7
Starting and operating
Fuel ...................................................................... 7-2
Fuel requirements .................................................. 7-2
Fuel filler lid and cap .............................................. 7-3
State emission testing (U.S. only)/Canadian
Provincial Emission Testing .......................... 7-5
Preparing to drive .............................................. 7-6
Starting the engine ............................................. 7-7
Manual transmission vehicle ................................. 7-7
Automatic transmission vehicle ............................ 7-7
Stopping the engine ........................................... 7-8
Manual transmission – 5 speeds ...................... 7-8
Shifting speeds ....................................................... 7-9
Driving tips .............................................................. 7-9
Automatic transmission .................................... 7-10
Selector lever for automatic transmission ........... 7-11
Shift lock release .................................................... 7-13
Limited slip differential (LSD)
3 ........................ 7-14
Power steering ................................................... 7-15
Braking ................................................................ 7-15
Braking tips ............................................................. 7-15
Brake system .......................................................... 7-15
Disc brake pad wear warning indicators .............. 7-16
ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) .......................... 7-16
ABS system self-check .......................................... 7-16
ABS warning light ................................................... 7-17
Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD)
system .............................................................. 7-18
Steps to take if EBD system fails .......................... 7-18
Parking your vehicle .......................................... 7-19
Parking brake .......................................................... 7-19
Parking tips ............................................................. 7-19
Cruise control ..................................................... 7-21
To set cruise control .............................................. 7-21
To temporarily cancel the cruise control ............. 7-22
To turn off the cruise control ................................. 7-22
To change the cruising speed ............................... 7-22
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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7-14
Starting and operating
4. Insert the screwdriver into the hole.
5. Push down on the screwdriver and
move the selector lever from the “P” to the
“N” position.6. Remove the screwdriver from the hole.
Depress the brake pedal and start the en-
gine.
Take your vehicle to the nearest Saab
dealer immediately to have the system re-
paired.
Limited slip differential (LSD) 3The LSD provides optimum distribution of
power according to the difference in revo-
lutions between the right and left wheels
that may be caused by certain driving con-
ditions, thereby improving driving stability
on snow-covered, muddy or other slippery
roads or when high speed driving.
700059700060
Never start the engine while a tire
on one side is jacked up, as the
vehicle may move.
If one tire is spinning in mud,
avoid continued spinning at high
speed as this could adversely af-
fect the LSD.
If you use a temporary spare tire
to replace a flat tire, be sure to use
the original temporary spare tire
stored in the vehicle. Using other
sizes will adversely affect the
LSD.
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Driving tips
8-13
8
– CONTINUED –
Trailer towingYour vehicle is designed and intended to
be used primarily as a passenger-carrying
vehicle. Towing a trailer puts additional
loads on your vehicle’s engine, drivetrain,
brakes, tires and suspension and has an
adverse effect on fuel economy.
If you do decide to tow a trailer, your safe-
ty and satisfaction depend upon proper
use of correct equipment and cautious op-
eration of your vehicle. Seek the advice of
your Saab dealer to assist you in purchas-
ing a hitch and other necessary towing
equipment appropriate for your vehicle. In
addition, be sure to follow the instructions
on correct installation and use provided by
the trailer and other towing equipment
manufacturers.
Saab assumes no responsibility for inju-
ries or vehicle damage that result from
trailer towing equipment, or from any er-
rors or omissions in the instructions ac-
companying such equipment or for your
failure to follow the proper instructions.Warranties and maintenanceFor details of application of warranties to
vehicle damage or malfunctions related
with trailer towing, please refer to the
“Saab Warranty and Service RecordBooklet”. If you use your vehicle to tow a
trailer, more frequent maintenance will be
required due to the additional load. (Refer
to “Maintenance schedule under severe
driving conditions” in the “Saab Warranty
and Service Record Booklet”.)
Under no circumstances should a trailer
be towed with a new vehicle or a vehicle
with any new powertrain component (en-
gine, transmission, differential, wheel
bearings, etc.) for the first 1,000 miles
(1,600 km) of driving.
Maximum load limits
Total trailer weightTotal trailer weightThe total trailer weight (trailer weight plus
its cargo load) must never exceed the
maximum weight shown in the following
table. Never exceed the maximum load
limits explained in the following. Ex-
ceeding the maximum load limits
could cause personal injury and/or
vehicle damage.
Adequate size trailer brakes are
required when the trailer and its
cargo exceed 1,000 lbs (453 kg)
total weight.Before towing a trailer, check the
trailer total weight, GVW, GAWs
and tongue load. Make sure the
load and its distribution in your
vehicle and trailer are acceptable.
800211
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9-10
In case of emergency
Engine overheatingIf the engine overheats, safely pull off the
road and stop the vehicle in a safe place.If steam is coming from the
engine compartmentTurn the engine off and get everyone
away from the vehicle until it cools down.If no steam is coming from
the engine compartment1. Keep the engine running at idling
speed.
2. Open the hood to ventilate the engine
compartment.
Confirm that the cooling fan is turning. If
the fan is not turning, immediately turn offthe engine and contact your authorized
dealer for repair.
3. After the engine coolant temperature
has dropped, turn off the engine.
If the temperature gauge stays at the
overheated zone, turn off the engine.
4. After the engine has fully cooled down,
check the coolant level in the reserve
tank.
If the coolant level is below the “LOW”
mark, add coolant up to the “FULL” mark.
5. If there is no coolant in the reserve
tank, add coolant to the reserve tank.
Then remove the radiator cap and fill the
radiator with coolant.
If you remove the radiator cap from a hot
radiator, first wrap a thick cloth around the
radiator cap, then turn the cap counter-
clockwise slowly without pressing down
until it stops. Release the pressure from
the radiator. After the pressure has been
fully released, remove the cap by pressing
down and turning it.
TowingIf towing is necessary, it is best done by
your Saab dealer or a commercial towing
service. Observe the following procedures
for safety.
Never attempt to remove the radia-
tor cap until the engine has been
shut off and has fully cooled down.
When the engine is hot, the coolant
is under pressure. Removing the
cap while the engine is still hot
could release a spray of boiling hot
coolant, which could burn you very
seriously.
Never tow AWD vehicles (both AT
and MT) with the front wheels raised
off the ground while the rear wheels
are on the ground, or with the rear
wheels raised off the ground while
the front wheels are on the ground.
This will cause the vehicle to spin
away due to the operation or deteri-
oration of the center differential.
900282
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In case of emergency
9-13
9
– CONTINUED –
1. Check the transmission and differential
oil levels and add oil to bring it to the upper
level if necessary.
2. Release the parking brake and put the
transmission in neutral.
3. The ignition switch should be in the
“ACC” position while the vehicle is being
towed.
4. Take up slack in the towline slowly to
prevent damage to the vehicle.
Rear liftgate – if the rear lift-gate cannot be unlockedIn the event that you cannot unlock the
rear liftgate by operating the power door
locking switches or the remote keyless en-
try system, you can unlock it from inside
the cargo area.
0
1. Remove the access cover at the bot-
tom-center of the rear liftgate trim.
2. Locate the rear liftgate lock release le-
ver behind the rear liftgate trim panel. Never turn the ignition switch to
the “LOCK” position while the ve-
hicle is being towed because the
steering wheel and the direction
of the wheels will be locked.
Remember that the brake booster
and power steering do not func-
tion when the engine is not run-
ning. Because the engine is
turned off, it will take greater ef-
fort to operate the brake pedal and
steering wheel.
If transmission failure occurs,
transport your vehicle on a flat-
bed truck.
Do not run the engine while being
towed using this method. Trans-
mission damage could result if
the vehicle is towed with the en-
gine running.
For vehicles with automatic trans-
mission, the traveling speed must
be limited to less than 20 mph (30
km/h) and the traveling distance
to less than 31 miles (50 km). For
greater speeds and distances,
transport your vehicle on a flat-
bed truck.
900066
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111
Maintenance and service
Maintenance schedule ....................................... 11-3
Maintenance precautions .................................. 11-3
Before checking or servicing in the engine
compartment ........................................................ 11-4
When you do checking or servicing in the engine
compartment while the engine is running ......... 11-4
Engine hood ....................................................... 11-4
Engine compartment overview ......................... 11-6
Non-turbo models ................................................... 11-6
Turbo models .......................................................... 11-7
Engine oil ............................................................ 11-8
Checking the oil level ............................................. 11-8
Changing the oil and oil filter ................................ 11-8
Recommended grade and viscosity ..................... 11-11
Recommended grade and viscosity under severe
driving conditions ................................................ 11-11
Synthetic oil ............................................................ 11-12
Cooling system .................................................. 11-12
Cooling fan, hose and connections ...................... 11-12
Engine coolant ........................................................ 11-13
Air cleaner element ............................................ 11-15
Replacing the air cleaner element ......................... 11-16
Spark plugs ......................................................... 11-18
Recommended spark plugs ................................... 11-18
Drive belts ........................................................... 11-18
Manual transmission oil .................................... 11-19
Checking the oil level ............................................. 11-19
Recommended grade and viscosity ..................... 11-20
Automatic transmission fluid ............................ 11-20
Checking the fluid level .......................................... 11-20
Recommended fluid ............................................... 11-21
Front differential gear oil (AT vehicles) ............ 11-22
Checking the oil level ............................................. 11-22
Recommended grade and viscosity ..................... 11-22
Rear differential gear oil .................................... 11-23
Checking the gear oil level .................................... 11-23
Recommended grade and viscosity ..................... 11-23
Power steering fluid ........................................... 11-24
Checking the fluid level .......................................... 11-24
Recommended fluid ............................................... 11-25
Brake fluid ........................................................... 11-25
Checking the fluid level .......................................... 11-25
Recommended brake fluid ..................................... 11-26
Clutch fluid (MT vehicles) .................................. 11-26
Checking the fluid level .......................................... 11-26
Recommended clutch fluid .................................... 11-27
Brake booster ..................................................... 11-27
Brake pedal ......................................................... 11-27
Checking the brake pedal free play ...................... 11-27
Checking the brake pedal reserve distance ......... 11-28
Clutch pedal (MT vehicles) ................................ 11-28
Checking the clutch function ................................ 11-28
Checking the clutch pedal free play ..................... 11-28
Replacement of brake pad and lining ............... 11-29
Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings .......... 11-29
Parking brake stroke .......................................... 11-30
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11 - 6
Maintenance and service
Engine compartment overviewNon-turbo models
12 3456
7 8 9 10 11
1312
B00464
1) Air cleaner element (page 11-15)
2) Manual transmission oil level gauge
(MT) (page 11-19) or Differential gear
oil level gauge (AT) (page 11-22)
3) Clutch fluid reservoir (page 11-26)
4) Automatic transmission fluid level
gauge (page 11-20)
5) Brake fluid reservoir (page 11-25)
6) Fuse box (page 11-40)
7) Battery (page 11-39)
8) Windshield washer tank (page 11-35)
9) Engine coolant reservoir
(page 11-13)
10) Engine coolant reservoir
oil level gauge (page 11-8)
11) Engine oil level gauge filler cap
(page 11-8)
12) Radiator cap (page 11-13)
13) Power steering fluid reservoir
(page 11-24)
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Maintenance and service
11 - 7
– CONTINUED –
11 Turbo models
12 3456
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
B00466
1) Air cleaner element (page 11-15)
2) Manual transmission oil level gauge
(MT) (page 11-19) or Differential gear
oil level gauge (AT) (page 11-22)
3) Automatic transmission fluid level
gauge (page 11-20)
4) Clutch fluid reservoir (page 11-26)
5) Brake fluid reservoir (page 11-25)
6) Fuse box (page 11-40)
7) Battery (page 11-39)
8) Windshield washer tank (page 11-35)
9) Engine oil filler cap (page 11-8)
10) Engine coolant reservoir
(page 11-13)
11) Engine oil level gauge (page 11-8)
12) Radiator cap (page 11-13)
13) Power steering fluid reservoir
(page 11-24)
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