Saab 900 1983 User manual

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983

OWNER'S MANUAL

I

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II

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... " .

An

important message from Saab·Scania of America

...

Be Safety Conscious!,

[v]

KNOW YOUR SAAB AND HOW

TO

OPERATE

IT.

-Read

this

Owner's Manual and the Warranties/Service Record Booklet carefully.

-Follow

state and local laws governing motor vehicle equipment, condition and use.

-Know

what to do under adverse conditions.

[v]

FOLLOW "READINESS RULES" FOR SAFER DRIVING.

-Adjust

your seat

for

comfort

and correctdriving position. Adjust the frontseat head restraints

to

be level

with

the back

of

the head.

-Adjust

all three rear view mirrors. Remember the right one is convex (objects seen in

this

mirror

are closer

than they appear).

-Fasten

your safety belt and make sure your passengers do too! The lower

portion

of

the 3-point belts should

fit

low and snug over the hips, the upper part should lay across the chest and over the shoulder. Restrain

young children in suitable seat/restraints designed for the child's weight and/or height. See Section lB.

-Switch

the headlamps on in inclement weather (don't worry about forgetting them, on a Saab they will

automatically switch

off

with the

key).

[v]

CHECK VEHICLE CONDITION FREQUENTLY.

-Check

all fluid levels; engineoil, transmission and differential oil, enginecoolant and brake/clutch and power

steering fluids.

-Check

tire pressures, condition and tread depth.

-Check

function

of

exterior lamps and wipers and wiper blade condition.

-Keep

the windshield and headlamps clean.

-Follow

the recommended vehicle maintenance.

See

Section III.

':

[v]

BE

PREPARED FOR EMERGENCIES.

-Keep

a flashlight or lantern in the car as well as a first aid kit.

-Know

how to use the jack. Keep the compact spare tire at

60

psi.

-If

you drive under winter or desert conditions, carry appropriate emergency gear.

-Keep

your Owner's Manual

in

the car at all times.

CONTENTS

Section Description Page

I.

Operating Instructions

A.

ENTRY AND SECURITY 2

B. ACCOMMODATIONS AND SAFETY 4

C.

CONTROLS AND INSTRUMENTS 8

D.

STARTING AND DRIVING

17

E.

SPECIAL

INSTRUCTIONS-TURBO

MODELS

21

II.

Technical

Information

A.

POWER UNIT

22

B.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

30

C.

STEERING AND BRAKES

34

D.

WHEELS AND TIRES

35

E.

SPECIFICATIONS

37

F.

VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION

41

G.

CONSUMER INFORMATION

42

III. Service

and

Maintenance

A.

SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE PROGRAM (Including Break-In Service)

45

B.

GENERAL INFORMATION

TROUBLE SHOOTING

53

APPEARANCE CARE & RUST PREVENTATIVE CARE

53

OWNER ASSISTANCE

55

TOWING PROCEDURE

56

IV.

Index

59

V.

Service

Station

Information

60

2

I.

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

A.

Entry

and

Security

DOORS

Two

keys

are

supplied with the

car.

Both

fit

the

ignition switch and all locks. The serial number

of

the key will

be

found engraved

on

a small

plastic lug

on

the key ring. Keep the lug and

make anote

of

the serial number in case the key

Is lost.

Both front side doors have lockable outside

handles.

These are locked and unlocked

as

follows:

To

Lock:

Give the key a quarter turn rearward

and let

it

spring back to the vertical

position.

To

Unlock:

Give the key a quarter turn forward

and let

it

spring back to the vertical

pOSition.

All side doorsare fitted with safety lock buttons

with which they can

be

locked from the inside

when closed. Lock button

on

the driver's door

cannot

be

pushed down when the door is open.

The rear doors of the 4-door models are pro-

vided with safety locks to prevent the doors

from being unintentionally opened from the in-

side

by

children. When the lever is in the lower

position

(A),

the doors can be opened from both

insideand out, but when the lever is in the upper

position

(B),

the door can only

be

opened from

the outside.

Central

Locking

System

(9005,

Turbo)

All door locks and trunk l

ock

will

be

locked or

unlocked when the driver'S

door

is locked or

unlocked. Passenger doors may

be

locked or

unlocked independently using

the

key (front

door) or the inside knob_The

trunk

lid can

be

unlocked separately by

inserting

the key

In

the

lock and turning It clockwise

until

it stops (ap-

proximately 2

o'clock

pOSi

tion).

With

the key

In

this position press the release lever to unlatch

the lid. Return the key to the

12

o'clock

position

and remove it from the lock.The

lid

will

be

auto-

matica

ll

y locked when closed.

When the power door lock is unlocked the trunk

lid may

be

unlocked

by

turni

ng

the

key

'I

. turn

counter clockwise

(9

o'clock

pOSition).

REAR

LID

\-Iatchback

The rear lid Is unlatched by pressing the release

lever upward. The lid Is locked

or

unlocked

with

the key lock

on

the right.

An

Insl

....

'" hand grip Is

provided to assist closing.

Sedan

The rear lid is unlatched by pressingthe release

lever rearward. The key lock Is located

In

the lid

face directly above the release lever.

The tool kit, spare tire and jack are stowed

un

-

der the luggage compartment floor.

The tool well cover can also be removed via the

rubber hingestraps which snap overbuttons

on

the underside of the cover.

..

LUGGAGE

AND

CARGO SPACE

When desired,

the

rear seat can be converted

to

extend

the

luggage/cargo

compartment

.

On

the

hatchback

models,

the

parcel

shelf

can

be removed and

placed

on

the

floor

in the lug·

gage

compartment.

The luggage

compartment

door

is equipped

with

a

catch

to

hold the parcel

shelf

in the raised

position

to

facilitate

loading.

The

shelf

automatically

drops

to its

hor

izontal

position

when the

door

is closed

To

fold the rear seat:

First

pull

the

loop strap at

the

back

of

the seat

cushion

diagonally

upward and forward

to

un·

latch the

cushion.

Tip it on edge behind the

front seats.

Next, release

the

backrest

and

drop

it by

pulling

the handle at

either

upper corner. When return·

ing the seat

to

its

normal

position

ensure that

the

cushion

and

backrest

are securely latched

and

the

seat

belts

are orderly.

HOOD

The hood release handle is located under the

ins

tr

ument

panel

the

inner

left

wheel

housing.

To

open the hood:

1. Pull

the

release handle under the

Instrument

panel. The hood

will

then open

to

the

half·

locked

position,

retained by a

safety

latch at

the leading edge (to the

right

of

center

when

facing

the

car).

2.

Press

the

leading edge

of

the hood down

slightly

and

pull

the

safety

catch.

The hood

will

then

spring

up and can be

tilted

forward

without

effort.

To

close the hood:

1.

Tilt

hood rearward and

down

until

the run·

ners make

contact

with

the rear hood guides.

2.

Slowly

push hood rearward (with a

slight

up·

ward

motion)

until

the

safety

catch

engages.

Note: push at the

center

of

the

forward edge

of

the hood in order

to

engage the runners at

the rear

corners

in

their

locking

guides

In the

fenders.

3.

Press

down

firmly

until

the

main

lock

engages securely. 3

B.

Accommodations and Safety

SEATS

The

backrest

and

cushion

of

the front seats

of

9005 and Turbo models have thermostat-con-

trolled

electric

heating elements

that

warm

up

automatically

when the

Ignition

Is switched on_

The

thermostat

ensures that the heaters are

switched

on

only

when the seat Is cold and sw

it

-

ched

off

when the temperature exceeds

82

°

F.

Both

front

seats are

adjustable

as to legroom,

and the driver's seat can also

be

adjusted

for

height. The

backrest

angle Is

continuously

ad-

justable

from

upright

to

reclining.

Legroom Adjustment

Release lever 1 (see

Illustration)

and slide

the

seat to the desired

position.

Backrest Angle Adjustment

The

backrest

angle can be

Infinitely

adjusted

between

driving

and resting

position

with

knob

3.

Moving the Backrest Forward

(3

,

Do

or

Models)

Move lever 2 and drop the backrest forward.

Vertical Adjustment

The

cushion

of

the driver's seat can

be

raised

and lowered and also

tilted

to the front or rear.

As the

illustrat

ion shows, there are four possi-

ble

positions.

Adjustments

are made with handle 4 (see illus-

tration) at the forward edge of the seat. Release

the latch by pushing on the handle and moving

It

to the I

ntermediate

position

. The seat can

now be adjusted as

follows:

1.

Raised seat. Move the handle back

without

pressing down on the seat.

2.

Lowered seat. Move the handle forward,

pressing down on the seat.

3.

Seat

tilted

back. Move

the

handle

back,

pressing down on the seat.

4.

Seat

tilted

forward. Move the handle forward

without

pressing down on the seat.

Headrest Cushions

9005 and Turbo models have removable rear

headrest

cushi

ons as

standard

equipment.

Rear

cushions

have a

mounting

post

which fits

into

a bracket attached to the

back

of

the rear

seat

backrest

, when so

equipped.

The rear

cushions

must

be pulled

out

when the seat is to

be

folded down.

Front seat head restraints have a vertical

ad-

justment

range

of

approximately

3

'1>

Inches.

To

raise, grasp both sides

of

the

cushion

and pull

upwards.

To

lower, press

down

on the top center

of

the cushion. A system

of

detents

will secure

the

cushion

at the desired

height.

®

SEAT BELT RESTRAINT SYSTEM

IMPORTANT! Seat belts,

proplrly

worn,

reduce the risk

of

serious occupant In·

Jury In an

accident

or

emergency

mao

neuver. Belt type restraints are provided

at all seating

positions

. Use them for

your

comfort

and protection.

Inertia reel lap and shoulder belts are provided

at the front and outboard rear seating positions.

A manually adjusted lap belt is provided for the

center rear position.

Using Lap and Shoulder Belts

Each lap and shoulder restraint consists of a

continuous belt, a latch stalk, and a locking

retractor mechanism which allows passenger

movement under normal circumstances and

locks the belt in emergency

situations

.

To

put the belton, first grasp

it

nearthe shoulder

bell guide loop and pu

ll

out a

suffic

ient length

of belt to reach the latch

me

chanism between

the front seats.

One section of the belt should now be lying low

over the hips and the other over the shoulder

nearest the guide loop. Position the latch ton·

gue

on

the belt so that it can be inserted intothe

latch stalk.

Pull up on the upper portion

of

the belt to take

up any slack in the lap portion. The retractor

mechanism

will

automatically

adjust

the

shoulder portion. The belt is released

by

press·

ing the

red

button. The retractor

will

return the

belt to

its

stored position.

NOTEI Pregnant women should use the

belt

as described above paying special

attention

to

applying the lap

portion

of

the belt as

low

and snug overthe

hips

as

possible.

When the belts are in use the retractor mecha·

nism is normally unlocked.This

allows

freedom

of movement for the restrained

occupant

auto·

matically. The belt locking mechanism is

actio

vated by

rapid

belt

motion

and/or

sudden

vehicle deceleration. The belts

will

lock

during

hard braking

or

when the vehicle is

climbing

or

descending steep grades.

WARNING!

1. Noalterations

or

additions

should

be

made

to

this

belt

system.

2.

The webbing

must

notbe bleached

or

redyed.

3.

Each

belt

Is meant

for

one person

only. The

belts

at outboard seating

positions

must

be used as a

lapl

shoulder restraint only.

4.

Holding

your small

child

Is

not

safe.

Children

under

5

years

old

and

weighing less than

40

Ibs.

should

be

rastralned In a

suitable

safety seatl

restraint designed

for

that

purpose.

Follow

seat manufacturer's

Instruc·

tlons

which are based on thesizeand

weight

of

the

child.

Restraining

a

child

safety seat

with

a 3·polnt belt

requires a special

clip

to

restrict

belt

movement and prevent the seat from

tipping

over.

Child

seats

with

top

tether

straps are

not

recommended.

For

further

Information

on

child

reo

5

straint

systems

for

your

car

write

to:

U.S.

Dept.

of

Transportation,

Washington,

D.C. 20590.

5.

If

in

doubt

on

any

matter

concerning

restraints

or

their

use,

please

consult

your

dealer.

Seat Belt Reminder System

This

vehicle

is

equipped

with

a seat belt reo

minder

system

as required by Federal

Motor

Vehicle Safety Standard 206,

Occupant

Crash

Protect

ion. The

purpose

of

this

Standard is

to

reduce the

number

and severity

of

traffic

acci

·

dent

injur

ies by

promoting

increased usage of

seat

belt

systems

. The

vehicle

may be

started

whether

or

not

the seat

belts

are fastened. The

audible

buzzer

of

the

seat belt reminder

system

Is

activated

by

the

driver's seat and seat belt

only.

REAR VIEW MIRRORS

The

inter

i

or

rear view

mirror

can be

deflected

to

avoid glare by

operation

of

the

c

ontrol

button

underneath

it. The

exterior

view mirrors are

either

manually

or

electrically

adjustable

from

inside

the

car

. The manual

adjuster

is a lever

inside

the

door

that

is

directly

connected

to

the

mirror

. The el

ectrical

adjustment

is done by

means

of

four

way

toggle

controls

located

on

each

side

of

the

steering

wheel (See

diagram

of

c

ontrols

and

instruments)

.

Exter

ior

mirrors

are

anti·glare

coated

.

To

prevent

scratching

of

this

coating

do

not

clean

mirrors

w

it

h sharp

objects

or abrasives.

6

NOTE: The

rlghthand

exterior

mirror

has

a

convex

glass.

Objects

seen In

the

mlr·

ror

are

closer

than

they

appear

to

be.

INTERIOR FITTINGS

Ashtrays

Two ashtrays are provided in

the

car. Both are

located

centrally

,

one

below

the

instrument

panel and the

other

in the

rear

of the center

console

.

The ashtrays can be removed

from

the holders

for

emptying

.

To

remove

the

front

tray

on

models

without

the forward

accessory

console

(optional), grasp

it

at the

two

orange squares

and pull upward.

To

remove

other

trays squeeze

the spring

clip

. When

refitting,

ensure

that

the

tray

clicks

securely

into

position

.

Cigarette Lighter

To

use the

cigarette

lighter,

push

it i

nto

the

holder.

It

will

spring

back

as

soon

as

it

is hot.

Glove Compartment

To

open

the

glove c

ompartment

door, squeeze

the

catches

on the loc

k.

To

lock, turn

the

key

clockwise

and wi

thdraw

it. To

unlock

the

com·

partment,

turn the key

counter

·

clockw

ise. The

key

is

the same as

that

for

the

other

car locks.

Manual Sunroof

The

sunroof

Is opened and

closed

by

sliding

the

handle

at the

front

of

the

panel

either

back·

wards or forwards. The

roof

can be opened

either

partially

or

complete

ly. Once the handle

is released, it

will

spr

ing

back

to

its

central posi·

tion

(locking

position

).

To

close

the

roof

, push

the

handle

forward

until

the

panel

locks

in the

closed

position

.

AUDIO EQUIPMENT

9

00

,900S

Radio speakers are

installed

in the top of the

i

nstrument

panel, and all

vehicles

have a radio

wiring

harness and

antenna

lead. The

antenna

is to be

mounted

on

the

left

rear fender. The

radio, when

installed,

replaces

the

storage

compartment

In

the

center

of

the

instrument

panel.

A full line of

audio

equipment,

including

AM/

FM/cassette

radios,

rear

speakers

and

flex-

stalk

or

electric

retractable

antennas,

is

available from

your

Saab dealer.

Operating

in-

structions

are

supplied

with

the radio

selected

.

Turbo

models

are

equipped

with

a four-speaker

stereo sound

system

featur

ing the Sony XR-75

AM/FM/

Cassette

and a

matched

pair

of

Sony

power ampli

fiers

. Refer

to

the separate operat-

Ing

instruction

manual

for

complete

informa

-

tion about features,

controls

and use.

The amplifiers are

mounted

underthe

right

side

of

the rear seat.

Electric Antenna

On

Turbo

models

an

electric

antenna

is stan-

dard. The

antenna

will

rise/retract

when the ra-

dio

is

turned

on/off

or

a

cassette

Is

inse

rted/

rejected

_ Be sure the

antenna

is

re-

tracted

when

driving

in areas

with

low

overhead

clearance

or

when

going

through

a

car

wash.

7

C.

Controls and Instruments

1. Fresh air vent

2.

Switch,

parking

lights

and

headlights

3.

Clock

and

tachometer

4. Warning

lights

5.

Direction

indicator

lamp

6. Speedometer,

odometer

and trip meter

7.

Combination

Instrument: fuel gauge, temperature gauge and

pressure gauge (900 Turbo)

8..Seat

belt

reminder li

ght

9.

Switch,

ventilation

fan

1Q

. Temperature

contro

l

11

.

Air

distribution

contro

l

12. SWitch, hazard warning flashers (cars

with

power

windows

only)

13.

Switch

for

adjusting

externa

l rear·view

mirrors

(900S, Turbo)

14

. Extra

switch

(optional

fog lamps)

15.

Control

for

highllow

beam and

direction

indicators

15A. Rheostat.

control

illum

i

nation

2 3 4 5 6 5 4 7 8 9 10

8

11

16

. Horn

control

17.

Clock

adjustment

knob

18. Reset

button

for

trip

meter

19

. Rheostat,

instrument

panel

lighting

20

. Control

for

wipers

and washers

21

.

SW

itch,

electric

rear window defroster/Extra

switch·

22

. Power

window

switch

left/Electric

rear windQw

defroster·

23.

Ci

garette

lighter

24.

Power

window

switch

right/Hazard warning

flashers·

25

. SWitch, Air

Conditioning

Compressor/Extra

switch·

26

. Gear (selector) lever

27

. Coin tray

28.

Switch,

interior·lighting

29.

Handbrake

30

.

Ignition

switch

and gear lever

lock

31

. Extra

switch

(optional

accessory

cons

ole)

·Cars

with/without

power wi

ndows

and AC.

26

27

SuO""

WARNING

AND

INDICATOR

LIGHTS.

Some

of

the

warning

lights

will

come on when

the

ignition

is

switched

on

before

starling

These

should

go

out

once

the

engine

is running

Indicator Light, Electric

Re

ar Window

Defroster

This

lamp

wiH

glow

when the rear

window

de·

froster is

switched

on.

Charge Warning Light

T

his

light

will

come

on wh

en

the

battery

Is not

being charged. If

the

light

comes

on while you

are driving,

stop

at

the

earliest

convenience,

switch

off

the

engine

and

check

the tension

of

the

alternator

drive belt.

~D

High Beam Indicator Light

This

light

will

glow

when the

headlights

are

switched

to

high

beam.

PARK

BRAKE

Handbrake Indicator Light

This

light

will

glow

when the handbrake is on.

Oil Pressure Warning Light (engine oil)

This

light

will

come

on

if

the engine

oil

pressure

drops

too

low. If the

light

blinks

or

comes

on

while

you are driving,

stop

the

car

immediately,

switch

off

the engine and

check

the

all

level.

BRAKE

FLUID

Brake Warning Light (footb

ra

k

e)

This

light

will

come on

if

the

level in the brake

fluid reservoir

drops

too

low

. If the

light

comes

on

while

you are driving,

stop

the

car

Imme·

diately

and

check

the

brake

fluid

level.

Note

:

The

fluid

level

gradually

lowers

as the brake

pads wear.

Blinking

of

the

light

may

indicate

that

the

pads are due

for

replacement.

EXH

Exhaust Emission System Maintenance

Light

Th

is

light

comes on every

30

,000

miles

as a

reminder

that

c

omponents

In the emission c

an

·

trol system need

maintenan

ce. (This

light

does

not Indicate a failure).

9

COMBINATION INSTRUMENT

Fuel Gauge

Low Fuel Warhing Light

Thi

s

la

mp w

il

l

glow

continuously

when

the

qua

nt

ity

of

gaso

line

in

the

fuel

tank

is less

than

a

pp

rox

im

ately

1.8 U.S.

gallons.

Temperature Gauge

This

indi

cates

the

temperature

of

the

engine

coolant.

If the

needle

enters

the

red zone

reo

peatedly

,

stop

as soon as

possible

and

check

the level of the

coolant.

CAUTION, TURBO OWNERS! Do

not

operate the engine at

full

throttle

until

the needle has entered the green zone.

F FUEL TEMP H

3/

4

(

')

~;4.1

,.

R L

i'

-t

10

Pressure Gauge,

900

Turbo

The

pressure

gauge

indicates

the

charging

pressure in

the

inlet

manifold.

At

low

engine

loads

and

during

engine

deceleration,

avacuum

will

be

present

in the

manifold

. In

such

cases,

movement

of

the

needle

will

be

within

the

white

zone.

At

increased

loads

or

engine

speeds, the

turbo

compressor

will

increase

the

charging

pressure

in the

inlet

manifold.

In

this

case, the

needle

will

move

into

the

orange

zone. The

charging

pressure

will

not

normally

be

high

enough

to

cause

the needle to

enter

the red

zone,

since

the

engine

is

equipped

with

a regu·

lator

(wastegate)

which

controls

the

charging

pressure. (There

also

is an overpressure

safety

switCh.)

SPEEDOMETER, ODOMETER

AND TRIP METER

The

odometer

records the

distanc

e in miles,

and the

trip

meter

in m

il

es and tenths.

The reset

button

for the

tr

ip

meter

is

located

in

the

lower

section

of

the meter. Push to reset.

801

60'

•

45.

'

'35

I

55

100

.....

\

I·

40

25....

a a 1 4 4 L ... 65 _

-.A -75

12

,2

'.

15-

0 0

~

.

20 .

mph,

km/h

85

....

vee

140

,

TACHOMETER AND CLOCK

The

t

achometer

indicates

the

speed

of

the

engine in

thousands

of

revolutions

per

minute

.

The RPM range

for

economical

operation

is in·

dicated

on the

tachometer.

Driving

within

this

range

aids

in

achieving

best

possible

fuel

economy. The

needle

should

only

be

allowed

to

enter

the broken red zone for

brief

periods. It

must

never

enter

the

red zone. A

safety

device,

which

interrupts

current

to

the fuel pump at

6000 rpm,

is

installed

on

the

Turbo.

LIGHTING SWITCHES

The

headlight

switch

has

three

positions

:

D The

lighting

is

off.

~DO'-

..

-

_ Parking

lights

§D

Headlights

and

parking

lights

NOTE!

The

headlights

and

parking

lights

are

automatically

turned

off

If

the

igni·

tlon

key

is

turned

to

the

L

position.

The

parking

lights

can

be

operated

aione,

If

the

switch

is

moved

to

the

intermediate

position

even

If

the

key

is

removed

from

the

ignition.

Headlight Dimmer, High Beam Flasher,

and Direction IndicatorControl

The

spring

loaded

lever

is

moved

towards

the

steering

wheel

to

switch

from

high

beam

orvice

versa. The same

action

provides

a

warning

high

bleam

flash

when the

headlights

are

switched

off. A blue

indicator

li

ght

glows

whenever the

high

beams are on. The

direction

indicator

and

cornering

lights

are

operated

by

moving

lever in

the

direction

In

which

the

steering

wheel is

turned. "Lane

change

"

detents

are provided.

11

O~

Fog Lamps (Optional)

Push the

switch

to

turn on the fog lamps. The

lamps

will

only

light

when

the

parking

or

headlamps are turned on. If the headlamp

switch

15

turned

to

the

off

position the fog lamps will

also

be turned off. For

most

effective use

of

the

fog

lamps

do

not

use

together

with

the

high

beams.

Instrument Panel Lighting

The

intensity

of

the

illumination

can be

ad

·

justed

by means

of

the

rheostat

knobs.

Clock

·

wise

rotation

increases

brightness.

A Hazard Warning

When

the

switch

is pushed on all

four

direction

indicator

lights

flash

simultaneously. The warn-

ing

system

should

only

be used if the

car

is in a

position

where

it

is

liable

to

endanger or ob-

struct

other

vehicles

as a

result

of

an

accident

,

breakdown, etc. The

switch

flashes

red when in

use.

Interior Illumination

The

interior

illumination

comprises

three

lights

located:

above

the

left

door

post

,

close

to

the

rear view mirror, and

beside

the

ignition

swit

ch.

The

switch

on

the

door

post

lamp has three

positions:

Upper/On

with

open door(s),

Middle/

Off, Lower/On. When

the

door

post

lamp

switch

15

in the upper

position,

the

interior

Illum

i

nation

may

also

be operated by means

of

a

switch

on

the

console

between the

front

seats.

12

NOTE! Be

certain

that

the

Interior

lights

are

switched

off

when

parking

the

car.

IGNITION AND GEAR

SELECTOR LOCK

The igni

tion

and gear

lock

key

also

fits

all

other

locks

in

the

car. The key

number

is stamped Into

the

plastic

lug on the key ring. Detach and keep

the lug

50

that

the serial

number

IS

available If

the

key

should

be

lost.

The

ignition

and gear lever

lock

has four pos

l-

tions

:

L-P

- S

Lock

Position. The gear

selector

lever

must

be

placed in reverse

position

(manual transmis-

sion) or park

(P)

position

(automati

c transmis-

sion) before the key can be turned

into

the L

position.

In

this

way both the

ignition

and gear

selector

are l

ocked

simultaneously.

Parking

and hazard warning

lamps

may be activated.

Park Position.

All

lights

and radio can be opera-

ted. Make sure

that

the

ignition

switch

is in the

"P"

or

"L

"

position

when the engine

is

not

run-

ning.

Otherwise

the

ignition

co

li

may be dam-

aged.

Running Position. The

entire

el

ectrical

system

including

i

gnition,

is operative.

Starting

Position. The

switch

is spring loaded

to

return

to

Running

position

when key

is

re

o

leased.

Should

the

engine

stall

or

lall

to

start

the

key

must

be turned

to

the

P

position

belore

the

starter

can again be

actuated.

On

automatic

transmission

cars

the

starter

motor

can be

operated ONLY when

the

gear

selector

lever is

In the N or P

positions.

NOTE!

To

ensure

that

the

car

Is

not

lelt

unlocked,

a buzzer

Is

activated

II

the

lelt

Iront

door

Is

opened

with

the

key In

the

Ignition

lock_

GEAR

(SELECTOR)

LEVER

Manual Transmission

The gear

positi

o

ns

are shown

on

the gear lever

knob.

To

engage reverse

(R),

first

raise the

collar

on the gear lever.

m

35

, ,

'I

2 4 R

Automatic Transmission

The gear positions are shown on the

console

beside t

he

gear

selector

lever.

P Park

R Reverse

N Neutral

~j

Positions

for Forward Drive

Certain lever

positions

can

only

be

selected af·

ter the

button

in the center

of

the

selector

knob

has been depressed, to release the catch. The

lever can be

shifted

freely

to

position

D or N

from posi

tion

R,

2 or 1.

13

WIPER

AND

WASHER CONTROLS

The

control

lever

for the

windshield

wipers

and

washer

has

the

following

positions:

O.

OFF

Position

1.

Windshield

wiper,

Interm

i

ttent

operation.

The

wipers

will

make a

double

sweep at

inter·

vals

of

a

few

seconds.

This

function

is

parti-

cularly

useful

in

light

dr

izzle, etc.

2.

Windshield

Wipers, Low Speed

3.

Windshield

Wipers,

High

Speed

4.

Windshield

Washer:

The

wi

ndshield

washer

will

operate

as long as

the

lever is held

to

-

ward

the

steering

wheel. If the lever

is

pulled

when

in

the

"wipers·off

"

posit

ion, the

wipers

will

automatically

make a few

sweeps

.

14

Windshield Wiper and Washer Care

Inspect

and

clean the rubber blades

of

the

wind

-

shield

wipers

at

regular intervals. If they

show

signs

of

wear,

they

should

be replaced. Soap

and

water

is

recomme

nded for

cleaning.

Use

clean

fluid

for the

washer

and make sure

that

the

c

onta

i

ner

is free

from

dirt. Use

suitable

antifreeze

in

cold

weather.

If the

washer

jets

are

blocked,

the holes can be

carefully

cle

aned and adju

sted

with

a pin

or

smaller

tool.

If

the

Jets are o

ut

of

alignment, the

adjustable

ball nozzles

can

be turned

to

the

desired

pos

it

ion. NOTE: The driver's si

de

jet

is

equipped

with

two

ba

ll

nozzles

while

the pas·

senger

side

has one

ball

nozzle.

SPEED CONTROL (OPTIONAL)

A

speed

contr

ol

(cruise

control)

may

be

in·

st

alled

by your Saab dealer.

Operating

i

nstruc·

tions

are provided

with

the

unit

and

should

be

studied

carefully

before

attempting

to

use the

control.

This

feature

helps

reduce

fatigue

on

long hi

ghway

trips.

The

control

switch

is

inte

·

grated

with

the di

rection

indicator

lever.

WARNING! Do

not

engage

the

speed

control

In

dense

traffic

or

when

driving

on

slippery

surfaces

or

on

steep

grades

.

Keep

the

control

switched

off

when

not

in

use.

ELECTRICALLY HEATED REAR

WINDOW

The rear

window

defroster

grid

is

controlled

by

means

of

a

push

switch

near

the

center

of

the

instrument

panel. An

indicator

light

gl

ows

when

the

heating

is

on.

Always

switch

the

heating

off

as soon as

the

rear

window

is free from

ice

and

mist.

Avoid

placing

heavy

objects

on the parcel

shelf

as the

heating

wires

may

easHy

be

dam·

aged. Do

not

switch

on

the

wi

ndow

heating

be·

fore

starting

the engine.

Damage

to

the

unit

may

result

if

It Is operated

for a

long

period

of

ti

me on a

dry

rear

window.

Do

not

use abrasive

cleansers

on the inSide of

the rear

window

which

may

damage

the

electri·

cal

continuity

of

the

unit.

".

CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM

Ventilation System

The Saab 900

has

a

sophisticated

f

lo

w

through

ventilation

system

with

an

optional

integrated

air

conditioner

. Air

enters

at

the

right

hood

louverand

exits

at

the

rear

quarter

panel

grilles

.

All

incoming

air

passes

through

the

air

filter

(or

AC evaporator) and,

except

for

air

channeled

to

the

center

panel vent, then

passes

through

the

heater

core

. All

system

controls

are

located

in

the

center

of

the

instrument

panel. A

schematic

of

the

interior

outlets

is

shown

below

.The three

panel

vents

are

adjustable

directionally

and

have

individual

thumb

wheel

shut

off

switches

(0

= Off).

1.

Defroster

outlets

2.

Outer

panel

vents

(adjustab

l

e)

3.

Center panel vent (adj

ustable)

4.

Floor

outlets

2 1

4

Fresh Air Filter

(900 without AC)

All

incoming

air

passes

through

the fresh

air

f

ilter

which

removes

pollen,

dust

, and

other

air·

borne

particles

.

The

filter

element

should

be

changed

every

15,000

miles.

Caution:

Avoid

skin

contact

with

the

treated

fibers

.

Irritation

may

result.

Air Conditioning (Optional)

On

models

equipped

with

air

conditioning

there

is

an

on/off

switch

for

the AC compressor. The

compressor

can

be

turned

on

independent

of

other

climate

control

settings.

(It

will

not

switch

on

if

the

outside

temperature

is

below

38°F.) AC·

equipped

models

also

have a

recirculation

fea·

ture

incorporated

in the Max Vent

position

of

the

air

distribution

selector.

Run the

air

conditioner

a few

minutes

occa·

sionally

during

the

winter

to

ensure

proper

com·

pressor

seal

lubrication.

3 1

CONTROLS and SETTINGS

The

rotary

control

switches

are

located

in the

center

of

the

instrument

panel.

1. Fan Switch

The fan

is

off

when

the

air

distribution

selector

is in the 0

position

. It

automatically

runs in

its

fourth

speed

in

the Max Vent

position

. In all

other

posi

t

ions

the

rotary

fan

switch

governs

the fan speed. The

switch

has

posit

i

ons

for the

first

through

third

speeds.

2. Temperature Control

All

incoming

air

except

that

emitted

from

the

center

panel vent

passes

through

the heater

core

. The

temperature

control

modulates

the

amount

of

heat added

to

the

air

by

controlling

the

flow

of

heated

engine

coolant

through

the

core

.

Turning

the

rotary

knob

clockwise

in·

creases the

temperature

.

3, Air Distribution Selector

The

rotary

selector

switch

controls

distribution

of

the

incoming

air

.

Recommended

positions

for

engaging

air

conditioner,

if

so

equipped, are

shown

in

brackets

[ ).

4. AC On/Off Switch

Push In

to

engage

AC

compressor

.

Defrost

[AC-

Dehumidify}

Maximum

defrosting.

Adjust

temperature

and

fan speed as required. When equipped, engage

AC

in

humid

weather

above

38

°

to

aid In

defog·

ging

windshield

Bi·Level

Combination

of

defrosting

and

floor

heating.

Adjust

temperature

and fan speed as required.

When

equipped

, engage

AC

in humid

weather

above 38°

to

aid in

defogging

windshield.

Floor

heating

.

Adjust

temperature

and

fan

speed as required.

16

Floor & Vent

Floor

heating,

with

outside

unheated

air

through

center

panel vent.

Adjust

temperature

and fan speed as required.

Normal Ventilation [Normal

AC}

Basic

ventilation

sett

ing.

Outside

air through

panel vents. Set

temperature

knob

to

zero (full

counter

clockwise

position)

for

maximum

ef·

fect, or

adjust

as desired

to

increase heating

effect.

Adjust

fan speed as required. When

equipped, engage AC in

this

position

for

normal

cooling

of

vehicle

interior

.

To

moderate

cooling

effect

after

initial

cooldown,

turn temperature

control

clockwise

as desired

to

add heat while

AC is operating. (Heat is

not

added

to

air

emit·

ted from

center

panel vent.)

Maximum Ventilation [Max

AC}

Fan

automatically

operates

at

highest

speed.

Without

AC:

Maximum

outs

i

de

air

through

panel vents.

With

AC:

Recirculation

setting

-engage

AC

compre

ssor in

this

position for rapid

cooldown

of

interio

r.

o

All

vents

closed

except

defroster

outlets (par·

tially

open). The fan

automatically

switches

off

in

this

position

.

D.

Starting

and

Driving

STARTING

THE ENGINE

General

Do

not opera

te

the starter for more than 10·15

seconds at a stretch; wait 20·30 seconds to let

the battery recover before attempting to start

the engi

ne

ag

ain. Make sure that the

lights

and

electricallyheated

rea

rwindow

ar

eswitched

off

before starting In w

intertim

e.

Avoid warmi

ng

the engine

by

idling at a standstil

l.

Start driving

as

soon

as

theoil pressure light has goneout to

heat the engine up to its proper working tem·

perature

as

quickly as possible.

WARNINGI

Do

not

start

or

let

the engine

run In aclosed area. Exhaust gases can·

lain

carbon monoxide which may be fa·

tallf

Inhaled.

Starting Injection engines

The engine has

an

automatic cold star

ting

enrichment system. Start as follows:

1.

Apply the handbrakeand put the gear lever

in

neutral (manual transmission) or

se

lect P ar

N(automatic transmission).

NOTEI Cars

with

automatic transmls·

sian can only be started when the selec·

to

r lever Is at P

or

N.

On

cars

with

air

conditioning turn the

AC

unit

OFF

to

re

o

duce starter load when cranking.

2. Fullydepress the clutch pedal (manual trans·

missi

on)

.

3.

Turn

the key to the start position and let

it

spring

back as soon as the

engine

has

started.Allow the engine

10

idle for about 10

seconds before touching the accelerator.

Do

not depress the accelerator for full throttle

unt

il

the engine has run for at least

2-3

minutes.

For restarting awarm engine use the same pro·

cedure. If the outside temperature

Is

high, de·

pressing the accelerator during cranking may

assist

start

up. Turn the air conditioner control

off before cranking.

NOTE! Saab 900Turbo:STARTING·Don't

rev theengine Immediatelyafter s

tarting

or

permanent

damage

to

the

turbo

·

charger

will

result. STOPPING·Let

Ihe

engineIdle20·30 seconds before switch·

Ing

It

off

afterdriving

to

allowtime

for

the

turbocharger to coast down from high

rpm before

all

pressure at the bearing Is

depleted. For the same reason, DON'T

rev

the

engine

Immediately

before

s

witching

It

off

.

Permanent

turbo

·

charger damage

will

result.

After

hard

driving

let

the engine

Idle

about a minute

to

let

the

all

cool

the

turbocharger bearing somewhat. This

will

also help prevenl breakdown

of

the

a

ll

.

If

the engine Is very hot, the radiator

fan may cut In and continue

to

run

for

a

whileaftertheenginehas been

switched

off

.

GEAR

CHANGING

Manual Transmission

When shifting gears, release the

clutch

pedal

smoothly and carefu

ll

y. There are only

two

proper clutch positions for driving: Either out

(pedal fully depressed) or in (pedal released). It

is poor practiceto drive with a slipping clutch or

wilh

the foot resting

on

the clutch pedal,

as

this

causes heavy wear

on

the

clutch

assembly.

When the car is standing

stili

with

the engine

running, the gear lever should be

In

neutral and

the clutch pedal released.

In

all shifts, move the

lever gently but firmly and with a Slight, barely

perceptible,pause

In

neutral. The gear selector

must

be

In

reverse III order to remove the Ignl·

tion

key.

Before shifting to reverse, make sure that the

car

Is

at a standstill, the accelerator pedal Is

fully released,and the catch

on

the gear lever Is

pulled upward.

Cars with Automatic Transmission

The engine should

be

at Idling speed when the

gear selector lever

Is

moved from one position

to another and the car is at a standstill.

If

you

depress the acceleratorat the same time

as

you

move the lever, this will cause abnormally high

wear

on

the transmission. Always keep your

foot

on

the brake to prevent the car from rOiling

when you select a drive position.

Selecting gears

D.

The D(Drive) position is for normal forward

driving. Whichever of the three forward gears

best matches the speed and load on the engine

is automatically engaged.

2.

Position 2 gives

automatic

changing be·

tween first and second gears but top gear

will

not

be

engaged. Ifthe leverismoved from 0 to

2,

this gives

an

immediate change·down for more

engine braking power. Position 2 must

be

se·

lected at road speeds below 55 miles per hour

(90 km/h).

1.

Position 1is used to obtain maximum engine

braking power on steep downgrades. Road

speed must be reduced to below about 12 mph

17

18

(20

km/h) before 1st gear is selected. This posi-

tion should also

be

used for uphill driving on

very steep

hills

to avoid overheating the trans-

mission oil.

Se(;Dnd

and top gears

will

not

be

engaged when the lever is at 1.

N. In position N (Neutral) no gear Is engaged.

The startercontact is operative

in

this

position.

The handbrake should

be

applied when the

se-

lector lever is

in

position N to prevent the car

from moving If it is standing on a slope_

R_

Position R (Reverse) must not

be

selected

unless the car

Is

stationary.

P.

Position P(Park) is selected when the car Is

parked, and the lever must be in

this

position

before the

ignition

key can

be

turned to L

(Locked) and withdrawn. The selector lever is

then locked and the transmission is immobi-

lized.

Do

not select position Pwhen the car Is in

motion. The starter can be operated with the

lever

In

this

position.

Moving Off

1.

Move the selector lever to the desired posi-

tion (normally 0 for forward driving).

2. Release the brake and accelerate.

Klck·down

To

obtain maximum acceleration, e.g. for over-

taklng,lt

Is possibleto effect

an

instantchange-

down at speeds below

50-55

mph(

80

-

85

km/h)

by

pushing the accelerator pedal hard down to the

kick-down position. Changing

up

to the next

higher gear Is automatic

as

soon as the engine

reaches maximum revs for the gear engaged,

or

the pedal Is eased up.

STEERING

CHARACTERISTICS

The car has a built-in tendency to understeer,

I.e. at a given position

of

the steering wheel the

turning radius tends to increase with rising

speed.The car is deliberatelydesigned this way

to improve

its

stability

and reduce the risk of

backwheel skids

("fishtailing").

One of the ways in which understeering has

been achieved is through the weight distribu-

tion.With only adriver, about

60

% of the vehicle

weight is on the front wheels: the correspond-

ing figure for a fully loaded car is about

50

%.

BRAKING

To

avoid subjecting the brakes

to

excessively

high temperatures, e.g.when driving downhill in

mountainous

country

with

descents

of

thousands of feet, you should utilize the brak-

ing power of the engine

by

selecting a lower

gear.

Forcars with automatictransmission,use posi-

tion

"1"

or

"2".

IMPORTANT!

It

Is good

policy

to

check

the brakes occasionally when driving

to

make sure that they are working prop·

erly, especially

If

they have been sub·

jected to heavy splashing

with

water

or

when

driving

through

snow

or

salty

slush, as the braking effect may be tem·

porarlly reduced In conditions of

this

kind. The brake system Is

power

as·

slsted,

but

the added power from

this

Is

only available when the engine Is run·

nlng.

It

requires a considerably greater

force on the pedal

to

brake the car when

the engine Is switched off.

The brake pads have been thoroughly tested

and are designed to deliver the best results with

respect to braking effort, useful life and mini·

mum noise under normal driving conditions.

Use

only

Saab

original

asbestos-free brake

pads(semi-metallic front) when worn pads need

replacing.

RUNNING

IN

Every new car has a recommended running in

period during which the owner is advised to

drive with restraint. Pistons, cylinder walls and

bearings need to

be

in operation for some time

to produce smooth and hard-wearing contact

surfaces. Placing too much strain

on

a new

engi

ne

interferes with this gradual process,

shortening the life

of

the car and especially the

engi

ne

.

For the first 1,

000

miles you should not drive at

full throttle except for very brief periods. At

1,000

miles the car should be taken to a Saab

dealer for the recommended break-in service

(

see

Service and Maintenance Section).

CATALYTIC

CONVERTER

PRECAUTIONS

Use only unleaded fuel to preserve the effi-

ciency

of

the

catalyst.

Keep the vehicle in

proper operating

condition

by observance of

the maintenance schedule outlined elsewhere

in

this manual. Failure to

do

so will not only

result

In

a

1055

of

fuel economy but could also

damage the

catalytic

converter.

WARNINGI Malfunctions involving fuel

or

ignition

systems, resulting in misfire

or

ioss of performance, maylead

to

over·

heating of the catalyst. Do

not

continue

to operate yourvehicle In

this

condition.

Have

it

checked by your Saab dealer as

soon as possible.

Do

not

park,

idle

,

or

drive

converter

equipped cars

in

areas where dry grass

or

other

combu

s

tible

materials

can

come

into

contact

with

the

hot

exhaust

and be ignited.

...

Saab 900 1983 User manual

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