dash lights and headlights dont always turn on and when this happens it wont start
Asked by newb9000 Mar 23, 2010 at 06:29 AM about the 1996 Saab 900 2 Dr S Convertible
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
my saab 900s
sometimes when i turn the key to on the dash lights and the headlights wont turn on and when that happens it wont start it will turn over but its like it has no spark or no gas? I will take the key out and try it again and again and all of a sudden its like nothing is wrong and works. sometime itll be sitting with the key in the on position not working then all by itself it will work and all the lights come on and itll start.
Any answers? maybe crank sensor, ignition? also the fuse for the power windows and the convertible top will blow I dont know if its part of the problem or seperate?
6 Answers
hiya,ive had problems with my saab doing this but when i put my lights on the check gear box light comes on,we have taken it to a saab dealer and he looked at all the earths and said there was nothing wrong,but untill it deos it again and stays on he cant check it,the only problem is when that light comes on you cant drive it,not much help i know but funny its the same thing the LIGHTS.
Wow!! I am having the exact same issue with my 1998 900S convertible. It just died the other night when I was driving and I had to pull it over. The dash lights were all dim and flickering and it would not start. It would crank over, but would never fire. I noticed that the power windows and the convertible top would not operate when it was in this mode(fuses didn't blow though). I pulled the ground off the battery then reconnected to try to get it to work, but it would only temporarily get the lights bright again. After calling a tow truck and paying through the nose, it started up just fine. Thanks Murphy! Any progress you can share on this would be GREATLY appreciated!!!
I have a 1996 saab 900 s and it is doing the same thing. turn the key and the dash lights up and it starts. turn it off and then try to restart and maybe no lights will come on the dash. if the lights dont appear, it definitely will not start. weird. did you find a solution???? any help would help me. thanks.
It was the electrical portion of the starter switch that was bad. I changed it myself and now it works perfect!
Lovewithoutfear answered 5 years ago
Mine doesn't have a problem starting or running, it's just the lights in the dash. No problem with the headlights either, just the lights in the dash. The fuel gauge also sticks to all the way full or all the way empty when this is happening. Flickers on and off, then goes off for awhile, maybe till I shut off car and turn on again, completely random...But it runs just fine, just driving along and there's no lights on the dash, can't see speedometer, odopmeter, fuel gauge, nothing.
Many of the problems here can be traced to BAD GROUNDS and some to the IGNITION SWITCH not operating correctly.
