charging SAAB 9-3 2000 Owners Manual

7
WL4
Coolant: Never open while engine is hot.
Escaping coolant under pressure can cause
serious injuries.
WL3
Drive belt: Danger! Moving belt
WL2
Radiator fan: The radiator fan can cut in even
after engine has been switched off.
Battery: Contains corrosive sulphuric acid (40%)
 FLAMMABLE GASES formed when car is running and during charging of battery
 Always wear eye and face protection when working on the battery
 Smoking, open flames and sparks can all cause battery to explode
 Consult the manual before using jumper cables.
 Battery acid can cause SERIOUS BURNS
 Keep battery upright
 Avoid contact with eyes, skin and clothing
 In the event of an accident, flush affected area promptly with water and seek medical help.
KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN
Warning labels
WL1
A/C system: Refrigerant at high pressure.
Do not undo or remove any connections in the A/C system
until the system has been emptied. Working the wrong way
may result in injury. Work on the A/C system must be left
to qualified personnel only. For working instructions, see
the Workshop Handbook.
The A/C system complies with SAE J639.
Refrigerant: 770 g of R134a.
Compressor oil: 150 cc PAG Oil SP-10, or
SAAB oil 4759106 SP-10.
WL36
 AVOID SPARKS, AVOID OPEN FLAMES, NO SMOKING
 KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN
 SEE MANUAL
 PROTECT YOUR EYES
 FLAMMABLE GAS
 ACID
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55 Instruments and controls

Warning charging
This light comes on together with if the
battery is not charging. If it comes on while
you are driving, stop the car as soon as pos-
sible and switch off the engine.
Check the alternator drive belt (see page
179). If the belt has broken, the engine may
overheat (cooling system will not function
properly), the belt is slack or broken, battery
charging will be poor and engine cooling
unsatisfactory.
Brake warning light
This light will come on together with if
there is insufficient brake fluid in the reser-
voir, see page 176.
If the ABS warning light is on at the same
time, the ABS system may be inoperative
because of a fault (see anti-lock brake warn-
ing).
Parking brake warning
light
The light will show when the parking brake
is on (see page 151.)
If the car driven with the parking brake on,
will also come on and a chime will
sound.
The parking brake is mechanical and oper-
ates on the rear wheels.
WARNING
Never drive the car when these warning
lights are on. Danger of brake failure!
Have the brake system checked at once
by an authorized Saab dealer.
WARNING
• Always apply the parking brake when
parking
 Always apply the parking brake before
removing the ignition key
 Do not apply the parking brake while
the car is moving (see page 151)
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57 Instruments and controls
Central warning light
This light comes on and a chime will sound
if a fault has been detected in any system
that is critical to safety. Any of the following
can activate the central warning light and
alarm:
 Airbag system.
 Low oil pressure in engine.
 Parking brake is on (when car is moving).
 Brake fluid level low.
 Fault detected in ABS system.
 Engine overheating.
 Alternator not charging properly.
The symbol and the chime will also sound if
the ignition key is turned to the ON position
but the engine is not started within 10 sec-
onds.
Cruise Control
indicator light
The symbol is lit when cruise control is
active.
Engine malfunction
(CHECK ENGINE)
This light indicates a malfunction in the
fuel-injection or ignition system. The car
may still be driven with care and with some-
what diminished performance.
SPORT Mode Indicator
On cars with automatic transmission the
indicator light comes on when you press the
SPORT button on the gear-lever knob.
In SPORT mode, the transmission remains
longer in the (D, 3, 2, 1) gears before
upshifting.
Quit Sport mode by again depressing the
SPORT button; see also page 147.
WINTER Mode Indicator
On cars with automatic transmission the
indicator light comes on when, in the D posi-
tion, you press the WINTER button on the
center console next to the gear selector.
When the car is in the Winter mode it starts
in 3rd gear, which gives a better grip in
slippery conditions by reducing the ten-
dency to spin the wheels.
Quit Winter mode by again depressing the
WINTER button; see also page 147.
WARNING
An illuminated CHECK ENGINE indicator
light indicates a serious engine-related
problem. While your car may be able to be
driven with the CHECK ENGINE indicator
light illuminated (limp-home mode), you
are advised to have your car serviced at
an authorized Saab dealer as soon as
possible.
Continued driving without this problem
being corrected might cause serious fur-
ther damage to your car and create
unsafe driving conditions. The operator
should be prepared to take action if such
unsafe conditions arise (e.g., apply the
brakes, disengage transmission, turn off
the ignition etc.).
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60 Instruments and controlsTemperature gaugeThe temperature gauge shows the temper-
ature of the coolant. The needle should be
in the middle of the scale when the engine
is at normal operating temperature.
If the needle enters the red zone, the
warning light will come on and an alarm
chime will sound. If the needle approaches the red zone,
which can occur in very hot weather or when
the engine is under a heavy load, drive in the
highest gear possible, keep the engine revs
low and avoid shifting down.
Check fuse 3 (radiator fan) in the fuse panel
under the hood, see page 191.
If the needle repeatedly enters the red zone,
stop the car as soon as it is safe to do so and
check the coolant level by looking at the
level visible through the plastic tank - do not
remove the cap.
If the coolant level falls below the MIN mark,
the SID will display the message ”FILL
COOLANT FLUID”.
Pressure gaugeThe pressure gauge indicates the pressure
in the induction manifold. Under low load
and while the engine is braking there will be
vacuum in the induction manifold.The
needle of the pressure gauge will then move
within the white zone. At higher engine
speeds and higher loads, the turbo-com-
pressor produces an overpressure in the
induction manifold. The needle will then
enter the orange zone. Normally the needle
should not enter the red zone, since a mon-
itoring system sets limits to the charging
pressure and protects the engine.
NOTEIf the needle, despite the above action,
enters the red zone, stop the car immedi-
ately.
If the needle stays in the red zone, stop
the engine.
WARNING
Never open the coolant expansion tank
cap when the engine is hot. It contains hot
coolant under pressure. Failure to heed
this warning may result in personal injury.
IB343
IB344
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61 Instruments and controls
Under certain barometric conditions the
needle may enter the first part of the red
zone without necessarily indicating that a
fault has arisen.
If the needle repeatedly enters the red zone
and the engine at the same time loses
power, because the monitoring system is
holding the charging pressure down, you
should contact an authorized Saab dealer.
If the speed exceeds 143 mph (230 km/h),
the increase in speed will be limited by the
lowering of the boost pressure. The pres-
sure gauge then moves towards the middle
of the orange zone, indicating reduced
engine output and thus reduces the speed
of the car as well.
Fuel gaugeThe fuel-tank capacity is 17.0 gal. (64 liters).
The fuel gauge shows the amount of fuel left
in the tank. When this is down to about
2.5 gal. (10 liters), a warning light on the
main instrument panel will come on (see
page 56).
Use the Saab Information display (SID) to
check the approximate distance that can be
travelled on the remaining fuel
(see page 62).
Refueling; see page 138.
Gear selector indication
(cars with automatic transmission)An indicator showing which gear is selected
is situated in the main instrument panel.
IB345
IB1280
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109 Saab 9-3 Audio System
Installation of car phone
(option)
Provision has been made on certain vari-
ants of the Saab 9-3 for the installation of a
hands-free car phone.
Installation must be done by an authorized
Saab dealer.
A car-phone cradle is available as an acces-
sory.
Your Saab dealer has details of which
phones are suitable for the installation.
Provision for hands-free phone (Con-
vertible, only if Saab 9-3 Audio System is
fitted)
 Car phone connects to car’s circuitry.
 Coaxial cable for external antenna is pre-
run.
 Microphone for hands-free phone use
incorporated in overhead panel at front
(not Convertible).
 Audio System mute functions when
phone activated.
 Phone conversation amplified through
Audio System speakers. "TELEPHONE" appears on the SID when
phone is in use.
 Volume level for ongoing conversation
can be adjusted by volume controls on
steering wheel or on audio-system mod-
ule. See also ”Volume-preset mode”,
page 104.
 If the sound is a bit fuzzy, adjust by means
of the volume control on the
phone set
.
 Phone battery is charging when ignition is
ON and phone in its cradle.
Please refer to the instructions supplied with
the phone for details of how to make and
receive calls.
OnStar System (US Only Option)
Your car may be equipped with OnStar, a
vehicle telematics system for communica-
tion and navigation. Please consult the sep-
arate owner’s manual for OnStar provided
in your document organizer.
WARNING
To prevent crashes while using a cell
phone:
 Do not use the cell phone in distracting
traffic situations. Turn it off if traffic is
heavy.
 Dial sensibly, at a stoplight or safely off
the road.
 Consider installing hands-free or
speaker phone.
 Avoid stressful and intense phone
conversations.NOTEThe A-pillar area (area beside the wind-
shield) and the headlining of your Saab
contain padding designed to reduce head
injuries. No modifications to these areas
should be made unless done by your
authorized Saab dealer.
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136 Starting and drivingUseful tips on cold climate startingIf the engine has failed to start after several
attempts in very cold weather, press and
hold the accelerator down to the floor and
run the starter for 5–10 seconds. This will
prevent the engine being flooded (exces-
sively rich fuel-air mixture).
Now start the engine in the normal way – do
not touch the accelerator.
If the engine stalls immediately after starting
(e.g. if the clutch was released too quickly),
do not touch the accelerator when restarting
the engine.
Every time the engine is switched off the
spark plugs are automatically cleaned. If
your attempt to start nevertheless fails, let
go of the ignition key and allow it to spring
back. This initiates more vigorous cleaning
of the sparking plugs which goes on for
about 5 seconds. Then start in the ordinary
way. Do not touch the accelerator; if the
accelerator is pressed to the floor the fuel
supply is shut off.
Important
considerations for
drivingThe engine-management system in the
Saab 9-3 is called Saab Trionic T7. The
system manages the ignition, fuel injection
and turbo boost pressure.
The Trionic T7 system developed by Saab
is an intelligent engine-management
system designed to achieve optimum drive-
ability under differing driving conditions.
The system makes adjustments automati-
cally, for instance, if the car is being driven
at altitude (oxygen-deficient air), for differ-
ent grades of fuel (AON 87–93) and for dif-
ferent load conditions.
1 Starting and driving
 Refrain from using full throttle before
the engine has warmed up (before
needle is in the mid-range on tempera-
ture gauge) to avoid unnecessary
wear. If the needle of the pressure
gauge repeatedly enters the red zone
the engine may suddenly lose power,
owing to the intervention of a monitor-
ing system which curtails the charging
pressure. Get in touch with an autho-
rized Saab dealer at once.
 A safety function prevents the engine
from revving faster than 6,200 rpm by
temporarily shutting of the fuel injec-
tors.2 Stopping the engine
 Do not rev the engine immediately
before switching it off - stop the engine
when it is idling.
3 Regulating the charging pressure
 The system is optimized for fuel with an
octane rating of AON 90. For cars with
205 hp engines and the Viggen, the
system is optimized for AON 93. One of
the advantages of the system is that it
enables the engine to be run safely on
lower-grade fuel, although not lower
than AON 87. However, engine perfor-
mance will fall off slightly, and heavy
loading should be avoided. For best
performance you should use the rec-
ommended grade of fuel, AON 90
(205 hp engine and Viggen AON 93).
 The maximum boost pressure is
adjusted automatically to the knocking
or pinging tendency of the engine.
Occasional, short-lived knocking when
the engine is under a heavy load is per-
fectly normal; the extent will depend on
the grade of fuel in the tank.
 Isolated instances of knocking are
more likely to occur with low-octane
fuel. This controlled form of knocking,
followed by a reduction in the boost
pressure, is a sign that the wastegate is
functioning and is perfectly safe for the
engine.
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178 Car careThe charge level should be checked with a
battery-acid tester. The specific gravity of
the acid in a fully charged battery should be
1.28. A specific gravity of 1.18 roughly indi-
cates a 50% charge.
If frequent short journeys are made in cold
weather, the battery may need to be given a
booster charge. This can be done either
using a battery charger or by taking the car
for a long drive. A car with standard equipment and a fully
charged battery can be left for up to 40 days
and still have a sufficient charge for starting.
If extra equipment is fitted, such as a mobile
telephone, the time may be reduced to
about 15 days.
Always connect the positive (red) cable to
the positive (+) terminal of the battery and
the negative (blue) cable to its negative (-)
terminal. Always disconnect both battery
leads when boost charging the battery.NOTEA discharged battery can freeze and frac-
ture. Batteries should therefore always be
stored away from frost.
NOTE• Don’t connect the battery terminals
+ and – the wrong way around.
 Serious damage can occur to the car’s
electrical system if a battery or alterna-
tor lead is disconnected while the
engine is running.
IB897
Taking out the battery
IB1173
Correct fluid level in the battery
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179 Car care
Drive beltThe alternator is situated on the right-hand
side of the engine. It is driven via a
poly-V-belt from the crankshaft pulley.
The poly-V-belt also drives the water pump,
the A/C compressor and the steering servo
pump.
The belt tension is critical, and is adjusted
by an automatic belt tensioner.
See also page 55, "Warning charging".
Wipers and washersWiper bladesCheck and clean all wiper blades regularly.
We recommend Saab washer fluid for
cleaning.
If poor wiper performance is experienced,
clean the windshield with Saab washer fluid.
This is particularly important if the car has
been through an automatic car wash, as this
sometimes leave a wax coating on the wind-
shield.
If wiper performance is still unsatisfactory,
fit new blades.
Windshield and rear window1 Push the catch in (1).
2 Pull the complete wiper blade down-
wards so that it comes away from the
wiper arm. Slide the entire blade out
from the arm.
WARNING
 Keep hands and clothing clear of drive
belts when engine is running.
 Always stop the engine before
inspecting drive belts.NOTESerious damage can occur to the car’s
electrical system if an alternator lead is
disconnected while the engine is running.
IB929
Drive belt
IB901
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207 Car care
Air conditioning
(A/C system)
Fault diagnosis If a fault occurs in the A/C system, there are
a number of checks you can perform your-
self. If the fault persists, however, have the
system checked by an authorized Saab
dealer.Important!

When the A/C system is in operation, mois-
ture from the air will condense on the evap-
orator. When the car is then parked, this
condensation will drip off the evaporator
and form a small pool of water on the
ground. This is normal. The warmer the
ambient air and the higher the humidity, the
greater the amount of condensation formed.Inadequate cooling:
a Make sure that the temperature and
air-distribution controls are in the
appropriate settings, see page 77.
b Check that the condenser (forward of
the radiator) has not become clogged
with dirt and insects.
c Make sure that the drive belt for the com-
pressor is not slipping, see page 179.
d Check the fuses for the ventilation fans
and compressor, see page 189.
NOTE The A/C system is designed for use
with R134a refrigerant.
 Refrigerant handling requires special
equipment and special procedures for
charging and draining the system.
 All repairs and adjustments on the A/C
system must be carried out by a Saab
dealer authorized for this kind of work.
 Never mix R134a and R12 refriger-
ants.
WARNING
 The A/C system is pressurized. Do not
break any connections or undo A/C
system components.
 Escaping refrigerant gas can cause
blindness or other injury.
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