air filter SAAB 9-3 2001 Owners Manual
Page 80 of 260
80 Instruments and controlsManual climate-control 
systemThe air is drawn in through an intake at the 
bottom edge of the windshield. It passes 
through an efficient filter before being 
routed through the climate-control system 
and into the cabin. The cabin discharge vent 
is located on the right behind the rear 
bumper. The air discharge vents should be 
kept free of snow and ice in the winter.
The rate of air flow inside the car is con-
trolled by means of the fan switch. Temperature control The temperature of the incoming air can 
be steplessly varied using the temperature 
control. 
Air distribution The air distribution control is used to direct 
the flow of air to the defroster, dash and floor 
vents. 
The control permits settings intermediately 
between the three main settings so that the 
available air can be apportioned between 
the floor and the windshield (defroster) or 
between the floor and the panel. 
To counter cold drafts from the front side 
windows when the control has been set to 
defroster or floor, a small flow of air issues 
from the dash vents. The dash vents swivel universally, so that 
the air can be directed as desired. 
The flow of air through the dash vents can 
be adjusted for each vent by means of the 
adjacent control. 
Air to the rear side windows is supplied by 
the floor ducts. To demist these windows 
you should therefore select a defroster/floor 
combination. 
If the windows are thoroughly cleaned it is 
much easier to keep them free of mist. 
Fan
IB755
Control panel: manual system 1 Temperature 
2 Fan speed 
3 Air distribution 
4 Air conditioning (A/C) 
5 Rear-window heating 
6 Recirculation 
IB032
Dash vent 1 Adjusting the direction of the air flow. 
2 Adjusting the air flow 
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Page 82 of 260
82 Instruments and controls
The air conditioning is combined with the 
conventional climate-control system and is 
switched on by pressing the   button, 
provided that the fan control is in 
position 1-4. 
The incoming air is treated in three stages: 
first it passes through a filter; it is then dehu-
midified and cooled and, finally, if required, 
heated. 
The air conditioning can be used at outdoor 
temperatures down to 32°F (0°C). Condensation water When the A/C compressor is on, the incom-
ing air is dehumidified. The resulting con-
densation water is drained away through an 
outlet under the car. 
It is therefore perfectly normal for water to 
be seen dripping from this outlet when the 
car is parked. The warmer the ambient air 
and the higher the humidity, the more con-
densation will form. When the   button is depressed the 
regular air intake will be closed. In this posi-
tion, the air inside the cabin is recirculated. 
Use recirculation when you want rapid cool-
ing, at extremely high air temperatures. 
Switch the air conditioning (A/C) on first. 
Recirculation can be useful to activate man-
ually to prevent unpleasant smells being 
drawn into the car from outside. 
Note that recirculation should not be 
used when the outside temperature is 
lower than 50°F (+10°C) except briefly, 
e.g. to avoid unpleasant air from enter-
ing the car. Prolonged use of recircula-
tion could cause the windows to mist or 
ice up.
Air conditioning (A/C)
Recirculation
IB794
Air vent at rear side window 
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Page 84 of 260
84 Instruments and controlsAutomatic climate 
control (ACC)The air is drawn in through an intake at the 
bottom edge of the windshield. It passes 
through an efficient filter before being 
routed through the climate-control system 
and into the cabin. The cabin discharge vent 
is located on the right behind the rear 
bumper. The air discharge vents should be 
kept free of snow and ice in the winter.
ACC (Automatic Climate Control) automati-
cally maintains the desired cabin tempera-
ture, regardless of the weather outside. 
The system will achieve the desired temper-
ature in the quickest possible way. 
Note that heating or cooling is not 
speeded up by setting the temperature 
higher or lower than you really want. 
For the ACC system to be most effective, all 
windows, and the sunroof if there is one, 
must be closed, and the panel vents must 
be open. 
The incoming air is treated in three stages: 
first it passes through a filter; it is then dehu-
midified and cooled and, finally, if required, 
heated. The temperature interval within which you 
can make adjustments is 58-82°F 
(15-27°C). Outside it, there is the HI position 
(max. heat and high fan speed) and the LO 
position (max. cooling and max. fan speed).
The displayed temperature is not the actual 
temperature but corresponds to the comfort 
level normally experienced at that tempera-
ture after allowance has been made for the 
air flow, relative humidity, solar radiation, 
etc., currently prevailing inside the car. 
 The most usual temperature setting is 
66-74°F (19-23°C), depending on per-
sonal preference and what clothing is 
worn.  It is recommended that changes in the 
temperature setting be made in steps of 
2°F (1°C). 
 Conversion between °C and °F is done in 
the SID unit; see ”Units and language ver-
sions”, page 74. 
 During the cooling phase in warm 
weather the panel vents must be open.
 Do not manually select recirculation in 
cold/wintery weather. The reduced air 
flow can cause misting and ice on the 
inside of the windows.
IB794
Air vent at rear side window 
IB032
Dash vent 1 Adjusting the direction of the air flow. 
2 Adjusting the air flow 
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Page 153 of 260
153 Starting and driving
 If the car does not startIf the text "KEY NOT ACCEPTED" appears 
on the SID when the engine refuses to start, 
the trouble may be a fault in the transponder 
of the key or in the receiver of the ignition 
switch. Proceed as follows: 
• Turn the key back to the LOCK position. 
 Turn the key to the ON position. 
 Press one of the buttons on the remote 
control (the LED on top of the dash stops 
flashing). 
 Start the engine. 
Try the other key. If it works, the trouble is in 
the first key. 
Call on an authorized Saab dealer for 
inspection and correction. 
Starting the engine
Do not run the starter motor for more than 
25 seconds at a time. Wait 20-30 seconds 
before running the starter again, to give the 
battery time to recover. 
Avoid racing the engine or putting a heavy 
load on it before it has warmed up. Let the 
engine idle for at least 10 seconds and then 
drive away as long as the engine oil warning 
light has gone out to enable the engine to 
attain its normal temperature as quickly as 
possible.
It is possible for air to enter the lubricating 
system in conjunction with an oil or oil-filter 
change, or if the car has been stored for 
some time. This air can cause the hydraulic 
cam followers to emit a ticking noise, which 
can persist for up to 15 minutes after start-
ing. Although this is quite normal and does 
not indicate any malfunction, it is advisable 
not to exceed 3,000 rpm before the noise 
has disappeared. 
The hydraulic cam lifters are completely 
service free; the valve clearance is set up at 
the factory and will not need any subse-
quent adjustment. 
WARNING
 Always remove the key before leaving 
the car.
 Always apply the parking brake before 
removing the ignition key.NOTETake care not to spill drinks or to drop 
crumbs over the ignition switch. If dirt or 
liquid gets into it, the switch may not 
operate properly.
WARNING
 When starting the engine:
– Sit down in the driver’s seat.
– Depress the clutch pedal fully. If gear 
lever is not in the neutral position, the 
clutch pedal must be fully depressed 
or the car will jump forwards or back-
wards, which may cause an accident.
– Never start the car from outside the 
vehicle, e.g. through a wound down 
window. This could lead to serious 
personal injury.
 Engage reverse (R) (position P for 
automatic transmission) to remove the 
ignition key. The key can only be 
removed in this gear position.
 Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, 
odorless, poisonous gas. Be alert to 
the danger of CO – always open the 
garage doors before starting the 
engine in the garage.
 There is also a danger of CO poison-
ing if the exhaust system is leaking.
 Do not rest or sleep in the car when 
parked with the engine running. There 
is a risk of depressing the accelerator 
which could lead to engine damage.
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Page 193 of 260
193 Car care
1 Engine-oil dipstick 
2 Brake-fluid reservoir 
3 Power-steering fluid reservoir 
4 Fuse box 
5 Coolant reservoir 
6 MAXI fuses 
7 Washer-fluid reservoir 
8Battery 
9Drive belt 
10 Air filter 
Engine bay
IB1625
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Page 240 of 260
240 Maintenance and owner assistance* These are the minimum required Emission Control System maintenance steps. Saab urges that all recommended maintenance procedures be performed 
according to this program.
(b.) Change automatic transmission fluid at more frequent intervals (30,000; 90,000 miles, etc.) if car is driven in dense city traffic where the outside tem-
perature regularly reaches 90°F or higher, if car is used in a mountainous/high altitude area or for trailer towing.
Service Intervals **
Miles = U.S. Cars
Kilometers = Canadian Cars
30 day
10,000
(16,000 km)
20,000
(32,000 km)
30,000
(48,000 km)
40,000
(64,000 km)
50,000
(80,000 km)
60,000
(96,000 km)
70,000
(112,000 km)
80,000
(128,000 km)
90,000
(144,000 km)
100,000
(160,000 km)
Service #
1234567891011
Engine and engine compartment (cont.)
E Evaporative emission system including filler cap, vapor 
lines, EVAP canister and canister purge valve""
R Fuel system; leaks and damages""""""""""
E Fuel filter!
E Engine air cleaner element!
*
!*
!*
R Exhaust system and mountings; leaks and condition""""""""""
Electrical
R Battery; state of charge and electrolyte level; clean termi-
nals if necessary"""""""""""
R Headlamp and fog lamp alignment"""""
R Head, fog, brake, tail, turn signal, warning lights instru-
ment panel, backup and marker lamps"""""""""""
Transmission
R Automatic transmission change fluid (b.)!
R Automatic transmission; oil level and condition"""""" """"
R Manual transmission; oil level""
R Outer and inner driver joint boots""""""""""
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Page 242 of 260
242 Maintenance and owner assistance
Service Intervals **
Miles = U.S. Cars
Kilometers = Canadian Cars
30 day
10,000
(16,000 km)
20,000
(32,000 km)
30,000
(48,000 km)
40,000
(64,000 km)
50,000
(80,000 km)
60,000
(96,000 km)
70,000
(112,000 km)
80,000
(128,000 km)
90,000
(144,000 km)
100,000
(160,000 km)
Service #
1234567891011
Chassis (cont.)
RToe-in"""
R Cabin air filter!!!!!
R Door hinges, stops and locks"" # "" # "" # "
R Airbag system, SRS warning lamp, visual inspection"""""""""""
R Safety belts; operation and visual inspection of belt for 
tears and fraying"""""""""""
R Wiper blades"""""""""""
R Washer system: check and top-up"""""""""""
R Reset service indicator""""""""""
Customer programming
R Carry out systems programming per customer request"
Road test
R Check performance of drive train, steering and brakes 
and verify tire balance. 
Check function of instruments and controls, including 
horn, windshield wipers, cruise control and climate sys-
tem.
Note any noises or problems for correction."""""""""""
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