised the down paddle actually turns the volume down, and the volume up switches to CD... Very weird?!

Wondering if it is worth swapping the airbag for another one from a breaker to see if the unit itself is defective?

[tiffx19]

If the SID unit has been changed for a different one with a different part number, then it can make this happen. Just got myself a 2003 Aero HOT estate and picked up a SID from the breakers to fix missing pixels, the display worked perfectly, but the steering wheel buttons all changed what they did. Ended up getting a ribbon and repairing the original SID and all went back to normal. Pre 2003 auto's had 4 speeds, post had 5 and paddles..