Professional Documents
Culture Documents
In-car safety
There is an In-car safety & Quick Reference Guide found in
your car which contains some quick reference concerning
safety issues.
Make sure you keep this Reference Guide readily available
for all occupants to review.
Replacement and/or additional Reference Guides may be
ordered from your Saab dealer.
1
Owner’s Manual
Saab 9-3 M2005
Safety 11
Security 41
9-3 Convertible 55
Instruments and controls 77
Interior equipment 121
Starting and driving 145
Car care 197
Customer Assistance and Information 261
Technical data 267
Index 283
WARNING
Failure to heed warnings may cause
personal injury.
NOTICE
NOTICE texts warns of potential damage
to the car if the recommendations are not
followed.
Since the policy at Saab is one of continual
improvement, we retain the right to incorpo-
rate modifications and to alter specifications
We recommend that you read through the
during production without prior notice.
manual before taking the car out for the first
Introduction time and keep it in the car for future refer- If you have any questions concerning your
ence. car, its equipment, the warranty conditions,
This manual provides practical guidance on
driving and caring for your Saab. etc., your Saab dealer will be pleased to
To find a specific item, use the overviews
help, or you may call the Saab Customer
The Saab 9-3 will be available with the fol- given on page 3–6. A list of content is given
Assistance Center in the U.S. at 1-800-955-
lowing engine variants: at the beginning of each section of the man-
9007 or email them at saab-
ual, and there is also a comprehensive
• 2.0t 175 hp crm@saabusa.com. In Canada, please
index at the back of the book.
contact the Saab Customer Assistance
• 2.0 Turbo 210 hp Supplied with the car is a Warranty and Ser- Center at 1-800-263-1999.
Although this manual describes the most vice Record booklet which contains impor-
important differences between model vari- tant warranty information and specifies the
ants, it does not specify the equipment or regular maintenance to be carried out. Also Enjoy the road ahead!
features included on individual models. included is a Quick Reference Guide, an Saab Automobile AB
Importation and distribution of Saab auto- Infotainment System manual, tire warran-
mobiles, spare parts and accessories are ties and (U.S. customers), a dealer directory Saab Automobile AB does not accept liability for
handled exclusively by Saab Cars USA, Inc. with Roadside Assistance Program infor- any damage caused by the fitting of spare parts,
in the United States and by General Motors mation. exchange parts or accessories that are not
of Canada Limited in Canada. approved by Saab Automobile AB.
3
Instrument panel Fuel gauge __________________ 85
Odometer and trip meter ________ 83
Speedometer ________________ 83
Tachometer __________________ 82
Temperature gauge____________ 84
Turbo gauge _________________ 84 Clock _______________________ 92
Warning and indicator lights _____ 78 Profiler ______________________ 87
Saab Information Display (SID) ___ 87
Cruise Control ___________ 165
Direction indicators _______ 98
High/low beam control stalk 97
Engine bay Changing engine oil____________ 203 Coolant: checking/topping-up ____ 205
Engine: description ____________ 199 Driving in hot climates __________ 183
Engine: technical data __________ 270 Radiator_____________________ 270
Important considerations for driving 150 Temperature gauge ____________ 84
Oil grade and viscosity__________ 270
Color code______________ 278
Engine number __________ 278 ABS brakes_____________ 166
Gearbox number _________ 278 Brake pads _____________ 206
Warning labels __________ 7 Brake system ___________ 274
Vehicle identification number 278 Brake fluid______________ 206
Automatic transmission _________ 159 Power steering________________ 207 Battery ______________________ 208
Transmission: technical data _____ 272 Fluid: checking/topping up _______ 207 Battery charge ________________ 208
Manual transmission ___________ 158 Jump starting _________________ 193
7
Warning labels
Radiator fan:
Radiator fan may start at any
time.
A/C system:
Refrigerant at high pressure.
Do not loosen or remove the A/C system fittings before discharging the A/C
system. Improper service methods may cause personal injury. System to be
serviced by qualified personnel only. For instructions consult dealer man-
ual.
The A/C system complies with SAE J639.
Charge: 680 g R134a.
Compressor oil: 150 cc PAG oil SP-10 alt.
Saab oil 4759106
LEVEL INDICATOR
INDICATEUR DE NIVEAU
DARK / NOIR OK
CLEAR LOW
CLAIR BAS
12103-EP
• No sparks, flames or smoking. • Flush eyes immediatly with water • Éviter les étincelles et les flammes. Ne pas fumer. • Rincer immédiatement les yeux avec de
Get medical help fast. l'oau Consulter un médecin rapidement.
• Shield eyes, explosive gases can cause • Protéger les yeux car les gaz explosife peuvent
blindness or injury. • Do not tip battery. Do not open battery causer la cécité ou des blessures. • Ne pas pencher ni ouvrir la batterie.
• Sulfuric acid can cause blindness or severe KEEP OUT OF REACH FROM CHILDREN. • L'acide sulfurique peut causer la cécité ou des GARDER HORS DE LA PORTÉE DES
000
000
Battery:
• No sparks, flames or smoking
• Shield eyes, explosive gases can cause blindness or injury
• Sulphuric acid can cause blindness or severe burns
• Flush eyes immediately with water. Get medical help fast
Coolant:
• Do not tip battery. Do not open battery CANADA
Never open when engine hot!
NETTOYER LE BOUCHON
• NO SPARKS, FLAMES OR SMOKING DE REMPLISSAGE
• SHIELD EYES AVANT DE L’ENLEVER.
• KEEP OUT OF REACH FROM CHILDREN UTILISER SEULEMENT
DU LIQUIDE DOT 4 PROV-
• ACID ENANT D’UN CONTE-
• SEE OWNER’S MANUAL NANT SCELLÉ.
• EXPLOSIVE GAS
8
Jack
• Jack is designed only for changing a tire or mounting
tire snow chains.
• Vehicle must be level and jack must be placed on firm
and level ground.
• Never crawl underneath vehicle when it is jacked up.
JACKING INSTRUCTION
USA 1 Set parking brake and shift transmission to park.
2 Fit top of jack into jacking point next to wheel to be
changed.
3 Crank jack so that vehicle begins to lift.
4 Using socket wrench in tool kit, loosen wheel bolts
one-half turn.
5 Raise vehicle so that tire clears ground. Loosen
wheel bolts completely and remove wheel.
CANADA 6 Mount spare wheel and tighten bolts enough so
wheel is not loose.
7 Lower vehicle. Tighten wheel bolts in a crisscross
DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY can occur sequence.
• Children 12 and under can be killed by the airbag
• The BACK SEAT is the SAFEST place for children
• NEVER put a rear-facing child seat in the front
• Sit as far back as possible from the airbag
• ALWAYS use SEAT BELTS and CHILD RESTRAINTS
No sparks,
Windshield Coolant tem-
flames or Buckle up Headlights Radiator fan
smoking wipers perature
Refer to
the Owner’s Airbag Direction Windshield No charge to
Fuel
Manual indicators washers battery
Never place a
rear-facing
Shield eyes child seat in Parking lights Defroster Foot brake
this seat
Keep out of
reach of Electric Hazard warn- Rear window
windows Coolant level
ing lights heating
children
Risk of Central
explosive gas locking, lock Rear fog light ABS brakes
Central Electronic
locking, Stability
unlock Program
Trunk lid,
opening
10
(This page has been left blank.)
Safety 11
Safety
To fasten the belt Press the red button to release the belt The belt guide on door pillar
Front safety belts Press the red button on the belt buckle to Adjust the belt so that it is as high up as
release the belt. possible without rubbing against the neck.
Fasten the belt by pulling the belt and insert- To avoid chafing in the case of a short
The front safety belts have their lower
ing the tongue in the buckle. Check that it is person, the guide can be lowered until the
anchorage points on the seats. The safety
securely fastened. belt comes about an inch (a few centime-
belts follow the seats when the legroom is
Position the lap part low across the hips. adjusted. ters) from the throat but still provides safe
Grasp the shoulder belt close to the buckle Refer to page 251 for how to check the func- restraint.
and pull the belt towards the shoulder to tion of the safety belts, cleaning, etc. Raise the belt guide by pushing it upward to
tighten the lap belt part. the desired position. To lower it, depress the
The belt must be as far in on the shoulder as Belt height adjustment, catch release button while lowering the
possible. Sport Sedan guide. Check that the guide locks in its new
position.
The belt guide on the door pillar for the front
safety belts can be set at different heights.
The front belt guide in the Convertible is not
adjustable due to the belt being incorpo-
rated into the seat.
Safety 15
Safety belt pretensioners Sport Sedan: The front safety belts are
equipped with pretensioners and force limit-
ers. The pretensioners are activated in the
WARNING event of a violent frontal or side-on crash.
The safety belt pretensioners are only acti-
If the car is involved in a crash, the safety vated if the safety belt in question is in use
belts, belt pretensioners and other but not activated should the car roll over.
components must be inspected by an The safety belt pretensioners serve to
authorized Saab dealer and replaced as reduce the forward movement of the body
necessary. by tensioning the belt. The force limiters
Never make any alterations or repairs to reduce belt loads on the body by "slacken-
the safety belt yourself. Visit an autho- ing" the safety belt slightly to absorb the
rized Saab dealer for any necessary body’s kinetic energy as gradually as possi-
repairs. ble.
Convertible: The front and rear safety belts
Safety belt use during pregnancy are equipped with pretensioners and force
Pregnant women must always wear a limiters. The pretensioners are activated in
safety belt to protect both themselves and the event of a violent frontal or side-on
the unborn child. crash. The front safety belt pretensioners
The lap belt should be placed low, across are only activated if the safety belt in ques-
the hips and over the upper thighs. tion is in use.
The safety belt pretensioners serve to
reduce the movement of the body by ten-
sioning the belt, including in a roll over
crash. The force limiters reduce belt loads
on the body by "slackening" the safety belt
slightly to absorb the body’s kinetic energy
as gradually as possible.
16 Safety
Safety belts, rear seat
Safety belts rear seat, Convertible, see
page 69
WARNING
• Make sure that the belt does not
become trapped when the backrest is
folded down or raised (see page 140).
• If cargo has to be placed on a seat, it
must be properly secured with the
safety belt. This reduces the risk of the
cargo being thrown about during hard
braking or a crash, which could cause Rear safety belts
personal injury.
Press the red button on the buckle to
• Check that the belt is not twisted or release the belt.
lying against sharp edges.
See page 251 for the checking of belt func-
• Make sure you use the correct safety tion, cleaning, etc.
belt buckle. The buckles for the center
and left-hand rear seats are close Securing an item on the rear seat
together.
Adjusting the legroom Adjusting the backrest Adjusting the lumbar support
WARNING
• The seats are actuated by powerful
motors. Bear this in mind when adjust-
ing the seat, and make sure that noth-
ing gets caught and damaged. Ensure
that nothing can be trapped behind the
seat when adjusting it.
• Bear in mind that children can be Adjusting the height and angle Adjusting the legroom
injured if they play with the electrically-
operated seats.
• Always remove the remote control Height adjustment and seat Legroom adjustment
when you leave the car to prevent
personal injury caused by the electri- angle Adjust the legroom with the front lever.
cally adjustable seats, for example, Adjust the height of the seat with the rear
due to children playing. Electrically section of the front lever.
adjustable front seats with memory Adjust the angle of the seat with the front
function, see page 20. section of the front lever.
Adjusting the rake angle Adjusting the lumbar support Memory function buttons
Driver’s seat in Sport Sedan
Storing and restoring settings • Adjust the head restraint so that the
head is optimally supported and the
1 Adjust the seat and the door mirrors. center of the head restraint is at ear
The lumbar support is not included by height, thus reducing the likelihood of
the memory function. neck injury in a crash.
2 Press and hold the M-button and then • Raise the head restraints in the seats
press one of the preselect buttons (1, 2 that are occupied. Therefore, the SAHR does not normally
or 3). A chime will sound to confirm that need to be replaced or repaired after a rear-
the settings have been saved. end crash.
To recall programmed settings, press and The front seats are equipped with Saab
Active Head Restraints (SAHRs). These are The front and rear head restraints can be
hold the desired memory button until the raised and lowered to a number of positions.
seat and door mirrors adopt their pro- designed to reduce the risk of neck injury if
grammed positions. The memory function the car is hit from behind. • Raising: grasp the head restraint on both
also includes the door mirror settings. The SAHR is a mechanical system, actu- sides and pull it straight up.
To facilitate reversing, the passenger-side ated by body weight. The mechanism is built • Lowering: Press the head restraint
door mirror can be angled down, refer to into the top of the backrest, where it is con- forward and downward.
page 134. nected to the head restraint. The rear head restraints can be fully low-
In the event of a rear-end crash, the body is ered to improve rearward vision when the
forced back against the backrest. This, in rear seats are unoccupied.
turn, causes the mechanism to press the
head restraint forward and upward, thus lim-
iting the backward movement of the head.
22 Safety
Child safety
WARNING WARNING
WARNING
Child top tether anchorages are designed
to withstand only those loads imposed by Child tether anchorages in parcel shelf, Sport Sedan
correctly fitted child restraints.
Under no circumstances are they to be
used for adult safety belts.
The car is provided with three top tether 6 Close the cover to the middle position, 3
anchorages. Use the one that is right behind in illustration.
Child restraints with a tether strap must be the seating position in which the child 7 Tighten the tether so that the back of the
attached according to Canadian and U.S. restraint is to be installed and attach the child restraint is pressed hard against
safety standards. restraint as follows: the backrest.
If you have any questions regarding child
1 Open the cover that is right behind the 8 Pull the child restraint to make a second
anchorages please contact your Saab
child restraint, 1 in illustration. check that the restraint is securely
dealer.
2 Place the child restraint in the rear seat. attached at both the lower anchorages
3 Secure the lower part of the child bars on the safety belts and the top
restraint by means of the lower anchor- tether strap.
ages (ISOFIX) or the safety belts as
described in the child restraint installa-
tion instruction.
4 Lower the headrest and route the tether
over it.
5 Attach the tether to the anchorage, 2 in
illustration.
Safety 27
Child tether anchorages for
forward facing child seats
Convertible
WARNING
Child top tether anchorages are designed
to withstand only those loads imposed by
correctly fitted child restraints.
How to take away the head restraint Top tether anchorages in the rear seat
Under no circumstances are they to be 1 Raise the head restraint
used for adult safety belts. 2 Push the catch forward and pull the head
restraint straight upward
Child restraints with a tether strap must be
attached according to Canadian and U.S.
safety standards. ages (ISOFIX) or the safety belts as
If you have any questions regarding child described in the child restraint installa-
anchorages please contact your Saab tion instruction. WARNING
dealer. 4 Attach the tether to the anchorage.
The car is provided with two top tether If the size of the child restraint makes it
5 Tighten the tether so that the back of the impossible to put the head restraint back
anchorages. Use the one that is right behind child restraint is pressed hard against
the seating position in which the child on, place it in the trunk.
the backrest.
restraint is to be installed and attach the
restraint as follows: 6 Pull the child restraint to make a second
check that the restraint is securely
1 Remove the head restraint on the seat- attached at both the lower anchorages
ing position where the child restraint bars on the safety belts and the top
shall be fitted. tether strap.
2 Place the child restraint in the rear seat. 7 Put the head restraint back on and make
3 Secure the lower part of the child sure it is secure mounted. Adjust it in its
restraint by means of the lower anchor- highest position.
28 Safety
Installation of child restraint If fitting a child restraint that is intended to be The safety belt locking function will be deac-
using the standard safety belt secured in position by the standard safety tivated when the safety belt is retracted.
belt, make use of the locking function of the 1 Disengage the safety belt latch from the
belt. buckle.
WARNING Locking the belt lessens the risk that the 2 Disengage the safety belt from the child
seat will work loose while the car is in restraint, according to the instructions
Failure to follow all the manufacturer’s motion. from the child restraint manufacturer.
instructions on the use of child restraint 1 Position the child restraint in the back
systems can cause your child to strike the 3 Let the safety belt retract until the click-
seat. ing sound ceases.
vehicle´s interior during a sudden stop or
crash. 2 Route the belt in the restraint according
to the installation instruction of the
restraint.
Child restraints that are approved for rear-
3 Pull out the belt completely until it stops.
ward facing installation in the rear seat can Then let the belt slowly pull in the slack.
be positioned in any of the three rear places. Clicking sound indicates that the lock
Make sure that it is possible to fit it in accor- function is in work.
dance with the manufacturer’s instructions. 4 Pull the shoulder belt tight to secure the
When fitting child restraints in cars you child restraint in position.
must always read the instructions sup- 5 Check for correct locking function by
plied by the child restraint manufacturer. pulling on the belt. The belt must not
unreel.
Safety 29
Airbag Airbag system components There are two impact sensors on the front
bumper, under the lacquered shell. Very
• Airbag in steering wheel soon after the moment of impact, these
• Airbag in instrument panel in front of register that the car is involved in a crash.
passenger seat Using this information and data from the
• Side airbags in front seat backrests central sensor in the control module, the
Convertible: The side airbags help control module determines whether or not to
WARNING protect the head also inflate the airbags. The control module also
• Inflatable curtains along length of headlin- controls whether other components of the
To reduce risk of death or serious injury: airbag system are to be deployed: safety
ing (from front to rear roof pillars)
• Always wear your safety belt. (Sport Sedan only) belt pretensioners, inflatable curtains (Sport
Sedan) and roll over bars (Convertible).
• Always adjust your seat so that you • Safety belt pretensioners for front seats
(all) and outer rear seats (Convertible Which airbag system components are
are as far back as possible but still deployed depends on a number of factors,
able to operate the pedals and reach only).
such as the force of the crash and the angle
the steering wheel and controls The airbag system supplements the protec- of impact.
comfortably. tion provided by the safety belts to further
enhance the safety of occupants taller than If the airbag system registers forces equiv-
• Passengers 12 and under or shorter alent to a high-speed crash (airbags inflated
than 55 inches (140 cm) must always 55 in. (140 cm).
to Stage II), the inflatable curtains will also
travel in the rear seat as the car is fitted When the system is activated at the moment be activated (Sport Sedan) see page 35.
with a passenger airbag. of impact, the airbag inflates and then
deflates through holes in the back. The If a fault arises in the airbag system during
• Never fit a child seat in front of the whole operation takes roughly 0.1 second, a journey, the airbag warning lamp on the
passenger airbag. quicker than the blink of an eye. main instrument panel will come on and the
Saab Information Display (SID) will display:
The steering wheel and passenger airbags
are so-called smart airbags. The driver and
passenger airbag system compensates for Airbag malfunction.
safety belt usage and the force of the crash Contact Saab dealer.
at the moment of impact.
30 Safety
WARNING • Never attach anything to the steering • If the airbag warning light remains
wheel or passenger side of the instru- on after the car has been started or
• Even if the car is equipped with ment panel, as this could result in comes on while you are driving, have
injury if the airbag should inflate. The the car checked immediately by an
AIRBAGS, safety belts must still
same applies to anything you might authorized Saab dealer. The warning
always be worn by all occupants.
have in your mouth, such as a pipe, for light could signify that the airbags may
• Note that because an airbag inflates instance. not inflate in a crash, or they could
and deflates extremely rapidly, it will even inflate without a crash. See
not provide protection against a • Some components of the airbag will
page 81.
second impact occurring in the same be warm for a short time. In some
incident. Always use your safety belt. circumstances the airbag can cause • Fumes are generated by the chemical
minor burns or abrasions to the body reaction that inflates the airbag.
• Always sit with the whole of your back
when the airbag inflates/deflates. Skin surfaces that show signs of irrita-
in contact with the backrest of the seat,
and with your seat as far back as is tion should be washed with clean
• Never rest your hands or forearms on
practical.Otherwise you will be thrown water and a mild soap as soon as
the steering-wheel center padding.
back against the backrest when the possible.
airbag inflates which could cause you In the event of eye irritation, flush the
injury or death. The airbag needs eyes thoroughly with clean water for at
room in which to inflate. least 20 minutes.
In case of persistent irritation, consult
a doctor.
Safety 33
Operation of the steering wheel airbag in Front passenger seat
a front-end crash
WARNING
• DEATH or SERIOUS
Moment of impact.
INJURY can occur
WARNING • Children 12 and under or
shorter than 55 inches
Never secure a rear-facing child seat in (140 cm) can be killed by the
Sensors detect a the right front seat of a car equipped with airbag
deceleration and send a passenger airbag. Inflation of the airbag • The BACK SEAT is the SAFEST place
a signal via the control in the event of a crash could seriously for children
module to a gas gen-
erator that inflates the injure or kill a child.
• NEVER put a rear-facing child seat in
airbag. the front
The system is the same as that used on the
• Sit as far back as possible from the
driver’s side.
airbag
The airbag systems are interconnected and
• ALWAYS use SAFETY BELTS and
The inflating airbag have a common warning light . The pas- CHILD RESTRAINTS
cushions the driver. senger airbag module is housed in the
fascia above the glove box and is marked • Never allow a child to stand in front of
"AIRBAG". the seat or to sit on the lap of a front
Both airbags will be inflated in the event of a seat passenger. Serious injury or
moderate to severe frontal, or near-frontal death could result if the airbag is
crash, even if the passenger seat is unoccu- inflated in a crash.
Airbag now fully
inflated. pied. • The glove box must be closed while
The car is equipped as standard with travelling. An open glove box door
a passenger airbag. could cause leg injuries in the event of
a crash.
WARNING
• Do not sit with your head resting
against the side window. The inflat-
able curtain is designed to inflate
between the window and the head.
Resting the head against the window
could prevent the inflatable curtain
from providing the intended
protection.
• Hang only light clothes from the hooks
Inflated side airbag and inflatable curtain, Inflated side airbag with head protection, on the rear seat courtesy handles. The
Sport Sedan Convertible items of clothing must not contain
heavy or sharp objects. Do not use
wire coat hangers.
• Do not position a sun visor or similar
item in the area that would be filled by
the inflatable curtain.
• To reduce the risk of head injuries in
the event of a crash, the roof pillars
and headlining incorporate cushioning
material. Do not attach anything to the
car’s headlining, roof pillars or side
panels as this could prevent the side-
impact protection from providing the
intended protection.
• Do not stack loads so high that they
could encumber the inflatable curtain
in the event of a crash.
36 Safety
The inflatable curtains, which protect the
head, are concealed along the lengths of
the headlining (all the way from front to rear
roof pillars).
The inflatable curtains inflate at the same
time as the side airbags in the front seats in
case of a side-on impact.
The inflatable curtains reduce the risk of
head injuries to the occupants of the car’s
outer seats. The inflatable curtains deploys
into the window area between the front and
rear roof pillars.
If the airbag system registers forces equiv-
alent to a high-speed frontal crash (Stage II Inflated inflatable curtain, sport Sedan Prohibited seating position
for the steering wheel and passenger
airbags), the inflatable curtains will also be
deployed.
For optimal protection, do not sit too close to
the door. Bear this in mind, for example, if
someone is sleeping in the car. The inflat-
able curtain comes down from the headlin-
ing and covers a large portion of the side
windows.
Safety 37
Airbag warning lamp What Will You See After an
Airbag Inflates? WARNING
WARNING After an airbag inflates, it quickly deflates,
so quickly that some people may not even When an airbag inflates, there is dust in
• If the airbag readiness light stays on realize the airbag inflated. Some compo- the air. This dust could cause breathing
nents of the airbag module - the steering problems for people with a history of
after you start your vehicle, it means
wheel hub for the driver's frontal airbag, the asthma or other breathing trouble. To
the airbag system may not be working
instrument panel for the right front passen- avoid this, everyone in the vehicle should
properly. See page 81.
ger's frontal airbag or the ceiling of your get out as soon as it is safe to do so. If you
• The airbags in your vehicle may not vehicle near the side windows - will be hot have breathing problems but can not get
inflate in a crash, or they could even for a short time. The parts of the bag that out of the vehicle after an airbag inflates,
inflate without a crash. come into contact with you may be warm, then get fresh air by opening a window or
• To help avoid injury to yourself or but not too hot to touch. There will be some a door. If you experience breathing prob-
others, have your vehicle serviced smoke and dust coming from the vents in lems following an airbag deployment, you
right away if the airbag readiness light the deflated airbags. Airbag inflation does should seek medical attention.
stays on after you start your vehicle. not prevent the driver from seeing or being
able to steer the vehicle, nor does it stop
people from leaving the vehicle. In many crashes severe enough to inflate an
airbag, windshields are broken by vehicle
deformation. Additional windshield break-
age may also occur from the right front pas-
senger airbag.
• Airbags are designed to inflate only once.
After an airbag inflates, you will need
some new parts for your airbag system. If
you do not get them, the airbag system
will not be there to help protect you in
another crash. A new system will include
airbag modules and possibly other parts.
The service manual for your vehicle
covers the need to replace other parts.
• Your vehicle is equipped with a crash
sensing and diagnostic module which
records information after a crash. See
Vehicle Data Collection and Event Data
Recorders on page 266.
38 Safety
• Let only qualified technicians work on Servicing the airbag system Scrapping or working on airbag
your airbag system. Improper service can The airbag system must be inspected as and belt pretensioners
mean that your airbag system will not part of the normal service program but oth-
work properly. See your dealer for erwise may be regarded as maintenance-
service. free. WARNING
Notice: If you damage the covering for
the driver's or the right front passenger's • Under no circumstances should any
airbag, or the side impact airbag cover- modifications be made that affect the
ing on the ceiling near the side windows, steering wheel or the airbag’s electri-
the bag may not work properly. You may cal circuitry.
have to replace the airbag module in the • During any welding, both battery
steering wheel, both the airbag module cables must be disconnected and
and the instrument panel for the right covered.
front passenger's airbag, or side impact
airbag module and ceiling covering for • Before quick drying paint in the vicinity
the roof-mounted side impact airbag. Do of the electronic control module, the
not open or break the airbag coverings. module’s grounding points and wiring
must be covered.
• Airbags and safety belt pretensioners
must be deployed under controlled
conditions before the car is scrapped
or any of the system’s components are
removed. Airbags or belt pretension-
ers that have been deployed as a
result of a crash must be replaced by
new ones.
• Airbag-system components must
never be transferred for use in another
vehicle.
• All work involving the scrapping or
replacement of airbags or belt preten-
sioners must be carried out by autho-
rized personnel only.
Safety 39
Frequently asked questions on In addition, airbags provide no protection When do the airbags in the steering wheel
function of the airbag against a secondary impact occurring in the and passenger side of the dash board
same incident. So there is no doubt about inflate?
Do you still need to wear a safety belt if air- the benefit of wearing safety belts at all
bags are fitted? The airbag will only be inflated under certain
times. predetermined conditions in a moderate to
Yes, always! The airbag system compo-
Do not sit too close to the airbag: it needs severe frontal, or near-frontal crash,
nents merely supplement the car’s normal
room to inflate. depending on such factors as the force and
safety system. Moreover, the front airbags angle of the impact, the speed of the car on
will only be actuated in a moderate to severe The airbag inflates very quickly and power-
fully in order to protect an adult, before they impact, and the resistance to deformation of
frontal, or near-frontal crash, which means, the impacting object.
of course, that they provide no protection in are thrown forward, in a serious frontal
minor frontal crashes, major rear- or side- crash. The airbag can only be activated once in the
crashes or if the car rolls over. How do I position the seat to leave room for same incident.
The safety belts help to reduce the sideway the airbag to inflate? Do not attempt to drive the car after an
movement of the body in a crash. Don’t have your seat too far forward. airbag has been inflated, even if it is possi-
Recline the seat back to increase the dis- ble.
But they also ensure that, if a crash occurs
in which the airbags are inflated, the airbag tance between you and the airbag. For short
will make the optimum contact with the drivers, special accessory pedal extensions What won’t trigger the airbag?
occupant, i.e. square on from the front. If the are available through your Saab dealer. The airbag will not be activated in all frontal
occupant meets the airbag in an offset posi- Airbags inflate extremely rapidly and with crashes. For instance, if the car has hit
tion, the protection afforded will be reduced. great force – to be fast enough to protect an something relatively soft and yielding (e.g. a
adult in the seat. snow drift or a hedge) or a solid object at a
low impact speed, the airbag will not neces-
sarily be triggered.
40 Safety
How loud is the inflation? What should I do if the AIR-BAG warning Are the dust and fumes given off when the
The noise of the inflation is certainly loud, light comes on? airbag operates at all harmful?
but it is of an very short duration and will not If the warning light is on, it means that a fault Most people who have remained in a car
damage your hearing. For a short time after- has been detected in the system. The with little or no ventilation for several min-
wards you could experience a buzzing airbag cannot be relied on to operate as utes complained only of minor irritation of
noise in your ears. intended and it might even be activated the throat and eyes. Avoid as much as pos-
Most people who have experienced it erroneously. You should therefore take the sible getting dust on your skin as there is a
cannot remember the noise of the inflation car to an authorized Saab dealer as soon as risk of skin irritation.
at all – all they remember is the noise of the possible. If you suffer from asthma, the incident may
crash. bring on an attack, in which case you should
follow the normal procedure advised by
Can you still use a child seat in the front if a your doctor. It is advisable to consult a
passenger airbag is installed? doctor afterwards.
Definitely not!
Children 12 and under or shorter than
55 inches (140 cm) can be killed by the air-
bag.
The back seat is the safest place for chil-
dren.
Never put a rear-facing child seat in the
front.
Sit as far back as possible from the airbag.
Always use seat belts and child restraints.
Security 41
Security
Doors ________________ 42
Central locking ________ 42
Car alarm _____________ 50
42 Security
2: standard key
Key No: 1
48 Security
Changing the key battery Battery type: For optimum performance in
all temperatures and good service life, Saab
recommends the use of a Sony or Pana-
WARNING sonic CR2032, 3V lithium battery.
The battery should last for about 4 years of
Keep the battery and other small compo- normal use.
nents of the remote control out of reach of The battery type is marked on the inside of
children. the remote control. Avoid leaving finger-
prints on the faces of the battery.
NOTICE 1 Press the emblem on the reverse of the
remote control to remove the traditional
The electronics of the remote control are key.
sensitive to electrostatic discharge. Incor-
rect handling when changing the battery Press the emblem to remove
can damage the remote control. Avoid the traditional key
touching electronic components of the
remote control with your hands.
2 Insert the tip of the key into the small slot
When the voltage of the remote control bat- and turn the key to split the remote
tery drops below a certain level, the Saab control.
Information Display (SID) will display:
9-3 Convertible
Advice on soft top • Roof racks and ski holders must not be
mounted on the soft top. WARNING
operation • On no account should anything be put into
the stowage space of the soft top (under • Never touch the hinges and struts of
• Once you have raised the soft top and the soft top cover) since this could cause the soft top nor the upper rail of the
before driving off, always check that the an obstruction when the soft top is being windshield while operating the soft
soft top is properly engaged with the wind- folded away. top.
shield rail. • Do not place any objects on the covers • Do not operate the soft top while there
• Once you have folded the soft top and over the roll bars as this can hamper their are bystanders close to the car.
before driving off, check that the soft top function.
cover is locked. • When operating the soft top, raise or fold
• Do not operate the soft top in tempera- it fully until notified that operation is com-
tures below 23°F (–5°C). plete by the SID. Do not leave the soft top
• Note that certain automatic car washes partially open/closed. If the soft top is left
can damage the soft top. This applies to in an intermediate position it will collapse
car washes that use mechanical feelers progressively after 20 seconds to prevent
bearing against the body. Saab advises overloading the drive system.
against washing the Convertible in an • Washing the soft top, see page 252.
automatic car wash.
• After rain or washing the car, allow the soft
top to dry completely before folding it.
Folding a wet or damp soft top can cause
water damage in the car and mildew to
form on the soft top.
9-3 Convertible 57
Operating the soft top Read the "Advice on soft top operation"
section on page 56 before operating the soft
top.
WARNING The soft top is operated with the switch on
the instrument panel. Hold the switch in the
• Do not touch the hinges or struts of the desired position until the soft top is fully
soft top during opening due to the folded or raised.
pinch hazard. The completion of folding or raising the soft
• Keep children out of reach. top is indicated by a chime.
Error messages that can appear on the SID
• Do not operate the soft top while there are shown on page 65.
are bystanders close to the car.
• Make sure that the soft top cover has
locked properly after folding the soft Switch for operating the soft top
top.
a Raising
• Check that the soft top engages prop-
erly with the upper edge of the wind- b Folding
shield after raising.
NOTICE
If you drive off while raising or folding the
soft top, operation is halted when
the speed of the car exceeds 20 mph
(30 km/h). This speed can be
programmed (0–20 mph/0–30 km/h) at a
Saab dealer. The movement of the car
and force of the wind can seriously
damage the components of the soft top
system.
58 9-3 Convertible
Opening Remote opening (option)
The following conditions must be fulfilled for You can fold the soft top when outside the
the soft top to be folded: car by pressing and holding the
• Vehicle speed must not exceed 20 mph (unlock) button on the remote control. See
(30 km/h). also page 123.
• Battery voltage must exceed 10 V.
• Outside temperature must exceed 23°F
(–5°C).
• The trunk lid must be locked.
• There must be sufficient space in the
trunk for the soft top.
Folding
1 Rear window raised. Soft top storage in 3 Soft top folded. 4 The soft top cover is closed.
luggage compartment lowered.
2 The soft top cover is opened.
a 7.2 ft (2.2 m)
b 2" (5 cm)
60 9-3 Convertible
Raising securely to the upper edge of the wind-
The following conditions must be fulfilled for shield.
raising the soft top: If you hold the button pressed up after the
chime, all the windows will be closed after a
• Vehicle speed must not exceed short delay.
20 mph (30 km/h).
• Battery voltage must exceed 10 V.
• The trunk lid must be locked.
Raising
1 The soft top cover is opened. 2 The soft top is raised. 3 The soft top cover is closed.
4 The rear window is lowered.
a 7.2 ft (2.2 m)
b 2" (5 cm
62 9-3 Convertible
Soft top cover opened Manual closing started Soft top pulled towards windshield
4 Close the trunk lid fully as otherwise it 7 Before raising the soft top, the two
will obstruct the soft top cover. WARNING catches in the leading edge of the soft
5 Open the soft top cover, upward and top must be opened. Stand in the rear
backward. • Do not touch the hinges and struts of seat and pry off the cover with the screw-
6 Tip forward the front seat backrests. the soft top during raising. driver. Using the tool, turn clockwise to
open the catches.
• Keep your hands clear of the front Stand in the rear seat and raise the soft
windshield rail. top. Pull it towards the windshield. This
• Pinch hazard may cause personal operation requires 7.2 ft (2.2 m) of verti-
injury. cal clearance.
64 9-3 Convertible
Soft top locked to windshield rail Closing the soft top cover Rear window locked to soft top cover
8 Sit in one of the front seats and lock the 9 Lift up the rear window fully and hold it 11 Now lock the rear window to the soft top
soft top to the windshield rail. Use the lug there. Close the soft top cover. It is not cover. Sit in the rear seat and insert the
wrench and the Allen key. Turn roughly possible to lock the soft top cover after tool (the same tool as used to lock the
1/4 turn counterclockwise. Check that manual raising. soft top to the windshield rail) into the
the soft top is properly locked in place by hexagonal hole in the soft top mecha-
pressing up the front edge. The soft top nism. Turn roughly 1/4 turn, counter-
must not move upward. NOTICE clockwise on the right had side of the
To avoid damaging the paintwork on the soft top and clockwise on the left-hand
soft top cover and the trunk lid, take care side. Look at the soft top cover when
when closing the soft top cover. locking the rear window. The rear
window must make a tight seal against
the soft top cover.
10 Press down the rear edge of the soft top The soft top system must be checked and
as far as possible towards the soft top rectified without delay at a Saab dealer.
cover.
9-3 Convertible 65
SID warnings and messages
The following messages associated with the soft top system and can be displayed on the SID together with a chime:
Driver seat unlocked. The backrest is not locked. Raise the backrest fully to locked position, see
page 67.
Passenger front seat The backrest is not locked. Raise the backrest fully to locked position, see
unlocked. page 67.
9-3 Convertible 67
"Easy entry"
WARNING
• Always check that the backrest locks
properly when returned to normal
position.
• Check that the fore-and-aft position of
the seat is properly locked. The back-
rest and the entire belt-in seat must be
locked in position; otherwise the occu-
pant of the seat is at risk of injury
during braking or in the event of a
crash, especially if a rear-facing child
seat is fitted behind the backrest.
To facilitate getting in and out of the rear "Easy entry" function. Illustration shows an electrically adjustable seat (option)
seat, the front seats can be slid forward.
Manually adjusted passenger seats Electrically adjustable front seats
1 Raise the handle by the head restraint 1 Raise the handle by the head restraint
on the seat. on the seat.
2 Tip the backrest and slide the seat 2 Tip the backrest forward.
forward. 3 The seat now moves to its foremost
Repositioning: position.
1 Tip back the backrest. Repositioning:
2 Slide the seat back to the desired 1 Tip the backrest back to its normal
position. position.
Make sure the backrest and seat are prop- 2 Raise and hold the handle until the seat
erly locked in position. has returned to its previous position.
68 9-3 Convertible
Head restraints
WARNING
• Adjust the head restraint so that the
head is optimally supported and the
center of the head restraint is at ear
height, thus reducing the likelihood of
neck injury in a crash.
• Raise the head restraints in the seats
that are occupied.
WARNING
Some models have a spoiler on the trunk-
lid. Avoid getting fingers and hands
trapped between the spoiler and rear
fender when closing the trunklid.
Wind deflector
A wind deflector is available as an acces-
sory. Follow the fitting instructions supplied
Position of first golf bag Position of second golf bag with the wind deflector carefully.
CargoWing
(accessory)
NOTICE
If play arises in any part of the
CargoWing, contact a Saab workshop
immediately to have this corrected. If
such play is not eliminated, the
CargoWing may come loose while driv-
ing.
76 9-3 Convertible
(This page has been left blank)
Instruments and controls 77
NOTICE
If the needle, despite the above action,
enters the red zone, stop the car in a suit-
able place and allow the engine to idle. If
the needle continues to rise, switch off the
engine.
WARNING
Temperature gauge Turbo gauge
Never open the cap of the expansion tank
The temperature gauge shows the temper- The turbo gauge indicates the air volume
completely when the engine is hot, open
ature of the coolant. The needle should be used for combustion, which is equivalent to
with care. The pressure in the cooling-
in the middle of the scale when the engine system can cause hot coolant and steam the engine load.
is at normal operating temperature. At low loads and when the engine is used for
to be released. Failure to heed this warn-
If the needle goes into the red zone (which ing may result in personal injury. braking, the needle will move within the
can occur at high outside air temperatures white zone.
or under heavy engine loads), choose the Under certain barometric conditions the
highest possible gear ratio and the lowest needle may enter the first part of the red
possible engine speed, and avoid shifting zone without necessarily indicating that a
down. fault has arisen.
Instruments and controls 85
If the needle repeatedly enters the red zone
and the engine at the same time loses
Information display,
power, because the monitoring system is main instrument panel
limiting the boost pressure, you should
contact a Saab dealer as soon as possible. Under the speedometer is a display. The
information shown here varies depending
When the speed of the car exceeds on whether the car has a manual transmis-
143 mph (230 km/h), acceleration is limited sion or automatic transmission.
by reducing the boost pressure. The pres-
sure gauge then moves towards the middle Cars with manual transmission:
of the white field, indicating a drop in engine
power and consequently the car’s speed.
Information symbol.
Read information on SID This symbol lights up when the system is
disengaged using the ESP button.
This symbol comes on when a message or If there is a malfunction, the symbol cannot
warning is displayed on the Saab Informa- be turned off by pressing the ESP button.
tion Display (SID).
Headlights
Low beam headlights are turned on when
the ignition switch is turned to ON and
turned off when the switch is turned back to
LOCK.
Instruments and controls 97
Courtesy Headlamp Feature
A delay function allows the low beam head-
lights and back-up lights to remain on for
about 30 seconds after the driver’s door has
been closed.
To activate this function:
1 After turning off the engine, remove the
remote control.
2 Open the driver’s door.
3 Pull the control stalk all the way towards
the steering wheel.
The low beam headlights and reversing
Dipswitch lights will come on and remain on for Adjusting instrument illumination
1 Headlight flasher 30 seconds when the door is closed.
2 High/low beam
Instrument lighting
High/low beam The brightness of the instrument lighting
To switch between high and low beam, pull can be adjusted by pressing the button (+ or
the control stalk all the way towards the - signs on the button above the NIGHT-
steering wheel. (Headlight switch must be PANEL button).
ON.)
The symbol on the main instrument
panel shows when the high beam is on.
Headlight flasher
To flash your headlights, pull the control
stalk half-way towards the steering wheel.
The high beam will remain on until you
release the stalk.
98 Instruments and controls
Front fog light switch Rear fog light switch Turn signal & lane change indicators
1 Right
2 Left
Front fog lights Rear fog light
(certain variants only) To turn on the rear fog light, press the rear
The front fog lights should be used in poor fog light button on the instrument panel. The Turn signal & lane change
visibility. headlights or front fog lights must be on. indicators
These are automatically turned off when the The rear fog light is automatically turned off The stalk switch has an intermediate,
engine is switched off. When the car is next when the engine is switched off. When the spring-loaded position that is useful for sig-
started, the fog lights will have to be car is next started, the rear fog light will have nalling when changing lanes or passing.
switched back on manually by pressing the to be switched back on manually by press- The stalk switch also has fixed positions for
fog light switch. If the engine is restarted ing the rear fog light switch. If the engine is indicating a right or left turn, that are can-
within 30 seconds, the front fog lights will restarted within 30 seconds, the rear fog celled automatically when the steering
remain on. light will remain on. wheel is centered.
Acquaint yourself with the legal provi- Acquaint yourself with the legal provi- If an indicator bulb breaks, the frequency
sions governing the use of front fog sions governing the use of rear fog light. with which the indicators flash will be
lights. doubled.
This frequency is also doubled if a trailer is
being towed and one of its indicator bulbs
breaks.
Instruments and controls 99
WARNING
Switch on the hazard flashers if the car
has to be left at the roadside on account
of a crash, engine trouble or a flat tire.
If you carry a warning triangle or flares,
they should be set up along the side of the
road 50–110 yds. (50–100 metres)
behind your vehicle. If the car is not
clearly visible (e.g. over the brow of a hill
or bridge), place the triangle/flare even
further back.
Hazard warning light switch
Back-Up Button for accessory, Sport
The back-up lights come on automatically Sedan
when reverse gear is engaged or selected This button can be used for accessories,
Hazard warning lights with the ignition switched on. such as extra lights.
The button for the hazard warning lights is
located on the climate control panel.
When the button is pressed, all the direction
indicators and the symbol in the button flash
simultaneously.
If an indicator bulb breaks, the frequency
with which the indicators flash will be
doubled.
Hazard warning lights should only be used
if, because of an accident or breakdown, the
car constitutes a hazard to other road users.
100 Instruments and controls
Priority of audible information Wipers and washers
Sound from various functions in the car,
such as the direction indicators, parking Windshield wipers
assistance and seatbelt reminders, come
from the same sound source: the car’s Position 1 is a spring-loaded position that
sound system. If two or more of these func- will produce a single sweep of the wipers.
tions are active simultaneously, the most In position 2 you can set the delay period for
important function at that time will be priori- intermittent wiping using the thumbwheel on
tized. the stalk switch. There are 5 delay periods
from which to choose, ranging from 2 to
If, for example, the direction indicators are
15 seconds.
active when you engage reverse, the park-
ing assistance (if fitted) will be heard instead The wipers always return to their home posi-
of the direction indicators. When reverse is tion when the ignition is turned off.
disengaged, the direction indicators will be To leave the wipers positioned vertically on
the windshield, proceed as follows: Windshield wipers
heard, if they are still active. 0 OFF
1 Switch off the engine and remove the 1 Single sweep
remote control. 2 Intermittent wiping
3 Low speed
2 Activate the wipers within the next 4 High speed
16 seconds by pressing the stalk switch 5 Windshield and headlight washing (certain
down. variants only)
When the ignition is next switched on the
wipers will return to their home position.
Washers
Activate the washers by pulling the stalk
switch towards the steering wheel.
When the washers are operated, the wipers
will make 3, 4 or 5 sweeps, depending on
how long the washers were kept on. If
the speed of the car is less than 12 mph
(20 km/h), the wipers will make an addi-
tional sweep after roughly 8 seconds.
When the washer fluid level drops below
1 quart (1 litre), the headlight washers (if
equipped) are deactivated. This is in order
Instruments and controls 101
Rain sensor
(option)
WARNING
Turn the rain sensor off if the ignition is
ON to avoid personal injury when clearing
snow and ice from the windshield.
NOTICE
Control for setting wiper delay Windshield wipers with rain sensor Turn the rain sensor off before washing
0 OFF the car in an automatic carwash, to avoid
to prioritize the windshield. The following 1 Single sweep damaging the windshield wipers.
2 AUTO - rain sensor engaged
message is displayed on the SID: 3 Low speed
4 High speed The rain sensor automatically controls the
Washer fluid level low. 5 Windshield and headlight washing (certain windshield wipers. The sensor is located on
Refill. variants only) the windshield beside the rearview mirror.
The system varies the frequency of wiping
To prevent the smell of washer fluid from between single sweeps and continuous
entering the car, recirculation can be acti- Headlight washers wiping, depending on the amount of pre-
vated automatically while the windshield is (certain variants only) cipitation.
washed. The recirculation symbol will how- The headlights are washed at the same time Activate the rain sensor by lifting the stalk
ever not light up. This function is optional; as the windshield if the headlights are on. switch to the AUTO position. The wipers
contact a Saab dealer. This automatic recir- The headlights are washed every fifth time make one sweep for reference to see how
culation is the factory default setting as long the windshield washers are used or if two much water is on the windshield. In the
as the system is working in full "AUTO" (2) minutes have elapsed since the wind- future, the sensor compares the amount of
mode with no customized settings. shield was last washed. water on the windshield with this reference
The headlight washers are not activated at value.
speeds in excess of 125 mph (200 km/h).
102 Instruments and controls
If the stalk switch is left in the AUTO position Adjusting sensitivity Explanation of sensor sensitivity.
when the engine is switched off, when the The sensitivity of the rain sensor can be
engine is next started it must first be moved adjusted under Profiler. If you increase the High
to the 0 or 3 position and then back to AUTO sensitivity, the wipers will make one sweep The sensor is set to high sensitivity.
to reactivate the sensor. for reference. The wipers start when there is only
If the system malfunctions, the wipers will 1 Press the CUSTOMIZE button to go to a small amount of water on
operate at low speed when the stalk switch Profiler. the windshield.
is set to the AUTO position.
2 Select Rain Sensor using the INFO dial. Medium
3 Press in the INFO dial.
The sensor is set to normal sensitivity.
4 Select the sensitivity by turning the dial. This is one of the Default Settings.
5 Confirm this selection by pressing the
INFO dial. Low
The sensor is set to low sensitivity (wip-
Rain Sensor ers operate only with a large amount of
High water on the windshield, i.e., down-
pour).
Medium
Low
Settings
for various
weather
conditions
Summer – overcast
Floor
Summer – sunny
Defroster, panel and floor
106 Instruments and controls
Condensation water
Air conditioning (A/C) When the A/C compressor is on, the incom-
ing air is dehumidified. The resulting con-
The air conditioning is combined with the densation water is drained away through an
conventional climate control system and outlet under the car.
is switched on by pressing the but- It is therefore perfectly normal for water to
ton, provided that the fan control is in be seen dripping from this outlet when the
position 1-5. car is parked. The warmer the ambient air
The incoming air is treated in three stages: and the higher the humidity, the more con-
first it passes through a filter; it is then dehu- densation will form.
midified and cooled; and finally, if required,
it is heated.
If the engine coolant gets too hot, the A/C Recirculation
Panel vent compressor will be turned off.
When the button is pressed, the reg-
Convertible: When the soft top or all the ular air intake will be closed. In this mode,
windows are open in a hot, humid climate, it the air inside the cabin is recirculated.
is recommended to switch off the air condi-
Air vents tioning to save fuel. Also, if the air condition- Use recirculation when you wish for rapid
The air vents swivel universally, so that air ing is on, condensation may form on cold cooling at very high outside temperatures.
can be directed as desired. In winter, for surfaces such as the floor air ducts. Switch the air conditioning (A/C) on first.
instance, the outer vents can be directed If necessary, recirculation can be switched
onto the door windows for enhanced on manually to avoid unpleasant air from
demisting. entering the car.
The amount of air can be individually con- Only use recirculation for a short period
trolled by the regulator on each vent. If you of time at temperatures lower than 50°F
wish to reduce the airflow, start by half- (+10°C), such as to avoid unpleasant air.
shutting the vent in question. Mist or ice may otherwise form on the
windows.
Instruments and controls 107
Electrically heated rear Electric heating, front
window/external mirrors seats (option)
This button is located under the fan speed The seat cushions and backrests of the front
control. seats are heated.
Always switch off the heating as soon as the The heating is thermostatically controlled
rear window is free from ice and mist. It will and set at approx. 104°F (40°C).
be turned off automatically after 12 minutes. Switch off the seat heating once the seat is
Refrain from placing sharp objects on the warm.
parcel shelf, to avoid damaging the heating
element.
Convertible: The rear window heating is
not turned on if the soft top is folded down.
108 Instruments and controls
Automatic climate-
control system (ACC)
Fresh air for the cabin is drawn in through an
inlet at the bottom edge of the windshield. It
passes through an effective filter before
reaching the climate control system and
delivery into the cabin. The air is evacuated
via openings in the parcel shelf. It is then led
through outlets on either side of the car
behind the rear bumper.
The Automatic Climate-Control system
(ACC) automatically maintains the desired
cabin temperature, regardless of the
weather outside.
The system will achieve the desired temper-
ature in the quickest possible way. ACC panel 10 Manual increase of fan speed
Note that heating or cooling is not 1 Temperature setting: left-hand side 11 Hazard warning lights
speeded up by setting the temperature 2 Manual setting of air distribution 12 Manual decrease of fan speed
3 Recirculation 13 Seat heating, front left seat
higher or lower than the final tempera- 4 AUTO (automatic regulation)
ture you desire. 5 A/C
To optimize the performance of the air con- 6 Defroster
ditioning system, all windows and the sun- 7 Rear window heating
8 Temperature setting: right-hand side
roof should be shut. The air vents in the 9 Seat heating, front right seat
fascia must be open.
The incoming air is treated in three stages: To reduce potential misting on the insides of
first it passes through a filter; it is then dehu- the windows, the glass should be cleaned
midified and cooled; and finally, if required, with a quality glass cleaner. How often this
it is heated. will need to be done depends on how clean
the air is - if there are smokers in the car, the
windows will need to be cleaned more
frequently.
Instruments and controls 109
Temperature control The displayed temperature is not the actual
The cabin is divided into two temperature air temperature but corresponds to the
zones: comfort level normally experienced at that
temperature after allowance has been
1 Driver’s zone. made for the airflow, relative humidity, solar
2 Passenger zone. radiation, and so on, currently prevailing
The temperature in the rear seat will be a inside the car.
mixture of the two zones. • The most usual temperature setting is
If you choose the single zone setting, the between 66–74°F (19–23°C), depending
entire cabin is treated as one zone. If you on personal preference and what clothing
choose the dual zone setting, settings can is worn.
be made separately for the driver’s zone • Change the temperature setting in 2°F
and passenger zone. (1°C) steps.
Select between single and dual zone set- • Make sure the air vents are open when Panel vent
tings under Profiler (see page 117). cooling the cabin in warm weather.
The cabin temperature can be set to Settings when HI is selected:
between 58–82°F (15–27°C). In addition, HI
(maximum heating and high fan speed) and • Maximum heat Air vents
LO (maximum cooling and maximum fan • Air distribution to windshield and floor The air vents swivel universally, so that air
speed) can be selected. HI and LO can only can be directed as desired. In winter, for
• High fan speed (6 bars on the fan display). instance, the outer vents can be directed
be selected for the passenger zone if the
driver has selected the same setting. Settings when LO is selected: onto the door windows for enhanced
• Maximum cooling demisting.
• Air distribution to air vents in fascia The amount of air can be individually con-
trolled by the regulator on each vent. If you
• Maximum fan speed (8 bars on the fan wish to reduce the airflow, start by half-
display). shutting the vent in question.
• Recirculation ON (depending on outside Certain variants have an air vent on the rear
temperature). of the floor console.
110 Instruments and controls
The system uses four sensors:
• Outside air temperature sensor
• Cabin air temperature sensor
• Sun sensor
• Blended air temperature sensors (located
in the heater unit and the outer panel vent
duct).
The sun sensor is located centrally on the
top of the fascia.
Note:
If the sun sensor is covered, the ACC
system will not be able to regulate the cabin
climate as intended, especially in strong
sunshine.
Condensation water
When the A/C compressor is on, the incom-
ing air is dehumidified. The resulting con-
densation water is drained away through an
outlet under the car.
It is therefore perfectly normal for water to
be seen dripping from this outlet when the
car is parked. The warmer the ambient air
and the higher the humidity, the more con-
densation will form. Sun- and cabin sensor, Sport Sedan Sun- and cabin sensor, Convertible
1 Sun sensor 1 Sun sensor
2 Cabin temperature sensor 2 Cabin temperature sensor
Instruments and controls 111
Functions
Pressing AUTO will cancel all manual settings.
If a manual function is selected, it will be locked in but other functions
will be controlled automatically. The A/C compressor must be turned on and off
The selected temperature is always maintained automatically. manually with the AC button.
The compressor can only be turned on or off while
the engine is running.
This function has two modes:
Temperature, air distribution, fan speed and recir- • AC – The system cools and dehumidifies the
culation will be controlled automatically. incoming air. This symbol is not shown in the
In falling temperatures the A/C compressor is display.
switched off at approx. 32°F (0 °C). • AC-OFF – The A/C compressor is switched off.
In rising temperatures the A/C compressor is The incoming air is not cooled or dehumidified.
switched on at approx. 40°F (+5 °C). See also Profiler on page 117.
If, when starting the car, the outside air temperature
is between 32°F and 40°F (0 and +5 °C), the A/C
compressor is switched on.
Pressing AUTO once will cancel all previous manual
air distribution selections.
When the engine is started, the ACC system will be
in AUTO mode, provided that no air distribution set-
tings are programmed under Profiler (see
page 117).
112 Instruments and controls
When the system is switched OFF:
• The fan and A/C compressor are switched off.
To turn the system OFF, press and hold (or press • The temperature control is set to 0 % heat.
repeatedly) the button to reduce the fan speed until • The current air distribution setting is retained.
the fan is switched off. Then release the button and • Recirculation can be selected.
press it once more.
The A/C compressor will now be disengaged. To re-
engage the A/C, press one of the following buttons:
• The A/C compressor will be
switched on if it was previously
engaged, and the air distribution The rear window and door mirror heating can be
and fan speed will switch to AUTO. controlled manually or automatically (refer to
• Higher fan speed Profiler).
The A/C compressor will be Switch off the rear window and door mirror heating
switched on if it was previously as soon as the glass is clear. The heating will be
engaged, the air distribution will return to its previ- turned off automatically after 12 minutes.
ous setting and fan speed will increase. Refrain from placing sharp objects on the parcel
shelf, to avoid damaging the heating element.
• Defroster
The A/C compressor will be
switched on if it was previously
disengaged, the air distribution will switch to
Defroster and the fan speed will increase (6 bars
on the display out of a maximum of 8).
Instruments and controls 113
Air distribution
Panel
Interior equipment
Steering wheel
adjustment __________ 122
Electric windows _______ 123
Sunroof ______________ 126
Interior lighting ________ 129
Cup holder ____________ 130
Power Outlet __________ 132
Storage compartments __ 132
Rearview mirrors_______ 134
Trunk ________________ 140
122 Interior equipment
Steering wheel
adjustment
WARNING
Only adjust the steering wheel while the
car is stationary so that you are not
distracted from the traffic.
Sunroof
(optional)
WARNING
Bear in mind the pinch hazard when clos-
ing the electric sunroof. Risk of serious or
fatal injuries!
• Always remove the remote control
from the ignition switch when you
leave the car. This will prevent
personal injury caused by the activa-
tion of the electric sunroof, for exam- Sunroof control 3 Manually controlled closing
ple, due to children playing. 1 Manually controlled opening 4 Automatic closing
2 Automatic opening 5 Ventilation position
• The person operating the electric
sunroof is responsible for ensuring Sunroof without automatic opening
that no one, especially a child, has To open Slide the control rearward to position 1 (see
their head, hands or fingers in the Manually controlled opening
opening, before closing the sunroof. illustration). The sunroof will stop when you
Slide the control rearward to its first position. release the control or once it is fully open.
• Do not stick any part of the body or the The sunroof will halt when you release the
head out through an open window control. If you do not release the control, the
while the car is moving. sunroof will open to the comfort position. To
open the sunroof further, release the control
The sunroof is operated by the control in the and then once again press it rearward.
roof console. For the sunroof to work, the
remote control must be in the ON position in Automatic opening
the ignition switch. Slide the control rearward to the second
If the car is equipped with windows having position and release it. The sunroof will
the automatic closing function, the sunroof open to the comfort position. To open the
can be opened and closed so long as the car sunroof further, slide the control rearward a
is unlocked until 20 minutes has passed second time.
since the remote control was removed from
the ignition switch.
Interior equipment 127
To close Ventilation position (rear edge of Comfort opening
sunroof open) (option, certain variants only)
• To open – press in the control. Comfort opening is the remote opening of
WARNING • To close – slide the control forward to the windows and the sunroof.
second position. Press and hold the unlocking button on the
Exercise great care when closing the
sunroof to ensure that nothing gets It is also possible to select the ventilation remote control until the windows and
trapped. position when the sunroof is open by press- optional sunroof start to open (approx. 2 s).
ing in the control. The sunroof will then close During comfort opening of the windows,
automatically. Press the control once sunroof (option) and soft top, the range is
Manually controlled closing more to open the sunroof to its ventilation reduced by approximately half.
Slide the control forward to its first position. position.
The sunroof will halt when you release the If the sunroof is in the ventilation position, it
If you wish to open the sunroof fully from will not open.
control. the ventilation position, you must first close
it (slide the control forward). You can then Convertible: For the remote opening of the
Automatic closing (certain variants only) slide the control rearward to open the sun- soft top, refer to page 58.
Slide the control forward to its second posi- roof.
tion and release it. The sunroof will close The sunroof incorporates an interior, man-
fully. ual, sliding sun blind.
The sunroof pinch protection halts closing
and opens the sunroof slightly if something Sunroof without automatic closing
obstructs closing.
• To open – press the control up.
Sunroof without automatic closing • To close – slide the control forward to
Slide the control forward to position 3 (see position 3.
illustration). The sunroof will stop when you
release the control or once it is fully closed.
128 Interior equipment
Pinch protection
(if equipped)
WARNING
Make sure nothing obstructs the sunroof
when it is closed without pinch protection.
Rear lighting
1 Interior lighting always off 1 Reading lights
2 Interior lighting controlled by the doors 2 Roof light
3 Interior lighting on continuously
When the switch is in the mid-position (door- The glove box lighting is switched on and off
activated), the interior lighting will come on: automatically when the glove box is opened
Interior lighting • When the car is unlocked.
and closed.
The interior lighting consists of one front and • When a door is opened and the ignition is
one rear roof light, floor lighting, and cour- OFF.
tesy lights in the doors (certain variants
• When the remote control is removed from
only). The light switch for the interior lighting
the ignition switch.
is located on the roof console by the rear-
view mirror. The lighting goes out:
• When the car is locked.
• When the ignition is turned on.
• Approx. 20 s after closing all doors.
The lights are dimmed out gradually.
If a door is left open and the light switch is in
position 2 or 3 and the ignition is OFF, the
interior lighting will be switched off automat-
ically after 20 minutes to save the battery.
130 Interior equipment
Trunk lighting Cup holder
The trunk lighting is switched on and off
(option)
when the trunk lid is opened and closed.
If the trunk lid is left open, the lighting will be
switched off automatically after 20 minutes WARNING
to prevent the battery from running flat.
• The cup holder should not be used to
hold cups made of china or glass as
these can cause personal injury in the
event of a crash.
• Use only paper mugs, plastic bottles
or aluminium cans.
• Avoid spillage, particularly of hot
Sun visor with vanity mirror drinks.
Sun visor
Illuminated vanity mirrors are provided on NOTICE
the sun visors. The lighting comes on when
the cover is raised. Take care not to spill any liquid on the
audio system , the ignition switch or the
like when using the cup holders. Soft
drinks in particular can cause malfunc-
tions.
Cup holder in fascia Cup holder in center console compart- Cup holder in rear seat cushion (Sport
ment between front seats (certain variants Sedan)
only)
132 Interior equipment
Sliding cover in glove box to admit cold air Card holder Storage compartment between front seats
(cars with ACC only).
This allows the storage of chocolate and
chilled drinks, for example.
Rearview mirrors
Door mirrors
To adjust
The door mirrors are electrically adjustable
and heated. The controls for adjusting the
mirrors are on the driver’s door:
1 Select a door mirror with the upper
button.
2 Adjust the mirror using the touch pad.
The mirror glass can also be adjusted man-
ually by gently pressing the glass in the
desired direction. 1 Selection of mirror Retracting a door mirror
The mirror heating is turned on together with 2 Touch pad for adjustment
the rear window heating. 3 Reversing position (electric/optional)
If the car has an electrically adjustable
driver’s seat with memory, the mirror
settings are stored in the memory (see Manual retraction Reversing position
page 19). The door mirrors are designed to fold back On certain model variants, the passenger-
if knocked. The mirrors can also be side mirror glass can be angled down to
retracted manually. This can be useful when facilitate reversing. Press the button
parking in tight spaces, such as on the car shown in the illustration. This is located
deck of a ferry. Remember to return the door under the touch pad. Return the mirror to its
mirrors to their normal positions before normal position by pressing the button
driving off. again. The mirror will also return to its
normal position if you drive forward approx-
imately 22 yds. (20 meters).
Interior equipment 135
Interior rearview mirror with
autodimming
(if equipped)
The system is activated when the forward-
facing sensor detects that it is dark outside
and the rear-facing sensor detects, for
example, if the car following has not
dimmed its headlights. The rearview mirror
is then darkened to prevent the strong light
source from dazzling the driver. This dark-
ening is stepless.
The mirror returns to its normal state when
the strong light source diminishes.
Mirror position lever The autodimming function can be turned Mirror with autodimming
1 Normal position OFF with the switch on the lower edge of the 1 Forward-facing sensor
2 Antidazzle position rear-view mirror. 2 Autodimming ON/OFF
3 Rear-facing sensor
NOTE!
Towing a trailer can cause the system to
Interior rearview mirror malfunction, as the rear-facing sensor may
shaded by the trailer.
The interior rearview mirror is of the auto-
dimming type and can be deflected with the
lever on its underside. Certain variants have
an autodimming rearview mirror.
The lever should be in the normal position
when you adjust the mirror.
136 Interior equipment
Interior rearview mirror with Preparations for first-time programming
garage opener, autodimming Before programming the garage opener for
function and compass the first time, you must delete any factory
codes.
(if equipped
Press and hold the two outer buttons until
the indicator light begins to flash-after
WARNING 20 seconds. Release both buttons. Do not
hold for longer that 30 seconds. The garage
Make sure that people and objects are out opener is now in the train (or learning) mode
of the way of moving door or gate to and can be programmed at any time begin-
prevent potential harm or damage. ning with "Programming" - step 2.
When programming the garage opener,
you may be operating a garage door or Programming
gate operator. Therefore it is advised to Buttons for garage opener, autodimming The garage opener can record and store the
park outside of the garage. and compass frequencies of three different remote con-
trols.
Do not use the garage opener with any 1–3 Garage opener
garage door opener that lacks the safety The battery in the remote control should be
stop and reverse feature as required by 4 LED fairly new for programming to work well.
federal safety standards. (This includes 5 Autodimming/compass ON/OFF Do not repeat "Programming" - step two
any garage door opener model manufac- 6 Compass bearing to train additional devices to a second or
tured before April 1, 1982.). A garage third button. Begin with "Programming" -
door opener which cannot detect an step three.
object, signaling the door to stop and 1 Turn the ignition ON.
Retain your original garage door opener
reverse, does not meet current federal 2 Press and hold the two outer buttons
(transmitter) for future programming proce-
safety standards. Using a garage door (buttons one and three) - releasing only
dures (i.e., new vehicle purchase). It is also
opener without these features increases when the indicator light begins to flash
suggested that upon the sale of the vehicle,
risk of serious injury or death. (after 20 seconds). Do not hold the
the programmed garage opener buttons be
erased for security purposes, see buttons for longer than 30 seconds and
page 138. do not repeat step two to program a
second and/or third hand-held transmit-
ter to the remaining two buttons.
3 Position the end of your hand-held
transmitter 1-3 inches (5-14 cm) away
from the button you wish to program
while keeping the indicator light in view.
Interior equipment 137
The transmitter should face the mirror antenna wire is attached to the motor- Gate Operator / Canadian Programming
from below or left side of the mirror. head unit. Canadian radio-frequency laws require
4 Simultaneously press and hold both the 8 Firmly press and release the "learn" or transmitter signals to "time-out" (or quit)
chosen and hand-held transmitter "smart" button. (The name and color of after several seconds of transmission -
buttons. Do not release the buttons the button may vary by manufacturer.) which may not be long enough for the
until step 5 has been completed. Note: There are 30 seconds in which to ini- garage opener to pick up the signal during
Note: Some gate operators and garage tiate step nine. programming. Similar to this Canadian law,
door openers may require you to replace 9 Return to the vehicle and firmly press, some U.S. gate operators are designed to
this Programming Step 4 with procedures hold for two seconds and release the "time-out" in the same manner.
noted in the "Gate Operator / Canadian Pro- programmed button. Repeat the If you live in Canada or you are having diffi-
gramming" section. "press/hold/release" sequence a culties programming a gate operator by
5 After the indicator light changes from a second time, and, depending on the using the "Programming" procedures
slow to a rapidly blinking light, release brand of the garage door opener (or (regardless of where you live), replace
both the mirror and hand-held transmit- other rolling code equipped device), "Programming " step 4 with the following:
ter buttons. repeat this sequence a third time to Note: If programming a garage door opener
6 Press and hold the just-trained button complete the programming process. or gate operator, it is advised to unplug the
and observe the indicator light. The garage opener should now activate device during the "cycling" process to pre-
If the indicator light stays on your rolling code equipped device. vent possible overheating.
constantly, programming is Note: To program the remaining two but- 4 Continue to press and hold the button
complete and your device should acti- tons, begin with "Programming" - step while you press and release - every two
vate when the button is pressed and three. Do not repeat step two. seconds ("cycle") your hand-held transmit-
released. ter until the frequency signal has success-
Note: To program the remaining two but- fully been accepted by the garage opener.
tons, begin with "Programming" - step (The indicator light will flash slowly and then
three. Do not repeat step two. rapidly.)
If the indicator light blinks rapidly for two Proceed with "Programming" step five to
seconds and then turns to a constant complete.
light continue with "Programming"
steps 7-9 to complete the programming of NOTICE
a rolling code equipped device (most com-
monly a garage door opener). Switch off the power supply to the garage
7 At the garage door opener receiver door or gate (or park the car beyond the
(motor-head unit) in the garage, locate range of the remote control) while
the "learn" or "smart" button. This can programming using the "cycling" method
usually be found where the hanging to prevent damaging the electrical motor.
138 Interior equipment
Reprogramming a single button Opening a garage door
To program a device to the garage opener To operate, simply press and release the
using a button previously trained, follow programmed button. Activation will now
these steps: occur for the trained device (i.e. garage door
1 Press and hold the desired button. DO opener, gate operator, security system,
NOT release the button. entry door lock, home/office lighting, etc.).
For convenience, the hand-held transmitter
2 The indicator light will begin to flash after of the device may also be used at any time.
20 seconds. Without releasing the
button, proceed with "Programming" -
step 3.
Changing zones
The earth’s magnetic field varies depending
on one’s position on the globe. If you drive Compass zones in USA Compass zones in Canada
your car from one magnetic zone to another
the compass setting will need to be changed
to ensure a correct bearing.
1 Study the illustrations to determine the Calibration
correct zone. Calibration is performed automatically
2 Press and hold button 5 until "ZONE" is during travel.
shown in the display on the mirror (6 s). If, for any reason, a manual calibration is
The zone number is now also shown. needed perform as follows:
3 Press button 5 repeatedly to change the 1 Press and hold button 5 until "CAL" and
zone number. There are 15 zones from the compass bearing are displayed
which to choose. Once the correct zone (approx. 9 s).
is selected, release the button and wait 2 Drive in circles (max. 5 mph/8 km/h) or
4 seconds. The compass will now drive as normal until "CAL" is no longer
display the bearing. displayed.
140 Interior equipment
Trunk
Folding down the rear seat, Sport Sedan
Convertible: The rear seat cannot be folded.
WARNING
• Never drive the car if the backrest is not correctly locked into
position as this increases the risk of personal injury in the
event of heavy braking or a crash.
• Never leave a child or animal unattended in the car. During
sunny weather the temperature in the passenger and trunk
can climb to 160–180°F (70–80°C). Small children are very
susceptible to heat stroke.
• Keep hands well clear of all moving parts.
• Never place heavy objects on the parcel shelf. There is always • When folding the backrest back upright, make sure that it is
a danger of loose objects being thrown forward and causing locked correctly on both sides. This is imperative since the
injury if the car should brake suddenly or be involved in a center safety belt is mounted in the backrest.
crash. See also page 189.
• When folding the backrest back upright, make sure that it is
locked correctly on both sides. This is imperative since other-
wise objects in the trunk could force their way into the cabin
during heavy breaking or a crash.
• Adjust the head restraints for the rear seats to be occupied to
a suitable height before riding in the car.
Interior equipment 141
For greater flexibility, the rear seat is split so that the narrow and
the wide part can be folded down separately.
Next to the hinges in the trunk are handles for unlocking the rear seat
backrests.
The operation is easier if the front seats are not too far back and
the rear seat head restraints are fully lowered.
1 Unlock the backrest by pulling the appropriate handle in the
trunk.
2 Fold the backrest forward.
Note: When returning the backrest to its upright position, make
sure that it locks properly in place and that the safety belt does
not get caught.
If the left-hand backrest is not properly locked in position, the follow-
ing message is displayed on the SID (equivalent message displayed
for right-hand backrest):
WARNING
• Always secure the load firmly, for example using the middle
safety belt. This reduces the danger of personal injury result-
ing from the displacement of the load on hard braking or in the
event of a crash.
• Do not exceed the load capacity of the car, as this will alter its
handling characteristics (see page 268).
Ignition switch
WARNING
The ignition switch is located on the center
console between the front seats. In cars • Always remove the remote control
with automatic transmission, the remote before leaving children unattended in
control can only be removed when the the car.
selector lever is in position P.
• Apply the parking brake before remov-
NOTICE ing the remote control.
• Never remove the remote control
Take care not to spill drinks or to drop while the car is moving. This will acti-
crumbs over the ignition switch. If dirt or vate the steering wheel lock and make
liquid gets into it, the switch may not it impossible to steer the car.
operate properly.
If snow from clothing falls into the ignition
switch and melts, the ignition switch can
seize (freeze). Brush snow off clothing
before getting into the car.
Starting and driving 147
To allow the various systems in the car time
LOCK position to register that the remote control has been
The parking lights, hazard warning lights and interior lighting can be turned
inserted into the ignition switch, do not turn
on.
the remote control for roughly half a second.
Cars with automatic transmission: Move the gear lever to P.
The gear lever is locked in position. This is the only position in which the
remote control can be removed.
Cars with manual transmission: The remote control can be removed
regardless of the position of the gear lever.
OFF position
Parts of the electrical system are operative.
Do not leave the remote control in the OFF position with the engine
not running as this could cause the battery to run flat in a matter of
hours.
Cars with automatic transmission: The gear lever is not locked. See
also page 160.
ON position
The entire electrical system is operative.
Do not leave the remote control in the ON position when the engine
is not running.
Turn the remote control to the OFF position to disconnect the electrical
system.
When you turn the remote control to ON, some indicator and warning lights
will come on in the main instrument panel. These should go out after about
3 seconds.
ST - starter position
The starter motor operates (automatic transmission: selector lever must
be in P or N) when the remote control is turned to this position. When
released, the remote control will spring back to the ON position.
The car has an electronic restart lock. If the engine fails to start, the remote
control must first be turned back to a position between OFF and LOCK
before the starter motor can be operated again.
148 Starting and driving
Manual transmission
Clutch interlock
To start the car, the clutch pedal must be
depressed.
When changing gear, fully depress the
clutch pedal and then release it smoothly. It
is inadvisable to drive with your hand resting
on the gear lever, as this can increase the
wear on the gearbox.
Before reverse (R) can be engaged, you
must lift the ring underneath the gear knob.
Gear positions, 5-speed Gear positions, 6-speed
NOTICE
When reverse gear is to be engaged,
the car must be at a standstill with
the accelerator fully released.
Starting and driving 159
Automatic transmission
WARNING
• Depress the brake pedal when shifting
the selector lever from P or N.
Indication of gear position on main
• The car must be at a standstill before
instrument panel
P, R or N is selected. You have to have
your foot on the brake pedal to move
the lever out of P. If the car is still The engine can only be started when the
moving when a drive position is subse- selector lever is in the P or N position.
quently selected, this could cause a When the car is stationary, the engine must
crash or damage the automatic trans- Selector lever be idling when you move the selector lever
mission. 1 Position for manual gear selection from one position to another. If not, the
• Never park the car with the selector transmission could be damaged.
lever in a drive position, even if the
parking brake is on. The remote control can only be removed
when the selector lever is in the P position. NOTICE
• If you want to leave the car with the
engine running, move the selector After selecting a drive position, pause
lever to P or N and apply the parking briefly to allow the gear to engage (the car
brake. starts to pull a little) before you acceler-
ate.
The automatic transmission has an elec-
tronic control module. The control module
receives information including accelerator
position and road speed. Using this and
other information, it controls the hydraulic
pressure of the transmission to ensure that
gear changing is as smooth as possible.
160 Starting and driving
Adaptive gear change patterns Thermal transmission protection
The adaptive gear change pattern function The transmission has built-in protection
adapts gear changing to the prevailing driv- against overheating. This protection is pro-
ing conditions. The transmission control vided by the control module, which changes
module senses the engine load, vehicle gear change patterns.
speed and temperature of the transmission. 1 If the temperature of the transmission
A suitable gear change pattern is then fluid exceeds 257°F (125°C), the gear
selected automatically to avoid unneces- change pattern is changed.
sary gear changes and undesired increases
in transmission temperature. 2 If the temperature of the transmission
fluid exceeds 275°F (135°C), the gear
Certain variants use a special change pat- change pattern is again changed.
tern for the first few minutes after a cold start
so that the catalytic converter reaches its 3 If the temperature of the transmission
working temperature more quickly. fluid exceeds 302°F (150°C), engine
Selector lever detent torque will be limited to 147 ft.lbs.
(200 Nm).
The following message is shown on the SID:
Park Brake Shift Lock Gearbox too hot.
The transmission has a security function Make a safe stop.
known as Park Brake Shift Lock. To move Open hood to cool down.
the gear selector lever out of the P or N posi-
tion, the gear selector lever detent (catch) If this message appears, stop the car as
must be pressed in at the same time as the soon as it is safe to do so and allow the
brake pedal is held depressed. engine to idle until the message has gone
The detent button on the selector lever has out. The selector lever should be in
to be pressed in before the lever can be position P.
moved between certain positions.
Temporary override of Park Brake Shift
Lock, see page 162.
Starting and driving 161
Lock-up Driving in hilly country with a Towing
The transmission’s torque converter has a heavy load Towing of cars with automatic transmission,
lock-up function. This can lock the torque The transmission fluid can overheat when see page 190.
converter, thus reducing the engine speed the gearbox is strained, for example, when
and fuel consumption. driving with a trailer on hilly roads. To avoid Descending hills
the transmission fluid overheating, always If the speed of the car increases while
Kick-down drive with the selector lever in the D posi- descending a steep hill, despite the acceler-
When the accelerator is pressed down fully, tion. The adaptive gear change patterns are ator being released, the control module will
a down change is made to optimize acceler- then active. change down. If you desire more powerful
ation, e.g. for overtaking. High air temperatures or a faulty oil cooler engine braking, manually select a lower
Following this, the next higher gear will be can also cause the transmission fluid to gear (see page 164).
selected at the optimum engine speed, overheat. Overheating reduces the service
unless you ease off the accelerator before life of the fluid.
reaching this.
WARNING
Remember to use the braking effect of the
engine (1st, 2nd or 3rd gear) when you
are descending long or steep hills to
spare the brakes.
Overheating can cause the brakes to
fade!
162 Starting and driving
Limp-home Temporary override of Park Brake Shift
Lock
NOTICE
NOTICE
Do not tow a trailer if limp-home mode is
engaged. Due to electrical problems it may not be
possible to move the selector lever out of
the park position, even if the ignition is
If the transmission malfunctions, the control ON. If for some reason the selector lever
module will activate limp-home mode. Driv- has to be moved out of the park position
ability will be affected to varying degrees. (i.e. to tow the car a short distance) do as
The following message is shown on the SID: described below.
Gearbox malfunction.
Limited performance. 1 Apply the parking brake. Temporary override of Park Brake Shift
Contact Saab dealer. 2 Lift up the rubber mat in the storage Lock
compartment ahead of the selector
In this mode, only 2nd and 5th gears are lever.
available. Select 2nd gear when driving at 3 Under the floor of the storage compart-
low speeds and 5th gear at higher speeds. ment is a yellow plastic lever. Use a thin
2nd gear must be selected manually. Select tool, such as a screwdriver, to press and
5th gear manually or move the selector hold the plastic lever while moving the
lever to D (see page 164). selector lever from P to N.
4 Remove the tool.
5 Release the parking brake if the car is to
be moved immediately, otherwise it
should remain on.
Check fuse 6 in the engine bay fuse box.
If the fuse is OK the battery may be dead.
Contact a Saab dealer to have the problem
checked and rectified.
Starting and driving 163
Selector lever positions N
You must press the brake pedal to move
P
The selector lever is locked and the transmission the selector lever from the neutral position (N).
is mechanically blocked. In neutral, the transmission is disengaged from the
The engine can be started. engine. The engine can be started but make sure
the parking brake is on to prevent unexpected
To move the selector lever out of the P position,
movement.
depress the brake pedal and press in the detent
To prevent the engine and transmission becoming
(catch) on the selector lever.
Only select the park position (P) when the car is hotter than necessary, select N for long stops with
stationary. the engine running, e.g. when stuck in a traffic jam.
At traffic lights, leave the selector lever in the drive
position (D).
R
Only select the reverse position (R) when the car D
stationary. The detent release button must be The drive position (D) is the normal one for forward
pressed before the selector lever can be moved driving. The transmission shifts automatically
to R. between all gears from 1st to 5th, the timing of
Wait until reverse gear has engaged before which depends on factors such as the current
touching the accelerator. accelerator position and the speed of the car.
Pause for a moment before applying the acce-
lerator, to allow the gears to engage.
164 Starting and driving
Sentronic, manual gear selection
Move the selector lever to the manual position (M)
(to the left position D) to select gear manually.
Select a higher gear by pressing the selector lever
forward or a lower gear by pulling it back. The
selector lever will return to a position adjacent to
the letter M after each gear change.
An example of when you may wish to make
manual gear changes is when overtaking, to
enable you to remain in a low gear for an extended
period of time.
If the road surface is slippery, you may wish to start
off in 2nd or 3rd to reduce the risk of wheel spin.
When descending steep hills you should select a Steering wheel controls for manual gear
low gear to increase the braking effect of the selection (optional on certain variants)
engine and thus spare the brakes.
Manual gear selections are displayed on the main instrument
panel. The letter M and the current gear are displayed. Certain variants also have steering wheel controls for manual gear
selection. On these models, it is possible to change gear manually
When the selector lever is in the M position, as opposed to the D
using the selector lever and the steering wheel controls. The steer-
position, the engine is much more responsive to changes in accel-
ing wheel controls are only active when the selector lever is in the M
erator position. The accelerator has a different feel.
position.
When changing down, the desired gear can be selected but the
Select a higher gear by pressing the right-hand button and a lower
transmission will not change down until the engine speed is low
gear by pressing the left-hand button.
enough to avoid overrevving.
Starting and driving 165
Cruise control To set the desired speed
(Cruise control system) 1 Slide the switch to ON.
2 Move the thumbwheel up to SET/+ or
SET/– when the car has reached the
WARNING desired speed (above 15 mph (25 km/
h)).
Do not use the cruise control system in
wet or icy conditions, in dense traffic or on To increase the preset speed
winding roads. You can increase the speed in any of
the following ways:
For safety reasons (brake system func-
tion), the brakes must be applied once • Accelerate to the desired speed. Jog the
when the engine has started, before the control to SET/+ or SET/–.
cruise control system can be activated. Cruise control switches • Jog the control to SET/+ to increase the
The following message is shown on the SID: speed by 1 mph (1.6 km/h) (when cruise
control already engaged).
Tap brakes lightly before The system has the following functions: • Hold the control in the SET/+ position until
using cruise control. 1 ON: engaged the desired speed is reached (when
cruise control already engaged).
2 OFF: disengaged
3 SET/+: sets the speed and increases
the set speed
4 SET/ –: sets the speed and decreases
the set speed
5 RESUME: re-engages the system at the
set speed
The CRUISE indicator light in the main
instrument panel comes on when the switch
is slid to ON. If you switch off the engine
while the cruise control is ON, the system
will be ON the next time the engine is
started.
166 Starting and driving
To reduce the preset speed To re-engage the system Braking
You can reduce speed in any of the follow- Slide the switch to RESUME. The car will
It is good practice to try your brakes period-
ing ways: return to the previously set speed. Vehicle
ically while driving. This is particularly
speed must exceed 15 mph (25 km/h).
• Brake to the desired speed. Jog the important when driving in heavy rain, on
control to SET/+ or SET/–. To disengage the system roads with a lot of surface water, in snow or
• Jog the control to SET/– to reduce the in salty slush. In such conditions a slight
The system will be disengaged: delay in the braking effect may be noticed.
speed by 1 mph (1.6 km/h).
• As soon as the brake or clutch pedal is To minimize this delay, dry the brakes by
• Hold the control in the SET/– position until applying them lightly now and again. This
the desired speed is reached. depressed (cars with manual transmis-
sion). should also be done after the car has been
washed, and in extremely damp weather.
Temporary increase in speed • When the switch is slid towards OFF. See
also heading "To disengage the system To avoid the brakes becoming overheated,
Accelerate, without shifting down (manual
temporarily". such as when negotiating long descents
transmission), to exceed the set speed such
with a drop of several hundred yards (hun-
as for overtaking. When you release the • When the switch is slid to OFF. dred metres), select a low gear to utilize the
accelerator, the car will return to the set • When the TCS/ESP system is operative. braking effect of the engine. If the car has
speed. • When position N is selected (cars with automatic transmission, select 1st or 2nd
automatic transmission). gear.
To disengage the system
temporarily You can help to prolong the life of the brakes
by thinking ahead and braking harder over
Slide the switch to the left towards OFF, but short periods, rather than braking more
only as far as to disengage the cruise con- moderately over long stretches.
trol. Allow the switch to spring back.
Starting and driving 167
ABS brakes The brake system provides Electronic
WARNING Brakeforce Distribution (EBD). This distri-
butes the brake pressure between the front
• It is prudent to try your brakes from WARNING and rear wheels, in such a way as to achieve
time to time, especially when driving in optimum braking performance irrespective
heavy rain, through water collected on • The additional safety afforded by the of the car’s speed or load.
the road, in snow, on a wet road ABS system is not designed to allow The ABS has a built-in diagnostics function
surface or in salty slush. In such condi- drivers to drive faster but to make which will switch on the ABS warning light
tions, the brakes may take longer than normal driving safer. if a fault is detected in the system (see
normal to take effect. To rectify this, • To stop as quickly as possible, without page 78).
touch the brake pedal periodically to loss of directional stability, whether The following message will appear on the
dry the brakes out. the road surface is dry, wet or slippery, SID (and corresponding symbol on main
• The same applies after the car has press the brake pedal down hard instrument unit) if a fault is detected:
without letting up (do not pump the
been washed or when the weather is
pedal), declutching simulta-
very humid. Antilock brake malfunction.
neously, and steer the car to safety.
Contact Saab dealer.
• Avoid parking the car with wet brakes.
Before parking, and if the traffic condi- The Antilock Braking System (ABS) modu-
tions allow, brake quite heavily so that lates the brake pressure to each wheel. The
the brake discs and pads warm up and pressure is automatically reduced just
dry. before the wheel locks up and then
increases again to the point at which the
• The brakes are power assisted and it wheel is just about to lock. The wheel sen-
should be kept in mind that the servo sors send information to the brake system’s
unit only provides the power assis- electronic control module for every 4 or so
tance when the engine is running. inches (decimetre) that the car rolls. This
• The brake pressure required when the information is processed continuously to
engine is off, (e.g. when the car is ensure that the adjustment of the brake
being towed) is roughly four times the pressure will be as exact as possible.
normal pedal force required. The Adjustment takes place up to 12 times per
pedal also feels hard and unrespon- second.
sive.
• Overheating can cause the brakes to
fade!
168 Starting and driving
The ABS system will not reduce the braking
distance on loose gravel, snow or ice but,
because the wheels cannot lock up, steer-
ing control is retained.
When the ABS system operates you will feel
the brake pedal pulsate and hear a ticking
noise, both of which are perfectly normal.
Apply the brake pedal with full force (you
cannot press too hard), declutch and if nec-
essary steer to safety.
Do not release the brake pedal before the
car has come to a halt or the danger is
past!
The above is critical. Braking with ABS brakes. Braking with ABS – evasive steering
If the road is slippery, the ABS system will Indication that the system is operating:
operate even when only light pressure is pulsating brake pedal and ticking noise
applied to the brake pedal. This means that
the driver can brake gently to test the condi-
tion of the road and adapt their driving
accordingly.
It is well worth practising the use of ABS
brakes on a skid pan or other suitable
facility.
Starting and driving 169
Traction Control If the two front wheels are rotating at the
same speed but are turning faster than the
TCS OFF
System (TCS) rear wheels, the torque from the engine is lights up under the speedometer if:
reduced to eliminate the difference. • a fault has been detected and the system
Anti-spin system
The process continues until all the wheels has therefore been switched off
are rotating at the same speed. • there is a fault in the ABS system
WARNING The advantages of the TCS become most • the system has been switched off
apparent when the cohesion between the manually.
When driving normally, the TCS system front wheels and the road surface is so low
helps to improve the car’s directional that one or both of the wheels would lose
stability. The TCS must not be regarded their grip were the car not equipped with the
as a system to enable the driver to main- TCS, e.g.:
tain higher speeds. The same precau-
tions must be adopted as normal for safe • When the car is pulling away or accelerat-
cornering and driving on slippery roads. ing with the front wheels on different
surfaces (e.g. one slippery and one dry),
the TCS functions like an electronic differ-
How the system works ential lock, making sure that both wheels
The Traction Control System (TCS) is rotate at the same speed.
designed to prevent wheelspin. This • When the car is pulling away or accelerat-
enables the car to achieve the best possible ing on a slippery surface, in which case
grip and, hence, maximum tractive effort, the system eliminates wheelspin. The
together with greater stability. system also functions when the car is
The TCS uses information from the ABS reversing.
wheel sensors to detect when the front (driv- • When cornering, if the inside front wheel
ing) wheels are rotating faster then the rear rotates faster than the other wheels.
wheels. It then monitors whether one driving
wheel is rotating faster than the other. If so,
the faster wheel is retarded until both
wheels are rotating at the same speed.
170 Starting and driving
Turning the TCS off
The TCS is switched on automatically when
the engine is started.
You can switch the system off manually with
the TCS button, whereupon the light
under the speedometer will come on. The
TCS cannot be switched off if the car is trav-
elling faster than 35 mph (60 km/h).
It may be necessary to switch off the system
if the car has become bogged down, for
instance. Press TCS to switch it on again.
If a fault is detected in the ABS, the TCS will
be switched off automatically.
TCS button
The following message is shown on the SID:
NOTICE
Empty the car yourself and bear in mind:
• Never leave a mobile phone, camera,
computer or similar object visible in
the car.
• Clothing, packages and bags attract
thieves.
• Do not leave small objects such as
CDs, sunglasses and coins visible.
• If possible, park in a well-lit, conspicu-
ous parking space.
• Thieves strike whenever and wher- 1 Downhill with curb. 2 Uphill with curb. Turn 3 Uphill or downhill with-
ever they are given the opportunity. Turn the wheels toward the wheels away from the out curb. Turn the wheel
the curb and edge the car curb and edge the car towards the edge of the
forwards until the wheel backward until the wheel road so that the car,
Parking on a hill lightly touches the curb. lightly touches the curb. should it move, will not
When parking on a steep hill, turn the front roll towards the middle of
wheels so that they will be blocked by the the road.
curb if the car should move.
If the car is parked with one front wheel
touching the curb, for example, you may
need to turn the steering wheel slightly
when you insert the remote control to allow
the steering wheel lock to unlock.
Starting and driving 175
Long-term parking • Park the car in a dry, covered and well-
If the car is not going to be used for some ventilated building. Leave the parking
time, e.g. three to four months, the following brake OFF!
steps are recommended: • Convertible: If the car is stored, the soft
top should be closed.
• Drain the washer fluid reservoir and • If necessary, use wheel chocks and leave
hoses. the parking brake off.
• Wash and wax the car. Clean the rubber • Disconnect the negative (–) battery lead.
seals on the hood, trunk lid and doors, If frost is likely to occur during the storage
and lubricate them with glycerol period, remove the battery and store it in
(glycerine). a frost-free place.
• After washing the car, dry the brake discs • If it is not possible to stand the car on axle
to avoid corrosion by taking the car out on stands, increase the tire pressure to
the road and applying the brakes a few 43 psi (3 bar).
times.
Leave all the door windows open a crack
• Fill the fuel tank to prevent condensation and cover the car with a non-plastic
forming in it. tarpaulin – not one made of plastic which will
• Top up the coolant and check the anti- not breath.
freeze before the onset of winter.
176 Starting and driving
Saab Parking
Assistance
Saab Parking Assistance
(option)
WARNING
Responsibility always lies with the driver
when reversing.
• The parking assistance system can
facilitate parking and reversing.
• Bear in mind that small objects, such Area monitored by the sensors seen from Area monitored by the sensors seen from
as a child lying on the ground, and the side above
narrow objects cannot always be
detected by the system. The system uses four sensors in the rear The system is activated automatically when
bumper. These emit ultrasound signals that reverse is engaged or selected. Audible
Saab Parking Assistance facilitates parking bounce back to the sensors off any objects confirmation is given and the following text
and reversing. There are four sensors in the behind the car. The system, however, is shown on the SID:
rear bumper that detect objects up to 6 ft cannot always detect small or narrow
(1.8 meters) behind the car. objects, such as a post, since the surface Parking assistance active
If the car is heavily laden, the system may area presented to the car is too small.
falsely indicate that there is an object within If a warning message, such as the seatbelt
the detection range. This is since the sen- reminder, is shown on the SID when reverse
sors are angled towards the ground when is engaged, the audible signals from the
the car is tail-heavy. parking assistance system will not be heard
since the warning message has priority.
When the sensors detect an object within
the monitored area, pulses of sound (- - - -)
will be heard. The frequency of these pulses
increases as the car comes closer to the
object.
Starting and driving 177
If you stop the car with reverse gear Cars with trailer hitch
engaged, the sound pulse will stop after If the car has a trailer hitch and its wiring is
2 seconds. The sound pulses will return if NOTICE
correctly connected to the car’s electrical
you continue to reverse. If the car rolls for- The sensors must be kept clean to func- system, the Saab Parking Assistance auto-
ward while reverse is engaged, the system tion well. Ice, snow and dirt can affect matically compensates for the protrusion of
is silenced. their sensitivity. the tow bar.
When the distance to the object is less If a camper or trailer is hitched up and the
than 1 ft. (30 cm), a continuous tone will Large quantities of snow or dirt covering
the sensors can prevent the parking trailer hitch wiring is correctly connected to
be heard. the car’s electrics, the system is automati-
assistance system from detecting any
When an object is approximately 3 ft. objects. cally deactivated.
(90 cm) from the car, the sound pulses You can temporarily deactivate the Saab
change character markedly (frequency Do not spray the sensors with a pressure Parking Assistance as follows:
increases). A distance of about 3 ft. (90 cm) washer, as this can damage them.
is suitable if you wish to load or unload the • Engage reverse and press the CLEAR
trunk. Reversing alongside a wall button on the SID control panel.
If the distance between an object and a If the distance between an object and a The system will be reactivated the next time
corner sensor does not change for corner sensor does not change for you engage reverse.
3 seconds, for example if you are reversing 2 seconds, for example if you are reversing
alongside a wall, the system will switch to alongside a wall, the system will switch to
monitoring straight back. The system indi- monitoring straight back. The system indi-
cates if the distance to the wall decreases cates if the distance to the wall decreases
again. again.
If a trailer is hitched up and correctly con-
nected to the trailer contact by the tow bar,
the system is automatically deactivated.
178 Starting and driving
Error messages The system can be switched off using Explanation of SPA on and SPA off.
If the system malfunctions, the following Profiler.
message will appear on the SID: 1 Press the CUSTOMIZE button to go to SPA on
Parking assistance Profiler. Saab Parking Assistance is activated
malfunction. 2 Select Park Assistance using the automatically when reverse is
Contact Saab dealer. INFO dial. engaged. The system warns of objects
3 Press in the INFO dial. behind the car.
If the system is subject to interference, the 4 Select SPA on or SPA off. If a trailer is hitched up and correctly
following message will be shown on the connected to the trailer connector, the
5 Confirm this selection by pressing the system will be deactivated automati-
SID: INFO dial. cally. You can also deactivate the sys-
tem temporarily with the CLEAR button
Parking assistance sensor Park Assistance if reverse has been engaged and the
interference.
SPA on system is active.
SPA off SPA off
If this message appears, clean the sensors.
The sensors are located in the black trim on Saab Parking Assistance deactivated.
the rear bumper
Starting and driving 179
Economical driving How to read the diagram:
If fuel consumption with the engine at
Factors affecting fuel normal temperature is 28 mpg (10 l/
100 km), the actual fuel consumption
consumption 3 miles (5 km) after the engine has started
The fuel consumption of a car is greatly from cold will be:
affected by driving conditions, climate, road – 23.5 mpg (12 l/100 km) at outside temp.
conditions, speed, driving technique, etc. of 68°F (+20°C) (increase of 20%).
Breaking-in – 17.7 mpg (16 l/100 km) at outside temp.
of 32°F (0°C) (increase of 60%).
Fuel consumption may be somewhat
higher during the break-in period (the – 14 mpg (20 l/100 km) at outside temp.
first 3,000–4,000 miles (5,000–7,000 km)). of –4°F (–20°C) (increase of 100%).
It is clear from the diagram that both dis-
Weather conditions tance driven and outside temperature have
a significant impact on fuel consumption, Percentage increase in fuel consumption
Summer temperatures give better fuel of engine starting from cold compared to
economy than winter ones. The difference after a cold start.
If the car is normally driven on short jour- engine at normal temperature.
can be as much as about 10%. Consump-
tion increases in cold weather because the neys, 3–5 miles (5–8 km), for example to
engine takes longer to reach its normal and from work, the average consumption
operating temperature. The transmission will be 60–80% above the normal level.
and wheel bearings also take longer to
Driving techniques
warm up. Even distance affects consump- • To obtain the best running economy, with
tion: short journeys of 3–5 miles (5–8 km) regard to fuel consumption and general
do not give the engine enough time to wear, the car must be serviced regularly.
reach its optimum temperature. Wind con- • High speed, unnecessary acceleration,
ditions also have a marked effect on fuel frequent braking and much changing
consumption. down all give higher fuel consumption.
• Frequent gear changing in traffic, starting
in cold weather, the use of studded tires
and roof racks, and towing a camper all
increase fuel consumption.
• Do not warm up the engine while the car
is stationary.
If idling, the engine will take much longer
to reach its optimum temperature, and
180 Starting and driving
engine wear is at its greatest during this • Check the fuel consumption regularly. Engine block heater
period. Drive off as soon as possible after Increased fuel consumption can indicate (standard equipment in Canada, acces-
starting the engine and avoid high engine that something is wrong and that the car sory in U.S.)
speeds. needs to be checked at a Saab dealer.
The following are just some of the benefits
• Drive as smoothly and thoughtfully as Practical road tests have demonstrated that to the car and the environment of using an
possible. Match your driving to the substantial savings in fuel consumption can engine block heater:
prevailing traffic conditions. be made if the above advice is followed.
• Driving in a low gear gives rise to higher • Lower fuel consumption.
fuel consumption than driving in a high • Reduced wear on the engine.
gear because of the higher engine speed
WARNING
• Inside of car warms up faster.
for any given road speed. Always shift up • Exhaust emissions substantially reduced
as soon as traffic conditions allow and Never switch off the engine while driving
as the effect of the brakes and power over short runs.
drive in the highest gear as much as
possible. steering will be greatly reduced. The engine heater is effective at outside
temperatures up to 60–70°F (+15–+20°C).
• Check the tire pressure once a month. The warmer it is outside, the shorter the time
Incorrect tire pressure increases tire Road conditions the engine heater needs to be connected.
wear. It is preferable for the tire pressure Wet roads increase fuel consumption, as do Longer than 1.5 hours is unnecessary.
to be slightly high than too low. Under- unpaved roads and driving in hilly country
pressure increases fuel consumption. If the car is equipped with a removable,
(the amount of fuel saved driving downhill is
electric cabin heater that is not in use, store
less than the additional amount required to
this in the trunk.
climb the hill).
Starting and driving 181
Driving in cold weather Condensation is caused by temperature
fluctuations, either in the outside temper-
In cold weather, special attention should be ature alone or when the car is alternately
paid to the following: parked outdoors and in a garage.
• Before driving off, make sure that the • Convertible: Avoid operating the soft top
wiper blades have not frozen to the wind- at temperatures below 23°F (–5°C).
shield. • The car is equipped with tires designed to
• Remove any snow from the heating provide optimum grip on both wet and dry
system air intakes between the hood and roads, although this has been achieved at
the windshield. the expense of somewhat reduced grip on
snow and ice. For regular driving on snow
• If necessary, inject oil into the locks to and ice, we therefore recommend that
prevent them from freezing. Use molyb-
winter tires be fitted. However, winter tires
denum-sulphide oil (MoS2). If the locks
achieve this extra grip at the expense of
freeze, exercise care when unlocking the grip on bare road surfaces.
car (manual unlocking) to avoid breaking
the key. Warm up the key or use a de-icer. Winter tires, particularly studded tires, gen-
erally make driving safer on snow and ice.
• It is particularly important when the roads
are slippery that the brakes and tires are Acquaint yourself with the legal provi-
in good condition. sions governing the use of different
types of winter tires and snow chains.
• For how to check the level of antifreeze in Studded tires are not allowed in some
the engine coolant, see page 205. countries. If winter tires are fitted, the same
• Add gasoline anti-freeze when refueling type must be fitted to all four wheels. Your
several times before the onset of winter. Saab dealer will be pleased to advise you on
This will prevent condensation water in the best tires for your car.
the fuel tank from freezing and causing
interruptions in the fuel supply. The likeli-
hood of condensation is lowest when the
fuel tank is full.
If the car is parked outside and the
temperature is below zero, gasoline anti-
freeze is of little use as it cannot remove
water that has already frozen. Park the
car in a warm place so that any ice that
may have built up melts, then add gaso-
line anti-freeze when refueling.
182 Starting and driving
Remember that tires age: it may therefore Driving with tire chains
be necessary to change winter tires before Snow chains must only be fitted to the wheel
they reach the legal wear limit, as they grad- and tire dimensions that Saab recommends
ually lose their friction properties with age. in "Technical data" on page 267.
If you get into a front wheel skid and the car Contact a Saab dealer regarding approved
has a manual transmission, the best tire chains. See also page 240.
response is to freewheel, which means
declutching so that the wheels neither drive
nor brake, and to cautiously steer in the WARNING
desired direction.
If the car has automatic transmission, ease • Do not drive at speeds above 30 mph
off the accelerator slightly and steer cau- (50 km/h) when tire chains are fitted.
tiously in the desired direction. • Tire chains can reduce directional
If you get into a rear wheel skid, steer in the stability.
same direction as the movement of the rear
of the car. • Do not fit tire chains to the car’s rear
wheels.
NOTICE
• Check the links frequently for wear.
• Check that the chains do not foul the
wheel arch liner at full lock.
• Refer to the "Technical data" section
on page 267, for information on wheel
and tire dimensions approved for the
fitting of tire chains.
Starting and driving 183
Driving in hot climates 2 If the engine is idling and the needle on
the temperature gauge falls, wait until a
Always check the coolant level before start- normal temperature is shown (about in
ing a journey. When the engine is cold, the the middle of the scale) before switching
coolant must not lie above the KALT/COLD off the engine. If the coolant needs to be
mark on the expansion tank (boundary topped up, carefully unscrew the
between the upper and lower sections of the expansion tank cap.
tank). Fill as required with a mixture of 50 %
At the end of a journey, allow the engine to antifreeze and 50 % clean water. Use an
idle for 2–3 minutes before switching it off. antifreeze approved by Saab.
If the needle on the temperature gauge
enters the red zone, the following message WARNING
will be shown on the SID:
Hot engine. • Exercise care when opening the hood
Make a safe stop. if the engine is overheated. Never
Run engine on idle. remove the expansion tank cap
completely when the engine is hot.
1 Stop the car but do not switch off the • The cooling system is pressurized -
engine. Do not remove the cap on the hot coolant and vapour can escape.
cooling system expansion tank, even if These can cause injury to your eyes
the tank is empty. The engine tempera- and burns. Open the cap slowly to
ture should decrease. If the temperature release the pressure before removing
continues to rise with the engine idling, it.
the engine must be switched off.
3 Have the car’s cooling system checked
at a Saab dealer.
184 Starting and driving
Front towing eye fitted. Rear towing eye Never use the towing eyes to pull the car
The towing eye has a left-hand thread! unstuck.
The front towing eye is stowed by the spare Rear towing eye Towing the car
wheel. On the left-hand side of the bumper The car has a permanent towing eye at the
is a cover concealing the attachment point rear under the bumper. NOTICE
(tapped hole) for the towing eye. If the car is equipped with a towbar, this can
1 Press the knob on the upper section of be used instead of the towing eye. Never use the towing eyes to pull the car
this cover at the same time as pulling out unstuck.
the lower edge.
2 Screw in the towing eye. The towing Engage neutral (automatic transmission:
eye has a left-hand thread! move the selector lever to N). Turn on the
3 Insert the wheel wrench into the eye to parking lights.
tighten it properly. Drive carefully and do not exceed the
To refit the cover: Start by inserting the top speed limit for vehicles on tow.
edge of the cover. Then click in the lower
edge, one corner at a time.
192 Starting and driving
Always try to keep the towrope taut by Transporting the car
gently applying the brake of the car on tow,
as necessary. This will avoid the towrope
being jerked violently. NOTICE
NOTICE NOTICE
Ignoring these steps could result in costly If the other system is not a 12-volt system
damage to your vehicle that would not be with a negative ground, both vehicles can
covered by your warranty. be damaged.
Trying to start your car by pushing or pull-
ing it could damage your vehicle, even if 2 Get the vehicles close enough so the
you have a manual transmission. If you jumper cables can reach, but be sure the
have an automatic transmission, your vehicles are not touching each other. If
vehicle cannot be started by pushing or a poor connection on the negative
pulling it. jumper cable should exist, it is possible
for damage to be caused to electrical
It is essential when a donor battery is to be systems/components of either vehicle Jump starting
used to jump start the car that the jump should inadvertent contact be made.
leads be connected correctly to prevent You would not be able to start your car
arcing. and bad grounding could damage the
electrical systems. NOTICE
To jump start your vehicle:
1 Check the other vehicle. It must have a If you leave your radio on, it could be
12-volt battery with a negative ground WARNING badly damaged. The repairs would not be
system. covered by your warranty.
You could be injured if the vehicles roll.
Set the parking brake firmly on each vehi-
cle. Put an automatic transmission in P 4 Open the hood and locate the battery.
(Park) or a manual transmission in Find the positive (+) and negative (–) termi-
Neutral. nals on the battery.
Car care
Hood
The hood release handle is located on the
left under the instrument panel. Open the
hood in the following way:
1 Pull the release handle.
2 The hood moves to the half-locked posi-
tion and is stopped by a safety catch at
the front edge.
3 Press the lever of the catch upwards and
raise the hood.
When you close the hood you should drop it
from a height of about 12 inches (30 cm),
without slamming it. Hood release handle Hood release catch plate
Car care 199
Engine Engine families Emission control
Saab cars imported into the United States
The engine is a transverse four-cylinder in-
line engine with twin overhead camshafts
and Canada meet all applicable emission systems
control standards. The engine family and The systems for controlling emissions to the
and 16 valves. appropriate tune-up specifications are iden- atmosphere require regular checking and
The engine is equipped with two balance- tified on a label affixed to the left front inner adjustment at the intervals specified in the
shafts that reduce engine vibrations to a fender. service program.
minimum. These engine families meet applicable EPA In addition to meeting the exhaust emission
The balance shafts are chain-driven and Federal Standards, California State Stan- regulations and thereby helping to keep the
rotate at twice the speed of the crankshaft. dards and Canadian Federal Standards and environment clean, a correctly tuned engine
They produce forces and torques that are are equipped with the following systems: will also give maximum fuel economy.
opposed to those generated by the pistons
and connecting rods. The effect occurs • sequential multiport fuel injection system
twice in each revolution of the engine, coun- • three way catalytic converter WARNING
teracting the vibration from its moving parts, • crankcase emissions control system
and at the same time reducing unwanted Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
• evaporative emission system.
engine noise. and certain vehicle components contain
The gearbox, located on the right (viewed or emit chemicals known to the State of
from the front), is integrated with the engine. California to cause cancer and birth
defects and reproductive harm. In addi-
tion, certain fluids contained in vehicles
and certain products of component wear
contain or emit chemicals known to the
State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm.
200 Car care
Saab Trionic engine ORVR (Onboard Refueling Vapor
management system NOTICE Recovery)
The Saab Trionic engine management All hydrocarbons formed when refueling will
system is a unique Saab development that The Trionic engine management system be recovered by the car and not released
combines sequential multiport fuel injection, continuously monitors the operation of into the atmosphere. The hydrocarbons are
electronic distributorless ignition and turbo- these systems and has on-board diag- absorbed in an evaporative emission canis-
charger boost pressure control into one sys- nostic capabilities (OBD II). If the Engine ter. When the engine is subsequently
tem. malfunction (CHECK ENGINE) light in started, the evaporative emission canister is
The Trionic engine control module (ECM) the main instrument illuminates, the gradually purged as air is sucked into it
monitors many different engine parameters Trionic ECM has detected a problem. The through a shut-off valve. The hydrocar-
such as: car will continue to operate, but perfor- bon/air mixture passes through the evap
mance may be diminished. You should canister purge valve and into the engine
• Intake manifold pressure. have your car checked by a Saab dealer where it is burned. “Refueling”, see
• Intake air temperature. as soon as possible. page 153.
• Crankshaft position. When refueling, make sure you screw the
• Engine coolant temperature. filler cap on and keep turning until it has
clicked 3 times.
• Throttle position.
• The oxygen content of the exhaust gases.
The ECM receives information regarding
engine knocking from a sophisticated feed-
back function in the ignition discharge unit.
By processing all of this information, the Tri-
onic system can control fuel injector open-
ing duration, ignition timing and turbo-
charger boost pressure to provide excellent
engine performance while maintaining low
emissions and fuel consumption.
Car care 201
Engine bay
Automatic transmission
Check and top up the oil in accordance with
the service program.
Car care 205
Coolant The expansion tank is transparent to facili-
tate checking the coolant level.
When the engine is cold, the coolant must
WARNING not lie above the KALT/COLD mark on the
expansion tank (boundary between the
• Proceed with caution if the radiator is upper and lower sections of the tank, see
boiling when you open the hood. illustration).
Never remove the expansion-tank Top up with a mixture of equal parts of
filler cap when the radiator is boiling. Saab-approved antifreeze and clean water.
• The cooling system is pressurized – If the expansion tank is empty when coolant
hot coolant and vapor can escape is added, run the engine until warm so that
when the filler cap is released. These the thermostat opens. Top up the tank
can cause injury to your eyes and again, as necessary.
burns. Loosen the cap carefully, and Coolant expansion tank
let the engine cool before removing
the cap.
• Exercise care when adding coolant. The properties of the coolant are retained
Coolant on hot surfaces constitutes a for the entire service life of the car. There-
fire risk. fore, it is not necessary to change the cool-
ant.
If the coolant level drops too low, the follow- The coolant contains 45 % antifreeze and
ing message appears on the SID: anti-corrosion fluid. This ratio gives the best
cooling effect. Lower concentrations should
be avoided, in view of the corrosion risk.
Coolant level low. Other brands of antifreeze can damage the
Refill. engine and cooling system.
206 Car care
NOTICE
• If boost charging never use anything
but a 12-volt charger, see page 193.
• Do not connect the battery termi-
nals, + and –, incorrectly.
• Serious damage can occur to the car’s Turn the two retainers a quarter turn to Battery bracket
electrical system if a battery or alterna- unlock the battery cover.
tor lead is disconnected while the
engine is running.
• Exercise special care when removing
and fitting the positive (+) cable so as
not to damage the battery disconnect
switch.
Drive belt
WARNING
• Keep hands and clothing clear of drive
belts when engine is running.
• Always stop the engine before
inspecting the drive belt.
• The radiator fan is electric and can
start even when the engine is
switched off.
Drive belt
NOTICE
A slipping or broken poly-V-belt can
Serious damage can be done to the car’s result in:
electrical system if an alternator lead is
disconnected while the engine is running. • no charge to the battery
• no A/C compressor function.
The alternator is situated on the right-hand The belt tension is critical and is adjusted
side of the engine. It is driven by a automatically by the belt tensioner.
poly-V-belt from the crankshaft pulley.
Car care 211
Wipers and washers
Wiper blades
Check and clean all wiper blades regularly.
If poor wiper performance is experienced,
clean the windshield with washer fluid. This
is particularly important if the car has been
through an automatic car wash, as these
sometimes leave a wax coating on the wind-
shield.
If wiper performance is still unsatisfactory,
fit new blades.
Change of wiper blades Washer fluid reservoir
Note:
Autochecking of lights
When changing bulbs, fit the same type of bulb (e.g. Long-Life)
The bulbs that are most important from the point of view of traffic
as that removed.
safety are monitored by the car’s electrical system. If one of these
bulbs should fail, a message will be displayed on the SID.
Headlight aiming, page 258.
Example of SID message:
The following bulbs are not checked: parking lights, front fog lights,
reversing lights, license plate lighting, side marker lights and side
direction indicators.
214 Car care
Xenon headlight, dipped beam
(certain variants only)
WARNING
Xenon headlights are high tension. All work on xenon headlights,
including changing bulbs, must be carried out by dealer person-
nel.
Headlight levelling
malfunction.
Contact Saab dealer.
Car care 215
Low beam, halogen 4 Refit the cover over the rear of the headlight.
Left-hand side Left-hand side
1 Lift aside the hose running along the side of the battery cover. 5 Refit the air pipe to the front of the battery box.
2 Release the two retainers (a quarter of a turn counterclockwise) 6 Refit the washer fluid filler pipe.
in the leading edge of the cover and remove the cover. 7 Refit the battery cover.
3 Pull up the washer fluid filler pipe.
4 Remove the air pipe from the front edge of the battery box. NOTICE
5 Pull up the fuse panel in front of the battery (certain variants),
see page 233. Do not fit bulbs with a higher rating than 55 W as this could
damage the headlight reflector. Furthermore, the car’s wiring is
Both sides not designed to cope with higher wattages.
1 Remove the cover from the rear of the headlight.
2 Twist the bulb holder counterclockwise and withdraw the holder
from the reflector.
3 Change the bulb without touching the glass with your fingers.
Insert the bulb holder into the reflector and twist it clockwise until
it locks.
216 Car care
High beam, halogen 4 Refit the cover over the rear of the headlight.
Left-hand side Left-hand side
1 Lift aside the hose running along the side of the battery cover. 5 Refit the air pipe to the front of the battery box.
2 Release the two retainers (a quarter of a turn counterclockwise) 6 Refit the washer fluid filler pipe.
in the leading edge of the cover and remove the cover. 7 Refit the battery cover.
3 Pull up the washer fluid filler pipe.
4 Remove the air pipe from the front edge of the battery box. NOTICE
5 Pull up the fuse panel in front of the battery (certain variants),
see page 233. Do not fit bulbs with a higher rating than 55 W as this could
damage the headlight reflector. Furthermore, the car’s wiring is
Both sides not designed to cope with higher wattages.
1 Remove the cover from the rear of the headlight.
2 Twist the bulb holder counterclockwise and withdraw the holder
from the reflector.
3 Change the bulb without touching the glass with your fingers.
Insert the bulb holder into the reflector and twist it clockwise until
it locks.
Car care 217
Both sides:
1 Remove the cover from the rear of the
headlight.
2 Withdraw the bulb holder from the lamp
unit.
3 Fit the new bulb.
4 Refit the cover over the rear of the head-
light.
Left-hand side:
5 Refit the air pipe to the front edge of the
battery box.
6 Refit the washer fluid filler pipe.
7 Refit the battery cover and hose.
Parking lights Front turn signal bulbs
The parking light bulb is located in the same Left-hand side:
reflector as the main beam bulb. 1 Lift aside the hose running along the
side of the battery cover.
Left-hand side:
2 Release the two retainers on the battery
1 Lift aside the hose running along the cover and remove the cover.
side of the battery cover. 3 Pull up the washer fluid filler pipe.
2 Release the two retainers on the battery 4 Remove the air pipe from the front edge
cover and remove the cover. of the battery box.
3 Pull up the washer fluid filler pipe.
4 Remove the air pipe from the front edge
of the battery box.
218 Car care
Both sides: Side-mounted turn signal bulbs
1 The bulb holder has a bayonet fitting. 1 Slide the lamp fitting forward so that its
Turn the bulb holder counterclockwise rear end can be pulled out.
and withdraw it. 2 Turn the bulb holder counterclockwise
2 The bulb also has a bayonet fitting. and withdraw it from the lamp fitting.
Press in the bulb and twist it counter- Change the bulb.
clockwise. 3 To fit, engage the two catches on the
3 Fit the new bulb. rear edge of the lamp fitting with the
4 To facilitate fitting, look in through the edge of the opening. Then press in the
headlight lens when fitting the bulb. front edge of the lamp fitting so that the
Check that the new bulb is firmly seated. groove in the spring engages the plastic
edge.
Left-hand side:
5 Refit the air pipe to the front edge of the
battery box.
6 Refit the washer fluid filler pipe.
7 Refit the battery cover and hose.
Car care 219
1 Undo one screw in the wheel housing.
Lower the air shield.
2 Remove the protective cover. Release
the two spring clips securing the bulb.
3 Unplug the connector.
4 Change the bulb. Try not to touch the
glass part of the bulb with your fingers.
The height of the beam can be adjusted
using a screwdriver inserted through the
hole in the lower grille adjacent to the lens.
Changing bulbs
Reversing lights and rear fog 1 Press down the plastic lug on the bulb Reversing lights and rear fog
light, Sport Sedan holder. lights, Convertible
Removing the trunk lid trim 2 Carefully remove the entire bulb holder Removing the trunk lid trim
1 Remove the two screws securing the unit from the lamp housing. Change the 1 Remove the two screws securing the
grab handle to the inside of the trunk lid. bulb. grab handle to the inside of the trunklid.
2 Unlock the plastic rivets by pressing in 3 Refit the bulb holder. Press the lug so 2 Unlock the plastic rivets by pressing in
the center of each rivet. Pull out the that it snaps into place. the centre of each rivet no more than
rivets by taking hold of the rivet’s collar. To refit the trunk lid trim 3 mm. Pull out the rivets by taking hold
You can use the button on the handle of the 1 Withdraw the center of the rivets. of the rivet’s collar.
screwdriver supplied with the car to unlock 2 Fit the trim in place on the trunk lid. You can use the button on the handle of the
the rivets. screwdriver supplied with the car to unlock
3 Fit the rivets. Lock the rivets in place by the rivets.
pressing the center buttons in until flush
with the collar.
222 Car care
Changing bulbs
1 Carefully remove the bulb holder with Dome light, front, Sport Sedan Dome light, rear, Sport Sedan
the broken bulb. The bulb holder has a 1 Pull down the rear edge of the lens. 1 Remove the entire overhead panel:
bayonet fitting. 2 Fit the new bulb. ease out the trailing end first, and then
2 Fit the new bulb. 3 Insert the guide lugs on the front edge of both sides of the front edge.
3 Refit the bulb holder. the lens and press the lens home. 2 Fit the new bulb.
To refit the trunk lid trim
1 Withdraw the centre of the rivets.
2 Fit the trim in place on the trunk lid.
3 Fit the rivets. Lock the rivets in place by
pressing the center buttons in until flush
with the collar.
Car care 223
Hatch opened for replacement of centre Reverse side of the light fitting. The
Dome light, Convertible bulb arrows mark the outer bulbs
1 Pull down the rear edge of the light
fitting.
2 If the center bulb needs replacing, open
the hatch over the bulbs. Pull the bulb
out of the bulb holder.
If one of the outer bulbs needs replacing,
turn the light fitting round. Change the
bulb from the reverse of the lighting
fitting. The bulb has a bayonet fitting.
3 Position the front edge of the light fitting
and press the fitting up towards the
windscreen rail.
224 Car care
License plate lighting Glove box lighting Trunk lighting, Sport Sedan
1 Undo the two screws and remove the (certain variants only) The lamp fitting is located under the parcel
lens. 1 Remove the lamp housing using a short shelf.
2 Fit the new bulb. screwdriver. 1 Remove the lamp fitting by pulling down
3 Make sure the seal on the lens is 2 Fit the new bulb. one end.
correctly seated. 3 Insert the connector side first when refit- 2 Fit the new bulb.
4 Refit the lens and tighten the two ting the lamp. 3 Insert the connector side first when refit-
screws. ting the lamp.
Car care 225
Other bulbs
If any other bulbs need changing, we rec-
ommend that you visit a Saab dealer.
NOTICE
Only fit lamps of the specified rating. Lamps of the wrong wattage
could damage the wiring harness and electronics.
Car care 227
Fuses The fuses are housed in three fuse panels:
one behind a hatch on the left-hand end of
the dash, one in the engine bay (additional
WARNING small unit in front of battery) and one on the
left-hand side of the trunk. There is space
To avoid the risk of short-circuiting and/or for spare fuses in the hatch on the left-hand
fire breaking out in the electrical system, end of the dash.
the following should be heeded:
• Always consult an Saab dealer before
modifying or adding any electrical Sound fuse / Blown fuse
equipment. Failure to do so can result
in the electrical system being
damaged. To check if a fuse has blown, first remove it
from the panel. If the filament is broken, the
• Never replace a fuse with one having fuse has blown.
a higher rating than specified (see
page 229). The color of the fuse indi-
cates its amperage.
• If the same fuse blows repeatedly,
have the electrical system checked by
an Saab dealer.
• If a MAXI fuse blows, it means that
there is a major fault in the electrical
system. Have the car checked without
delay by an Saab dealer.
228 Car care
Some fuses and relays may be fitted but not MAXI fuses
connected to the car’s electrical system. The car also has a number of large fuses
known as MAXI fuses. These are designed
to protect the car’s electrical system from
being damaged. Each MAXI fuse protects a
number of electrical circuits and functions
and therefore has a higher rating (amper-
age) than the standard fuses. No spare
MAXI fuses are supplied with the car.
NOTICE
If a MAXI fuse blows, there is a major fault
Fuse panel in end of dash in the electrical system. Have the car
checked at a Saab dealer.
Relays
R 1 Washer fluid pump, windshield
R 2 -
R 3 -
R 4 -
R 5 Flash-to-pass
R 6 Horn
R 7 -
R 8 Starter motor
R 9 Windshield wipers ON/OFF
R10 -
R11 Ignition +15 Fuse panel in front of battery
R12 Windshield wipers, high/low speed No. Amp. Function
R13 - 1 - -
R14 Washer fluid pump, headlights 2 20 Fuel pump; preheated oxygen sensors (lambda
R15 - probe)
R16 - 3 10 A/C compressor
4 30 Main relay
Relays
1 -
2 A/C-compressor
3 Preheated oxygen sensors (lambda probe)
4 Main relay, engine (ECM/EVAP/injectors)
234 Car care
Tires Inflation - Tire Pressure Adjust the tire pressure to match the current
load and speed of the car (see page 277).
The Tire-Loading Information label shows
Your new vehicle comes with high-quality The stated tire pressures apply to cold tires,
the correct inflation pressures for your tires
tires made by a leading tire manufacturer. If i.e. tires that are the same temperature as
when they’re cold. “Cold” means your vehi-
you ever have questions about your tire cle has been sitting for at least three hours the outside air temperature. Tire pressure
warranty and where to obtain service, see or driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km). increases as the tires become warm (e.g.
your Saab Warranty and Service Record during highway driving) by approximately
Booklet for details. Notice: Don’t let anyone tell you that 0.3 bar (4 psi). When the temperature of the
underinflation or overinflation is all tires changes by 50°F (10°C), the tire pres-
right. It’s not. If your tires don’t have sure will change 0.1 bar (2 psi).
WARNING enough air (underinflation), you can get
the following: Never reduce the pressure of a hot tire. If the
Poor maintained and improperly used tires are hot when you check them, only
tires are dangerous. • Too much flexing increase the pressure, if necessary.
• Too much heat
• Overloading your tires can cause
overheating as a result of too much • Tire overloading
friction. You could have an blow-out • Bad wear
and a serious accident. See “Loading • Bad handling
Your Vehicle” on page 243. • Bad fuel economy
• Underinflated tires pose the same If your tires have too much air (overinfla-
danger as overloaded tires. The tion), you can get the following:
resulting accident could cause serious
injury. Check all tires frequently to • Unusual wear
maintain the recommended pressure. • Bad handling
Tire pressure should be checked • Rough ride
when your tires are cold. • Needless damage from road hazards
• Overinflated tires are more likely to be
cut, punctured or broken by a sudden
impact – such as when you hit a
pothole. Keep tires at the recom-
mended pressure.
• Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If
your tread is badly worn, or if your tires
have been damaged, replace them.
Car care 235
When to check After the tires have been rotated, adjust the Flat spotting
Check your tires once a month or more. front and rear inflation pressures as shown All tires get hot, especially on long journeys
on the Tire-Loading Information label. Make or when the car is driven hard. After the car
Don’t forget your compact spare tire. It certain that all wheel nuts are properly tight-
should be at 60 psi (420 kPa). has been parked with hot tires and the tires
ened. See page 249. have cooled down, a flat spot can form in the
How to Check tire, where it is in contact with the ground.
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to WARNING The same can occur if the car has not been
check tire pressure. You can’t tell if your moved for a long time.
tires are properly inflated simply by looking Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to Flat spots can cause vibration that can be
at them. Radial tires may look properly which it is fastened, can make wheel nuts felt through the steering wheel, similar to
inflated even when they’re underinflated. become loose after a time. The wheel that experienced when the wheels need bal-
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the could come off and cause an accident. ancing.
valve stems. They help prevent leaks by When you change a wheel, remove any Flat spots of this type disappear once the
keeping out dirt and moisture. rust or dirt from places where the wheel tires get hot again, usually after 10–15 miles
attaches to the vehicle. In an emergency, (20–25 km) of driving at cruising speed. If
Tire Inspection and Rotation you can use a cloth or a paper towel to do the outdoor temperature is low it takes a
Tires should be rotated every 7,500 miles this; but be sure to use a scraper or wire longer distance.
(12 500 km). brush later, if you need to, to get all the
rust or dirt off. See “Changing a tire” on
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate page 248.
your tires as soon as possible and check
wheel alignment. Also check for damaged
tires or wheels. See “When It Is Time for
New Tires” on page 236 and “Wheel
Replacement” on page 239 for more infor-
mation.
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve
more uniform wear for all tires on the vehi-
cle. The first rotation is the most important.
When rotating your tires, always use the
correct rotation pattern. Left front tire to left
rear. Left rear tire to right front. Right front to
right rear. Right rear to left front.
Don’t include the compact spare tire in your
tire rotation.
236 Car care
When It Is Time for New Tires Buying New Tires
One way to tell when it’s time for new tires is To find out what kind and size of tires you
to check the treadwear indicators, which will need, look at the Tire-Loading Information
appear when your tires have only 1/16 inch label.
(1.6 mm) or less of tread remaining. If you wish to fit other tires or wheels than
You need a new tire if any of the following those supplied with the car, consult your
statements are true: Saab dealer first as to the possibilities
available.
• You can see the indicators at three or
more places around the tire. Wheels/tires combinations that are not
approved by Saab can negatively affect the
• You can see cord or fabric showing car’s directional stability, steering and brak-
through the tire’s rubber. ing in both wet and dry conditions.
• The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or
snagged deep enough to show cord or Treadwear indicator
fabric.
• The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
• The tire has a puncture, cut or other Treadwear indicators
damage that can’t be repaired well
because of the size or location of the The tires incorporate wear indicators in the
damage. form of smooth, treadless strips across the
width, which become visible when only
2/32" (1.6 mm) of tread remains. As soon as
the indicators become visible, new tires
should be fitted without delay.
Make sure you are familiar with the legal
limit for minimum tread depth in your
country and also any regulations gov-
erning the use of winter (snow) tires.
Car care 237
The wheels and tires have been carefully
matched to the characteristics of the car and NOTICE
play a key role in its outstanding roadhold- WARNING
ing and handling. Always consult your Saab dealer before
changing the car’s wheels or tires on your Mixing tires could cause you to lose
Do not take it for granted that a wheel/tire
Saab. control while driving. If you mix tires of
combination will work in the best possible
way, just because it can be fitted to the car. Wide wheels and tires with side walls that different sizes or types (radial and bias-
are too low can: belted tires), the vehicle may not handle
To ensure that the speedometer is as accu- properly, and you could have a crash.
rate as possible it should be reprogrammed • be damaged in potholes, etc. Using tires of different sizes may also
if wheels of a different dimension are fitted. cause damage to your vehicle. Be sure to
Contact a Saab dealer. • cause springs, shock absorbers and use the same size and type tires on all
Because of front wheel drive, the front tires wheel bearings and body mountings wheels. It’s all right to drive with your
tend to wear faster than the rear ones. New to be overloaded. compact spare temporarily, it was devel-
tires should always be fitted in pairs, so that oped for use on your vehicle. See
• affect the function of the Electronic
tires on the same axle have the same “Compact spare” on page 246.
Stability Program (ESP).
amount of tread.
Store wheels lying flat or hanging – never The speed and load limits of the tires
standing upright. must not be exceeded; see page 242.
WARNING
Wheels larger than 17" must not be fitted
on the Saab 9-3 for reasons above. The If you use bias-ply tires on your vehicle,
permissible offset is 1.61 inch (41 mm). the wheel rim flanges could develop
cracks after many miles of driving. A tire
and/or wheel could fail suddenly, causing
a crash. Use only radial-ply tires with the
wheels on your vehicle.
238 Car care
Uniform Tire Quality Grading Treadwear Temperature – A, B, C
Quality grades can be found where applica- The treadwear grade is a comparative The temperature grades are A (the highest),
ble on the tire sidewall between tread shoul- rating based on the wear rate of the tire B, and C, representing the tire’s resistance
der and maximum section width. For exam- when tested under controlled conditions on to the generation of heat and its ability to dis-
ple: a specified government test course. For sipate heat when tested under controlled
example, a tire graded 150 would wear one conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature and a half (1.5) times as well on the govern- test wheel. Sustained high temperature can
A ment course as a tire graded 100. The rela- cause the material of the tire to degenerate
The following information relates to the tive performance of tires depends upon the and reduce tire life, and excessive temper-
system developed by the United States actual conditions of their use, however, and ature can lead to sudden tire failure. The
National Highway Traffic Safety Administra- may depart significantly from the norm due grade C corresponds to a level of perfor-
tion, which grades tires by treadwear, trac- to variations in driving habits, service prac- mance which all passenger car tires must
tion and temperature performance. (This tices and differences in road characteristics meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
applies only to vehicles sold in the United and climate. Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A
States.) The grades are molded on the side- represent higher levels of performance on
walls of most passenger car tires. The Uni- Traction – AA, A, B, C the laboratory test wheel than the minimum
form Tire Quality Grading system does not The traction grades, from highest to lowest, required by law.
apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires, are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades repre- Warning: The temperature grade for this tire
space-saver or temporary use spare tires, sent the tire’s ability to stop on wet pave- is established for a tire that is properly
tires with nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 ment as measured under controlled condi- inflated and not overloaded. Excessive
inches (25 to 30 cm), or to some limited-pro- tions on specified government test surfaces speed, underinflation, or excessive loading,
duction tires. of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C either separately or in combination, can
While the tires available on General Motors may have poor traction performance. Warn- cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
passenger cars and light trucks may vary ing: The traction grade assigned to this tire
with respect to these grades, they must also is based on straight-ahead braking traction
conform to federal safety requirements and tests, and does not include acceleration,
additional General Motors Tire Perfor- cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction
mance Criteria (TPC) standards. characteristics.
Car care 239
Wheel Alignment and Tire Used Replacement Wheels
Balance WARNING
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned WARNING
and balanced carefully at the factory to give Using the wrong replacement wheels,
you the longest tire life and best overall per- wheel bolts or wheel nuts on your vehicle Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
formance. can be dangerous. It could affect the dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been
Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel bal- braking and handling of your vehicle, used or how far it’s been driven. It could
ancing are not needed. However, if you make your tires lose air and make you fail suddenly and cause a crash. If you
notice unusual tire wear or your vehicle pull- lose control. You could have a collision in have to replace a wheel, use a new GM
ing one way or the other, the alignment may which you or others could be injured. original equipment wheel.
need to be reset. If you notice your vehicle Always use the correct wheel, wheel bolts
vibrating when driving on a smooth road, and wheel nuts for replacement.
your wheels may need to be rebalanced.
Notice: The wrong wheel can also cause
Wheel Replacement problems with bearing life, brake cool-
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked or ing, speedometer or odometer calibra-
badly rusted or corroded. If wheel nuts keep tion, headlamp aim, bumper height, vehi-
coming loose, the wheel, wheel bolts and cle ground clearance and tire or tire
wheel nuts should be replaced. If the wheel chain clearance to the body and chassis.
leaks air, replace it (except some aluminum See “Changing a tire” on page 248.
wheels, which can sometimes be repaired).
See your dealer if any of these conditions
exist. WARNING
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you
need. When fitting just one new pair of tires,
Each new wheel should have the same these should be fitted to the rear wheels,
load-carrying capacity, diameter, width, as these are more critical to the direc-
offset and be mounted the same way as the tional stability of the car (e.g. on braking
one it replaces. or in a skid). The existing rear wheels
If you need to replace any of your wheels, should therefore be moved to the front.
wheel bolts or wheel nuts, replace them only
with new Saab original equipment parts.
This way, you will be sure to have the right
wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts for your
vehicle.
240 Car care
Tire Chains Notice: If your vehicle does not have If a Tire Goes Flat
225/45R17 size tires, use tire chains only It’s unusual for a tire to “blowout” while
where legal and only when you must. you’re driving, especially if you maintain
WARNING Contact your Saab dealer regarding suit- your tires properly. If air goes out of a tire,
able snow chains. Install them on the it’s much more likely to leak out slowly. But
If your vehicle has 225/45 R17 size tires, front tires and tighten them as tightly as if you should ever have a “blowout”, here are
don’t use tire chains, there’s not enough possible with the ends securely a few tips about what to expect and what to
clearance. fastened. Drive slowly and follow the do:
Tire chains used on a vehicle without the chain manufacturer’s instructions. If you
can hear the chains contacting your If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a
proper amount of clearance can cause drag that pulls the vehicle toward that side.
damage to the brakes, suspension or vehicle, stop and retighten them. If the
contact continues, slow down until it Take your foot off the accelerator pedal and
other vehicle parts. The area damaged by grip the steering wheel firmly. Steer to main-
the tire chains could cause you to lose stops. Driving too fast or spinning the
wheels with chains on will damage your tain lane position, and then gently brake to
control of your vehicle and you or others a stop well out of the traffic lane.
may be injured in a crash. vehicle.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts
Use another type of traction device only if much like a skid and may require the same
its manufacturer recommends it for use correction you’d use in a skid. In any rear
on your vehicle and tire size combination blowout, remove your foot from the acceler-
and road conditions. Follow that manu- ator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
facturer’s instructions. To help avoid steering the way you want the vehicle to go.
damage to your vehicle, drive slowly, It may be very bumpy and noisy, but you can
readjust or remove the device if it’s still steer. Gently brake to a stop – well off
contacting your vehicle, and don’t spin the road if possible.
your wheels. If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to
If you do find traction devices that will fit, use your jacking equipment to change a flat
install them on the front tires. tire safely.
Car care 241
Tire Sidewall Labeling Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG): Tire Size
Useful information about a tire is molded Tire manufacturers are required to grade The following illustration shows an example
into it´s sidewall. tires based on the performance factors: of a typical passenger car tire size.
treadwear, traction and temperature resis-
Tire size: The tire size ia a combination of tance. For more information see “Uniform
letters and numbers used to define a partic- Tire Quality Grading” on page 238. 215 / 55 R 16 93 H
ular tire´s width, height, aspect ratio, con-
struction type and service description. Maximum Cold Inflation Load Limit: Max-
imum load that can be carried and the max- | | | | | |
Department of Transportation (DOT): imum pressure needed to support that load. a b c d e f
The Department of Transportation (DOT) For information on recommended tire pres-
code indicates that the tire is in compliance sure see “Recommended lowest tire pres- a Tire Width
with the U.S. Department of Transportation sure, cold tires” on page 277 and “Loading b Aspect Ratio
Motor Vehicle Safety standards. Your Vehicle” on page 243. c Belt Rating
Tire Identification Number (TIN): The let-
ters and numbers following DOT code are d Rim diameter
the Tire Identification Number (TIN). The e Load range
TIN shows the manufacturer and plant f Speed rating
code, tire size, and date the tire was manu-
factured. The TIN is molded onto both sides Tire Width: The three-digit number indi-
of the tire. cates the tire section width in millimeters
Tire Ply Material: The type of cord and from sidewall to sidewall.
number of plies in the sidewall and under
the tread.
242 Car care
Aspect ratio: A two-digit number that indi- Tire markings
cates the tire height-to-width measure- An example of the meaning of the different
ments. For example, if the tire size aspect markings in a tire size is given below for a
ratio is “55”, as shown in item “C” of the illus- tire size of 225/45 R17 94H:
tration, it would mean that the tire´s sidewall
is 55% as high as it is wide. 225 Tire section width, mm
Belt Rating: A letter code is used to indicate 45 Aspect ratio, i.e. the section height
the type of ply construction in the tire. The
as a percentage of the section TIN-code
letter “R” means radial ply construction; the
width
letter “D” means diagonal or bias ply con- a Manufacturer´s Identification Mark
struction; and the letter “B” means belted- R Radial ply
b Tire Size
bias ply construction. 17 Wheel rim diameter 17 in at bead c Tire Type Code
Rim Diameter: Diameter of the wheel in seats
inches. d Date of Manufacture
94 Tire load index
Load range: The load range represents the
H Speed rating
load carry capacity a tire is certified to carry.
Speed Rating: The maximum speed that a Tire load indices
tire is certified to carry a load. Speed ratings
range from “A” to “Z”. 91 Tire approved for max. 1355 lbs.
(615 kg)
93 Max. 1433 lbs. (650 kg)
94 Max. 1477 lbs. (670 kg)
Speed ratings
Q Tire approved for speeds up to
100 mph (160 km/h)
S Max. 112 mph (180 km/h)
T Max. 118 mph (190 km/h)
H Max. 130 mph (210 km/h)
V Max. 149 mph (240 km/h)
W Max. 168 mph (270 km/h)
Y Max. 186 mph (300 km/h)
Car care 243
Loading Your Vehicle Tire Terminology and Definitions DOT Markings: A code molded into the
Air Pressure: The amount of air inside the sidewall of a tire signifying that the tire is in
tire pressing outward on each square inch of compliance with the U.S. Department of
the tire. Air pressure is expressed in pounds Transportation motor vehicle safety stan-
per square inch (psi) or kilopascal (kPa). dards. The DOT code includes the Tire
Identification Number (TIN), an alphanu-
Accessory Weight: This means the com- meric designator which can also identify the
bined weight of optional accessories, for tire manufacturer, production plant, brand
example, automatic transmission, power and date of production.
steering, power brakes, power windows,
power seats, radio and air conditioning. GVWR: Gross Vehicle Weight Rating see
“Loading Your Vehicle” on page 243.
Aspect Ratio: The relationship of a tire´s
This label can only be found on vehicles GAWR FRT: Gross Axle Weight Rating for
sold in the U.S. height to its width.
the front axle, see “Loading Your Vehicle”
Vehicles sold in Canada have the tire Belt: A rubber coated layer of cords that is on page 269.
information label in the glove box, see located between the plies and the tread.
Cords may be made from steel or other rein- GAWR RR: Gross Axle Weight Rating for
page 278. the rear axle, see “Loading Your Vehicle” on
forcing materials.
page 243.
Bias Ply Tire: A pneumatic tire in which the
This is an example of what your vehicle´s ply cords that extend to the beads are laid at Intended Outboard Sidewall: The side of
Tire-Loading Information/Certification label alternate angles substantially less than 90 an asymmetrical tire that must always face
might look like. It is located on the B-pillar degrees to the centerline of the tread. outward when mounted on a vehicle.
and shows how much weight your vehicle Kilopascal (kPa): The metric unit for air
Cold Inflation Pressure: The amount of air
may properly carry. The label tells you the pressure. There are 6.9 kPa to one psi.
pressure in a tire, measured in pounds per
proper size, and recommended inflation Light Truck (LT-Metric) Tire: A tire used
square inch (psi) or kilopascal (kPa), before
pressures for the tires on your vehicle. It on light duty trucks and some multipurpose
also gives you important information about a tire has built up heat from driving. See
“Inflation - Tire Pressure” on page 234. passenger vehicles.
the number of people that can be in your
vehicle and the total weight that you can Curb weight: This means the weight of a Load Index: An assigned number ranging
carry. This weight is called the Vehicle motor vehicle with standard and optional from 1 to 279 that corresponds to the load
Capacity Weight, and includes the weight of equipment including the maximum capacity carrying capacity of a tire.
all occupants, cargo and all nonfactory- of fuel, oil and coolant, without passengers
installed options. and cargo.
244 Car care
Maximum Load rating: The load rating for Recommended Inflation Pressure: Vehi- Tread Width: The width of the tire´s tread.
a tire at the maximum permissible inflation cle manufacturer´s recommended tire infla- UTQGS: Uniform Tire Quality Grade Stan-
pressure for that tire. tion pressure shown on the tire placard, see dards, a tire information system that pro-
Maximum Loaded Vehicle Weight: The “Inflation - Tire Pressure” on page 234 and vides consumers with ratings for a tire´s
sum of curb weight; accessory weight; vehi- “Loading Your Vehicle” on page 243. traction, temperature and treadwear. Rat-
cle capacity weight; and production options Radial Ply Tire: A pneumatic tire in which ings are determined by tire manufacturers
weight. the ply cords that extend to the beads are using government testing procedures. The
Maximum Permissible Inflation Pres- laid at substantially 90 degrees to the cen- rating are molded into the sidewall of the
sure: The maximum cold inflation pressure terline of the tread. tire. See “Uniform Tire Quality Grading” on
to which a tire may be inflated. Rim: A metal support for a tire or a tire and page 238.
Normal occupant weight: The number of tube assembly upon which the tire beads Vehicle Capacity Weight: Is the number of
occupants a vehicle is designed to seat mul- are seated. designated seating positions multipled by
tipled by 150 pounds (68 kg). See “Loading Sidewall: The portion of a tire between the 150 pounds (68 kg) plus the rated cargo
Your Vehicle” on page 243. tread and the bead. load. See “Loading Your Vehicle” on
Occupant Distribution: Designated seat- Speed rating: An alphanumeric code page 243.
ing positions. assigned to a tire indicating the maximum Vehicle Maximum Load on the Tire: Load
Outward Facing Sidewall: The side of a speed at which a tire can operate. on an individual tire due to curb weight,
asymmetrical tire that has a particular side Traction: The friction between the tire and accessory weight, occupant weight and
that faces outward when mounted on a vehi- the road surface. The amount of grip pro- cargo weight.
cle. The side of the tire that contains a white- vided. Vehicle Placard: A label permanently
wall bears white lettering or bears manufac- Treadwear Indicators: Narrow bands, attached to a vehicle showing original
turer, brand and or model name molding on sometimes called “wear bars”, that show equipment tire size and the recommended
the other sidewall of the tire. across the tread of a tire when only cold inflation pressure. See “Loading Your
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire: A tire used on 2/32 inch of tread remains. See “When It Is Vehicle” on page 243.
passenger cars and some light duty trucks Time for New Tires” on page 236.
and multipurpose vehicles.
Car care 245
Steps for Determining Correct 5 Determine the combined weight of Winter tires
Load Limit luggage and cargo being loaded on Winter (snow) tires are recommended for
the vehicle. That weight may not winter climates where the majority of your
1 Locate the statement “The safely exceed the available cargo driving will be done on snow and ice. Winter
combined weight of occupants and and luggage load capacity calcu- tires should be fitted to all four wheels to
cargo should never exceed lated in Step 4. maintain a proper balance. Your Saab
XXX pounds” on your vehicle´s dealer can advise you of to the correct size
placard. 6 If your vehicle will be towing a trailer,
load from your trailer will be trans- tire for your car (if different from the original
2 Determine the combined weight of ferred to your vehicle. Consult this size) and also supply Saab approved winter
the driver and passengers that will manual to determine how this tires pre-mounted on steel or alloy rims.
be riding in your vehicle. reduces the available cargo and Winter tires normally use a different speed
3 Substract the combined weight of luggage load capacity of your vehi- rating compared to summer/all season tires.
the driver and passengers from cle. Make sure not to exceed the stated speed
XXX kilograms or XXX pounds. rating on the tires you use.
4 The resulting figure equals the avail-
able amount of cargo and luggage
load capacity. For example, if the
“XXX” amount equals 1400 lbs. and
there will be five 150 lb. passengers
in your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load capac-
ity is 650 lbs. (1400–750 (5x150) =
650 lbs.).
246 Car care
Compact spare The spare tire, the tools and the jack with its
crank are carried under a panel in the trunk.
Fold the carpeting forward to ease access to
WARNING the tools and spare tire.
The screwdriver handle has a “button” for
The spare tire or punctured tire must be removing plastic rivets. This type of rivet
stowed under the trunk floor, and secured must be removed when changing the light
in place with the retaining nut. bulb in the trunk lid (see page 221).
Your Saab is equipped with a trip computer Tools under a panel in the trunk
NOTICE and you can use its “Speed warning” func-
tion, to monitor driving speed since you
To avoid damaging an alloy wheel with a must not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h).
flat tire, this can be placed outside up in
the spare-wheel well but only while driv-
ing to the closest workshop.
A general rule is that all heavy loads must
be well secured in the luggage compart-
ment (see page 143).
248 Car care
Changing a tire To be even more certain the vehicle won't • The jack should be stored correctly
move, you should put blocks at the front under the carpeting in the trunk. If it
and rear of the tire farthest away from the lies loose in the car, it could thrown
WARNING one being changed. That would be the forward and cause personal injury in
tire, on the other side, at the opposite end the event of a crash or if the car rolls
Lifting a vehicle and getting under it to do of the vehicle. over.
maintenance or repairs is dangerous
without the appropriate safety equipment • The car jack is designed solely for use • Grit, salt and rust can clog the inner
and training. The jack provided with your in changing a tire or fitting snow threads of the wheel bolts if the car has
vehicle is designed only for changing a chains. It must not be used to been driven for several years exclu-
flat tire. If it is used for anything else, you support the car during repair work sively with alloy wheels.
or others could be badly injured or killed if or servicing. If steel wheels are being installed, the
the vehicle slips off the jack. Use the jack bolt hole threads in the brake hubs
provided with your vehicle only for chang- • Never crawl under a car that is should be cleaned before the thinner
ing a flat tire. supported only by a jack. Always use steel wheels are fitted. It may other-
axle stands. wise not be possible to achieve the
Changing a tire can be dangerous. The correct clamping force, despite tight-
vehicle can slip off the jack and roll over • Raising your vehicle too high or with ening the wheel bolts to the correct
or fall on you or other people. You and the jack improperly positioned can torque.
they could be badly injured or even killed. damage the vehicle and even make
Find a level place to change your tire. To the vehicle fall. To help avoid personal
help prevent the vehicle from moving: injury and vehicle damage, be sure to
fit the jack lift head into the proper
1 Set the parking brake firmly. location before raising the vehicle, and
2 If you have an automatic transmis- raise the vehicle only far enough off
sion, put the shift lever in PARK (P). the ground so there is enough room for
For a manual transmission, leave the the spare tire to fit (no more than
car in gear (1st or REVERSE (R)). 25 mm or 1 inch clearance between
3 Turn off the engine and do not restart the ground and the bottom of the tire).
while the vehicle is raised. • Switch on the hazard warning lights if
4 Do not allow passengers to remain in the car is on a road.
the vehicle.
Car care 249
When the car has to be lifted, the jack must
be positioned at one of the four jacking
points (front or rear) under the sill members.
If a floor jack is used, the lifting plate must
be positioned under the normal jacking
points, see illustration. If the car is equipped
with a towbar, the jack can also be placed
under this.
NOTICE
Apply the jack only to the jacking points
indicated on the body.
Marking of jacking points Jacking points
1 Wind the jack up to a suitable height
before placing it under the jacking point.
Each jacking point is indicated by an 2 It is not necessary to remove the wheel 4 Clean any rust or dirt from the contact
arrow on the sill (see illustration). cover. surfaces between the wheel and brake
Make sure that the jack fully engages If, none the less, you wish to remove the disc. Do not wipe away the grease in the
the jacking point in the underside of the wheel cover, take hold of the outer edge wheel hub.
sill member and that the entire foot of the and pull it straight out.
jack is steady and flat on the ground. 5 Add a thin layer of grease on the bolts
Loosen the wheel bolts half a turn. before fitting, see page 251. Fit the
The jack must not stand on snow, ice or
similar. 3 Wind the jack to raise the wheel clear of wheel and screw in the bolts in the
Wind up the jack until it just begins to lift the ground. Remove the wheel bolts and sequence shown on page 251 (opposite
the car. lift off the wheel. pairs).
Tighten the bolts enough for the bolts
and wheel to be seated correctly.
6 Lower the car and tighten the wheel
bolts to torque in sequence as shown on
the following page.
Tightening torque:
Light-alloy wheels: 80 ft.lb. (110 Nm).
Steel wheels: 80 ft.lb. (110 Nm).
250 Car care
Jacking points for floor jack Clean any rust or dirt from the contact sur- Do not wipe away the grease in the wheel
faces between the wheel and brake disc. hub.
NOTICE
7 Retouching the wheel bolts after twenty
• Do not overtighten the bolts using a or so miles.
impact wrench: not only can this Tightening torque:
damage the wheels but it can also Light-alloy wheels: 80 ft.lb. (110 Nm).
make it impossible to undo the bolts Steel wheels: 80 ft.lb. (110 Nm).
using the wheel wrench in the car’s We advise against using wheels with large
toolkit. ventilation slots in winter, as the brake com-
• When refitting a wheel cover, make ponents are then more exposed to slush,
sure that the valve protrudes through road salt and grit.
the marked recess in the wheel cover. If you fit wheels of a different dimension, the
speedometer can be reprogrammed to
ensure it is as accurate as possible. Contact
a Saab dealer.
Driving with tire chains, see page 182
Car care 251
Safety belts Upholstery and trim
To remove fluff and hairs from the seats,
door armrests and headlining, use a
WARNING vacuum cleaner, a moist lint-free cloth, or a
clothes brush. Remove spots and dirt using
If the car is involved in a crash, the safety a cloth moistened with lukewarm soapy
belts, belt pretensioners and other asso- water.
ciated components must be inspected at
a Saab dealer. When using a stain remover, always work
from the outside towards the centre to avoid
Never make any alterations or repairs to leaving a ring. If a soiled ring or spot should
the safety belts yourself but visit a Saab remain, it can usually be removed using
dealer. lukewarm soapy water or water alone.
Spots left by liquids, such as soft drinks or
Grease the surfaces indicated with a thin Check the function of the safety belts regu- thin oil, must be removed at once with an
layer of grease larly as follows: absorbent material, such as kitchen towel-
ling. Then clean with a stain remover.
• Hold the diagonal strap and pull it sharply.
The safety belt should lock and it should White spirit is recommended for removing
not be possible to withdraw it further. grease and oil stains. A medium stiff brush
may also be used.
Check the anchorage points in the floor.
Tightening sequence, wheel bolts They must not have suffered rust damage. Cleaning and caring for leather
If a belt is worn or has any fraying edges, it upholstery
should be replaced.
The principal reason for treating leather
Safety belts must not come into contact with upholstery is to maintain its elegant appear-
substances such as polishes, oil or chemi- ance and to provide it with a protective film.
cals. If the belts get dirty, wash them with Disco lour at ion caused by dust and wear
warm water and a detergent or have them mainly affects the lighter shades, although
replaced. this is not detrimental to the leather, indeed,
the patina resulting from use is often consid-
ered desirable in leather. But if the leather is
allowed to become too grubby, it can start to
look shabby.
The leather upholstery should be cleaned
and reconditioned twice a year in conjunc-
tion with spring and autumn inspections. In
252 Car care
very warm, dry climates the leather may
need more regular reconditioning. Use con-
Engine bay
ventional leather care products. Follow the The engine bay should be cleaned with an NOTICE
instructions on the packaging. engine decreasing and rinsed with hot
Do not use alcohol-based cleaners on the
Do not use unknown harsh polishing water. The headlights must be covered plastic lenses of the front or rear lights, as
agents, cleaning agents, sprays, coarse over. Do not use a pressure washer. Avoid these can cause a crackling effect on the
soap or hot water. spraying electrical components and con- lenses.
nectors.
Textile carpeting Do not use petrol as a cleaning agent or sol- The door mirrors should be folded in
before the car enters an automatic car
Textile carpeting should be vacuum vent when carrying out repairs or mainte-
nance. Saab recommends the use of envi- wash.
cleaned regularly. Carpeting can also be
cleaned using a brush or sponge and carpet ronmentally-friendly decrescendos.
The underside of the car also needs wash-
shampoo. Washing ing regularly, and this should be done extra
For safety reasons, vacuum cleaners that thoroughly at the end of winter. Clean the
are not earthed (grounded) must not be The bodywork must be washed frequently.
When the car is new, the body should be underside of the car by hand if the car is usu-
used out of doors.
washed by hand using plain cold water and ally washed in an automatic car wash with-
a clean, soft brush through which the water out special facilities for underbody cleaning.
flows. Automatic caresses should be Never wash or leave the car to dry in the
avoided when the car is new. sun, but wipe it dry with a chamois leather
After 5–6 months the paintwork will have immediately after washing to avoid smears
hardened. To facilitate cleaning, a suitable and streaks.
detergent can be added to the water, which Clean the inside of window glass using a
should be lukewarm. proprietary window cleaner. This is particu-
Remove any bird droppings without delay, larly important when the car is new, as
as these can discolor the paintwork and upholstery and trim have a tendency to
prove difficult to polish out. Lay a wad of wet sweat a little at first.
paper on the patch of dirt and leave it for a Keep the glass well polished, as this helps
minute or so. It will then be easy to wash off to prevent misting.
the dirt. Clean the outside of the windows with Saab
Use a soft cloth moistened with white spirit washer fluid. This is especially important if
to remove splashes of tar or asphalt. Do not the car has been washed in an automatic
use strong cleaners, as these can dry out car wash, as sometimes a wax treatment is
the paintwork. used that can contaminate the windshield
and impair the performance of the wipers.
Car care 253
In the U.S., Saab offers a full complement of
car care products. See your dealer or visit
Waxing and polishing
NOTICE Do not wax a new car during the first three
us at www.saabcatalog.com.
Convertible: • Try your brakes on leaving a car wash. or four months. In fact, there is no need to
Wet brake discs reduce the perfor- polish the car before the paintwork has
• Wash the soft top with a mild soap solu- mance of the brakes. started to dull through oxidation. Other than
tion and lukewarm water. For spot clean- in exceptional cases, do not use abrasive
ing the top, a finger nail brush can also be • Fixed antennae, such as for a mobile polishes containing a cutting agent on a new
used. Stroke the brush in the direction of phone, must be removed if the car car. Always wash the car thoroughly before
the fabric, not across the threads. goes through an automatic car wash. waxing or polishing.
• If a pressure washer is used be heedful of
the following recommendations: • Cars with Saab Parking Assistance: Touching up the paint
• on the lower part of the car (not higher Do not spray the sensors or closer Damaged paintwork should be treated as
than the door handles): max pressure than 8 in. (20 cm) to the sensors with soon as it is discovered: the longer it is left,
of 100 bar and not closer than 8 in. a pressure washer, as this can the greater the risk of corrosion. The anti-
(20 cm). damage them. corrosion warranty does not cover corrosion
• on the upper part of the car: tax pres- resulting from untreated defects.
sure of 100 bar and not closer than Paintwork damage sustained in a crash is
32 in. (80 cm). usually extensive and can only be properly
• Do not use any drying chemicals or water- restored by professionals.
proofing agents. However, you can repair small scratches
• Avoid automatic car washes. and stone chip damage yourself. The nec-
essary tools and materials, such as primer,
touch-up paint and brushes, are available
from your Saab dealer.
In the case of minor flaws in the paintwork,
where the metal has not been exposed and
an undamaged layer of paint remains,
touch-up paint can usually be applied
directly, after any dirt has been scraped
away using a pointed knife.
If corrosion has already set in, such as the
result of stone-chip damage, use a pointed
knife to scrape off all surface rust. If possi-
ble, the damaged area should be taken
back to the bare metal. The metal should
254 Car care
then be primed with two thin coats of primer
applied by brush.
Anti-corrosion
After the primer has dried, apply several thin treatment
layers of topcoat until the surface of the The entire car undergoes a series of anti-
repaired area is flush with the surrounding corrosion processes during production.
paintwork. These include electrophoretic priming,
Stir both primer and touch-up paint thor- PVC-based coating to protect against stone
oughly before use and allow each coat to chip damage and corrosion, and treatment
dry before applying the next. of body cavities and members with thin,
penetrating rustproofing oil.
Two-coat enamel In addition, most body panels, such as the
As the name implies, two-coat enamel is hood, doors and floor pan are galvanized.
applied in two operations. The first coat, the The anti-corrosion treatment on some parts
base color, contains the pigment, metal Surface treatment composition of the car is constantly exposed to wear and
flakes and binder. The second coat consists 1 Body panel prone to damage. This applies particularly
of a clear enamel, which provides the final 2 Zinc (certain components only) 7.5 µm to the underside of the car and inside the
gloss for the paintwork and protects the 3 Phosphate coating 3 –5 µm wheel arches, where grit, road salt and the
base from moisture and environmental con- 4 Cathodic ED 23 µm
5 Intermediate coat 35 µm like that are thrown up can give rise to cor-
taminants. rosion where the underseal has worn away.
6 Metallic base/solid base 11 µm
Touch-up stone-chip damage as follows: 7 Clear enamel 45 µm The extent of this obviously depends on the
1 Thoroughly clean the damaged area. conditions in which the car is used.
2 Then apply the primer, base color and Accordingly, make it a habit to hose the
finally, the clear enamel. To achieve the underside of the car often and to inspect the
best finish, apply two or three coats of condition of the underseal. The anti-corro-
primer. sion warranty does not relieve the car owner
of the need to carry out normal maintenance
to the rustproofing and to make good any
damage.
Car care 255
Use a hose to clean the underside of the car What causes rust? Preventive maintenance
thoroughly. After it has dried, use a brush or Steel body panels of automobiles are sub- The following procedures are necessary to
spray to apply a viscous anti-corrosion ject to rusting whenever air and moisture help protect against rusting. Refer also to
agent to any worn or damaged areas, to manage to penetrate the protective finish. the terms and conditions of the Performa-
prevent the onset of corrosion. Body panels may rust through if the process tion Limited Warranty described in the war-
Even after the anti-corrosion warranty has is unchecked. Rusting can occur wherever ranty booklet.
expired, it makes good sense to continue to water is trapped or where the car’s panels
maintain the rustproofing. 1 Wash the car frequently, and wax at
are continuously damp. least twice a year. Under adverse
Seams in the body, especially those in the Damage to paint and undercoating by conditions, where there is a rapid
doors and trunk lid, are particularly vulnera- stones, gravel and minor crashes immedi- buildup of dirt, sand or road salt, wash
ble to corrosion from the outside, caused by ately exposes metal to air and moisture. your car at least once a week. After
grit and salt thrown up from the road, and to Road salts used for de-icing will collect on extreme exposure to salted snow or
corrosion from the inside, largely as a result the bottom of the car and promote rusting. slush, evidenced by a white film on the
of condensation. Keep the seams clean and Areas of the country with high humidity have car, wash the car immediately. Frequent
at the first sign of any rust, apply a thin, pen- a greater potential for rust problems, espe- washing will prevent paint damage from
etrating, anti-corrosion oil. Your Saab cially where salt is used on roads or there is acid rain and other airborne contami-
dealer will be pleased to give you further moist sea air. Industrial pollution (fallout) nants such as tree sap and bird drop-
advice. may also damage paint and promote rust- pings. If any of these contaminants are
ing. noticed on the car the finish should be
washed immediately.
• Begin washing by rinsing the entire car
with water to loosen and flush off heavy
concentrations of dirt (include the
underbody).
• Sponge the car with a solution of either
a good quality car soap or mild general
purpose (dish washing) detergent and
water.
• Rinse car thoroughly with clean water.
• After washing, check and clear all
drains in doors and body panels.
• Wipe the car dry, preferably using a
chamois.
256 Car care
2 Clean the underside of the car during
the winter. Use high pressure water to
Inspect the undercoating and touch up if
necessary. Pay particular attention to the
Recovery and/or
clean the car’s underside (floor panels, fenders and wheel housings, which are recycling of automotive
wheel wells) at least at mid-winter and in exposed to abrasion by flying gravel, etc. If
the spring. the composition has worn or flaked off, the materials
3 Inspect the car frequently for leaks or steel must be thoroughly cleaned and dried A typical car consists of metals (65–75 %),
damage, and arrange for needed before a fresh coat is applied. The cleaning plastics (10–15 %), rubber (5 %) and small
repairs promptly. After washing or after is best done with a scraper and a steel wire quantities of glass, wood, paper and tex-
heavy rain, check for leaks. When wash- brush, followed by washing with solvent. tiles. The recycling of metals has been com-
ing the car inspect body surfaces for Apply the new coating thinly, otherwise it monplace for a long time now.
paint damage. While checking for leaks, may run off or fall off when dry. To facilitate the sorting of other materials,
lift the floor mats and check underneath plastic parts, for instance, have been
them. Water can collect in these areas marked to identify the precise nature of the
and remain for prolonged periods. Dry plastic.
any wet areas including the floor mats.
Have leaks repaired as soon as possi-
ble.
Use touch-up paint to repair small
scratches or minor finish damage. Areas
where metal is exposed will rust quickly
and MUST be repaired immediately by
touch-up or professional repainting.
Rust must be removed, the bare metal
primed and painted. Major body
damage should be repaired immediately
and new panels or exposed areas
should be undercoated with anti- corro-
sion material.
Repairs of this type are the owner’s
responsibility and are not covered under
warranty.
Car care 257
Air conditioning (A/C) Troubleshooting Maintenance
If a fault occurs in the A/C system, there are
a number of checks you can perform your- NOTICE
WARNING self. If the fault persists, however, have the
system checked at a Saab dealer. Do not use a pressure washer when
• All repairs and adjustments to the A/C Note: cleaning the condenser or radiator due to
system must be carried out at a Saab When the A/C system is running, the intake the risk of damage.
dealer authorized for this kind of work. air is dehumidified. The resultant condensa-
• The A/C system is pressurized. Do not tion that forms on the evaporator is drained • The compressor drive belt should be
break any connections or undo A/C off under the car. When the car is parked, inspected under the regular service
system components. this may result in a small puddle forming on program.
• Escaping gas can cause eye injury or the ground. The warmer the air and the • Clean away dirt and insects from the
higher the relative humidity, the more con- condenser and radiator to prevent clog-
other personal injury.
densation will be produced. ging. When washing the car, use the hose
to spray the radiator and condenser
Inadequate cooling (located in front of the radiator) from both
NOTICE a Check that the controls for temperature sides (both from the front of the car and
and air distribution are correctly set; see from inside the engine bay). Do not use a
• The A/C system is designed for use “Manual climate-control system” on pressure washer.
with R134a refrigerant. page 103. Caution: Do not hose down the radia-
• Refrigerant handling requires special b Check that the condenser (in front of the tor and condenser while the engine is
equipment and special procedures for radiator) has not become clogged with hot.
charging and draining the system. dirt and insects. Other than in extremely cold weather, do not
• Never mix R 134a with other refriger- c Make sure that the compressor drive screen the radiator, e.g. with netting, as this
ants. belt does not slip (see page 210). will greatly diminish its cooling capacity.
d Check the fuses for the ventilation fans • Applicable to the manual climate control
and compressor (see page 229). system - During cold months the air condi-
tioning should be switched on once or
twice a month and run for 5–10 minutes
during highway driving once the engine is
warm.
This action saves the gaskets in the
compressor from being spoiled. The
compressor uses a lubricant that circu-
lates with the coolant.
258 Car care
Note:
The A/C system cannot be switched on
Headlight aiming To check the aim, the vehicle should be
properly prepared as follows:
when the outside temperature is below 32°F • The vehicle shall be placed so that the
(0°C). Turn on the A/C system when the car WARNING headlights are 25 ft (7.6 m) from a light
is standing in a warm place. Simplest is to colored wall or other flat surface. The
always have the A/C button pressed in. The Before checking/adjusting the headlight aiming area should be darkened, this will
A/C system will then cut in automatically aiming, switch off the engine to avoid improve your ability to see the beam of the
when the outside temperature is high danger of fingers and hands being injured low beam headlight being aimed.
enough. by moving parts. An optical headlamp aimer can also be
The radiator fan can start up even when used and will than replace the wall.
the engine is switched off. • The vehicle must have all four wheels on
a perfectly level surface which is level all
The vehicle has a visual optical headlight the way to the wall or other flat surface.
aiming system equipped with vertical • The vehicle should be placed so it is per-
aiming device. The aim has been preset at pendicular to the wall or other flat surface.
the factory and should normally not need • The vehicle should be unloaded and fuel
further adjustments. tank full, and one person or 160 lbs.
If your headlights are damaged in a crash, (75 kg) on the drivers seat.
the headlight aim may be affected. If you • The vehicle should be fully assembled
believe your headlights need to be re- and all other work stopped while headlight
aimed, we recommend that you take it to aiming is being done.
your Saab dealer for service. However, it is • The vehicle should not have any snow, ice
possible for you to re-aim your headlights as or mud attached to it.
described in the following procedure. • Tires should be inflated to the prescribed
pressure.
NOTICE • Close all doors.
• Rock the vehicle to stabilize the suspen-
To make sure that your headlights are sion.
aimed properly read all instructions
before beginning. Failure to follow these Headlight aiming is done with the vehicle
instructions could cause damage to low beam lamps. The high beam lamps will
headlight parts or a not correctly aimed be correctly aimed if the low beam lamps
headlight. are aimed properly.
If you find that the headlight needs adjust-
ment follow these steps:
Car care 259
NOTICE
Do not cover a headlight directly on the
lens to improve beam cut-off when
aiming. Covering a headlight may cause
excessive heat build-up that may cause
damage to the headlight.
Maintenance schedule SERVICE INTERVALS TIME FOR MAIN SERVICE will be set when
additional maintenance is necessary, such
A time for service message will illuminate on
The Maintenance Schedule prescribes a as air filter or spark plug replacement. When
the Saab Instrument Display (SID) when the
service program to the purchaser/operator the message Time for service. is displayed,
car is due for regular maintenance. There
of a Saab that is reasonable and necessary are three different messages that will contact your Saab Dealer for a service
to ensure the proper emission control sys- appear: appointment.
tems function, safety and reliability of the Failure to perform scheduled maintenance
Saab automobile in normal use. Additional in a timely manner may result in serious
TIME FOR INTERMEDIATE SERVICE
maintenance is recommended for specific damage to key components or systems.
components when the car is operated under indicates that an oil/filter change is required
certain severe conditions. Proper mainte- along with several inspections. This mes-
nance is always a good practice! sage is set by the engine management
system which calculates service intervals
Authorized Saab dealers are equipped and based on several factors including driving
trained to meet your Saab’s service needs. habits, ambient temperature, number of
They regularly receive up-to-date Saab ser- cold starts, mileage driven and elapsed time
vice manuals and parts and technical ser-
since the last service. If mileage accumula-
vice bulletins from Saab and are able,
tion does not occur, the message will be set,
through their franchise agreement, to attend
and maintenance required at a maximum of
Saab service schools, obtain Saab special 2 years.
tools and technical assistance and pur-
chase original equipment service and TIME FOR MAIN AND INTERMEDIATE
replacement parts.
SERVICE
Today’s complex automobiles should only indicates that an oil/filter change is required
be entrusted to the most knowledgeable
along with several inspections and addi-
service professionals. A Saab dealer is your
tional maintenance such as air filter or spark
best choice.
plug replacement.
Customer Assistance and Information 263
Engine oil and filter changes Service record retention Service costs
Changing the engine oil and filter is required It is the owner’s responsibility to retain ser- Dealer pricing practices and labor for ser-
at every service point. Use only a Saab vice records. If possible, you should keep vice work vary. Saab’s recommended ser-
approved long-life oil filter and engine oils copies of all shop work orders for all service vice times for each service point do not
meeting the SAE viscosity ratings and API and repairs, whenever performed. As indi- include the labor required to replace wear
service classifications stated in the “Techni- cated in the new car and emission control items, such as wiper blades, brake pads or
cal data” section of this Owner’s Manual. system warranties, it is important to docu- tires. Nor is labor to perform other service or
The use of extra additives in the oil is not ment that all necessary maintenance has repairs found to be necessary as a result of
necessary and is not recommended, and been done. the inspections included in these times.
may be harmful to turbochargers. Additional labor and parts will be charged
More frequent oil changes are recom- HOW THE SERVICE RECORD IS ORGA- for such work when necessary, except as
mended if your vehicle is operated under NIZED covered under an applicable Saab warranty
any of the following conditions: The service record is comprised of a series or any optional extended service contract.
of coupons on which to record services as Transmission fluid changes or suspension
• Most trips are less than 5–10 miles (8– they are performed. There are additional alignment, when necessary, are also addi-
16 km). This is particularly important coupons for documenting extra engine oil tional.
when outside temperatures are below and filter changes, extra automatic trans- Dealer charges for general shop material,
freezing. mission fluid services necessary for severe regulated hazardous waste removal, recy-
• Most trips include extensive idling service conditions, and brake fluid changes. cling expenses or other operation costs may
(frequent stop-and-go traffic). also be applied to service and repair
• Most trips are through dusty areas (such HOW TO USE THE SERVICE RECORD invoices and are apt to vary by dealer and
as construction zones). COUPONS location.
• If the vehicle is used for delivery service, When the car is brought to a Saab dealer for
police, taxi or other commercial applica- scheduled maintenance, present the War-
tions. ranties & Service Record Booklet to the ser-
If your driving habits match this description, vice manager. When the technician has
have the engine oil and filter changed in- completed the service, the technician will
between normal services. These conditions sign the maintenance record. The person
cause the engine oil to break down faster. responsible for quality assurance at the
The Warranties and Service Record Book- dealership will also sign and stamp the
let has provisions to record extra oil record with the dealer identification stamp.
changes.
264 Customer Assistance and Information
Technical data
Drive belt
Outside length ___________________ 40.472'' (1028 mm)
Drive belt
Technical data 273
Automatic transmission Suspension
Type __________________________ Electronically con- Spring type, front and rear _________ Coil springs
trolled, 5-speed, Maximum deflection of springs:
fully-automatic with
hydraulic torque Front ____________________________ 7.0'' (178 mm)
converter, planetary Rear ____________________________ 8.3'' (212 mm)
gears and integral Dampers, front and rear ___________ Gas-filled dampers
final drive.
Lock-up function in
selector positions 3, Steering
4 and 5.
Steering _______________________ Power-assisted
Selector lever positions ____________ P, R, N, D, M steering gear of
Oil capacity, total _________________ 7.6 qts. (7.2 litres) rack-pinion type and
telescopic jointed
Oil type ________________________ Saab 3309 steering column
Number of turns, lock to lock________ 2.97
Clutch type _____________________ Hydraulic plate Oil type ________________________ Power steering fluid
clutches, brake CHF 11S or
bands and one-way CHF 202
couplings
Speed (mph/km/h) at 1000 rpm in top gear:
2.0t and 2.0T _____________________ 28–29/46–47
274 Technical data
Brake system Disc diameter:
Foot brake (ABS)_________________ Hydraulic disc Front ____________________________ 11.14 in.
brakes with vacuum (283 mm) **)
servo unit. Diago- Front (certain variants only) *) ________ 11.81 in.
nally split circuits; (300 mm) **)
ventilated discs on
Rear ____________________________ 10.94 in. (278 mm)
front wheels (some
variants also have Rear (certain variants only) *) ________ 11.42 in.
ventilated rear (290 mm) **)
discs). EBD function Total friction area of brake pads:
(see page 167).
Front ____________________________ 9.30 in.² (60 cm²)
Park brake______________________ Acts on rear wheels
Rear ____________________________ 4.96 in.² (32 cm²)
Brake fluid ______________________ To DOT 4.
Do not use DOT 5. *)15" wheels and 16" aluminium wheels
must not be fitted to these variants since
the diameter of the brake discs does not
allow this.
**) ventilated
Position: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Vehicle identifi- Y S 3 F D 4 9 Y X 5 1 016584
cation number:
| | | | | |
1 2 3 4 5 6 = identification codes for certain chassis components
Key ___________________________ 42
M
Kick-down _____________________ 161 MAXI fuses ____________________ 228
Main instrument panel _____________ 78
P
Main/dipped beam ________________ 97 Panic function, car alarm ___________ 52
L Maintenance schedule ___________ 262
Manual climate control ___________ 103
Park Brake Shift Lock ____________ 160
Park Brake Shift Lock, temporary
LATCH (child safety) ______________ 23 Manual gear selection ____________ 164 override ______________________ 162
Labeling, tire sidewall ____________ 241 Manual gearbox ________________ 158 Parking _______________________ 173
Labels and plates, location ________ 278 Manual tripping of car alarm ________ 52 Parking aid ____________________ 176
Lashing eyes ___________________ 143 Materials used in the car, reclamation 256 Parking brake __________________ 173
Laying the car up _______________ 175 Memory, driver’s seat _____________ 20 Parking on a hill _________________ 174
Leather upholstery, cleaning _______ 251 Messages on SID, Convertible ______ 65 Pinch protection, electric windows __ 124
286 Index
Pinch protection, sunroof _________ 128 Recommendations for automatic Seatbelts, checking ______________ 251
Plates and labels, location ________ 278 transmission, towing a trailer _____ 185 Seats __________________________ 17
Polishing and waxing ____________ 253 Recommendations for manual Securing a load _________________ 143
Poly-V-belt ____________________ 210 gearbox, towing a trailer _________ 186 Sentronic, manual gear selection ___ 164
Portable fuel container ___________ 155 Recommended snow chains _______ 275 Service costs ___________________ 263
Position lights ___________________ 96 Refueling ______________________ 153 Service information ______________ 264
Power steering fluid, checking _____ 207 Remote control __________________ 42 Service intervals ________________ 262
Power steering fluid, grade ________ 273 Remote locking malfunction ________ 44 Service record retention __________ 263
Pressure gauge __________________ 84 Replacement, wheel _____________ 239 Signalling, horn _________________ 122
Pressure, tires __________________ 234 Reporting safety defects __________ 265 Ski hatch ______________________ 142
Profiles, customized settings _______ 87 Rev counter _____________________ 82 Spare wheel ___________________ 246
Reversing lights __________________ 99 Speed ratings, tires ______________ 242
Rollover Pop-up Bars, Convertible ___ 70 Speedometer ____________________ 83
Q Roof lighting ___________________ 129
Roof lighting, changing ___________ 222
Starting the engine ______________ 148
Steering wheel adjustment ________ 122
Quality grading, tires _____________ 238 Running-in _____________________ 157 Steering wheel lock ______________ 148
Quick guide, remote control ________ 43 Steps for determining correct load
limit _________________________ 245
S Storage compartments ___________ 132
R SAHR, head restraint _____________ 21
Sun visor ______________________ 130
Sunroof _______________________ 126
Rain sensor ____________________ 101 SDM _________________________ 266 Switches _______________________ 96
Raising the soft top manually, SID ___________________________ 87
Convertible ____________________ 62 SPA __________________________ 176
Reading lights, Convertible _________ 72
Rear fog light ____________________ 98
Saab Information Display __________ 87
Saab Parking Assistance _________ 176
T
Rear seats, folding down _________ 140 Saab Trionic engine management TCS __________________________ 169
Rear towing eye ________________ 191 system _______________________ 200 Technical data __________________ 268
Rear window heating ____________ 107 Safety belts _____________________ 12 Textile carpeting, cleaning _________ 252
Rearview mirrors ________________ 134 Seatbelts _______________________ 12 Tie down eyes __________________ 143
Recirculation ___________________ 106 Seatbelts in rear seat, Convertible ___ 69 Tightening torque, wheels _________ 250
Seatbelts, care _________________ 251
Index 287
Tire chains ____________________ 240
Tire date code __________________ 246
U What Will You See After an Airbag
Inflates? _______________________ 37
Tire inspection and rotation ________ 235 Uniform tire quality grading ________ 238 Wheel replacement ______________ 239
Tire markings __________________ 242 Upholstery care _________________ 251 Wheels and tires, sizes ___________ 275
Tire sidewall labeling _____________ 241 Upholstery, cleaning _____________ 251 When it is time for new tires _______ 236
Tire sizes ______________________ 275 Useful tips on night driving ________ 190 Windshield washers _____________ 100
Tire terminology and definitions ____ 243 Useful tips on starting ____________ 149 Windshield wipers _______________ 100
Tire, changing __________________ 248 Wing mirrors ___________________ 134
Tire, spare _____________________ 246 Winter driving __________________ 181
Tires _________________________ 234
Tools and spare wheel ___________ 246
V Winter tires ____________________ 245
Wiper blades ___________________ 211
Touching up paintwork ___________ 253 Vanity mirror ___________________ 130 Wipers ________________________ 100
Towbar _______________________ 184 Vehicle Data Collection ___________ 266
Towbar load ___________________ 186 Vehicle identification number ______ 278
Towing _______________________ 190
Towing a trailer _________________ 184
Vehicle recovery ________________ 192
X
Towing the car _________________ 191 Xenon headlights ________________ 214
Traction Control System (TCS) _____ 169
Transmission oil, checking ________ 204
W Xenon headlights, head light levelling _ 96
Notes
Fuel 3 Brake/clutch fluid
Top up as necessary with
Recommended octane rating: DOT 4 brake fluid.
Unleaded Do not use DOT 5 fluid.
gasoline 87–93 AON
For optimum performance 4 Battery
Saab recommends:
• 2.0t 175 hp – AON 90.
• 2.0T 210 hp – AON 90. 5 Fuse panel