
191 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
breaking 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 194.
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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220 Car care
Xenon headlight, low beam3Xenon headlights produce roughly two
times as much light as halogen 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 automati-
cally to the car’s load to prevent dazzling
drivers in oncoming traffic.
If a fault is detected in the system, the fol-
lowing message will be displayed on the
SID:
WARNING
Xenon headlights are high tension. All
work on xenon headlights, including
changing bulbs, must be carried out by
dealer personnel.
Headlight levelling
malfunction.
We recommend you to contact a Saab
dealer to have a xenon headlight changed
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248 Car careTire Chains
Notice:
If your vehicle does not have
235/45R17 size tires, use tire chains only
where legal and only when you must.
Contact your Saab dealer regarding suit-
able snow chains. Install them on the
front tires and tighten them as tightly as
possible with the ends securely
fastened. Drive slowly and follow the
chain manufacturer’s instructions. If you
can hear the chains contacting your
vehicle, stop and retighten them. If the
contact continues, slow down until it
stops. Driving too fast or spinning the
wheels with chains on will damage your
vehicle.
If a Tire Goes FlatIt’s unusual for a tire to “blowout” while
you’re driving, especially if you maintain
your tires properly. If air goes out of a tire,
it’s much more likely to leak out slowly. But
if you should ever have a “blowout”, here are
a few tips about what to expect and what to
do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a
drag that pulls the vehicle toward that side.
Take your foot off the accelerator pedal and
grip the steering wheel firmly. Steer to main-
tain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts
much like a skid and may require the same
correction you’d use in a skid. In any rear
blowout, remove your foot from the acceler-
ator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go.
It may be very bumpy and noisy, but you can
still steer. Gently brake to a stop – well off
the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to
use your jacking equipment to change a flat
tire safely.
WARNING
If your vehicle has 235/45 R17 size tires,
don’t use tire chains, there’s not enough
clearance.
Tire chains used on a vehicle without the
proper amount of clearance can cause
damage to the brakes, suspension or
other vehicle parts. The area damaged by
the tire chains could cause you to lose
control of your vehicle and you or others
may be injured in a crash.
Use another type of traction device only if
its manufacturer recommends it for use
on your vehicle and tire size combination
and road conditions. Follow that manu-
facturer’s instructions. To help avoid
damage to your vehicle, drive slowly,
readjust or remove the device if it’s
contacting your vehicle, and don’t spin
your wheels.
If you do find traction devices that will fit,
install them on the front tires.93_U S _M 07.book Page 248 W ednesday, April 12, 2006 9:30 AM
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275 Customer Assistance and Information
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
meeting the SAE viscosity ratings and API
service classifications stated in the “Techni-
cal data” section of this Owner’s Manual.
The use of extra additives in the oil is not
necessary and is not recommended, and
may be harmful to turbochargers.
More frequent oil changes are recom-
mended if your vehicle is operated under
any of the following conditions:
Most trips are less than 5–10 miles (8–
16 km). This is particularly important
when outside temperatures are below
freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling
(frequent stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips are through dusty areas (such
as construction zones).
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. These conditions
cause the engine oil to break down faster.
The Warranties and Service Record Book-
let has provisions to record extra oil
changes.
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 ORGA-
NIZED
The 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
COUPONS
When the car is brought to a Saab dealer for
scheduled maintenance, present the War-
ranties & Service Record Booklet to the ser-
vice 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.
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279 Technical data
General data __________ 280
Engine _______________ 283
Engine oil _____________ 284
Fuel__________________ 285
Engines ______________ 286
Electrical system_______ 286
Drive belt _____________ 287
Manual transmission ___ 287
Automatic transmission _ 288
Suspension ___________ 288
Steering ______________ 288
Brake system__________ 289
Wheels and tires _______ 290
Plates and labels _______ 293
Technical data
3Asterisk means: equipment not fitted in all cars
(can depend on model variant, engine variant,
market specification, options or accessories).93_U S _M 07.book Page 279 W ednesday, April 12, 2006 9:30 AM
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288 Technical dataAutomatic transmission Suspension
SteeringTy p e :
5-speed __________________________ Electronically con-
trolled, 5-speed,
fully-automatic with
hydraulic torque
converter, planetary
gears and integral
final drive.
Lock-up function in
selector positions 3,
4 and 5.
6-speed __________________________ Electronically-
controlled, 6-speed,
fully-automatic with
hydraulic torque
converter, planetary
gears and integral
final drive.
Lock-up function for
1st to 6th gear.
Selector lever positions _______________ P, R, N, D, M
Clutch type ________________________ Hydraulic plate
clutches, brake
bands and one-way
couplings
Speed mph (km/h) at 1000 rpm in top gear:
5-speed __________________________ 18–31 (29–49)
6-speed __________________________ 33–41 (53–66)Spring type, front and rear ____________ Coil springs
Maximum deflection of springs:
Front ____________________________ 7.0'' (178 mm)
Rear ____________________________ 8.3'' (212 mm)
Dampers, front and rear ______________ Oil and gas-filled
twin-tube
Steering __________________________ Power-assisted
steering gear of
rack-pinion type and
telescopic jointed
steering column
Number of turns, lock to lock ___________ 2.97
Oil type ___________________________ Power steering fluid
CHF 11S or
CHF 20293_U S _M 07.book Page 288 W ednesday, April 12, 2006 9:30 AM
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