2006 SAAB 9-3 service

193 Starting and driving
Economical drivingFactors affecting fuel
consumptionThe fuel consumption of a car is greatly
affected by driving conditions, climate, road
conditions, speed, driving technique, etc.Breaking-inFuel consumption may be somewhat
higher during the break-in period (the
first 3,000–4,000 miles (5,000–7,000 km)).Weather conditionsSummer temperatures give better fuel
economy than winter ones. The difference
can be as much as about 10%. Consump-
tion increases in cold weather because the
engine takes longer to reach its normal
operating temperature. The transmission
and wheel bearings also take longer to
warm up. Even distance affects consump-
tion: short journeys of 3–5 miles (5–8 km)
do not give the engine enough time to
reach its optimum temperature. Wind con-
ditions also have a marked effect on fuel
consumption.How to read the diagram:
If fuel consumption with the engine at
normal temperature is 28 mpg (10 l/
100 km), the actual fuel consumption
3 miles (5 km) after the engine has started
from cold will be:
– 23.5 mpg (12 l/100 km) at outside temp.
of 68°F (+20°C) (increase of 20%).
– 17.7 mpg (16 l/100 km) at outside temp.
of 32°F (0°C) (increase of 60%).
– 14 mpg (20 l/100 km) at outside temp.
of –4°F (–20°C) (increase of 100%).
It is clear from the diagram that both dis-
tance driven and outside temperature have
a significant impact on fuel consumption,
after a cold start.
If the car is normally driven on short jour-
neys, 3–5 miles (5–8 km), for example to
and from work, the average consumption
will be 60–80% above the normal level.
Driving techniques To obtain the best running economy, with
regard to fuel consumption and general
wear, the car must be serviced regularly.
 High speed, unnecessary acceleration,
frequent braking and much changing
down all give higher fuel consumption.
 Frequent gear changing in traffic, starting
in cold weather, the use of studded tires
and roof racks, and towing a camper all
increase fuel consumption.
 Do not warm up the engine while the car
is stationary.
If idling, the engine will take much longer
to reach its optimum temperature, and Percentage increase in fuel consumption
of engine starting from cold compared to
engine at normal temperature.
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210 Starting and driving5 Check that the jumper cables do not
have loose or missing insulation. If they
do, you could get a shock and also the
vehicles could be damaged.
Before you connect the cables, here are
some basic things you should know.
Positive (+) will go to positive (+) and
negative (–) will go to negative (–). Do
not connect (+) to (–) or you will get a
short that could injure you or would
damage the battery and maybe other
parts as well.
6 Connect the red positive (+) cable to the
positive (+) terminal of the vehicle with
the discharged battery.7 Do not let the other end touch metal.
Connect it to the positive (+) terminal of
the good battery. Use a remote positive
(+) terminal if the vehicle has one.
8 Now connect the negative (–) cable to
the good battery’s negative terminal.
9 Attach the cable to the discharged
battery’s negative terminal.
10 Start the vehicle with the good battery
and run the engine for a while.
11 Try to start the vehicle with the
discharged battery. If it does not start
after a few tries, it probably needs
service.
Note. If the current in the low battery is
too low it might be necessary to wait
several minutes with the cables
connected before you can start the
engine with the low battery.
12 Remove the cables in reverse order to
prevent electrical shorting. Take care
that they do not touch each other or any
other metal.
Using a battery charger3/starter
unitTo avoid damaging the car’s electrical
system and electronics, the following rules
must be followed when charging the battery
or jump starting the car.
 If the charger or starter unit can be set to
different voltages (6V/12V/18V/24V), 12V
must be selected.
 Follow the manufacturer’s instructions
supplied with the charger or starter unit.
 No other apparatus that are grounded or
connected to the mains must be
connected to the car during charging or
jump starting.
 The charger or starter unit must under no
conditions produce a voltage greater
than:
 16V continuous
 18V for 60 min.
If you are unsure about the charge rating of
the unit, disconnect the battery clamp from
the positive terminal before connecting the
unit to the battery.
WARNING
Using a match or flame of any kind near a
battery can cause battery gas to explode.
You can suffer burns or be blinded. Use a
flashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the electrolyte in the battery is not
frozen. Discharged batteries will freeze.
When connecting jumper cables to a
frozen battery, gas from the chemical
reaction inside the battery can build up
under the ice and cause an explosion.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn
you. Do not get it on you. If you acciden-
tally get it in your eyes or on your skin,
flush the area with water and get medical
help immediately.93U S M 06.book Page 210 Friday, February 18, 2005 1:15 PM
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215 Car care
EngineTurbo petrol engineThe engine is a transverse four-cylinder in-
line engine with twin overhead camshafts
and 16 valves.
The engine is equipped with two balance-
shafts that reduce engine vibrations to a
minimum.
The balance shafts are chain-driven and
rotate at twice the speed of the crankshaft.
They produce forces and torques that are
opposed to those generated by the pistons
and connecting rods. The effect occurs
twice in each revolution of the engine, coun-
teracting the vibration from its moving parts,
and at the same time reducing unwanted
engine noise.
The gearbox, located on the right (viewed
from the front), is integrated with the engine.Petrol engine, V6The V6 engine is a turbocharged V6 engine
produced completely of aluminium with 60°
between the cylinder banks, 4 valves per
cylinder, 2 camshafts per bank.
The camshafts are driven via a chain trans-
mission. The engine is equipped with a
turbo whose turbine collects exhaust pres-
sure from both banks of cylinders.
To obtain optimum performance, fuel con-
sumption and low emission levels the
engine is equipped with CVCP (Continuous
Variable Cam Phasing). This means that
the engine’s intake camshafts can be adjusted to achieve optimum functionality.
The switches are hydraulic.
Engine familiesSaab cars imported into the United States
and Canada meet all applicable emission
control standards. The engine family and
appropriate tune-up specifications are iden-
tified on a label in the engine bay.
These engine families meet applicable EPA
Federal Standards, California State Stan-
dards and Canadian Federal Standards and
are equipped with the following systems:
 sequential multiport fuel injection system
 three way catalytic converter
 crankcase emissions control system
 evaporative emission system.
Emission control
systemsThe systems for controlling emissions to the
atmosphere require regular checking and
adjustment at the intervals specified in the
service program.
In addition to meeting the exhaust emission
regulations and thereby helping to keep the
environment clean, a correctly tuned engine
will also give maximum fuel economy.
WARNING
Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain
or emit chemicals known to the State of
California to cause cancer and birth
defects and reproductive harm. In addi-
tion, certain fluids contained in vehicles
and certain products of component wear
contain or emit chemicals known to the
State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm.
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220 Car careMake sure you screw on the oil filler cap
properly after topping up the oil to avoid
running problems.
It is normal for an engine to consume a cer-
tain amount of oil. It is therefore often nec-
essary to top up the oil between services.
Check the engine oil level regularly.
During the Break-in Period (approx.
3,000 miles or 5,000 km) and when driving
at high speeds or with a trailer, the oil con-
sumption may be higher than normal.
Changing engine oil
Engine oil and oil filter should be changed
according to the service program.
For oil volumes and grades, refer to
page 298.
The oil should be drained when the engine
is warm. The car must stand on level
ground.
1 Unscrew the drain plug in the bottom of
the sump and leave the oil to drain into a
suitable receptacle for at least
10 minutes. Take care, as the oil may be
hot.
2 Refit the drain plug with a new washer.
3 Change the oil filter once the engine oil
has drained (see page 221).
4 Fill with new oil.
Run the engine to normal temperature and
check the oil level.
NOTICEChange of engine oil and oil filter may be
required more frequently if the car is
being used under certain conditions, see
page 289.
WARNING
 Prolonged and repeated exposure of
the skin to engine oil can cause seri-
ous skin disorders. Avoid prolonged
skin contact whenever possible.
 Used engine oil contains chemicals
that have caused cancer in laboratory
animals. Always protect your skin by
washing thoroughly with soap and
water.
 Keep oil out of reach of children.
 Do not touch the turbocharger or
exhaust manifold. These get very hot
when the engine has been running.
 Do not spill oil on hot parts of the
engine as this could cause a fire. Used
engine oil is particularly flammable.
 Protect the environment. Do not
dispose of oil into the ground or down
a drain. Dispose of all used oil and
oil filters at an appropriate disposal
facility.
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222 Car careAir filter
Transmission fluidManual transmission
Check and top up the oil in accordance with
the service program.
Automatic transmission
Check and top up the oil in accordance with
the service program.
CoolantIf the coolant level drops too low, the follow-
ing message appears on the SID:
The properties of the coolant are retained
for the entire service life of the car. There-
fore, it is not necessary to change the cool-
ant.The coolant contains 45 % antifreeze and
anti-corrosion fluid. This ratio gives the best
cooling effect. Lower concentrations should
be avoided, in view of the corrosion risk.
Other brands of antifreeze can damage the
engine and cooling system.
Note:
If incorrect coolant is used or added, the life-
time properties will be affected. Even if the
coolant is flushed from the system and
replaced with life-time coolant, life-time
properties are no longer retained and the
coolant must then be drained and replaced
at regular intervals.
WARNING
To ensure reliable operation, only use
an air filter recommended by Saab
Automobile AB.
WARNING
 Proceed with caution if the radiator is
boiling when you open the hood.
Never remove the expansion-tank
filler cap when the radiator is boiling.
 The cooling system is pressurized –
hot coolant and vapor can escape
when the filler cap is released. These
can cause injury to your eyes and
burns. Loosen the cap carefully, and
let the engine cool before removing
the cap.
 Exercise care when adding coolant.
Coolant on hot surfaces constitutes a
fire risk.
Coolant level low.
Refill.
NOTICEIf the cooling system needs topping up,
mix the antifreeze with the appropriate
quantity of drinking water or distilled
water before adding it to the system.
If undiluted antifreeze is added, the
engine could still freeze and be damaged.
This is because the antifreeze will not mix
properly with the coolant before the ther-
mostat has opened to allow full circula-
tion.
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224 Car careBrake/clutch fluid and
brake padsCheckingBrake fluid should be changed according to
the service program. Refer to the Warranty
and Service Book.
The brake and clutch fluid reservoir is trans-
parent to facilitate checking of the fluid level.
The fluid level should lie between the MAX
and MIN marks.If the level drops too low, the following
message appears on the SID:
Top up as necessary with DOT 4 brake
fluid. Do not use DOT 5 fluid.
Use only new brake fluid from a sealed
container.
The brake fluid level will fall somewhat as
the brake pads wear. The MAX level in the
reservoir corresponds to the amount of
brake fluid required with new brake pads. If
the fall in fluid level is moderate, due to
normal brake pad wear, topping up is not
necessary.
If the brake fluid should require chang-
ing, this must be carried out at a Saab
dealer. We recommend that you contact
a Saab dealer.
The foot brake and parking brake are self-
adjusting.
It is not possible to detect, through abnormal
pedal or parking brake lever travel, whether
the brake pads are worn and need replac-
ing. It is therefore essential that brake pads
be checked regularly, as specified in the
service program.Brake pads should only be changed at a
workshop. We recommend that you con-
tact a Saab dealer. To ensure optimum
brake performance we recommend the
use of Saab genuine brake pads.
WARNING
Brake fluid deteriorates as it becomes
old. Because it is hygroscopic, it absorbs
water from the air and, in time, could allow
vapor to form in the brake system, thus
reducing its performance. It is therefore
important that brake fluid be changed
regularly, as specified in the service
program.
Brake fluid level low.
Make a safe stop.
Contact Saab dealer.
NOTICEAvoid spilling brake fluid onto paintwork,
since it can cause the paint to bubble and
lift. If any brake fluid is spilled, the area
should be flushed with large quantities of
water as quickly as possible.Brake fluid reservoir
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225 Car care
Power steeringCheck the level of the power steering fluid in
the reservoir regularly, in accordance with
the service program.
The wheels should point directly forwards
during this check.
Clean round the cap before unscrewing it.
Wipe the dipstick. To check the level, screw
down the cap completely and then remove
it again.
The oil level should lie between the MAX
and MIN marks when the oil temperature is
about 68°F (+20°C). If the oil is colder, the
level will be lower, and at a higher tempera-
tures the level will be higher.
Top up with CHF 11S or CHF 202 power
steering fluid.
WARNING
Power steering fluid on hot engine
components constitutes a fire risk.
Power steering fluid reservoir, 4-cyl
engine
Power steering fluid reservoir, V6 engine
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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
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