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  1. #1
    Renato Piereck
    Spreading the Saab virus rpiereck's Avatar
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    24 Jul 2011
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    Ansbach, Germany
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    1,520
    Saab(s)
    '00 9-5 Aero SC, 87 900i 8v

    Left headlight out, not fuse, not bulb :/

    Today I pulled out my throttle body and gave it a good cleaning (unrelated to headlight issue!) and cleared three codes my CEL was showing. The car is running great now.

    The other problem I've been having is puzzling me. The left side low beam headlight isn't working. It's not the fuse (unburnt), and not the bulb (good). When I checked in the headlight, the plastic connector behind the light bulb was very brittle and a bit cooked/burnt, and it broke when I tried to pull it out. That was not the problem however.

    I got a multimeter and read 11.8 volts on the battery with the headlights on. Reading the voltage on the light bulb socket there was nothing. I checked the fuse and the fuse is unburnt, as new. Reading the voltage on the right side headlight (the side that works) fuse I get 11.8 volts. Reading on the left I get zero, nada, zilch. So, somewhere before the fuse box I have a problem. I imagine somewhere along the way a single wire from the headlight switch splits into two for the fuses. Is it at a relay, or in a relay? Can someone get me the wiring diagram for the low beam headlights on these cars?
    Now: '00 Saab 9-5 Aero Combi - '89 Peugeot 205 CTI - '91 Peugeot 309 GTI
    Gone: '87 Saab 900i - '95 Saab 900 SE Turbo

  2. #2
    Renato Piereck
    Spreading the Saab virus rpiereck's Avatar
    Join Date
    24 Jul 2011
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    Ansbach, Germany
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    1,520
    Saab(s)
    '00 9-5 Aero SC, 87 900i 8v
    PS: searching through Google I was led to the direction of the headlight control module, aka "headlight control relay". I put it between brackets because although it is shaped like a standard Bosch automotive relay it isn't a relay. This is the little orange box that lives in the fuse box by the brake booster, pictured below:

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    Apparently these are known to fail on Saba 9-5s, and will led to a condition like mine, where the bulb and fuse are good, but lights don't work. Also apparently the headlight sockets are known to fry too (like mine).

    I flipped the orange box on its head and pried it open:

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    It's a circuit board inside:

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    And I think I might have found the culprit. There are a few hairline cracks on solders to a few of the terminals.

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    Fortunately I have avionics repairmen at work, so tomorrow I will be bringing this piece to them and see if they can repair the solder. I hope they do as this little box costs around $50 new, $20 used on eBay. And I hope my headlights work fine after that.
    Now: '00 Saab 9-5 Aero Combi - '89 Peugeot 205 CTI - '91 Peugeot 309 GTI
    Gone: '87 Saab 900i - '95 Saab 900 SE Turbo

  3. #3
    Marty Jackson
    Saab Addict Finding41's Avatar
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    17 May 2013
    Location
    London Ont. Canada
    Posts
    641
    Saab(s)
    Sadly a Volvo XC90
    I just resoldered each of those pins on in the red box. Worked great!
    I added a little bit of new solder to each too.

  4. #4
    Renato Piereck
    Spreading the Saab virus rpiereck's Avatar
    Join Date
    24 Jul 2011
    Location
    Ansbach, Germany
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    1,520
    Saab(s)
    '00 9-5 Aero SC, 87 900i 8v
    Well, got it fixed. I went over each cracked solder with a hot iron, and added some material to them too. Now I got lights again!
    Now: '00 Saab 9-5 Aero Combi - '89 Peugeot 205 CTI - '91 Peugeot 309 GTI
    Gone: '87 Saab 900i - '95 Saab 900 SE Turbo

  5. #5
    Closet Intellectual Pali7's Avatar
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    15 Nov 2013
    Location
    Palisade, Colorado
    Posts
    70
    Saab(s)
    2005 9-5 ARC
    Thanks for the followup.

  6. #6
    Saab Enthusiast
    Join Date
    11 Nov 2012
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    57
    Saab(s)
    2003 9-5 Aero wagon
    That is the fix 99% of the time, 9000 too have this. Cost of new relay will make your head spin.lol.

  7. #7
    Jeffrey
    Master SaabTech/Moderator Burnsside42's Avatar
    Join Date
    25 Oct 2010
    Location
    Point Pleasant, PA
    Posts
    1,316
    Saab(s)
    - 86' 9KT - 95' 9K Custom CS - 06' 9-3 Combi - 07' 9-7X Arc - 08' 9-3 Convertible - 08' 9-3 TurboX -
    You can get an aftermarket relay too now - no idea on cost of those or quality. I just repair them for myself and friends - replace for customers.
    European Motor Services, LLC - Point Pleasant, PA 18950 - www.europeanmotorsvc.com

  8. #8
    Renato Piereck
    Spreading the Saab virus rpiereck's Avatar
    Join Date
    24 Jul 2011
    Location
    Ansbach, Germany
    Posts
    1,520
    Saab(s)
    '00 9-5 Aero SC, 87 900i 8v
    I saw new ones for sale for over $50, used ones on eBay for $25-30. Fixing it with three small solders was definitely worth it!
    Now: '00 Saab 9-5 Aero Combi - '89 Peugeot 205 CTI - '91 Peugeot 309 GTI
    Gone: '87 Saab 900i - '95 Saab 900 SE Turbo

  9. #9
    Marty Jackson
    Saab Addict Finding41's Avatar
    Join Date
    17 May 2013
    Location
    London Ont. Canada
    Posts
    641
    Saab(s)
    Sadly a Volvo XC90
    Just a note: I had to re-solder mine last weekend. I added more solder again. Simple 5 min job.
    finding41
    Marty Jackson
    www.northchannelcharters.com

  10. #10
    M Guy Ross
    Saab Fan
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    11 Sep 2013
    Location
    United States
    Posts
    39
    Saab(s)
    SAAB 9-5 SE
    Had the same problem (high beam not low beam) and wound up taking out the front head light controller (the unit discussed above) 4 or 5 times going in and out of various parts shops looking for a replacement. The last time I put it in the high beams (both) worked. Before you take the unit apart (and possibly crack the connections) try taking out the unit and using some contact cleaner on the female seats and some cleaner and a fine brass brush on the male connectors and re-installing the controller again. Make sure it seats really well.

 

 

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