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Maintenance and service
Spark plugsIt may be difficult to replace the spark
plugs. It is recommended that you have
the spark plugs replaced by your Saab
dealer.
The spark plugs should be replaced ac-
cording to the maintenance schedule in
the “Saab Warranty and Service Record
Booklet”.
Recommended spark plugsNon-turbo models:
FR5AP-11 (NGK)
Turbo models:
ILFR6B (NGK)
Drive belts1) Power steering pump pulley
2) Air conditioner compressor pulley
3) Crank pulleyThe alternator, power steering pump, and
air conditioner compressor depend on
drive belts. Satisfactory performance re-
quires that belt tension be correct.
To check belt tension, place a straight-
edge (ruler) across two adjacent pulleys
and apply a force of 22 lbs (98 N, 10 kg)
midway between the pulleys by using a
spring scale. Belt deflection should be the
amount specified. If a belt is loose,
cracked, or worn, contact your Saab deal-
er. When disconnecting the spark
plug cables, always grasp the
spark plug cap, not the cables.
Make sure the cables are replaced
in the correct order.
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2
3 1
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Recommended clutch fluidFMVSS No. 116, fresh DOT 3 or 4 brake flu-id
Brake boosterIf the brake booster does not operate as
described in the following, have it checked
by your Saab dealer.
1. With the engine off, depress the brake
pedal several times, applying the same
pedal force each time. The distance the
pedal travels should not vary.
2. With the brake pedal depressed, start
the engine. The pedal should move slight-
ly down to the floor.
3. With the brake pedal depressed, stop
the engine and keep the pedal depressed
for 30 seconds. The pedal height should
not change.
4. Start the engine again and run for ap-
proximately one minute then turn it off.
Depress the brake pedal several times to
check the brake booster. The brake boost-
er operates properly if the pedal stroke de-
creases with each depression.
Brake pedalCheck the brake pedal free play and re-
serve distance according to the mainte-
nance schedule in the “Saab Warranty
and Service Record Booklet”.Checking the brake pedal free
play1) 0.04 – 0.12 in (1.0 – 3.0 mm)Stop the engine and firmly depress the
brake pedal several times. Lightly press
the brake pedal down with one finger to
check the free play with a force of less
than 2 lbs (10 N, 1 kg).
If the free play is not within proper specifi-
cation, contact your Saab dealer. Be careful not to spill clutch fluid
when adding it. If clutch fluid
touches the exhaust pipe, it may
cause a bad smell, smoke, and/or
a fire. If clutch fluid gets on the ex-
haust pipe, be sure to wipe it off.
Avoid mixing DOT 3 and DOT 4
brake fluids even if they are of the
same brand.
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Maintenance and service
Checking the brake pedal re-
serve distance1) More than 2.56 in (65 mm)Depress the pedal with a force of approxi-
mately 66 lbs (294 N, 30 kg) and measure
the distance between the upper surface of
the pedal pad and the floor.
When the measurement is smaller than
the specification, or when the pedal does
not operate smoothly, contact with your
Saab dealer.
Clutch pedal (MT vehicles)Check the clutch pedal free play and re-
serve distance according to the mainte-
nance schedule in the “Saab Warranty
and Service Record Booklet”.Checking the clutch functionCheck the clutch engagement and disen-
gagement.
1. With the engine idling, check that there
are no abnormal noises when the clutch
pedal is depressed, and that shifting into
1st or reverse feels smooth.
2. Start the vehicle by releasing the pedal
slowly to check that the engine and trans-
mission smoothly couple without any sign
of slippage.
Checking the clutch pedal
free play1) 0.16 – 0.51 in (4.0 –13.0 mm)Lightly press the clutch pedal down with
your finger until you feel resistance, and
check the free play.
If the free play is not within proper specifi-
cation, contact your Saab dealer.
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Maintenance and service
Parking brake strokeCheck the parking brake stroke according
to the maintenance schedule in the “Saab
Warranty and Service Record Booklet”.
When the parking brake is properly adjust-
ed, braking power is fully applied by pull-
ing the lever up seven to eight notches
gently but firmly (approximately 44 lbs
[196 N, 20 kg]). If the parking brake lever
stroke is not within the specified range,
have the brake system checked and ad-
justed at your Saab dealer.
Tires and wheelsTypes of tiresYou should be familiar with type of tires
present on your vehicle.
The factory-fitted tires are all-season tires
except for the 17-inch tires that are option-
al on the Aero (those are summer tires).
All season tires
All season tires are designed to provide
an adequate measure of traction, handling
and braking performance in year-round
driving including snowy and icy road con-
ditions. However all season tires do not of-
fer as much traction performance as win-
ter (snow) tires in heavy or loose snow or
on icy roads.
All season tires are identified by “ALL
SEASON” and/or “M+S” (Mud & Snow) on
the tire sidewall.
Summer tires
Summer tires are high-speed capability
tires best suited for highway driving under
dry conditions.
Summer tires are inadequate for driving
on slippery roads such as on snow-cov-
ered or icy roads.
If you drive your vehicle on snow-covered
or icy roads, we strongly recommend the
use of winter (snow) tires.When installing winter tires, be sure to re-
place all four tires.
Winter (snow) tires
Winter tires are best suited for driving on
snow-covered and icy roads. However
winter tires do not perform as well as sum-
mer tires and all season tires on roads oth-
er than snow-covered and icy roads.
Tire inspectionCheck on a daily basis that the tires are
free from serious damage, nails, and
stones. At the same time, check the tires
for abnormal wear.
Contact your Saab dealer immediately if
you find any problem.NOTEWhen the wheels and tires strike
curbs or are subjected to harsh treat-
ment as when the vehicle is driven on a
rough surface, they can suffer damage
that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
This type of damage does not become
evident until time has passed. Try not
to drive over curbs, potholes or on oth-
er rough surfaces. If doing so is un-
avoidable, keep the vehicle’s speed
down to a walking pace or less, and ap-
proach the curbs as squarely as possi-
ble. Also, make sure the tires are not
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