tires SAAB 9-7X 2007 Owners Manual

Service and Appearance Care
.................. 319
Service
................................................. 322
Fuel
...................................................... 324
Checking Things Under the Hood
......... 329
All-Wheel Drive
..................................... 368
Rear Axle
............................................. 369
Front Axle
............................................ 370
Headlamp Aiming
................................. 371
Bulb Replacement
................................ 371
Windshield Replacement
....................... 377
Windshield Wiper Blade
Replacement
..................................... 377
Tires
..................................................... 380Appearance Care
.................................. 423
Vehicle Identication
............................. 433
Electrical System
.................................. 434
Capacities and Specications
................ 445
Maintenance Schedule
.............................. 447
Maintenance Schedule
.......................... 448
Customer Assistance Information
............. 465
Customer Assistance and Information
..... 466
Reporting Safety Defects
...................... 479
Index
.......................................................... 483
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To shift to the SECOND (2) position, you must rst
press the large button on the shift handle. While
the button is pressed, move the shifter in the
SECOND (2) position.
You can also use SECOND (2) for starting the
vehicle from a stop on slippery road surfaces.
FIRST (1):This position reduces vehicle speed
even more than SECOND (2) without using
your brakes. You can use it on very steep hills, or
in deep snow or mud. If the shift lever is put in
FIRST (1) while the vehicle is moving forward, the
transmission will not shift into rst gear until the
vehicle is going slowly enough.To shift to the FIRST (1) position, you must rst
press the large button on the shift handle.
While the button is pressed, move the shifter in
the FIRST (1) position.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill using only the
accelerator pedal may damage the
transmission. The repair will not be covered by
your warranty. If you are stuck, do not spin
the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
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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
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Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Check Engine Light
Your vehicle has a
computer which
monitors operation of
the fuel, ignition,
and emission control
systems.
This system is called OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended
to assure that emissions are at acceptable
levels for the life of the vehicle, helping to produce
a cleaner environment. The check engine light
comes on to indicate that there is a problem and
service is required. Malfunctions often will be
indicated by the system before any problem is
apparent. This may prevent more serious damage
to your vehicle. This system is also designed to
assist your service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle with
this light on, after awhile, your emission
controls may not work as well, your fuel
economy may not be as good, and your engine
may not run as smoothly. This could lead to
costly repairs that may not be covered by your
warranty.
Notice:Modications made to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake, or fuel system
of your vehicle or the replacement of the
original tires with other than those of the same
Tire Performance Criteria (TPC) can affect
your vehicle’s emission controls and may
cause this light to come on. Modications to
these systems could lead to costly repairs not
covered by your warranty. This may also
result in a failure to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test. SeeAccessories
and Modifications on page 322.
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DIC Warnings and Messages
Messages are displayed on the DIC to notify the
driver that the status of the vehicle has changed
and that some action may be needed to correct
the condition. Multiple messages may appear
one after another.
Some messages may not require immediate
action. Press any of the DIC buttons on the
instrument panel or the trip odometer reset stem
on the instrument panel cluster to acknowledge
that you received the messages and to clear them
from the display.
Some messages cannot be cleared from the
display because they are more urgent. These
messages require action before they can be
removed from the DIC display. Take any messages
that appear on the display seriously and remember
that clearing the messages will only make the
messages disappear, not correct the problem.
The following are the possible messages that can
be displayed and some information about them.
CHANGE ENGINE OIL
This message displays when the engine oil needs
to be changed and service is required for your
vehicle. SeeScheduled Maintenance on page 450
andEngine Oil on page 334for more information.
Also seeEngine Oil Life System on page 337
for information on how to reset the message. This
message clears itself after 10 seconds until the
next ignition cycle.
CHECK TIRE PRESSURE
This message displays when the tire pressure in
one of the vehicle’s tires needs to be checked.
Press any of the DIC buttons, or the trip stem, to
acknowledge this message and clear it from
the DIC display.
If this message appears on the DIC, stop as soon
as you can. Have the tire pressures checked
and set to those shown on the Tire Loading
Information Label. SeeTires on page 380,Loading
Your Vehicle on page 296, andInation - Tire
Pressure on page 388. If the tire pressure is low,
the low tire pressure warning light comes on.
SeeTire Pressure Light on page 186.
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Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your
vehicle go where you want it to go. They are the
brakes, the steering, and the accelerator. All
three systems have to do their work at the places
where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or
ice, it is easy to ask more of those control systems
than the tires and road can provide. That means
you can lose control of your vehicle.
Adding non-Saab accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 322.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 183.
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake
pedal. That is perception time. Then you have to
bring up your foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as two or three seconds
or more with another. Age, physical condition,
alertness, coordination, and eyesight all play a part.
So do alcohol, drugs, and frustration. But even in
three-fourths of a second, a vehicle moving at
60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That
could be a lot of distance in an emergency, so
keeping enough space between your vehicle and
others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary
greatly with the surface of the road, whether it is
pavement or gravel; the condition of the road,
whether it is wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the
condition of the brakes; the weight of the vehicle;
and the amount of brake force applied.
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Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the
engine stops or the system is not functioning,
you can steer but it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents
mentioned on the news happen on curves.
Here is why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is
subject to the same laws of physics when driving on
curves. The traction of the tires against the road
surface makes it possible for the vehicle to change
its path when you turn the front wheels. If there is
no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle going in the
same direction. If you have ever tried to steer a
vehicle on wet ice, you will understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on
the condition of your tires and the road surface, the
angle at which the curve is banked, and your
speed. While you are in a curve, speed is the
one factor you can control.Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly accelerate. Both control
systems — steering and acceleration — have to
do their work where the tires meet the road.
Adding the sudden acceleration can demand too
much of those places. You can lose control.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up
on the accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the
way you want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you
should adjust your speed. Of course, the posted
speeds are based on good weather and road
conditions. Under less favorable conditions you will
want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach
a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while
your front wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive”
through the curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady
speed. Wait to accelerate until you are out of
the curve, and then accelerate gently into
the straightaway.
Adding non-Saab accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 322.
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Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems — brakes,
steering, and acceleration — do not have enough
friction where the tires meet the road to do what the
driver has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to
steer and constantly seek an escape route or
area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking
reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and
by not overdriving those conditions. But skids
are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your
vehicle’s three control systems. In the braking skid,
your wheels are not rolling. In the steering or
cornering skid, too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and lose cornering force.
And in the acceleration skid, too much throttle
causes the driving wheels to spin.A cornering skid is best handled by easing your
foot off the accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you
want the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly
enough, your vehicle may straighten out. Always be
ready for a second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow,
ice, gravel, or other material is on the road.
For safety, you will want to slow down and adjust
your driving to these conditions. It is important
to slow down on slippery surfaces because
stopping distance will be longer and vehicle control
more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking, including reducing vehicle speed by
shifting to a lower gear. Any sudden changes could
cause the tires to slide. You may not realize the
surface is slippery until your vehicle is skidding.
Learn to recognize warning clues — such as
enough water, ice, or packed snow on the road to
make a mirrored surface — and slow down when
you have any doubt.
Remember: Any Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
helps avoid only the braking skid.
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You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even
several seconds, for your eyes to re-adjust to the
dark. When you are faced with severe glare, as
from a driver who does not lower the high beams, or
a vehicle with misaimed headlamps, slow down a
little. Avoid staring directly into the approaching
headlamps.
Keep the windshield and all the glass on your
vehicle clean — inside and out. Glare at night is
made much worse by dirt on the glass. Even
the inside of the glass can build up a lm caused
by dust. Dirty glass makes lights dazzle and
ash more than clean glass would, making the
pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that the headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it is easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as the headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim, so should your
eyes be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer
from night blindness — the inability to see in dim
light — and are not even aware of it.Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a
wet road, you cannot stop, accelerate, or turn as
well because your tire-to-road traction is not as
good as on dry roads. And, if your tires do not have
much tread left, you will get even less traction. It is
always wise to go slower and be cautious if rain
starts to fall while you are driving. The surface may
get wet suddenly when your reexes are tuned for
driving on dry pavement.
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The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see.
Even if your windshield wiper blades are in good
shape, a heavy rain can make it harder to see
road signs and traffic signals, pavement markings,
the edge of the road, and even people walking.
It is wise to keep your wiping equipment in
good shape and keep your windshield washer uid
reservoir lled with washer uid. Replace your
windshield wiper inserts when they show signs of
streaking or missing areas on the windshield,
or when strips of rubber start to separate from the
inserts.
{CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They
may not work as well in a quick stop and
may cause pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of
water or a car wash, apply your brake pedal
lightly until your brakes work normally.Driving too fast through large water puddles or
even going through some car washes can cause
problems, too. The water may affect your brakes.
Try to avoid puddles. But if you cannot, try to slow
down before you hit them.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can
build up under your tires that they can actually ride
on the water. This can happen if the road is wet
enough and you are going fast enough. When your
vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little or no contact
with the road.
Hydroplaning does not happen often. But it can
if your tires do not have much tread or if the
pressure in one or more is low. It can happen if
a lot of water is standing on the road. If you
can see reections from trees, telephone poles, or
other vehicles, and raindrops dimple the water’s
surface, there could be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds.
There just is not a hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to slow down
when it is raining.
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