engine overheat SAAB 9-7X 2007 Owners Manual

Your vehicle has a Computer-Controlled
Cranking System. This feature assists in
starting the engine and protects components.
If the ignition key is turned to the START
position, and then released when the engine
begins cranking, the engine will continue
cranking for a few seconds or until the vehicle
starts. If the engine does not start and the
key is held in START for many seconds,
cranking will be stopped after 15 seconds to
prevent cranking motor damage. To prevent
gear damage, this system also prevents
cranking if the engine is already running.
Engine cranking can be stopped by turning the
ignition switch to the ACC or LOCK position.
Notice:Cranking the engine for long periods
of time, by returning the key to the START
position immediately after cranking has ended,
can overheat and damage the cranking
motor, and drain the battery. Wait at least
15 seconds between each try, to allow
the cranking motor to cool down.2. If the engine does not start after 5-10 seconds,
especially in very cold weather (below 0°F
or−18°C), it could be ooded with too much
gasoline. Try pushing the accelerator
pedal all the way to the oor and holding it
there as you hold the key in START for up to
a maximum of 15 seconds. Wait at least
15 seconds between each try, to allow the
cranking motor to cool down. When the engine
starts, let go of the key and accelerator.
If the vehicle starts briey but then stops
again, do the same thing. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine. Do not race the
engine immediately after starting it. Operate
the engine and transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all moving parts.
Notice:Your engine is designed to work with
the electronics in your vehicle. If you add
electrical parts or accessories, you could
change the way the engine operates. Before
adding electrical equipment, check with your
dealer. If you do not, your engine might not
perform properly. Any resulting damage would
not be covered by your vehicle’s warranty.
109
ProCarManuals.com

To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical
cord. The cord is located on the driver’s
side of the engine compartment next to the
battery box facing the engine.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-Volt AC
outlet.
{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded
outlet could cause an electrical shock.
Also, the wrong kind of extension cord
could overheat and cause a re. You
could be seriously injured. Plug the cord
into a properly grounded three-prong
110-volt AC outlet. If the cord will not
reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug
and store the cord as it was before to keep it
away from moving engine parts. If you do
not, it could be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater
plugged in? The answer depends on the outside
temperature, the kind of oil you have, and some
other things. Instead of trying to list everything here,
we ask that you contact your dealer in the area
where you will be parking your vehicle. The dealer
can give you the best advice for that particular area.
111
ProCarManuals.com

Shifting Into Park (P)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly set.
Your vehicle can roll. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move, even
when you are on fairly level ground, use
the steps that follow. If you are pulling a
trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on page 305.
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your foot and
set the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) by pressing
the button on the shift lever and pushing the
lever all the way toward the front of the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you
can leave your vehicle with the key, your
vehicle is in PARK (P).
Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Engine Running
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle
with the engine running. Your vehicle
could move suddenly if the shift lever is
not fully in PARK (P) with the parking
brake rmly set. And, if you leave the
vehicle with the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch re. You or
others could be injured. Do not leave your
vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and
your parking brake is rmly set before you leave it.
After you have moved the shift lever into PARK (P),
hold the regular brake pedal down. Then, see if you
can move the shift lever away from PARK (P)
without rst pressing the button on the console shift
lever. If you can, it means that the shift lever was
not fully locked into PARK (P).
117
ProCarManuals.com

Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature.
If the gage pointer moves into the red area,
the engine coolant has overheated.
If you have been operating your vehicle under
normal driving conditions, you should pull off the
road, stop your vehicle and turn off the engine
as soon as possible.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 347.
Tire Pressure Light
This light will come on
briey when you turn
the ignition to RUN.
This light will also come on when one or more of
your tires are signicantly underinated.
A CHECK TIRE PRESSURE DIC message will
accompany the light, seeDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 199.
Stop and check your tires as soon as it is safe to do
so. If underinated, inate to the proper pressure.
SeeTires on page 380for more information.
This light will ash for approximately 70 seconds
and then turn on solid if a problem is detected with
the Tire Pressure Monitor system.
SeeTire Pressure Monitor System on page 391
for more information.
United StatesCanada
186
ProCarManuals.com

CHECK WASHER FLUID
This message displays if the washer uid level is
low. Adding washer uid to the windshield
washer uid reservoir clears this message. See
Windshield Washer Fluid on page 357. This
message clears itself after 10 seconds, or you can
press any of the DIC buttons, or the trip stem,
to acknowledge this message and clear it from the
DIC display.
CURB VIEW ACTIVATED
This message displays when the passenger
outside rearview mirror moves into the curb view
position. SeeOutside Curb View Assist Mirror
on page 124for more information.
DRIVER DOOR AJAR
This message displays and a chime sounds if the
driver’s door is not fully closed. Stop and turn
off the vehicle, check the door for obstructions, and
close the door again. Check to see if the
message still appears on the DIC. Press any of
the DIC buttons, or the trip stem, to acknowledge
this message and clear it from the DIC display.
ENGINE COOLANT HOT/ENGINE
OVERHEATED
Notice:If you drive your vehicle while the
engine is overheating, severe engine damage
may occur. If an overheat warning appears
on the instrument panel cluster and/or
DIC, stop the vehicle as soon as possible.
Do not increase the engine speed above
normal idling speed. SeeEngine Overheating
on page 347for more information.
This message displays and a chime sounds if the
cooling system temperature gets hot. SeeEngine
Overheating on page 347for the proper course of
action. This message clears when the coolant
temperature drops to a safe operating temperature.
FRONT FOG LAMPS OFF
This message displays if the fog lamps are turned
off. The message clears after 10 seconds. If you
turn on the high-beam headlamps, the fog lamps
also turn off and this message appears on the DIC.
The fog lamps turn back on again when you switch
back to low-beam headlamps. SeeFog Lamps on
page 162andTurn Signal/Multifunction Lever on
page 151for more information.
200
ProCarManuals.com

You will need a well-charged battery to restart the
vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with
your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window
almost all the way to preserve the heat. Start
the engine again and repeat this only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as
little as possible. Preserve the fuel as long as
you can. To help keep warm, you can get out of
the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck,
you will need to spin the wheels, but you do not
want to spin your wheels too fast. The method
known as rocking can help you get out when you
are stuck, but you must use caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your vehicle’s tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you or others
could be injured. And, the transmission or
other parts of the vehicle can overheat.
That could cause an engine compartment
re or other damage. When you are stuck,
spin the wheels as little as possible. Do not
spin the wheels above 35 mph (55 km/h) as
shown on the speedometer.
Notice:Spinning the wheels can destroy
parts of your vehicle as well as the tires. If you
spin the wheels too fast while shifting the
transmission back and forth, you can destroy
the transmission.
For information about using tire chains on your
vehicle, seeTire Chains on page 404.
295
ProCarManuals.com

Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
The arrows on your instrument panel will
ash whenever you signal a turn or lane change.
Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps will also
ash, telling other drivers you’re about to
turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your
instrument panel will ash for turns even if the
bulbs on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may
think drivers behind you are seeing your signal
when they are not. It’s important to check
occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gearbefore
you start down a long or steep downgrade. If you
don’t shift down, you might have to use your
brakes so much that they would get hot and no
longer work well.
You can tow in DRIVE (D). You may want to shift
the transmission to THIRD (3) or a lower gear,
under heavy loads or hilly conditions.
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill
grades, consider the following: Engine coolant will
boil at a lower temperature than at normal
altitudes. If you turn your engine off immediately
after towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,
your vehicle may show signs similar to engine
overheating. To avoid this, let the engine run while
parked (preferably on level ground) with the
automatic transmission in PARK (P) for a few
minutes before turning the engine off. If you do get
the overheat warning, seeEngine Overheating
on page 347.
315
ProCarManuals.com

Service........................................................ 322
Accessories and Modications................... 322
California Proposition 65 Warning.............. 322
Doing Your Own Service Work.................. 323
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle.......................................... 323
Fuel............................................................. 324
Gasoline Octane........................................ 324
Gasoline Specications.............................. 324
California Fuel........................................... 324
Additives................................................... 325
Fuels in Foreign Countries........................ 326
Filling the Tank......................................... 326
Filling a Portable Fuel Container............... 328
Checking Things Under the Hood.............. 329
Hood Release........................................... 329
Engine Compartment Overview.................. 330
Engine Oil................................................. 334
Engine Oil Life System.............................. 337
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter............................ 339
Automatic Transmission Fluid.................... 341
Engine Coolant.......................................... 344
Radiator Pressure Cap.............................. 347Engine Overheating................................... 347
Cooling System......................................... 349
Engine Fan Noise..................................... 355
Power Steering Fluid ................................. 356
Windshield Washer Fluid........................... 357
Brakes...................................................... 358
Battery...................................................... 361
Jump Starting............................................ 362
All-Wheel Drive........................................... 368
Rear Axle.................................................... 369
Front Axle................................................... 370
Headlamp Aiming........................................ 371
Bulb Replacement....................................... 371
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting........ 371
Halogen Bulbs........................................... 372
Headlamps................................................ 372
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker and
Parking Lamps....................................... 374
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Sidemarker,
Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps.............. 374
License Plate Lamp................................... 376
Replacement Bulbs................................... 376
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
319
ProCarManuals.com

Automatic Transmission Fluid
When to Check and Change Automatic
Transmission Fluid
A good time to check your automatic transmission
uid level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change the uid and lter at the intervals
listed inAdditional Required Services on page 452,
and be sure to use the transmission uid listed
inRecommended Fluids and Lubricants on
page 458.
How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you
may choose to have this done at the dealership
service department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the
instructions here, or you could get a false reading
on the dipstick.Notice:Too much or too little uid can
damage your transmission. Too much can
mean that some of the uid could come out
and fall on hot engine parts or exhaust system
parts, starting a re. Too little uid could
cause the transmission to overheat. Be sure to
get an accurate reading if you check your
transmission uid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the
transmission uid level if you have been driving:
When outside temperatures are above
90°F (32°C).
At high speed for quite a while.
In heavy traffic — especially in hot weather.
While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the uid should be at
normal operating temperature, which is 180°F to
200°F (82°C to 93°C).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about
15 miles (24 km) when outside temperatures are
above 50°F (10°C). If it is colder than 50°F (10°C),
drive the vehicle in THIRD (3) until the engine
temperature gage moves and then remains steady
for 10 minutes.
341
ProCarManuals.com

Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is lled with
DEX-COOL®engine coolant. This coolant is
designed to remain in your vehicle for ve years or
150,000 miles (240 000 km), whichever occurs
rst, if you add only DEX-COOL
®extended
life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and
how to add coolant when it is low. If you have
a problem with engine overheating, seeEngine
Overheating on page 347.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL
®coolant will:
Give freezing protection down to−34°F (−37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.Notice:Using coolant other than DEX-COOL
®
may cause premature engine, heater core, or
radiator corrosion. In addition, the engine
coolant may require changing sooner, at the
rst maintenance service after each
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs rst. Any repairs would not
be covered by your warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free) coolant in your
vehicle.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean, drinkable water
and one-half DEX-COOL®coolant. If you use
this coolant mixture, you do not need to add
anything else.
344
ProCarManuals.com