Driving In Hot Climates - Saab 9-3 M2008 Owner's Manual

93_US_M08.book Page 189 Friday, May 11, 2007 11:37 AM

Driving in hot climates

Always check the coolant level before start-
ing a journey. When the engine is cold, the
coolant shall lie on or just above the
KALT/COLD mark on the expansion tank
(boundary between the upper and lower
sections of the tank).
At the end of a journey, allow the engine to
idle for 2–3 minutes before switching it off.
If the needle on the temperature gauge
enters the red zone, the following message
will be shown on the SID:
Hot engine. Make a
safe stop. Idle engine.
1 Stop the car but do not switch off the
engine. Do not remove the cap on the
cooling system expansion tank, even if
the tank is empty. The engine tempera-
ture should decrease. If the temperature
continues to rise with the engine idling,
the engine must be switched off.
2 If the engine is idling and the needle on
the temperature gauge falls, wait until a
normal temperature is shown (about in
the middle of the scale) before switching
off the engine. If the coolant needs to be
topped up, carefully unscrew the
expansion tank cap.
Fill as required with a mixture of 50 %
antifreeze and 50 % clean water. Use an
antifreeze approved by Saab.
WARNING
• Exercise care when opening the hood
if the engine is overheated. Never
remove the expansion tank cap com-
pletely when the engine is hot.
• The cooling system is pressurized -
hot coolant and vapour can escape.
These can cause injury to your eyes
and burns. Open the cap slowly to
release the pressure before removing
it.
3 Have the car's cooling system checked.
We recommend that you contact a Saab
dealer.
Starting and driving 189