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
ProCarManuals.com
133 Starting and driving
If the car does not startIf the text
”Key not accepted.
Contact service.”
is shown on the SID, after a failed start
attempt, the cause could be a fault in the
transmitter in the key, or in the receiver in
the ignition lock. The following should be
done:
Turn the key back to the LOCK position.
Turn the key to ON.
Press one of the buttons on the remote
control (the LED stops blinking).
Start the engine.
Try another key. If this works, then the fault
is in the first key.
Contact an authorized Saab dealer for
checking and rectification.
Note:
Certain electronic items, such as cellular
phones, may affect the starting produce-
dure. Be sure that all devices are clear of the
key/ignition switch area.
Starting the engine
NOTICETake care not to spill drinks or to drop
crumbs over the ignition switch. If dirt or
liquid gets into it, the switch may not
operate properly.
WARNING
Always remove the key before leaving
the car.
Always apply the parking brake before
removing the ignition key.
WARNING
When starting the engine:
– Sit down in the driver’s seat.
– Depress the clutch pedal fully. If the
gear lever is not in the neutral position,
the clutch pedal must be fully depres-
sed or the car will jump forwards or
backwards, which may cause a crash.
– Never start the car from outside the
vehicle, e.g. through a wound down
window. This could lead to serious
personal injury.
Engage reverse (R) (position P for
automatic transmission) to remove the
ignition key. The key can only be
removed in this gear position.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless,
odorless, poisonous gas. Be alert to
the danger of CO – always open the
garage doors before starting the
engine in the garage.
There is also a danger of CO poiso-
ning if the exhaust system is leaking.
ProCarManuals.com
134 Starting and drivingIt is possible for air to enter the lubricating
system in conjunction with an oil or oil-filter
change, or if the car has been stored for
some time. This air can cause the hydraulic
cam followers to emit a ticking noise, which
can persist for up to 15 minutes after start-
ing. Although this is quite normal and does
not indicate any malfunction, it is advisable
not to exceed 3,000 rpm before the noise
has disappeared.
The hydraulic cam lifters are completely
service free; the valve clearance is set up at
the factory and will not need any subse-
quent adjustment.
Starting the engineAvoid racing the engine or putting a heavy
load on it before it has warmed up. Drive
away as soon as the oil warning light has
been extinguished to enable the engine to
attain its normal temperature as quickly as
possible.
The engine has an automatic choke and
should be started as follows:Cars with manual transmission
To start the engine the clutch pedal must
be fully depressed.1 Depress the clutch pedal fully but do not
touch the accelerator.
2 Start the engine. Let the ignition key
spring back as soon as the engine has
started and is running smoothly – at very
low temperatures, you may need to run
the starter for up to 25 seconds. Wait
20–30 seconds before running the star-
ter again, to give the battery time to reco-
ver.
Note:
On cars with manual transmission, if the
starter fails to engage when the ignition key
is turned to the start position, make sure the
clutch pedal is full depressed. Misposi-
tioned floor mats or other obstructions
under the clutch pedal may affect starting.
Let the engine idle for about 10 seconds. Do
not open the throttle wide for at least 2–
3 minutes after starting.
Cars with automatic transmission 1 The selector lever must be in the P or N
position.
2 Keep your foot on the brake pedal.
3 Start the engine. Let the ignition key
spring back as soon as the engine has
started and is running smoothly – at very
low temperatures, you may need to run
the starter for up to 25 seconds. Wait
20–30 seconds before running the star-
ter again, to give the battery time to reco-
ver.
Let the engine idle for about 10 seconds. Do
not open the throttle wide for at least
2–3 minutes after starting. The tail pipe of the exhaust system
can become very hot during driving.
Bear this in mind when loading and
unloading the car.
Do not rest or sleep in the car when
parked with the engine running. There
is a risk of depressing the accelerator
which could lead to engine damage.
ProCarManuals.com
135 Starting and driving
Useful tips on cold climate
startingIf the engine has failed to start after several
attempts in very cold weather, press and
hold the accelerator down to the floor and
run the starter for 5–10 seconds. This will
prevent the engine being flooded (exces-
sively rich fuel-air mixture).
Now start the engine in the normal way – do
not touch the accelerator.
If the engine stalls immediately after starting
(e.g. if the clutch was released too quickly),
do not touch the accelerator when restarting
the engine.
Limp-home modeThe engine management system has a
diagnostic feature that continually checks a
number of internal functions. If, for example,
a fault is detected in the throttle valve, the
engine management system will go into
Limp-home mode.This limits idling control,
disables the cruise-control system and
limits the capacity of the A/C compressor.
If the limp-home mode is in operation
(”Engine malfunction (CHECK ENGINE)”
light on, see below) and the outside temper-
ature is close to or below freezing, you may
need to use some throttle on starting (some
pressure on the accelerator).
If the diagnostic system has detected a fault
in the engine-management system, the
”Engine malfunction (CHECK ENGINE)”
light on the main instrument panel will
come on (see page 55), indicating that you
should have the car checked as soon as
possible by an authorized Saab dealer.
NOTICEIf the CHECK ENGINE warning light
starts to flash, ease off the accelerator
slightly. If the light does not cease to flash
within 5 seconds, stop the car in a suita-
ble place as soon as possible and turn off
the engine. The car must be towed to an
authorized Saab dealer.
If the CHECK ENGINE warning light flas-
hes, it indicates that the engine is misfi-
ring which can result in damage to the
catalytic converter.
ProCarManuals.com
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.
ProCarManuals.com
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.
ProCarManuals.com
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
160 Starting and drivingIf winter tires are fitted, the same type must
be fitted on all 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 them before they
reach the legal wear limit, as they gradually
lose their friction properties.
The best response if the car gets into a front-
wheel skid is to freewheel (manual gearbox
only), i.e. disengage the clutch (so that the
wheels are neither driven or retarded by the
engine.
If the car has automatic transmission, ease
up on the accelerator and steer carefully in
the desired direction.
In a rear-wheel skid, steer in the same direc-
tion that the rear of the car is moving.
Tire chainsIf you want to fit tire chains (where legally
permitted) they should only be fitted to the
tires recommended under ”Specifications”
(see page 260).
Consult your Saab dealer for details of
approved tire chains.
Driving in hot weather Always check the coolant level before
starting a journey. The level should be just
below the MAX mark.
At the end of a journey, if the engine has
worked hard, allow it to idle for two or
three minutes before switching it off.
If the needle on the temperature gauge
enters the red zone:
1 Bring the car to a standstill but leave the
engine running. Do
not
remove the cap
on the expansion tank even if the tank is
empty. If the needle on the temperature
gauge continues to rise while the engine
is idling, switch off the engine.
WARNING
Do not exceed 30 mph (50 km/h)
when tire chains are fitted.
Tire chains can reduce the directional
stability of the car.
Tire chains must not be used on the
rear wheels. NOTICE Check the links frequently for wear.
Check that the chains do not contact
the wheel-arch liner at full lock.
See section ”Specifications”,
page 260, for information on allowable
wheel dimensions for the fitting of tire
chains.
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