Saab 9.5/2004 - Navigation/Radio system display screen confused and can not set

[ChangeAgent]

Last year I changed the jalousie on my Saab 9.5 (2004, EU Model) Automatic by removing the gear shifter etc. To do this I disconnected the Battery, of course, as I needed to remove, among other things, the Sport Button. So all in all the Navigation Unit was disconnected for maybe a few hours (had lunch in-between).

Since than my Nav system is confused.

Basically I can no longer set the time and date. On the screen where this is done the touch buttons do not work.

I tried to disconnect the battery again for a while, but this did not work.

I searched the internet and came across some information. Apparently the Satellite System changed the way it talks to the Nav.

I have been waiting in the hope that Denso brings a fix. Apparently the Corvette has the same system and there the forum is full of it. The problem is caused by the GPS clock roll over bug which is kind of like the Y2K of early GPS systems. More info on the GPS roll over:

https://canadiancorvetteforums.com/t...display.25833/


Anybody found any solution?

[GeoffR]

Given that:
Saab no longer exists to support technical issues,
GM sold Saab before they ceased trading and will thus consider this not to be their problem and,
The car in question is 15 years old.
I suspect a fix is unlikely from either GM or The head unit manufacturer. This will limit the options available, probably the best would be to replace the system with something more recent. The 2004 9-5 radio replacement is fairly straightforward and navigation head units are readily available. Obviously the car will not look original but it is a case of, remain original with no clock etc. Or fit something different and regain the lost functionality.

I very much doubt anyone will be hacking a 15 year old head unit for a software fix.

[ChangeAgent]

Thanks for your thoughts GeoffR.

The case is however that this unit has been installed in may other cars at the time who are still on the road. The Corvette (there the forum is full of it) is for example one of them.

So I suspect somewhere somebody will solve this and once done it will work for the 9.5 as well. Hence posting.

It is now also (elsewhere) suggested it might not happen if one had the newer DVD installed that came with a software/firmware upgrade. This would be also interesting to know as I cluld do that as a solution.

This will limit the options available, probably the best would be to replace the system with something more recent. The 2004 9-5 radio replacement is fairly straightforward and navigation head units are readily available.

Any suggestions as to what would fit in there?

[GeoffR]

Thanks for your thoughts GeoffR.

The case is however that this unit has been installed in may other cars at the time who are still on the road. The Corvette (there the forum is full of it) is for example one of them.

So I suspect somewhere somebody will solve this and once done it will work for the 9-5 as well. Hence posting.

That may well be the case except that there is no guarantee that it would work on a European 9-5 as there may be other software differences that might stop other things from working AM station spacing for example, 9KHz in Europe, 10KHz in the USA. I would be more hopeful if it were a major European brand that was looking for a fix. I would like to be proved wrong on this by the way, I am simply pointing out that a USA solution might not work.

It is now also (elsewhere) suggested it might not happen if one had the newer DVD installed that came with a software/firmware upgrade. This would be also interesting to know as I could do that as a solution.

Again, the DVD may not be an EU spec upgrade so whilst it may work it may also introduce other problems. Do bear in mind that DVDs are are region specific (except data DVDs) and that might also work against you, if you can get one, I would like to hear if it works.

Any suggestions as to what would fit in there?

Almost any double DIN head unit will fit but some will be cosmetically better than others. Additionally, some interface modules will work with the steering wheel controls and others won't. I fitted a Kenwood head unit and it did all I wanted but I never got the steering wheel controls to work properly. Others have had good results with Pioneer. If you are likely to drive in Norway remember that they have shut down their FM network so you will need DAB.

[ChangeAgent]

GeoffR Thanks for your thoughts here. very helpful.

I keep looking for a fix, as I hope it would be cheaper that a new unit.