20 Most Recent 1990 Saab 900 Hatchback - Page 2 Questions & Answers

If you are worried about battery drain then I would disconnect the battery while you are at work so no one can steal your car and this will prevent it from going dead until you get the issue fixed.

I would also make sure the vehicle is all the way in park, smark it into park a few times really good. Some vehicles require that they be in park for the key to be released from the ignition and your vehicle is older and the shifter may be a little worn and it might not be releasing the key properly.

It doesn't sound as if your ignition switch if locked up since it will rotate to all settings. You can also try moving the steering wheel from left to right while you try to pull the key out in the locked position. Ultimately you will need to repair either the lock r shifter mechanism.

so P, N, and R work just not drive right?

Wiper motor rarely goes bad, and a second one going bad as well is extremely rare. What will burn out a motor is very high resistance to movement from the wiper assembly. Do the following: Take out the wiper motor, and move the wipers by hand to see if they are hard to move, or if the arms (rod mechanism) are rubbing against anything. Do this with the blades in normal position, resting against the windshield. Pour water unto windshield while testing it, to avoid scratches. One telltale sign for this condition, is the wipers going too slow before complete stoppage. Either that, or an electrical connection leading to the wiper motor, for that simply check that there is electricity in the wiper motor connector when wipers are activated.

You are going to need a blower motor resister and a turn signal flasher,shound't be too expensive,and you should be able to do it yourself.

I believe that in 1990 the 2.0L was replaced by the 2.3L. The 2.3L was offered in two versions. Standard and turbo. However since there may well have been 2.0L available in 1990 I included both capacities.

• 2.0L: 4.0 litres.

• 2.3L: 4.7 litres

• Grades:Grade: Saab Turbo Engine Oil or an oil which meets the requirements of API SG and CCMC G4 or G5.
• Viscosity: 10W/30, 10W/40, 5W/30 or 5W/40

If your Saab is the Turbo model please remember to take the extra steps necessary to protect the turbo unit.

#1
Before you add any new oil, fill the new filter up first.
#2
After you have secured the oil filter and refilled the rest of the oil remove the coil wire to prevent the engine from starting.

After that turn the engine over for a count of 10 to 15 seconds. Now reconnect the coil wire and start the car.

This extra step is Critical and Necessary to prime the oil system. If the engine is started with an unprimed oil system and an empty oil filter the turbo will not receive oil for 10 to 15 seconds after start up. Some scientist have speculated that this was in fact an unlikely cause of the last great extinction event that occurred somewhere else. ":->

Hope this helps and good luck.

needs cleaning buy canned air and try to blow all dust out

All peugeot ing barrels are rubbish you will need a new one as for your radiator it is problem with thermostat switch or therostat itself hope this helps!!!

I know this is a common enough problem since one in my family had the same. They had to replace the entire ignition switch.

Try a backup key, if you have one. If not, You can have a copy of yours made which MAY just have sharp enough edges to work again -however unlikely. Sometimes a few drops of oil can loosen a stuck lock too ;/
You can have a locksmith make a custom key for you, or get a new assembly with keys from a salvage yard etc.

Hi Tracy:

You don't say whether the speedometer has also stopped working. If it is still working, then it's an internal problem in the speedometer unit which will likely need to be replaced.

If the speedometer has also stopped, it's often the speedometer cable that has failed; have the cable checked (it could come out of its socket at either end, or be broken). This is a much less costly repair than replacing the speedometer unit.

Often the old cable can be pulled from the sleeve, leaving the sleeve in place, and a new one pushed into the old sleeve to replace the defective cable.

Let us know any additional information.

Saabreur

The ABS light should only come on when there is a problem in the ABS system: a wheel sensor or hydraulic unit problem.

The ABS system shouldn't be interconnected to the engine system so that an ABS fault shuts down the engine. Are you sure as to cause and effect? Could a shorting out of the ignition switch (thereby switching off the engine) be lighting the ABS lamp?

Get a wiring diagram and check for good grounds at the appropriate locations for a 1990 SAAB; also check for possible shorting out of the ignition switch under fault conditions.

The best source of info on this car is the "Bentley Bible" aka the Saab 900 Official Service Manual, costs about $40 from Amazon!

16 valve manual: http://www.amazon.com/Saab-900-Valve-Service-Manual/dp/0837603137

8 valve manual :http://www.amazon.com/Eight-Official-Service-Manual-1981-1988/dp/0837603102

The ABS system is complex, and best worked on by a trained and trusted professional.

Hope this points you in the right direction!

Saabreur

Hi Leah:

Although you didn't say what type of radio you have (original Clarion or a replacement) there is sometimes a fuse back of the radio. The two tools you'll get, each insert into two holes, one above the other, on each side/edge of the radio, whether Clarion or replacement. When pushed in, they release a latch and the radio will pull out. You might be able to see an inline fuse at the back of the radio enclosure.

It is possible that it's a problem with the power supply to the radio - an intermittent break, and they're difficult to track down. Rewiring the power supply side and ensuring that the ground connection is good and solid, is the easiest route to eliminate this possibility.

After that, it could be a fault in the radio, again intermittent or possibly temperature related. If so, replacement of the radio is the usual fix, as repair usually isn't cost effective.

Hope this helps. Let us know if there is anything new to add.

Good luck

Saabreur

Your problem with the APC system. Any perceived fault and you only get base boost. The most likely fault is the boost pressure sensor located under the dash on the left-hand side. when it is bad you often hear the APC solenoid valve clicking at idle.

The complete loss of oil suggests that you might have a piston problem!

First, check the compression on all cylinders; all values should be within a range of 10% from highest to lowest. Typical value about 140 psi.

One cause could be a blown piston or rings, allowing pressure into the crankcase, and blowing oil out of the filler pipe - very fine and barely visible, not spouting. You might feel the pressure pulses from the damaged or leaking cylinder.

If one cylinder has zero pressure, it's more than likely the cause of the problem. Do a wet compression test (pour a little oil into the cylinder immediately before connecting the compression tester - it usually seals any leaking rings for a little while) and if it holds pressure, that points to the rings; if no pressure again, that points to the piston.

Let us know the compression test results.

saabreur

I believe the cable runs in the channel, and loops once around the wheel, with the wheel above the channel; i.e. the cable and channel is at the bottom of the wheel when installed. One end of the cable is fixed to the end of the channel where the wheel is, the other end likely mounts to a slot in the channel.

Hope this helps

Saabreur

Because the switch is in the console on the floor, between the seats, it is vulnerable to spills, moisture etc and can easily get gummed up.

The first step is to clean the outside thoroughly, the second is to give a good spray of WD40 into the key slot, and onto the area around the key cylinder. Let it soak in for a while to loosen everything up.

If the key is still stiff, take the boot cover off the console (it might be a tight fit as it is stretched onto it's retaining grip) and spray WD40 into a small hole in the gear shift seat that you will find ahead of the gear shifter, using the WD40 straw. Don't be too heavy here, and spray both forward and back toward the key.

This frees up most cases.

Saabreur

actually it sounds like your crank position sensor may be faulty.

fuel pressure regulator

is it a 16v saab with engine code B202 if so it is a three pin connector in the right hand side fuse box. that where auto data is showing it anyway. 

There are numerous technical service bulletins issued for the top. The list with the full TSBs is here.