2003 SAAB 9-3 wheel

181 Car care
The foot brake and parking brake are self-
adjusting.
It is not possible to detect, through abnormal
pedal or parking brake lever travel, whether
the brake pads are worn and need replac-
ing. It is therefore essential that brake pads
be checked regularly, as specified in the
service program.
Brake pads should only be changed at a
Saab dealer. To ensure optimum brake
performance, use only Saab genuine
brake pads.
Power steeringCheck the level of the power steering fluid in
the reservoir regularly, in accordance with
the service program.
The wheels should point directly forwards
during this check.
Clean round the cap before unscrewing it.
Wipe the dipstick. To check the level, screw
down the cap completely and then remove
it again.
The oil level should lie between the MAX
and MIN marks when the oil temperature is
about 68°F (+20°C). If the oil is colder, the
level will be lower, and at a higher tempera-
tures the level will be higher, both of which
are acceptable.
Top up with "CHF 11S power steering fluid".
NOTICEAvoid 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.
WARNING
Power steering fluid on hot engine
components constitutes a fire risk.
Power steering fluid reservoir
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193 Car care
Side-mounted turn signal bulbs1 Slide the lamp fitting forward so that its
rear end can be pulled out.
2 Turn the bulb holder counterclockwise
and withdraw it from the lamp fitting.
Change the bulb.
3 To fit, engage the two catches on the
rear edge of the lamp fitting with the
edge of the opening. Then press in the
front edge of the lamp fitting so that the
groove in the spring engages the plastic
edge.
Front fog lights
1 Undo one screw in the wheel housing.
Lower the air shield.
2 Remove the protective cover. Release
the two spring clips securing the bulb.
3 Unplug the connector.
4 Change the bulb. Try not to touch the
glass part of the bulb with your fingers.
The height of the beam can be adjusted
using a screwdriver inserted through the
hole in the lower grille adjacent to the lens.
WARNING
Never crawl under a car that is
supported only by a jack.
 Always use axle stands. Refer to
the information on jacks on pages 214
and 215.
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201 Car care
Fuse panel in end of fasciaNo. Amp. Function
1 15 Steering wheel lock
2 5 Steering column unit; ignition switch
3 10 Hands-free; cabin CD changer; SID
4 10 Main instrument unit; manual climate control;
automatic climate control (ACC)
5 7.5 Control module in front doors; Park Brake Shift Lock
(automatic transmission)
6 7.5 Brake light switch
7 20 Fascia fuse panel; fuel filler door
8 30 Control module in passenger front door
9 10 Fascia fuse panel
10 30 Trailer socket; electrical socket in storage compart-
ment between seats
11 15 Data link connection (diagnostics)
12 15 Interior lighting incl. glove compartment
13 30 Accessories
14 20 Radio, sound system I; control panel,
Infotainment System
15 30 Control module in driver’s door
16 - -
17 - -
18 7.5 Manual climate control; fan
19 - -
20 7.5 Headlight levelling switch
21 7.5 Hands-free; brake light switch; manual climate
control; clutch pedal switch
22 30 Cigarette lighter
23 40 Cabin fan
24 7.5 Airbag control module
25 - -
26 5 Yaw sensor (cars with ESP)
27 - -
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206 Car careWheelsAlternative wheels and tiresIf you wish to fit other tires or wheels than
those supplied with the car, consult your
Saab dealer first as to the possibilities
available.
Wheels/tires combinations that are not
approved by Saab can negatively affect the
car’s directional stability, steering and brak-
ing in both wet and dry conditions.The wheels and tires have been carefully
matched to the characteristics of the car and
play a key role in its outstanding roadhold-
ing and handling.
Do not take it for granted that a wheel/tire
combination will work in the best possible
way, just because it can be fitted to the car.
To ensure that the speedometer is as accu-
rate as possible it should be reprogrammed
if wheels of a different dimension are fitted.
Contact a Saab dealer.
NOTICEAlways consult your Saab dealer before
changing the car’s wheels or tires on your
Saab.
Wide wheels and tires with side walls that
are too low can:
 be damaged in potholes, etc.
 cause springs, shock absorbers and
wheel bearings and body mountings
to be overloaded
 cause the wheels to come into contact
with chassis and body components
 affect the function of the Electronic
Stability Program (ESP).
The speed and load limits of the tires
must not be exceeded; see page 209.
Wheels larger than 18" must not be fitted
on the Saab 9-3. The permissible offset is
1.61 inch (41 mm).
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207 Car care
Tire pressure
Note: Low tire pressure also causes prema-
ture tire wear and increased fuel consump-
tion.
Adjust the tire pressure to match the current
load and speed of the car (see page 245).
The stated tire pressures apply to cold tires,
i.e. tires that are the same temperature as
the outside air temperature. Tire pressure
increases as the tires become warm (e.g.
during highway driving) by approximately
0.3 bar (4 psi). When the temperature of the
tires changes by 50°F (10°C), the tire pres-
sure will change 0.1 bar (2 psi).
Never reduce the pressure of a hot tire. If the
tires are hot when you check them, only
increase the pressure, if necessary.
Soft tires will cause faster wear than over-
pressurized tires.
If a valve is leaking, simply unscrew it and fit
a new one.
Note: Remember to adjust the tire pressure
if you change the load in the car or intend to
cruise at a speed that is substantially differ-
ent from normal.
Automatic tire pressure monitoring(option, certain variants only)
The pressure monitoring system consists of
a sensor in each wheel, a detector in each
wheel housing and a receiver. The sensors
are located inside the wheels directly adja-
cent to the air valves.
WARNING
Check the tire pressure at least once a
month and before long journeys. Under-
inflation can result in:
 punctures
 separation of the tire and tread
 damage to the sidewalls
 damage to the rims on poor roads
 poor handling characteristics.
WARNING
The system is intended to aid the driver.
The driver is always ultimately responsi-
ble for ensuring that the tire pressure is
correct.NOTICEGreat care must be taken when changing
tires so as not to damage the sensors that
are integrated in the valves.
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208 Car careThe receiver is located in the trunk. Tire
pressure information is sent wirelessly to
the receiver.
The system checks the tire pressure when
the car is travelling over 18 mph (30 km/h).
The system is "self-learning", which means
that the position of the wheels can be
changed without requiring adjustments to
the monitoring system. The spare wheel
does not have a sensor.
The sensor batteries have an average life of
10 years. The batteries cannot be changed
but require the sensor units to be replaced.
The system does not warn if a tire is overin-
flated.
If the tire pressure drops
If the tire pressure drops 0.3 bar (4 psi)
below the recommended pressure, the SID
will issue a warning as to which tire is
affected.
Adjust the tire pressure as soon as possible.If the tire pressure continues to drop, the
SID will issue a warning alarm when the
pressure is 0.6 bar (9 psi) below the recom-
mended value.
Reduce speed (avoid heavy braking and
violent steering wheel movements) and
stop the car as soon as it is safe to do so.
Change the wheel. Tire pressure low,
front left.
Check tires.
Flat tire front left.
Make a safe stop.
Valve with sensor Valve without sensor
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209 Car care
Malfunction
The message shown above will be dis-
played on the SID if:
 a wheel without pressure sensor is fitted
(e.g. spare wheel)
 one, two or three pressure sensors are
broken or missing
 two or more detectors are missing or
broken
 the receiver malfunctions
 a fault arises in the system.
The message shown above is not displayed
if none of the wheels have sensors, such as
if winter wheels without sensors are fitted.
Shifting the wheelsBecause of 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 195/65 R15 91H: Tire pressure
system failure.
Contact Saab dealer.
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 rear left to front left and rear
right to front right, so that the direction of
rotation remains the same.
195 Tire section width, mm
65 Aspect ratio, i.e. the section height
as a percentage of the section
width
R Radial ply
15 Wheel rim diameter 15 in at bead
seats
91 Tire load index
H Speed rating
Tire load indices
91 Tire approved for max. 1355 lbs.
(615 kg)
93 Max. 1433 lbs. (650 kg)
94 Max. 1477 lbs. (670 kg)
Speed ratings
S Tire approved for speeds up to
110 mph (180 km/h)
T Max. 118 mph (190 km/h)
H Max. 130 mph (210 km/h)
V Max. 149 mph (240 km/h)
W Max. 168 mph (270 km/h)
Y Max. 186 mph (300 km/h)
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210 Car careWinter 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 of to the correct size
tire for your car (if different from the original
size) and also supply Saab approved winter
tires pre-mounted on steel or alloy rims.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.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading (US)Quality grades can be found where applica-
ble on the tire sidewall between tread shoul-
der and maximum section width. For exam-
ple:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature ATreadwearThe treadwear grade is a comparative
rating based on the wear rate of the tire
when tested under controlled conditions on
a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one half (1 1/2) times as well on the gov-
ernment course as a tire graded 100. The
relative performance of tires depends upon
the actual conditions of their use, however,
and may depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road character-
istics and climate.
TractionThe traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, B and C. These grades represent
the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to a tire is
based on straight-ahead braking, traction
test and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning or peak traction
characteristics.
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