SAAB 9-5 2005 Owners Manual

229 Car care and technical information
Tire 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 particu-
larly 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.
IB1564
Tire date code
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230 Car care and technical informationCompact spare tireThe compact spare is light and easy to
handle when changing the tire. Its use is
only permitted when a standard tire has sus-
tained a puncture. The maximum life of the
tire is only 2000 miles (3,500 km).Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h) with the
compact spare fitted.The compact spare should be inflated to
60 psi (420 kPa). Carry the punctured tire in
the spare-wheel well under the luggage-
compartment floor.
Have the standard tire repaired and refitted
as soon as possible (see also page 170).The spare tire, together with the jack, front
towrope attachment eye and toolkit, is
stowed away underneath the luggage-
compartment floor.
NOTICETo avoid damaging a punctured alloy
wheel it can be placed outside up in the
spare-wheel well but
only
while driving to
the closest dealer.
A general rule is that all heavy loads must
be well secured in the luggage compart-
ment, see page 123 and 126.
IB3234
Hanging up the cover, 9-5 SportWagon
IB3233
Spare wheel (under panel in luggage
compartment)
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231 Car care and technical information
Changing a wheel
WARNING
Lifting a vehicle and getting under it to do
maintenance or repairs is dangerous
without the appropriate safety equipment
and training. The jack provided with your
vehicle is designed only for changing a
flat tire. If it is used for anything else, you
or others could be badly injured or killed if
the vehicle slips off the jack. Use the jack
provided with your vehicle only for chang-
ing a flat tire.
Changing a tire can be dangerous. The
vehicle can slip off the jack and roll over
or fall on you or other people. You and
they could be badly injured or even killed.
Find a level place to change your tire. To
help prevent the vehicle from moving:
1 Set the parking brake firmly.
2 If you have an automatic transmis-
sion, put the shift lever in PARK (P).
For a manual transmission, leave the
car in gear (1st or REVERSE (R)).
3 Turn off the engine and do not restart
while the vehicle is raised.
4 Do not allow passengers to remain in
the vehicle.
To be even more certain the vehicle won't
move, you should put blocks at the front
and rear of the tire farthest away from the
one being changed. That would be the
tire, on the other side, at the opposite end
of the vehicle.
 The car jack is designed solely for use
in changing a wheel or fitting snow
chains.
It must not be used to
support the car during repair work
or servicing.
Never
crawl under a car that is
supported only by a jack.
 Raising your vehicle too high or with
the jack improperly positioned can
damage the vehicle and even make
the vehicle fall. To help avoid personal
injury and vehicle damage, be sure to
fit the jack lift head into the proper
location before raising the vehicle, and
raise the vehicle only far enough off
the ground so there is enough room for
the spare tire to fit (no more than 25
mm or 1 inch clearance between the
ground and the bottom of the tire).
 Switch on the hazard warning lights if
the car is on a road.
 The jack should be stored correctly
under the carpeting in the trunk. If it
lies loose in the car, it could thrown
forward and cause personal injury in
the event of a crash or if the car rolls
over.
 Grit, salt and rust can clog the inner
threads of the wheel bolts if the car has
been driven for several years exclu-
sively with alloy wheels.
If steel wheels are being installed, the
bolt hole threads in the brake hubs
should be cleaned before the thinner
steel wheels are fitted. It may other-
wise not be possible to achieve the
correct clamping force, despite tight-
ening the wheel bolts to the correct
torque.
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232 Car care and technical informationTo jack up the car, apply the jack to one of
the special jacking points under the sills.
If a floor jack is used, it can be applied to the
standard jacking points used by the dealer.
A floor jack can lift both front wheels or both
rear wheels off the ground simultaneously.
A jack stand must then be applied underne-
ath the front of the engine subframe (at the
fixing point for the towrope-attachment eye)
or to the rear towrope-attachment eye (or
under the trailer hitch, if fitted).1 Put the car in 1st gear (automatic trans-
mission: move selector to the P position)
and apply the parking brake.2 Wind the jack up to a suitable height
before placing it under the recess in the
sill.
Make sure that the jack fully engages
the recess in the sill and that the base of
the jack is steady and flat on the ground.
3 Remove the wheel cover (where appli-
cable).
Loosen the wheel bolts by half a turn.
4 Wind the jack to raise the wheel clear of
the ground. Remove the wheel bolts and
lift off the wheel.
5 Clean any rust or dirt from the contact
surfaces between the wheel and brake
disc. Do not wipe away the grease in the
hub.
6 Fit the wheel and screw in the bolts in the
sequence shown (opposite pairs) - see
page 234.
NOTICEApply the jack only to the jacking points
indicated on the body.Position for jack
IB1838
IB1553
Positioning the jack
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233 Car care and technical information
Tighten the bolts enough for the bolts
and wheel to be seated correctly.
7 Lower the car and tighten the wheel
bolts to the correct torque in the
sequence shown (opposite pairs).Tightening torqueLight-alloy wheels: 80 ft.lbs. (110 Nm)
Steel wheels: 80 ft.lbs. (110 Nm).

8 Check-tighten the wheel bolts after a few
miles.Tightening torqueLight-alloy wheels: 80 ft.lbs. (110 Nm)
Steel wheels: 80 ft.lbs. (110 Nm)
NOTICE When refitting wheel covers (where
applicable), make sure that the valve
protrudes through the marked hole in
the wheel cover.
 Do not overtighten the bolts using an
impact wrench: not only can this
damage the wheels but it can also
make it impossible to undo the bolts
using the wheel wrench in the car’s
toolkit. Clean any rust or dirt from the contact sur-
faces between the wheel and brake disc
IB2428
Do not wipe away the grease in the hub.
IB1130
Jacking points for a trolley jack
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234 Car care and technical information
Air conditioning
(ACC)
WARNING
 All repairs and adjustments on the A/C
system must be carried out by 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 refrigerant gas can cause
visual impairment or other 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 R134a and R12 refriger-
ants.
IB1800IB1800
Removing the wheel cover
IB539
Tightening sequence, wheel bolts
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235 Car care and technical information
Fault diagnosisIf 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 by an authorized Saab
dealer.Important!When the A/C system is running, the intake
air is dehumidified, and the resultant con-
densation is drained off through two outlets
underneath the floor of the car in the vicinity
of the front doors. It is therefore perfectly
normal for water to be seen dripping from
these outlets when the car is parked. The
warmer the ambient air and the higher the
humidity, the greater will be the amount of
condensation formed.Inadequate cooling:a Check that the condenser (forward of
the radiator) has not become clogged
with dirt and insects.
b Make sure that the drive belt for the com-
pressor is not slipping.
c Check the fuses for the ventilation fans
and compressor.
Maintenance The drive belt for the compressor should
be inspected under the regular service
program.
 Clean dirt and insects away from the con-
denser and radiator to prevent clogging.
When washing the car, use the hose to
spray the radiator and condenser (located
forward of the radiator) from both sides
(both from the front of the car and from
inside the engine bay). Do not use a pres-
sure washer.Caution: Do not use the hose when 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.Note:
The A/C system will only operate
when the outdoor temperature is above the
freezing point (0°C, 32°F).
Safety beltsRegularly check the function of the safety
belts 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.
There must be no frayed threads in the web-
bing.
Safety belts must not come into contact with
substances such as polishes, oils or other
chemicals. If the straps are dirty, wash them
with warm water and a detergent or have
them replaced.
WARNING
If the car is involved in a crash, the safety
belts, belt pretensioners and other
components must be inspected by an
authorized Saab dealer.
Never make any alterations or repairs to
the safety belt yourself.
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236 Car care and technical informationUpholstery and trimTo remove lint or hairs from the seat uphol-
stery or headlining, use a moist, lint-free
cloth or a special lint remover (brush or rol-
ler). Remove any dirty marks using a cloth
moistened with lukewarm soapy water.
When using a stain remover, always work
from the outside towards the center 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.
Wet patches left by spilled soft drinks or thin
oil must be wiped off immediately using an
absorbent material, such as a paper towel,
and treated with stain remover.
Alcohol is recommended for removing
grease or oil stains, and a semi-stiff brush
may also be used.
Cleaning and caring for leather
upholsteryThe principal reason for treating leather
upholstery is to maintain its elegant appea-
rance and to provide it with a protective film.
Discoloration 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
considered desirable in leather. But if the
leather is allowed to become too grubby, it
can start to look shabby.
It is a good idea to clean and recondition the
leather twice a year – in conjunction with a
general spring-cleaning of the car – after the
winter and in the autumn, for instance. In
hot, dry climates, the leather will need to be
treated more frequently. Recommended
conditioner – Saab Leather Care Lotion.
Do not use unknown harsh polishing
agents, cleaning agents, sprays, coarse
soap or hot water.
Textile carpetingVacuum clean the carpeting regularly. Car-
pets can also be cleaned using a brush, or
carpet shampoo applied with a sponge. Do
not use vacuum cleaners outdoors unless
they are properly grounded.
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237 Car care and technical information
Washing the carWash your car frequently. To facilitate clea-
ning, a suitable detergent can be added to
the water, which should be lukewarm. Saab
offers a full line of car care products, inclu-
ding car wash, for the care of your vehicle.
See your dealer for available products or
visit www.saabcatalog.com (U.S. residents
only).
Do not use a pressure washer at close
range on stone chip damage, scratches or
other damage to the paintwork. The paint
can otherwise start to flake.
Remove any bird droppings without delay,
as these can discolor the paintwork and
prove difficult to polish out.
Use a soft cloth moistened with methyl alco-
hol to remove splashes of tar or asphalt. Do
not use strong cleaners, as these can dry
out the paintwork.
The underside of the car also needs wash-
ing regularly, and this should be done extra
thoroughly at the end of winter. Clean the
underside of the car by hand if the car is usu-
ally washed in an automatic car wash wit-
hout special facilities for underbody clea-
ning.
Never wash or leave the car to dry in the
sun, but wipe it dry with a chamois leather
immediately after washing to avoid smears
and streaks.
Clean the window glass inside and out using
a high quality window cleaner. This is parti-
cularly important when the car is new, as
upholstery and trim have a tendency to
sweat a little at first.
Keep the glass well cleaned, as this helps to
prevent misting.

NOTICEAvoid using any alcohol-based cleaners
on the front and rear light clusters, as
these can cause cracking of the lenses.
NOTICE The door mirrors must be fully
retracted before the car enters an
automatic car wash.
 Remove fixed antennas, e.g. for
mobile phone, before putting car
through an automatic car wash.
 Try your brakes on leaving a car wash.
Wet brake discs may reduce the
performance of the brakes.
 Cars with Saab Parking Assistance:
Do not spray the sensors or closer
than 20 cm to the sensors with a pres-
sure washer, as this can damage
them.
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238 Car care and technical informationWaxing and polishingOther than in exceptional cases, do not use
abrasive polishes containing a cutting agent
on a new car. Always wash the car tho-
roughly before waxing or polishing.Engine compartmentClean the engine compartment using an
engine detergent and rinse with hot water.
Cover the headlights. Do not use high-pres-
sure washer. Avoid spraying the hood liner,
as this can become heavy and hang down
and touch the engine when the hood is clo-
sed.
Do not use gasoline as a cleaning agent or
solvent when carrying out repairs or mainte-
nance. Saab recommends the use of envi-
ronmentally safe degreasing agents.
Touching up the paintDamaged paintwork should be treated as
soon as it is discovered: the longer it is left,
the greater the risk of corrosion. The anti-
perforation warranty does not cover corro-
sion resulting from untreated defects.
Paintwork damage sustained in a crash is
usually extensive and can only be properly
restored by professionals.
However, you can repair small scratches
and stone-chip damage yourself. The
necessary tools and materials, such as pri-
mer, touch-up paint and brushes, are avai-
lable from your Saab dealer.
In the case of minor flaws in the paintwork,
where the metal has not been exposed and
an undamaged layer of paint remains,
touch-up paint can usually be applied
directly, after any dirt has been scraped
away using a pointed knife.If corrosion has already set in, e.g. as a
result of stone-chip damage, use a pointed
knife to scrape off all surface rust. If pos-
sible, the damaged area should be taken
back to the bare metal. The metal should
then be primed with two thin coats of primer
applied by brush.
After the primer has dried, apply several thin
layers of topcoat enamel until the surface of
the repaired area is flush with the surroun-
ding paintwork.
Stir both primer and touch-up enamel tho-
roughly before use and allow each coat to
dry before applying the next.
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