2001 SAAB 9-3 tow

185 Starting and driving
Driving with the trunk lid
openAvoid driving with the trunk lid partly or fully
open, since exhaust fumes can be drawn
into the cabin.
If you must drive with the trunk lid open, all
windows and the sunroof (if fitted) must be
closed and the cabin fan on at its highest
speed setting.Driving in deep waterTowing the car
The car is fitted with towing eyes at both
front and rear. For access to the front towing
eye, located on the right-hand side of the
car, compress the grille (see illustration)
and pull it straight out.
If the car is equipped with a trailer hitch, this
can be used to tow another car.
Transporting the car NOTE
Do not drive in water deeper than 11”
(30 cm) and do not drive faster than at
idling speed. Water can otherwise be
sucked into the engine. The engine will be
damaged if water enters the intake sys-
tem. The car´s electrical systems may
also be affected.
WARNING
 The towing vehicle should always be
heavier than the vehicle being towed.
 Never allow passengers to ride in the
car being towed.
 Remember that the brake servo does
not operate when the engine is off.
Much greater pressure than normal
will therefore be required to operate
the brake pedal.
 Nor does the steering pump operate
when the engine is off. The steering
will therefore be much heavier than
usual.
 Always seek professional help if the
car needs to be towed. NOTEDo not confuse the front towing eye with
the oil pipe for the power steering.
NOTEIf a car with sports (lowered) chassis is
transported, for example on a flat bed
truck, take extra care not to damage the
spoiler and/or underbody.
IB1537
Front towing eye
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186 Starting and driving
Saab 9-3 ViggenThe front towing eye is stored in a storage
bag beside the spare wheel. Remove the
plastic cover with a screwdriver from the
car’s toolkit, and screw in the towing eye.
Towing a car with manual gearboxThe gear lever must be in neutral. Switch
hazard lights on.
Drive carefully and do not exceed the
speed limit for vehicles in tow.
Always try to keep the towrope taut by
gently applying the brake as necessary.
This will avoid the towrope being jerked vio-
lently.
NOTEThe design of the underside of the rear
bumper means that the rear towing eye
must not be used. This is to prevent dam-
aging the bumper.
NOTEIf the car is to be towed with the front
wheels off the ground, make sure the
parking brake is off, as this acts on the
rear wheels.
IB885
Rear towing eye
IB1331
Front towing eye, Saab 9-3 Viggen
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187 Starting and driving
Towing a car with automatic
transmission The following rules must be observed if a
car with automatic transmission is to be
towed.
The gear selector must be in the N position.
Switch hazard lights on.
Drive carefully and do not exceed the
speed limit for vehicles in tow.
Always try to keep the towrope taut by
gently applying the brake as necessary.
This will avoid the towrope being jerked vio-
lently.1 Selector lever in position N.
2 Raise the oil level in the gearbox above
normal by 2 extra quarts. Use oil of type
Texaco Texamatic Dexron III.
3 The local regulations on towing speeds
must be followed.
The highest permissible towing speed is
30 mph (50 km/h), unless the legal limit
is lower. The longest permissible towing
distance is 25-30 miles (40-50 km). If the
car has to be transported farther than
that, summon a tow truck. A flat bed tow
truck is the preferred method to tow.
4 When the car is being returned to ser-
vice, check the gearbox oil, and reduce
it to the prescribed amount if necessary.
The engine cannot be started by towing or
pushing the car. In emergency, the engine
can be started as described in the section
”Jump starting”.
Jump startingIf your battery has run down, you may want
to use another vehicle and some jumper
cables to start your Saab. Follow the steps
below to do it safely.
NOTEThe car must be towed front first.
If the car is to be towed with the front
wheels off the ground, make sure the
parking brake is off, as this acts on the
rear wheels.
WARNING
Batteries can cause injury. They can be
dangerous because:
 They contain acid that can burn you.
 They contain gas that can explode or
ignite.
 They contain enough electricity to
injure you.
If you do not follow these steps exactly,
some or all of these things can hurt you.
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197 Car care

Transmission fluidManual transmissionCheck and top up the fluid in accordance
with the service program.
If original fluid cannot be obtained for top-
ping up, Dexron III (synthetic fluid) auto-
matic transmission fluid can be used. If so,
the car should be taken to an authorized
Saab dealer as soon as possible to have the
reason for low fluid level corrected and orig-
inal fluid installed.Automatic transmissionCheck the fluid level as follows:
1 Park the car on level ground and apply
the parking brake. The automatic trans-
mission fluid must be at normal running
temperature, approximately 175°F
NOTEChange of engine oil and oil filter may be
required more frequently (5000-mile
intervals (8,000 km)) if any one of the fol-
lowing conditions apply to the car:
 Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8
to 16 km). This is particularly important
when outside temperatures are below
freezing.
 Most trips include extensive idling
(such as frequent stop-and-go driving).
 Most trips are through dusty areas.
 You frequenty tow a trailer or use a car-
rier on top of your vehicle.
 If the vehicle is used for delivery ser-
vice, police, taxi or other commerical
applications.
WARNING
 Prolonged and repeated exposure of
the skin to engine oil can cause seri-
ous skin disorders.
 Avoid prolonged skin contact when-
ever possible. Wash the affected area
thoroughly with soap and water after
any contact.
 Keep oil out of reach of children.
 Do not touch the turbocharger or
manifold. These get very hot when the
engine has been running.
 Do not spill oil on hot parts of the
engine as this could cause a fire. Used
engine oil is particularly flammable.
 Protect the environment. Do not dis-
pose of oil in the ground or down a
drain. Dispose of all used oil and oil fil-
ters at an appropriate disposal facility.
+80°
MIN MAX
+80°
IB495
Oil dipstick, automatic transmission
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207 Car care
Front turn signal bulb To change the bulb, the complete lamp unit has to be removed.
1 Loosen the screw (1). There is no need to remove it completely.
2 Carefully remove the complete lamp unit.
3 Grasp the two plastic tabs and turn the bulb holder counterclock-
wise.
4 Pull the bulb holder out of the lamp unit and change the bulb.
5 Check that the new bulb is firmly in place and has good contact.
6 When mounting the lamp unit, see that the two guide lugs on the
rear edge of the unit come inside the edge of the body panel.
7 Insert the lamp unit in towards the headlight and see that the
front bracket comes under the screw. Tighten the screw (1).
Side-mounted turn signal1 Slide the lens forward so that its rear part can be pulled out.
2 Change the bulb.
3 When refitting, make sure that the groove in the spring engages
the edge of the body panel and that the rubber gasket is correctly
positioned.
IB904
1 Retaining screw
2 Turn signal bulb
IB906
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221 Car care
When changing a wheel, take the tool kit out
first, then the spare wheel.
Changing a wheel
If light-alloy wheels have been fitted to the
car for several years and a change is made
to steel wheels, the threads for the wheel
bolts in the brake discs should be cleaned
before the thinner steel wheels are fitted.
The innermost threads in the holes may be
clogged with sand, salt and rust so that the
correct tightening torque cannot be
achieved.
NOTETo avoid damaging a punctured alloy
wheel this can be placed outside up in the
spare-wheel well but only while driving to
the closest workshop.
A general rule is that all heavy loads must
be well secured in the luggage compart-
ment, see page 148.
WARNING
 The car jack is designed solely for use
in changing a wheel or fitting snow
chains. It must not be used to support
the car during repair work or servicing.
 Never crawl under a car that is
supported only by a jack.
 Special care must be taken if the car is
on a slope – use wheel chocks!
 Position chocks, one ahead and one
behind, the wheel that is diagonally
opposite to the one to be changed.
 Switch on the hazard warning lights if
the car is on a road.
 Apply the parking brake and leave the
car in gear (1st or reverse). Automatic
transmission: move selector to the
P position.
 Ensure that everybody is out of the car
before jacking it up.
 Never start the engine while the car is
jacked up.
 The jack must stand on a firm, level
surface.
 Stow the jack in the place provided for
it under the panel in the floor of the
trunk. Secure it properly to avoid injury
to passengers in the event of an acci-
dent.
 Do not use the jack for any purpose
other than for jacking up the car.
IB1261IB1262
Spare wheel (under the carpet in the
trunk), Saab 9-3 Viggen
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225 Car care
Upholstery and trimTo remove fluff or hairs from the seat uphol-
stery or headlining, use a moist, lint-free
cloth or a special lint remover (brush or
roller). Remove any dirty marks using a
cloth moistened with lukewarm soapy
water.
When using a stain remover, always work
from the outside towards the center to avoid
leaving a ring. If a soiled ring or spot should
remain, it can usually be removed using
lukewarm soapy water or water alone.
Wet patches left by spilled soft drinks or thin
oil must be wiped off immediately using an
absorbent material, such as paper toweling,
and treated with stain remover.
Isopropyl alcohol is recommended for
removing grease or oil stains, and a
semi-stiff brush may also be used.
Cleaning and caring for leather
upholsteryThe principal reason for treating leather
upholstery is to maintain its elegant appear-
ance and to provide it with a protective film.
Discoloration caused by dust and wear
mainly affects the lighter shades, although
this is not detrimental to the leather –
indeed, the patina resulting from use is often
considered desirable in leather. But if the
leather is allowed to become too grubby, it
can start to look shabby.
It is a good idea to clean and recondition the
leather twice a year – in conjunction with a
general spring-cleaning of the car – after the
winter and in the autumn, for instance. In
hot, dry climates, the leather will need to be
treated more frequently.
Moisten a soft cloth in a mild soap solution.
Carefully apply this damp (not wet) cloth to
the leather, working in light, circular move-
ments until the leather is clean. Repeat the
procedure using clean water and then leave
the leather to dry thoroughly. Finally, treat
the leather with a conditioner.Apply the leather conditioner using a soft
cloth and the same circular movements as
described above. After it has dried, polish
the leather with a soft, dry cloth. Follow the
directions given above. Do not use hot
water, unknown abrasive polishes, sol-
vents, sprays or soaps that might scratch
the leather. Look after the leather as
described and it will stay clean and attrac-
tive for many years.
Textile carpetingVacuum clean the carpeting regularly. Car-
pets can also be cleaned using a brush, or
carpet shampoo applied with a sponge. Do
not use vacuum cleaners outdoors unless
they are properly grounded.
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240 Maintenance and owner assistance* These are the minimum required Emission Control System maintenance steps. Saab urges that all recommended maintenance procedures be performed
according to this program.
(b.) Change automatic transmission fluid at more frequent intervals (30,000; 90,000 miles, etc.) if car is driven in dense city traffic where the outside tem-
perature regularly reaches 90°F or higher, if car is used in a mountainous/high altitude area or for trailer towing.
Service Intervals **
Miles = U.S. Cars
Kilometers = Canadian Cars
30 day
10,000
(16,000 km)
20,000
(32,000 km)
30,000
(48,000 km)
40,000
(64,000 km)
50,000
(80,000 km)
60,000
(96,000 km)
70,000
(112,000 km)
80,000
(128,000 km)
90,000
(144,000 km)
100,000
(160,000 km)
Service #
1234567891011
Engine and engine compartment (cont.)
E Evaporative emission system including filler cap, vapor
lines, EVAP canister and canister purge valve""
R Fuel system; leaks and damages""""""""""
E Fuel filter!
E Engine air cleaner element!
*
!*
!*
R Exhaust system and mountings; leaks and condition""""""""""
Electrical
R Battery; state of charge and electrolyte level; clean termi-
nals if necessary"""""""""""
R Headlamp and fog lamp alignment"""""
R Head, fog, brake, tail, turn signal, warning lights instru-
ment panel, backup and marker lamps"""""""""""
Transmission
R Automatic transmission change fluid (b.)!
R Automatic transmission; oil level and condition"""""" """"
R Manual transmission; oil level""
R Outer and inner driver joint boots""""""""""
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