tire type SAAB 9-5 2004 User Guide

257 Car care and technical information
What causes rust?Steel body panels of automobiles are sub-
ject to rusting whenever air and moisture
manage to penetrate the protective finish,
and body panels may rust through if the pro-
cess is unchecked. Rusting can occur wher-
ever water is trapped or where the car’s
panels are continuously damp. Damage to
paint and undercoating by stones, gravel
and minor crashes immediately 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 coun-
try with high humidity have great potential
for rust problems, especially where salt is
used on roads or there is moist sea air.
Industrial pollution (fallout) may also
damage paint and promote rusting.
Preventive maintenanceThe following procedures are necessary to
help protect against rusting. Refer also to
the terms and conditions of the Sheet Metal
Coverage described in the warranty book-
let.
1
Wash the car frequently, and wax at
least twice a year.
Under adverse con-
ditions, where there is a rapid buildup of
dirt, sand or road salt, wash your car at
least once a week. After extreme expo-
sure to salted snow or slush, evidenced
by a white film on the car, wash the car
immediately. Frequent washing will pre-
vent paint damage from acid rain and
other airborne contaminants such as
tree sap and bird droppings. If any of
these contaminants are noticed on the
car the finish should be washed immedi-
ately.
 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.2
Clean the underside of the car during
the winter.
Use high pressure water to
clean the car’s underside (floor panels,
wheel wells) at least at mid- winter and
in the spring.
3
Inspect the car frequently for leaks or
damage, and arrange for needed
repairs promptly.
After washing or after
heavy rain, check for leaks. When wash-
ing the car inspect body surfaces for
paint damage. While checking for leaks,
lift the floor mats and check beneath
them. Water can collect in these areas
and remain for prolonged periods. Dry
any wet areas including the floor mats.
Have leaks repaired as soon as possi-
ble.
Use touch-up paint to repair small
scratches or minor finish damage. Areas
where metal is exposed will rust quickly
and MUST be repaired immediately by
touch-up or professional repainting.
Rust must be removed, the bare metal
primed and painted. Major body
damage should be repaired immediately
and new panels or exposed areas
should be undercoated with anti- corro-
sion material.
Repairs of this type are the owner’s
responsibility and are not covered under
warranty.
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265 Customer Assistance and Information
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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