2004 Saab 9-5 Owner's Manual - Page 206

206 Car care and technical information NOTICE If there is a smell of burning fluid or the fluid is black, change the fluid. If the outside temperature is below 50°F (10°C), the fluid will not reach the specified temperature of 175°F (80°C). In this case, the correct fluid level may be 0.8 in (20 mm) below the MAX mark. Transmission fluid Manual transmission Check and top up the fluid in accordance with the service program. If original fluid cannot be obtained for topping up (see page 276), automatic transmission fluid Dexron III (synthetic oil) can be used. If so, the car should be taken to an authorized Saab dealer immediately to have the reason for low fluid level corrected and original fluid installed. Automatic transmission Check the fluid level as follows: 1 Stand the car on level ground and apply the parking brake. The automatic transmission fluid must be at normal running temperature, approximately 175°F (80°C). This can be achieved by driving the car for about 30 min on the open road. 2 With the engine idling, move the selector lever to D and wait for at least 15 seconds. Next, move the selector lever to R and wait for 15 seconds again. Finally, move the selector lever to P. Let the engine idle. Dipstick for automatic-transmission fluid 3 Wipe the dipstick clean with a lint-free cloth and put it back. 4 With the fluid at normal temperature, the level should be between the MAX and MIN marks on the dipstick. Top up, as necessary, with Saab 3309 automatic transmission fluid (mineral oil-based), adding it through the dipstick pipe. The distance between the MIN and MAX marks on the dipstick corresponds to a volume of approximately 0.4 qts (0.4 liter). IB1923