[Chadwick]

There's an active recall/service campaign for the front springs on the 9-3SS. Have yours checked by your indie or dealer. They also sell a zinc plate which you're supposed to install at the base of the strut tower where the spring sets. I don't really see how it's going to make any difference, but that's what SAAB says, so that's what I did.

Found a broken pair recently on a customers car. I had gone in there to do a strut mount plate and bearing originally.

 

[srp]

Wow. What year was the customers car and how many miles?

Zinc plate to counteract where the corrosion starts perhaps?

 

[Chadwick]

'05 9-3, 68k/mi.

 

[Palmer]

Yay, galvanic corrosion.

 

[BurnsSide42]

Where's the water shield? There was an update for this problem a few years ago. There is a water barrier shield which installs into the strut bearing and directs some water away from teh springs to slow the rot/breaking. It's a more logical repair then the zinc plate IMHO - but yes, those springs have been crap and breaking for years. I have seen them FAIL under factory warranty FYI on a 2004 MY a few times. New springs are just new springs, they will break again at somepoint. This is a GM part for sure, as the Malibu's used to have this same problem, and other GM products too I recall.

 

[spgeebee88]

Burns- they updated the strut bearing so you dont have to use the water shield anymore.

OP-those are covered under factory warranty now all broken springs up to 100k miles and '05 and up

all the springs in that pile are 9-3ss springs, i've lost count how many springs i've done

 

[PoisonBeef]

I am trying to think of something fun do do with your scrap pile, but I am at a loss.

 

[Chadwick]

We bill the customer and then the customer gets reimbursed from SAAB. Works out well for both of us.

 

[spgeebee88]

We bill the customer and then the customer gets reimbursed from SAAB. Works out well for both of us.

there ya go!

 

[Saabeh]

Thats an awesome pile. You should make a statue of a man made out of brakes and springs.

 

[turbocon86]

How screwey is that? Our Volvo has the same issue with broken springs, even in the same spot as that broke. When I replaced ours the dealer said its a common problem, but there was no recall. The springs they gave me to replace them were from a new supplier. Old ones were from China--figgers.

You need to make a big mobile or something with that pile. There is a welding shop near me that has one hanging from a crane out in back. They also have a whirlygig made from a 55 gallon drum that they hang occasionally if its windy.

 

[spgeebee88]

that pile is just from the fall till now...we had more crap out there haha

 

[DrewP]

Haven't had a single one broken here in LA yet, I check them all and they aren't rusting at the base of the reduced coil like that.

The lower perches hold in road grime and salt and stuff around the bottom coil too, right? Isn't that where they are breaking?

 

[spgeebee88]

i was told that the rubber sleeve that was put around the bottom coil was holding in the salt and crap causing them to rust and fracture, which is why they went to the zinc plate on the strut and your just get rid of the rubber sleeve

 

[Chadwick]

Yeah the rubber sleeve looks like the culprit to me. There are holes at the base that I would think drain the water and such.

 

[mcrowley]

Happened to my old man's 06 convertible. Replaced under warranty no questions asked.

 

[Lendo]

Burn the pile of springs.

 

[Lou784]

Just recently I began to notice a decrease in ride quality and my front right part of my vehicle would make several loud and noticeable "thump" sounds over the smallest bumps. I thought it might be my sway bar links, so I took look for my self and the sway bar links seemed fine and nothing unusual in terms of being loose or worn. So I kept going for roughly a month and the problem has gotten worse. While I was getting ready to leave work last week, I turned my wheels all the way to the right and looked at my coil springs and noticed a good 2-3 inch chunk of the coil was missing (bottom portion) and then I thought holy crap.

Now my only concern I guess is, I have a 2004 Saab 9-3 aero w/ 93k miles, I read above that the warranty only covers 05 and above, so would I have to pay out of my pocket to replace these things? Lastly, I'm in springfield, the nearest saab dealer is 169 miles north in the Naperville, IL area. I go there a lot to visit my family, but should I be concerned about driving that far on a partially broken spring? Car seems to still drive fine, the 2 things I have noticed so far are very noisy clunking sounds over bumps and if I have make a really sharp right hand turn I can hear the tires rubbing against the inner fender wall. So it's not exactly the safest to drive right now, but I'm am just cautiously.

If needed, I will take a photo tomorrow (it's too dark now) and see what you guys think.

 

[Lou784]

Replaced coil springs

Well, after calling Gartner Saab in Naperville, IL and explaining to them I have a broken coil spring on my 2004 Saab 9-3 Aero with 93k miles, they said they will replace them with no charge to me. I have since got the front coil springs replaced and noticed a huge difference in both ride quality and handling, it seems like the car rides as if it were new.

The only thing, at least I guess temporarily that kind of bugs is that the front end of my car is riding a good 2-3 inches higher then it was before, so now it looks as if I have a staggered setup.(would be nice if it were RWD) I took some photo's so you guys can see, I'm sure over time though after the new springs settle in, there will be less of a difference. I'm so happy that I was still covered, was a bit worried when I read it was only for 2005 and up, so thankfully it's fixed and one less thing to worry about.

Pics below show front & rear ride height on both sides of car.

Oh and this is slightly off topic, but if anyone knows where I can find a replacement plastic cover that goes on behind the rear seat head rests (center between speakers), it would be greatly appreciated if someone can tell me a good place to find that item. It is the little plastic cover that are on the left and right sides of the rear seats next to the speakers, I seem to missing the center one and I tried fitting the ones beside it, and they do fit, so that's what I need. (pic below)

 

[Lou784]

In case anyone wanted to see how much lower the front end was before replacing the coil springs, here are some photo's:

Now do keep in my mind, my front right coil spring had a good 1 inch chunk missing, so that could of possibly made it ride lower as well.