163 Starting and driving
Traction Control
System (TCS)Anti-spin system
How the system worksThe Traction Control System (TCS) is
designed to prevent wheelspin. This
enables the car to achieve the best possible
grip and, hence, maximum tractive effort,
together with greater stability.
The TCS uses information from the ABS
wheel sensors to detect when the front (driv-
ing) wheels are rotating faster then the rear
wheels. It then monitors whether one driving
wheel is rotating faster than the other. If so,
the faster wheel is retarded until both
wheels are rotating at the same speed.If the two front wheels are rotating at the
same speed but are turning faster than the
rear wheels, the torque from the engine is
reduced to eliminate the difference.
The process continues until all the wheels
are rotating at the same speed.
The advantages of the TCS become most
apparent when the cohesion between the
front wheels and the road surface is so low
that one or both of the wheels would lose
their grip were the car not equipped with the
TCS, e.g.:
When the car is pulling away or accelerat-
ing with the front wheels on different
surfaces (e.g. one slippery and one dry),
the TCS functions like an electronic differ-
ential lock, making sure that both wheels
rotate at the same speed.
When the car is pulling away or accelerat-
ing on a slippery surface, in which case
the system eliminates wheelspin. The
system also functions when the car is
reversing.
When cornering, if the inside front wheel
rotates faster than the other wheels.
TCS OFF
lights up under the speedometer if:
a fault has been detected and the system
has therefore been switched off
there is a fault in the ABS system
the system has been switched off
manually.
WARNING
When driving normally, the TCS system
helps to improve the car’s directional
stability. The TCS must not be regarded
as a system to enable the driver to main-
tain higher speeds. The same precau-
tions must be adopted as normal for safe
cornering and driving on slippery roads.
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179 Starting and driving
Recommendations for cars with
automatic transmissionThe following driving time limits are based
on the capacity of the cooling system in hot
weather, i.e. approximately 86°F (+30°C).The following driving time limits are based
on the capacity of the cooling system in hot
weather, i.e. approximately 104°F (+40°C).
When negotiating long hills, bear the follow-
ing important considerations in mind.
Rises in coolant temperature are indicated
by the temperature gauge in the main instru-
ment panel.
The following steps are taken in order as the
temperature of the transmission increases:
Gear change pattern is altered
A/C compressor is switched off
Max. engine torque is reducedThe following message will be displayed on
the SID if the transmission fluid becomes
too hot:
If this message appears, stop the car as
soon as it is safe to do so and allow the
engine to idle until the message has gone
out. The selector lever should be in
position P.
When continuing your journey, manually
select a low gear in which the engine speed
is about 3,500 rpm until the incline eases
(see page 158).NOTICE Use only a genuine Saab trailer hitch,
since other models can damage the
car’s bodywork and electrical system.
Consult a Saab dealer for guidance on
how to connect a trailer hitch.
Exercise care when driving on uneven
roads or against the curb if the car is
heavily laden. This particularly applies
to cars with 17" wheels.
Gradient of
hill, %Max. trailer
weight, lbs.
(kg)Time limit,
minutes
6-8 3330 (1500) unlimited
9-11 3080 (1400) max. 15
12-14 2645 (1200) max. 15
max. 15 2200 (1000) max. 15
Gradient of
hill, %Max. trailer
weight, lbs.
(kg)Time limit,
minutes
6-8 2200 (1000) unlimited
9-11 1760 (800) max. 15
12-14 1100 (500) max. 15
max. 15 880 (400) max. 15
Gearbox too hot.
Make a safe stop.
Open hood to cool down.
WARNING
Remember to use engine-braking (selec-
tor position M1, M2, or M3) to spare the
brakes when you are driving on a long or
steep downhill slope.
Overheating can cause the brakes to
fade!
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180 Starting and drivingRecommendations for cars with
manual transmissionRises in coolant temperature are indicated
by the temperature gauge in the main instru-
ment panel.
When the needle is just outside the red
zone, the A/C compressor will be switched
off and, on certain engine variants, the max-
imum engine torque will be limited.
When continuing your journey, select a low
gear in which the engine speed is about
3,500 rpm until the incline eases.
Trailer hitch loadThe weight distribution on the trailer makes
a lot of difference to the handling properties
of the car and trailer combination. With a
two-wheel trailer, concentrate the load over
the wheels and keep it as low as possible.
The trailer should be loaded so that the load
on the towball is 110–165 lbs. (50–75 kg).
Note that this load must be included in the
total load for the car. If this now exceeds the
specified load capacity, the load in the trunk
may have to be reduced by the correspond-
ing amount.
WARNING
Remember to use engine-braking (selec-
tor position 1, 2, or 3) to spare the brakes
when you are driving on a long or steep
downhill slope.
Overheating can cause the brakes to
fade!
Distribution of load in trailera Light
b Moderate
cHeavy
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245 Car care
Changing a tire
WARNING
The car jack is designed solely for use
in changing a tire or fitting snow
chains. It must not be used to
support the car during repair work
or servicing.
Never crawl under a car that is
supported only by a jack.
Special care must be taken if the car is
on a slope - use wedge-shaped wheel
chocks!
Position chocks, one ahead and one
behind, the wheel that is diagonally
opposite to the one to be changed.
Switch on the hazard warning lights if
the car is on a road.
Apply the parking brake and leave the
car in gear (1st or reverse). Automatic
transmission: move the selector lever
to the P position.
Ensure that everybody is out of the car
before jacking it up.
Never start the engine while the car is
jacked up.
If possible, make sure the jack is
standing on a firm, level surface.
The jack should be stored correctly
under the carpeting in the trunk. If it
lies loose in the car, it could thrown
forward and cause personal injury in
the event of a crash or if the car rolls
over.
Do not use the jack on a car other than
your Saab 9-3.
Grit, salt and rust can clog the inner
threads of the wheel bolts if the car has
been driven for several years exclu-
sively with alloy wheels.
If steel wheels are being installed, the
bolt hole threads in the brake hubs
should be cleaned before the thinner
steel wheels are fitted. It may other-
wise not be possible to achieve the
correct clamping force, despite tight-
ening the wheel bolts to the correct
torque.
WARNING
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The
vehicle can slip off the jack and roll over
you or other people. You and they could
be badly injured. Find a level place to
change your tire. To help prevent the
vehicle from moving:
1 Set the parking brake firmly.
2 Put the shift lever in PARK (P) (auto-
matic transmission;
engage 1st gear (manual transmis-
sion).
3 Turn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won’t
move, you can put blocks at the front and
rear of the tire farthest away from the one
being changed. That would be the tire on
the other side of the vehicle, at the oppo-
site end.
ProCarManuals.com
246 Car careWhen the car has to be lifted, the jack must
be positioned at one of the four jacking
points (front or rear) under the sill members.
If a floor jack is used, the lifting plate must
be positioned under the normal jacking
points, see illustration. If the car is equipped
with a towbar, the jack can also be placed
under this.
1 Wind the jack up to a suitable height
before placing it under the jacking point.
Each jacking point is indicated by an
arrow on the sill (see illustration).
Make sure that the jack fully engages
the jacking point in the underside of the
sill member and that the entire foot of the
jack is steady and flat on the ground.
The jack must not stand on snow, ice or
similar.
Wind up the jack until it just begins to lift
the car.2 It is not necessary to remove the wheel
cover.
If, none the less, you wish to remove the
wheel cover, take hold of the outer edge
and pull it straight out.
Loosen the wheel bolts half a turn.
3 Wind the jack to raise the wheel clear of
the ground. Remove the wheel bolts and
lift off the wheel.4 Clean any rust or dirt from the contact
surfaces between the wheel and brake
disc. Do not wipe away the grease in the
wheel hub.
5 Add a thin layer of grease on the bolts
before fitting, see page 248. Fit the
wheel and screw in the bolts in the
sequence shown on page 248 (opposite
pairs).
Tighten the bolts enough for the bolts
and wheel to be seated correctly.
6 Lower the car and tighten the wheel
bolts to torque in sequence as shown on
the following page.
Tightening torque:
Light-alloy wheels: 80 ft.lb. (110 Nm).
Steel wheels: 80 ft.lb. (110 Nm).NOTICEApply the jack only to the jacking points
indicated on the body.
Jacking points
Marking of jacking points
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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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286 IndexPinch protection, sunroof
_________ 122
Plates and labels, location ________ 278
Polishing and waxing
____________ 251
Poly-V-belt
____________________ 205
Position lights ___________________ 91
Power steering fluid, checking
_____ 201
Power steering fluid, grade
________ 273
Pressure gauge
_________________ 80
Pressure, tires
__________________ 231
Profiles, customized settings
_______ 83
QQuality grading, tires
_____________ 235
Quick guide, remote control
________ 41
RRain sensor
_____________________ 96
Raising the soft top manually,
Convertible ____________________ 60
Reading lights, Convertible
_________ 70
Rear fog light
___________________ 93
Rear seats, folding down
_________ 134
Rear towing eye
________________ 185
Rear window heating
____________ 102
Rearview mirrors
________________ 128
Recirculation
___________________ 101
Recommendations for automatic
transmission, towing a trailer
_____ 179Recommendations for manual
gearbox, towing a trailer
_________ 180
Recommended fuel grades ________ 147
Recommended snow chains _______ 275
Refueling
______________________ 147
Remote control
__________________ 40
Remote locking malfunction
________ 42
Replacement, wheel
_____________ 236
Reporting safety defects __________ 265
Rev counter
_____________________ 78
Reversing lights
_________________ 94
Roll bars, Convertible
_____________ 68
Roll-over protection, Convertible
_____ 68
Roof lighting
___________________ 123
Roof lighting, changing
___________ 217
Running-in
_____________________ 151
SSAHR, head restraint
_____________ 20
SDM
_________________________ 266
SID
___________________________ 83
SPA __________________________ 170
Saab Information Display
__________ 83
Saab Parking Assistance _________ 170
Saab Trionic engine management
system
______________________ 194
Safety belts _____________________ 11
Seatbelts
_______________________ 11
Seatbelts in rear seat, Convertible
___ 67
Seatbelts, care
_________________ 248Seatbelts, checking
______________ 248
Seats
__________________________ 16
Securing a load
_________________ 137
Sentronic, manual gear selection
___ 158
Service costs
___________________ 263
Service information
______________ 264
Service intervals
________________ 262
Service record retention
__________ 263
Signalling, horn
_________________ 116
Ski hatch
______________________ 136
Spare wheel ___________________ 243
Speed ratings, tires
______________ 239
Speedometer
____________________ 79
Starting the engine
______________ 142
Steering wheel adjustment
________ 116
Steering wheel lock
______________ 142
Steps for determining correct load
limit
_________________________ 242
Storage compartments
___________ 126
Sun visor
______________________ 124
Sunroof
_______________________ 120
Switches _______________________ 91
TTCS
__________________________ 163
Technical data
__________________ 268
Textile carpeting, cleaning
_________ 249
Tie down eyes
__________________ 137
Tightening torque, wheels
_________ 247
Tire chains
_____________________ 237
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