9-3 1.9TD inlet problems?
Discussion
A neighbour has a 1.9TD 9-3 which has been somewhat troublesome.
Recently it failed in South Wales leaving him to struggle back at 50mph.
Apparently there seems to be some sort of known problem with the inlet side of the fuel system. Anyone had any experience of this?
Any other issues with the Alfa diesel engined version that people have experienced?
Car is less than a year old iirc but is high mileage - I would guess it must be between 40 and 50 k by now.
Recently it failed in South Wales leaving him to struggle back at 50mph.
Apparently there seems to be some sort of known problem with the inlet side of the fuel system. Anyone had any experience of this?
Any other issues with the Alfa diesel engined version that people have experienced?
Car is less than a year old iirc but is high mileage - I would guess it must be between 40 and 50 k by now.
Flat in Fifth said:
Apparently there is a problem with the system which burns off the accumulated soot in the exhaust. If the driver does not give the car enough welly when the cycle starts it doesn't get hot enough and eventually goes into limp home mode.
Saab are making a mod to fix this.
Saab are making a mod to fix this.
I do seem to recall reading something about this now you mention it - but somehow I doubt this particular vehicle is suffering from a lack of welly under any circumstances.
He now has the car back after 2 days at the dealer and I wish I could remember what he said it was but something to do with the "swirl pot sensor" (?) which has, apparently, now been replaced.
His comments were that when he first got back into it it seemed a little less eager than it had previously but after a day or so - probably about 500 miles for him! - it seems OK again. Plus he is now getting a little over 500 miles from a tank of fuel rather than about 400 - 450.
If I remember I will ask him again - probably next time I see him with a loan car ...
I seem to remember something about a light on the dash coming on when the soot burning cycle was on. This led some drivers to think whassuuupp? and lift off which was the wrong thing to do. I'll see if I can check out a bit more.
Out of the three 9-3 diesel on our fleet, one went back to Saab for repeated faults, one had the problem couple of times but driver is still soldiering on now he's been told what it is and how to deal with it, the final one is fine but that driver does have a heavy right foot, and points* to match.
He got a conditional offer of £60/3pts for high 90s on M4 S Wales, after the usual canteen mickey taking he snatched their hands off. Not to mention 130mph indicated in France during wee small hours!!!!
Out of the three 9-3 diesel on our fleet, one went back to Saab for repeated faults, one had the problem couple of times but driver is still soldiering on now he's been told what it is and how to deal with it, the final one is fine but that driver does have a heavy right foot, and points* to match.
He got a conditional offer of £60/3pts for high 90s on M4 S Wales, after the usual canteen mickey taking he snatched their hands off. Not to mention 130mph indicated in France during wee small hours!!!!
It hasn't been chipped, has it? Apparently there's trouble where the tuner reprofiles the map for common rail injection pressure deep into the part-load area at a certain speed range - the higher injection pressure, together with the shorter injection time will allowthe enigine to run more efficient, which in turn means the EGT will not get high enough for proper regeneration of the particulate filter which will be clogged in just a few thousand miles (another example of sacrificing efficiency for short-term/afterthought emissions control solutions, but that as an aside).
You'll be surprised how many diesel cars are being chipped by a third party, without the dealer, the lease company and insurance knowing about it...
You'll be surprised how many diesel cars are being chipped by a third party, without the dealer, the lease company and insurance knowing about it...
I'm fairly sure the thing will not have been chipped - its a company car, he hasn't mentioned anything and I don't think it would be in his mind to go down that route.
He seems to have had a series of problems - this is not the first remedial engine work required and there was a recall for wheel bearings iirc - all of which have been spread through the life of the car so far but, being high mileage use, are compressed in timescale.
I may suggest to him to try a Toyota next to see what he can do to wreck that!
I'll mention the need for welly rather than a light foot on the cleaning cycle but I'm going to guess that he is already aware of it. Good point about the search for cleanliness to satisfy regulations rather than efficiency. Such are the times in which we live.
He seems to have had a series of problems - this is not the first remedial engine work required and there was a recall for wheel bearings iirc - all of which have been spread through the life of the car so far but, being high mileage use, are compressed in timescale.
I may suggest to him to try a Toyota next to see what he can do to wreck that!
I'll mention the need for welly rather than a light foot on the cleaning cycle but I'm going to guess that he is already aware of it. Good point about the search for cleanliness to satisfy regulations rather than efficiency. Such are the times in which we live.
Update, just checked with manufacturer.
At one time they thought it was swirl pot chamber and maybe the garage is working to old instructions.
When the particulate filter regeneration cycle starts there is a light on the dashboard which lights to say the process has started. Fine and dandy except someone in their infinite wisdom decided to use the dashboard light which doubles as the "major engine management problem, limp home mode" DOH!
So people are seeing the light and thinking , oh bother, and lifting off when what they should be doing is giving it some welly and driving at a minimum of 40 mph for 15 miles.
Saab are reprogramming the ECU and emissions control system to stop this happening by way of a technical bulletin. Longer term they are redesigning the dash to include an extra warning light. Same problem has occurred on some Vauxhalls apparently.
So moral of story is,
Is your Engine management /Limp home warning light on? Then give it some, really spank it!
You just couldn't make it up could you?
At one time they thought it was swirl pot chamber and maybe the garage is working to old instructions.
When the particulate filter regeneration cycle starts there is a light on the dashboard which lights to say the process has started. Fine and dandy except someone in their infinite wisdom decided to use the dashboard light which doubles as the "major engine management problem, limp home mode" DOH!
So people are seeing the light and thinking , oh bother, and lifting off when what they should be doing is giving it some welly and driving at a minimum of 40 mph for 15 miles.
Saab are reprogramming the ECU and emissions control system to stop this happening by way of a technical bulletin. Longer term they are redesigning the dash to include an extra warning light. Same problem has occurred on some Vauxhalls apparently.
So moral of story is,
Is your Engine management /Limp home warning light on? Then give it some, really spank it!
You just couldn't make it up could you?
Edited by Flat in Fifth on Tuesday 3rd October 10:31
Flat in Fifth said:
Is your Engine management /Limp home warning light on? Then give it some, really spank it!
You just couldn't make it up could you?
Edited by Flat in Fifth on Tuesday 3rd October 10:31
You're right, you couldn't make it up.
How to save 10cents per car at manufacturing and add $1000 to the warranty claim: value accounting GM style.
I'll quiz him later if I can to see if there is any parallel with his experiences. However if he had to limp home I would guess that he would have exceeded the 15 miles and 40 quite easily at which point the the light would have gone out I guess. So I suspect the engine management locked him in to 50 suggesting a real problem. Or a misdiagnosis on its behalf ...
More when I have it.
Word is that there are 3 or 4 components that Saab are unhappy with and are working on replacement items in the medium term but for now the sonsors and so on are being replaced with what was there before.
Apparently the particulate burn off thing will show a Engine warning light and drop into crawl home mode if the process has not worked - which is reasonable in theory since the failure reasaon is unknown and could be anything.
However the burn has not been working as it should apparently resulting in eventual clogging and therefore the error appearing. I was told that Saab have revised the software so that the particulate burn happens more frequently - previously, iirc what I was told correctly, it only works properly if uninterrupted during a run at well in excess of 40mph for well in excess of 15 miles.
It seems they may also have re-mapped the engine with the latest software going for more efficiency in the burn cycle - which might explain the improved fuel consumption my neighbour reckons he has noticed.
I guess time will tell if that is the correct diagnosis ...
Apparently the particulate burn off thing will show a Engine warning light and drop into crawl home mode if the process has not worked - which is reasonable in theory since the failure reasaon is unknown and could be anything.
However the burn has not been working as it should apparently resulting in eventual clogging and therefore the error appearing. I was told that Saab have revised the software so that the particulate burn happens more frequently - previously, iirc what I was told correctly, it only works properly if uninterrupted during a run at well in excess of 40mph for well in excess of 15 miles.
It seems they may also have re-mapped the engine with the latest software going for more efficiency in the burn cycle - which might explain the improved fuel consumption my neighbour reckons he has noticed.
I guess time will tell if that is the correct diagnosis ...
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