Page 221 of 318
221 Car care
Changing filter, 4-cyl engine
1 Unscrew the oil filter cap.
Lift the cap slightly and carefully pry
apart the cap and the filter housing.
Remove the filter cap.
2 Remove the filter. Have paper towelling
or a rag at hand to catch the oil that
escapes from the filter.
3 Fit a new filter.
4 Fit a new O-ring in the cap. Apply a small
amount of new engine oil to the O-ring.
5 Screw on the cap. The correct tightening
torque is 25 Nm (18 lbf. ft).
Changing filter, V6 engine
1 Unscrew the oil filter cap. Have paper
towelling or a rag at hand to catch the oil
that escapes from the filter.
2 Remove the cap and the filter.
3 Change the O-ring in the cap. Lubricate
this with a small amount of new engine
oil.
4 Fit a new filter.
5 Screw on the cap. The correct tightening
torque is 25 Nm (18 lbf ft).
Oil filter, 4-cyl engine
Drain plug, 4-cyl engineDrain plug, V6 engine
Oil filter, V6 engine
93U S M 06.book Page 221 Friday, February 18, 2005 1:15 PM
ProCarManuals.com
Page 226 of 318

226 Car careBattery
Check the charge state and electrolyte level
of the battery regularly.If frequent short journeys are made, the
battery may need extra charging. This can
be done with a battery charger or by taking
the car for a long run.
If the battery is not being charged while the
engine is running, the following message
will appear on the SID:
Check the drive belt (see page 229). If the
belt is damaged, the engine may overheat,
the battery may not be charged and the A/C
compressor may not work.
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
battery.
The battery contains corrosive sulphu-
ric 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
NOTICEA discharged battery can freeze and frac-
ture. Batteries should therefore always be
stored away from sub-zero temperatures.
Battery not charging.
Make a safe stop.
Contact Saab dealer.
Checking the battery electrolyte level.
Level correct if level indicator dark.
Battery should be changed if indicator is
light
93U S M 06.book Page 226 Friday, February 18, 2005 1:15 PM
ProCarManuals.com
Page 230 of 318
230 Car careWipers and washersWiper bladesCheck and clean all wiper blades regularly.
If poor wiper performance is experienced,
clean the windshield with washer fluid. This
is particularly important if the car has been
through an automatic car wash, as these
sometimes leave a wax coating on the wind-
shield.
If wiper performance is still unsatisfactory,
fit new blades.
Windshield1 Press in the catch (1).
2 Pull the complete wiper blade down-
wards so that it comes away from the
wiper arm. Slide the entire blade out
from the arm.
Rear window, SportCombi1 Detach the blade from the arm by press-
ing on the mounting for the blade from
below.
2 Fit the new blade by pressing the shaft
of the blade into the arm's mounting.
The washer jet, which is located next to the
high-mounted brake light, is not adjustable.
Change of wiper blades, windshield
Change of wiper blades, rear window,
SportCombi
93U S M 06.book Page 230 Friday, February 18, 2005 1:15 PM
ProCarManuals.com
Page 231 of 318

231 Car care
WashersThe reservoir capacity is approx. 6 qts.
(5.8 litres).
When the washer fluid level drops below
1 quart (1 litre), the headlight washers (if
equipped) are deactivated. This is in order
to prioritize the windshield. The following
message is displayed on the SID:
Headlight washers are only available on
certain markets.
Fill with a mixture of washer fluid and water
as recommended by the table on
the packaging to reduce the risk of freezing
and to ensure effective cleaning (see also
page 106).To prevent the smell of washer fluid from
entering the car, recirculation can be acti-
vated automatically while the windshield is
washed. The recirculation symbol will
however not light up. This function is
optional; contact a workshop. We recom-
mend that you contact a Saab dealer.
Washer jetsThe washer jets, which are adjustable, can
be cleaned with a pin if necessary.
WARNING
Take care not to spill washer fluid concen-
trate onto hot surfaces. Washer fluid
concentrate can contain flammable ingre-
dients such as alcohol.
Washer fluid level low.
Refill.
Washer fluid reservoir
93U S M 06.book Page 231 Friday, February 18, 2005 1:15 PM
ProCarManuals.com
Page 232 of 318

232 Car care
Changing bulbsAutochecking of lightsThe bulbs that are most important from the point of view of traffic
safety are monitored by the car’s electrical system. If one of these
bulbs should fail, a message will be displayed on the SID.
Example of SID message:
The following bulbs are not checked: parking lights, front fog lights,
reversing lights, license plate lighting, side marker lights and side
direction indicators.
SportCombi
The tail lights and brake lights consist of LEDs. If approx. 3/4 of the
LEDs on one side are broken then this is indicated in the SID.If a stop light bulb fails
Sport Sedan: If a stop light bulb fails, the adjacent taillight will act
as a stop light to ensure traffic safety. Change the broken bulb when
possible.
All rear light bulbs are of the same type and rated 21 W, with the
exception of the license plate lighting which is rated 5 W.
Wrong bulb fitted
If a dipped or main beam bulb of too high a rating is fitted, a bulb
failure message will be shown on the SID (a too high wattage bulb
can damage the reflector).
If the following message is displayed but the bulb shines, it is most
likely that an incorrect bulb has been fitted.
Note:
When changing bulbs, fit the same type of bulb (e.g. Long-Life)
as that removed.
Headlight aiming, page 283.
WARNING
Before changing a bulb in the engine bay, switch off the engine
to avoid the danger of fingers and hands being injured by moving
parts.
The radiator fan can cut in even when the engine is switched off.NOTICESwitch off the ignition before changing a bulb, to avoid possible
short-circuiting.
Left low beam failure.
Right high beam failure.
93U S M 06.book Page 232 Friday, February 18, 2005 1:15 PM
ProCarManuals.com
Page 233 of 318

233 Car careXenon headlight, dipped beam3Xenon headlights produce roughly two times as much light as halo-
gen bulbs and have a significantly longer service life.
The lamp units consist of a gas discharge lamp containing xenon.
When the lights are switched on a very high voltage activates the
xenon gas. The lamps soon reach full intensity.
Cars with xenon headlights have automatic levelling. The levelling
system is comprised of two sensors, one on the front suspension
and one on the rear suspension, and a control unit by the engine bay
fuse box. Headlight alignment is adjusted automatically to the car’s
load to prevent dazzling drivers in oncoming traffic.
If a fault is detected in the system, the following message will be dis-
played on the SID:
WARNING
Xenon headlights are high tension. All work on xenon headlights,
including changing bulbs, must be carried out by dealer person-
nel.
Headlight levelling
malfunction.
Contact Saab dealer.
We recommend you to contact a Saab
dealer to have a xenon headlight changed
93U S M 06.book Page 233 Friday, February 18, 2005 1:15 PM
ProCarManuals.com
Page 234 of 318

234 Car care
Low beam, halogenLeft-hand side
1 Lift aside the hose running along the side of the battery cover.
2 Release the two retainers (a quarter of a turn counterclockwise)
in the leading edge of the cover and remove the cover.
3 Pull up the washer fluid filler pipe.
4 Remove the air pipe from the front edge of the battery box.
5 Pull up the fuse panel in front of the battery (certain variants),
see page 253.
Both sides
1 Remove the cover from the rear of the headlight.
2 Twist the bulb holder counterclockwise and withdraw the holder
from the reflector.
3 Change the bulb without touching the glass with your fingers.
Insert the bulb holder into the reflector and twist it clockwise until
it locks.4 Refit the cover over the rear of the headlight.
Left-hand side
5 Refit the air pipe to the front of the battery box.
6 Refit the washer fluid filler pipe.
7 Refit the battery cover.
NOTICEDo not fit bulbs with a higher rating than 55 W as this could
damage the headlight reflector. Furthermore, the car’s wiring is
not designed to cope with higher wattages.
Retainers on the battery cover Changing the low beam bulb93U S M 06.book Page 234 Friday, February 18, 2005 1:15 PM
ProCarManuals.com
Page 235 of 318

235 Car careHigh beam, halogenLeft-hand side
1 Lift aside the hose running along the side of the battery cover.
2 Release the two retainers (a quarter of a turn counterclockwise)
in the leading edge of the cover and remove the cover.
3 Pull up the washer fluid filler pipe.
4 Remove the air pipe from the front edge of the battery box.
5 Pull up the fuse panel in front of the battery (certain variants),
see page 253.
Both sides
1 Remove the cover from the rear of the headlight.
2 Twist the bulb holder counterclockwise and withdraw the holder
from the reflector.
3 Change the bulb without touching the glass with your fingers.
Insert the bulb holder into the reflector and twist it clockwise until
it locks.4 Refit the cover over the rear of the headlight.
Left-hand side
5 Refit the air pipe to the front of the battery box.
6 Refit the washer fluid filler pipe.
7 Refit the battery cover.
NOTICEDo not fit bulbs with a higher rating than 55 W as this could
damage the headlight reflector. Furthermore, the car’s wiring is
not designed to cope with higher wattages.
Retainers on the battery cover Changing the high beam bulb93U S M 06.book Page 235 Friday, February 18, 2005 1:15 PM
ProCarManuals.com