2003 SAAB 9-3 tire pressure

4ExteriorBody __________________ 219
Touching up paintwork ____ 219
Anti-corrosion treatment ___ 220
Service program _________ 230
Sunroof ________________ 102
Washing _______________ 218
Waxing and polishing _____ 219Taillights _______________ 194
Brake lights _____________ 194
Changing bulbs __________ 188
Light switches ___________ 72Towing _________________ 164
Towing hook eyes ________ 164
Towing a trailer __________ 157Trunk __________________ 116
Lighting ________________ 194
Folding down the rear seat _ 116
Load-through hatch _______ 117
Spare wheel ____________ 119
Tools __________________ 119
Maximum loads _______________ 236
Mounting holes for roof carriers ___ 161
Roof load ____________________ 161
Hood _______________________ 172
Washing the engine bay_________ 218
Trunk lock ______________ 41
Central locking __________ 38
Lock buttons ____________ 38
Child safety locks ________ 42Front lights _____________ 190
Direction indicators_______ 75
Changing bulbs _________ 188
Headlight levelling (Bi-
Xenon) _______________ 73
Dipswitch ______________ 72
Headlight switches _______ 72
Headlight washers _______ 186Fuel grade _____________ 240
Fuel gauge _____________ 61
Economical motoring _____ 153
Fuel filler door __________ 128
Refueling ______________ 128
Braking _____________________ 141
Tires _______________________ 206
Tire pressure ________________ 245
Tire pressure monitor __________ 207
Wheels _____________________ 243
Changing wheels ______________ 214
Spare wheel _________________ 212
Winter driving ________________ 155
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150 Starting and drivingLong-term parkingIf the car is not going to be used for some
time, e.g. three to four months, the following
steps are recommended:
 Drain the washer fluid reservoir and
hoses.
 Wash and wax the car. Clean the rubber
seals on the hood, trunk lid and doors,
and lubricate them with glycerol
(glycerine).
 After washing the car, dry the brake discs
to avoid corrosion by taking the car out on
the road and applying the brakes a few
times.
 Fill the fuel tank to prevent condensation
forming in it.
 Top up the coolant and check the anti-
freeze before the onset of winter. Park the car in a dry, covered and well-
ventilated building. Leave the parking
brake OFF!
If necessary, use wheel chocks.
 Disconnect the negative (–) battery lead.
If frost is likely to occur during the storage
period, remove the battery and store it in
a frost-free place.
 If it is not possible to stand the car on axle
stands, increase the tire pressure to
43 psi (3 bar).
Leave all the door windows open a crack
and cover the car with a non-plastic
tarpaulin – not one made of plastic which will
not breath.
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154 Starting and drivingengine wear is at its greatest during this
period. Drive off as soon as possible after
starting the engine and avoid high engine
speeds.
 Drive as smoothly and thoughtfully as
possible. Match your driving to the
prevailing traffic conditions.
 Driving in a low gear gives rise to higher
fuel consumption than driving in a high
gear because of the higher engine speed
for any given road speed. Always shift up
as soon as traffic conditions allow and
drive in the highest gear as much as
possible.
 Check the tire pressure once a month.
Incorrect tire pressure increases tire
wear. It is preferable for the tire pressure
to be slightly high than too low. Under-
pressure increases fuel consumption. Check the fuel consumption regularly.
Increased fuel consumption can indicate
that something is wrong and that the car
needs to be checked at a Saab dealer.
Practical road tests have demonstrated that
substantial savings in fuel consumption can
be made if the above advice is followed.
Road conditionsWet roads increase fuel consumption, as do
unpaved roads and driving in hilly country
(the amount of fuel saved driving downhill is
less than the additional amount required to
climb the hill).
Engine block heater (standard
equipment in Canada, accessory in
U.S.)The following are just some of the benefits
to the car and the environment of using an
engine block heater:
 Lower fuel consumption.
 Reduced wear on the engine.
 Inside of car warms up faster.
 Exhaust emissions substantially reduced
over short runs.
The engine heater is effective at outside
temperatures up to 60–70°F (+15–+20°C).
The warmer it is outside, the shorter the time
the engine heater needs to be connected.
Longer than 1.5 hours is unnecessary.
If the car is equipped with a removable,
electric cabin heater that is not in use, store
this in the trunk.
WARNING
Never switch off the engine while driving
as the effect of the brakes and power
steering will be greatly reduced.
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156 Starting and drivingDriving with tire chainsSnow chains must only be fitted to the wheel
and tire dimensions that Saab recommends
in "Technical data" on page 235.
Contact a Saab dealer regarding approved
tire chains.
Driving in hot climatesAlways check the coolant level before start-
ing a journey. When the engine is cold, the
coolant must not lie above the KALT/COLD
mark on the expansion tank (boundary
between the upper and lower sections of the
tank).
At the end of a journey, allow the engine to
idle for 2–3 minutes before switching it off.
If the needle on the temperature gauge
enters the red zone, the following message
will be shown on the SID:
1 Stop the car but do not switch off the
engine. Do not remove the cap on the
cooling system expansion tank, even if
the tank is empty. The engine tempera-
ture should decrease. If the temperature
continues to rise with the engine idling,
the engine must be switched off.2 If the engine is idling and the needle on
the temperature gauge falls, wait until a
normal temperature is shown (about in
the middle of the scale) before switching
off the engine. If the coolant needs to be
topped up, carefully unscrew the
expansion tank cap.
Fill as required with a mixture of 50 %
antifreeze and 50 % clean water. Use an
antifreeze approved by Saab.
3 Have the car’s cooling system checked
at a Saab dealer.
WARNING
 Do not drive at speeds above 30 mph
(50 km/h) when tire chains are fitted.
 Tire chains can reduce directional
stability.
 Do not fit tire chains to the car’s rear
wheels.NOTICE Check the links frequently for wear.
 Check that the chains do not foul the
wheel arch liner at full lock.
 Refer to the "Technical data" section
on page 235, for information on wheel
and tire dimensions approved for the
fitting of tire chains.
Hot engine.
Make a safe stop.
Run engine on idle.
WARNING
 Exercise care when opening the hood
if the engine is overheated. Never
remove the expansion tank cap
completely when the engine is hot.
 The cooling system is pressurized -
hot coolant and vapour can escape.
These can cause injury to your eyes
and burns. Open the cap slowly to
release the pressure before removing
it.
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160 Starting and drivingChecks before drivingMake sure that the car and trailer are in
good working order. This is essential since
towing a trailer increases the strain on the
car.
 Check and if necessary adjust the tire
pressure of the car and trailer.
 Make sure all wheel bolts are properly
tightened.
 Make sure that the equipment joining the
car and trailer is properly secured and
adjusted.
 Make sure the trailer’s electrical cable is
properly connected and is not so long that
it drags along the ground. Also, make
sure the cable is not too short and risks
breaking when turning a corner.
 Check all bulbs.
 Check the car and trailer brakes.
 Make sure that all items on or in the cara-
van or trailer are properly secured.
 Make sure that the trailer’s jockey wheel
is raised and locked.
 Check the distribution of the load so that
the car and trailer are well balanced.
 Check that the rearview mirrors provide
the best possible rearward vision.
 Make sure the trailer’s safety cable is
correctly attached.
Driving considerationsAlways take extra care when towing a
trailer, as the car’s handling will be different
and its braking performance reduced. The
trailer’s braking system and suspension
also have a considerable effect on these
characteristics. See also "Driving with a
load" on page 162.
Drive carefully:
 descending hills
 on uneven roads
 over railway crossings
 when meeting large vehicles
If the car has automatic transmission, select
gear M1 when ascending or descending
steep hills.ReversingGet someone to help you keep an eye out
behind the trailer as the door mirrors do not
always provide sufficient rearward vision
when reversing.
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162 Starting and drivingDriving with a loadThe handling characteristics are affected by
how the car is loaded.
 Place the heaviest load as far forward and
as low as possible in the trunk.
 Secure the load to the lashing eyes (see
page 118).
 Heavy loads mean that the car’s center of
gravity is further back. As a result, the car
will sway more during evasive steering.
 Never exceed the permissible load of the
roof box, even if there is room for more.
 Ensure that the tire pressure is correct –
slight overinflation is preferable to under-
inflation.
 The braking distance of a loaded car is
always greater. Keep your distance from
the vehicle in front.
 Do not exceed the car’s permissible
gross vehicle weight or axle load (see
page 236).
 Roof loads can negatively affect telecom-
munication.
TiresNote: Low tire pressure also causes prema-
ture tire wear and increased fuel consump-
tion.
Tire pressure should match the current load
and speed of the car (see page 245).
The tire pressures given apply to cold tires,
that is tires that are the same temperature
as the outside air temperature.
The tire pressure increases approximately
4 psi/27 kPa as the tires become warm (e.g.
during highway driving). When the temper-
ature of the tires changes by 50°F (10°C),
the tire pressure will change 2 psi/13 kPa.Never reduce the pressure of a hot tire. If the
tires are hot when you check them, only
increase the pressure, if necessary.
Underinflated tires wear more quickly than
slightly overinflated tires.
If a valve is leaking, simply unscrew it and fit
a new one.
Note: Remember to adjust the tire pres-
sures if you change the load in the car sig-
nificantly or intend to drive at substantially
lower or higher speeds than normal.
Automatic tire pressure monitoring, see
page 207.
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
 premature tire wear
 increased fuel consumption.
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167 Starting and driving
Driving with the
compact spare wheelObserve the following when the compact
spare wheel is fitted:
 The compact spare is light and easy to
handle when changing a wheel.
 Do not drive further than necessary with
the compact spare fitted - the maximum
life of the wheel is only just over
2,000 miles (approx. 3,500 km).
 Refit the standard wheel as soon as
possible.Important considerations when driving with
a compact spare wheel:
 The car’s ground clearance is reduced.
 The car must not be driven with more than
one compact spare wheel at a time.
 Avoid driving against the curb.
 Do not use snow chains.
 Do not fit the wheel cover - this would
conceal the warning text.
WARNING
 Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h). The
tire can overheat affecting the car’s
roadholding.
 Tire pressure: refer to page 243.
 The spare wheel or punctured wheel
must be stowed under the trunk floor,
and secured in place with the retaining
nut.
NOTICETo avoid damaging a punctured alloy
wheel, this can be temporarily placed
outside up in the spare wheel well but
only while driving to the closest work-
shop.
As a general rule, all heavy loads must be
well secured in the trunk (see page 118).
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170 Starting and drivingFor 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 drive belt (poly-V-belt) and
the like.
You can check some points yourself before-
hand:
 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 drive belt (poly-V-belt) and
replace 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 remote control and keep it
separate.
 Check the brakes.
 Check all bulbs.
 Check for the presence of the tool kit and
jack in the car.
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