24hrs ago it started, Now it doesn't...Starter will not engage. Help Please!

[Brad Lauzze]

I completely forgot about that TSB, thanks for chiming in Frank.

[Burnsside42]

I still vote Battery - those cars are horrible on Batteries. Wish Saab would have taken a page from BMW with Batteries.... those cars can get nearly 10+ years off a Battery. Saab's are LUCKY to see 4-6 years.

[Yamarocket630]

Listen to burnside. These cars WILL NOT crank over with a marginal battery.

[Baxterlad]

Frank wulfers,

Could you send me the TSB?

Thanks

[nordwulf]

I'll attached it in this post for anyone to download. For some reason, file size is much smaller than it was before.

[Saab_sam]

Did you find out how to fix the problem I have an 04 9-3 and it is doing the same thing... I put in a new starter and it just doesn't want to start... My battery has 10.9 reading..

[Yamarocket630]

My battery has 10.9 reading..

A 9-3SS wont start with a weak battery, it won't even crank over. They are very sensitive to battery voltage, more than most cars. Also, a 12v lead acid battery at 10.9v is about 90% discharged.

[SatchSportSedan]

A 9-3SS wont start with a weak battery, it won't even crank over. They are very sensitive to battery voltage, more than most cars. Also, a 12v lead acid battery at 10.9v is about 90% discharged.

Hello, is that 10,9V battery reading, the Loaded voltage or the Standby voltage ???

A normal good Lead-Acid battery should carry 12,6V in rest (charged, not used)
That is the chemical rest voltage.

When you buy a battery and it sits in rest from the shelf =<10,5Volts, than don't buy it, or bring it back!
Than it has been stored way too Long uncharged. And it is sulphated! Don't believe any battery re-vitalizers or désulphators.
To my experience that doesn't work. Just buy a good battery, where in rest you measure some good +12,6Volts.

Cranking a motor with a good battery CAN make it's actual Loaded terminal voltage briefly drop to bellow 10Volts.
But that doesn't say it is bad, if it cranks the motor. And after the engine runs or-not, its voltage raises back to above 12,6Volts.

Luckily at these Saabs, the starter is easy to reach from below.
Carefully clamp a measurement clamp on the thick Red wire born, and measure between that and the engine block.
Let someone crank the car *-CAREFULL watch it is in Neutral gear, or it will run over you-* I work from in a pit

Sometimes starter engine get stuck, especially when already of some age. And moreover when it freezes.

AVOID tapping on it, the old fashioned way, since nowadays starters have stronger, but more fragile permanent magnets.
And you will brake them, when some old guy says tap on it, to disengage. DON'T !

Hope this helps, Harry.