light SAAB 9-3 2007 Manual Online

184 Starting and drivingengine wear is at its greatest during this
period. Drive off as soon as possible after
starting the engine and avoid high engine
speeds.
Drive as smoothly and thoughtfully as
possible. Match your driving to the
prevailing traffic conditions.
Driving in a low gear gives rise to higher
fuel consumption than driving in a high
gear because of the higher engine speed
for any given road speed. Always shift up
as soon as traffic conditions allow and
drive in the highest gear as much as
possible.
Check the tire pressure once a month.
Incorrect tire pressure increases tire
wear. It is preferable for the tire pressure
to be slightly high than too low. Under-
pressure increases fuel consumption. Check the fuel consumption regularly.
Increased fuel consumption can indicate
that something is wrong and that the car
needs to be checked. We recommend
that you contact a Saab dealer.
Practical road tests have demonstrated that
substantial savings in fuel consumption can
be made if the above advice is followed.
Road conditionsWet roads increase fuel consumption, as do
unpaved roads and driving in hilly country
(the amount of fuel saved driving downhill is
less than the additional amount required to
climb the hill).
Engine block heater3The following are just some of the benefits
to the car and the environment of using an
engine block heater:
Lower fuel consumption.
Reduced wear on the engine.
Inside of car warms up faster.
Exhaust emissions substantially reduced
over short runs.
The engine heater is effective at outside
temperatures up to 60–70°F (+15–+20°C).
The warmer it is outside, the shorter the time
the engine heater needs to be connected.
Longer than 1.5 hours is unnecessary.
If the car is equipped with a removable,
electric cabin heater that is not in use, store
this in the trunk.
WARNING
Never switch off the engine while driving
as the effect of the brakes and power
steering will be greatly reduced.
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186 Starting and drivingRemember that tires age: it may therefore
be necessary to change winter tires before
they reach the legal wear limit, as they grad-
ually lose their friction properties with age.
If you get into a front wheel skid and the car
has a manual transmission, the best
response is to freewheel, which means
declutching so that the wheels neither drive
nor brake, and to cautiously steer in the
desired direction.
If the car has automatic transmission, ease
off the accelerator slightly and steer cau-
tiously in the desired direction.
If you get into a rear wheel skid, steer in the
same direction as the movement of the rear
of the car.
Driving with tire chains3Snow chains must only be fitted to the wheel
and tire dimensions that Saab recommends
in "Technical data" on page 279.
We recommend that you contact a Saab
dealer regarding approved tire chains. See
also page 248.
WARNING
Do not drive at speeds above 30 mph
(50 km/h) when tire chains are fitted.
Tire chains can reduce directional
stability.
Do not fit tire chains to the car’s rear
wheels.
NOTICE Check the links frequently for wear.
Check that the chains do not foul the
wheel arch liner at full lock.
Refer to the "Technical data" section
on page 279, for information on wheel
and tire dimensions approved for the
fitting of tire chains.
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188 Starting and drivingTowing a trailer3Make sure you are familiar with the legal
requirements regarding speed limits for
towing, maximum trailer weights, trailer
braking requirements, and also any spe-
cial driving licence provisions.
Trailer hitch attachment3Trailer hitch attachments are available as
accessories. These are designed for a max-
imum trailer weight of 3500 lbs (1588 kg),
with trailer brakes.
An electrical connection3 for the towbar
and an electrical unit are provided in the
electrical centre on the left-hand side of the
luggage compartment.
If the car has a 13-pin Saab genuine electri-
cal socket then it is possible to supply a
trailer/caravan with rear fog lights and
reversing lights. The caravan can also have
interior and exterior lighting even when the
car’s ignition is switched off. In which case,
remember not to load the battery for too
long so that it is discharged and pre-
vents the car from starting.
There is also access to power in the caravan
during a journey, the caravan battery can be
charged for example.
Also, if the car has SPA, this is deactivated
automatically if a trailer is hitched up and
correctly connected to the Saab genuine
trailer socket.
Saab recommendations:
Use a genuine Saab trailer hitch that is
designed and tested for your Saab.
Contact your Saab dealer for advice on
which trailer hitch is designed for your car.
WARNING
Do not drive with a trailer on inclines
steeper than 15 %. The load on the
drive (front) wheels will be so low that
the wheels can start to spin and
prevent further progress.
In addition, the car’s parking brake
may not always be sufficient to hold
the car and trailer securely, as the
wheels may start to slide.
Always apply the trailer’s parking
brake when unhitching it. There is
otherwise a risk of personal injury or
damage to the bumper should the
trailer start to roll.
When you hitch up the trailer be sure
to attach its safety chains to the holes
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190 Starting and drivingWhen continuing your journey, manually
select a low gear in which the engine speed
is about 3,500 rpm until the incline eases
(see page 168).
Recommendations for cars with
manual transmissionRises in coolant temperature are indicated
by the temperature gauge in the main instru-
ment panel.
When the needle is just outside the red
zone, the A/C compressor will be switched
off and, on certain engine variants, the max-
imum engine torque will be limited.
When continuing your journey, select a low
gear in which the engine speed is about
3,500 rpm until the incline eases.
Trailer hitch loadThe weight distribution on the trailer makes
a lot of difference to the handling properties
of the car and trailer combination. With a
two-wheel trailer, concentrate the load over
the wheels and keep it as low as possible.
The trailer should be loaded so that the load
on the towball is 110–165 lbs. (50–75 kg).
Note that this load must be included in the
total load for the car. If this now exceeds the
specified load capacity, the load in the trunk
may have to be reduced by the correspond-
ing amount.
WARNING
Remember to use engine-braking (selec-
tor position M1, M2, or M3) to spare the
brakes when you are driving on a long or
steep downhill slope.
Overheating can cause the brakes to
fade!
WARNING
Remember to use engine-braking (selec-
tor position 1, 2, or 3) to spare the brakes
when you are driving on a long or steep
downhill slope.
Overheating can cause the brakes to
fade!
Distribution of load in trailera Light
b Moderate
cHeavy
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193 Starting and driving
Fitting roof carriers3SportCombi with roof rails
1 Clean the car’s roof rails.
2 Check the markings on the cross
members to see which is the front and
which is the rear roof carrier.
3 Place the cross members on the roof
rails, on their respective sides of the
centre supports. The cross members
must not be placed beyond the front or
rear joint on the rail. Ensure that the
distance between the cross members is
at least 700 mm.
If a roof box is to be fitted, the cross
members must be positioned so that the
tailgate can be opened fully without
hitting the roof box.
4Using your thumb, press the bracket
so that it lies snugly against the
outside of the roof rail. M a k e s u r e t h a t
the roof carriers are seated centrally on
the rubber spacers and that these sit
correctly on the roof rail. Pull the spacers
down slightly on the inside of the roof
rail.
5 Centre the roof carriers so that they
protrude equally on both sides.
6 Tighten the roof carriers by hand.
Ensure that the tightening knobs are
upright once the roof carriers have been
tightened.
7 Make sure the roof carriers are securely
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194 Starting and drivingDriving with a loadThe handling characteristics are affected by
how the car is loaded.
Driving with the trunk lid
openIf you must drive with the trunk lid open,
close all windows and the moonroof (if
equipped) and set the cabin fan to its high-
est speed setting.
Driving in deep water
NOTICE Place the heaviest load as far forward
and as low as possible in the trunk.
Secure the load to the lashing eyes
(see page 139).
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 of
the roof box, even if there is room for
more.
Ensure that the tire pressure is correct
– slight overinflation is preferable to
underinflation.
The braking distance of a loaded car is
always greater. Keep your distance
from the vehicle in front.
Do not exceed the car’s permissible
gross vehicle weight or axle load (see
page 280).
Roof loads can negatively affect tele-
communication.
For further information on tires see
page 241.
WARNING
Avoid driving with the trunk lid partly or
fully open, since exhaust fumes can be
drawn into the cabin.
NOTICEDo not drive in puddles or water deeper
than 7 in. (20 cm) and do not drive faster
than 3–4 mph. Water can otherwise be
sucked into the engine. The engine will be
seriously damaged if water enters the
intake system.
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195 Starting and driving
Driving at nightBear in mind the following points, especially
when driving at night:
Nighttime driving requires your full
concentration
Do not rush. Count on your journey taking
slightly longer.
The number of drivers under the influence
of drugs is likely to be greater at night than
during the day.
Do not stare at the headlights of oncom-
ing vehicles.
Avoid driving at night if you have poor
eyesight. Night vision deteriorates with
age.
Keep your car’s headlights, windows and
mirrors clean. Also, if you wear glasses,
make sure they are clean.
Make sure you are well rested before
starting a long journey. Take a break
every other hour.
Only eat light meals. Heavy meals have a
tendency to induce tiredness.
Wild animals prefer to move at dusk and
dawn.
Check the headlight levelling setting (see
page 97).
Towing the car
Front towing eye
WARNING
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 servo operate
when the engine is off. The steering
will therefore be much heavier than
usual.
The towing vehicle should always be
heavier than the vehicle on tow.
Never allow passengers to ride in the
car when it is on tow.
Always seek professional help if the
car needs to be recovered.
The ignition switch must be in the ON
position if the car is moved with the
engine not running.
The steering wheel lock must be
disengaged before towing the car.
The steering wheel lock disengages
when the remote control is inserted
into the ignition switch, if the battery
has sufficient charge.
WARNING
Make sure that the towing eye is
screwed in tightly. It has a left-hand
thread!
The towing eye is only designed for
towing the car on roads. It must not
be used to pull the car out of a ditch,
for example.
Make sure that all bystanders keep a
suitable distance, in case the towing
eye or tow rope should snap. The
towing eye or tow rope could catapult
off and cause seriously injury.
Never drive with the towing eye fitted
to the front bumper. Return it to its
designated storage space.
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196 Starting and drivingThe front towing eye is stowed by the spare
wheel. On the left-hand side of the bumper
is a cover concealing the attachment point
(tapped hole) for the towing eye.
1 Press the knob on the upper section of
this cover at the same time as pulling out
the lower edge.
2 Screw in the towing eye. The towing
eye has a left-hand thread!
3 Insert the wheel wrench into the eye to
tighten it properly.
To refit the cover: Start by inserting the top
edge of the cover. Then click in the lower
edge, one corner at a time.
Rear towing eyeThe car has a permanent towing eye at the
rear under the bumper.
If the car is equipped with a towbar, this can
be used instead of the towing eye.
Towing the carEngage neutral (automatic transmission:
move the selector lever to N). Turn on the
parking lights.
Drive carefully and do not exceed the
speed limit for vehicles on tow.NOTICENever use the towing eyes to pull the car
unstuck.
Front towing eye fitted.
The towing eye has a left-hand thread!
Rear towing eye
Never use the towing eyes to pull the car
unstuck.
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198 Starting and drivingJump starting
It is essential when a donor battery is to be
used to jump start the car that the jump
leads be connected correctly to prevent
arcing.
To jump start your vehicle:
1 Check the other vehicle. It must have a
12-volt battery with a negative ground
system.2 Get the vehicles close enough so the
jumper cables can reach, but be sure the
vehicles are not touching each other. If
a poor connection on the negative
jumper cable should exist, it is possible
for damage to be caused to electrical
systems/components of either vehicle
should inadvertent contact be made.
You would not be able to start your car
and bad grounding could damage the
electrical systems.
3 Turn off the ignition on both vehicles.
Turn off lights that are not needed, and
radios. This will avoid sparks and help
save both batteries and it could save
your radio.
WARNING
When working on the battery, highly
explosive gas can build up. A spark
could ignite this gas that collects
around the battery. Therefore, always
avoid sparks and open flames in the
vicinity of the battery.
The battery contains corrosive sulphu-
ric acid. Always wear a face mask or
goggles when working on the battery.
If battery acid gets into the eyes or
splashes onto skin or clothing, wash
the affected area liberally with water. If
acid gets into the eyes or a large quan-
tity makes contact with the skin, seek
medical help.
NOTICEIgnoring these steps could result in costly
damage to your vehicle that would not be
covered by your warranty.
Trying to start your car by pushing or pull-
ing it could damage your vehicle, even if
you have a manual transmission. If you
have an automatic transmission, your
vehicle cannot be started by pushing or
pulling it.
NOTICEIf the other system is not a 12-volt system
with a negative ground, both vehicles can
be damaged.
WARNING
You could be injured if the vehicles roll.
Set the parking brake firmly on each vehi-
cle. Put an automatic transmission in P
(Park) or a manual transmission in
Neutral.
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199 Starting and driving
4 Open the hood and locate the battery.
Find the positive (+) and negative (–) termi-
nals on the battery.5 Check that the jumper cables do not
have loose or missing insulation. If they
do, you could get a shock and also the
vehicles could be damaged.
Before you connect the cables, here are
some basic things you should know.
Positive (+) will go to positive (+) and
negative (–) will go to negative (–). Do
not connect (+) to (–) or you will get a
short that could injure you or would
damage the battery and maybe other
parts as well.
6 Connect the red positive (+) cable to the
positive (+) terminal of the vehicle with
the discharged battery.7 Do not let the other end touch metal.
Connect it to the positive (+) terminal of
the good battery. Use a remote positive
(+) terminal if the vehicle has one.
8 Now connect the negative (–) cable to
the good battery’s negative terminal.
9 Attach the cable to the discharged
battery’s negative terminal.
10 Start the vehicle with the good battery
and run the engine for a while.
11 Try to start the vehicle with the
discharged battery. If it does not start
after a few tries, it probably needs
service.
Note. If the current in the low battery is
too low it might be necessary to wait
several minutes with the cables
connected before you can start the
engine with the low battery.
12 Remove the cables in reverse order to
prevent electrical shorting. Take care
that they do not touch each other or any
other metal.NOTICEIf you leave your radio on, it could be
badly damaged. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
WARNING
An electric fan can start up even when the
engine is not running and can injure you.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from
any underhood electric fan.
WARNING
Using a match or flame of any kind near a
battery can cause battery gas to explode.
You can suffer burns or be blinded. Use a
flashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the electrolyte in the battery is not
frozen. Discharged batteries will freeze.
When connecting jumper cables to a
frozen battery, gas from the chemical
reaction inside the battery can build up
under the ice and cause an explosion.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn
you. Do not get it on you. If you acciden-
tally get it in your eyes or on your skin,
flush the area with water and get medical
help immediately.
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