2009 SAAB 9-3 Owners Manual

265
Car care
If the correct pressure is not reached
within 10 minutes, the damage to the tire is
too large to be repaired with the sealant.
Park the car in a suitable place and call for
assistance.
If the tire pressure becomes too high, it can
be reduced by pressing the button by the
pressure gauge on the compressor.
Do not run the co mpressor for more
than 10 minutes.
14 Assemble the repair kit and return it to its designated place in the luggage
compartment.
15 Wipe away any sealant that may have leaked out with a rag.
16 Put back the warning triangle.
17 Affix the label in the kit showing the maximum permitted speed so that it is
clearly visible to the driver. 18 Drive off immediately so that the sealant
is distributed evenly around the tire.
19 Stop after approximately 6 miles (10 km) or 10 minutes (whichever
occurs first) and check the tire pressure.
To do so, connect the air hose on the
compressor directly to the valve on the
tire.
If the pressure is greater than 19 psi
(1.3 bar), adjust it to the recommended
value, see page 291. It may be neces-
sary to check the pressure a number of
times on the way to a workshop.
If the pressure falls below 19 psi
(1.3 bar), do not drive the car any further
but call for assistance.
The most likely reason for a drop in pres-
sure is probably that the damage to the
tire is too extensive to be repaired with
the repair kit.
20 Return the repair kit to its designated place. There are four adapters on the underside of
the compressor which allow the compressor
to be used to inflate other items such as
bicycle tires, air mattresses and footballs.93_US_7carcare_MY09.fm
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266 Car careSafety beltsCheck the function of the safety belts regu-
larly as follows:
 Hold the diagonal strap and pull it sharply. The safety belt should lock and it should
not be possible to withdraw it further.
Check the anchorage points in the floor.
They must not have suffered rust damage.
If a belt is worn or has any fraying edges, it
should be replaced.
Safety belts must not co me into contact with
substances such as polishes, oil or chemi-
cals. If the belts get dirty, wash them with
warm water and a detergent or have them
replaced.
Upholstery and trimTo remove fluff and hairs from the seats,
door armrests and headlining, use a
vacuum cleaner, a moist lint-free cloth, or a
clothes brush. Remove spots and dirt using
a cloth moistened with lukewarm soapy
water.
When using a stain remover, always work
from the outside toward s the center to avoid
leaving a ring. If a soiled ring or spot should
remain, it can usually be removed using
lukewarm soapy water or water alone.
Spots left by liquids, such as soft drinks or
thin oil, must be removed at once with an
absorbent material, such as kitchen towel-
ling. Then clean with a stain remover.
White spirit is recommended for removing
grease and oil stains. A medium stiff brush
may also be used.
Cleaning and caring for leather
upholsteryThe principal reason for treating leather
upholstery is to maintain its elegant appear-
ance and to provide it with a protective film.
Discolor at ion caused by dust and wear
mainly affects the lighter shades, although
this is not detrimental to the leather, indeed,
the patina resulting from use is often consid-
ered desirable in leather. But if the leather is
allowed to become too grubby, it can start to
look shabby. Vacuum the leather regularly
with a soft brush attachment to remove
loose dirt and dust.
The leather upholstery should be cleaned
and reconditioned twice a year in conjunc-
tion with spring and autumn inspections. In
very warm, dry climates the leather may
need more regular reconditioning. Use con-
ventional leather care products. Follow the
instructions on the packaging.
Do not use harsh polishing agents, cleaning
agents, sprays, coarse soap or hot water.
Semi-Anilin is a leather that is colored
throughout which only has a thin protective
finish and is accordingly more sensitive than
a surface colored l eather and therefore
need more care to keep the protection and
ageing properties.
WARNING
If the car is involved in a crash, the safety
belts, belt pretensioners and other asso-
ciated components must be inspected.
We recommend that you contact a Saab
dealer.
Never make any alterations or repairs to
the safety belts your self. We recommend
that you contact a Saab dealer.93_US_7carcare_MY09.fm Page 266 Tuesday, April 15, 2008 11:26 AM
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267
Car care
Textile carpetingTextile carpeting should be vacuum
cleaned regularly. Carpeting can also be
cleaned using a brush or sponge and carpet
shampoo.
For safety reasons, vacuum cleaners that
are not earthed (grounded) must not be
used out of doors.Engine bayThe engine bay should be cleaned with an
engine decreasing and rinsed with hot
water. The headlights must be covered
over. Do not use a pressure washer. Avoid
spraying electrical components and con-
nectors.
Do not use petrol as a cleaning agent or sol-
vent when carrying out repairs or mainte-
nance. Saab recommends the use of envi-
ronmentally-friendly cleaning solutions.
WashingThe bodywork must be washed frequently.
When the car is new, the body should be
washed by hand using plain cold water and
a clean, soft brush through which the water
flows. Automatic carwashes should be
avoided when the car is new.
After 5–6 months the paintwork will have
hardened. To facilitate cleaning, a suitable
detergent can be added to the water, which
should be lukewarm.
Remove any bird droppings without delay,
as these can discolor the paintwork and
prove difficult to polish out. Lay a wad of wet
paper on the patch of dirt and leave it for a
minute or so. It will then be easy to wash off
the dirt.
Use a soft cloth moistened with white spirit
to remove splashes of tar or asphalt. Do not
use strong cleaners, as these can dry out
the paintwork.
NOTICEOnly use liquid detergent when cleaning
the plastic lenses of the front and rear
lights. Do not use mechanical cleaning.
Rinse off the detergent immediately, oth-
erwise cracks may form in the plastic
lenses.
The door mirrors should be folded in
before the car enters an automatic car
wash.
SportCombi: To avoid the wiper arm to
break tape it down to the window when
using a drive-through car wash.
Try your brakes on leaving a car wash.
Wet brake discs reduce the performance
of the brakes.
Fixed antennae, such as for a mobile
phone, must be removed if the car goes
through an automatic car wash.
Cars with Saab Parking Assistance: Do
not spray the sensors or closer than 8 in.
(20 cm) to the sensors with a pressure
washer, as this can damage them.
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268 Car careThe underside of the car also needs wash-
ing regularly, and this should be done extra
thoroughly at the end of winter. Clean the
underside of the car by hand if the car is
usually washed in an automatic car wash
without special facilities for underbody
cleaning.
Never wash or leave the car to dry in the
sun, but wipe it dry with a chamois leather
immediately after washing to avoid smears
and streaks.
Clean the inside of window glass using a
proprietary window cleaner. This is particu-
larly important when the car is new, as
upholstery and trim have a tendency to
sweat a little at first.
Keep the glass well polished, as this helps
to prevent misting.
Clean the outside of the windows with Saab
washer fluid. This is especially important if
the car has been washed in an automatic
car wash, as sometimes a wax treatment is
used that can contaminate the windshield
and impair the performance of the wipers.
Saab offers a full co mplement of car care
products. See your dealer or visit us at our
website. Convertible
 If a pressure washer is used be heedful of
the following recommendations:
 On the lower part of the car (not higher than the door handles): max pressure
of 100 bar and not closer than 8 in.
(20 cm).
 On the upper part of the car: tax pres- sure of 100 bar and not closer than
32 in. (80 cm).
 Do not use any drying chemicals or water- proofing agents.
 Avoid automatic car washes.
WARNING
 Read and follow the instructions on the packaging of the recommended
cleaning agents and waterproofing
agents. We recommend that you con-
tact an authorized Saab dealer
regarding recommended cleaning
agents and waterproofing agents.
 Never treat the soft top with hot wax or similar.
 Never use petrochemical based sol-
vents for cleaning. Only use water with
a recommended cleaning agent. Pet-
rochemical based solvents can cause
irreparable damage to the soft top.
 Never use a pressure washer to clean the soft top. Only use normal house-
hold water pressure.NOTICE Only operate the soft top when it is clean and dry.
 Do not lower the so ft top when it is
damp. This can cause folds and pres-
sure marks. If the soft top is heavily
soiled, the dirt may cause irreparable
visible chafe marks.
 Only use water, recommended clean- ing agents and a microfibre cloth if the
soft top is already damaged, other-
wise the damage can become worse.
 At creases, seams and window edges the cleaning motion should be away
from the crease, seam or window
edge in to the soft top.
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269
Car care
When the soft top is only slightly soiled,
follow the directions on the cleaning agent
packaging. No brushing is necessary.
Check the soft top for water penetration
from time to time by spraying a small
amount of water on it. If water does not form
droplets but disappear into the material, it is
recommended to wash normally and then
waterproof.
If the soft top is heavily soiled and normal
recommended cleaning does not produce a
noticeable improvement, carry out the fol-
lowing.
The following cleaning method must be only
used if the soft top is heavily soiled and must
not be carried out more than twice a year.
1 Stop normal cleaning.
2 Rinse off the thick dirt thoroughly with water.
3 Spray the newly rinsed soft top with the recommended cleaning agent and allow
it to work in for 15-20 minutes. 4 Move the washing brush backwards and
forwards, not diagonally, from side to
side or in circles. Use a soft brush, like a
clothes brush or a micro fibre cloth so
that the cleaning agent foams. Never
use a wire brush.
5 Then rinse the soft top with warm water and brush using a soft brush in the direc-
tion of the vehicle until all foam has
disappeared. Brush carefully to prevent
damaging the material.
6 Dry the soft top using a clean chamois leather or a cloth that does not leave lint
on the soft top.
7 Allow the soft top to dry fully. Touch with a hand after a while, if the material feels
damp, allow it to dry for longer. 8 If spots are still visible, repeat the treat-
ment on these spots as before. Press
lightly with the brush to prevent damag-
ing the material. Do not use the brush
excessively. This can irreparably
damage the material. Do not repeat the
treatment more than twice.
9 When the soft top has fully dried, it must be waterproofed immediately. Only use
the recommended waterproofing agent.
Follow the instructions on the packag-
ing.
10 To obtain even and optimum waterproof- ing, the car must be closed for 24 hours
after treatment. Do not touch the mate-
rial and do not place any objects on it.
WARNING
Water hotter than 37 °C can burn the skin,
cause skin irritation and/or cause injuries.
Use suitable protection.
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270 Car careWaxing and polishingDo not wax a new car during the first three
or four months. In fact, there is no need to
polish the car before the paintwork has
started to dull through oxidation. Other than
in exceptional cases, do not use abrasive
polishes containing a cutting agent on a new
car. Always wash the car thoroughly before
waxing or polishing.Touching up the paintDamaged paintwork should be treated as
soon as it is discovered: the longer it is left,
the greater the risk of corrosion. The
anti-corrosion warranty does not cover cor-
rosion resulting from untreated defects.
Paintwork damage sustained in a crash is
usually extensive and can only be properly
restored by professionals.
However, you can repa ir small scratches
and stone chip damage yourself. The nec-
essary tools and materials, such as primer,
touch-up paint and brushes, are available
from a workshop. We recommend that you
contact a Saab dealer.
In the case of minor flaws in the paintwork,
where the metal has not been exposed and
an undamaged layer of paint remains,
touch-up paint can usually be applied
directly, after any dirt has been scraped
away using a pointed knife. If corrosion has alread
y set in, such as the
result of stone-chip damage, use a pointed
knife to scrape off all surface rust. If possi-
ble, the damaged area should be taken
back to the bare meta l. The metal should
then be primed with two thin coats of primer
applied by brush.
After the primer has dried, apply several thin
layers of topcoat unt il the surface of the
repaired area is flush with the surrounding
paintwork.
Stir both primer and touch-up paint thor-
oughly before use and allow each coat to
dry before applying the next.
Two-coat enamelAs the name implies, two-coat enamel is
applied in two operations. The first coat, the
base color, contains the pigment, metal
flakes and binder. The second coat consists
of a clear enamel, which provides the final
gloss for the paintwork and protects the
base from moisture and environmental con-
taminants.
Touch-up stone-chip damage as follows:
1 Thoroughly clean the damaged area.
2 Then apply the primer, base color and finally, the clear enamel. To achieve the
best finish, apply two or three coats of
primer.
Surface treatment composition1 Body panel
2 Zinc (certain components only) 7.5 µm
3 Phosphate coating 3 –5 µm
4 Cathodic ED 23 µm
5 Intermediate coat 35 µm
6 Metallic base/solid base 11 µm
7 Clear enamel 45 µm
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271
Car care
Anti-corrosion
treatmentThe entire car undergoes a series of
anti-corrosion processes during production.
These include electr ophoretic priming,
PVC-based coating to protect against stone
chip damage and corrosion, and treatment
of body cavities and members with thin,
penetrating rust-proofing oil.
In addition, most body panels, such as the
hood, doors and floor pan are galvanized.
The anti-corrosion treatment on some parts
of the car is constantly exposed to wear and
prone to damage. This applies particularly
to the underside of the car and inside the
wheel arches, where grit, road salt and the
like that are thrown up can give rise to cor-
rosion where the underseal has worn away.
The extent of this obv iously depends on the
conditions in which the car is used.
Accordingly, make it a habit to hose the
underside of the car often and to inspect the
condition of the underseal. The anti-corro-
sion warranty does not relieve the car owner
of the need to carry out normal maintenance
to the rust-proofing and to make good any
damage. Use a hose to clean the underside of the car
thoroughly. After it has dried, use a brush or
spray to apply a viscous anti-corrosion
agent to any worn or damaged areas, to
prevent the onset of corrosion.
Even after the anti-corrosion warranty has
expired, it makes good sense to continue to
maintain the
rust-proofing.
Seams in the body, especially those in the
doors and trunk lid, are particularly vulnera-
ble to corrosion from the outside, caused by
grit and salt thrown up from the road, and to
corrosion from the inside, largely as a result
of condensation. Keep the seams clean and
at the first sign of any rust, apply a thin, pen-
etrating, anti-corrosion oil. Your Saab
dealer will be pleased to give you further
advice.
What causes rust?Steel body panels of automobiles are sub-
ject to rusting whenever air and moisture
manage to penetrate the protective finish.
Body panels may rust through if the process
is unchecked. Rusting can occur wherever
water is trapped or where the car’s panels
are continuously damp.
Damage to paint and undercoating by
stones, gravel and minor crashes immedi-
ately 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 country with high humidity have
a greater potential for rust problems, espe-
cially where salt is used on roads or there is
moist sea air. Industrial pollution (fallout)
may also damage paint and promote rust-
ing.Preventive maintenanceThe following procedures are necessary to
help protect against rusting. Refer also to
the terms and conditions of the Performa-
tion Limited Warranty described in the war-
ranty booklet. 1 Wash the car freque ntly, and wax at
least twice a year. Under adverse
conditions, where there is a rapid
buildup of dirt, sand or road salt, wash
your car at least once a week. After
extreme exposure to salted snow or
slush, evidenced by a white film on the
car, wash the car immediately. Frequent
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272 Car care
washing will prevent paint damage from
acid rain and other airborne contami-
nants such as tree sap and bird drop-
pings. If any of these contaminants are
noticed on the car the finish should be
washed immediately.
 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.
2 Clean 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. 3
Inspect 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 underneath
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. Inspect the undercoating and touch up if
necessary.
Pay particular attention 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 thoroughly 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, otherwise it
may run off or fall off when dry.
Recovery and/or
recycling of automotive
materialsInformation on the scrapping and recycling
of car materials is available on
www.saab.com.
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