2005 Saab 9-3 Owner's Manual - Page 255

Car care In the U.S., Saab offers a full complement of car care products. See your dealer or visit us at www.saabcatalog.com. Convertible: • Wash the soft top with a mild soap solution and lukewarm water. For spot cleaning the top, a finger nail brush can also be used. Stroke the brush in the direction of the fabric, not across the threads. • If a pressure washer is used be heedful of the following recommendations: • on the lower part of the car (not higher than the door handles): max pressure of 100 bar and not closer than 8 in. (20 cm). • on the upper part of the car: tax pressure of 100 bar and not closer than 32 in. (80 cm). • Do not use any drying chemicals or waterproofing agents. • Avoid automatic car washes. 253 NOTICE • Try your brakes on leaving a car wash. Wet brake discs reduce the performance of the brakes. • Fixed antennae, such as for a mobile phone, must be removed if the car goes through an automatic car wash. • Cars with Saab Parking Assistance: Do not spray the sensors or closer than 8 in. (20 cm) to the sensors with a pressure washer, as this can damage them. Waxing and polishing Do not wax a new car during the first three or four months. In fact, there is no need to polish the car before the paintwork has started to dull through oxidation. Other than in exceptional cases, do not use abrasive polishes containing a cutting agent on a new car. Always wash the car thoroughly before waxing or polishing. Touching up the paint Damaged paintwork should be treated as soon as it is discovered: the longer it is left, the greater the risk of corrosion. The anticorrosion warranty does not cover corrosion resulting from untreated defects. Paintwork damage sustained in a crash is usually extensive and can only be properly restored by professionals. However, you can repair small scratches and stone chip damage yourself. The necessary tools and materials, such as primer, touch-up paint and brushes, are available from your Saab dealer. In the case of minor flaws in the paintwork, where the metal has not been exposed and an undamaged layer of paint remains, touch-up paint can usually be applied directly, after any dirt has been scraped away using a pointed knife. If corrosion has already set in, such as the result of stone-chip damage, use a pointed knife to scrape off all surface rust. If possible, the damaged area should be taken back to the bare metal. The metal should