run flat SAAB 9-3 2001 Owners Manual
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: SAAB, Model Year: 2001, Model line: 9-3, Model: SAAB 9-3 2001Pages: 260, PDF Size: 12.01 MB
Page 90 of 260

90 Instruments and controlsCalibrationIf the battery has been disconnected or has run flat, the system will 
recalibrate automatically.
Manual calibration:
1 Start the engine. 
2 Press   +   at the same time. The ACC display flashes 
once to indicate that calibration and self-testing have started. 
During calibration the display indicates the figure 0 or the fault codes 
(01-23) that have been found. 
Calibration and self-testing takes about 30 seconds. 
Programming IThe manual selections you have made can be saved so that the 
ACC system always starts up on these selections every time the 
ignition is switched on. But notice that the ignition must have been 
off for at least 10 minutes before you try out the saved setting. 
1 Select the desired settings. 
2 Press   +   at the same time. 
(The ACC background lighting flashes to confirm that the informa-
tion has been stored.) 
Example: 
If you want the ACC system to distribute the air to the dash vents 
from the start, proceed as follows: 
1 Start the engine. 
2 Press the button  .
3 Press   and   at the same time.
4 Shut off the key.
5 The system will memorize this new program 10 minutes after the 
key is shut off.Cancelling program I A saved setting is deleted only by pressing    +  at the 
same time.
(The ACC display flashes to confirm that deletion has been 
effected.) 
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Page 148 of 260

148 Interior equipment, trunkTie downsFour tie downs for securing the load are 
fitted inside the trunk. Place the load as far 
in as possible.Trunk lightingTo the left in the trunk is a light which goes 
on and off when the trunk lid is opened and 
closed.
The lighting can also be turned on and off 
using the button on the light housing. If the 
trunk lid is left open, the lighting will go off 
after 20 minutes to prevent the battery from 
being drained.
WARNING
Load opening:
Always secure a load properly. You can, 
for example, use the hip strap in the 
center rear safety belt. This will reduce 
the risk of having the load thrown about 
during a collision and causing personal 
injury.
Trunk:
Lay heavy suitcases flat on the floor. 
Then place smaller and lighter items of 
luggage on top.
Always secure heavy, bulky loads to the 
four tie downs in the trunk. This will 
reduce risk of having them thrown about 
during heavy braking or during a collision 
and causing personal injury. When the 
backrest is lowered, narrow objects can 
also be thrown around and cause injury. 
You should thus secure them well.
To retain the car’s safe normal handling 
characteristics, you must be careful not to 
exceed its maximum load capacity, (see 
page 244). 
The tail pipe of the exhaust system can 
become very hot during driving. Bear this 
in mind when loading and unloading the 
car so that children, for example, do not 
burn themselves.
WARNING
 Never place any objects on top of the 
rear parcel shelf. In the event of a col-
lision, unsecured cargo may present a 
safety hazard and cause personal 
injuries to vehicle occupants.
 Do not obstruct outward vision or the 
ability to exit the vehicle when loading 
the vehicle.
 When the rear seat backrest is placed 
upright after having been folded for-
ward, ensure that all rear safety belts 
are accessible and properly routed.
 Make sure that tire pressures are 
properly adjusted in accordance with 
altered vehicle weight (refer to tire 
pressures in the Specifications sec-
tion of this manual).
IB854
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Page 175 of 260

175 Starting and driving
Parking on a hillWhen parking on a steep hill, turn the front 
wheels so that they will be blocked by the 
curb if the car should move. 
Long-term parkingIf the car is not going to be used for some 
time, e.g. 3–4 months, the following steps 
are recommended: 
 Run the engine to normal temperature 
before long-term parking. 
 Drain the washer-fluid reservoir and 
hoses.  Wash and wax the car. Clean the rubber 
seals on the hood, trunk lid and doors, 
and lubricate them with glycerol (glyc-
erin). 
 After washing the car, dry the brake discs 
by taking the car out on the road and 
applying the brakes a few times. If the traf-
fic conditions allow, brake quite heavily 
just before parking.
 Fill the fuel tank with fuel to prevent con-
densation forming in it. 
 Top up the coolant and check the anti-
freeze before the onset of winter. 
 Park the car in a dry, covered and 
well-ventilated building. Leave the park-
ing brake OFF! 
 Disconnect the negative (-) battery lead. 
If freezing temperatures are likely to occur 
during the long-term parking, remove the 
battery and store it away from freezing 
temperatures. 
 Ideally, the car should be put up on 
blocks, with the wheels off the ground. If 
this is not possible, inflate the tires to 
about 43 psi (300 kPa). 
 Leave all the windows open a crack and 
cover the car with a fabric tarpaulin - not 
one made of plastic which will not breath. 
IB879
1Pointing downhill and 
against the curb
– Turn the wheels into the 
curb and edge the car for-
ward until the wheels touch 
the curb. 2Pointing uphill and 
against the curb
– Turn the wheels away 
from the curb and edge the 
car back until the wheels 
touch the curb. 3Pointing uphill or down-
hill – no curb
– Turn the wheels towards 
the edge of the road. If the 
car should start rolling, it 
will not run into the road.
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Page 184 of 260

184 Starting and drivingDriving with a loadThe driving characteristics of the car are 
affected by the way it is loaded.
 Place heavy loads as far forward and as 
low as possible in the trunk.
 Secure the load to the tie downs, see 
page 148.
 The load should be such that the car´s 
total weight or axle weight are not 
exceeded, see page 245.
 Heavy loads mean that the car’s center of 
gravity is further back. As a result, the car 
will sway more during evasive steering.
 Never exceed the permissible load in the 
roof box, even if there is room for more.
 Ensure that the tire pressure is correct – 
slight overinflation is preferable to under-
inflation.
 The braking distance of a loaded car is 
always greater. Keep your distance from 
the vehicle in front.
Tire pressure, see page  217 and back 
cover.
TiresThe tire pressure should match the current 
load and speed of the car; see the back 
cover or the tire pressure label on 
page 253.
The tire pressures given apply to cold tires, 
that is tires that are the same temperature 
as the outside air temperature.
The tire pressure increases as the tires 
become warm (e.g. during highway driving) 
with approximately 0.3 bar (4 psi). When 
the temperature of the tires changes by 50° 
(10°C), the tire pressure will change 0.1 bar 
(2 psi).Never reduce the pressure of a hot tire. If the 
tires are hot when you check them, only 
increase the pressure, if necessary.
Underinflated tires wear more quickly than 
slightly overinflated tires.
If a valve is leaking, simply unscrew it and fit 
a new one.
Important! Remember to adjust the tire 
pressures if you change the load in the car 
or intend to drive at substantially lower or 
higher speeds than normal.NOTECheck the tire pressure at least once a 
month. Underinflation is the main cause 
of:
 Damage to the wheels.
 Premature tire wear.
 Damage to the sidewalls.
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Page 185 of 260

185 Starting and driving
Driving with the trunk lid 
openAvoid driving with the trunk lid partly or fully 
open, since exhaust fumes can be drawn 
into the cabin.
If you must drive with the trunk lid open, all 
windows and the sunroof (if fitted) must be 
closed and the cabin fan on at its highest 
speed setting.Driving in deep waterTowing the car
The car is fitted with towing eyes at both 
front and rear. For access to the front towing 
eye, located on the right-hand side of the 
car, compress the grille (see illustration) 
and pull it straight out. 
If the car is equipped with a trailer hitch, this 
can be used to tow another car. 
Transporting the car NOTE
Do not drive in water deeper than 11” 
(30 cm) and do not drive faster than at 
idling speed. Water can otherwise be 
sucked into the engine. The engine will be 
damaged if water enters the intake sys-
tem. The car´s electrical systems may 
also be affected.
WARNING
 The towing vehicle should always be 
heavier than the vehicle being towed. 
 Never allow passengers to ride in the 
car being towed. 
 Remember that the brake servo does 
not operate when the engine is off. 
Much greater pressure than normal 
will therefore be required to operate 
the brake pedal. 
 Nor does the steering pump operate 
when the engine is off. The steering 
will therefore be much heavier than 
usual. 
 Always seek professional help if the 
car needs to be towed. NOTEDo not confuse the front towing eye with 
the oil pipe for the power steering.
NOTEIf a car with sports (lowered) chassis is 
transported, for example on a flat bed 
truck, take extra care not to damage the 
spoiler and/or underbody.
IB1537
Front towing eye 
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Page 187 of 260

187 Starting and driving
Towing a car with automatic 
transmission The following rules must be observed if a 
car with automatic transmission is to be 
towed. 
The gear selector must be in the N position. 
Switch hazard lights on. 
Drive carefully and do not exceed the 
speed limit for vehicles in tow. 
Always try to keep the towrope taut by 
gently applying the brake as necessary. 
This will avoid the towrope being jerked vio-
lently.1 Selector lever in position N. 
2 Raise the oil level in the gearbox above 
normal by 2 extra quarts. Use oil of type 
Texaco Texamatic Dexron III. 
3 The local regulations on towing speeds 
must be followed.
The highest permissible towing speed is 
30 mph (50 km/h), unless the legal limit 
is lower. The longest permissible towing 
distance is 25-30 miles (40-50 km). If the 
car has to be transported farther than 
that, summon a tow truck. A flat bed tow 
truck is the preferred method to tow.
4 When the car is being returned to ser-
vice, check the gearbox oil, and reduce 
it to the prescribed amount if necessary. 
The engine cannot be started by towing or 
pushing the car. In emergency, the engine 
can be started as described in the section 
”Jump starting”. 
Jump startingIf your battery has run down, you may want 
to use another vehicle and some jumper 
cables to start your Saab. Follow the steps 
below to do it safely.
NOTEThe car must be towed front first. 
If the car is to be towed with the front 
wheels off the ground, make sure the 
parking brake is off, as this acts on the 
rear wheels. 
WARNING
Batteries can cause injury. They can be 
dangerous because:
 They contain acid that can burn you.
 They contain gas that can explode or 
ignite.
 They contain enough electricity to 
injure you.
If you do not follow these steps exactly, 
some or all of these things can hurt you.
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Page 220 of 260

220 Car careDate codeTires should be regarded as perishable 
goods. As the tires age, the rubber becomes 
progressively harder, and the roadholding 
ability of the tires diminishes. This is partic-
ularly true on winter tires.
Tires now have a date-code marking for the 
year of manufacture. The first two digits 
denote the week number and the last two 
digits the year. The ”<” symbol points to the 
year.
Accordingly, a date code of 0200 signifies 
that the tire was manufactured in week 02, 
2000. 
Wear indicatorsThe tires incorporate wear indicators in the 
form of smooth, treadless strips across the 
width, which become visible when only 
2/32" (1.6 mm) of tread remains. As soon as 
the indicators become visible, new tires 
should be fitted without delay.
Make sure you are familiar with the legal 
limit for minimum tread depth in your 
country and also any regulations gov-
erning the use of winter tires.
Compact spare wheelThe compact spare is light and easy to 
handle when changing the wheel. Its use is 
only permitted when a standard wheel has 
sustained a puncture. The maximum life of 
the wheel is only 2000 miles (3,500 km).
Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h) with the 
compact spare fitted.
The compact spare should be inflated to 
60 psi (420 kPa). Carry the punctured tire in 
the spare-wheel well under the trunk floor.
Have the standard wheel repaired and refit-
ted as soon as possible
Driving considerations with compact spare 
wheel/tire fitted, see page 190. 
The spare wheel, the tools and the jack with 
its crank are carried under a panel in the 
trunk.
IB1564
Date code 
IB998
Wear indicators 
IB921
Spare wheel (under the carpet in the 
trunk) 
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