Good evening, SAABWorld!

Been an active reader since I got my SAAB in February this year after I made a trade deal for my '97 Honda Accord (needed a bigger car!).

Been having trouble with the SAAB since I got it and thanks to this forum, I've kept it going for six months. But now I am at wits end!

A couple of months ago while traveling from Atlanta, GA to New Orleans, LA (about 500 miles), my 9-5 started jerking violently at highway speed (75mi/hr) with the ref counter and the turbo boost loosing their minds. Car eventually dies beside the road 160 miles from NOLA. I allowed it to cool down, started back up no problem, but only drove for fifteen more minutes before it started to jerk and die again. Waited thirty minutes, but no go on starting the car; waited an hour, and boom, starts right back up and we drive the remaining two hundred miles home without a problem. I get home and diagnose through SAABWorld that it must be my Direct Injection Cassette (DIC).

I replace the DIC with one purchased online along with my Crankshaft Position Sensor (second time around, replaced with new one in February) from the dealer. All the symptoms repeat when I try driving it long distance again (at highway speeds). At this point I'm broke for the month, so we don't take it out on the highway anymore barring some more trouble shooting.

We start driving it around town only, and the 9-5 just started loosing power and the Central Warning Light (hazard triangle with the I in the middle), the brake warning light, the ABS warning light, and the TCS/ESP light came on and the car couldn't go faster than 35mph before finally dying on the side of the road! Wait 30 minutes, no go; wait an hour, starts up and drives home without a problem!

Now, we bought a SAAB licensed DIC and I replaced my plugs again (NKG) and for a moment yesterday the car drove the best it ever did! But today, these last set of symptoms occured again and the car died. Waited an hour and it started right back up and I was able to make it home.

I just did an oil change (I have used synthetic since my first oil change). Temp is normal. Half tank of gas (87, 10% Ethanol, as per standard here). Turbo boosts normal. All vac lines appear to be in place. All other fluids are topped off with no apparent leaks.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Car runs great when it runs, but at the moment it is costing me the equivalent of a new car payment ever month since I go it on maintenance!