2009 SAAB 9-3 tow bar

62 9-3 ConvertibleAdvice on soft top
operation Once you have raised the soft top and
before driving off, always check that the
soft top is properly engaged with the wind-
shield rail, see page 66.
 Once you have folded the soft top and
before driving off, check that the soft top
cover is locked, see page 64.
 Do not operate the soft top in tempera-
tures below 23 °F (–5 °C).
 Note that certain automatic car washes
can damage the soft top. This applies to
car washes that use mechanical feelers
bearing against the body. Saab advises
against washing the Convertible in an
automatic car wash.
 After rain or washing the car, allow the soft
top to dr y completely before folding it.
Folding a wet or damp soft top can cause
water damage in the car and mildew to
form on the soft top. Roof racks and ski holders must not be
mounted on the soft top.
 Under no circumstances should anything
be put into the stowage space of the soft
top (under the soft top cover) since this
could cause an obstruction when the soft
top is being folded away.
 Do not place any objects on the covers
over the roll bars as this can hamper their
function.
 When operating the soft top, raise or fold
it fully until notified that operation is
complete by the SID. Do not leave the soft
top partially open/closed. If the soft top is
left in an intermediate position it will
collapse progressively after 20 seconds
to prevent overloading the drive system.
Washing the soft top, see page 267.
WARNING
 Never touch the hinges and struts of
the soft top nor the upper rail of the
windshield while operating the soft
top.
 Do not operate the soft top while there
are bystanders close to the car.
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165 Starting and driving
TowingTowing of cars with automatic transmission,
see page 193.Descending hillsIf the speed of the car increases while
descending a steep hill, despite the acceler-
ator being released, the control module will
change down. If you desire more powerful
engine braking, manually select a lower
gear (see page 168).
Limp-homeIf the transmission malfunctions, the control
module will activate limp-home mode.
Driveability will be affected to varying
degrees.Cars with 5-speed transmission3
In this mode, only 2nd and 5th gears are
available. Select 2nd gear when driving at
low speeds and 5th gear at higher speeds.
2nd gear must be selected manually. Select
5th gear manually or move the selector
lever to D, see page 168.
Cars with 6-speed transmission3
 The car may be totally powerless. If this is
case, have the car transported to a work-
shop to have the problem rectified.
 The car may feel weak but can be driven
carefully to a workshop to have the prob-
lem rectified.
 Driveability may barely be affected.
Irrespective of the driveability of the car, the
car must be taken to a workshop to have the
problem checked and rectified.NOTICEDo not tow a trailer if limp-home mode is
engaged.
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181 Starting and driving
increases as the car comes closer to the
object.
If you stop the car with reverse gear
engaged, the sound pulse will stop after
2 seconds. The sound pulses will return if
you continue to reverse. If the car rolls for-
ward while reverse is engaged, the system
is silenced.
When the distance to the object is less
than 1 ft. (30 cm), a continuous tone will
be heard.
When an object is approximately 3 ft.
(90 cm) from the car, the sound pulses
change character markedly (frequency
increases). A distance of about 3 ft. (90 cm)
is suitable if you wish to load or unload the
trunk.
If the distance between an object and a
corner sensor does not change for
3 seconds, for example if you are reversing
alongside a wall, the system will switch to
monitoring straight back. The system indi-
cates if the distance to the wall decreases
again.
If a trailer is hitched up and correctly con-
nected to the trailer contact by the towbar,
the system is automatically deactivated.Reversing alongside a wall
If the distance between an object and a
corner sensor does not change for
2 seconds, for example if you are reversing
alongside a wall, the system will switch to
monitoring straight back. The system indi-
cates if the distance to the wall decreases
again.Cars with trailer hitch
If the car has a trailer hitch and its wiring is
correctly connected to the car’s electrical
system, the Saab Parking Assistance auto-
matically compensates for the protrusion of
the towbar.
If a camper or trailer is hitched up and the
trailer hitch wiring is correctly connected to
the car’s electrics, the system is automati-
cally deactivated.
You can temporarily deactivate the Saab
Parking Assistance as follows:
Engage reverse and press the CLR button
on the steering wheel.
The system will be reactivated the next time
you engage reverse.
NOTICEThe sensors must be kept clean to func-
tion well. Ice, snow and dirt can affect
their sensitivity.
Large quantities of snow or dirt covering
the sensors can prevent the parking
assistance system from detecting any
objects.
Do not spray the sensors with a pressure
washer, as this can damage them.
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188 Starting and drivingTowing a trailer3Make sure you are familiar with the legal
requirements regarding speed limits for
towing, maximum trailer weights, trailer
braking requirements, and also any spe-
cial driving licence provisions.
Trailer hitch attachment3Trailer hitch attachments are available as
accessories. These are designed for a max-
imum trailer weight of 3500 lbs (1588 kg),
with trailer brakes.
The towbar must not be installed on certain
models. Contact an authorised Saab dealer
for information.
An electrical connection3 for the towbar
and an electrical unit are provided in the
electrical center on the left-hand side of the
luggage compartment.
If the car has a 13-pin Saab genuine electri-
cal socket then it is possible to supply a
trailer/caravan with rear fog lights and
reversing lights. The caravan can also have
interior and exterior lighting even when the
car’s ignition is switched off. In which case,
remember not to load the battery for too
long so that it is discharged and pre-
vents the car from starting.
There is also access to power in the caravan
during a journey, the caravan battery can be
charged for example.
Also, if the car has SPA, this is deactivated
automatically if a trailer is hitched up and
correctly connected to the Saab genuine
trailer socket.
Saab recommendations:
 Use a genuine Saab trailer hitch that is
designed and tested for your Saab.
WARNING
 Do not drive with a trailer on inclines
steeper than 15 %. The load on the
drive (front) wheels will be so low that
the wheels can start to spin and pre-
vent further progress.
 In addition, the car’s parking brake
may not always be sufficient to hold
the car and trailer securely, as the
wheels may start to slide.
 Always apply the trailer’s parking
brake when unhitching it. There is oth-
erwise a risk of personal injury or
damage to the bumper should the
trailer start to roll.
 When you hitch up the trailer be sure
to attach its safety chains to the holes
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189 Starting and driving
 Contact your Saab dealer for advice on
which trailer hitch is designed for your car.
Recommendations for cars with
automatic transmissionThe following driving time limits are based
on the capacity of the cooling system in hot
weather, i.e. approximately 86°F (+30°C).
The following driving time limits are based
on the capacity of the cooling system in hot
weather, i.e. approximately 104°F (+40°C).When negotiating long hills, bear the follow-
ing important considerations in mind.
Rises in coolant temperature are indicated
by the temperature gauge in the main instru-
ment panel.
The following steps are taken in order as the
temperature of the transmission increases:
 Gear change pattern is altered
 A/C compressor is switched off
 Max. engine torque is reduced.
The following message will be displayed on
the SID if the transmission fluid becomes
too hot:
If this message appears, stop the car as
soon as it is safe to do so and allow the
engine to idle until the message has gone
out. The selector lever should be in
position P.
NOTICE Only use a towbar that has been
approved for your car. We recom-
mend that you entrust towbar installa-
tion to an authorized Saab dealer,
which can also provide important
information such as trailer weight.
Your authorized Saab dealer has
information on how the towbar is to be
installed and whether other measures
must be undertaken that could affect
the cooling system or other equipment
 We recommend that you contact a
Saab dealer for guidance on how to
connect a trailer hitch.
 Exercise care when driving on uneven
roads or against the curb if the car is
heavily laden. This particularly applies
to cars with 17" and 18" wheels.
Gradient of
hill, %Max. trailer
weight, lbs.
(kg)Time limit,
minutes
6-8 3330 (1500) unlimited
9-11 3080 (1400) max 15
12-14 2645 (1200) max 15
max 15 2200 (1000) max 15
Gradient of
hill, %Max. trailer
weight, lbs.
(kg)Time limit,
minutes
6-8 2200 (1000) unlimited
9-11 1760 (800) max 15
12-14 1100 (500) max 15
max 15 880 (400) max 15
Gearbox too hot. Make a
safe stop. Open hood.
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194 Starting and drivingFront towing eyeThe front towing eye is stowed by the spare
wheel. On the left-hand side of the bumper
is a cover concealing the attachment point
(tapped hole) for the towing eye.1 Open the cover first at the lower edge
with a screwdriver for example. Watch
out for the paintwork.
2 Screw in the towing eye. The towing
eye has a left-hand thread!
3 Insert the wheel wrench into the eye to
tighten it properly.
To refit the cover: Start by inserting the top
edge of the cover. Then click in the lower
edge.
Rear towing eyeThe car has a permanent towing eye at the
rear under the bumper.
If the car is equipped with a towbar, this can
be used instead of the towing eye.
WARNING
 Make sure that the towing eye is
screwed in tightly. It has a left-hand
thread!
 The towing eye is only designed for
towing the car on roads. It must not
be used to pull the car out of a ditch,
for example.
 Make sure that all bystanders keep a
suitable distance, in case the towing
eye or tow rope should snap. The
towing eye or tow rope could catapult
off and cause seriously injury.
 Never drive with the towing eye fitted
to the front bumper. Return it to its des-
ignated storage space.
Rear towing eye
Front towing eye fitted.
The towing eye has a left-hand thread!
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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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286 Technical data
Engine
Engine oil
WARNING
 The GVW and maximum axle loads must not be exceeded.
Note that if some accessories (e.g. towbar, CD changer) are
fitted, the available load capacity is reduced by the weight of
these.
 When carrying a load in the trunk, make sure that it is lashed
down securely, particularly when part or all of the rear seat is
folded down.
Trailer
Trailer with brakes ___________________ Max. 3500 lbs.
(1588 kg)
Trailer without brakes ________________ Max. 1000 lbs.
(450 kg)
Recommended towball load ___________ 110–165 lbs.
(50–75 kg)
See also page 190.
Note that the towbar must not be installed on certain models. Con-
tact a Saab dealer for information.
Maximum theoretical towing speed, trailer
with brakes _______________________ 60 mph (100 km/h)
Maximum theoretical towing speed, trailer
without brakes _____________________National restrictions
apply
When towing a trailer, increase the pressure
of the rear tires by 20 kPa (3 psi).
The above speed and weight restrictions are those specified by
Saab Automobile AB.
Note that national restrictions may apply to trailer speeds and
weights (see page 188).
Type:
4-cyl engine ______________________ Four cylinders,
double overhead
camshafts,
16 valves, two
balancer shafts
V6 engine ________________________ Six cylinders,
4 overhead cam-
shafts, 24 valves,
the angle between
the cylinder rows is
60°
Swept volume:
4-cyl engine ______________________ 122 cu.in. (1.998 l)
V6 engine ________________________ 170 cu.in. (2.792 l)
Information regarding suitable engine oils can be found in War-
ranty and Service Record Booklet.
Oil capacity, including filter (oil change)
4-cyl engine ______________________ 6.3 qts. (6.0 l)
V6 engine ________________________ 6.3 qts. (6.0 l)
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