2004 SAAB 9-3 wheel

247 Car care
7 Retighten the wheel bolts after twenty or
so miles.
Tightening torque:
Light-alloy wheels: 80 ft.lb. (110 Nm).
Steel wheels: 80 ft.lb. (110 Nm).
We advise against using wheels with large
ventilation slots in winter, as the brake com-
ponents are then more exposed to slush,
road salt and grit.
If you fit wheels of a different dimension, the
speedometer can be reprogrammed to
ensure it is as accurate as possible. Contact
a Saab dealer.Driving with tire chains, see
page 176 NOTICE
 Do not overtighten the bolts using a
impact wrench: not only can this
damage the wheels but it can also
make it impossible to undo the bolts
using the wheel wrench in the car’s
toolkit.
 When refitting a wheel cover, make
sure that the valve protrudes through
the marked recess in the wheel cover.
Do not wipe away the grease in the wheel
hub.
Clean any rust or dirt from the contact sur-
faces between the wheel and brake disc.
Jacking points for floor jack
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248 Car care
Safety beltsCheck the function of the safety belts regu-
larly as follows:
 Hold the diagonal strap and pull it sharply.
The safety belt should lock and it should
not be possible to withdraw it further.
Check the anchorage points in the floor.
They must not have suffered rust damage.
If a belt is worn or has any fraying edges, it
should be replaced.
Safety belts must not come into contact with
substances such as polishes, oil or chemi-
cals. If the belts get dirty, wash them with
warm water and a detergent or have them
replaced.
WARNING
If the car is involved in a crash, the safety
belts, belt pretensioners and other asso-
ciated components must be inspected at
a Saab dealer.
Never make any alterations or repairs to
the safety belts yourself but visit a Saab
dealer.
Tightening sequence, wheel bolts
Grease the surfaces indicated with a thin
layer of grease
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253 Car care
Anti-corrosion
treatmentThe entire car undergoes a series of anti-
corrosion processes during production.
These include electrophoretic priming,
PVC-based coating to protect against stone
chip damage and corrosion, and treatment
of body cavities and members with thin,
penetrating rustproofing oil.
In addition, most body panels, such as the
hood, doors and floor pan are galvanized.
The anti-corrosion treatment on some parts
of the car is constantly exposed to wear and
prone to damage. This applies particularly
to the underside of the car and inside the
wheel arches, where grit, road salt and the
like that are thrown up can give rise to cor-
rosion where the underseal has worn away.
The extent of this obviously depends on the
conditions in which the car is used.
Accordingly, make it a habit to hose the
underside of the car often and to inspect the
condition of the underseal. The anti-corro-
sion warranty does not relieve the car owner
of the need to carry out normal maintenance
to the rustproofing and to make good any
damage.Use a hose to clean the underside of the car
thoroughly. After it has dried, use a brush or
spray to apply a viscous anti-corrosion
agent to any worn or damaged areas, to
prevent the onset of corrosion.
Even after the anti-corrosion warranty has
expired, it makes good sense to continue to
maintain the rustproofing.
Seams in the body, especially those in the
doors and trunk lid, are particularly vulnera-
ble to corrosion from the outside, caused by
grit and salt thrown up from the road, and to
corrosion from the inside, largely as a result
of condensation. Keep the seams clean and
at the first sign of any rust, apply a thin, pen-
etrating, anti-corrosion oil. Your Saab
dealer will be pleased to give you further
advice.
What causes rust?Steel body panels of automobiles are sub-
ject to rusting whenever air and moisture
manage to penetrate the protective finish.
Body panels may rust through if the process
is unchecked. Rusting can occur wherever
water is trapped or where the car’s panels
are continuously damp.
Damage to paint and undercoating by
stones, gravel and minor crashes immedi-
ately exposes metal to air and moisture.
Road salts used for de-icing will collect on
the bottom of the car and promote rusting.
Areas of the country with high humidity have
a greater potential for rust problems, espe-
cially where salt is used on roads or there is
moist sea air. Industrial pollution (fallout)
may also damage paint and promote rust-
ing.
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254 Car carePreventive maintenanceThe following procedures are necessary to
help protect against rusting. Refer also to
the terms and conditions of the Performa-
tion Limited Warranty described in the war-
ranty booklet.
1Wash the car frequently, and wax at
least twice a year. Under adverse
conditions, where there is a rapid
buildup of dirt, sand or road salt, wash
your car at least once a week. After
extreme exposure to salted snow or
slush, evidenced by a white film on the
car, wash the car immediately. Frequent
washing will prevent paint damage from
acid rain and other airborne contami-
nants such as tree sap and bird drop-
pings. If any of these contaminants are
noticed on the car the finish should be
washed immediately.
 Begin washing by rinsing the entire car
with water to loosen and flush off heavy
concentrations of dirt (include the
underbody).
 Sponge the car with a solution of either
a good quality car soap or mild general
purpose (dish washing) detergent and
water.
 Rinse car thoroughly with clean water.
 After washing, check and clear all
drains in doors and body panels.
 Wipe the car dry, preferably using a
chamois.2Clean the underside of the car during
the winter. Use high pressure water to
clean the car’s underside (floor panels,
wheel wells) at least at mid-winter and in
the spring.
3Inspect the car frequently for leaks or
damage, and arrange for needed
repairs promptly. After washing or after
heavy rain, check for leaks. When wash-
ing the car inspect body surfaces for
paint damage. While checking for leaks,
lift the floor mats and check underneath
them. Water can collect in these areas
and remain for prolonged periods. Dry
any wet areas including the floor mats.
Have leaks repaired as soon as possi-
ble.
Use touch-up paint to repair small
scratches or minor finish damage. Areas
where metal is exposed will rust quickly
and MUST be repaired immediately by
touch-up or professional repainting.
Rust must be removed, the bare metal
primed and painted. Major body
damage should be repaired immediately
and new panels or exposed areas
should be undercoated with anti- corro-
sion material.
Repairs of this type are the owner’s
responsibility and are not covered under
warranty.Inspect the undercoating and touch up if
necessary. Pay particular attention 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 thoroughly 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, otherwise it
may run off or fall off when dry.
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257 Car care
Headlight aimingThe vehicle has a visual optical headlight
aiming system equipped with vertical
aiming device. The aim has been preset at
the factory and should normally not need
further adjustments.
If your headlights are damaged in a crash,
the headlight aim may be affected. If you
believe your headlights need to be re-
aimed, we recommend that you take it to
your Saab dealer for service. However, it is
possible for you to re-aim your headlights as
described in the following procedure.To check the aim, the vehicle should be
properly prepared as follows:
 The vehicle shall be placed so that the
headlights are 25 ft (7.6 m) from a light
colored wall or other flat surface. The
aiming area should be darkened, this will
improve your ability to see the beam of the
low beam headlight being aimed.
An optical headlamp aimer can also be
used and will than replace the wall.
 The vehicle must have all four wheels on
a perfectly level surface which is level all
the way to the wall or other flat surface.
 The vehicle should be placed so it is per-
pendicular to the wall or other flat surface.
 The vehicle should be unloaded and fuel
tank full, and one person or 160 lbs.
(75 kg) on the drivers seat.  The vehicle should be fully assembled
and all other work stopped while headlight
aiming is being done.
 The vehicle should not have any snow, ice
or mud attached to it.
 Tires should be inflated to the prescribed
pressure.
 Close all doors.
 Rock the vehicle to stabilize the suspen-
sion.
Headlight aiming is done with the vehicle
low beam lamps. The high beam lamps will
be correctly aimed if the low beam lamps
are aimed properly.
WARNING
Before checking/adjusting the headlight
aiming, switch off the engine to avoid
danger of fingers and hands being injured
by moving parts.
The radiator fan can start up even when
the engine is switched off.NOTICETo make sure that your headlights are
aimed properly read all instructions
before beginning. Failure to follow these
instructions could cause damage to
headlight parts or a not correctly aimed
headlight.
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267 Technical data
General data __________ 268
Engine _______________ 270
Engine oil _____________ 270
Fuel__________________ 271
Engines ______________ 271
Electrical system_______ 272
Drive belt _____________ 272
Manual transmission ___ 272
Automatic transmission _ 273
Suspension ___________ 273
Steering ______________ 273
Brake system__________ 274
Wheels and tires _______ 275
Plates and labels _______ 278
Technical data
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268 Technical dataGeneral dataOverall length, including bumpers: ______ 182.5'' (4635 mm)
Overall width, including door mirrors _____ 80.2'' (2038 mm)
Maximum height ____________________ 57.8'' (1468 mm)
Wheelbase ________________________ 105.3'' (2675 mm)
Tr a c k :
Front ____________________________ 60.0'' (1524 mm)
Rear ____________________________ 59.3'' (1506 mm)
Ground clearance at GVW ____________ approx. 120 mm
Number of seats (incl. driver) __________ 5
Turning circle:
Measured at vehicle extremities _______ 37.4 ft. (11.4 m)
Curb to curb ______________________ 35.4 ft. (10.8 m)
Trunk length:
Rear seat raised ___________________ 40.8'' (1036 mm)
Rear seat lowered__________________ 69.8'' (1774 mm)
Convertible _______________________ 29.1" (740 mm)
Trunk volume (SAE):
Sport Sedan ______________________ 15.0 cu.ft. (425 l)
Convertible, soft top raised ___________ 12.4 cu.ft. (352 l)
Convertible, soft top folded ___________ 8.3 cu.ft. (235 l)
Permissible load (in addition to the driver) = GVW minus curb weight. The maximum
permissible axle load, front or rear, must not be exceeded.
The precise curb weight of the vehicle and load capacity are specified in the vehicle
registration documents.V.I.N. plateCurb weight
(i.e. with full fuel tank, full washer fluid res-
ervoir, standard tools and spare wheel):
Sport Sedan ______________________ 3200–3420 lbs.
(1450–1550 kg)
Convertible _______________________ 3570–3700 lbs.
(1620–1680 kg)
Gross vehicle weight (GVW):
Sport Sedan ______________________ 4120–4340 lbs.
(1870–1970 kg)
Convertible _______________________ 4460–4520 lbs.
(2025–2050 kg)
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270 Technical dataEngine Engine oilType: Four cylinders,
double overhead
camshafts,
16 valves, two
balancer shafts,
dual-mass flywheel
Cylinder bore_______________________ 3.386'' (86 mm)
Stroke ____________________________ 3.386'' (86 mm)
Swept volume ______________________ 122 cu.in. (1.998 l)
Idling speed________________________ 720 rpm.
When the engine
load increases, e.g.
the steering wheel is
turned, the idling
speed is raised to
900 rpm.
Antifreeze _________________________ Saab-approved
antifreeze
Coolant capacity ____________________ 7.5 qts. (7.1 l)To meet demands in Saab's extended service intervals all en-
gines are filled with specially designed synthetic factory fill oils.
Long service intervals, fuel economy and environmental issues
are the base for our choice of oil. By using oils approved by
Saab you minimise the tendencies for oil sludge build, by that
protecting the engine from harmful, wear increasing, deposits.
Approved oils:
All gasoline engines - Fully Synthetic Engine Oil fulfilling GM-
LL-A-025 requirements.
To ensure being able to take advantage of the Saab specified
service intervals, be sure to select a fully synthetic engine oil
fulfilling GM-LL-A-025 requirements.
Servicing/Oil changes:
To be able to use recommended service intervals the need to
use only approved engine oils is vital. Use only engine oils ap-
proved for your engine. Service should be done according to
the recommended service intervals to optimize your engine's
function through out its entire life. Saab Automobile AB will not
take responsibility for any damage that might occur due to ne-
glecting to meet above mentioned requirements.
At your Saab dealers you can find Saab Genuine or Mobil en-
gine oils. Among those there are oils specially designed to meet
your engines specific needs. We recommend that you, with the
help of our skilled service personnel, choose your oil from that
selection.
Other oil companies also have engine oils approved according
to the table above. Oils meeting these standards may be identi-
fied as synthetic. However, not all synthetic oils will meet your
engines requirements. You should only use oil that meets your
engines specific requirements
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