2006 SAAB 9-3 transmission

200 Starting and drivingRecommendations for cars with
manual transmissionRises in coolant temperature are indicated
by the temperature gauge in the main instru-
ment panel.
When the needle is just outside the red
zone, the A/C compressor will be switched
off and, on certain engine variants, the max-
imum engine torque will be limited.
When continuing your journey, select a low
gear in which the engine speed is about
3,500 rpm until the incline eases.
Trailer hitch loadThe weight distribution on the trailer makes
a lot of difference to the handling properties
of the car and trailer combination. With a
two-wheel trailer, concentrate the load over
the wheels and keep it as low as possible.
The trailer should be loaded so that the load
on the towball is 110–165 lbs. (50–75 kg).
Note that this load must be included in the
total load for the car. If this now exceeds the
specified load capacity, the load in the trunk
may have to be reduced by the correspond-
ing amount.
WARNING
Remember to use engine-braking (selec-
tor position 1, 2, or 3) to spare the brakes
when you are driving on a long or steep
downhill slope.
Overheating can cause the brakes to
fade!
Distribution of load in trailera Light
b Moderate
cHeavy
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201 Starting and driving
Checks before drivingMake sure that the car and trailer are in
good working order. This is essential since
towing a trailer increases the strain on the
car.
 Check and if necessary adjust the tire
pressure of the car and trailer.
 Make sure all wheel bolts are properly
tightened.
 Make sure that the equipment joining the
car and trailer is properly secured and
adjusted.
 Make sure the trailer’s electrical cable is
properly connected and is not so long that
it drags along the ground. Also, make sure
the cable is not too short and risks break-
ing when turning a corner.
 Check all bulbs.
 Check the car and trailer brakes.
 Make sure that all items on or in the
camper or trailer are properly secured.
 Make sure that the trailer’s jockey wheel is
raised and locked.
 Check the distribution of the load so that
the car and trailer are well balanced.
 Check that the rearview mirrors provide
the best possible rearward vision.
 Make sure the trailer’s safety cable is
correctly attached.
Driving considerationsAlways take extra care when towing a
trailer, as the car’s handling will be different
and its braking performance reduced. The
trailer’s braking system and suspension
also have a considerable effect on these
characteristics. See also "Driving with a
load" on page 204.
Drive carefully:
 descending hills
 on uneven roads
 over railway crossings
 when meeting large vehicles
If the car has automatic transmission, select
gear M1 when ascending or descending
steep hills.
ReversingGet someone to help you keep an eye out
behind the trailer as the door mirrors do not
always provide sufficient rearward vision
when reversing.
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206 Starting and drivingThe front towing eye is stowed by the spare
wheel. On the left-hand side of the bumper
is a cover concealing the attachment point
(tapped hole) for the towing eye.
1 Press the knob on the upper section of
this cover at the same time as pulling out
the lower edge.
2 Screw in the towing eye. The towing
eye has a left-hand thread!
3 Insert the wheel wrench into the eye to
tighten it properly.
To refit the cover: Start by inserting the top
edge of the cover. Then click in the lower
edge, one corner at a time.
Rear towing eyeThe car has a permanent towing eye at the
rear under the bumper.
If the car is equipped with a towbar, this can
be used instead of the towing eye.
Towing the carEngage neutral (automatic transmission:
move the selector lever to N). Turn on the
parking lights.
Drive carefully and do not exceed the
speed limit for vehicles on tow.NOTICENever use the towing eyes to pull the car
unstuck.
Front towing eye fitted.
The towing eye has a left-hand thread!
Rear towing eye
Never use the towing eyes to pull the car
unstuck.
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207 Starting and driving
Always try to keep the towrope taut by
gently applying the brake of the car on tow,
as necessary. This will avoid the towrope
being jerked violently.
Cars with automatic transmission:
Always observe the speed limit for vehicles
on tow. Whatever the speed limit, the car
must not be towed at speeds exceeding
30 mph (50 km/h) nor for a distance of more
than 30 miles (50 km). If the car needs to be
transported over a longer distance, a tow
truck or flatbed truck must be called out.
The engine cannot be started by towing or
pushing the car. In an emergency, the
engine can be started as described under
"Jump starting" on page 208.
Vehicle recoveryIf the car has to be transported on a flatbed
truck, or similar, it must be securely
strapped down. There are attachment
points for this purpose on the underside of
the car. The attachment points are oblong
hole that have been reinforced to cope with
the stresses that arise during this type of
transport.
Transporting the car
NOTICE The car must be towed front first.
 If the car is to be towed with the front
wheels off the ground, make sure the
parking brake is off, as this acts on the
rear wheels.
NOTICEIf a car with sports (lowered) chassis is
transported, for example on a flat bed
truck, take extra care not to damage the
spoiler and/or underbody.
Attachment points for anchorage straps
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209 Starting and driving
It is essential when a donor battery is to be
used to jump start the car that the jump
leads be connected correctly to prevent
arcing.
To jump start your vehicle:
1 Check the other vehicle. It must have a
12-volt battery with a negative ground
system.2 Get the vehicles close enough so the
jumper cables can reach, but be sure the
vehicles are not touching each other. If a
poor connection on the negative jumper
cable should exist, it is possible for
damage to be caused to electrical
systems/components of either vehicle
should inadvertent contact be made.
You would not be able to start your car
and bad grounding could damage the
electrical systems.
3 Turn off the ignition on both vehicles.
Turn off lights that are not needed, and
radios. This will avoid sparks and help
save both batteries and it could save
your radio.4 Open the hood and locate the battery.
Find the positive (+) and negative (–) termi-
nals on the battery.NOTICEIgnoring these steps could result in costly
damage to your vehicle that would not be
covered by your warranty.
Trying to start your car by pushing or pull-
ing it could damage your vehicle, even if
you have a manual transmission. If you
have an automatic transmission, your
vehicle cannot be started by pushing or
pulling it.
NOTICEIf the other system is not a 12-volt system
with a negative ground, both vehicles can
be damaged.
WARNING
You could be injured if the vehicles roll.
Set the parking brake firmly on each vehi-
cle. Put an automatic transmission in P
(Park) or a manual transmission in
Neutral.
NOTICEIf you leave your radio on, it could be
badly damaged. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
WARNING
An electric fan can start up even when the
engine is not running and can injure you.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from
any underhood electric fan.Jump starting
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211 Starting and driving
For long tripsBefore starting off on a long journey, it is
advisable to have your car inspected by
your Saab dealer.
Obtain a few important items to take along
on your journey, such as spare bulbs, wiper
blades, fuses, a drive belt (poly-V-belt) and
the like.
You can check some points yourself before-
hand:
 Check that no oil or fuel leaks out of the
engine or gearbox/transmission.
 Check the coolant and power steering
fluid levels. Check also for leaks.
 Inspect the drive belt (poly-V-belt) and
replace if it shows any signs of wear.
 Check the battery charge.
 Check the tires for tread pattern and air
pressure, including the compact spare
tire.
 Take an extra remote control and keep it
separate.
 Check the brakes.
 Check all bulbs.
 Check for the presence of the tool kit and
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213 Car care
Hood ________________ 214
Engine ______________ 215
Engine bay, 4-cyl engine 217
Engine oil ____________ 219
Air filter______________ 222
Transmission fluid ____ 222
Coolant ______________ 222
Brake/clutch fluid and
brake pads__________ 224
Power steering________ 225
Battery ______________ 226
Drive belt ____________ 229
Wipers and washers ___ 230
Wiper blades _________ 230
Changing bulbs _______ 232 Fuses ________________ 247
Automatic tire pressure
monitoring3_________ 254
Tires _________________ 256
Compact spare ________ 270
Changing a tire ________ 273
Safety belts ___________ 276
Upholstery and trim ____ 276
Textile carpeting _______ 277
Engine bay ____________ 277
Washing ______________ 277
Waxing and polishing ___ 279
Touching up the paint___ 279
Anti-corrosion treatment 280
Recovery and/or
recycling of automotive
materials ____________ 282
Air conditioning (A/C) ___ 282
Car care
3Asterisk means: equipment not fitted in all cars
(can depend on model variant, engine variant,
market specification, options or accessories).93U S M 06.book Page 213 Friday, February 18, 2005 1:15 PM
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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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