speed warning SAAB 9-5 2004 Owner's Guide

237 Car care and technical information
Uniform Tire Quality GradingQuality 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
A
The following information relates to the
system developed by the United States
National Highway Traffic Safety Administra-
tion, which grades tires by treadwear, trac-
tion and temperature performance. (This
applies only to vehicles sold in the United
States.) The grades are molded on the side-
walls of most passenger car tires. The Uni-
form Tire Quality Grading system does not
apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary use spare tires,
tires with nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12
inches (25 to 30 cm), or to some limited-pro-
duction tires.
While the tires available on General Motors
passenger cars and light trucks may vary
with respect to these grades, they must also
conform to federal safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire Perfor-
mance Criteria (TPC) standards.Treadwear
The 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 a half (1.5) times as well on the govern-
ment course as a tire graded 100. The rela-
tive 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 prac-
tices and differences in road characteristics
and climate.
Traction – AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades repre-
sent the tire’s ability to stop on wet pave-
ment as measured under controlled condi-
tions on specified government test surfaces
of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction performance. Warn-
ing: The traction grade assigned to this tire
is based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.Temperature – A, B, C
The 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.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire
is established 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 failure.
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238 Car care and technical informationWheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned
and balanced carefully at the factory to give
you the longest tire life and best overall per-
formance.
Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel bal-
ancing are not needed. However, if you
notice unusual tire wear or your vehicle pull-
ing one way or the other, the alignment may
need to be reset. If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving on a smooth road,
your wheels may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked or
badly rusted or corroded. If wheel nuts keep
coming loose, the wheel, wheel bolts and
wheel nuts should be replaced. If the wheel
leaks air, replace it (except some aluminum
wheels, which can sometimes be repaired).
See your dealer if any of these conditions
exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you
need.
Each new wheel should have the same
load-carrying capacity, diameter, width,
offset and be mounted the same way as the
one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels,
wheel bolts or wheel nuts, replace them only
with new Saab original equipment parts.
This way, you will be sure to have the right
wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts for your
vehicle.
Notice:
The wrong wheel can also cause
problems with bearing life, brake cool-
ing, speedometer or odometer calibra-
tion, headlamp aim, bumper height, vehi-
cle ground clearance and tire or tire
chain clearance to the body and chassis.
See “Changing a wheel” on page 247.Used Replacement Wheels
WARNING
Using the wrong replacement wheels,
wheel bolts or wheel nuts on your vehicle
can be dangerous. It could affect the
braking and handling of your vehicle,
make your tires lose air and make you
lose control. You could have a collision in
which you or others could be injured.
Always use the correct wheel, wheel bolts
and wheel nuts for replacement.
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 wheels
should therefore be moved to the front.
WARNING
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been
used or how far it’s been driven. It could
fail suddenly and cause a crash. If you
have to replace a wheel, use a new GM
original equipment wheel.
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271 Specifications
Trailer:
Luggage compartment
Volume (SAE):
9-5 Sedan _______________________ 15.9 cu.ft.
(450 litres)
9-5 Wagon, rear seat upright ________ 31.4 cu. ft.
(890 litres)
9-5 Wagon, rear seat folded _________ 73.0 cu. ft.
(2067 litres)
Luggage compartment, length, 9-5 Sedan:
Rear seat upright _________________ 43.0 in (1092 mm)
Rear seat folded down _____________ 67.5 in (1714 mm)
Luggage compartment, length, 9-5 Wagon:
Rear seat upright _________________ 42.8 in (1087 mm)
Rear seat folded __________________ 61.2 in (1732 mm)
WARNING
 The GVW and maximum axle loads must not be exceeded.
Note that if some accessories (e.g. towbar, CD changer) are
fitted, the available load capacity is reduced by the weight of
these.
 When carrying a load in the luggage compartment, make sure
that it is tied down securely, particularly when part or all of the
rear seat is folded down.
Maximum towing speed, trailer with brakes 60 mph (100 km/h)
Trailer with brakes _________________ Maximum weight:
3500 lbs (1588 kg)
Trailer without brakes ______________ Maximum weight:
1000 lbs (450 kg)
Maximum load on ball hitch __________ 110–165 lbs
(50–75 kg)
The above speed and weight restrictions are those specified by
Saab Automobile AB.
Note that local restrictions may apply to trailer speeds and
weights (see page 178).
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