Saab 2007 Driving in cold weather, Engine block heater, Heat it first or spray it with de-icer

172 Starting and driving

Engine block heater 3

The following are just some of the benefits to the car and the environment of using an engine block heater:

•Lower fuel consumption.

•Exhaust emissions substantially reduced over short runs.

•Reduced wear on the engine.

•Inside of car warms up faster.

The engine heater is effective at outside temperatures up to 58–68°F (+15–20°C). The warmer it is outside, the shorter the time the engine heater needs to be connected. Longer than 1.5 hours is unnecessary.

If the car is equipped with a removable, electrical cabin heater that is not in use, this should be stored in the luggage compart- ment.

Driving in cold weather

Before starting a journey in cold weather you should check the following:

•That the wiper blades have not become frozen to the windshield/glass.

•Brush any snow away from the air intake for the heater system (opening between hood and windshield).

•It may be advisable to lubricate the door-lock cylinder (use molybdenum

disulphide, MoS2) to prevent its freezing. If the lock has frozen, take care not to break the key (or use the remote control)

– heat it first or spray it with de-icer.

•Periodically during the winter, add gaso- line anti-freeze to the fuel to dispel any condensation in the fuel tank which could freeze and cause problems in the system. Keep the tank well filled to reduce the risk of condensation forming.

If the car is parked outside in freezing weather, fuel additives (gasoline anti-freeze) will not do any good as it cannot remove water that has already fro- zen. Park the car in a warm place so that any ice that may have built up melts, then add gasoline anti-freeze when filling up the tank. Condensation is caused by changes in the outdoor temperature or by the car being parked alternately in a garage and outside.

•It is particularly important when the roads are slippery that the brakes and tires be in good condition.

•Check the anti-freeze in the engine cool- ant, see page 195.

The car´s trip computer will warn you when there is a risk of slippery conditions. For fur- ther information on this function, see page 68.

The car is equipped with tires designed to provide optimum grip on both wet and dry roads, although this has been achieved at the expense of somewhat reduced grip on snow and ice. For regular driving on snow and ice, we therefore recommend that winter (snow) tires be fitted.

Winter (snow) tires, particularly studded tires (where use is legally permitted), gener- ally make driving safer on snow and ice.

Acquaint yourself with the legal provi- sions governing the use of different types of winter tires and snow chains. Studded tires are not allowed in some countries.