182 Starting and drivingRear towing eyeThe car has a permanently mounted towing
eye at the back. If the car is equipped with a
trailer hitch, this can be used instead of the
towing eye. Considerations when towing the car
with manual transmission Gear lever in neutral and parking lights on.
Drive carefully and do not exceed the
speed limit for vehicles being towed.
Always try to keep the towrope taut by
gently applying the brake, as necessary.
This will avoid the towrope being jerked
violently.
Considerations when towing the car
with automatic transmission Selector lever at N (neutral) and parking
lights on.
Drive carefully and do not exceed the
speed limit for vehicles being towed.
Always try to keep the towrope taut by
gently applying the brake, as necessary.
This will avoid the towrope being jerked
violently. 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.
Failure to follow these guidelines can result
in damage.
Cars with automatic transmission cannot be
bump started. In an emergency, it is possi-
ble to start the engine using jump leads (see
the section, ”Jump starting” on page 183). NOTE The 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.
IB483
Rear towing eye
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243 Maintenance and owner assistance
Service record retentionService instruction coupons and record
stubs are provided in the Saab Warranties
and Service Record Booklet which accom-
panies this Owner’s Manual. The coupons
are arranged in the order that normal ser-
vice should be performed. The edge of each
coupon is shaded to correspond to the type
of service point:
Striped - "Check Up"
Blue - Oil change/inspection service
Black - Major service
Note that in Canada a combined service
and warranty book is used, but not service
coupons.
When scheduled services are performed,
your dealer will tear out the applicable
coupon and use it to check off the opera-
tions performed and enter it into the service
file at the dealership. The servicing dealer’s
stamp, along with the date and mileage at
which the service was done, should be
entered on the corresponding stub which
remains in your booklet. The booklet is your
permanent record of the services per-
formed. It also includes a log sheet for
unscheduled repairs.
It is advisable to retain receipts and, if pos-
sible, copies of shop work orders for all ser-
vice and repair work, wherever performed.
Service costsDealer pricing practices and labor for ser-
vice work vary. Saab’s recommended ser-
vice times for each service point do not
include the labor required to replace wear
items, such as wiper blades, brake pads or
tires. Nor is labor to perform other service or
repairs found to be necessary as a result of
the inspections included in these times.
Additional labor and parts will be charged
for such work when necessary, except as
covered under an applicable Saab warranty
or any optional extended service contract.
Transmission fluid changes or suspension
alignment, when necessary, are also addi-
tional.
Dealer charges for general shop material,
regulated hazardous waste removal, recy-
cling expenses or other operation costs may
also be applied to service and repair
invoices and are apt to vary by dealer and
locality.
Owner assistanceWarranties and service problem
assistanceFor complete information about all applica-
ble warranties, including the New Car War-
ranty, Perforation Warranty, Vehicle Emis-
sion Warranty and Emission Perforation
Warranty, consult the Warranties and Ser-
vice Record Booklet which accompanies
this Owner’s Manual. It also contains owner
assistance information including Saab
Roadside Assistance. If the booklet is lost or
misplaced, a new one may be ordered
through a Saab dealer or by contacting
Saab.
In the U.S. there is a national Customer
Assistance Center at Saab Cars USA, Inc.
The toll-free number to call from all 50 states
is 1-800-955-9007.
In Canada, please call the Saab Customer
Assistance Centre at 1-800-263-1999.
A list of authorized Saab sales and service
dealers is available for those planning to
travel in the United States and Canada.
Canadian or U.S. travelers may call the
Customer Assistance Center in the country
in which they are traveling.
ProCarManuals.com
245 Maintenance and owner assistance
Saab Original Service Program M2001 USA, Canada, 9-5 Models)* These are the minimum required Emission Control System maintenance steps. Saab urges that all recommended maintenance procedures be performed
according to this program.
(a.) Engine oil and filter should be changed at least once a year. Intermediate oil and filter changes (halfway between indicated intervals) suggested for
cars primarily used for driving in dense city traffic or for repeated short trip operation without sufficient warm up.
*** Camshaft drive belt replacements (V6) prior to 100,000 miles will be performed at no charge by an authorized U.S. or Canadian Saab dealer.
** Service intervals:
Refer to the Warranties & Service Record Book for service intervals beyond 100,000 miles (160,000 km).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
E Engine oil and filter (a.)!!!!!!!!!!!
R Engine coolant freezing point and level""" "" "" "
R Engine coolant flush and replace (max. 3-year intervals)!!!
R Engine coolant system, hoses and cap" """""""""
R Drive belt, condition""""" ! """"
R Camshaft drive belt (V6) ***!
E Spark plugs!
*
!*
!*
Application/type of service (col. 1) Service Procedure
E = emission service"= Check - top up, adjust or replace if necessary
R = regular maintenance!= Replace
#= Lubricate
ProCarManuals.com
253 Specifications
Engine oilOil specification
:
We recommend the use of oils that are available from your Saab
dealer, for the regular oil changes.
These oils fulfill the most stringent requirements set by API and
ACEA classifications.
Oil for gasoline engines is classified by the API standards
(American Petroleum Institute) into the grade classes SH (since
1993) and SJ (since 1996). The SJ class fulfils more stringent
requirements and has a lower phosphorous level.
These grade classes are most often combined with the corre-
sponding classes for diesel engines. The class designations for
diesel engines begin with the letter ”C” (Commercial). For exam-
ple a grade combination suitable for both types of engine could
be API SH/CD or SJ/CF.
Under ACEA nomenclature, oils are divided into Class A for gas-
oline engines and Class B for diesel-engined passenger cars.
There is a further class for heavy diesel engines. Each class is
divided into three grades: 1, 2 and 3, where grades 2 and 3 nor-
mally encompass semi and fully-synthetic oils. The diesel class
B also has a fourth grade, B4, which encompasses tests and
regulations aimed at improving the performance of direct injec-
tion engines.
In the same way as in the API system, gasoline and diesel
engine specifications are combined for products that can be
used in both types of engine. For example, a grade designation
could be ACEA A2/B2 or ACEA A3/B3/B4.
To afford Saab engines the best protection, with regard to lubri-
cation, the ability to dissolve residues and the neutralization of
combustion products, we recommend the following oil grades:
API SH/CD/CF or SJ/CD/CF.
ACEA A3/B3/B4.
These oils contain the additives required for the engine to
function well. We advise against the use of further addi-
tives.
Viscosity
:
The viscosity of oil is classified according to the SAE standard.
Nowadays, multigrade oils are always used in cars. The proper-
ties of these oils facilitate starting the car in cold weather but
mean that the oil is also viscous enough to coat all moving parts
under high pressures and with high outside air temperatures.
Multigrade oils are graded with two viscosities, e.g. 10W-30,
where the 10W meets certain viscosity requirements at -4°F
(-20°C), while the 30 fulfills requirements at a temperature of
212°F (100°C).
Basic recommendations for Saab engines:
SAE 5W-30 or 5W-40.
The oil should be semi or fully synthetic and fulfil the grade
requirements for ACEA A3/B3 or API SJ.
Oils which are less viscous, such as 0W/-40/50 are becoming
more common and may be used. However, the oil must be
fully-synthetic, of a well known brand, and fulfil ACEA grade
requirements A3/B3.
This viscosity makes starting in cold weather easier.
Oil capacity incl. filter (on changing):
4-cylinder ________________________ 4.1 qts (4.0 litres)
3.0t V6 __________________________ 4.6 qts (4.5 litres)
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255 Specifications
Drive belts Manual gearboxEngine variants Outside length
4-cylinder, poly-V-belt _______________ 102.84 in
(2612 mm)
3.0t V6, poly-V-belt _________________ 79.53 in
(2020 mm) Drive belt, 4-cylinder Drive belt, 3.0t V6
IB542
IB543
Type _____________________________ All-synchromesh
5-speed with final
drive and differen-
tial
Oil _______________________________ Saab synthetic
manual gearbox oil
Oil capacity ________________________ 1.9 qts (1.8 litres)
Oil volume (on changing) _____________ 1.6 qts (1.5 litres)
Clutch type ________________________ Hydraulic, single
dry-plate clutch of
diaphragm-spring
type
Speed (mph / km/h) at 1000 rpm in 5th gear:
4-cylinder ________________________ 27–28 / 43–44
ProCarManuals.com
256 SpecificationsAutomatic transmission Suspension
SteeringType ____________________________ Electronically con-
trolled 4-speed,
fully automatic with
hydraulic torque
converter, planetary
gear set and inte-
gral final drive
Lock-up function in
selector positions 3
and 4
Selector-lever positions ______________ P R N D 3 2 1
Transmission-fluid capacity, dry transmis-
sion (incl. torque converter and oil cooler) 7.5 qts (7 litres)
If fluid change required, approximately
3.5 litres can be drained through the drain
plug in the transmission casing
Transmission fluid __________________ Texaco Texamatic
Dexron III (mineral
oil based)
Clutch type _______________________ Hydraulic plate
clutches, brake
bands and one-way
couplings
Speed (mph / km/h) at 1000 rpm in 4th gear:
4- cylinder engines and 3.0t V6 ______ 29 / 46–47Spring type, front and rear ____________ Coil springs
Maximum deflection of springs:
Front ___________________________ 7.09 in (180 mm)
Rear ___________________________ 7.87 in (200 mm)
Dampers, front and rear ______________ Gas-filled dampers
Steering __________________________ Power-assisted
steering of
rack-and-pinion
type; telescopic
steering-column
shaft with universal
joints
Number of turns, lock to lock ___________ 2,9
Power-steering fluid _________________ Power-steering
fluid CHF 11S
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