Saab 2007 owner manual Buying New Tires

Car care and technical information 225

Buying New Tires

To find out what kind and size of tires you need, look at the Tire-Loading Information label.

Before changing to wheels/tires of another size, we recommend that you contact an authorized Saab workshop regarding acceptable options. See also page 266

Wheels/tires combinations that are not approved by the vehicle manufacturer can negatively affect the car’s directional stabil- ity, steering and braking in both wet and dry conditions.

The wheels and tires have been carefully matched to the characteristics of the car and play a key role in its outstanding roadhold- ing and handling.

Do not take it for granted that a wheel/tire combination will work in the best possible way, just because it can be fitted to the car.

To ensure that the speedometer is as accu- rate as possible it should be reprogrammed if wheels of a different dimension are fitted. Contact a Saab dealer.

Because of front wheel drive, the front tires tend to wear faster than the rear ones. New tires should always be fitted in pairs, so that tires on the same axle have the same amount of tread.

Store wheels lying flat or hanging – never standing upright.

NOTICE

Wide wheels and tires with sidewalls that are too low can:

•be damaged in potholes etc.

•cause springs, shock absorbers and wheel bearings and body mountings can be overloaded.

•cause the wheels to come into contact with chassis and body components.

•can affect the function of the Elec- tronic Stability Program (ESP® ).

The speed and load limits for the tires must not be exceeded; see page 230.

Wheels larger than 17” must not be fitted. The maximum permissible offset is

49 mm.

WARNING

Mixing tires could cause you to lose con- trol while driving. If you mix tires of differ- ent sizes or types (radial and bias-belted tires), the vehicle may not handle prop- erly, and you could have a crash. Using tires of different sizes may also cause damage to your vehicle. Be sure to use the same size and type tires on all wheels. It’s all right to drive with your compact spare temporarily, it was developed for use on your vehicle. See “Compact spare tire” on page 234.

WARNING

If you use bias-ply tires on your vehicle, the wheel rim flanges could develop cracks after many miles of driving. A tire and/or wheel could fail suddenly, causing

acrash. Use only radial-ply tires with the wheels on your vehicle.