SAAB 9-2X 2005 Owners Manual

11 - 4 6Maintenance and service
26 December 2003
Incorrect tire pressures detract from controllability and
ride comfort, and they cause the tires to wear abnor-
mally.
!Correct tire pressure (tread worn evenly)
Roadholding is good, and steering is responsive. Roll-
ing resistance is low, so fuel consumption is also low-
er.!Abnormally low tire pressure (tread worn at
shoulders)
Rolling resistance is high, so fuel consumption is also
higher.
HSB052AA
HSB053AA
ProCarManuals.com

11 -4 7
Maintenance and service
– CONTINUED –
11
26 December 2003
!Abnormally high tire pressure (tread worn in cen-
ter)
Ride comfort is poor. Also, the tire magnifies the ef-
fects of road-surface bumps and dips, possibly result-
ing in vehicle damage.
If the tire label shows tire pressures for the vehicle
when fully loaded and for the vehicle when towing a
trailer, adjust the tire pressures to the values that
match current loading conditions.Driving at high speeds with excessively low tire
pressures can cause the tires to deform severe-ly and to rapidly become hot. A sharp increase
in temperature could cause tread separation,
and destruction of the tires. The resulting loss
of vehicle control could lead to an accident."Wheel balanceEach wheel was correctly balanced when your vehicle
was new, but the wheels will become unbalanced as
the tires become worn during use. Wheel imbalance
causes the steering wheel to vibrate slightly at certain
vehicle speeds and detracts from the vehicle’s
straight-line stability. It can also cause steering and
suspension system problems and abnormal tire wear.
If you suspect that the wheels are not correctly bal-
anced, have them checked and adjusted by your Saab
dealer. Also have them adjusted after tire repairs and
after tire rotation.NOTELoss of correct wheel alignment* causes the tires
to wear on one side and reduces the vehicle’s run-
ning stability. Contact your Saab dealer if you no-
tice abnormal tire wear.*: The suspension system is designed to hold each wheel at
a certain alignment (relative to the other wheels and to the
road) for optimum straight-line stability and cornering perfor-
mance.
HSB054AA
ProCarManuals.com

11 - 4 8Maintenance and service
26 December 2003
"Wear indicatorsA) New tread
B) Worn tread
1) Tread wear indicatorEach tire incorporates a tread wear indicator, which
becomes visible when the depth of the tread grooves
decreases to 0.063 in (1.6 mm). A tire must be re-
placed when the tread wear indicator appears as a
solid band across the tread.
When a tire’s tread wear indicator becomes vis-
ible, the tire is worn beyond the acceptable limit
and must be replaced immediately. With a tire
in this condition, driving at high speeds in wet
weather can cause the vehicle to hydroplane.
The resulting loss of vehicle control can lead toan accident.NOTEFor safety, inspect tire tread regularly and replace
the tires before their tread wear indicators become
visible.
A
1B
HSB055BB
ProCarManuals.com

11 -4 9
Maintenance and service
– CONTINUED –
11
26 December 2003
"Tire rotationTire wear varies from wheel to wheel. To maximize the
life of each tire and ensure that the tires wear uniform-
ly, it is best to rotate the tires every 7,500 miles
(12,500 km). Rotating the tires involves switching the
front and rear tires on the right hand side of the vehicle
and similarly switching the front and rear tires on the
left hand side of the vehicle. (Each tire must be kept on
its original side of the vehicle.)
Replace any damaged or unevenly worn tire at the
time of rotation. After tire rotation, adjust the tire pres-
sures and make sure the wheel nuts are correctly
tightened.After driving approximately 600 miles (1,000 km),
check the wheel nuts again and retighten any nut that
has become loose.
"Tire replacementThe wheels and tires are important and integral parts
of your vehicle’s design; they cannot be changed arbi-
trarily. The tires fitted as standard equipment are opti-
mally matched to the characteristics of the vehicle and
were selected to give the best possible combination of
running performance, ride comfort, and service life. It
is essential for every tire to have a size and construc-
tion matching those shown on the tire label and to
have a speed symbol and load index matching those
shown on the tire label.
Using tires of a non-specified size detracts from con-
trollability, ride comfort, braking performance, speed-
ometer accuracy and odometer accuracy. It also cre-
ates incorrect body-to-tire clearances and inappropri-
ately changes the vehicle’s ground clearance.
All four tires must be the same in terms of manufactur-
er, brand (tread pattern), construction, and size. You
are advised to replace the tires with new ones that are
identical to those fitted as standard equipment.
For safe vehicle operation, Saab recommends replac-
ing all four tires at the same time.
HSB056BA
ProCarManuals.com

11 - 5 0Maintenance and service
26 December 2003
NOTEUnidirectional tires: Some tires have a specified
direction of rotation. A tire of this type has an ar-
row or other mark on its side wall to indicate the
direction of rotation. Install it so that the direction
of rotation is correct when the vehicle is driven
forward.!All four tires must be the same in terms of
manufacturer, brand (tread pattern), construc-
tion, degree of wear, speed symbol, load index
and size. Mixing tires of different types, sizes ordegrees of wear can result in damage to vehi-
cle’s power train. Use of different types or sizes
of tires can also dangerously reduce controlla-
bility and braking performance and can lead to
an accident.
!Use only radial tires. Do not use radial tires
together with belted bias tires and/or bias-ply
tires. Doing so can dangerously reduce control-
lability, resulting in an accident.
UGB125BA
ProCarManuals.com

11 -5 1
Maintenance and service
– CONTINUED –
11
18 February 2004
"Wheel replacementWhen replacing wheels due, for example, to damage,
make sure the replacement wheels match the specifi-
cations of the wheels that are fitted as standard equip-
ment. Replacement wheels are available from Saab
dealers.Use only those wheels that are specified for
your vehicle. Wheels not meeting specifica-
tions could interfere with brake caliper opera-
tion and may cause the tires to rub against the
wheel well housing during turns. The resulting
loss of vehicle control could lead to an acci-dent.NOTEWhen any of the wheels is removed and replaced
for tire rotation or to change a flat tire, always
check the tightness of the wheel nuts after driving
approximately 600 miles (1,000 km). If any nut is
loose, tighten it to the specified torque.
Aluminum wheelsAluminum wheels can be scratched and damaged
easily. Handle them carefully to maintain their appear-
ance, performance, and safety.
!When any of the wheels is removed and replaced
for tire rotation or to change a flat, always check the
tightness of the wheel nuts after driving approximately
600 miles (1,000 km). If any nut is loose, tighten it to
the specified torque.
!Never apply oil to the threaded parts, wheel nuts, or
tapered surface of the wheel.
!Never let the wheel rub against sharp protrusions or
curbs.
!Be sure to fit tire chains on uniformly and completely
around the tire, otherwise the chains may scratch the
wheel.
!When wheel nuts, balance weights, or the center
cap is replaced, be sure to replace them with genuine
Saab parts designed for aluminum wheels.
ProCarManuals.com

11 - 5 2Maintenance and service
26 December 2003
Windshield washer fluidIf no washer fluid is sprayed when you press the wind-
shield washer switch, remove the washer tank’s filler
cap and check the fluid level using the level gauge on
the back of the cap.
Washer fluid level gauge
UG9032JA
Hi
Low
UBB557BB
ProCarManuals.com

11 -5 3
Maintenance and service
– CONTINUED –
11
26 December 2003
Reservoir tankIf the fluid level is near the “Low” mark, add washer flu-
id until it reaches the “Full” mark on the reservoir tank
or the “Hi” mark on the level gauge.
Use windshield washer fluid. If windshield washer fluid
is unavailable use clean water.
In areas where water freezes in winter, use an anti-
freeze type windshield washer fluid.
Never use engine coolant as washer fluid be-cause it could cause paint damage.
UGB124BA
ProCarManuals.com

11 - 5 4Maintenance and service
18 February 2004
Replacement of wiper bladesGrease, wax, insects, or other material on the wind-
shield or the wiper blade results in jerky wiper opera-
tion and streaking on the glass. If you cannot remove
the streaks after operating the windshield washer or if
the wiper operation is jerky, clean the outer surface of
the windshield (or rear window) and the wiper blades
using a sponge or soft cloth with a neutral detergent or
mild-abrasive cleaner. After cleaning, rinse the wind-
shield and wiper blades with clean water. The wind-
shield is clean if beads do not form when you rinse the
windshield with water.Do not clean the wiper blades with gasoline or
a solvent, such as paint thinner or benzene.
This will cause deterioration of the wiperblades.
If you cannot eliminate the streaking even after follow-
ing this method, replace the wiper blades using the fol-
lowing procedures:
"Windshield wiper blades assembly1. Raise the wiper arm off the windshield.1) Stopper2. Remove the wiper blade assembly by holding its
pivot area and pushing it in the direction shown by the
arrow while depressing the wiper blade stopper.
3. Install the wiper blade assembly to the wiper arm.
Make sure that it locks in place.
4. Hold the wiper arm by hand and slowly lower it in
position.
1
UGB133BB
ProCarManuals.com

11 -5 5
Maintenance and service
– CONTINUED –
11
18 February 2004
"Windshield wiper blade rubber1) Metal support1. Grasp the locked end of the blade rubber assembly
and pull it firmly until the stoppers on the rubber are
free of the metal support.
1) Metal spines2. If the new blade rubber is not provided with two
metal spines, remove the metal spines from the old
blade rubber and install them in the new blade rubber.
1
HSB059BB
1
HSB060BB
ProCarManuals.com