6Engine compartment
IB3636
Engine ______________________ 186
Checking the oil level ___________ 186
Changing engine oil ____________ 187
Engine oil, specification _________ 255
Braking______________________ 152
ABS brakes __________________ 153
Brake and clutch fluid ___________ 189
Brake system _________________ 259
Brake pads ___________________ 259
Fuses _________________ 211
Changing a fuse _________ 213
Relays ________________ 215
Table of fuses ___________ 211Temperature gauge ______ 59
Driving in hot weather_____ 160
Driving in cold weather ____ 159
Coolant________________ 188
Coolant capacity_________ 254
Power steering fluid _______ 191
Steering, technical data ___ 259
Wipers and washers ______ 71
Washers _______________ 196
Washer jets ____________ 196
Jump starting _________________ 174
Battery ______________________ 192
Charging/replacing the battery____ 193
Manual transmission ___________ 142
Automatic transmission _________ 143
Automatic transmission,
technical data ________________ 258
Manual gearbox, technical data ___ 258
Important considerations for driving 136
Turbo unit ___________________ 183
Engine, technical data __________ 254Ignition switch ___________ 132
Drive belts ______________ 194
Spark plugs _____________ 257
Catalytic converter _______ 137Warning labels __________ 7
V.I.N. number ___________ 262
Engine number __________ 262
Gearbox number _________ 262
Color code______________ 262
Tire and Loading Information
Label _________________ 226
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142 Starting and drivingEngine Break-In PeriodPistons, bores and bearings need time to
obtain uniform, wear-resistant surfaces.
If a new engine is driven too hard, this grad-
ual process of bedding-in will not be possi-
ble and the life of the engine will be short-
ened.
During the first 1,200 miles (2,000 km), do
not exceed 5,000 rpm.
In addition, refrain from driving the car at full
throttle, other than for brief instances,
during the first 1,800 miles (3,000 km).
Wearing in new brake padsNew brake pads take time to bed in, about
90 miles (150 km) if the car is driven largely
under stop-and-go conditions or about
300 miles (500 km) of highway driving.
To extend the useful life of the pads, avoid
hard braking as much as possible during
this period.
Gear changingManual transmissionTo start the engine the clutch pedal must
be fully depressed.The gear positions are marked on the gear
lever. Before reverse (R) can be engaged,
you must lift the ring underneath the gear-
lever knob.
To change gear, fully depress the clutch
pedal and then release it smoothly. It is
inadvisable to drive with your hand resting
on the gear lever, as this can increase the
wear on the transmission.
When changing down from 5th to 4th gear,
ease the gear lever straight back, without
applying any lateral pressure. This will pre-
vent 2nd gear being engaged by mistake,
which can result in overreving and possible
damage to the engine.
Before engaging reverse, wait till the car is
at a standstill, release the accelerator and
fully depress the clutch. From neutral, press
the gear lever firmly to the right before
easing it back into reverse.
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152 Starting and drivingTo reduce the preset speedThe cruise control system will always disen-
gage automatically the moment that either
the brake pedal or the clutch pedal is
depressed.
It is also possible to reduce the speed by
means of the RESUME/– button.
Sliding the button to RESUME/– once will
reduce the speed by 1 mph (1.6 km/h).
Holding the button in the RESUME/– posi-
tion will effect a gradual reduction in speed
until the button is released.
Disengaging the system The system will be disengaged:
When the brake or clutch pedal is depres-
sed.
When the switch is moved to CANCEL.
When the switch is moved to OFF.
When the engine is switched off.
When the selector lever is moved to posi-
tion N (cars with automatic transmission).
When the ESP system is operative for
more than 1 second.
BrakingTo avoid the brakes becoming overheated,
(e.g. when negotiating long descents with a
drop of several hundred feet), select a low
gear to use the braking effect of the engine.
If the car has automatic transmission, move
the selector lever to position D or L.
When driving fast, you can help to prolong
the life of the brakes by thinking ahead and
braking harder for short periods, rather than
braking more moderately over long
stretches. Brake pad wear indicatorsThe outboard brake pads on the front
wheels incorporate pad-wear indicators.
When the lining is down to 3 mm, the pad
will produce a screeching, squealing or
scraping noise when the brakes are applied.
New pads should be fitted without delay. Brake pads should only be replaced by
an authorized Saab dealer.
To ensure optimum brake performance,
it is recommended that you use only
Saab original brake pads.
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153 Starting and driving
ABS brakes
ABS (antilock braking system) modulates
the brake pressure to the respective
wheels. Wheel sensors detect if a wheel is
about to lock, and the control module redu-
ces the pressure to that wheel and then
increases it once more until the tendency is
detected again.
The brake system is equipped with an Elec-
tronic Brake-force Distribution device
(EBD), which distributes the brake pressure
between the front and rear wheels, in such
a way as to achieve optimum braking perfor-
mance irrespective of the car’s speed and
load.
WARNING
It is prudent to try your brakes from
time to time, especially when driving in
heavy rain, through water collected on
the road, in snow, on a wet road sur-
face or in salty slush. In such condi-
tions, the brakes may take longer than
normal to take effect. To rectify this,
touch the brake pedal periodically to
dry the brakes out.
The same applies after the car has
been washed or when the weather is
very humid.
Avoid parking the car with wet brakes.
Before parking, and if the traffic condi-
tions allow, brake quite heavily so that
the brake discs and pads warm up and
dry.
The brakes are power assisted and it
should be kept in mind that the servo
unit only provides the power assis-
tance when the engine is running.
The brake pressure required when the
engine is off,(e.g. when the car is
being towed) is roughly four times the
normal pedal force required. The
pedal also feels hard and unre-
sponsive.
WARNING
The additional safety afforded by the
ABS system is not designed to allow
drivers to drive faster but to make
normal driving safer.
To stop as quickly as possible, without
loss of directional stability, whether
the road surface is dry, wet or slippery, press the brake pedal down hard-
without letting up (do not pump the
pedal),
declutching simultan-
eously, and steer the car to safety.
ProCarManuals.com
190 Car care and technical informationUse only new brake fluid from a sealed con-
tainer.
Check that there are no leaks in the brake
system.
The brake fluid level will fall somewhat as
the brake pads wear. The MAX level in the
reservoir corresponds to the amount of
brake fluid required with new brake pads. If
the fall in fluid level is moderate, due to
normal brake pad wear, topping up is not
necessary.Changing of the brake fluid should be
carried out by an authorized Saab dealer.The vehicle´s regular braking system is
adjusted automatically, but the parking
brake has to be adjusted manually. This
work, involving adjustment of the parking
brake cables and brake pads, must only be
carried out by an authorized Saab dealer.It is not possible to detect, through abnormal
pedal or parking brake-lever travel, whether
brake pads are worn and need replacing. It
is therefore essential that brake pads be
checked regularly, as specified in the ser-
vice program.
Brake pad wear indicators The outboard brake pads on the front
wheels incorporate pad-wear indicators.
When the lining is down to 0.11 in (3 mm),
the pad will produce a screeching, squeal-
ing or scraping noise when the brakes are
applied. New pads should be fitted without
delay.Brake pads should only be changed by
an authorized Saab dealer. To ensure
optimum brake performance, use only
Saab original brake pads.
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.
IB1188
Brake and clutch-fluid reservoir
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247 Customer Assistance and Information
Service record retentionIt is the owner´s responsibility to retain ser-
vice records. If possible, you should keep
copies of all shop work orders for all service
and repairs, whenever performed. As indi-
cated in the new car and emission control
system warranties, it is important to docu-
ment that all necessary maintenance has
been done.HOW THE SERVICE RECORD IS
ORGANIZEDThe service record is comprised of a series
of coupons on which to record services as
they are performed. There are additional
coupons for documenting extra engine oil
and filter changes, extra automatic trans-
mission fluid services necessary for severe
service conditions, and brake fluid changes.HOW TO USE THE SERVICE
RECORD COUPONSWhen the car is brought to a Saab dealer for
scheduled manitenance, present the Saab
Warranty and Service Record Booklet to the
service manager. When the technician has
completed the service, the technician will
sign the maintenance record. The person
resposible for quality assurance at the deal-
ership will also sign and stamp the record
with the dealer identification stamp.
Service 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
locality.
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.
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259 Specifications
Suspension
Steering Brake system Spring type, front and rear ___________ Coil springs
Maximum deflection of springs:
Front __________________________ 7.09 in (180 mm)
Rear ___________________________ 7.87 in (200 mm)
Dampers, front and rear _____________ Gas-filled dampers
Steering _________________________ Power-assisted ste-
ering of
rack-and-pinion
type; telescopic ste-
ering-column shaft
with universal joints
Number of turns, lock to lock __________ 2.9
Power-steering fluid ________________ Power-steering fluid
CHF 11S Footbrake (ABS) ____________________ Hydraulic, dual-
circuit brake sys-
tem. Diagonally
split circuit with vac-
uum servo unit.
Disc brakes front
and rear. EBD, see
page 152.
Handbrake ________________________ Acts on rear wheels
Brake fluid _________________________ DOT 4
Brake-fluid capacity _________________ 0.951 qts (900 ml)
Disc diameter:
Front, ventilated ___________________ 11.34 in (288 mm)
Front, ventilated, certain variants * _____ 12.05 in (306 mm)
Rear, solid _______________________ 11.26 in (286 mm)
Rear, ventilated, certain variants * _____ 11.81 in (300 mm)
* 15” wheel must not be used on these
variants.
Total friction area of brake pads:
Front ___________________________ 36.3 in
2 (234 cm
2)
Rear ___________________________ 15.5 in
2 (100 cm
2)
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