2006 SAAB 9-2X change time

Driving tips
8-19
8
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Before starting out on a trip

Check that the vehicle and vehicle-to-
hitch mounting are in good condition. If
any problems are apparent, do not tow the
trailer.

Check that the vehicle sits horizontally
with the trailer attached. If the vehicle is
tipped sharply up at the front and down at
the rear, check the total trailer weight,
GVW, GAWs and tongue load again, then
confirm that the load and its distribution
are acceptable.

Check that the tire pressures are cor-
rect.

Check that the vehicle and trailer are
connected properly. Confirm that
– the trailer tongue is connected prop-
erly to the hitch ball.
– the trailer lights connector is connect-
ed properly and trailer’s brake lights illu-
minate when the vehicle’s brake pedal
is pressed, and that the trailer’s turn sig-nal lights flash when the vehicle’s turn
signal lever is operated.
– the safety chains are connected prop-
erly.
– all cargo in the trailer is secured safe-
ty in position.
– the side mirrors provide a good rear-
ward field of view without a significant
blind spot.

Sufficient time should be taken to learn
the “feel” of the vehicle/trailer combination
before starting out on a trip. In an area free
of traffic, practice turning, stopping and
backing up.

Driving with a trailer

You should allow for considerably more
stopping distance when towing a trailer.
Avoid sudden braking because it may re-
sult in skidding or jackknifing and loss of
control.

Avoid abrupt starts and sudden acceler-
ations. If your vehicle has a manual trans-
mission, always start out in first gear and
release the clutch at moderate engine rev-
olution.

Avoid uneven steering, sharp turns and
rapid lane changes.

Slow down before turning. Make a long-
er than normal turning radius because the
trailer wheels will be closer than the vehi-
cle wheels to the inside of the turn. In atight turn, the trailer could hit your vehicle.

Crosswinds will adversely affect the
handling of your vehicle and trailer, caus-
ing sway. Crosswinds can be due to
weather conditions or the passing of large
trucks or buses. If swaying occurs, firmly
grip the steering wheel and slow down im-
mediately but gradually.

When passing other vehicles, consider-
able distance is required because of the
added weight and length caused by at-
taching the trailer to your vehicle.
1) Left turn
2) Right turn
Backing up with a trailer is difficult and
takes practice. When backing up with a
trailer, never accelerate or steer rapidly.
When turning back, grip the bottom of the
When towing a trailer, steering,
stability, stopping distance and
braking performance will be dif-
ferent from normal operation. For
safety’s sake, you should employ
extra caution when towing a trail-
er and you should never speed.
You should also keep the follow-
ing tips in mind:1
2
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Maintenance and service
11 - 2 7
11
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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.
1
B00377
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Maintenance and service
11 - 3 3
11
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Contact your Saab dealer if you notice
abnormal tire wear.*: The suspension system is designed to hold
each wheel at a certain alignment (relative to
the other wheels and to the road) for optimum
straight-line stability and cornering perfor-
mance.
Wear indicators1) New tread
2) Worn tread
3) Tread wear indicatorEach tire incorporates a tread wear indica-
tor, which becomes visible when the depth
of the tread grooves decreases to 0.063 in
(1.6 mm). A tire must be replaced when
the tread wear indicator appears as a solid
band across the tread.
NOTEFor safety, inspect tire tread regularly
and replace the tires before their tread
wear indicators become visible.
Tire rotation
Tire wear varies from wheel to wheel. To
maximize the life of each tire and ensure
that the tires wear uniformly, it is best to
rotate the tires every 7,500 miles (12,500
km). Rotating the tires involves switching
the front and rear tires on the right-hand
side of the vehicle and similarly switching
the front and rear tires on the left-hand
side of the vehicle. (Each tire must be kept
on its original side of the vehicle.)
Replace any damaged or unevenly worn
tire at the time of rotation. After tire rota-
tion, adjust the tire pressures and make
sure the wheel nuts are correctly tight-
ened.
After driving approximately 600 miles
(1,000 km), check the wheel nuts again
and retighten any nut that has become
loose.
Tire replacementThe wheels and tires are important and in-
tegral parts of your vehicle’s design; they
cannot be changed arbitrarily. The tires fit-
ted as standard equipment are optimally
matched to the characteristics of the vehi-
cle and were selected to give the best pos-
sible combination of running performance,
ride comfort, and service life. It is essential
for every tire to have a size and construc-
tion matching those shown on the tire la-
123
B00327
When a tire’s tread wear indicator
becomes visible, the tire is worn be-
yond the acceptable limit and must
be replaced immediately. With a tire
in this condition, driving at high
speeds in wet weather can cause
the vehicle to hydroplane. The re-
sulting loss of vehicle control can
lead to an accident.
B00054
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11 - 3 4
Maintenance and service
bel and to have a speed symbol and load
index matching those shown on the tire la-
bel.
Using tires of a non-specified size detracts
from controllability, ride comfort, braking
performance, speedometer accuracy and
odometer accuracy. It also creates incor-
rect body-to-tire clearances and inappro-
priately changes the vehicle’s ground
clearance.
All four tires must be the same in terms of
manufacturer, brand (tread pattern), con-
struction, and size. You are advised to re-
place the tires with new ones that are
identical to those fitted as standard equip-
ment.
For safe vehicle operation, Saab recom-
mends replacing all four tires at the same
time.
NOTEUnidirectional tires: Some tires have a
specified direction of rotation. A tire of
this type has an arrow or other mark on
its side wall to indicate the direction of
rotation. Install it so that the direction
of rotation is correct when the vehicle
is driven forward.

Wheel replacementWhen replacing wheels due, for example,
to damage, make sure the replacement
wheels match the specifications of the
wheels that are fitted as standard equip-
ment. Replacement wheels are available
from Saab dealers.
B00480

All four tires must be the same in
terms of manufacturer, brand
(tread pattern), construction, de-
gree of wear, speed symbol, load
index and size. Mixing tires of dif-
ferent types, sizes or degrees of
wear can result in damage to vehi-
cle’s power train. Use of different
types or sizes of tires can also
dangerously reduce controllabili-
ty and braking performance and
can lead to an accident.

Use only radial tires. Do not use
radial tires together with belted
bias tires and/or bias-ply tires. Do-
ing so can dangerously reduce
controllability, resulting in an ac-
cident.
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