2009 SAAB 9-3 coolant level

6Engine bay, 4-cylColor code______________ 292
Engine number __________ 292
Gearbox number _________ 292
Warning labels __________ 8
Vehicle identification number 292Ignition system __________ 287
Alternator_______________ 215
Drive belt _______________ 215
Exhaust emission control __ 154
Simple troubleshooting (ACC) 273
Spark plugs _____________ 287
Turbo gauge ____________ 88Engine oil: checking level __ 208Automatic transmission _________ 162
Manual transmission ___________ 161
Battery ______________________ 214
Jump starting _________________ 197
Battery charge ________________ 214
Oil grade and viscosity__________ 286
Engine: description ____________ 203
Engine: technical data __________ 286
Important considerations for driving 153
Wash/wipe stalk switch____ 103
Washer fluid ____________ 217
Washer jets ____________ 217
Topping-up fluid _________ 217
Power steering ________________ 213
Fluid: checking/topping up _______ 213
Coolant: checking/topping-up ____ 210
Driving in hot climates __________ 187
Radiator _____________________ 286
Temperature gauge ____________ 88
Fuse table _____________ 238
Changing a fuse _________ 233
Fuses _________________ 233
Relays ________________ 238ABS brakes_____________ 170
Brake pads _____________ 212
Brake system ___________ 287
Brake fluid______________ 212
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7
Engine bay, 2.8 V6Power steering___________ 213
Fluid: checking/topping up__ 213Vehicle identification
number ________________ 292
Color code ______________ 292
Engine number __________ 292
Warning labels___________ 8
Gearbox number _________ 292Ignition system __________ 287
Exhaust emission control __ 154
Drive belt _______________ 215
Simple troubleshooting (ACC) 273
Alternator_______________ 215
Turbo gauge ____________ 88
Spark plugs _____________ 287Automatic transmission _________ 162
Manual transmission ___________ 161
Oil grade and viscosity__________ 286
Engine: description ____________ 203
Engine oil: topping up __________ 208
Engine: technical data __________ 286
Important considerations
for driving ___________________ 153Engine oil: checking level________ 208
Battery ______________________ 214
Jump starting _________________ 197
Battery charge ________________ 214
Wash/wipe stalk switch ____ 103
Topping-up fluid _________ 217
Washer jets_____________ 217
Washer fluid ____________ 217Fuse table ______________ 235
Changing a fuse _________ 235
Fuses _________________ 233
Relays ________________ 238ABS brakes_____________ 171
Brake pads _____________ 287
Brake system ___________ 170
Brake fluid______________ 212
Cooling system, coolant capacity__ 286
Coolant: checking/topping-up ____ 210
Driving in hot climates __________ 187
Temperature gauge ____________ 88
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10
No sparks,
flames or
smokingBuckle up
Refer to
the Owner’s
ManualAirbag
Shield eyesNever place a
rear-facing
child seat in
this seat
Keep out of
reach of
childrenElectric
windows
Battery acid
contains sul-
furic acidDeactivating
of rear window
switches
Risk of
explosive gasCentral
locking, lock
Central
locking,
unlock
Trunk lid,
opening
HeadlightsWindshield
wipers
Direction
indicatorsWindshield
washers
Parking lights Defroster
Hazard warn-
ing lightsRear window
heating
Front fog lights Cabin fan
Rear fog light
Coolant tem-
peratureRadiator fan
No charge to
batteryFuel
Foot brakeAutomatic Tire
Pressure
Monitoring
System
Coolant level
Engine oil
pressure
ABS brakes
TCS/ESP
®
Example of symbols that can be found in your car93_US_MY09.book Page 10 Tuesday, April 15, 2008 10:30 AM
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88 Instruments and controlsTemperature gaugeThe temperature gauge shows the temper-
ature of the coolant. The needle should be
in the middle of the scale when the engine
is at normal operating temperature.
If the needle goes into the red zone (which
can occur at high outside air temperatures
or under heavy engine loads), choose the
highest possible gear ratio and the lowest
possible engine speed, and avoid shifting
down.If the needle repeatedly enters the red zone,
stop the car as soon as it is safe to do so and
check the coolant level (see page 210).
Turbo gaugeThe turbo gauge indicates the air volume
used for combustion, which is equivalent to
the engine load.
At low loads and when the engine is used for
braking, the needle will move within the
white zone.
Under certain barometric conditions the
needle may enter the first part of the red
zone without necessarily indicating that a
fault has arisen.
NOTICEIf the needle, despite the above action,
enters the red zone, stop the car in a suit-
able place and allow the engine to idle. If
the needle continues to rise, switch off the
engine.
WARNING
Never open the cap of the expansion tank
completely when the engine is hot, open
with care. The pressure in the cool-
ing-system can cause hot coolant and
steam to be released. Failure to heed this
warning may result in personal injury.
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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-sulfide 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 210. 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.
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187 Starting and driving
Driving in hot climatesAlways check the coolant level before start-
ing a journey. When the engine is cold, the
coolant shall lie on or just above the
KALT/COLD mark on the expansion tank
(boundary between the upper and lower
sections of the tank).
At the end of a journey, allow the engine to
idle for 2–3 minutes before switching it off.
If the needle on the temperature gauge
enters the red zone, the following message
will be shown on the SID:
1 Stop the car but do not switch off the
engine. Do not remove the cap on the
cooling system expansion tank, even if
the tank is empty. The engine tempera-
ture should decrease. If the temperature
continues to rise with the engine idling,
the engine must be switched off.2 If the engine is idling and the needle on
the temperature gauge falls, wait until a
normal temperature is shown (about in
the middle of the scale) before switching
off the engine. If the coolant needs to be
topped up, carefully unscrew the
expansion tank cap.
Fill as required with a mixture of 50 %
antifreeze and 50 % clean water. Use an
antifreeze approved by Saab.
3 Have the car’s cooling system checked.
We recommend that you contact a Saab
dealer. Hot engine. Make a
safe stop. Idle engine.
WARNING
 Exercise care when opening the hood
if the engine is overheated. Never
remove the expansion tank cap com-
pletely when the engine is hot.
 The cooling system is pressurized -
hot coolant and vapor can escape.
These can cause injury to your eyes
and burns. Open the cap slowly to
release the pressure before removing
it.
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199 Starting and driving
Using a battery charger3/starter
unitTo avoid damaging the car’s electrical
system and electronics, the following rules
must be followed when charging the battery
or jump starting the car.
 If the charger or starter unit can be set to
different voltages (6 V/12 V/18 V/24 V),
12V must be selected.
 Follow the manufacturer’s instructions
supplied with the charger or starter unit.
 No other apparatus that are grounded or
connected to the mains must be
connected to the car during charging or
jump starting.
 The charger or starter unit must under no
conditions produce a voltage greater
than:
 16 V continuous
 18 V for 60 minutes.
If you are unsure about the charge rating of
the unit, disconnect the battery clamp from
the positive terminal before connecting the
unit to the battery.
For long tripsBefore starting off on a long journey, it is
advisable to have your car inspected by
your Saab dealer.
Obtain a few important items to take along
on your journey, such as spare bulbs, wiper
blades, fuses, a drive belt (poly-V-belt) and
the like.
You can check some points yourself before-
hand:
 Check that no oil or fuel leaks out of the
engine or gearbox/transmission.
 Check the coolant and power steering
fluid levels. Check also for leaks.
 Inspect the drive belt (poly-V-belt) and
replace if it shows any signs of wear.
 Check the battery charge.
 Check the tires for tread pattern and air
pressure, including the compact spare
tire.
 Take an extra remote control and keep it
separate.
 Check the brakes.
 Check all bulbs.
 Check for the presence of the tool kit and
jack in the car.
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210 Car careTransmission fluidManual transmission
Check and top up the oil in accordance with
the service program.
Automatic transmission
Check and top up the oil in accordance with
the service program.Coolant
There is an overpressu re in the cooling
system. Coolant temper atures can some-
times exceed 212° F (100° C).
If the coolant level drops too low, the follow-
ing message appears on the SID:
The properties of the coolant are retained
for the entire service life of the car. There-
fore, it is not necessary to change the cool-
ant.
The coolant contains 45 % antifreeze and
anti-corrosion fluid. This ratio gives the best
cooling effect. Lower concentrations should
be avoided, in view of the corrosion risk.
Coolants of a different brand could damage
the engine or cooling system. We therefore
recommend strict use of coolants that have
been approved by Saab. Note
If incorrect coolant is used or added, the
life-time properties will be affected. Even if
the coolant is flushed from the system and
replaced with life-time coolant, life-time
properties are no longer retained and the
coolant must then be drained and replaced
at regular intervals.
WARNING
 Proceed with caution if the radiator is
boiling when you open the hood.
Never remove the expansion-tank
filler cap when the radiator is boiling.
 The cooling system is pressurized – hot coolant and vapor can escape
when the filler cap is released. These
can cause injury to your eyes and
burns. Loosen the cap carefully, and
let the engine cool before removing
the cap.
 Exercise care when adding coolant. Coolant on hot surfaces constitutes a
fire risk.
Coolant level low.
Refill.
NOTICEIf the cooling system needs topping up,
mix the antifreeze with the appropriate
quantity of drinking water or distilled
water before adding it to the system.
If undiluted antifreeze is added, the
engine could still freeze and be damaged.
This is because the antifreeze will not mix
properly with the coolant before the ther-
mostat has opened to allow full circula-
tion.
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