tires SAAB 9-5 2002 User Guide

224 Car care and technical informationUniform Tire Quality Grading (US)Quality grades can be found where applica-
ble on the tire sidewall between tread shoul-
der and maximum section width. For exam-
ple:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature ATreadwearThe treadwear grade is a comparative
rating based on the wear rate of the tire
when tested under controlled conditions on
a specified government test course. For
example, a tire graded 150 would wear one
and one half (1 1/2) times as well on the gov-
ernment course as a tire graded 100. The
relative performance of tires depends upon
the actual conditions of their use, however,
and may depart significantly from the norm
due to variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road character-
istics and climate.
TractionThe traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, B and C. These grades represent
the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
Wear indicatorsThe tires incorporate wear indicators in the
form of smooth, treadless strips across the
width, which become visible when only
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.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to a tire is
based on straight-ahead braking, traction
test and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning or peak traction
characteristics.
SG840
Wear indicators
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225 Car care and technical information
TemperatureThe temperature grades are A (the highest),
B, and C, representing the tire’s resistance
to the generation of heat and its ability to dis-
sipate heat when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and excessive temper-
ature can lead to sudden tire failure. The
grade C corresponds to a level of perfor-
mance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.
Date 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 two last
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.
WARNING
The temperature grade for a tire is estab-
lished for a tire that is properly inflated
and not overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive loading,
either separately or in combination, can
cause heat buildup and possible tire fail-
ure.
IB1564
Date code
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230 Car care and technical information
Flat spottingAll tires get hot, especially on long journeys
or when the car is driven hard. After the car
has been parked with hot tires and the tires
have cooled down, a flat spot can appear in
the tire, where it is in contact with the
ground. The same can occur if the car has
not been moved for a long time.
Flat spots can give rise to vibration that can
be felt through the steering wheel, similar to
that experienced when the wheels need bal-
ancing. Flat spots of this type disappear
once the tires get hot again, usually after
10–15 miles (20–25 km) of driving at cruis-
ing speed.
WARNING
If the car has been driven for several
years exclusively with alloy wheels and
steel wheels are now fitted, the bolt hole
threads in the brake hubs should be
cleaned before the thinner steel wheels
are fitted. Grit, salt and rust can clog the
inner threads making it impossible to
achieve the correct tightening torque.
IB539
Tightening sequence, wheel bolts
IB1800IB1800
Removing the wheel cover
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237 Car care and technical information
4Inspect the undercoating and touch
up if necessary.
Pay particular atten-
tion to the fenders and wheel housings,
which are exposed to abrasion by flying
gravel, etc. If the composition has worn
or flaked off, the steel must be thor-
oughly cleaned and dried before a fresh
coat is applied. The cleaning is best
done with a scraper and a steel wire
brush, followed by washing with solvent.
Apply the new coating thinly, as other-
wise it may run off or fall off when dry.
For long tripsBefore setting off on a long journey, it is
advisable to have your car checked over by
your Saab dealer.
Obtain a few important items to take along
on your journey such as spare bulbs, wiper
blades, fuses, a Poly-V-belt and the like.
You can check some points yourself before-
hand:
 Make sure that the engine is in good con-
dition.
 Check that no oil or gasoline leaks out of
the engine or gearbox/transmission.
 Check the coolant and power steering
fluid levels. Check also for leaks.
 Inspect the Poly-V-belt and replace it if it
shows any signs of hard wear.
 Check the battery charge.
 Check the tires for tread pattern and air
pressure, including the compact spare
wheel.
 Check the brakes.
 Check all bulbs.
 Check for the presence of the tool kit and
the jack in the car.
Recovery and/or
recycling of automotive
materialsA typical car consists of metals (65–75%),
plastics (10–14%), rubber (5%) and small
quantities of glass, wood, paper and tex-
tiles.
Some of these materials can be recycled,
while others can be recovered in chemical
processes for reuse in new products or as a
source of energy.
While the Saab 9-5 was still at the draw-
ing-board stage, Saab engineers were
giving serious consideration to how the
maximum quantity of materials could be
reclaimed from the car on its eventual
scrapping. To facilitate sorting, plastic parts,
for instance, have been marked to identify
the precise nature of the plastic.
Approximately 90% of the materials in the
car can be recycled or recovered, where
facilities exist.
Before the car is scrapped, all the oils and
other fluids that could pollute the environ-
ment should be recovered from the car. It
may be of interest in this context to learn that
the refrigerant used in the Saab 9-5’s ACC
systems (R134a) contains neither CFCs nor
any other chlorine compounds.
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239 Car care and technical information
Headlight aimingThe vehicle has a visual optical headlight
aiming system equipped with vertical
aiming device. The aim has been preset at
the factory and should normally not need
further adjustments.
If your headlights are damaged in a crash,
the headlight aim may be affected. If you
believe your headlights need to be
re-aimed, we recommend that you take it to
your Saab dealer for service, however, it is
possible for you to re-aim your headlights as
described in the following procedure.To check the aim, the vehicle should be
properly prepared as follows:
 The vehicle shall be placed so that the
headlights are 25 ft (7.6 m) from a light
colored wall or other flat surface. The
aiming area should be darkened, this will
improve your ability to see the beam of the
low beam headlight being aimed.
 The vehicle must have all four wheels on
a perfectly level surface which is level all
the way to the wall or other flat surface.
 The vehicle should be placed so it is
perpendicular to the wall or other flat
surface.
 The vehicle should be unloaded and fuel
tank full, and one person or 160 lbs.
(75 kg) on the drivers seat.  The vehicle should be fully assembled
and all other work stopped while headlight
aiming is being done.
 The vehicle should not have any snow, ice
or mud attached to it.
 Tires should be inflated to the prescribed
pressure.
 Close all doors.
 Rock the vehicle to stabilize the suspen-
sion.
Headlight aiming is done with the vehicle
low beam lamps. The high beam lamps will
be correctly aimed if the low beam lamps
are aimed properly.
WARNING
Before checking/adjusting the headlight
aiming, switch off the engine to avoid
danger of fingers and hands being injured
by moving parts.
The radiator fan can start up even when
the engine is switched off.NOTETo make sure that your headlights are
aimed properly read all instructions
before beginning. Failure to follow these
instructions could cause damage to
headlight parts or a not correctly aimed
headlight.
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245 Maintenance and owner assistance
Service record retentionService instruction coupons and record
stubs are provided in the Saab Warranties
and Service Record Booklet which accom-
panies this Owner’s Manual. The coupons
are arranged in the order that normal ser-
vice should be performed. The edge of each
coupon is shaded to correspond to the type
of service point:
 Striped - "Check Up"
 Blue - Oil change/inspection service
 Black - Major service
Note that in Canada a combined service
and warranty book is used, but not service
coupons.
When scheduled services are performed,
your dealer will tear out the applicable
coupon and use it to check off the opera-
tions performed and enter it into the service
file at the dealership. The servicing dealer’s
stamp, along with the date and mileage at
which the service was done, should be
entered on the corresponding stub which
remains in your booklet. The booklet is your
permanent record of the services per-
formed. It also includes a log sheet for
unscheduled repairs.
It is advisable to retain receipts and, if pos-
sible, copies of shop work orders for all ser-
vice and repair work, wherever performed.
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
locality.
Owner assistanceWarranties and service problem
assistanceFor complete information about all applica-
ble warranties, including the New Car War-
ranty, Perforation Warranty, Vehicle Emis-
sion Warranty and Emission Perforation
Warranty, consult the Warranties and Ser-
vice Record Booklet which accompanies
this Owner’s Manual. It also contains owner
assistance information including Saab
Roadside Assistance. If the booklet is lost or
misplaced, a new one may be ordered
through a Saab dealer or by contacting
Saab.
In the U.S. there is a national Customer
Assistance Center at Saab Cars USA, Inc.
The toll-free number to call from all 50 states
is 1-800-955-9007.
In Canada, please call the Saab Customer
Assistance Centre at 1-800-263-1999.
A list of authorized Saab sales and service
dealers is available for those planning to
travel in the United States and Canada.
Canadian or U.S. travelers may call the
Customer Assistance Center in the country
in which they are traveling.
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247 Specifications
Specifications General.............................. 248
Engine ............................... 250
Fuel.................................... 250
Engine oil .......................... 251
Engine variants ................ 252
Electrical system.............. 253
Drive belts......................... 253
Manual gearbox................ 254
Automatic transmission .. 254
Suspension....................... 255
Steering............................. 255
Brake system.................... 255
Wheels and tires .............. 256
Plates and labels .............. 257
IB603
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256 SpecificationsWheels and tiresWheel size _______________________ 6.5 x 16 or 7 x 17
2.3 Turbo Aero _____________________ Use only 6.5 x 16 or
7 x 17 only
Contact an authorized Saab dealer if you
wish to fit other wheels than those fitted
as standard.
Tire size (summer tires):
6.5 x 16 wheels __________________ 215/55 R16
7 x 17 wheels ____________________ 225/45 R17
Tire size (winter tires):
6 x 15 wheels (Linear only: not 2.3 Turbo
Aero or 3.0 V6) ___________________ 195/65 R15 M+S
6.5 x 16 wheels___________________ 205/55 R16 M+S
Recommended wheels for snow chains 6 x 15 (not 9-5 2.3
Turbo Aero) or
6.5 x 16
Compact spare:
Wheel __________________________ 4 x 16
Tire ____________________________ T115/70 R16
Pressure ________________________ 60 psi (420 kPa)
Maximum life ____________________ 2,200 miles
(3500 km)
Maximum speed _________________ 50 mph (80 km/h)
NOTESnow chains:
Snow chains must not be fitted to the rear wheels, and may only
be used with the following wheel-tire combinations:
Wheels Tires
6.5 x 15_____195/65 R15 M+S
(Linear only: not 2.3 Turbo Aero or 3.0L V6)
205/65 R15
(Linear only: not 2.3 Turbo Aero or 3.0L V6)
6.5 x 16_____205/55 R16 M+S or
215/55 R16
Snow chains must not be fitted to 17" wheels.
Max. permissible speed with snow chains fitted is 30 mph
(50 km/h).
Contact an authorized Saab dealer for advice on snow chains.NOTEWheels larger than 17” must not be fitted.
The wheel offset must not exceed 49 mm.
Vehicles with 12.05 in (306 mm) front brake discs must not use
15” rims.
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261 Index
IndexAA/C system, fault diagnosis
________ 231
A/C system, maintenance _________ 231
ABS brakes
____________________ 165
ACC
__________________________ 72
ACC functions
___________________ 75
ACC, automatic climate control
______ 72
ACC, calibration
_________________ 80
ACC, condensation _______________ 81
ACC, programming _______________ 78
ACC, useful tips
_________________ 80
Adjusting the steering wheel
_______ 122
Adjustment, seats
_______________ 118
Afterheater, V6-engine cars
________ 82
Air conditioning (A/C), fault diagnosis
and maintenance
______________ 231
Air distribution, ACC ______________ 77
Airbag
_________________________ 29
Alarm __________________________ 43
Alarm functions
__________________ 46
Alarm signals
_______________ 43
, 46
Alternator
_____________________ 201
Alternator drive belt
_________ 201
, 253
Alternator rating
________________ 253
Anticorrosion treatment
___________ 235
Antidazzle rear-view mirror
________ 124
Ashtrays
______________________ 128
Audio System
___________________ 83
Audio System, quick guide
_________ 85Autochecking of lights on starting
____56
Automatic climate control (ACC) _____72
Automatic transmission,
technical data
_________________254
BBattery
________________________199
Battery charging/replacing
________200
Battery, boost starting
____________182
Belt guide
______________________12
Boost starting using jump leads
____182
Booster cushion
_________________27
Brake and clutch fluid
____________197
Brake-fluid reservoir
_____________197
Brakes, technical data ____________255
Bulbs, changing
_________________204
Bulbs, table of
__________________215
CCD changer
_____________________95
CD player
______________________93
CHECK messages
_______________63
CHECKING
_____________________63
Calibration, ACC
_________________80
Cancelling the programmed settings
__78
Car alarm
______________________43
Car care
______________________187
Cargo net, 9-5 Wagon
____________139
Carpeting, care of
_______________232
Cassette player
__________________90Catalytic converter,
important considerations
________ 150
Central locking
__________________ 38
Change language in SID
__________ 64
Change of address notification
____ 246
Changing a wheel
______________ 227
Changing bulbs
________________ 204
Changing the wheels round
_______ 223
Changing wiper blades
__________ 202
Chassis number
_______________ 257
Chassis number, key to
__________ 258
Child safety
____________________ 19
Child safety locks, rear doors
______ 41
Child seat, integral
_______________ 27
Cleaning, engine bay ____________ 233
Clock
______________________ 63
, 64
Color code, body
_______________ 257
Color code, trim ________________ 257
Compact spare wheel
___________ 226
Condensation, ACC
______________ 81
Coolant
______________________ 196
Courtesy Headlight Feature
_______ 66
Cruise control
_________________ 164
Cup holder
____________________ 131
DDICE/TWICE
__________________ 217
Dampers
_____________________ 255
Date code, tires
________________ 225
Dim-dipped beam _______________ 65
Direction indicators ______________ 67
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264 IndexSpare wheel
___________________ 226
Spare wheel and tools
___________ 142
Spark plugs
____________________ 253
Speed rating ___________________ 222
Speedometer _______________ 56
, 57
Starting in cold weather, ACC
_______ 78
Starting in hot weather, ACC _______ 78
Steering wheel adjustment
________ 122
Steering, technical data
__________ 255
Stone-chip damage, repairing
______ 234
Storage compartments
___________ 129
Sun visors
_____________________ 128
Sunroof
_______________________ 126
Suspension
____________________ 255
Suspension, technical data
________ 255
Switches
_______________________ 65
Systems, adjustment
_____________ 259
TTCS OFF
_______________________ 55
Table of fuses
__________________ 218
Tachometer
_____________________ 56
Tailgate, opening
________________ 41
Tank gauge
_____________________ 57
Technical data __________________ 247
Telematics
_____________________ 105
Temperature control, ACC
_________ 74
Temperature gauge, engine ________ 57
Temperature zones, ACC
__________ 74
Textile carpeting
________________ 232
Through-load hatch ______________ 134Tie Downs
_____________________134
Tightening torque, wheel studs
_____227
Tire markings
_____________ 222
, 223
Tire pressure
______________ 178
, 222
Tires
____________________ 222
, 256
Tools
_________________________142
Touching-in the paintwork
_________234
Towbar attachment
______________173
Towbar load
___________________175
Towing the car __________________180
Towing, automatics
______________180
Traction
_______________________167
Trailer weights
__________________249
Trionic
________________________191
Trip computer
___________________59
Trip meter
______________________56
Trunk
_________________________132
Trunk lid, opening
________________41
Turbo gauge
____________________58
Turbo, points to note
_____________149
UUnder the hood, 3.0t V6
__________190
Under the hood, 4-cyl
____________189
Upholstery and trim
______________232
Upholstery and trim, care of
_______232
Useful tips, ACC
_________________80
VVanity mirrors
__________________128Ventilated front seats
____________ 121
Viscosity, engine oil _____________ 250
WWarning labels
___________________ 8
Warning light, AIR BAG
___________ 34
Warning lights
__________________ 50
Washers
_____________________ 202
Washers, windshield
____________ 203
Washing the car
_______________ 233
Waxing and polishing
___________ 233
Wear indicators, tires ____________ 224
Wheel, change
________________ 227
Wheels and tires ___________ 222
, 256
Wheels and tires, sizes
__________ 256
Window glass sensor, car alarm
____ 44
Windshield washers
_____________ 70
Windshield wipers
_______________ 70
Wiper blades, replacing
__________ 202
Wipers and washers
_________ 70
, 202
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