2007 SAAB 9-3 winter tires

torque timing belt ABS dead battery relay open gas tank

Page 4 of 304

SAAB 9-3 2007 Owners Manual 4ExteriorAnti-corrosion treatment ___ 265
Body __________________ 264
Service program _________ 274
Moonroof_______________ 128
Touching up paintwork ____ 264
Washing _______________ 261
Waxing and po

Page 183 of 304

SAAB 9-3 2007 Owners Manual 183 Starting and driving
Economical drivingFactors affecting fuel
consumptionThe fuel consumption of a car is greatly
affected by driving conditions, climate, road
conditions, speed, driving techni

183 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.
93_U S _M 07.book Page 183 W ednesday, April 12, 2006 9:30 AM
ProCarManuals.com

Page 185 of 304

SAAB 9-3 2007 Owners Manual 185 Starting and driving
Driving in cold weatherIn cold weather, special attention should be
paid to the following:
Before driving off, make sure that the
wiper blades have not frozen to the wind-

185 Starting and driving
Driving in cold weatherIn cold weather, special attention should be
paid to the following:
Before driving off, make sure that the
wiper blades have not frozen to the wind-
shield.
Remove any snow from the heating
system air intakes between the hood and
the windshield.
If necessary, inject oil into the locks to
prevent them from freezing. Use molyb-
denum-sulphide oil (MoS
2). If the locks
freeze, exercise care when unlocking the
car (manual unlocking) to avoid breaking
the key. Warm up the key or use a de-icer.
It is particularly important when the roads
are slippery that the brakes and tires are
in good condition.
For how to check the level of antifreeze in
the engine coolant, see page 209. Add gasoline anti-freeze when refueling
several times before the onset of winter.
This will prevent condensation water in
the fuel tank from freezing and causing
interruptions in the fuel supply. The likeli-
hood of condensation is lowest when the
fuel tank is full.
If the car is parked outside and the
temperature is below zero, gasoline anti-
freeze is of little use as it cannot remove
water that has already frozen. Park the
car in a warm place so that any ice that
may have built up melts, then add gaso-
line anti-freeze when refueling.
Condensation is caused by temperature
fluctuations, either in the outside temper-
ature alone or when the car is alternately
parked outdoors and in a garage.
Convertible: Avoid operating the soft top
at temperatures below 23°F (–5°C). The car is equipped with tires designed to
provide optimum grip on both wet and dry
roads, although this has been achieved at
the expense of somewhat reduced grip on
snow and ice. For regular driving on snow
and ice, we therefore recommend that
winter tires be fitted. However, winter tires
achieve this extra grip at the expense of
grip on bare road surfaces.
Winter tires, particularly studded tires, gen-
erally make driving safer on snow and ice.
Acquaint yourself with the legal provi-
sions governing the use of different
types of winter tires and snow chains.
Studded tires are not allowed in some
countries. If winter tires are fitted, the same
type must be fitted to all four wheels. Your
Saab dealer will be pleased to advise you on
the best tires for your car.
93_U S _M 07.book Page 185 W ednesday, April 12, 2006 9:30 AM
ProCarManuals.com

Page 186 of 304

SAAB 9-3 2007 Owners Manual 186 Starting and drivingRemember that tires age: it may therefore
be necessary to change winter tires before
they reach the legal wear limit, as they grad-
ually lose their friction properties with

Page 244 of 304

SAAB 9-3 2007 Owners Manual 244 Car careTreadwear indicatorsThe tires incorporate wear indicators in the
form of smooth, treadless strips across the
width, which become visible when only
2/32" (1.6 mm) of tread remains. As so

Page 245 of 304

SAAB 9-3 2007 Owners Manual 245 Car care

Uniform Tire Quality GradingQuality grades can be found where applica-
ble on the tire sidewall between tread shoul-
der and maximum section width. For exam-
ple:
Treadwear 200 Traction

245 Car care

Uniform Tire Quality GradingQuality grades can be found where applica-
ble on the tire sidewall between tread shoul-
der and maximum section width. For exam-
ple:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
The following information relates to the
system developed by the United States
National Highway Traffic Safety Administra-
tion, which grades tires by treadwear, trac-
tion and temperature performance. (This
applies only to vehicles sold in the United
States.) The grades are molded on the side-
walls of most passenger car tires. The Uni-
form Tire Quality Grading system does not
apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary use spare tires,
tires with nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12
inches (25 to 30 cm), or to some limited-pro-
duction tires.
While the tires available on General Motors
passenger cars and light trucks may vary
with respect to these grades, they must also
conform to federal safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire Perfor-
mance Criteria (TPC) standards.
NOTICEWide wheels and tires with side walls that
are too low can:
be damaged in potholes, etc.
cause springs, shock absorbers and
wheel bearings and body mountings
to be overloaded.
affect the function of the Electronic
Stability Program (ESP
®).
The speed and load limits of the tires
must not be exceeded; see page 250.
Wheels larger than 17" must not be fitted
on the Saab 9-3 for reasons above. The
permissible offset is 1.61 inch (41 mm).
WARNING
Mixing tires could cause you to lose
control while driving. If you mix tires of
different sizes or types (radial and bias-
belted tires), the vehicle may not handle
properly, and you could have a crash.
Using tires of different sizes may also
cause damage to your vehicle. Be sure to
use the same size and type tires on all
wheels. It’s all right to drive with your
compact spare temporarily, it was devel-
oped for use on your vehicle. See
“Compact spare” on page 254.
WARNING
If you use bias-ply tires on your vehicle,
the wheel rim flanges could develop
cracks after many miles of driving. A tire
and/or wheel could fail suddenly, causing
a crash. Use only radial-ply tires with the
wheels on your vehicle.
93_U S _M 07.book Page 245 W ednesday, April 12, 2006 9:30 AM
ProCarManuals.com

Page 254 of 304

SAAB 9-3 2007 Owners Manual 254 Car careWinter tiresWinter (snow) tires are recommended for
winter climates where the majority of your
driving will be done on snow and ice. Winter
tires should be fitted to all four wheels to

254 Car careWinter tiresWinter (snow) tires are recommended for
winter climates where the majority of your
driving will be done on snow and ice. Winter
tires should be fitted to all four wheels to
maintain a proper balance. Your Saab
dealer can advise you of to the correct size
tire for your car (if different from the original
size) and also supply Saab approved winter
tires pre-mounted on steel or alloy rims.
Winter tires normally use a different speed
rating compared to summer/all season tires.
Make sure not to exceed the stated speed
rating on the tires you use.Tire date codeTires should be regarded as perishable
goods. As the tires age, the rubber becomes
progressively harder, and the roadholding
ability of the tires diminishes. This is partic-
ularly true on winter tires.
Tires have a code that specifies their date of
manufacture. The first two digits denote the
week number and the last two digits the year
followed by a filled triangle.
Compact spareThe compact spare is light and easy to
handle when changing the tire. Its use is
only permitted when a standard tire has sus-
tained a puncture. The maximum life of the
tire is only just over 2,000 miles (3,500 km).
Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h) with the
compact spare fitted.
The tire pressure should be 60 psi
(420 kPa). Put the punctured tire in the
spare wheel well under the trunk floor.
Have the standard tire repaired and refitted
as soon as possible.The spare tire, the tools and the jack with its
crank are carried under a panel in the trunk.
Fold the carpeting forward to ease access to
the tools and spare tire.
The screwdriver handle has a “button” for
removing plastic rivets. This type of rivet
must be removed when changing the light
bulb in the trunk lid (see page 228).
Your Saab is equipped with a trip computer
and you can use its “Speed warning” func-
tion, to monitor driving speed since you
must not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h), see
page 90.
WARNING
The spare tire or punctured tire must be
stowed under the trunk floor, and secured
in place with the retaining nut.
93_U S _M 07.book Page 254 W ednesday, April 12, 2006 9:30 AM
ProCarManuals.com

Page 290 of 304

SAAB 9-3 2007 Owners Manual 290 Technical dataWheels and tiresAll season tires
6.5 x 16" _________________________ 215/55 R16 97 H
RF/XL
7.5 x 17" _________________________ 235/45 R17 94V
Summer tires
7.5 x 17" ________________

Load next 8 pages

Page: 1-8 9-16 next >

tires buttons fold seats service interval reset oil viscosity turn signal