2003 Saab 9-3 engine code P0340 car does not have DIC

[Digger]

.035 to .039 is the ballpark spec, I gap to .039 because these things are picky about uniformity and using a feeler gage set to check the .019 is next to the .020 and I don't have to take the gage set apart to get an accurate reading.

Fixing bad ground wire between the coil pack and ION module is one of the WIS repairs for this problem and if you can see the soldier joint just by looking at the cable with the cover off you probably found the cause of your problem. Good soldier joint or not, if you can see soldier through the wire loom, that wire can short to ground. Even if the wire is good and hasn't shorted to ground, these wires need to be tight in the loom to keep them moving around and you shouldn't be able to see this. Before you go chasing down a good used harness and ION module, get some old fashion cloth wrap electrical tape from the local hardware store and re-wrap this cable from end to end. Alternators make electricity by moving wire past wire carrying power and a power wire wiggling free next to a signal wire can distort the signal. Cost about a buck to do this and if it fixes your problem it's well worth the buck. Use the rest of the tape to fix up any other loose cable you might find, this tape doesn't stretch or come loose with heat like the plastic tape does, but it will eventually rot.

After you have wrapped the harness pull small fuse 2 in the under hood fuse box to reset the ECM and driving the car for a day or two should be enough to tell you if your problem is fixed or if you're going to be needing a cable and if you do, grab a good used ION module too. If that wire shorted to ground it could have damaged the ION module, if it was shorted it will confuse the ECM and it will need to be power off reset. If shorted long enough it could also damage the ECM. If you do need to replace the harness cable good possibility you will need to replace the ION module today, or sometime soon and buying an ION module you might not need today, could save you a trip to Saab service tomorrow.

If you need to shop for a harness car-part.com is my favorite go to and when you ask for the cable ask for the knock sensor that the big plug connects to. If you get from a yard that specializes in Saab they will charge you for the high tech ION module, a regular yard will give you the low tech price if you use the low tech name.

[cujo0426]

I gaped all 4 plugs at .035, and the coil packs (28347707) are from Profession Parts Sweden also known as Proparts. They specialize in Saab and Volvo car parts. I ordered them from eEuroparts.com they cost about $44 each. They had OEM Saab coils but they were twice as much. The ones I put in have a 1 year warranty so if there is an issue with them I can return them and put out the extra money for the Saab ones. I just figured that these ones would be just as good. Also something else I noticed it looks like the previous owner soldered in the wiring harness that connects to all the coil packs, the part of the harness that goes under the aluminum cover that goes over the coil packs. If that is the problem then I need to locate a complete factory harness on ebay or at a junkyard somewhere.

[cujo0426]

Okay when I said the wiring harness was soldered, i should have stated that all of the solder joints were covered with shrink tape and additionally taped with black electrical tape. Everything in the harness is taped together tightly. I pulled the small fuse 2 to reset the ECM then erased any codes that was present then took the car for a ride, although the car seemed to run just fine I got 4 new codes; P1340, P0325, P1344, and P1312. I am considering locating a good used wiring harness and Ion module, and replacing my old harness and ion module. Should I do that or do you have another suggestion? To be honest, I am about ready to sell this thing I have never had so much trouble with an ignition problem with any other car I have ever owned. Sorry to seem like such a noob, but this Saab has me ready to pull my hair out, LOL. I really do appreciate all your help, and although I am not an ASE certified mechanic, I have been working on cars for nearly 30 years.

[Digger]

Okay when I said the wiring harness was soldered, i should have stated that all of the solder joints were covered with shrink tape and additionally taped with black electrical tape. Everything in the harness is taped together tightly. I pulled the small fuse 2 to reset the ECM then erased any codes that was present then took the car for a ride, although the car seemed to run just fine I got 4 new codes; P1340, P0325, P1344, and P1312. I am considering locating a good used wiring harness and Ion module, and replacing my old harness and ion module. Should I do that or do you have another suggestion? To be honest, I am about ready to sell this thing I have never had so much trouble with an ignition problem with any other car I have ever owned. Sorry to seem like such a noob, but this Saab has me ready to pull my hair out, LOL. I really do appreciate all your help, and although I am not an ASE certified mechanic, I have been working on cars for nearly 30 years.

Go for it!!! Seems that every time you touch that cable something else comes up and now you have everything from no knock detection to no ignition detection and yet the ECM is still able to figure out good cam position and the car is running.

While you're under the hood better pull the battery cable, lift the ECM off the engine, clean your ground points and write down the numbers on the back of the module, just in case cable and ION module don't fix the problem. Hate to bring this up, but I actually installed these same 4 codes when I replaced my original ECM with a "good used one" and except for these codes the car ran fine. My favorite go to place for used parts http://car-part.com/

[cujo0426]

When I bought the car the previous owner gave me a box of parts and one of them was an ECM, I don't know if its any good or not...but I could try that first?

[Digger]

You need to divorce and marry the ECM to the network and if you have a tech 2 and TIS, swap that sucker out and see what happens.

[cujo0426]

I just wanted to update you on this issue. I had to order an new Saab OEM wiring harness from Eeuroparts.com ($750) and i bought a used Ion module ($35) and replaced them both at the same time and it fixed my problems. I want to thank everyone who helped me figure out what was wrong with my daughters car.

[jcax01]

A quick question regarding ignition coils. One of mine is bad, and throwing code P0300. Do you recommend I replace all 4 coils? and change the spark plugs while I'm at it? Or should I just change the one bad coil and see what happens? Thanks.

[Digger]

A quick question regarding ignition coils. One of mine is bad, and throwing code P0300. Do you recommend I replace all 4 coils? and change the spark plugs while I'm at it? Or should I just change the one bad coil and see what happens? Thanks.

You really should replace all the coil packs and plugs at the same time. Coil packs are like headlights, on all the time at the same time and when one goes the other isn't far behind. If you know which coil is bad and you're short on funds, you can replace the one bad coil and get the others as you can afford them. If you put in all new plugs with your one new coil you might find you have more than one bad coil and you're right back where you started.

These things are picky about plug gap and you can set them with any old plug gapping tool, but when you check them, use a feeler gage and make sure they are all the same. And as with any alloy head, use the torque wrench when you snug the plugs, you want them tight, but not so tight you ruin the head.

[eelston]

I also started having the P0340 code about a month ago and noticed the power was being limited. I read this post and immediately replaced the non-standard plugs that I had installed around 80k miles with the right ones but it didn't seem to improve anything ( car has about 108k on it now).

Just this week it started missing hard at idle and I think it needs to be fixed soon or it may leave me stranded somewhere. So, based on this information it seems that the coil packs probably need replaced with OEM Saab parts, do anyone agree so I can go ahead and order them? They are $90 at europarts.com - I've used them for other Saab parts and have been reliable for me. Just need a sanity check before spending the $360, thx.