2003 SAAB 9-3 wiper blades

3
Instrument panelRear fog light ____________ 74
Front fog lights___________ 74
High/low beam __________ 72
Changing bulbs __________ 188
Headlight levelling ________ 73
Parking lights____________ 72Direction indicators _______ 75
High/low beam control stalk 72
Cruise Control ___________ 140
Fuel gauge __________________ 61
Speedometer ________________ 60
Turbo gauge _________________ 61
Temperature gauge ____________ 60
Warning and indicator lights _____ 54
Tachometer __________________ 59
Odometer and trip meter ________ 59Ashtray _____________________ 108
Cigarette lighter _______________ 108
Saab Information display (SID) ___ 64
Profiler ______________________ 64
Clock _______________________ 69
Replacing wiper blades ___ 186
Washers and wipers ______ 76
Washer fluid ____________ 186Automatic climate control __ 84
Manual climate control ____ 79
Car care and maintenance _ 224
Seat heating ____________ 83
Seat heating, ACC _______ 92
Hazard warning lights_____ 75
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155 Starting and driving
Driving in cold weatherIn cold weather, special attention should be
paid to the following:
 Before driving off, make sure that the
wiper blades have not frozen to the wind-
shield.
 Remove any snow from the heating
system air intakes between the hood and
the windshield.
 If necessary, inject oil into the locks to
prevent them from freezing. Use molyb-
denum-sulphide oil (MoS
2). If the locks
freeze, exercise care when unlocking the
car (manual unlocking) to avoid breaking
the key. Warm up the key or use a de-icer.
 It is particularly important when the roads
are slippery that the brakes and tires are
in good condition.
 For how to check the level of antifreeze in
the engine coolant, see page 179. Add gasoline anti-freeze when refueling
several times before the onset of winter.
This will prevent condensation water in
the fuel tank from freezing and causing
interruptions in the fuel supply. The likeli-
hood of condensation is lowest when the
fuel tank is full.
If the car is parked outside and the
temperature is below zero, carburettor
spirit is of little use as it cannot remove
water that has already frozen. Park the
car in a warm place so that any ice that
may have built up melts, then add carbu-
rettor spirit when refueling.
Condensation is caused by temperature
fluctuations, either in the outside temper-
ature alone or when the car is alternately
parked outdoors and in a garage.
The car is equipped with tires designed to
provide optimum grip on both wet and dry
roads, although this has been achieved at
the expense of somewhat reduced grip on
snow and ice. For regular driving on snow
and ice, we therefore recommend that
winter (snow) tires be fitted.Winter tires, particularly studded tires,
generally make driving safer on snow and
ice.
Acquaint yourself with the legal provi-
sions governing the use of different
types of winter tires and snow chains.
Studded tires are not allowed in some
countries. If winter tires are fitted, the same
type must be fitted to all four wheels. Your
Saab dealer will be pleased to advise you on
the best tires for your car.
Remember that tires age: it may therefore
be necessary to change winter tires before
they reach the legal wear limit, as they grad-
ually lose their friction properties with age.
If you get into a front wheel skid and the car
has a manual transmission, the best
response is to freewheel, which means
declutching so that the wheels neither drive
nor brake, and to cautiously steer in the
desired direction.
If the car has automatic transmission, ease
off the accelerator slightly and steer cau-
tiously in the desired direction.
If you get into a rear wheel skid, steer in the
same direction as the movement of the rear
of the car.
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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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171 Car care
Hood ________________ 172
Engine ______________ 173
Engine bay ___________ 175
Engine oil ____________ 176
Air filter______________ 178
Transmission fluid ____ 178
Coolant ______________ 179
Brake/clutch fluid and
brake pads__________ 180
Power steering________ 181
Battery ______________ 182
Drive belt ____________ 185
Wipers and washers ___ 186
Wiper blades _________ 186
Changing bulbs _______ 188 Fuses ________________ 199
Wheels _______________ 206
Compact spare wheel ___ 212
Changing a wheel ______ 214
Safety belts ___________ 217
Upholstery and trim ____ 217
Textile carpeting _______ 218
Engine bay ____________ 218
Washing ______________ 218
Waxing and polishing ___ 219
Touching up the paint___ 219
Anti-corrosion treatment 220
Recovery and/or
recycling of automotive
materials ____________ 222
Air conditioning (A/C) ___ 224
Car care
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186 Car careWipers and washersWiper bladesCheck and clean all wiper blades regularly.
We recommend Saab washer fluid for
cleaning.
If poor wiper performance is experienced,
clean the windshield with Saab washer fluid.
This is particularly important if the car has
been through an automatic car wash, as
these sometimes leave a wax coating on the
windshield.
If wiper performance is still unsatisfactory,
fit new blades.
To fit new blades:
1 Press in the catch (1).
2 Pull the complete wiper blade down-
wards so that it comes away from the
wiper arm. Slide the entire blade out
from the arm.
WashersThe reservoir capacity is 5.5 qts (5.2 litres).
WARNING
Take care not to spill washer fluid concen-
trate onto hot surfaces. Washer fluid
concentrate can contain flammable ingre-
dients such as alcohol.Washer fluid reservoir Change of wiper blades
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232 Maintenance and owner assistanceService 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
location.
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.
Change of Address Notification
(U.S. and Canada)Two change of address cards are provided
at the end of the Warranties and Service
Record Booklet. Knowing your current
address allows Saab to contact you in the
event of a recall or service campaign.
Please help us keep our records up to date
for your own peace of mind.Service informationFactory Service Manuals for the Saab 9-3
and 9-5 car lines can be ordered through the
dealer. These are comprehensive manuals
on CD rom, geared to use by professional
technicians.
Consult your Saab dealer for prices for your
model.
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251 Index
Index
AA/C
__________________________ 82
ABS brakes
___________________ 142
ACC
_________________________ 84
Adjustment, steering wheel
________ 98
Air conditioning
_________________ 82
Air filter
______________________ 178
Air pressure, tyres
______________ 207
Airbag
________________________ 26
Anchorage eyes
_______________ 118
Anti-corrosion treatment
_________ 220
Antilock braking system _________ 142
Anti-spin
_____________________ 144
Ashtrays _____________________ 108
Autochecking of lights, warning and
indicator lights
_________________ 58
Autodimming
______________ 111
, 112
Automatic climate control (ACC)
____ 84
Automatic transmission
__________ 134
Automatic tyre pressure monitoring

207
BBattery
______________________ 182
Bedding-in of new brake pads
____ 132
Before towing a trailer
___________ 160
Bonnet
______________________ 172Bootlid, driving when open
_______ 163
Bootlid, opening
________________ 41
Brake fluid, grade ______________ 242
Brakes
_______________________ 141
Braking ______________________ 141
Bulb changing
_________________ 188
Bulb table
____________________ 198
CCabin lighting
_________________ 105
Car alarm
_____________________ 46
Car transport __________________ 166
Care of air conditioning
__________ 225
Change of address notification
____ 232
Changing bulbs
________________ 188
Changing engine oil
____________ 177
Changing the battery, remote control
44
Changing wheels
______________ 214
Changing wiper blades
__________ 186
Checking the number of
remote controls
________________ 43
Checks before towing a trailer
____ 160
Child safety
____________________ 21
Child safety locks, rear doors
______ 42
Child seats
____________________ 21
Cigarette lighter
________________ 108
Cleaning the engine bay
_________ 218
Cleaning upholstery
____________ 217
Climate control system, manual
____ 79
Compact spare
________________ 212Compass
_____________________ 115
Condensation water, A/C
_________ 82
Coolant
______________________ 179
Cruise control
_________________ 140
Cup holder
____________________ 107
DDate codes, tyres
______________ 212
Deep water, driving through
______ 163
Direction indicator stalk switch _____ 75
Direction indicators
______________ 75
Donor battery, boost starting
______ 168
Door handles
___________________ 38
Door mirrors __________________ 110
Drive belt
_____________________ 185
Drive belt, length
_______________ 240
Driver’s seat with memory
_________ 19
Driving at night
________________ 163
Driving in cold climates
__________ 155
Driving in deep water
____________ 163
Driving in hot climates ___________ 156
Driving techniques
______________ 153
Driving with a heavy load on
hilly roads
___________________ 136
Driving with a load
______________ 162
Driving with a roof load
__________ 161
Driving with the bootlid open
______ 163
Driving with the compact
spare wheel
__________________ 167
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255 Index
Washer fluid
__________________ 186
Washer jets ___________________ 187
Washers
______________________ 76
Washing _____________________ 218
Waxing and polishing
___________ 219
Wear indicators, tyres ___________ 211
Wheel change
_________________ 214
Wheels
______________________ 206
Wheels and tyres, sizes
_________ 243
Windscreen washers
____________ 76
Windscreen wipers
______________ 76
Wing mirrors
__________________ 110
Winter driving _________________ 155
Wiper blades __________________ 186
Wipers
________________________ 76
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