248 Car care and technical informationAnti-corrosion
treatmentThe entire car is corrosion-protected at the
factory in different stages by an electrolytic
immersion coating and a PVC-based pro-
tective coating to protect against corrosion
caused by stones flung up by the wheels. A
thin penetrating anti-rust oil is also applied
in cavities and body members.
In addition to conventional anti-corrosion
treatment like painting, underbody treat-
ment and cavity treatment, most of the body
panel surfaces are galvanized. These
include the hood, the doors and the under-
body.
The anti-corrosion treatment on the under-
side of the car and inside the wheel arches
is particularly exposed to constant wear and
possible damage, the degree of which will
obviously depend on driving conditions.
What causes rust?Steel body panels of automobiles are sub-
ject to rusting whenever air and moisture
manage to penetrate the protective finish,
and body panels may rust through if the pro-
cess is unchecked. Rusting can occur wher-
ever water is trapped or where the car’s
panels are continuously damp. Damage to
paint and undercoating by stones, gravel
and minor crashes immediately exposes
metal to air and moisture. Road salts used
for de-icing will collect on the bottom of the
car and promote rusting. Areas of the coun-
try with high humidity have great potential
for rust problems, especially where salt is
used on roads or there is moist sea air.
Industrial pollution (fallout) may also
damage paint and promote rusting.
Preventive maintenanceThe following procedures are necessary to
help protect against rusting. Refer also to
the terms and conditions of the Sheet Metal
Coverage described in the warranty book-
let.
1Wash the car frequently, and wax at
least twice a year. Under adverse con-
ditions, where there is a rapid buildup of
dirt, sand or road salt, wash your car at
least once a week. After extreme expo-
sure to salted snow or slush, evidenced
by a white film on the car, wash the car
immediately. Frequent washing will pre-
vent paint damage from acid rain and
other airborne contaminants such as
tree sap and bird droppings. If any of
these contaminants are noticed on the
car the finish should be washed immedi-
ately.
Begin washing by rinsing the entire car
with water to loosen and flush off heavy
concentrations of dirt (include the
underbody).
Sponge the car with a solution of either
a good quality car soap or mild general
purpose (dish washing) detergent and
water.
Rinse car thoroughly with clean water.
After washing, check and clear all
drains in doors and body panels.
Wipe the car dry, preferably using a
chamois.
95usM06.book Page 248 Thursday, November 17, 2005 8:59 AM
ProCarManuals.com
249 Car care and technical information
2Clean the underside of the car during
the winter. Use high pressure water to
clean the car’s underside (floor panels,
wheel wells) at least at mid- winter and
in the spring.
3Inspect the car frequently for leaks or
damage, and arrange for needed
repairs promptly. After washing or after
heavy rain, check for leaks. When wash-
ing the car inspect body surfaces for
paint damage. While checking for leaks,
lift the floor mats and check beneath
them. Water can collect in these areas
and remain for prolonged periods. Dry
any wet areas including the floor mats.
Have leaks repaired as soon as possi-
ble.
Use touch-up paint to repair small
scratches or minor finish damage. Areas
where metal is exposed will rust quickly
and MUST be repaired immediately by
touch-up or professional repainting.
Rust must be removed, the bare metal
primed and painted. Major body
damage should be repaired immediately
and new panels or exposed areas
should be undercoated with anti- corro-
sion material.
Repairs of this type are the owner’s
responsibility and are not covered under
warranty.4Inspect the undercoating and touch
up if necessary. Pay particular atten-
tion to the fenders and wheel housings,
which are exposed to abrasion by flying
gravel, etc. If the composition has worn
or flaked off, the steel must be thor-
oughly cleaned and dried before a fresh
coat is applied. The cleaning is best
done with a scraper and a steel wire
brush, followed by washing with solvent.
Apply the new coating thinly, as other-
wise it may run off or fall off when dry.
For long tripsBefore setting off on a long journey, it is
advisable to have your car checked over by
your Saab dealer.
Obtain a few important items to take along
on your journey such as spare bulbs, wiper
blades, fuses, a Poly-V-belt and the like.
You can check some points yourself before-
hand:
Make sure that the engine is in good con-
dition.
Check that no oil or gasoline leaks out of
the engine or gearbox/transmission.
Check the coolant and power steering
fluid levels. Check also for leaks.
Inspect the Poly-V-belt and replace it if it
shows any signs of hard wear.
Check the battery charge.
Check the tires for tread pattern and air
pressure, including the compact spare
wheel.
Check the brakes.
Check all bulbs.
Check for the presence of the tool kit and
the jack in the car.
95usM06.book Page 249 Thursday, November 17, 2005 8:59 AM
ProCarManuals.com
254 Customer Assistance and InformationMaintenance scheduleThe Maintenance Schedule prescribes a
service program to the purchaser/operator
of a Saab that is reasonable and necessary
to ensure the proper emission control sys-
tems function, safety and reliability of the
Saab automobile in normal use. Additional
maintenance is recommended for specific
components when the car is operated under
certain severe conditions. Proper mainte-
nance is always good advice!
Authorized Saab dealers are equipped and
trained to meet your Saab’s service needs.
They regularly receive up-to-date Saab
service manuals and parts and technical
service bulletins from Saab and are able,
through their franchise agreement, to attend
Saab service schools, obtain Saab special
tools and technical assistance and pur-
chase original equipment service and
replacement parts.
Today’s complex automobiles should only
be entrusted to the most knowledgeable
service professionals. A Saab dealer is your
best choice.
Service intervalsA time for service message will illuminate on
the Saab Instrument Display (SID) when the
car is due for regular maintenance.
Engine oil and filter changesChanging the engine oil and filter is required
at every service point. Use only a Saab
approved long-life oil filter and engine oils
stated in the Specification section of this
Owner’s Manual. The use of extra additives
in the oil is not necessary and is not recom-
mended, and may be harmful to turbo-
chargers.
More frequent oil changes are recom-
mended if your vehicle is operated under
the following conditions:
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to
16 km). This is particularly important
when outside temperatures are below
freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling (such
as frequent stop-and-go driving).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier
on top of your vehicle.
If the vehicle is used for delivery service,
police, taxi or other commercial applica-
tions.
If your driving habits match this description,
have the engine oil and filter changed in-
between normal services at 5,000 mile
(8,000 km) intervals. The Saab Warranty
and Service Record Booklet has provisions
to record extra oil changes.
95usM06.book Page 254 Thursday, November 17, 2005 8:59 AM
ProCarManuals.com
255 Customer Assistance and Information
Service record retentionIt is the owner´s responsibility to retain ser-
vice records. If possible, you should keep
copies of all shop work orders for all service
and repairs, whenever performed. As indi-
cated in the new car and emission control
system warranties, it is important to docu-
ment that all necessary maintenance has
been done.HOW THE SERVICE RECORD
IS ORGANIZEDThe service record is comprised of a series
of coupons on which to record services as
they are performed. There are additional
coupons for documenting extra engine oil
and filter changes, extra automatic trans-
mission fluid services necessary for severe
service conditions, and brake fluid changes.HOW TO USE THE SERVICE
RECORD COUPONSWhen the car is brought to a Saab dealer for
scheduled maintenance, present the Saab
Warranty and Service Record Booklet to the
service manager. When the technician has
completed the service, the technician will
sign the maintenance record. The person
responsible for quality assurance at the
dealership will also sign and stamp the
record with the dealer identification stamp.
Service costsDealer pricing practices and labor for ser-
vice work vary. Saab’s recommended ser-
vice times for each service point do not
include the labor required to replace wear
items, such as wiper blades, brake pads or
tires. Nor is labor to perform other service or
repairs found to be necessary as a result of
the inspections included in these times.
Additional labor and parts will be charged
for such work when necessary, except as
covered under an applicable Saab warranty
or any optional extended service contract.
Transmission fluid changes or suspension
alignment, when necessary, are also addi-
tional.
Dealer charges for general shop material,
regulated hazardous waste removal, recy-
cling expenses or other operation costs may
also be applied to service and repair
invoices and are apt to vary by dealer and
location.
Owner assistanceWarranties and service
problem assistanceFor complete information about all applica-
ble warranties, including the New Car War-
ranty, Perforation Warranty, Vehicle Emis-
sion Warranty and Emission Perforation
Warranty, consult the Warranties and Ser-
vice Record Booklet which accompanies
this Owner’s Manual. It also contains owner
assistance information including Saab
Roadside Assistance. If the booklet is lost or
misplaced, a new one may be ordered
through a Saab dealer or by contacting
Saab.
In the U.S. there is a national Customer
Assistance Center at Saab Cars USA, Inc.
The toll-free number to call from all 50 states
is 1-800-955-9007.
In Canada, please call the Saab Customer
Assistance Centre at 1-800-263-1999.
A list of authorized Saab sales and service
dealers is available for those planning to
travel in the United States and Canada.
Canadian or U.S. travelers may call the
Customer Assistance Center in the country
in which they are traveling.
95usM06.book Page 255 Thursday, November 17, 2005 8:59 AM
ProCarManuals.com
259 Specifications
General______________ 260
Engine ______________ 262
Fuel_________________ 262
Engine oil ____________ 263
Engine variants _______ 264
Electrical system______ 265
Drive belts ___________ 265
Manual gearbox_______ 266
Automatic transmission 266
Suspension __________ 267
Steering _____________ 267
Brake system_________ 267
Wheels and tires ______ 268
Plates and labels ______ 270
IB3918
Specifications
Asterisk means: equipment not fitted in all cars
(can depend on model variant, engine variant,
market specification, options or accessories).
95usM06.book Page 259 Thursday, November 17, 2005 8:59 AM
ProCarManuals.com
263 Specifications
Engine oil To meet demands in Saab's extended service intervals all
engines are filled with specially designed synthetic factory fill
oils. Long service intervals, fuel economy and environmental
issues are the base for our choice of oil. By using oils approved
by Saab you minimise the tendencies for oil sludge build, by that
protecting the engine from harmful, wear increasing, deposits.
Approved engine oils:
All gasoline engines - Fully synthetic engine oil - approved
against the GM-LL-A025 specification - with viscosity
SAE 0W-30 or SAE 0W-40.
Oil used at, or in-between, service must be approved against the
engine´s specified classification to render possible the usage of
Saab Automobile AB specified service intervals.
For optimum performance Saab recommends the use of Saab
Long Life Turbo Oil 0W-30 or Mobil 1 0W-40 European Car for-
mula, but other oils approved against the above specification
and with proper SAE viscosity 0W-30 or 0W-40 may also be
used.
Servicing/Oil changes:
To be able to use recommended service intervals the need to
use only approved engine oils is vital. Use only engine oils
approved for your engine. Service should be done according
to the recommended service intervals to optimize your engine's
function through out its entire life. Saab Automobile AB will not
take responsibility for any damage that might occur due to
neglecting to meet above mentioned requirements.At your Saab dealers you can find Saab Genuine or Mobil
engine oils. Among those there are oils specially designed to
meet your engines specific needs. We recommend that you,
with the help of our skilled service personnel, choose your oil
from that assortment.
Other oil companies also offer engine oils approved against GM
specifications. Oils meeting these standards may be marketed
as synthetic. However, not all synthetic engine oils will meet your
engine´s specific requirements. Please ensure only to use oils
approved against your engine´s specific requirements, i.e.
GM-LL-A025 with viscosity SAE 0W-30 or 0W-40.
Recommended oil viscosity
Viscosity is a measurement of the oil´s thickness at various tem-
peratures, according to the SAE standard. This thickness influ-
ences e.g. fuel economy and cold starting properties. For
optimum performance Saab recommends:
For gasoline engines:
SAE 0W-30
or
SAE 0W-40 engine oil
Extra engine oil additives
Don't add anything to your oil. The recommended oils are all you
will need for good engine performance and protection.
95usM06.book Page 263 Thursday, November 17, 2005 8:59 AM
ProCarManuals.com
264 Specifications
Engine variants
When to change engine oil
Your vehicle will display when it is time for servicing on the SID,
based on the mileage and time since the last service.
For this service system to work it is of outmost importance that
the right engine oil is used.
When the message for service is displayed you need to have the
required service done as soon as possible.
After the service your service personnel will reset the service
indicator. It is important to reset the service indicator in order to
optimize the time to the next service.
Oil capacity incl. filter (on changing) ____ 4.1 qts (4.0 litres) 2.3 Turbo Ecopower
Rating, EEC at 5000 rpm ____________ 260 hp (191 kW)
Maximum torque, EEC at 1900 rpm ____ 258.0 ft.lb.
(350 Nm)
Compression ratio _________________ 9.3:195usM06.book Page 264 Thursday, November 17, 2005 8:59 AM
ProCarManuals.com
266 SpecificationsManual gearbox Automatic transmission Type ____________________________ All-synchromesh
5-speed with final
drive and differen-
tial
Oil ______________________________ Saab MTF 0063
Oil capacity _______________________ 1.9 qts (1.8 litres)
Oil volume (on changing) ____________ 1.6 qts (1.5 litres)
Clutch type _______________________ Hydraulic, single
dry-plate clutch of
diaphragm-spring
type
Speed (mph / km/h) at 1000 rpm in 5th gear: 27–29 / 43–47Type _____________________________ Electronically con-
trolled 5-speed,
fully automatic with
hydraulic torque
converter, plane-
tary gear set and
integral final drive
Lock-up function in
selector positions 3,
4 and 5.
Selector-lever positions ______________ P R N D M L
Clutch type ________________________ Hydraulic plate
clutches, brake
bands and one-way
couplings
Speed (mph / km/h) at 1000 rpm in 5th gear: 29–30 / 46–4895usM06.book Page 266 Thursday, November 17, 2005 8:59 AM
ProCarManuals.com