
187 Car care and technical information
Car care and
technical
information
772
Hood release handle ....... 188
Engine compartment,
4-cyl. engine ................... 189
Engine compartment,
6-cyl. (3.0t V6)................. 190
Emission control systems 191
Engine............................... 192
Engine oil ......................... 193
Transmission fluid........... 195
Coolant ............................. 196
Brake and clutch fluid ..... 197
Power steering fluid ........ 198
Air filter ............................. 198 Battery .............................. 199
Drive belts ........................ 201
Wipers and washers ....... 202
Changing bulbs ............... 204
Fuses ................................ 216
Wheels .............................. 222
Compact spare wheel ..... 226
Flat spotting..................... 230
Air conditioning (ACC) ... 231
Safety belts ...................... 232
Upholstery and trim ........ 232
Textile carpeting.............. 232
Washing the car .............. 233 Waxing and polishing ...... 233
Engine compartment ....... 233
Touching up the paint ..... 234
Anti-corrosion treatment . 235
For long trips .................... 237
Recovery and/or recycling
of automotive materials. 237
Headlight aiming .............. 239
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197 Car care and technical information
Brake and clutch fluid Checking the fluid level The combined brake and clutch-fluid reser-
voir is transparent to facilitate checking of
the fluid level.
The level should be between the MAX and
MIN marks. Top up, as necessary, with
DOT 4 fluid. Do
not
use DOT 5 brake fluid.
Use only new brake fluid from a sealed con-
tainer.
Check that there are no leaks in the brake
system.
The brake fluid level will fall somewhat as
the brake pads wear. The MAX level in the
reservoir corresponds to the amount of
brake fluid required with new brake pads. If
the fall in fluid level is moderate, due to
normal brake pad wear, topping up is not
necessary.
Changing of the brake fluid should be
carried out by an authorized Saab dealer.The vehicle´s regular braking system is
adjusted automatically, but the parking
brake has to be adjusted manually. This
work, involving adjustment of the parking
brake cables and brake pads, must only be
carried out by an authorized Saab dealer.
It is not possible to detect, through abnormal
pedal or parking brake-lever travel, whether
brake pads are worn and need replacing. It
is therefore essential that brake pads be
checked regularly, as specified in the ser-
vice program.
Brake pad wear indicators The outboard brake pads on the front
wheels incorporate pad-wear indicators.
When the lining is down to 0.11 in (3 mm),
the pad will produce a screeching, squeal-
ing or scraping noise when the brakes are
applied. New pads should be fitted without
delay.
Brake pads should only be changed by
an authorized Saab dealer. To ensure
optimum brake performance, use only
Saab original brake pads.
WARNING
Brake fluid deteriorates as it becomes
old. Because it is hygroscopic, it absorbs
water from the air and, in time, could allow
vapor to form in the brake system, thus
reducing its performance. It is therefore
important that brake fluid be changed reg-
ularly, as specified in the service pro-
gram.
NOTEAvoid spilling brake fluid onto paintwork,
since it can cause the paint to bubble and
lift. If any brake fluid is spilled, the area
should be flushed with large quantities of
water as quickly as possible.
IB1188
Brake and clutch-fluid reservoir
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223 Car care and technical information
Rotating tiresBecause the car has front-wheel drive, the
front tires tend to wear faster than the rear
ones. New tires should always be fitted in
pairs, so that tires on the same axle have the
same amount of tread.
The wheels should be marked, L (left) and
R (right), when changing between summer
and winter (snow) tires. This ensures that
the direction of rotation of the wheels is the
same when they are refitted. Fit the tires in
best condition to the rear wheels.
Store wheels lying flat or hanging – never
standing upright.
Tire markingsAn example of the meaning of the different
markings in a tire size is given below for a
tire size of:
205/65 R15 94 V
Winter tiresWinter (snow) tires are recommended for
winter climates where the majority of your
driving will be done on snow and ice. Winter
tires should be fitted to all four wheels to
maintain a proper balance. Your Saab
dealer can advise you as to the correct size
tire for your car (if different from the original
size) and also supply Saab approved winter
tires.Tire quality grading (cars sold in
U.S.)New tires must be graded and labeled in
accordance with new Federal regulations.
Standard tests are conducted to measure
performance in the areas of traction and
temperature resistance. Refer to the tire
sidewall for the specific quality grades of the
tires provided on your new Saab. Compact
spare tires are exempt.
DOT QUALITY GRADES
Treadwear
Traction AA, A, B, C
Temperature A, B, C
All passenger car tires must conform to Fed-
eral safety requirements in addition to these
grades.
WARNING
When fitting just one new pair of tires,
these should be fitted to the rear wheels,
as these are more critical to the direc-
tional stability of the car (e.g. on braking
or in a skid). The existing rear wheels
should therefore be moved to the front.
Always move left rear to left front and right
rear to right front, so that the direction of
rotation remains the same.
205 Tire section width, mm
65 Aspect ratio, i.e. the section height
is 65% of the section width
R Radial ply
15 Wheel rim diameter 15 in at bead
seats
94 Tire load code
V Speed marking
Speed ratings S Tire approved for speeds up to
100 mph (180 km/h)
T Tire approved for speeds up to
118 mph (190 km/h)
H Tire approved for speeds up to
130 mph (210 km/h)
V Tire approved for speeds up to
150 mph (240 km/h)
W Tire approved for speeds up to
167 mph (270 km/h)
Y Tire approved for speeds up to
186 mph (300 km/h)
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226 Car care and technical informationCompact spare wheelThe compact spare is light and easy to
handle when changing the tire. Its use is
only permitted when a standard tire has sus-
tained a puncture. The maximum life of the
tire is only 2000 miles (3,500 km).
Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h) with the
compact spare fitted.
The compact spare should be inflated to
60 psi (420 kPa). Carry the punctured tire in
the spare-wheel well under the luggage-
compartment floor.
Have the standard tire repaired and refitted
as soon as possible (see also page 179).The spare wheel, together with the jack ,
front towrope attachment eye and toolkit, is
stowed away underneath a panel in the lug-
gage-compartment floor. The jack handle is
kept in a cover beside the spare wheel.
If you need to change a wheel, remove the
tool kit first and then the spare wheel.
The panel over the spare wheel can be held
open by hooking the handle onto the rubber
seal.
NOTETo avoid damaging a punctured alloy
wheel it 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 134 and 137.
IB534
Panel hooked back, 9-5 Sedan
IB1232
Hanging up the cover and spare wheel
compartments mats, 9-5 Wagon
IB1186
Spare wheel (under panel in luggage
compartment)
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228 Car care and technical informationTo jack up the car, apply the jack to one of
the special jacking points under the sills.Pos i ti o n for j ack
IB1838
IB1553
Positioning the jack
IB1554
Jack location, between spare wheel and
sill
IB1704
The collapsible jack handle is stowed in a cloth bag by the spare wheel. With the help of
your foot, extend the handle as illustrated
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237 Car care and technical information
4Inspect the undercoating and touch
up if necessary.
Pay particular atten-
tion to the fenders and wheel housings,
which are exposed to abrasion by flying
gravel, etc. If the composition has worn
or flaked off, the steel must be thor-
oughly cleaned and dried before a fresh
coat is applied. The cleaning is best
done with a scraper and a steel wire
brush, followed by washing with solvent.
Apply the new coating thinly, as other-
wise it may run off or fall off when dry.
For long tripsBefore setting off on a long journey, it is
advisable to have your car checked over by
your Saab dealer.
Obtain a few important items to take along
on your journey such as spare bulbs, wiper
blades, fuses, a Poly-V-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 gasoline leaks out of
the engine or gearbox/transmission.
Check the coolant and power steering
fluid levels. Check also for leaks.
Inspect the Poly-V-belt and replace it if it
shows any signs of hard wear.
Check the battery charge.
Check the tires for tread pattern and air
pressure, including the compact spare
wheel.
Check the brakes.
Check all bulbs.
Check for the presence of the tool kit and
the jack in the car.
Recovery and/or
recycling of automotive
materialsA typical car consists of metals (65–75%),
plastics (10–14%), rubber (5%) and small
quantities of glass, wood, paper and tex-
tiles.
Some of these materials can be recycled,
while others can be recovered in chemical
processes for reuse in new products or as a
source of energy.
While the Saab 9-5 was still at the draw-
ing-board stage, Saab engineers were
giving serious consideration to how the
maximum quantity of materials could be
reclaimed from the car on its eventual
scrapping. To facilitate sorting, plastic parts,
for instance, have been marked to identify
the precise nature of the plastic.
Approximately 90% of the materials in the
car can be recycled or recovered, where
facilities exist.
Before the car is scrapped, all the oils and
other fluids that could pollute the environ-
ment should be recovered from the car. It
may be of interest in this context to learn that
the refrigerant used in the Saab 9-5’s ACC
systems (R134a) contains neither CFCs nor
any other chlorine compounds.
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248 SpecificationsGeneral Overall length, including bumpers:
9-5 Sedan _______________________ 190.0 in (4827 mm)
9-5 Wagon ______________________ 190.1 in (4828 mm)
Overall width, including door mirrors ____ 80.4 in (2042 mm)
Maximum height:
9-5 Sedan _______________________ 58.1 in (1475 mm)
9-5 Wagon ______________________ 59.1 in (1501 mm)
Wheelbase _______________________ 106.4 in (2703 mm)
Ground clearance __________________ approx. 6.6 in
(167 mm)
Tr a c k :
Front __________________________ 59.9 in (1522 mm) *)
Rear ___________________________ 59.9 in (1522 mm) *)
Turning circle (curb to curb) ___________ 37,1 ft (11.3 m)
Turning circle (measured at vehicle extrem-
ities) ___________________________ 39,0 ft (11.9 m)
Number of seats (incl. driver) _________ 5
*) Specified track applies to wheel sizes:
6 x 15 & 6.5 x 16
Gross vehicle weight
(GVW)
Maximum train
weight
(GVW + max. trailer
weight)
Maximum axle load,
front
Maximum axle load,
rear Permissible load (in addition to driver) = GVW minus curb weight
The maximum permissible axle load, front or rear, must not be exceeded.
The maximum permissible axle load, front or rear, must not be exceeded. Chassis number in engine bay Weight ready for driving (i.e. with full fuel
tank, washer-fluid reservoir, standard
tools and spare wheel) ______________ 3370–3790 lbs.
(1530–1720 kg)
Gross vehicle weight (GVW) ___________ 4370–4720 lbs.
(1980–2140 kg)
Maximum axle load:
Front ___________________________ 2590 lbs. (1175 kg)
Rear, 9-5 Sedan ___________________ 2310 lbs. (1050 kg)
Rear, 9-5 Wagon __________________ 2480 lbs. (1125 kg)
Weight distribution:
Curb weight, front/rear ______________ 60/40%
GVW, front/rear ___________________ 50/50%
Maximum roof load __________________ 220 lbs (100 kg)
IB1917
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256 SpecificationsWheels and tiresWheel size _______________________ 6.5 x 16 or 7 x 17
2.3 Turbo Aero _____________________ Use only 6.5 x 16 or
7 x 17 only
Contact an authorized Saab dealer if you
wish to fit other wheels than those fitted
as standard.
Tire size (summer tires):
6.5 x 16 wheels __________________ 215/55 R16
7 x 17 wheels ____________________ 225/45 R17
Tire size (winter tires):
6 x 15 wheels (Linear only: not 2.3 Turbo
Aero or 3.0 V6) ___________________ 195/65 R15 M+S
6.5 x 16 wheels___________________ 205/55 R16 M+S
Recommended wheels for snow chains 6 x 15 (not 9-5 2.3
Turbo Aero) or
6.5 x 16
Compact spare:
Wheel __________________________ 4 x 16
Tire ____________________________ T115/70 R16
Pressure ________________________ 60 psi (420 kPa)
Maximum life ____________________ 2,200 miles
(3500 km)
Maximum speed _________________ 50 mph (80 km/h)
NOTESnow chains:
Snow chains must not be fitted to the rear wheels, and may only
be used with the following wheel-tire combinations:
Wheels Tires
6.5 x 15_____195/65 R15 M+S
(Linear only: not 2.3 Turbo Aero or 3.0L V6)
205/65 R15
(Linear only: not 2.3 Turbo Aero or 3.0L V6)
6.5 x 16_____205/55 R16 M+S or
215/55 R16
Snow chains must not be fitted to 17" wheels.
Max. permissible speed with snow chains fitted is 30 mph
(50 km/h).
Contact an authorized Saab dealer for advice on snow chains.NOTEWheels larger than 17” must not be fitted.
The wheel offset must not exceed 49 mm.
Vehicles with 12.05 in (306 mm) front brake discs must not use
15” rims.
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