2006 SAAB 9-2X wiper blades

3-20
Instruments and controls
Wiper and washer
NOTE
The wiper operates only when the ig-
nition switch is in the “ON” or “ACC”
position.

Clean your wiper blades and window
glass periodically with a washer solu-
tion to prevent streaking, and to re-
move accumulations of road salt or
road film. Keep the washer button de-
pressed at least for 1 second so that
washer solution will be sprinkled all
over the windshield or rear window.

Grease, wax, insects or other materi-
al on the windshield or the wiper blade In freezing weather, do not use the
windshield washer until the wind-
shield is sufficiently warmed by the
defroster.
Otherwise the washer fluid can
freeze on the windshield, blocking
your view.

Do not operate the washer contin-
uously for more than ten seconds,
or when the washer fluid tank is
empty. This may cause overheat-
ing of the washer motor. Check
the washer fluid level frequently,
such as at fuel stops.

Do not operate the wipers when
the windshield or rear window is
dry. This may scratch the glass,
damage the wiper blades and
cause the wiper motor to burn out.
Before operating the wiper on a
dry windshield or rear window, al-
ways use the windshield washer.

In freezing weather, be sure that
the wiper blades are not frozen to
the windshield or rear window be-
fore switching on the wipers. At-
tempting to operate the wiper with
the blades frozen to the window
glass could cause not only the
wiper blades to be damaged but
also the wiper motor to burn out. If
the wiper blades are frozen to the
window glass, be sure to operate
the defroster, windshield wiper
deicer 3 or rear window defogger
before turning on the wiper.

If the wipers stop during opera-
tion because of ice or some other
obstruction on the window, the
wiper motor could burn out even if
the wiper switch is turned off. If
this occurs, promptly stop the ve-
hicle in a safe place, turn the igni-
tion switch to the “LOCK”
position and clean the window
glass to allow proper wiper opera-
tion.

Use clean water if windshield
washer fluid is unavailable. In ar-
eas where water freezes in winter,
use windshield washer fluid with
adequate freeze protection. (See
the “Windshield washer fluid”
section in chapter 11.)
Also, when driving the vehicle
when there are freezing tempera-
tures, use non-freezing type wiper
blades.

Do not clean the wiper blades with
gasoline or a solvent, such as
paint thinner or benzene. This will
cause deterioration of the wiper
blades.
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Instruments and controls
3-21
3
– CONTINUED –
results in jerky wiper operation and
streaking on the glass. If you cannot
remove those streaks after operating
the washer or if the wiper operation is
jerky, clean the outer surface of the
windshield or rear window and the wip-
er blades using a sponge or soft cloth
with a neutral detergent or mild-abra-
sive cleaner. After cleaning, rinse the
window glass and wiper blades with
clean water. The glass is clean if no
beads form on the glass when you
rinse with water.

If you cannot eliminate the streaking
even after following this procedure, re-
place the wiper blades with new ones.
Refer to the “Replacement of wiper
blades” section (chapter 11) for re-
placement instructions.

Windshield wiper and washer
switches
Windshield wipersOFF : Park
: Intermittent
LO : Low speed
HI : High speedTo turn the wipers on, push the wiper con-
trol lever down.
To turn the wipers off, return the lever to
the “OFF” position.
Wiper intermittent time control
When the wiper switch is in the “ ” po-
sition, turn the dial to adjust the operating
interval of the wiper.
The operating interval can be adjusted in
four steps.
Two click stop positions of the dial may
help you to aim at your desired interval.
OFF
LO
HI300137
300138
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3-24
Instruments and controls
Windshield wiper deicer 3The windshield wiper deicer operates only
when the ignition switch is in the “ON” po-
sition.
Before turning on the windshield wiper de-
icer, remove any snow from the wind-
shield. To turn on the windshield wiper de-
icer, push the button. The indicator light
located on the button lights up while the
windshield wiper deicer is operating.
The windshield wiper deicer will automati-
cally shut off after approximately 15 min-
utes. If the windshield wiper blades have
been deiced completely before that time,
push the button to turn it off. It also turns
off when the ignition switch is turned to the
“ACC” or “LOCK” position. If deicing is notcomplete when you restart your vehicle,
you have to push the button to turn the de-
icer on again.
NOTEIf your vehicle is equipped with the out-
side mirror defogger, the outside mir-
ror defogger operates while the rear
window defogger is operating.
MirrorsAlways check that the inside and outside
mirrors are properly adjusted before you
start driving.
Inside mirrorThe inside mirror has a day and night po-
sition. Pull the tab at the bottom of the mir-
ror toward you for the night position. Push
it away for the day position. The night po-
sition reduces glare from headlights.
300143
To prevent the battery from being
discharged, do not operate the
windshield wiper deicer continuous-
ly for any longer than necessary.
300145
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Driving tips
8-7
8
– CONTINUED –
Keep the door locks from freezing by
squirting them with deicer or glycerin.
Forcing a frozen door open may damage
or separate the rubber weather strips
around the door. If the door is frozen, use
hot water to melt the ice, and afterwards
thoroughly wipe the water away.
Use a windshield washer fluid that con-
tains an antifreeze solution. Do not use
engine antifreeze or other substitutes be-
cause they may damage the paint of the
vehicle.

Before driving your vehicle
Before entering the vehicle, remove any
snow or ice from your shoes because that
could make the pedals slippery and dan-
gerous.
While warming up the vehicle before driv-
ing, check that the accelerator pedal,
brake pedal, and all other controls operate
smoothly.
Clear away ice and snow that has accu-
mulated under the fenders to avoid mak-
ing steering difficult. During severe winter
driving, stop when and where it is safe to
do so and check under the fenders period-
ically.
Parking in cold weather
Do not use the parking brake when park-
ing for long periods in cold weather since
it could freeze in that position. Instead, ob-
serve the following.
1. Place the shift lever in “1” or “R” for
manual transmission vehicles, and in “P”
for automatic transmission vehicles.
2. Use tire stops under the tires to prevent
the vehicle from moving.
When the vehicle is parked in snow or
when it snows, raise the wiper blades off
the glass to prevent damage to them.
When the vehicle has been left parked af-
ter use on roads heavily covered with
snow, or has been left parked during a
snowstorm, icing may develop on the
brake system, which could cause poor
braking action. Check for snow or ice
buildup on the suspension, disc brakes
and brake hoses underneath the vehicle.
If there is caked snow or ice, remove it,
being careful not to damage the disc
brakes and brake hoses and ABS har-
ness.

Refueling in cold weather
To help prevent moisture from forming in
the fuel system and the risk of its freezing,
use of an antifreeze additive in the fuel
tank is recommended during cold weath-
er.
Use only additives that are specifically de-
signed for this purpose. When an anti-
freeze additive is used, its effect lasts
longer if the tank is refilled whenever the
fuel level reaches half empty.
If your Saab is not going to be used for an
extended period, it is best to have the fuel
tank filled to capacity.
Driving on snowy and icy
roadsTo prevent skidding and slipping, avoid
sudden braking, abrupt acceleration, high-
speed driving, and sharp turning when
driving on snowy or icy roads.
Always maintain ample distance betweenSnow can trap dangerous exhaust
gases under your vehicle. Keep
snow clear of the exhaust pipe and
from around your vehicle if you park
the vehicle in snow with the engine
running.
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8-8
Driving tips
your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you
to avoid the need for sudden braking.
To supplement the foot brake, use the en-
gine brake effectively to control the vehi-
cle speed. (Shift into a lower gear when
necessary.)
Avoid shifting down abruptly. Such behav-
ior can cause the wheels to lock, possibly
leading to loss of vehicle control.
An anti-lock brake system (ABS) enhanc-
es your vehicle’s braking performance on
snowy and icy roads. Refer to the “ABS
(Anti-lock Brake System)” section in chap-
ter 7 for information on braking on slippery
surfaces.NOTEThe following tires are summer tires.
Compared with winter and all-season
tires, summer tires give significantly
less grip on snowy and icy road surfac-
es. Avoid driving on snowy and icy
road surface with summer tires.

Optional 215/45R17 tires for Aero

Wiper operation when snowing
Before driving in cold weather, make sure
the wiper blades are not frozen to the
windshield or rear window. If the wiper
blades are frozen to the windshield or rear
window, use the defroster with the airflow
control dial in the “
” position and the
temperature control dial set for maximum
warmth until the wiper blades are com-
pletely thawed out. If your vehicle is
equipped with a wiper deicer, it is helpful
to thaw the windshield wiper blades. To
thaw out the rear wiper blade, use the rear
window defogger.
When driving in snow, if frozen snow
starts to stick on the surface of the wind-
shield despite wiper operation, use the de-
froster with the airflow control dial in
“
” and the temperature control dial
set for maximum warmth. After the wind-
shield gets warmed enough to melt the
frozen snow on it, wash it away using the
windshield washer.Snow stuck on the wiper arm prevents the
wiper from working effectively. If snow is
stuck on the wiper arm, pull off the road to
a safe place, then remove it. If you stop
the vehicle at road side, use the hazard
warning flasher to alert other drivers.
We recommend use of non-freezing type
wiper blades (winter blades) during the
seasons you could have snow and sub-
zero temperatures. Blades of this type
give superior wiping performance in
snowy conditions. Be sure to use blades
that are suitable for your vehicle.
NOTEWhen the season requiring non-freez-
ing type wiper blades is over, replace
them with standard wiper blades.
Corrosion protectionRefer to the “Corrosion protection” section
(chapter 10). Do not use the cruise control on
slippery roads such as snowy or icy
roads. This may cause loss of vehi-
cle control.
Avoid prolonged continuous driving
in snowstorms. Snow will enter the
engine’s intake system and may
hinder the air flow, which could re-
sult in engine shutdown or even
breakdown.
During high-speed driving, non-
freezing type wiper blades may not
perform as well as standard wiper
blades. If this happens, reduce the
vehicle speed.
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Maintenance and serviceTires and wheels ................................................ 11-30
Types of tires .......................................................... 11-30
Tire inspection ........................................................ 11-30
Tire pressures and wear ........................................ 11-31
Wheel balance ........................................................ 11-32
Wear indicators ....................................................... 11-33
Tire rotation ............................................................. 11-33
Tire replacement ..................................................... 11-33
Wheel replacement ................................................. 11-34
Aluminum wheels ............................................... 11-35
Windshield washer fluid .................................... 11-35
Replacement of wiper blades ............................ 11-36
Windshield wiper blades assembly ...................... 11-36
Windshield wiper blade rubber ............................. 11-37
Rear window wiper blade assembly ..................... 11-38
Rear window wiper blade rubber .......................... 11-38
Battery ................................................................. 11-40
Fuses ................................................................... 11-41
Main fuse ............................................................. 11-42
Installation of accessories ................................ 11-43
Replacing bulbs .................................................. 11-44
HID headlight bulbs 3 ............................................ 11-46
Halogen headlight bulbs 3 .................................... 11-46
Parking light ............................................................ 11-48
Front turn signal light and front side marker light
bulbs ..................................................................... 11-49
Rear combination lights ......................................... 11-50License plate light .................................................. 11-52
Dome light, map light and cargo area light .......... 11-52
3 Asterisk means: equipment not fitted in all cars (can depend
on model variant, engine variant, market specification, options
or accessories)
.
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11 - 4
Maintenance and service

Before checking or servicing
in the engine compartment

When you do checking or ser-
vicing in the engine compart-
ment while the engine is run-
ning
Engine hood
0
To open the hood:
1. If the wiper blades are lifted off the
windshield, return them to their original
positions.
2. Pull the hood release knob under the
instrument panel.
Wear adequate eye protection to
guard against getting oil or fluids
in your eyes. If something does
get in your eyes, thoroughly wash
them out with clean water.

Do not tamper with the wiring of
the SRS airbag system or seatbelt
pretensioner system, or attempt
to take its connectors apart, as
that may activate the system or it
can render it inoperative. The wir-
ing and connectors of these sys-
tems are yellow for easy identifi-
cation. NEVER use a circuit tester
for these wiring.
If your SRS airbag or seatbelt pre-
tensioner needs service, consult
your nearest Saab dealer.

Always stop the engine and set
the parking brake firmly to pre-
vent the vehicle from moving.

Always let the engine cool down.
Engine parts become very hot
when the engine is running and
remain hot for some time after the
engine is stopped.

Do not spill engine oil, engine
coolant, brake fluid or any other
fluid on hot engine components.
This may cause a fire.

Always remove the key from the
ignition switch. When the ignition
switch is in the “ON” position, the
cooling fan may operate suddenly
even when the engine is stopped.
A running engine can be dangerous.
Keep your fingers, hands, clothing,
hair and tools away from the cooling
fan, belts and any other moving en-
gine parts. Removing rings, watch-
es and ties is advisable.
B00002
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11 - 3 6
Maintenance and service
Washer fluid level gaugeRemove the washer tank filler cap, then
check the fluid level indicated by the level
gauge (attached to the inside of the cap).
If the level is near the “Low” mark, add flu-id until it reaches the “Hi” level on the level
gauge or the “Full” mark on the tank.
Use windshield washer fluid. If windshield
washer fluid is unavailable use clean wa-
ter.
In areas where water freezes in winter,
use an anti-freeze type windshield washer
fluid.
If you fill the reservoir tank with a fluid with
a different concentration from the one
used previously, purge the old fluid from
the piping between the reservoir tank and
washer nozzles by operating the washer
for a certain period of time. Otherwise, if
the concentration of the fluid remaining in
the piping is too low for the outside tem-
perature, it may freeze and block the noz-
zles.
Replacement of wiper bladesGrease, wax, insects, or other material on
the windshield or the wiper blade results in
jerky wiper operation and streaking on the
glass. If you cannot remove the streaks af-
ter operating the windshield washer or if
the wiper operation is jerky, clean the out-
er surface of the windshield (or rear win-
dow) and the wiper blades using a sponge
or soft cloth with a neutral detergent or
mild-abrasive cleaner. After cleaning,
rinse the windshield and wiper blades with
clean water. The windshield is clean if
beads do not form when you rinse the
windshield with water.If you cannot eliminate the streaking even
after following this method, replace the
wiper blades using the following proce-
dures:
Windshield wiper blades as-
sembly1. Raise the wiper arm off the windshield.
Hi
Low
300172
FULL
300524

Adjust the washer fluid concen-
tration appropriately for the out-
side temperature. If the concen-
tration is inappropriate, sprayed
washer fluid may freeze on the
windshield and obstruct your
view, and the fluid may freeze in
the reservoir tank.

Never use engine coolant as
washer fluid because it could
cause paint damage.
Do not clean the wiper blades with
gasoline or a solvent, such as paint
thinner or benzene. This will cause
deterioration of the wiper blades.
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