2001 SAAB 9-3 wheel

130 Interior equipment, trunkSeatsThe following seat adjustments can be
made to achieve a comfortable driving
position:
• Height (driver´s seat)
Legroom
 Backrest rake angle
 Lumbar support
 Head-restraint height
We recommend that adjustments to the
driver’s seat be performed in the following
order:
1 Height
2 Legroom
3 Backrest rake angle
Lastly, adjust the steering wheel (see
page 137). Side airbags (SRS)See page 30.Head restraintSee page 18.
Height adjustment, driver’s seat Lift the lever to raise the seat. The lever is
spring-loaded to return to its neutral posi-
tion. Repeated lifting of the lever will
increase the height in steps.
Press down the lever to lower the seat.
Repeated downward presses of the lever
will lower the seat in steps.
Legroom adjustment Lift the lever under the front of the seat and
slide the seat to the desired position.
WARNING
Never adjust the driver’s seat except
when the car is stationary.
WARNING
Check that the seat is locked in the new
position - if not, it may move while the car
is being driven. If the fore-and-aft setting
of the seat has not been locked, it could
result in injury to the occupant in the event
of an accident.
IB803
IB801
ProCarManuals.com

137 Interior equipment, trunk
Child safety: rear windows
(ON/OFF) The window switches on the rear doors can
be rendered inoperative by the ON/OFF
switch in the panel on the center console.
When the switch is ON, the rear side win-
dows can be operated by the switch on each
rear door.
When the switch is OFF, the rear side win-
dows can only be operated from the panel
on the center console.
Steering-wheel
adjustmentThe steering wheel can be positioned
fore-and-aft by pulling the lever to the left.
Set the steering wheel to the desired posi-
tion and return the lever to the locked status.
Horn signalThe horn is operated by pressing at the
outer edges of the airbag module in the
center of the steering wheel.
WARNING
For safety reasons, you should adjust the
steering wheel only while the car is sta-
tionary.
IB811
IB1536
Lever for steering-wheel adjustment
ProCarManuals.com

149 Interior equipment, trunk
Tools and spare wheelThe tool kit and compact spare wheel are
kept beneath the carpeting in the trunk.
The jack handle is stored in a bag under the
spare wheel.
The screwdriver handle has a "button" for
removing a certain type of plastic rivet.
WARNING
After use, return tools and the spare
wheel to their designated locations to
reduce the risk of personal injury in the
event of an accident.
WARNING
Saab 9-3 Viggen Coupé and 5-door:
Avoid placing your hands on the upper
part of the rear fender when the tailgate is
to be closed because of the risk of getting
finger caught between the spoiler and the
fender.
IB858
IB1259
Rear spoiler, Saab 9-3 Viggen Coupé and
5-door
ProCarManuals.com

151 Starting and driving
IB943
Starting and driving
Ignition switch ................. 152
Starting the engine .......... 153
Important considerations
for driving....................... 154
Refueling .......................... 157
Engine Break-in Period... 161
Manual transmission ...... 161
Automatic transmission . 162
Cruise Control ................. 169
Braking ............................. 170
Parking ............................. 174
Economical motoring ..... 176 Driving in cold weather ... 177
Driving in hot weather ..... 179
Towing a trailer ................ 179
Driving with a roof rack
load .................................. 182
Driving with the trunk lid
open ................................ 185
Driving in deep water....... 185
Towing the car.................. 185
Jump starting ................... 187
Driving considerations
with compact spare
wheel/tire fitted............... 190
For long trips .................... 190
ProCarManuals.com

155 Starting and driving
2 Stopping the engine
 Do not rev the engine immediately
before switching it off - stop the engine
when it is idling.
3 Regulating the charging pressure
 The system is optimized for fuel with an
octane rating of AON 90. For cars with
205 hp engines and the Viggen, the
system is optimized for AON 93. One of
the advantages of the system is that it
enables the engine to be run safely on
lower-grade fuel, although not lower
than AON 87. However, engine perfor-
mance will fall off slightly, and heavy
loading should be avoided. For best
performance you should use the rec-
ommended grade of fuel, AON 90
(205 hp engine and Viggen AON 93).
 The maximum boost pressure is
adjusted automatically to the knocking
or pinging tendency of the engine.
Occasional, short-lived knocking when
the engine is under a heavy load is per-
fectly normal; the extent will depend on
the grade of fuel in the tank.
 Isolated instances of knocking are
more likely to occur with low-octane
fuel. This controlled form of knocking,
followed by a reduction in the boost
pressure, is a sign that the wastegate is
functioning and is perfectly safe for the
engine.Saab 9-3 Viggen: The Saab 9-3 Viggen has
a high-performance engine which means
that a certain amount of care should be
exercised, in particular when accelerating in
the lower gears. This is especially important
when the road surface is slippery to avoid
the driving wheels losing their grip.
Limp-homeThe car’s engine management system has
a diagnostics function that, once the engine
has been switched off, checks a number of
internal functions. If a throttle valve fault is
detected, the engine management system
will initiate limp-home mode for the valve.
This means, for example, that idling speed
regulation will be impaired, the cruise con-
trol system will be inoperative, and the
capacity of the A/C compressor will be lim-
ited.
When starting the car in limp-home mode at
temperatures below 32°F (0°C), depress
the accelerator slightly.
If the diagnosis function detects any faults in
the engine management system, the
“Engine malfunction (CHECK ENGINE)
“ indicator in the main instrument panel
will light up (see page 63). The car should
be checked as soon as possible at an
authorized Saab dealer.
NOTEIf constant knocking occurs every time a
load is put on the engine, this indicates a
malfunction in the system.
Have the car checked without delay by an
authorized Saab dealer. NOTEIf the engine is being run with the car on a
rolling road or dynamometer, longer than
for a standard state emission inspection,
to ensure adequate cooling, air must be
blown into the engine compartment and
under the car at a rate equivalent to the
ram-air effect that would be obtained at
the corresponding road speed.
ProCarManuals.com

167 Starting and driving
If the gear selector lever is moved from position D to 1, a
change-down to 3rd gear will occur at about 110 mph (180 km/h).
A change-down to 2nd gear will occur at about 75 mph (120 km/h)
and to 1st gear at about 40 mph (65 km/h).
When position 1 is selected, all the other gears will be locked out.
Manual gear-changing is not recommended on slippery roads.
If one of the drive wheels spins excessively, the engine torque will
be reduced to avoid damaging the transmission
Adaptive gear-change patternsAdaptive gear-change patterns are selected automatically depend-
ing on the engine load. This function applies in the Normal and Sport
modes.
The change occurs at a higher rotation speed and the gear remains
engaged for a longer period, if the control module senses that the
load does not drop. These change patterns avoid unnecessary gear
changes when, for example, driving on long inclines with a trailer,
and to prevent overheating of the transmission oil. This function cuts
in automatically if the oil becomes too hot, to protect the transmis-
sion from damage, and lowers the oil temperature.
The adaptive change pattern function is not activated at speeds over
93 mph (150 km/h). If a pattern is in operation when this speed is
exceeded, it will be maintained until the control module senses that
a more suitable one can be activated.
The adaptive gear-change pattern function is deselected when:
 Winter mode is selected.
 The engine is switched off.
 The load is reduced by so much that this function is no longer
required.
 “Automatic transmission fault indicator” appears on the
main instrument panel, see page 165.
ProCarManuals.com

168 Starting and drivingThe SPORT and WINTER modes
To s e l e c t Sport mode, press the ”S” button on the
selector lever when the selector lever is in position
N, D, 3, 2 or 1.
In this mode, gear changes will take place at
higher engine speeds than in Normal mode, in
other words, the transmission will shift up later
and shift down earlier for the same throttle (accel-
erator) position.
The Sport mode will be deselected if:
 The S button is pressed.
 The selector lever is moved to position P or R.
 The engine is switched off.
 The Winter mode is selected.
 “Automatic transmission fault indicator”
appears on main instrument panel, see page
165.
To select Winter mode, press the “W“ button. The
Winter mode facilitates starting off and driving on
icy roads. Third gear is selected automatically for
starting off to reduce wheelspin.
Winter mode can be selected when the engine is
running by pressing the ”W” button on the selec-
tor-lever surround. It cannot be selected when the
selector lever is in position 2 or 1.
Note: It is still possible to use kick-down in the
Winter mode, in which case a change-down to
2nd or 1st will take place.
The Winter mode will be deselected if:
 The W button is pressed.
 The engine is switched off.
 The selector lever is moved to position 2 or 1.
 Kick-down is activated.
 The automatic-transmission fluid overheats.
 “Automatic transmission fault indicator”
appears on main instrument panel, see page
165.
ProCarManuals.com

170 Starting and drivingDisengaging the system The system will be disengaged:
 When the brake or clutch pedal is
depressed.
 When the switch is moved to CANCEL.
 When the switch is moved to OFF.
 When the engine is switched off.
 When the selector lever is moved to posi-
tion N (cars with automatic transmission).
BrakingTo avoid overheating the brakes, (e.g. when
negotiating long descents with a drop of
several hundred feet), select a low gear to
use the braking effect of the engine. If the
car has automatic transmission, move the
selector lever to position 1 or 2.
When driving fast, you can help to prolong
the life of the brakes by thinking ahead and
braking harder for short periods, rather than
braking more moderately over long
stretches. Brake pad wear indicatorsThe outboard brake pads on the front
wheels incorporate pad-wear indicators.
When the lining is down to 3 mm, the pad
will produce a screeching, squealing or
scraping noise when the brakes are applied.
New pads should be installed without delay.
Brake pads should only be replaced by
an authorized Saab dealer.
To ensure optimum brake performance,
it is recommended that you use only
Saab original brake pads.

WARNING
 It is prudent to try your brakes from
time to time, especially when driving in
heavy rain, through water collected on
the road, in snow, on a wet road sur-
face or in salty slush. In such condi-
tions, the brakes may take longer than
normal to take effect. To rectify this,
touch the brake pedal periodically to
dry the brakes out.
 The same applies after the car has
been washed or when the weather is
very humid.
 Avoid parking the car with wet brakes.
Before parking, and if the traffic condi-
tions allow, brake quite heavily so that
the brake discs and pads warm up and
dry.
 The brakes are power assisted and it
should be kept in mind that the servo
unit only provides the power assis-
tance when the engine is running.
 The brake pressure required when the
engine is off,( e.g. when the car is
being towed) is roughly four times the
normal pedal force required. The
pedal also feels hard and unrespon-
sive.
ProCarManuals.com