Saab 2001 9-3 User manual

1
Owner’s Manual
Saab 9-3 M2001
© Saab Automobile AB 2000
Service Readiness, Saab Automobile AB, Trollhättan, Sweden
Printed in Sweden
Safety 11
Security 35
Convertible 47
Instruments and controls 59
Saab 9-3 Audio System 93
OnStar - Telematics 117
Interior equipment, trunk 129
Starting and driving 151
Car care 191
Maintenance and owner assistance 235
Technical data 243
Index 257

2
Introduction
Thismanualprovidespracticalguidanceon
driving and caring for your Saab.
The Saab 9-3 is available with a 2.0l
turbo-engine, 185 hp or 205 hp or a 2.3l
turbo-engine, 230 hp.
Although the manual describes the most
important differences between model vari-
ants, it does not include precise specifica-
tions of the different variants. Some differ-
ences also occur to meet special legal
requirements in different countries.
Importation and distribution of Saab auto-
mobiles, spare parts and accessories are
handled exclusively by General Motors of
Canada Limited in Canada and by Saab
Cars USA, Inc. in the U.S.A.
We recommend that you read through the
manualbeforetaking the caroutforthefirst
timeandthatyoukeepitinthecarforfuture
reference.
To find a specific item, use the overviews
given on pages 3-6. A list of contents is
givenatthebeginningofeachsectionofthe
manual, and there is also a comprehensive
index at the back of the book.
Supplied with the car is a Warranties and
Service Record booklet and a tire warranty
folder which specifies the regular mainte-
nance to be carried out. The book also con-
tains important warranty conditions:
Since the policy at Saab is one of continual
improvement, we retain the right to incorpo-
ratemodificationsandtoalterspecifications
during production without prior notice.
Ifyouhaveanyqueriesconcerningyourcar,
its equipment, the warranty conditions or
the like, your Saabdealer willbe pleased to
help.
Best wishes,
Saab Automobile AB
Saab Automobile AB does not accept liability for
any damage caused by the fitting of spare parts,
exchange parts or accessories that are not
approved by Saab Automobile AB.
The specifications, design particulars and illus-
trations included in the manual are not binding.
WARNING
WARNINGtextswarnagainstthedanger
of injury if the specified instructions are
not followed.
NOTE
NOTE texts warn of potential damage to
the car if the recommendations are not
followed.
IB730

3
Instrument panel
High/low beam ________________ 75
Parking lights __________________ 75
Daytime running lights ___________ 75
Changing bulbs _______________ 206
High/low beam control stalk 75
Direction indicators _______ 76
Cruise Control __________ 169
Rear fog light ___________ 77
Front fog lights___________ 77
Instrument lighting ________ 78
Warning and indicator lights _____ 60
Tachometer __________________ 66
Speedometer _________________ 66
Odometer and trip meter ________ 66
Gauge showing turbo pressure ___ 67
Fuel gauge __________________ 68
Temperature gauge ____________ 67
IB731
Ashtrays ___________________ 141
Cigarette lighter ______________ 141
Trip computer
(Saab Information Display, SID) __ 69
Night panel __________________ 73
Clock _______________________ 74
Washers and wipers ______ 78
Rear-window wiper _______ 79
Replacing wiper blades __ 204
Audio system____________ 94
Cassette player _________ 100
CD player _____________ 103
Hazard warning lights _____ 76
Climate control system:
manual _______________ 80
Climate control system:
automatic _____________ 84
Car care ______________ 191
Seat heating controls ____ 135
Steering-wheel-mounted
controls, Audio System __ 109

4
Exterior
Sunroof _______________ 138
Convertible _____________ 48
Washing the car ________ 226
Waxing and polishing ____ 227
Touching-up of paintwork _ 227
Anticorrosion treatment ___ 228
Service program ________ 239
Taillights ______________ 208
Stop lights _____________ 208
Light switches ___________ 75
Changing bulbs _________ 206
Towing ________________ 185
Towrope attachment eyes _ 185
Towing a trailer _________ 179
Trunk lid lock ___________ 144
Lowering the rear seat ____ 144
Trunk _________________ 147
Spare wheel ___________ 149
Tools _________________ 149
Lighting _______________ 208
Driving with a roof rack load ____ 182
Mounting of roof rack __________ 182
Maximum loads ______________ 244
Hood release handle __________ 192
Engine compartment: washing __ 226
Central locking __________ 36
Interior locking buttons ____ 37
Trunk lock ______________ 40
Child safety lock catch ____ 39
Car alarm (Anti-theft system) 41
Headlight switches _______ 75
High/low beam control stalk 75
Turn signal & lane change
indicators ______________ 76
Headlamp wipers _______ 204
Changing bulbs ________ 206
Fuel filler door __________ 157
Refuelling _____________ 157
Fuel grade ____________ 249
Fuel gauge _____________ 68
Fuel economy __________ 176
Tires & Rims_____________ 217 / 252
Tire pressure ___________ back cover
Driving in cold weather ________ 177
Brakes and braking ___________ 170
Compact spare wheel _________ 220
Changing a wheel ____________ 221

5
Interior
Power steering _________ 251
Steering-wheel adjustment 137
Airbag _________________ 28
Internal rearview mirror ________ 143
Door mirrors ________________ 143
Vanity mirror ________________ 140
Safety belts _____________ 12
Safety-belt care ________ 224
Airbag _________________ 28
Child seats _____________ 19
Child safety lock catch ____ 39
Glove compartment _____ 141
Manual transmission ____ 161
Automatic transmission __ 162
IB1353
Seat adjustment ________ 130
Safety belts _____________ 12
Seat heating ___________ 135
Rear seat _____________ 144
Folding down the rear seat 144
Child seats _____________ 19
Upholstery: cleaning _____ 225
Interior lighting switch _________ 139
Interior lighting: changing bulbs __ 210
Center console ______________ 136
Electric windows _____________ 136
Sunroof ____________________ 138
Convertible __________________ 48
Ignition switch _______________ 152
Starting the engine ___________ 153
Engine break-in period ________ 161
Parking ____________________ 174
Driving in hot/cold weather _____ 177

6
Engine bay
Warning labels ___________ 7
V.I.N. number __________ 253
Engine number _________ 253
Gearbox number ________ 253
Color coding ___________ 253
Ignition system _________ 250
Drive belt ______________ 203
Alternator _____________ 203
Spark plugs ____________ 250
Catalytic converter ______ 156
Simple fault tracing
(A/C, ACC) ____________ 232
Turbo-compressor ________ 67
Pressure gauge __________ 67
Important considerations
for driving _____________ 154
Technical data: engine ___ 247
Manual transmission __________ 197
Automatic transmission ________ 197
Transmission oil ______________ 197
Gearbox: technical data ________ 250
Battery _____________________ 201
Battery charge _______________ 201
Jump starting ________________ 187
IB1624
Engine: description ____________ 194
Engine oil, level control
and topping up _______________ 196
Engine oil: changing ___________ 196
Oil grade_____________________ 247
Washer fluid ___________ 205
Topping up with fluid _____ 205
Washer jets ___________ 205
Wiper/washer control stalk _ 78
Steering servo _______________ 201
Fluid checking
and topping up ______________ 201
Coolant, checking
and topping up ________ 198
Coolant, changing ______ 199
Temperature gauge ______ 67
Driving in hot weather ____ 179
Driving in cold weather ___ 177
Fuse panels ___________ 212
Changing a fuse ________ 212
Table of fuses __________ 214
Relays _______________ 216
Brake system ________________ 251
Brake fluid __________________ 200
Brake pads __________________ 200
ABS brakes _________________ 170

7
WL4
Coolant:
Never open while engine is hot.
Escaping coolant under pressure can cause
serious injuries.
WL3
Drive belt:
Danger! Moving belt
WL2
Radiator fan:
The radiator fan can cut in even
afterenginehasbeenswitchedoff.
Battery:
Contains corrosive sulphuric acid (40%)
• FLAMMABLE GASES formed when car is running and during charging of battery
• Always wear eye and face protection when working on the battery
• Smoking, open flames and sparks can all cause battery to explode
• Consult the manual before using jumper cables.
• Battery acid can cause SERIOUS BURNS
• Keep battery upright
• Avoid contact with eyes, skin and clothing
• In the event of an accident, flush affected area promptly with water and seek medical help.
KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN
Warning labels
WL1
A/C system:
Refrigerant at high pressure.
Do not undo or remove any connections in the A/C system
untilthesystemhasbeenemptied.Workingthewrong way
mayresultin injury.Workonthe A/C system mustbeleft
toqualifiedpersonnelonly.Forworkinginstructions,see
the Workshop Handbook.
The A/C system complies with SAE J639.
Refrigerant: 770 g of R134a.
Compressor oil: 150 cc PAG Oil SP-10, or
SAAB oil 4759106 SP-10.
WL36
• AVOID SPARKS, AVOID OPEN FLAMES, NO SMOKING
• KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN
• SEE MANUAL
• PROTECT YOUR EYES
• FLAMMABLE GAS
• ACID

8
Long loads
AlwaysSECURE LOAD to prevent itfromshift-
ing during transport.
An unsecured load could cause passenger
injuriesinbrakingsituationsorintheeventofa
collision.
Cover sharp edges with a protective wrap.
• Max. weight 30 lbs. (15 kg).
• Max. length 6 ft. (2 metres).
See your Owner’s Manual before securing
loads.
IB989
Belt beam
Warning for pinch risk due to
movable parts when beam is in
unlocked position.
WARNING
WL9
Wheel changing:
Intended for the Saab 9-5 and 9-3. Use the jack
only on firm, level ground. Use blocks. Max. jack
load:2200 lbs.(1000 kg). For furtherinformation,
see the manual.
IB994
AIR BAG
WARNING
Flip visor over
50 10 111
WARNING
DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY can occur.
• Children 12 andunder can be killed by the air bag.
• The BACK SEAT is the SAFEST place for children.
• NEVER put a rear-facing child seat in the front.
• Sit as far back as possible from the air bag.
• ALWAYS use SEAT BELT and CHILD RESTRAINTS
IB1195
USA
CANADA
USA
CANADA

9
WL16
Childlocksafetycatch
Locked.
Thedoorcannotbeopened
from inside.
IB1705
Jack
–Thejack isdesignedsolelyforuse inchanging awheel
or fitting snow chains.
– The car must be standing level and the jack must be
positioned on a firm, level surface.
– Never crawl underthe car while it is raised on the jack.
USE
1 Apply the parking brake and engage first or reverse
gear;if thecarhasautomatictransmission,selectP.
2 Fit the jack at the jacking point nearest to the wheel
that is to be changed.
3 Wind up the jack until the car just begins to lift.
4 If there is a wheel cover, remove it by inserting a
screwdriver behind it and prying it off.
5 Loosen the wheel bolts by half a turn, using the tool
in the toolkit.
6 Windupthejacksothatthewheelclearstheground.
Unscrew all the wheel bolts and take the wheel off.
7 Fit the spare wheel and tighten the wheel bolts
enough for the bolts and wheel to seat correctly.
8 Lower the car. Tighten the wheel bolts in the
sequence shown by the figure.
IB934
Soft top, Saab 9-3
Convertible
Pushthehandleinbefore
driving away.
Therewouldotherwisebe
a risk of injury.
Keep hands away from moving parts of the
convertible top.
Failure to do so may cause personal injury.
Do not raise or lower top with passengers in
the rear seat.
Personalinjurymayresultfromheadcontact
with top.

10
(This page has been left blank).

11
Safety
Safety belts...................... 12
Head restraint.................. 18
Child safety...................... 19
Airbag (Supplemental
RestraintSystem"SRS") 28
IB1301

12 Safety
Safety belts
Three-point inertia-reel safetybelts are pro-
vided for all seats.
Research has established that it is danger-
ous for rear-seat passengers not to wear
their safety belts.
Safety-belt reminder
Whentheignitionisswitchedon,the”fasten
belts”reminderwilllightupfor 6 secondsor
until the driver and any passengers are
wearing their belts. An audible alarm will
alsosoundforsixsecondsoruntilthedriver
has fastened his belt.
WARNING
Safety belts must be worn at all timesby
all car occupants. Child safety, see page
19.
Check that the tongue of the belt lock
engages properly.
To reduce the risk of head injuries in the
event of a collision, the roof pillars and
side edges of the headlining incorporate
cushioning material (Convertible: wind-
screen pillars and upper part of wind-
screen rail). These areas must not be
modifiedinanyway.Workontheseareas
must only be carried out at an authorized
Saab dealer.
WARNING
In the event of an accident, therear-seat
passengers can be thrown forward
against the front-seat backrests, impos-
ing much higher stresses on the
front-seat passengers and belts and
resultinginneedlessinjurytoeveryonein
the car.
WARNING
For safety reasons, you should adjust
safety belts only while the car is station-
ary.
FASTEN BELTS
IB1302

13Safety
Safety-belt pretensioners
The belts of the front seats are fitted with
automatic pretensioners, which are acti-
vated in the event of a severe frontal colli-
sion or very violent rear-end collision. They
serve to reduce the forward movement of
the body by tensioning the belt.
The belt pretensioners do not activate in
less violent frontal or rear-end collisions.
Correct position for safety belt
• The lap part of the belt should be pulled
as tightly as comfortable and as low as
possible across the hips, so that it is just
touching the top of the thighs. The shoul-
der beltshould be well in on the shoulder
but not touching the neck.
• Checktoensurethatthebeltisnottwisted
or rubbing against any sharp edges.
• There should not be any slack in the belt.
Pull the belt tight – particularly important
when thick outer clothing is worn.
• Refrainfromtiltingthebackrestmorethan
necessary, as the safety belt provides
better protection when the seat is in the
more upright position.
• Only one person per safety belt!
• For most of the time a safety beltis worn,
theretractorwillallowthewearerfreedom
ofmovement.Theretractor locksupauto-
matically if the belt is jerkedor withdrawn
sharply, the car tilts, the brakes are
applied hard or a collision occurs.
WARNING
If the car is involved in a collision, the
safetybelts, belt pretensionersand other
components must be inspected by an
authorized Saab dealer and replaced as
necessary.
Never make any alterations or repairs to
thesafetybeltyourselfbutvisitanauthor-
ized Saab dealer.
WARNING
Proper positioning of the safety belt is
extremely important. An out of position
safetybeltcanresultinthewearersliding
underneath the belt in a collision (subma-
rining) and injury can result from the lap
portion cutting into the abdomen.
WARNING
If two people share a belt,they risk injury
by being crushed together in the event of
an accident.
IB816
Sit correctly before putting the belt on

14 Safety
• Children who have grown out of a child
seat should be restrained by the car’s
standardthree-pointbelts.Makesurethat
theshoulderbeltis notin contactwiththe
neck or throat.If it is, a booster seat/cush-
ion may be necessary.
Front seat belts
Fastenthebeltbypullingthebeltandinsert-
ing the tongue in thebuckle. Check that itis
securely fastened.
Because the lower belt-anchorage points
are on the seat (9-3 5-door), the belt buckle
follows the movement of the seat during
seat adjustment. In the 9-3 Coupé and
9-3 Convertible, the lower outer anchorage
point is in the rear of the sill, which makes it
all the more important that the lap strap is
not slack during use.
Grasp the shoulder belt close to the buckle
and pull the belt towards the shoulder to
tighten the lap belt part.
Thebeltmustbeasfarinontheshoulderas
possible.
To release the belt, press the red button on
the belt buckle, as illustrated.
See page 224 for the checking of belt func-
tion, cleaning etc.
WARNING
Never fasten the safety belt with the
shoulder belt behind the body or pull the
belt off the shoulder and under the arm.
IB1304
To fasten the belt
IB1305
Press the red button to release the belt.

15Safety
Belt guide
The belt guide on the door pillar can be set
to five different heights.
Set the guide as high as possible without
causing the belt to chafe against the throat.
In the case of a short person the guide can
be lowered until the belt comes about an
inch (a few centimetres) from the throat but
still provides safe restraint.
Raise the belt guide by pushing it upwards
to the desired position. To lower it, the
release button must first be depressed.
Checkthatithasengagedinitsnewposition
by pulling up and down.
Safety belt use during pregnancy
Pregnant women must always wear a
safety belt to protect both themselves and
the unborn child.
The lap belt should be placed low, across
the hips and over the upper thighs.
IB818
The belt guide on the door pillar
IB819

16 Safety
Safety belts, rear seat
Three-point safety belts are provided for all
three rear-seat passengers (2 for Convert-
ible model).
Fasten the belts by pulling the belt across
youandinsertingthetongueintothebuckle.
Check that it is securely fastened.
Grasp the shoulder belt close to the buckle
and pull the belt towards the shoulder to
tighten the lap belt part.
Thebeltmustbeasfarinontheshoulderas
possible.
Press the red button on the belt buckle to
release the belt. See page 148 for securing of load.
See page 224for the checking of belt func-
tion, cleaning etc.
WARNING
• Make sure that the belt does not
become trapped when the backrest is
folded down or raised (see page 144).
• Ifyoumustcarryanitemofluggageon
a seat, ensure that it is held securely
by the safety belt. This will reduce the
risk of injury by flying objects in the
event of an accident.
• Protect the belt from sharp edges.
IB960
Safety belts, rear seat (the central head restraint is an accessory)
IB821
Securing a load on the rear seat

17Safety
WARNING
Safety belts are designed to bear upon
thebonystructureofthebody,andshould
be wornlow across the front of the pelvis
or the pelvis, chest and shoulders, as
applicable; wearing the lap section of the
belt across the abdominal area must be
avoided.
Safety belts should be adjusted as firmly
as possible, consistent with comfort, to
providetheprotectionforwhichtheyhave
been designed. A loose belt will greatly
reduce the protection afforded to the
wearer.
Careshouldbetakentoavoidcontamina-
tionofthewebbingwithpolishes,oilsand
chemicals, and particularly battery acid.
Cleaning may safely be carried out using
mild soap and water. The belt should be
replaced if webbing becomes frayed,
contaminated or damaged.
Itisessentialto replacetheentireassem-
bly after it has been worn in a severe
impactevenifdamagetotheassemblyis
not obvious.
Belts should not be worn with straps
twisted.
Eachbeltassemblymustonlybeusedby
oneoccupant;itisdangeroustoputabelt
around a child being carried on the occu-
pant´s lap.
WARNING
No modifications or additions should be
madebytheuserwhichwilleitherprevent
thesafetybeltadjustingdevicefromoper-
ating to remove slack, or prevent the
safetybeltassembly frombeingadjusted
to remove slack.

18 Safety
Head restraint
The front seats in the Saab 9-3 are
equippedwithSaabActiveHeadRestraints
(SAHRs).Thesereducetheriskofwhiplash
injury if the car is hit from behind.
Intheeventofarear-endcollision,thebody
is forced back against thebackrest. This, in
turn, causes the mechanism to press the
headrestraintforwardandupward,thuslim-
iting the backward movement of the head.
The SAHR is a mechanical system, actu-
atedbybodyweight.Themechanismisbuilt
into the top of the backrest, where it is con-
nected to the head restraint.
The SAHR does not normally need to be
replaced after a rear-end collision. Theheadrestraint canberaisedorlowered
and is adjustable in various positions.
• Raising: grasp the head restraint on both
sides and pull it straight up.
• Lowering: depress the catch on the
left-hand side of the attaching point and
press the head restraint down.
WARNING
Adjusttheheadrestraintso thatthe head
is well supported and the center of the
headrestraintisatearheight,thusreduc-
ing the likelihood of neck injury in an acci-
dent.
IB629

19Safety
Child safety Car safety tips Protect your children from getting
trapped in the trunk of a car
WARNING
• Children must always be suitably
restrained in the car. All child
restraints and booster seats are
designed to be secured in vehicle
seatsbythelapbeltorthelapbeltofa
lap-shoulder belt. If the child restraint
isnotproperlysecured, a childcanbe
endangered in a crash.
• NEVER put a child seat in the front.
• Children12andundercanbekilledby
the airbag.
• According to accident statistics, the
BACK SEAT is SAFER for properly
restrainen children than the front seat.
• Sit as far back as possible from the air
bag.
WARNING
• Never leave your children unattended
in a car, even for a short time.
– Children can suffer heat stroke - per-
haps die - in a matter of minutes.
– Children can put the car into gear and
hurt themselves or others.
• At gas stations, take the keys from the
car while filling the tank.
• Never allowchildrentoclimbontopof-
or under motor vehicles.
• Alwayslookforchildrenbefore backing
your motor vehicle out of a garage or
driveway.
• To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning,
never let a car idle in the garage.
• Superviseyoungchildrenaroundbuck-
ets of water while washing your car.
Smallchildrencandrown inseconds in
less than an inch of water.
WARNING
• Teachyourkidsnottoplayinoraround
cars.
• Watch your children when loading or
unloading the car so they don´t get
locked in by mistake.
• Alwayslockthedoorsandtrunkofyour
car,andkeepthekeysoutofchildren´s
sight and reach.
• Keep the rear fold-down seats closed
to help prevent kids from getting into
the trunk from inside the car.

20 Safety
The same attention must be given to child
safety in the car as is given to adults.
Children travel most safely when properly
restrained, but restraints must be suitable
for the size of the child. Always follow the
child seat/booster cushion manufacturer´s
instructionswheninstallingthesedevicesin
your vehicle.
Make sure you are acquainted with the
legal requirements for seating children
in the car.
Make sure that it is possible to fit a child
restraint in accordance with the manufac-
turer’s child seat instructions.
Whenfittingchildseatsincarsyoumust
alwaysreadtheinstructionssuppliedby
the manufacturer.
Lockable belt tongue
If fitting a child seat that is intended to be
secured in position by thelap portion of the
safetybelt,makeuseofthelockingfunction
of the buckle.
Locking the lap portion of the belt lessens
the risk that the seat will work loose while
the car is in motion.
Thebuttonforthelockingfunctionislocated
on the back of the buckle.
1 Position the child seat in the back of the
car.
2 To activate the locking function, move
the locking button on the tongue of the
belt to the position marked
”CHILD SEAT” (item 1 in the figure) in
order to activate the locking function.
3 Secure the base of the child seat with
thelapportionof thesafetybeltinaccor-
dance with the installation instructions
accompanying the child seat.
4 Grasptheshoulderpartofthesafetybelt
andpullitupwardstotightenthe lappor-
tion against the child seat.
5 Check for correct locking function by
pullingonthelapportionofthebelt.The
belt must not unreel.
IB822
Locking the lap belt
1 Locked
2 Unlocked