Tires - Saab 2004 9-3 Owner's Manual

Tires

Your new vehicle comes with high-quality
tires made by a leading tire manufacturer. If
you ever have qestions about your tire war-
ranty and where to obtain service, see your
Saab Warranty and Service Record Booklet
for details.
WARNING
Poor maintained and improperly uswed
tires are dangerous.
• Overloading your tires can cause
overheating as a result of too much
friction. You could have an air-out and
a serious accident. See "Loading Your
Vehicle" on page 240.
• Underinflated tires pose the same
danger as overloaded tires. The
resulting accident could cause serious
injury. Check all tires frequently to
maintain the recommended pressure.
Tire pressure should be checked
when your tires are cold.
• Overinflated tires are more likely to be
cut, punctured or broken by a sudden
impact – such as when you hit a
pothole. Keep tires at the recom-
mended pressure.
• Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If
your tread is badly worn, or if your tires
have been damaged, replace them.
Inflation - Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label, which is
on the inside of the trunk lid, shows the cor-
rect inflation pressures for your tires when
they're cold. "Cold" means your vehicle has
been sitting for at least three hours or driven
no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Notice: Don't let anyone tell you that
underinflation or overinflation is all
right. It's not. If your tires don't have
enough air (underinflation), you can get
the following:
• Too much flexing
• Too much heat
• Tire overloading
• Bad wear
• Bad handling
• Bad fuel economy
If your tires have too much air (overinfla-
tion), you can get the following:
• Unusual wear
• Bad handling
• Rough ride
• Needless damage from road hazards
Car care
Adjust the tire pressure to match the current
load and speed of the car (see page 277).
The stated tire pressures apply to cold tires,
i.e. tires that are the same temperature as
the outside air temperature. Tire pressure
increases as the tires become warm (e.g.
during highway driving) by approximately
0.3 bar (4 psi). When the temperature of the
tires changes by 50°F (10°C), the tire pres-
sure will change 0.1 bar (2 psi).
Never reduce the pressure of a hot tire. If the
tires are hot when you check them, only
increase the pressure, if necessary.
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