oil SAAB 9-3 2005 Owner's Manual

207 Car care
The foot brake and parking brake are self-
adjusting.
It is not possible to detect, through abnormal
pedal or parking brake lever travel, whether
the brake pads are worn and need replac-
ing. It is therefore essential that brake pads
be checked regularly, as specified in the
service program.
Brake pads should only be changed at a
Saab dealer. To ensure optimum brake
performance, use only Saab genuine
brake pads.
Power steeringCheck the level of the power steering fluid in
the reservoir regularly, in accordance with
the service program.
The wheels should point directly forwards
during this check.
Clean round the cap before unscrewing it.
Wipe the dipstick. To check the level, screw
down the cap completely and then remove
it again.
The oil level should lie between the MAX
and MIN marks when the oil temperature is
about 68°F (+20°C). If the oil is colder, the
level will be lower, and at a higher tempera-
tures the level will be higher.
Top up with “CHF 11S power steering fluid”.
NOTICEAvoid spilling brake fluid onto paintwork,
since it can cause the paint to bubble and
lift. If any brake fluid is spilled, the area
should be flushed with large quantities of
water as quickly as possible.
WARNING
Power steering fluid on hot engine
components constitutes a fire risk.
Power steering fluid reservoir
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243 Car care
Loading Your VehicleThis is an example of what your vehicle´s
Tire-Loading Information/Certification label
might look like. It is located on the B-pillar
and shows how much weight your vehicle
may properly carry. The label tells you the
proper size, and recommended inflation
pressures for the tires on your vehicle. It
also gives you important information about
the number of people that can be in your
vehicle and the total weight that you can
carry. This weight is called the Vehicle
Capacity Weight, and includes the weight of
all occupants, cargo and all nonfactory-
installed options.
Tire Terminology and DefinitionsAir Pressure: The amount of air inside the
tire pressing outward on each square inch of
the tire. Air pressure is expressed in pounds
per square inch (psi) or kilopascal (kPa).
Accessory Weight: This means the com-
bined weight of optional accessories, for
example, automatic transmission, power
steering, power brakes, power windows,
power seats, radio and air conditioning.
Aspect Ratio: The relationship of a tire´s
height to its width.
Belt: A rubber coated layer of cords that is
located between the plies and the tread.
Cords may be made from steel or other rein-
forcing materials.
Bias Ply Tire: A pneumatic tire in which the
ply cords that extend to the beads are laid at
alternate angles substantially less than 90
degrees to the centerline of the tread.
Cold Inflation Pressure: The amount of air
pressure in a tire, measured in pounds per
square inch (psi) or kilopascal (kPa), before
a tire has built up heat from driving. See
“Inflation - Tire Pressure” on page 234.
Curb weight: This means the weight of a
motor vehicle with standard and optional
equipment including the maximum capacity
of fuel, oil and coolant, without passengers
and cargo.DOT Markings: A code molded into the
sidewall of a tire signifying that the tire is in
compliance with the U.S. Department of
Transportation motor vehicle safety stan-
dards. The DOT code includes the Tire
Identification Number (TIN), an alphanu-
meric designator which can also identify the
tire manufacturer, production plant, brand
and date of production.
GVWR: Gross Vehicle Weight Rating see
“Loading Your Vehicle” on page 243.
GAWR FRT: Gross Axle Weight Rating for
the front axle, see “Loading Your Vehicle”
on page 269.
GAWR RR: Gross Axle Weight Rating for
the rear axle, see “Loading Your Vehicle” on
page 243.
Intended Outboard Sidewall: The side of
an asymmetrical tire that must always face
outward when mounted on a vehicle.
Kilopascal (kPa): The metric unit for air
pressure. There are 6.9 kPa to one psi.
Light Truck (LT-Metric) Tire: A tire used
on light duty trucks and some multipurpose
passenger vehicles.
Load Index: An assigned number ranging
from 1 to 279 that corresponds to the load
carrying capacity of a tire.
This label can only be found on vehicles
sold in the U.S.
Vehicles sold in Canada have the tire
information label in the glove box, see
page 278.
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251 Car care
Safety beltsCheck the function of the safety belts regu-
larly as follows:
 Hold the diagonal strap and pull it sharply.
The safety belt should lock and it should
not be possible to withdraw it further.
Check the anchorage points in the floor.
They must not have suffered rust damage.
If a belt is worn or has any fraying edges, it
should be replaced.
Safety belts must not come into contact with
substances such as polishes, oil or chemi-
cals. If the belts get dirty, wash them with
warm water and a detergent or have them
replaced.
Upholstery and trimTo remove fluff and hairs from the seats,
door armrests and headlining, use a
vacuum cleaner, a moist lint-free cloth, or a
clothes brush. Remove spots and dirt using
a cloth moistened with lukewarm soapy
water.
When using a stain remover, always work
from the outside towards the centre to avoid
leaving a ring. If a soiled ring or spot should
remain, it can usually be removed using
lukewarm soapy water or water alone.
Spots left by liquids, such as soft drinks or
thin oil, must be removed at once with an
absorbent material, such as kitchen towel-
ling. Then clean with a stain remover.
White spirit is recommended for removing
grease and oil stains. A medium stiff brush
may also be used.Cleaning and caring for leather
upholsteryThe principal reason for treating leather
upholstery is to maintain its elegant appear-
ance and to provide it with a protective film.
Disco lour at ion caused by dust and wear
mainly affects the lighter shades, although
this is not detrimental to the leather, indeed,
the patina resulting from use is often consid-
ered desirable in leather. But if the leather is
allowed to become too grubby, it can start to
look shabby.
The leather upholstery should be cleaned
and reconditioned twice a year in conjunc-
tion with spring and autumn inspections. In
WARNING
If the car is involved in a crash, the safety
belts, belt pretensioners and other asso-
ciated components must be inspected at
a Saab dealer.
Never make any alterations or repairs to
the safety belts yourself but visit a Saab
dealer.
Tightening sequence, wheel boltsGrease the surfaces indicated with a thin
layer of grease
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254 Car carethen be primed with two thin coats of primer
applied by brush.
After the primer has dried, apply several thin
layers of topcoat until the surface of the
repaired area is flush with the surrounding
paintwork.
Stir both primer and touch-up paint thor-
oughly before use and allow each coat to
dry before applying the next.Two-coat enamelAs the name implies, two-coat enamel is
applied in two operations. The first coat, the
base color, contains the pigment, metal
flakes and binder. The second coat consists
of a clear enamel, which provides the final
gloss for the paintwork and protects the
base from moisture and environmental con-
taminants.
Touch-up stone-chip damage as follows:
1 Thoroughly clean the damaged area.
2 Then apply the primer, base color and
finally, the clear enamel. To achieve the
best finish, apply two or three coats of
primer.
Anti-corrosion
treatmentThe entire car undergoes a series of anti-
corrosion processes during production.
These include electrophoretic priming,
PVC-based coating to protect against stone
chip damage and corrosion, and treatment
of body cavities and members with thin,
penetrating rustproofing oil.
In addition, most body panels, such as the
hood, doors and floor pan are galvanized.
The anti-corrosion treatment on some parts
of the car is constantly exposed to wear and
prone to damage. This applies particularly
to the underside of the car and inside the
wheel arches, where grit, road salt and the
like that are thrown up can give rise to cor-
rosion where the underseal has worn away.
The extent of this obviously depends on the
conditions in which the car is used.
Accordingly, make it a habit to hose the
underside of the car often and to inspect the
condition of the underseal. The anti-corro-
sion warranty does not relieve the car owner
of the need to carry out normal maintenance
to the rustproofing and to make good any
damage.
Surface treatment composition1 Body panel
2 Zinc (certain components only) 7.5 µm
3 Phosphate coating 3 –5 µm
4 Cathodic ED 23 µm
5 Intermediate coat 35 µm
6 Metallic base/solid base 11 µm
7 Clear enamel 45 µm
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255 Car care
Use a hose to clean the underside of the car
thoroughly. After it has dried, use a brush or
spray to apply a viscous anti-corrosion
agent to any worn or damaged areas, to
prevent the onset of corrosion.
Even after the anti-corrosion warranty has
expired, it makes good sense to continue to
maintain the rustproofing.
Seams in the body, especially those in the
doors and trunk lid, are particularly vulnera-
ble to corrosion from the outside, caused by
grit and salt thrown up from the road, and to
corrosion from the inside, largely as a result
of condensation. Keep the seams clean and
at the first sign of any rust, apply a thin, pen-
etrating, anti-corrosion oil. Your Saab
dealer will be pleased to give you further
advice.
What causes rust?Steel body panels of automobiles are sub-
ject to rusting whenever air and moisture
manage to penetrate the protective finish.
Body panels may rust through if the process
is unchecked. Rusting can occur wherever
water is trapped or where the car’s panels
are continuously damp.
Damage to paint and undercoating by
stones, gravel and minor crashes immedi-
ately exposes metal to air and moisture.
Road salts used for de-icing will collect on
the bottom of the car and promote rusting.
Areas of the country with high humidity have
a greater potential for rust problems, espe-
cially where salt is used on roads or there is
moist sea air. Industrial pollution (fallout)
may also damage paint and promote rust-
ing.
Preventive maintenanceThe following procedures are necessary to
help protect against rusting. Refer also to
the terms and conditions of the Performa-
tion Limited Warranty described in the war-
ranty booklet.
1Wash the car frequently, and wax at
least twice a year. Under adverse
conditions, where there is a rapid
buildup of dirt, sand or road salt, wash
your car at least once a week. After
extreme exposure to salted snow or
slush, evidenced by a white film on the
car, wash the car immediately. Frequent
washing will prevent paint damage from
acid rain and other airborne contami-
nants such as tree sap and bird drop-
pings. If any of these contaminants are
noticed on the car the finish should be
washed immediately.
 Begin washing by rinsing the entire car
with water to loosen and flush off heavy
concentrations of dirt (include the
underbody).
 Sponge the car with a solution of either
a good quality car soap or mild general
purpose (dish washing) detergent and
water.
 Rinse car thoroughly with clean water.
 After washing, check and clear all
drains in doors and body panels.
 Wipe the car dry, preferably using a
chamois.
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257 Car care
Air conditioning (A/C)
TroubleshootingIf 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 at a Saab dealer.
Note:
When the A/C system is running, the intake
air is dehumidified. The resultant condensa-
tion that forms on the evaporator is drained
off under the car. When the car is parked,
this may result in a small puddle forming on
the ground. The warmer the air and the
higher the relative humidity, the more con-
densation will be produced.Inadequate coolinga Check that the controls for temperature
and air distribution are correctly set; see
“Manual climate-control system” on
page 103.
b Check that the condenser (in front of the
radiator) has not become clogged with
dirt and insects.
c Make sure that the compressor drive
belt does not slip (see page 210).
d Check the fuses for the ventilation fans
and compressor (see page 229).
Maintenance The compressor drive belt should be
inspected under the regular service
program.
 Clean away dirt and insects from the
condenser and radiator to prevent clog-
ging. When washing the car, use the hose
to spray the radiator and condenser
(located in front of the radiator) from both
sides (both from the front of the car and
from inside the engine bay). Do not use a
pressure washer.
Caution: Do not hose down the radia-
tor and condenser while the engine is
hot.
Other than in extremely cold weather, do not
screen the radiator, e.g. with netting, as this
will greatly diminish its cooling capacity.
 Applicable to the manual climate control
system - During cold months the air condi-
tioning should be switched on once or
twice a month and run for 5–10 minutes
during highway driving once the engine is
warm.
This action saves the gaskets in the
compressor from being spoiled. The
compressor uses a lubricant that circu-
lates with the coolant.
WARNING
 All repairs and adjustments to the A/C
system must be carried out at a Saab
dealer authorized for this kind of work.
 The A/C system is pressurized. Do not
break any connections or undo A/C
system components.
 Escaping gas can cause eye injury or
other personal injury.NOTICE 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.
 Never mix R 134a with other refriger-
ants.
NOTICEDo not use a pressure washer when
cleaning the condenser or radiator due to
the risk of damage.
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262 Customer Assistance and InformationMaintenance scheduleThe Maintenance Schedule prescribes a
service program to the purchaser/operator
of a Saab that is reasonable and necessary
to ensure the proper emission control sys-
tems function, safety and reliability of the
Saab automobile in normal use. Additional
maintenance is recommended for specific
components when the car is operated under
certain severe conditions. Proper mainte-
nance is always a good practice!
Authorized Saab dealers are equipped and
trained to meet your Saab’s service needs.
They regularly receive up-to-date Saab ser-
vice manuals and parts and technical ser-
vice bulletins from Saab and are able,
through their franchise agreement, to attend
Saab service schools, obtain Saab special
tools and technical assistance and pur-
chase original equipment service and
replacement parts.
Today’s complex automobiles should only
be entrusted to the most knowledgeable
service professionals. A Saab dealer is your
best choice.
SERVICE INTERVALSA time for service message will illuminate on
the Saab Instrument Display (SID) when the
car is due for regular maintenance. There
are three different messages that will
appear:
TIME FOR INTERMEDIATE SERVICE
indicates that an oil/filter change is required
along with several inspections. This mes-
sage is set by the engine management
system which calculates service intervals
based on several factors including driving
habits, ambient temperature, number of
cold starts, mileage driven and elapsed time
since the last service. If mileage accumula-
tion does not occur, the message will be set,
and maintenance required at a maximum of
2 years.
TIME FOR MAIN AND INTERMEDIATE
SERVICE
indicates that an oil/filter change is required
along with several inspections and addi-
tional maintenance such as air filter or spark
plug replacement.TIME FOR MAIN SERVICE will be set when
additional maintenance is necessary, such
as air filter or spark plug replacement. When
the message Time for service. is displayed,
contact your Saab Dealer for a service
appointment.
Failure to perform scheduled maintenance
in a timely manner may result in serious
damage to key components or systems.
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263 Customer Assistance and Information
Engine oil and filter changesChanging the engine oil and filter is required
at every service point. Use only a Saab
approved long-life oil filter and engine oils
meeting the SAE viscosity ratings and API
service classifications stated in the “Techni-
cal data” section of this Owner’s Manual.
The use of extra additives in the oil is not
necessary and is not recommended, and
may be harmful to turbochargers.
More frequent oil changes are recom-
mended if your vehicle is operated under
any of the following conditions:
 Most trips are less than 5–10 miles (8–
16 km). This is particularly important
when outside temperatures are below
freezing.
 Most trips include extensive idling
(frequent stop-and-go traffic).
 Most trips are through dusty areas (such
as construction zones).
 If the vehicle is used for delivery service,
police, taxi or other commercial applica-
tions.
If your driving habits match this description,
have the engine oil and filter changed in-
between normal services. These conditions
cause the engine oil to break down faster.
The Warranties and Service Record Book-
let has provisions to record extra oil
changes.
Service record retentionIt is the owner’s responsibility to retain ser-
vice records. If possible, you should keep
copies of all shop work orders for all service
and repairs, whenever performed. As indi-
cated in the new car and emission control
system warranties, it is important to docu-
ment that all necessary maintenance has
been done.
HOW THE SERVICE RECORD IS ORGA-
NIZED
The service record is comprised of a series
of coupons on which to record services as
they are performed. There are additional
coupons for documenting extra engine oil
and filter changes, extra automatic trans-
mission fluid services necessary for severe
service conditions, and brake fluid changes.
HOW TO USE THE SERVICE RECORD
COUPONS
When the car is brought to a Saab dealer for
scheduled maintenance, present the War-
ranties & Service Record Booklet to the ser-
vice manager. When the technician has
completed the service, the technician will
sign the maintenance record. The person
responsible for quality assurance at the
dealership will also sign and stamp the
record with the dealer identification stamp.
Service costsDealer pricing practices and labor for ser-
vice work vary. Saab’s recommended ser-
vice times for each service point do not
include the labor required to replace wear
items, such as wiper blades, brake pads or
tires. Nor is labor to perform other service or
repairs found to be necessary as a result of
the inspections included in these times.
Additional labor and parts will be charged
for such work when necessary, except as
covered under an applicable Saab warranty
or any optional extended service contract.
Transmission fluid changes or suspension
alignment, when necessary, are also addi-
tional.
Dealer charges for general shop material,
regulated hazardous waste removal, recy-
cling expenses or other operation costs may
also be applied to service and repair
invoices and are apt to vary by dealer and
location.
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267 Technical data
General data __________ 268
Engine _______________ 270
Engine oil _____________ 270
Fuel__________________ 271
Engines ______________ 271
Electrical system_______ 272
Drive belt _____________ 272
Manual transmission ___ 272
Automatic transmission _ 273
Suspension ___________ 273
Steering ______________ 273
Brake system__________ 274
Wheels and tires _______ 275
Plates and labels _______ 278
Technical data
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270 Technical dataEngine Engine oilType: Four cylinders,
double overhead
camshafts,
16 valves, two
balancer shafts
Cylinder bore____________________ 3.386'' (86 mm)
Stroke _________________________ 3.386'' (86 mm)
Swept volume ___________________ 122 cu.in. (1.998 l)
Idling speed_____________________ 720 rpm.
When the engine
load increases, e.g.
the steering wheel is
turned, the idling
speed is raised to
900 rpm.
Antifreeze ______________________ Saab-approved
antifreeze
Coolant capacity _________________ 7.5 qts. (7.1 l)To meet demands in Saab's extended service intervals all en-
gines are filled with specially designed synthetic factory fill oils.
Long service intervals, fuel economy and environmental issues
are the base for our choice of oil. By using oils approved by
Saab you minimise the tendencies for oil sludge build, by that
protecting the engine from harmful, wear increasing, deposits.
Approved oils:
All gasoline engines - Fully Synthetic Engine Oil fulfilling GM-
LL-A-025 requirements.
To ensure being able to take advantage of the Saab specified
service intervals, be sure to select a fully synthetic engine oil
fulfilling GM-LL-A-025 requirements.
Servicing/Oil changes:
To be able to use recommended service intervals the need to
use only approved engine oils is vital. Use only engine oils ap-
proved for your engine. Service should be done according to
the recommended service intervals to optimize your engine's
function through out its entire life. Saab Automobile AB will not
take responsibility for any damage that might occur due to ne-
glecting to meet above mentioned requirements.
At your Saab dealers you can find Saab Genuine or Mobil en-
gine oils. Among those there are oils specially designed to meet
your engines specific needs. We recommend that you, with the
help of our skilled service personnel, choose your oil from that
selection.
Other oil companies also have engine oils approved according
to GM specifications. Oils meeting these standards may be
identified as synthetic. However, not all synthetic oils will meet
your engines requirements. You should only use oil that meets
your engines specific requirements (GM-LL-A-025).
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