wheel size SAAB 9-3 2002 Owners Manual

211 Car care
WheelsAlternative wheels and tiresIf you wish to fit other tires or wheels than
those supplied with the car, consult your
Saab dealer first as to the possibilities avail-
able.
Wheels/tires combinations that are not
approved by Saab can negatively affect the
car´s directional stability, steering and brak-
ing in both wet and dry conditions.
Do not assume that a wheel/tire combina-
tion will function properly just because it will
bolt on.
To ensure that the speedometer is as accu-
rate as possible it should be reprogrammed
if wheels of a different dimension are fitted.
Contact an authorized Saab dealer.
The wheels and tires have been carefully
matched to the characteristics of the car and
play a key role in its outstanding roadhold-
ing and handling.
Tire pressureTires need to be inflated to suit the load car-
ried and the maximum speed the car will be
driven (see the recommended tire pres-
sures on the back cover). Tire pressure
label, see page 243.
Note that all values apply to cold tires. For
tires with an aspect ratio less than /60,
increase the tire pressure by 3 psi (20 kPa)
for rough roads with potholes to minimize
the risk of rim damage.
Never reduce the pressure of a hot tire. If the
tires are hot when you check them, only
increase the pressure, if necessary.
Soft tires will cause faster wear than
over-pressurized tires. They also increase
fuel consumption.
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 cruise at a substantially higher
or lower speed than normal.
NOTEFor wide wheels and/or low-profile tires,
bear in mind the following:
 Tires and wheels can be damaged in
potholes etc.
 Springs, shock absorbers and wheel
bearings and body mountings can be
overloaded.
 The wheels can come into contact with
chassis and body components.
 The speed and load limits for the tires
must not be exceeded; see page 212.
 Wheels larger than 17” must not be
fitted on the Saab 9-3. For Viggen
models the wheel should not be larger
than 17”. The maximum permissible
offset for the 9-3 is 49 mm and for the
Viggen 42 mm.
 Wheels smaller than 16” must not be
fitted on Viggen models. Fitting a
smaller size wheel on a Viggen is not
possible due to the size of the brake
discs.
NOTECheck the tire pressures at least once
per month.
Underinflation is the main cause of:
 Tires wearing out prematurely.
 Damage to the sidewalls.
 Damage to the wheels.
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212 Car careRotating the tires Because of front wheel drive, the front tires
tend to wear faster than the rear ones. New
tires should always be fitted in pairs, so that
tires on the same axle have the same
amount of tread.
The wheels should be marked, L (left) and
R (right), when changing between summer
and winter (snow) tires. This ensures that
the direction of rotation of the wheels is the
same when they are refitted. Fit the tires in
best condition to the rear wheels.
Store wheels lying flat or hanging – never
standing upright.
Tire markingsAn example of the meaning of the different
markings in a tire size is given below for a
tire size of 205/55 R16 91V:
Winter tiresWinter (snow) tires are recommended for
winter climates where the majority of your
driving will be done on snow and ice. Winter
tires should be fitted to all four wheels to
maintain a proper balance. Your Saab
dealer can advise you of to the correct size
tire for your car (if different from the original
size) and also supply Saab approved winter
tires pre-mounted on steel or alloy rims.Tire quality grading (cars sold in
U.S.)New tires must be graded and labeled in
accordance with new Federal regulations.
Standard tests are conducted to measure
performance in the areas of traction and
temperature resistance. Refer to the tire
sidewall for the specific quality grades of the
tires provided on your new Saab. Compact
spare tires are exempt.
DOT QUALITY GRADES
 Treadwear.
 Traction AA, A, B, C.
 Temperature A, B, C.
All passenger car tires must conform to Fed-
eral safety requirements in addition to these
grades.
WARNING
When fitting just one new pair of tires,
these should be fitted to the rear wheels,
as these are more critical to the direc-
tional stability of the car (e.g. on braking
or in a skid). The existing rear tires should
therefore be moved to the front. Always
move left rear to left front and right rear to
right front, so that the direction of rotation
remains the same.
205 Tire section width, mm
55 Aspect ratio, i.e. the section height
is 60 % of the section width
R Radial ply
16 Wheel rim diameter 16 in. at bead
seats
91 Tire load code
V Speed marking
Speed ratingsS Tire approved for speeds up to
112 mph (180 km/h)
T Tire approved for speeds up to
118 mph (190 km/h)
H Tire approved for speeds up to
130 mph (210 km/h)
V Tire approved for speeds up to
150 mph (240 km/h)
W Tire approved for speeds up to
167 mph (270 km/h)
Y Tire approved for speeds up to
186 mph (300 km/h)
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217 Car care
10 Recheck the wheel bolts after a few
miles.
Tightening torque:
Light-alloy wheels: 80 ft.lbs (110 Nm)
Steel wheels: 80 ft.lbs (110 Nm)
We advise against using wheels with open
wheel covers in winter, as the brake compo-
nents are then more exposed both to slush
and to road salt and grit.
Tire chains; see page 172. NOTE
When refitting wheel covers (where
applicable), make sure that the valve
protrudes through the hole in the wheel
cover.
NOTEDo not overtighten the bolts using an
impact wrench: not only can this damage
the wheels but it can also make it impos-
sible to undo the bolts using the wheel
wrench in the car’s toolkit.NOTESaab 9-3 Viggen: The minimum permis-
sible wheel diameter is 16”, due to the
size of the brake discs.
IB1174
Position for jack, Saab 9-3 Viggen. The front and rear jacking points are located behind
covers that must be removed. Remove the covers by taking hold of the lower edge and
pulling outwards. When replacing the covers, fit the catches along the top edge first and
then press home the cover.
IB1311
Jacking points for a floor jack.
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242 Technical dataRims and tires

Rim size:
Coupé/5-door/Convertible____________ 6.5 x 15 or 6.5 x 16
Viggen __________________________ 7.5 x 17
Viggen must use 6.5 x 16 or 7 x 17
Contact an authorized Saab dealer if you
wish to fit other wheels than those fitted
as standard.
Tire sizes (summer tires):
6.5 x 15 (not Viggen) _______________ 195/60 R15
6.5 x 16 __________________________ 205/55 R16
7.5 x 17 Viggen only ________________ 215/45 R17
Tire sizes (winter tires):
6 x 15 (not Viggen) _________________ 185/65 R15 M+S
195/60 R15 M+S
6.5 x 16 _________________________ 205/55 R16 M+S
Recommended rims for snow chains:
Coupé/5-door/Convertible____________ 6 x 15
Viggen __________________________ 6.5 x 16
Spare wheel:
Tire _____________________________ T115/70 R16
Rim _____________________________ 4.0 x 16
Maximum life _____________________ 2000 miles
(3500 km)
Maximum speed __________________ 50 mph (80 km/h)
NOTESnow chains
Snow chains must not be fitted to the rear wheels and must be
used on the following tire/wheel combinations:
Wheel Tire
6 x 15 _________ 185/65 R15 M+S (not Viggen),
195/60 R15 (not Viggen) or
195/60 R15 M+S (not Viggen)
6.5 x 15________ 195/60 R15 (not Viggen)
6.5 x 16________ 205/55 R16 or 205/55 R16 M+S
Max. speed is 30 mph (50 km/h).
Consult your authorized Saab dealer of approved snow chains.NOTECoupé/5-door/Convertible: Bigger rims than 17” must not be
used. The offset of the rims must not exceed 49 mm.
Viggen: Bigger rims than 17” must not be used.
The offset of the rims must not exceed 42 mm.
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250 IndexStorage compartments
___________ 136
Sunroof
_______________________ 132
Switches _______________________ 75
TTachometer
_____________________ 66
Technical data __________________ 233
Telematics
_____________________ 111
Temperature gauge
______________ 67
Textile carpeting, cleaning
________ 219
Through-load hatch
______________ 141
Tie-down eyes
__________________ 142
Tipping the rear seat
_____________ 138
Tire markings
__________________ 212
Tire pressure ___________________ 178
Tire pressures __________________ 211
Tires and wheels, sizes
___________ 242
Tools
_________________________ 143
Top tether
______________________ 23
Touching up paintwork
___________ 221
Towing a caravan or trailer ________ 173
Towing the car
_________________ 179
Traction Control System
__________ 166
Trailer hitch attachment __________ 173
Trailer hitch load
________________ 176
Transmission, automatic
__________ 156
Transmission, manual
____________ 155
Transporting the car
_____________ 179
Traveling abroad
________________ 184
Trip computer, SID _______________ 69Trip meter
______________________66
Trunk
_________________________138
Trunk lid lock, Convertible
__________56
Trunk lighting
___________________133
Trunk, Convertible
________________56
Trunk, opening
__________________40
Turbo gauge
____________________67
Turn signal
_____________________76
UUpholstery and trim
______________219
Upholstery and trim, care of
_______219
Useful tips on starting
____________148
Useful tips, ACC
_________________92
VVanity mirror
___________________137
WWarning and indicator lights
________60
Warning labels
___________________7
Warning light, AIR BAG (SRS)
______32
Washer fluid
___________________199
Washer jets ____________________199
Washers
_______________________78
Washing ______________________220
Waxing and polishing
____________221Wear indicators, brake pads
______ 194
Wear indicators, tires
____________ 214
Wheel, change
________________ 215
Wheels
______________________ 211
Wheels and tires, sizes
__________ 242
Window glass sensor, car alarm
____ 42
Windshield washers
_____________ 78
Windshield wipers
_______________ 78
Winter driving
_________________ 171
Wiper blades
__________________ 198
Wipers
________________________ 78
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