ESP problem

[Petemate]

Apologies for long post. Yesterday I started a service, changed the oil and filter, checked over the car etc etc. This morning the new air filter arrived, so during the morning fitted that and fitted the new diesel fuel filter which I had in stock. (to fit that, I jacked the car up at the rear nearside)

Finished that just before lunch, and after lunch OH took the car on an approximate 8 miles round trip to local supermarkets with no problems. Late this afternoon, the car would not start and the SID message came up "!Stability Control Failure contact service".

Upon turning the key to Ign On, the message shows and when trying to crank, the engine is not turning over. I think that jacking the rear up on one side may have set something off kilter, but I did the same thing when replacing the filter last year with no ill effects, and even if that were the case, I cannot understand why the car would have started and gone up to the shops, with a total of three starts of the engine during the trip.

I have a mate with an OBD reader coming over tomnorrow about 11 but if that doesn't show something than it may be dealer and hand-in-pocket time. 

[sgould]

I don't think that the Stability Control Failure will prevent the car starting.  I would say that it's much more likely that your battery has died.  These things do go suddenly with no warning at all.  And a failing battery can cause some odd electrical messages.

[Petemate]

Hi Will. Battery is OK - barely a year old, and reading a happy 12.7 volts at present. Yesterday when I checked the charge rate, it was 13.8 volts.

Tomorrow when I can see what I am doing, I will have a check of the ignition switch module to see if there is an open circuit in there. Obviously, as it got dark a bit quickly, when we were scratching our heads late this afternoon, I didn't have a chance to check any wiring around the wheel hubs etc, but to the best of my memory I didn't go near them yesterday, having not even taken the wheels off (brake pads checked thanks to the nice large openings of the wheels) The only place my hands/arms went in relation to the wheels was behind the right hand track rod with the ratchet and long extension for the oil filter removal, but again, not near any wiring there.

I'll report back!

Pete

[Audax]

I suspect your problem is not related to you working on the car but has potential to be a a coincidental CIM module failure.

[aerojon]

TiD suffered broken wire in the loom..

[Petemate]

I suspect your problem is not related to you working on the car but has potential to be a a coincidental CIM module failure.

That's what I am fearing Audax. Losing confidence in the car now, but I suppose with modern cars this sort of thing can happen to any make/model. Oh for the days of Morris Minors, points ign, SU carbs etc. Bliss. lol.

[Audax]

Oh for the days of Morris Minors, points ign, SU carbs etc. Bliss. lol.

As pointed out by aerojon, it could also be a broken wire in the loom which is common on the diesels. Anyway, I far prefer working on modern cars, they tell you what's wrong so you don't have to play guessing games

[Petemate]

Sorted. My pal came over with his reader and laptop, but couldn't get the car to respond. It was as if the car had 'died'. So he contacted a mobile techie who used to work with us at the garage group years ago. He has masses of diagnostic gear and valuable info. While I was waiting for him to turn up, I did some checking and found a 10 amp fuse blown on the engine fuse board. According to my owners manual Nunber4 is the ECU fuse (also battery disconnector as optional equipment) I fitted a new one and it promptly blew again when ign turned on. So when the man arrived, it gave him a clue as to where to start looking. His info also listed the items fed by the fuse (via ECU) as PAS, MAF and - wait for it - water senmsor. Not mentioned in either the owners manual or the Haynes. Whoops - not my fault, but I had obviously disturbed the wiring of the sensor. It was that small loom of the sensor, unseen to the eye but wiring frayed and shorting out inside the sleeve. While I could now repair the wiring, I will order a new one.

Hope this info may help someone with similar symptoms one day.

Thanks everyone for all the inputs.

[Audax]

His info also listed the items fed by the fuse (via ECU) as PAS, MAF and - wait for it - water sensor. Not mentioned in either the owners manual or the Haynes. Whoops - not my fault,

I would get yourself a copy of WIS the electronic Saab workshop manual, the procedure for changing the fuel filter in there tells you how to disconnect and remove the sensor and refit it when changing the fuel filter with pictures!

[Petemate]

I would get yourself a copy of WIS the electronic Saab workshop manual, the procedure for changing the fuel filter in there tells you how to disconnect and remove the sensor and refit it when changing the fuel filter with pictures!

Thanks Audax. Unfortunately our PC is windows 7. I did have a copy which Will kindly sent to me but we had problems getting it on the PC, and my lad tried to get it on somehow on his page but I couldn't open it.

[Audax]

Thanks Audax. Unfortunately our PC is windows 7. I did have a copy which Will kindly sent to me but we had problems getting it on the PC, and my lad tried to get it on somehow on his page but I couldn't open it.

It is possible as I have it running in a windows 7 VM. Someone repackaged it for the later versions of windows so it can be done.

[Max Headroom]

Hello Pete - interesting read that!

Thanks for your PM regarding this fault - hopefully you found my reply. Sadly I've not got the SAAB anymore, I'm now not doing the miles to justify the cost - I miss it though.
Now driving around in the slowest most rickety car on the planet but hell. its so much fun and can literally go anywhere; its very capable!

[carrera]

Thanks Audax. Unfortunately our PC is windows 7. I did have a copy which Will kindly sent to me but we had problems getting it on the PC, and my lad tried to get it on somehow on his page but I couldn't open it.

Alternatively you can create a Win XP Mode virtual machine within windows 7 and install it there. I still use OE for personal emails, far more capable than the later offerings, which runs in the VM.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=8002