2001 SAAB 9-3 power steering

5
Interior Power steering _________ 251
Steering-wheel adjustment 137
Airbag _________________ 28
Internal rearview mirror ________ 143
Door mirrors ________________ 143
Vanity mirror ________________ 140
Safety belts _____________ 12
Safety-belt care ________ 224
Airbag _________________ 28
Child seats _____________ 19
Child safety lock catch ____ 39Glove compartment _____ 141Manual transmission ____ 161
Automatic transmission __ 162
IB1353
Seat adjustment ________ 130
Safety belts _____________ 12
Seat heating ___________ 135
Rear seat _____________ 144
Folding down the rear seat 144
Child seats _____________ 19
Upholstery: cleaning _____ 225
Interior lighting switch _________ 139
Interior lighting: changing bulbs __ 210
Center console ______________ 136
Electric windows _____________ 136
Sunroof ____________________ 138
Convertible __________________ 48
Ignition switch _______________ 152
Starting the engine ___________ 153
Engine break-in period ________ 161
Parking ____________________ 174
Driving in hot/cold weather _____ 177
ProCarManuals.com

33 Safety
Frequently asked questions on func-
tion of the airbagDo you still need to wear a safety belt if air-
bags are fitted? Yes, always! The airbag merely supple-
ments the car’s normal safety system.
Moreover, the airbag will only be actuated in
a moderate to severe frontal, or near-frontal
collision, which means, of course, that it pro-
vides no protection in minor frontal colli-
sions, major rear-end or side-on collisions
or if the car rolls over.
The safety belts help reduce the chance of
the car occupants from being thrown around
and injured inside the car.
But they also ensure that, if a collision
occurs in which the airbags are inflated, the
airbag will make the optimum contact with
the occupant, i.e. square on from the front.
If the occupant meets the airbag in an offset
position, the protection afforded will be
reduced.
In addition, airbags provide no protection
against a secondary impact occurring in the
same incident. So there is no doubt about
the benefit of wearing safety belts at all
times.
Do not sit too close to the airbag: it needs
room to inflate.
The airbag inflates very quickly and power-
fully in order to protect an adult person in a
serious frontal collision.
How do I position the seat to leave room for
the airbag to inflate?Don’t have your seat too far forward.
Recline the seat back to increase the dis-
tance between you and the airbag. For short
drivers, special accessory pedal extensions
are available through your Saab dealer.
Airbags inflate extremely rapidly and with
great force - to be fast enough to protect an
adult in the seat. When do the airbags in the steering wheel
and passenger side of the dash board
inflate? The airbag will only be inflated under certain
predetermined conditions in a moderate to
severe frontal, or near-frontal collision,
depending on such factors as the force and
angle of the impact, the speed of the car on
impact, and the resistance to deformation of
the impacting object.
The airbag can only be activated once in the
same incident.
Do not attempt to drive the car after an
airbag has been inflated, even if it is possi-
ble.
What won’t trigger the airbag? The airbag will not be activated in all
front-end collisions. For instance, if the car
has hit something relatively soft and yielding
(e.g. a snow drift or a hedge) or a solid
object at a low impact speed, the airbag will
not necessarily be triggered. How loud is the inflation? The noise of the inflation is certainly loud,
but it is very short-lived and will not damage
your hearing. For a short time afterwards
you could experience a buzzing noise in
your ears.
Most people who have experienced it
cannot remember the noise of the inflation
at all - all they remember is the noise of the
crash. Can you still use a child seat in the front if a
passenger airbag is installed? Definitely not!
Children 12 and under can be injured or
killed by the airbag.
The BACK SEAT is the SAFEST place for
children.
NEVER put a child seat in the front.
ProCarManuals.com

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
ProCarManuals.com

190 Starting and drivingDriving considerations
with compact spare
wheel/tire fitted The following should be observed when the
compact spare wheel (T115/70 R16) is
installed:
The compact spare is light and easy to
handle when changing the wheel. Do not
drive farther than necessary with the com-
pact spare fitted – the maximum life of the
wheel is only just over 2000 miles
(3,500 km). Have the standard wheel
repaired and reinstalled as soon as possi-
ble.Points to bear in mind when driving with a
compact spare wheel:
 The car’s ground clearance is reduced
with the compact spare fitted.
 Only one compact spare wheel may be
used at any time.
 Take care not to hit the curb.
 Do not fit snow chains.
 Leave the wheel cover off, so that the
warning text is readily visible.
For long tripsBefore starting off on a long journey, it is
advisable to have your car inspected by
your Saab dealer.
Obtain a few important items to take along
on your journey such as spare bulbs, wiper
blades, fuses, a Poly-Vee-belt and the like.
You can check some points yourself before-
hand:
 Make sure that the engine is in good con-
dition.
 Check that no oil or fuel leaks out of the
engine or gearbox/transmission.
 Check the coolant and power steering
fluid levels. Check also for leaks.
 Inspect the Poly-Vee-belt and replace it if
it shows any signs of wear.
 Check the battery charge.
 Check the tires for tread pattern and air
pressure, including the compact spare
wheel.
 Take an extra car key/remote control and
keep it separate, see also page 36.
 Check the brakes.
 Check all bulbs.
 Check for the presence of the tool kit and
the jack in the car.
WARNING
Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h) as the
tire can overheat and adversely affect the
handling of the car.
The tire should be inflated to 60 psi
(420 kPa).
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 dealer.
A general rule is that all heavy loads must
be well secured in the luggage compart-
ment, see page 148.
ProCarManuals.com

191 Car care
IB944
Hood release handle ....... 192
Engine .............................. 194
Engine bay ....................... 193
Engine oil ......................... 196
Transmission fluid .......... 197
Coolant ............................. 198
Brake- clutch fluid and
brake pads ..................... 200
Power steering ................ 201
Battery .............................. 201
Drive belt .......................... 203
Wipers and washers ....... 204
Wiper blades .................... 204
Changing bulbs ............... 206
Fuses ................................ 212
Wheels.............................. 217
Safety belts ...................... 224 Upholstery and trim ......... 225
Textile carpeting .............. 225
Engine bay ........................ 226
Washing ............................ 226
Waxing and polishing ...... 227
Touching up the paint ..... 227
Anti-corrosion treatment . 228
Recovery and/or recy-
cling of automotive mate-
rials .................................. 230
Air conditioning (A/C
system) ........................... 232 Car care
ProCarManuals.com

193 Car care
1 Engine-oil dipstick
2 Brake-fluid reservoir
3 Power-steering fluid reservoir
4 Fuse box
5 Coolant reservoir
6 MAXI fuses
7 Washer-fluid reservoir
8Battery
9Drive belt
10 Air filter
Engine bay
IB1625
ProCarManuals.com

201 Car care
Power steeringCheck the level of the power-steering fluid
in the reservoir regularly, in accordance with
the service program.
The wheels should point forward during the
check.
Clean around the cap before it is
unscrewed.
Unscrew the cap and wipe the dipstick. To
check the fluid level, first screw the cap on
fully again and then remove. The level
should be between the MAX and MIN marks
on the dipstick when the oil temperature is
about 68°F (+20°C). If the oil is colder the oil
level can be lower, and in higher tempera-
tures the level can be higher, both of which
are acceptable.
Top up with power-steering fluid CHF 11S
(part number 8996860).
Battery
WARNING
Do not fill the power steering fluid to
above the MAX mark. Too much fluid can
result in leakage.
Power steering fluid on hot engine com-
ponents constitutes a fire risk.
WARNING
 Work on the battery may entail an
explosion hazard, since the battery
gives off hydrogen which forms an
explosive mixture with the oxygen in
the air.
For this reason, always avoid sparks
or open flames when working near the
battery.
 The battery contains corrosive sulphu-
ric acid. Always wear a face mask or
goggles when working on the battery.
 If battery acid gets into the eyes or
splashes the skin or clothing, wash the
affected area liberally with water.
If acid gets into the eyes or a large
quantity makes contact with the skin,
seek medical help.
IB896
Power steering fluid reservoir
ProCarManuals.com

241 Maintenance and owner assistance
(c.) Check wheel alignment if irregular or premature tire wear is apparent.
(d.) Check and clean rear pads and rear calipers in areas with heavy road salt use.
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
Chassis
R Ball joint clearance, outer and inner steering joints and
rubber boots""""""""""
R Shock absorbers and bushes; tightness and condition"""
R Tire pressure, tread depth and wear, including spare (c.)"""""""""""
R Rotate tires, front to rear""""""""""
R Brake pads and discs; wear and condition (d.)""""""""""
R Brake lines and hoses""""""""""
R Brake fluid level & renewal (max. 2-year intervals)"""" ! """ ! ""
R Check parking brake function"""""""""""
R Power steering fluid level"""""""""""
ProCarManuals.com