2009 SAAB 9-3 ESP

259
Car care
When the car has to be lifted, the jack must
be positioned at one of the four jacking
points (front or rear) under the sill members.
If a floor jack is used, the lifting plate must
be positioned under the normal jacking
points, see illustration. If the car is equipped
with a towbar, the jack can also be placed
under this.
To be even more certain the vehicle won't
move, you should put blocks at the front
and rear of the tire farthest away from the
one being changed. That would be the
tire, on the other side, at the opposite end
of the vehicle.
 The car jack is designed solely for use
in changing a tire or fitting snow
chains. It must not be used to sup-
port the car during repair work or
servicing.
 Never crawl under a car that is sup-
ported only by a jack. Always use axle
stands.
 Raising your vehicle too high or with the jack improperly positioned can
damage the vehicle and even make
the vehicle fall. To help avoid personal
injury and vehicle damage, be sure to
fit the jack lift head into the proper
location before raising the vehicle, and
raise the vehicle only far enough off
the ground so there is enough room for
the spare tire to fit (no more than
25 mm or 1 inch clearance between
the ground and the bottom of the tire).
 Switch on the hazard warning lights if the car is on a road.
 The jack should be stored correctly under the carpeting in the trunk. If it
lies loose in the car, it could thrown for-
ward and cause personal injury in the
event of a crash or if the car rolls over.
 Grit, salt and rust can clog the inner threads of the wheel bolts if the car has
been driven for several years exclu-
sively with alloy wheels.
If steel wheels are being installed, the
bolt hole threads in the brake hubs
should be cleaned before the thinner
steel wheels are fitted. It may other-
wise not be possible to achieve the
correct clamping force, despite tight-
ening the wheel bolts to the correct
torque.
NOTICEApply the jack only to the jacking points
indicated on the body.Jacking points for floor jack
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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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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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279 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 classifications stated in the
Warranty and Service Record Booklet. The
use of extra additives in the oil is not neces-
sary 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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282 Customer Assistance and InformationVehicle Data Collection and
Event Data RecordersYour vehicle, like other modern motor vehi-
cles, has a number of sophisticated com-
puter systems that monitor and control sev-
eral aspects of the vehicle’s performance.
Your vehicle uses on-board vehicle comput-
ers to monitor emission control components
to optimize fuel economy, to monitor condi-
tions for air bag deployment and, if so
equipped, to provide anti-lock braking and
to help the driver control the vehicle in diffi-
cult driving situations. Some information
may be stored during regular operations to
facilitate repair of detected malfunctions;
other information is stored only in a crash
event by computer systems commonly
called event data recorders (EDR).
In a crash event, computer systems, such
as the Air Bag Sensing and Diagnostic
Module (SDM) in your vehicle may record
information about the condition of the vehi-
cle and how it was operated, such as data
related to engine speed, brake application,
throttle position, vehicle speed, steering
wheel angle, lateral acceleration, safety belt
usage, air bag readiness, air bag perfor-
mance, and the severity of a collision. This
information has been used to improve vehi-
cle crash performance and may be used to
improve crash performance of future vehi-
cles and driving safety. Unlike the data
recorders on many airplanes, these
on-board systems do not record sounds,
such as conversation of vehicle occupants.To read this information, special equipment
is needed and access to the vehicle or the
SDM is required.
Saab will not access information about a
crash event or share it with others other than
 With the consent of the vehicle owner or,
if the vehicle is leased, with the consent of
the lessee,
 In response to an official request of police
or similar government office,
 As part of Saab’s defense of litigation
through the discovery process, or
 As required by law.
In addition, once Saab collects or receives
data, Saab may
 Use the data for Saab research needs,
 Make it available for research where
appropriate confidentiality is to be main-
tained and need is shown, or
 Share summary data which is not tied to
a specific vehicle with non-Saab organi-
zations for research purposes.
Others, such as law enforcement, may have
access to the special equipment that can
read the information if they have access to
the vehicle or SDM.
If your vehicle is equipped with OnStar
®,
please check the OnStar
® subscription ser-
vice agreement or manual for information
on its operations and data collection.
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291 Technical data
Recommended lowest tire pressure, cold tires
Tire size Load/speed
mph (km/h)
*
Front
psi/kPaRear
psi/kPa
All season tires
215/55 R16 93 H 1–3 pers./0–100 (0–160)
4–5 pers./0–100 (0–160)
1–5 pers./100– (160–)35/240
35/240
41/28035/240
35/240
41/280
235/45 R17 94 V 1–3 pers./0–100 (0–160)
4–5 pers./0–100 (0–160)
1–5 pers./100– (160–)35/240
36/250
41/28035/240
36/250
41/280
225/50 R17 94 V 1–3 pers./0–100 (0–160)
4–5 pers./0–100 (0–160)
1–5 pers./100– (160–)35/240
36/250
41/28035/240
36/250
41/280
Summer tires
235/45 R18 94 Y 1–3 pers./0–120 (0–190)
4–5 pers./0–120 (0–190)
1–5 pers./120– (190–)36/250
36/250
41/28036/250
36/250
41/280
Winter tires
215/55 R16 93 Q 1–3 pers./0–100 (0–160)
4–5 pers./0–100 (0–160)35/240
41/28035/240
41/280
215/60 R16 95 Q 1–3 pers./0–100 (0–160)
4–5 pers./0–100 (0–160)35/240
41/28035/240
41/280
225/55 R16 95 Q 1–3 pers./0–100 (0–160)
4–5 pers./0–100 (0–160)35/240
41/28035/240
41/280
215/50 R17 95 Q
RF/XL1–3 pers./0–100 (0–160)
4–5 pers./0–100 (0–160)42/290
42/29042/290
42/290
225/50 R17 94 Q 1–3 pers./0–100 (0–160)
4–5 pers./0–100 (0–160)36/250
42/29036/250
42/290
Tire size Load/speed
mph (km/h)
*
Fr o nt
psi/kPaRear
psi/kPa
Compact spare
125/85 R16 99 M 3Max 50 (80) 60/420 60/420
Full size spare 3
215/55 R16 93V When the car has the same tire size, the
same load/speed information applies as for
the original tires.
215/50 R17 95 W
RF/XL,
all-wheel-drive
models only Max 50 (80) 42/290 42/290
* Do not exceed posted speed limits.
By cold tires is meant tires that are the same temperature as the surround-
ing air temperature.
The values for tire pressure in table above are for tires at 68°F (20°C).
The tire pressure will increase as the tires become warm (e.g. during high-
way driving), and decrease as they cool.
When the temperature of the tires increases or decreases by 10 degrees
the tire pressure will correspondingly increase or decrease by 2 psi/10 kPa.
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298 IndexDeactivating the rear window
switches
_____________________ 121
Deep water, driving through
_______ 193
Definitions and terminology, tire ____ 250
Determining correct load, tires
_____ 252
Direction indicator stalk switch _____ 101
Direction indicators
______________ 101
Dome light, Convertible
__________ 228
Dome light, SportSedan __________ 228
Donor battery, boost starting
______ 197
Door handles
___________________ 48
Door mirrors
___________________ 122
Drive belt
______________________ 215
Driver’s seat with memory
_________ 21
Driving in cold climates
___________ 185
Driving in deep water
____________ 193
Driving in hot climates ____________ 187
Driving techniques
______________ 183
Driving with a compact wheel fitted
_258
Driving with a heavy load on hilly
roads
________________________ 164
Driving with a load
______________ 192
Driving with a roof load ___________ 192
Driving with the trunk lid open
______ 193
EEDR (Event Data Recorders)
______ 282
ESP®
________________________ 175
Easy entry, Convertible
____________ 73
Economical motoring
____________ 183
Electrical system, technical data
____ 287Electrically adjustable seats
________ 20
Electric engine heater
____________ 184
Electric heating, front seats
________ 114
Electric windows
________________ 119
Electric windows, Convertible
_______ 77
Electronic Stability Program
_______ 175
Electronic steering wheel lock ______ 151
Emergency opening of the narrow
backrest, SportSedan
___________ 140
Emergency operation of the moonroof
130
Engine bay, cleaning
_____________ 267
Engine heater
__________________ 184
Engine immobilizer
_______________ 55
Engine management system
______ 204
Engine number
_________________ 292
Engine oil, checking
_____________ 208
Engine oil, grade
________________ 286
Engine temperature gauge
_________ 88
Engine, description
______________ 203
Engine, technical data ____________ 286
Engines
_______________________ 287
Event Data Recorders (EDR)
______ 282
Extra electrical socket
____________ 134
FFacilitating entry to rear seat,
Convertible
____________________ 73
Factors affecting fuel consumption
__ 183
Filler cap
______________________ 157
Filling a portable fuel container
_____ 158
Filling up
______________________ 156Flat spots, tires
_________________ 242
Floor jack
______________________ 259
Folding down the rear seat backrest,
SportCombi
___________________ 141
Folding down the rear seat,
SportSedan ___________________ 136
Front fog lights __________________ 100
Front towing eye ________________ 194
Fuel cap
_______________________ 157
Fuel container
__________________ 158
Fuel gauge
_____________________ 89
Fuel grade _____________________ 287
Fuel information
_________________ 158
Functions, car alarm
______________ 58
Fuse panel in luggage compartment
_236
Fuse table
_____________________ 235
Fuses
_________________________ 233
GGDO, garage door opener
_________ 123
Gearbox number
________________ 292
General safety instructions,
Convertible
____________________ 62
Glove box
_____________________ 134
Glovebox lighting
________________ 229
HHandbrake
_____________________ 177
Hazard warning lights
____________ 102
Head restraint, Convertible
_________ 74
Head restraints
__________________ 23
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