Car won't go into gear when started!!!!!

[SaabNoob86]

Hello everyone,

This is my first post and I have to say, there is a lot of good information posted here and some very knowledgeable people on here so I thought this might be a good place to ask...

I recently just purchased an 06 Saab 9-3. I got a really good deal on the car since the previous owner just wanted to get it out of his yard.
The car starts and runs great, but won't go into gear at all. When the car is off it goes into gear just fine, but won't go into any gear after it is started. I thought maybe there was air in the lines to the slave cylinder which i have bled and made sure no air was getting into. I now think it might be the clutch Master cylinder, but am very limited on my knowledge when it comes to Saab. I'm really hoping it isn't a clutch since there isn't anywhere near me that works on Saab and I would have to tow it over a hundred miles to get it fixed. I'm trying to diagnose the problem and hopefully fix the problem myself if possible. I have read and watched videos and some say the master cylinder, others say the clutch plate and some even say the shift linkage. I was hoping someone with better knowledge would be able to point me in the right direction. I have hooked it to my OBLinkSx and it doesn't throw any codes. if it is the master cylinder could someone possibly post a tutorial on how to change this on a saab 9-3 as I haven't been able to find any posts that cover this issue.

Thanks in advance and I look forward to becoming an active member on this site. Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

[Digger]

No video on the Saab, plenty of tutorials on the Chevy Cobalt with echotech engine and standard tranny.

[vincentfishing]

Hi, You can download for free off the internet WIS which is the saab dealer workshop manual.It gives you step by step instructions on how to do all jobs on your saab in numbered steps ,including detailed drawings of locations of bolts etc you have to undo and any special tools(which you don't actually need if your working on your drive), its very good ,I used it to successfully remove the dual mass flywheel and clutchkit and replace it, biggest job I have ever done on car, am about to change bush on gearbox turret to hopefully get my car to go into 1st and 2nd gear and get rid of stiffness in gearchange, then going to use WIS to replace cambelt and waterpump etc..