2006 SAAB 9-3 check engine

90 Instruments and controlsTemperature gaugeThe temperature gauge shows the temper-
ature of the coolant. The needle should be
in the middle of the scale when the engine
is at normal operating temperature.
If the needle goes into the red zone (which
can occur at high outside air temperatures
or under heavy engine loads), choose the
highest possible gear ratio and the lowest
possible engine speed, and avoid shifting
down.If the needle repeatedly enters the red zone,
stop the car as soon as it is safe to do so and
check the coolant level (see page 222).
Turbo gaugeThe turbo gauge indicates the air volume
used for combustion, which is equivalent to
the engine load.
At low loads and when the engine is used for
braking, the needle will move within the
white zone.
Under certain barometric conditions the
needle may enter the first part of the red
zone without necessarily indicating that a
fault has arisen.
NOTICEIf the needle, despite the above action,
enters the red zone, stop the car in a suit-
able place and allow the engine to idle. If
the needle continues to rise, switch off the
engine.
WARNING
Never open the cap of the expansion tank
completely when the engine is hot, open
with care. The pressure in the cooling-
system can cause hot coolant and steam
to be released. Failure to heed this warn-
ing may result in personal injury.
93U S M 06.book Page 90 Friday, February 18, 2005 1:15 PM
ProCarManuals.com

102 Instruments and controlsSwitchesThe parking lights and daytime running
lights come on automatically when the igni-
tion switch is in the ON position.
High beam can not be activated in this posi-
tion but headlight flasher can.
The parking lights can be turned on irre-
spective of the position of the ignition
switch. If the parking lights are on and the
driver’s door is opened, a reminder to turn
them off will sound.
Do not use the parking lights alone while
driving.
The parking lights may be used in combina-
tion with the front fog lights (see page 104).
Low beam headlights are turned on when
the ignition switch is turned to ON and
turned off when the switch is turned back to
LOCK.
Headlight levelling3Cars with xenon headlights are equipped
with an automatic headlight levelling sys-
tem, which self-calibrates each time the
vehicle is started.
If a fault arises in the automatic headlight
levelling system, the headlights will be
angled down to avoid dazzling drivers in
oncoming traffic. Adjust your speed accord-
ingly as the range of the headlights will be
reduced. Check fuse 20 in the engine bay
fuse box (see page 252).
A fault in the system will produce the follow-
ing message on the Saab Information Dis-
play (SID):
Special equipment is required for adjusting
the basic headlight alignment.
Daytime Running Lights
Parking lights
Headlights
Headlight levelling
malfunction.
Contact Saab dealer.
Light switches
93U S M 06.book Page 102 Friday, February 18, 2005 1:15 PM
ProCarManuals.com

164 Starting and drivingImportant
considerations for
driving1 Starting and driving
 Do not use full throttle until the engine
is warm, so as to avoid unnecessary
wear. If the needle of the turbo gauge
repeatedly enters the red zone, the
engine may suddenly lose power, due
to the initiation of a monitoring system
that limits the boost pressure. We
recommend that you contact a Saab
dealer as soon as possible.
 Under certain barometric conditions
(high outside temperature and/or high
altitude) the needle may enter the first
part of the red zone without necessarily
indicating that a fault has arisen.
 A protective function (interruption of the
fuel supply) limits the engine speed.2 Stopping the engine
 Do not rev the engine immediately
before switching it off - stop the engine
when it is idling.
3 Regulating the boost pressure
 One of the advantages of boost pres-
sure regulation is that the engine can
also be run safely on gasoline with a
lower octane rating, although not lower
than AON 87. However, engine perfor-
mance will fall slightly and heavy load-
ing and laboring should be avoided. For
optimum performance, use the recom-
mended grade of fuel.
 The maximum boost pressure is regu-
lated according to the tendency of the
engine to knock. Short-lived knocking
is perfectly normal. This can occur
when the engine is running at about
3,000 rpm under a heavy load. The
extent of this knocking will depend on
the grade of fuel in the tank.
 Isolated instances of knocking can
occur with low-octane fuel. This
controlled form of knocking, followed by
a reduction in the boost pressure, is a
sign that the control system is working
normally, and is perfectly safe for the
engine.
Limp-homeThe engine management system has a
diagnostic feature that checks a number of
internal functions. If a fault is detected in the
throttle valve, the engine management
system will set the throttle system to the
limp-home mode. This means:
 idling control will be poor (uneven idling
since regulated by ignition and fuel
supply)
 engine performance will be reduced
 the cruise control will not function
 the capacity of the A/C compressor will be
limited.NOTICE If the engine sounds strange there is a
malfunction. We recommend that you
contact a Saab dealer immediately.
 The use of fuel with too low an octane
rating can cause serious engine
damage.
93U S M 06.book Page 164 Friday, February 18, 2005 1:15 PM
ProCarManuals.com

165 Starting and driving
If the diagnosis function detects a fault in the
engine management system, the light
"Engine malfunction (CHECK ENGINE)" in
the instrument panel will come on (see
page 85). Have the car checked at a work-
shop as soon as possible. We recommend
that you contact a Saab dealer.
Important considerations with
catalytic convertersThe catalytic converter is an emission con-
trol device incorporated in the car’s exhaust
system. It consists of a metal canister with a
honeycomb insert, the cells of which have
walls coated in a catalytic layer (precious
metal alloy).
To ensure that the catalytic converter con-
tinues to function properly, and also to avoid
damage to the converter and its associated
components, the following points must be
observed: Have the car serviced regularly in accor-
dance with the service program.
 Always be alert to any misfiring of the
engine (not running on all cylinders) and
any loss of power or performance. At the
first sign of a malfunction, reduce speed
and take the car to a workshop. We
recommend that you contact a Saab
dealer.
 If the engine fails to start (in severe cold or
if the battery is flat), the car can be bump
started (manual transmission only) or
started using jump leads to a donor
battery. However, as soon as you have
started the engine, it is important that it
runs on all cylinders. If it is misfiring, allow
it to idle for up to 5 minutes to give it time
to settle and run smoothly. If, after this
time, the engine still fails to run properly,
switch off the engine to avoid serious
damage to the catalytic converter. We
recommend that you contact a Saab
dealer for advice.
NOTICEIf "Engine malfunction (CHECK
ENGINE)" warning light starts to flash
(indicating that the engine is misfiring and
the catalytic converter can be damaged),
ease off the accelerator slightly. The light
should go out or start to shine constantly.
If the light continues to flash despite
easing off the accelerator, you may
continue to drive the car but at the mini-
mum throttle permitted by the current traf-
fic situation. Have the car checked as
soon as possible. We recommend that
you contact a Saab dealer.
NOTICEUse only unleaded gasoline. Leaded
gasoline is detrimental to the catalyst and
oxygen sensor and will seriously impair
the function of the catalytic converter.
93U S M 06.book Page 165 Friday, February 18, 2005 1:15 PM
ProCarManuals.com

167 Starting and driving
Refueling
WARNING
If you spill fuel and then something ignites
it, you could be badly burned. Fuel can
spray out on you if you open the fuel cap
too quickly. This spray can happen if your
tank is nearly full, and is more likely in hot
weather. Open the fuel cap slowly and
wait for any “hiss” noise to stop. Then
unscrew the cap all the way.
Gasoline fumes are highly explosive.
Therefore:
never smoke while refueling
never use gasoline for any purpose
other than as engine fuel
 gasoline is extremely flammable and
can cause severe burns. No open or
exposed flames near gasoline
do not use a mobile phone at the
same time as refueling
NOTICE Do not overfill. Fuel should not come
right up the filler pipe as room for
expansion is needed for when the
temperature rises.
 The use of fuel with too low an octane
rating can cause serious engine
damage.
 Clean fuel from painted surfaces as
soon as possible.
NOTICEThe engine control module (ECM) moni-
toring the engine parameters also stores
fault codes.
Under certain circumstances, this may
cause constant illumination of the Engine
malfunction (CHECK ENGINE) lamp
, thus indicating a fault that must be
checked by your Saab dealer, see
page 85.
NOTE: always observe the following two
measures:
 Make sure that the fuel filler cap is
screwed on correctly before the
engine is started. Screw on the fuel
filler cap until you hear a distinct click.
 Avoid driving with the fuel low level
indicator illuminated. The symbol illu-
minates when less than approximately
2.5 gallons (10 litres) of fuel remains
in the tank.
93U S M 06.book Page 167 Friday, February 18, 2005 1:15 PM
ProCarManuals.com

170 Starting and drivingGasoline Specifications
It is recommended that gasoline meet spec-
ifications which were developed by automo-
bile manufacturers around the world and
contained in the World-Wide Fuel Charter
which is available from the Alliance of Auto-
mobile Manufacturers at www.autoalli-
ance.org/fuel_charter.htm. Gasoline meet-
ing these specifications could provide
improved driveability and emission control
system performance compared to other
gasoline.California Fuel
If your vehicle is certified to meet California
Emission Standards (see the underhood
emission control label), it is designed to
operate on fuels that meet California speci-
fications. If this fuel is not available in states
adopting California emissions standards,
your vehicle will operate satisfactorily on
fuels meeting federal specifications, but
emission control system performance may
be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp
may turn on and your vehicle may fail a
smog-check test. See Engine malfunction
(CHECK ENGINE) on page 85. If this
occurs, return to your authorized Saab
dealer for diagnosis. If it is determined that
the condition is caused by the type of fuel
used, repairs may not be covered by your
warranty.Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the
United States are now required to contain
additives that will help prevent engine and
fuel system deposits from forming, allowing
your emission control system to work prop-
erly. You should not have to add anything to
your fuel. However, some gasolines contain
only the minimum amount of additive
required to meet U.S. Environmental Pro-
tection Agency regulations. Saab recom-
mends that you buy gasolines that are
advertised to help keep fuel injectors and
intake valves clean. If your vehicle experi-
ences problems due to dirty injectors or
valves, try a different brand of gasoline.
Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as
ethers and ethanol, and reformulated gaso-
lines may be available in your area to con-
tribute to clean air. Saab recommends that
you use these gasolines, particularly if they
comply with the specifications described
earlier.
Notice: Your vehicle was not designed
for fuel that contains methanol. Do not
use fuel containing methanol. It can cor-
rode metal parts in your fuel system and
also damage the plastic and rubber
parts. That damage would not be cov-
ered under your warranty.
Some gasolines that are not reformulated
for low emissions may contain an octane-
enhancing additive called methylcyclopen-
tadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT); ask
the attendant where you buy gasoline 93U S M 06.book Page 170 Friday, February 18, 2005 1:15 PM
ProCarManuals.com

171 Starting and driving
whether the fuel contains MMT. Saab does
not recommend the use of such gasolines.
Fuels containing MMT can reduce the life of
spark plugs and the performance of the
emission control system may be affected.
The malfunction indicator lamp may turn on.
If this occurs, return to your authorized Saab
dealer for service.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country out-
side the United States or Canada, the
proper fuel may be hard to find. Never use
leaded gasoline or any other fuel not recom-
mended in the previous text on fuel. Costly
repairs caused by use of improper fuel
would not be covered by your warranty.
To check the fuel availability, ask an auto
club, or contact a major oil company that
does business in the country where you will
be driving.
Engine Break-in PeriodPistons, cylinder bores and bearings need
time to obtain uniform, wear-resistant
surfaces.
If a new engine is driven too hard, this grad-
ual process of bedding-in will not be possi-
ble and the life of the engine will be short-
ened.
During the first 1,200 miles (2,000 km),
do not exceed 5,000 rpm.
In addition, refrain from driving the car at full
throttle, other than for brief instances,
during the first 1,800 miles (3,000 km).
Wearing in new brake padsNew brake pads take time to bed in, about
90 miles (150 km) if the car is driven largely
under stop-and-go conditions or about
300 miles (500 km) of highway driving.
To extend the useful life of the pads, avoid
hard braking as much as possible.
93U S M 06.book Page 171 Friday, February 18, 2005 1:15 PM
ProCarManuals.com

176 Starting and driving The car may feel weak but can be driven
carefully to a workshop to have the prob-
lem rectified.
 Drivability may barely be affected.
Irrespective of the drivability of the car, the
car must be taken to a workshop to have the
problem checked and rectified.Temporary override of Park Brake Shift
Lock
1 Apply the parking brake.
2 Lift up the rubber mat in the storage
compartment ahead of the selector
lever.
3 Under the floor of the storage compart-
ment is a yellow plastic lever. Use a thin
tool, such as a screwdriver, to press and
hold the plastic lever while moving the
selector lever from P to N.
4 Remove the tool.
5 Release the parking brake if the car is to
be moved immediately, otherwise it
should remain on.
Check fuse 6 in the engine bay fuse box.
If the fuse is OK the battery may be dead.
Contact a workshop to have the problem
checked and rectified. We recommend that
you contact a Saab dealer.
NOTICEDue to electrical problems it may not be
possible to move the selector lever out of
the park position, even if the ignition is
ON. If for some reason the selector lever
has to be moved out of the park position
(i.e. to tow the car a short distance) do as
described below.
Temporary override of Park Brake Shift
Lock
93U S M 06.book Page 176 Friday, February 18, 2005 1:15 PM
ProCarManuals.com