Steering Lock Malfunction

[Tregar]

Hi Guys,
Got a problem with my 2006 9-3 Estate, 175k miles, 1.8t + Hirsch upgrade. Got in the car the other day, put key in, click as steering lock unset, turned key, nothing! Display came up "Pull key out, turn steering wheel. Restart". Long story short, Steering lock is NOT engaged, can turn wheel lock to lock, put key back in, no effect. Read up on it and at various times have tried......

Battery was a little low so, disconnect battery & re-charged, changed to my spare battery (13.8v), removed Fuse 1 & 2, locked/unlocked car, tried both keys, taken out Ignition Switch Module (ISM), cleaned and replaced, left battery out for 24 hours, changed to another ISM - all to no effect, same message displayed. Tried different key (to another saab), displayed "key not recognised" etc so assume both ISM's are functioning. Moved/bodged ISM past 'Lock' position, get "Steering Malfunction, stop safely etc", still can't turn it over. Oh and, as I can't switch the ignition on, I can't read any codes!

So my logic is this, CIM reads Steeering Lock as set but it's not!? So Lock is out of step with CIM, can I reset the steering lock so it is 'set' and hopefully CIM will play along? Hope that makes sense! If it does, how can I change the steeing lock setting?

I'd had no problem like this before so it's a mystery. I'm a long way from any garage let alone one with Tech 2 so changing the CIM will be a recovery job! :-(

Thanks for letting me whinge about it if nothing else! Any thoughts very welcome, before I bite the bullet?

Terry
900 (air suspension)
900 Carlsson
9-3 Aero (written off)
9-5 Aero (son killed it!)
9-3 Estate (Hirsched)
 
 

[sgould]

It does sound as if there's a fault with the CIM.  But i've never had a problem with one, so I've not removed one.  I understand that the lock itself is a separate item.

Some investigation around that area may find a fault. 

There are people who have taken the CIm apart and found some dry solder joints, but it's sounds risky to me...

[Audax]

That describes the symptoms of what is almost certainly a CIM failure.

Where are you? One option might be to take a CIM and Tech-II to the car which is possibly far easier than taking the car to a Tech-II...

[Tregar]

I'm in North Cornwall, even the nearest pub is about 5 miles away.  :-)

Getting the Tech II to the car sounds a sensible option. I have even considered buying a Tech II as a viable option (knocking off Towing & Taxi costs!) given that at least I'll have it to keep afterwards. Only snag is they all seem to be clones so no idea what I'd be getting! Any recommendations?

Hard to justify price of a new CIM against value of the car, already got my hands on a used one, can't be any worse!

Thanks,

Terry

 

[aerojon]

hope the used cim came with  fob/s otherwise it's just a paperweight..

[sgould]

Not sure about the interchangeability of CIMs, but there are at least two sorts. With ESP and without ESP.  Then there is petrol and diesel and some changes over the years.  Later new CIMs were less than half the price of earlier ones.

[Tregar]

I have got the fobs for the other CIM and it's from a right year and right model but until I take mine out and check part numbers, I won't be sure.

As for a paperweight, I've got about 1 1/2 ton of paperweight sat on my drive at the moment! 

Being seduced by ebay now, think I could get another vert instead - or another Aero.....

Terry

[Audax]

As for a paperweight, I've got about 1 1/2 ton of paperweight sat on my drive at the moment! 

Now, that made me laugh quite hard. 

[Tregar]

Well I finally got it recovered to a Saab Specialist, Chris Hamley's, Yelverton. Took 4 hours and 3 different bus companies to collect it but it's fixed!

After diagnosis, turned out to be a failed Steering Lock!

Cost was under £400 but I had the Air Con worked over too, yay! - works now, just the right time of year! 

Thanks for all the input!

Terry

[Audax]

You probably did the right thing there then getting it to the specialist, I've known 1 failed steering lock ever compared to dozens of CIM modules. Mostly it's the CIM that fails and misreports a problem with the steering lock.