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
131 Starting and driving
IB1754
Starting and driving
Ignition switch ________ 132
Starting the engine ____ 133
Important considerations
for driving___________ 136
Refueling ____________ 138
Engine Break-In Period_ 142
Gear changing ________ 142
Cruise control ________ 151
Braking ______________ 152
Electronic Stability
Program (ESP) _______ 155
Economical motoring __ 157
Driving in cold weather_ 159
Driving in hot weather _ 160
Towing a trailer _______ 161 Driving with a roof rack
load_________________ 166
Driving at night ________ 168
Driving with a load _____ 168
Driving considerations
with compact spare
wheel/tire fitted _______ 170
Spare wheel and tools __ 170
Driving with the trunk
lid/tailgate open _______ 171
Driving in deep water ___ 171
Towing the car_________ 171
Jump starting _________ 174
Saab Parking Assistance 177
Parking brake _________ 179
Parking _______________ 179
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
137 Starting and driving
Important considerations with
catalytic convertersThe catalytic converter is an emission-con-
trol device incorporated in the car’s exhaust
system. It consists of a metal canister with a
honeycomb insert, the cells of which have
walls coated in a catalytic layer (mixture of
precious metals).
To ensure that the catalytic converter con-
tinues to function properly, and also to avoid
damage to the converter and its associated
components, the following points must be
observed:
Have the car serviced regularly in accor-
dance with the service program. The fuel
and ignition systems are particularly
important in this context.
Always be alert to any misfiring of the
engine (not running on all cylinders) and
any loss of power or performance. At the
first sign of a malfunction, reduce speed
and take the car to an authorized Saab
dealer as soon as possible.
If the engine fails to start (in very cold
weather or if the battery is flat), the car can
be push started (manual gearbox only) or
started using jumper cables to a donor battery. However, as soon as you have
started the engine, it is important that it
runs on all cylinders. If it is misfiring, allow
it to idle for up to five minutes to give it time
to settle and run smoothly. If, after this
time, the engine still fails to run properly,
turn off the engine and get in touch with
an authorized Saab dealer for advice.
Never park the car on dry grass or other
combustible material. The catalytic con-
verter gets very hot and could therefore
start a fire.
Never drive off if the engine is misfiring.
If you jump start the car when the engine
is already up to normal temperature, the engine must start to run on all cylinders.
Stop jump-starting if the engine fails to
start immediately.
Failure to follow these directions could
result in the catalytic converter and associ-
ated components being damaged, and
could represent a breach of the warranty
conditions.
NOTICEUse only unleaded gasoline. Leaded
gasoline is detrimental to the catalyst and
oxygen sensor and will seriously impair
the function of the catalytic converter.
NOTICEIf the car runs out of fuel, it is possible for
air to get into the fuel system. If this
happens, the catalytic converter may
overheat and be damaged.
IB1289
2
2
1
3
3
Oxygen-sensor-controlled
injection system1 Engine control module
2 Oxygen sensor (lambda probe)
3 Catalytic converters
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173 Starting and driving
Towing the car Gear lever in neutral (in cars with automatic
transmission: selector lever at N (neutral))
Turn on the parking lights.Drive carefully and do not exceed the
speed limit for vehicles being towed. Always try to keep the towrope taut by
gently applying the brake, as necessary.
This will avoid the towrope being jerked
violently.
The local regulations on towing speeds
must be followed.
The highest permissible towing speed is
30 mph (50 km/h), unless the legal limit is
lower. The longest permissible towing dis-
tance is 30 miles (50 km). If the car has to
be transported farther than that, summon a
tow truck. A flat bed tow truck is the pre-
ferred method to tow.
Failure to follow these guidelines can result
in damage.
Cars with automatic transmissionThe car cannot be push started. In an emer-
gency, it is possible to start the engine using
jump leads (see the section, ”Jump starting”
on page 174).
Transporting the car
NOTICENever
use the towing eyes to pull the
car unstuck.
NOTICE The car must be towed front first.
If the car is to be towed with the front
wheels off the ground, make sure the
parking brake is off, as this acts on the
rear wheels.
NOTICEIf a car with a sport (lowered) chassis is
transported, for example on a flat bed
truck, take extra care not to damage the
spoiler and/or underbody.
Never use the towing eyes to pull the car
unstuck
ProCarManuals.com
174 Starting and drivingJump startingIf your battery has run down, you may want
to use another vehicle and some jumper
cables to start your Saab. Follow the steps
below to do it safely.To jump start your vehicle:
1 Check the other vehicle. It must have a
12-volt battery with a negative ground
system.
2 Get the vehicles close enough so the
jumper cables can reach, but be sure the
vehicles are not touching each other. If a
poor connection on the negative jumper
cable should exist, it is possible for
damage to be caused to electrical sys-
tems/components of either vehicle
should inadvertent contact be made.
You would not be able to start your car
and bad grounding could damage elec-
trical systems.
3 Turn off the ignition on both vehicles.
Turn off all lights that are not needed,
and radios. This will avoid sparks and
help save both batteries and it could
save your radio.
WARNING
When working on the battery, highly
explosive gas can build up. A spark
could ignite this gas that collects
around the battery.
Therefore, always avoid sparks and
open flames in the vicinity of the bat-
tery.
The battery contains corrosive sulfuric
acid. Always wear a face mask or
goggles when working on the battery.
If battery acid gets into the eyes or
splashes onto skin or clothing, wash
the affected area liberally with water.
If acid gets into the eyes or a large
quantity makes contact with the skin,
seek medical help.
Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead
compounds. Wash your hands after
handling.
NOTICEIgnoring these steps could result in costly
damage to your vehicle that would not be
covered by your warranty.
Trying to start your car by pushing or pul-
ling it could damage your vehicle, even if
you have a manual transmission. If you
have an automatic transmission, your
vehicle cannot be started by pushing or
pulling it.
NOTICEIf the other system is not a 12-volt system
with a negative ground, both vehicles can
be damaged.
WARNING
You could be injured if the vehicles roll.
Set the parking brake firmly on each
vehicle. Put an automatic transmission in
P (Park) or a manual transmission in
Neutral.
+
–
+
–
IB484
ProCarManuals.com
175 Starting and driving
4 Open the hood and locate the battery.
Find the positive (+) and negative (–) termi-
nals on the battery.5 Check that the jumper cables do not
have loose or missing insulation. If they
do, you could get a shock and also the
vehicles could be damaged.
Before you connect the cables, here are
some basic things you should know.
Positive (+) will go to positive (+) and
negative (–) will go to a major metal
engine part with a good ground. Do not
connect (+) to (–) or you will get a short
that could injure you or would damage
the battery and maybe other parts as
well.
6 Connect the red positive (+) cable to the
positive (+) terminal of the vehicle with
the discharged battery.
7 Do not let the other end touch metal.
Connect it to the positive (+) terminal of
the good battery. Use a remote positive
(+) terminal if the vehicle has one.
8 Now connect the black negative (–)
cable to the good battery’s negative
terminal.NOTICEIf you leave your radio on, it could be
badly damaged. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
WARNING
An electric fan can start up even when the
engine is not running and can injure you.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from
any underhood electric fan.
WARNING
Using a match or flame of any kind near a
battery can cause battery gas to explode.
You can suffer burns or be blinded. Use a
flashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water.
The battery installed in your new Saab
has filler caps. Be sure the right amount
of water is there. Add distilled or boiled
water if the level is too low. If you don’t,
explosive gas could be present.
Be sure the electrolyte in the battery is not
frozen. Discharged batteries will freeze.
When connecting jumper cables to a
frozen battery, gas from the chemical
reaction inside the battery can build up
under the ice and cause an explosion.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn
you. Do not get it on you. If you acciden-
tally get it in your eyes or on your skin,
flush the area with water and get medical
help immediately.
ProCarManuals.com
176 Starting and driving9 Attach the cable at least 18 inches
(45 cm) away from the discharged bat-
tery, but not near engine parts that
move. To avoid an arc which could deto-
nate the hydrogen gas around the bat-
tery, the final connection must be at least
18” from the battery.
10 Start the vehicle with the good battery
and run the engine for a while.
11 Try to start the vehicle with the dischar-
ged battery. If it does not start after a few
tries, it probably needs service.
12 Remove the cables in reverse order to
prevent electrical shorting. Take care
that they do not touch each other or any
other metal.
Charging the battery/Jump
startingTo avoid damaging the car’s electrical
system and electronics, the following rules
must be followed when charging the battery
or jump starting the car.
If the charger or starter unit can be set to
different voltages (6V/12V/18V/24V), 12V
must be selected.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions
supplied with the charger or starter unit.
Nothing that is plugged into an electrical
outlet should be connected to the car
during charging or jump starting.
The charger or starter unit must under no
conditions produce a voltage greater
than:
16V continuous
18V for 60 min.
If you are unsure about the charge rating
of the unit, disconnect the battery clamp
from the positive terminal before connec-
ting the unit to the battery.
WARNING
Do not let the other end touch anything
until the next step. The other end of the
negative cable
does not
go to the dead
battery. It goes to a major metal part with
a good ground on the engine of the
vehicle with the discharged battery.
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