Dude! Just wiggle the shifter!

What is happening, is the little locking pawl in the transmission's starting to wear out. (The same thing happens on non-Saab cars, but on them you have to turn the steering wheel.) To unstick the key on a Saab, hold the key in one hand and the shifter in the other. Turn the key to the right and wiggle the shifter. When you get it just right, the key will turn.

If you have a 1987 Saab 900 here is the rough overview. disconnect the battery ground cable at the battery. Remove the turbo boost pipes (if it's a turbo) and then remove the black plastic flywheel/clutch shroud. If your slave cylinder still works then have someone step on the clutch and hold it while you insert a "ring" to keep the clutch depressed after the slave is released (person lets up on the pedal). Some guys use an old spark plug wire for this "ring". I use a piece of #6 solid copper wire (no insulation) formed into a ring. You place this ring under the fingers of the clutch cover so that it holds the springs and pressure plate in the fully depressed position. This can be tedious and you must get the pressure plate fully depressed or you'll be screwed later in the process. If your slave is non-functional, forget the assistant stomping the clutch pedal, (and if you don't have the big lever tool that Saab provided their dealers with), back off all the bolts holding the clutch cover to the flywheel (don't remove them) and using pry bars or large screwdrivers pry the cover away from the flywheel and place spacers to hold. work your way around until the cover is spaced away fron the flywheel evenly. you may have to graduate spacers and go around more than once and you may have to install longer bolts as you go. If you remove to many bolts at once and the cover slips off of being concentric you'll be sorry. The loose bolts act as alignment pins, see. Also don't let a spacer fall out as you pry for the next one (tape). Another trick is to replace the cover bolts with longer bolts with a nut between the cover and flywheel and then just back off the nuts which will lift the cover. That method is foolproof but you have to have the right bolts and nuts. Once the clutch is fully released insert the aforementioned "ring". Next, crack loose the hose at the slave. Get it finger tight. Remove the three bolts that hold the slave to the transmission. If these are the correct 5mm Allen bolts you may have to make a stubby Allen wrench. Pop the retaining spring and remove the round cover plate and flat o'ring at the front/top of the trans. and carefully unscrew the 4-winged plastic thrust device from the end of the clutch shaft. insert a short bolt and use a pry bar to pop out the shaft. draw the shaft as far out as it will come. Remove the (loose) bolts from the clutch cover/flywheel, pry the slave toward the flywheel until it is free and enjoy lifting the entire assembly; friction plate, clutch cover and slave out as a unit. The alignment pins in the flywheel make this extra tricky and rotating both the flywheel (engine) and clutch cover may be necessary. By the way, the safe way to turn the engine when needed is to jack up one front wheel, remove the spark plugs, keep the car in 1st gear and turn the wheel. Like I said if you fail to depress the clutch fully before inserting the "ring" you won't be able to squeeze the three pieces (disc, cover and slave) together enough to clear and remove. See if you can borrow the Saab tools from your mechanic friend at the dealership (lots a luck). If you are just doing the slave then assembly is the reverse of disassembly (right?). If you're replacing the clutch don't forget to have your flywheel machined and replace the pilot bearing. Torque all your bolts carefully, don't over-torque and apply some blue Locktight (med. strength) to the flywheel/crankshaft bolts and the flywheel/ clutch cover bolts. Put a little "Permatex #2 (non-hardening) on the little slave/trans. case bolts. After you get your new slave in here is the best trick for bleeding it fast and easy. Attach a two foot long piece of clear plastic hose (hardware store) to the bleed nipple on the slave. Hold the hose upright and carefully pour fluid in the hose Open the nipple and apply a little air pressure to force the fluid through. I just wipe clean the hose and blow but you could use compressed air (2 psi) if you are squeamish. Tighten the nipple just before the tubing is empty. Of course, keep an eye on your master cylinder fluid level. If your clutch shaft seal is leaking they are very difficult to remove. Here's my trick; Obtain an old Saab 900 manual transmission layshaft. When we rebuild we often throw these away. Insert the end with the groove/hook into the seal and lay it back. The seal will pop right out. Use only a genuine Saab replacement seal, others will fail. If you have removed the flywheel for machining, replace the crankshaft seal too. Buy a REAR crankshaft seal of course. Good luck!

If it is a Saab 9000, you have to remove the tranny, and that may sound daunting, but it really is only a matter of knowing what to take off and in what order. Not that bad of a job once you get into it.

Go to http://www.quasimotors.com/clutch.htm

Here you will find the complete procedure, with color pictures, diagrams, warnings, etc. Everything you need, and easier to follow than the Shop Manuel. I used this info to change mine in a 90 Saab 9000 Turbo, and it was dead on . . . however, you best plan on it taking the whole weekend . . .

Replacing SAAB 9.3 rear brake pads (backing off the caliper piston without requiring use of special tools or re-bleeding the brake system):

Note: SAAB 9.3's DO NOT have an hydraulic actuating piston adjusting screw on the back side of the rear brake caliper/hydraulic actuating piston assembly as the earlier SAAB 900's do.

Assuming that the portion of the procedure involving safely raising and placing the vehicle on jackstands, removing the tire/wheel and removing the rear brake caliper/hydraulic actuating piston assembly from the rear brake caliper/pad carrier bracket went OK, the interesting part then becomes backing off the caliper assembly's hydraulic actuating piston (sometimes referred to as winding the piston in) to provide the additional clearance necessary to permit the caliper/hydraulic actuating piston assembly to then be able to accommodate the new (and therefore thicker) brake pads. It requires that the hydraulic actuating piston be rotated to the right (clockwise) while at the same time being pressed inward. SAAB service garages use a special tool to accomplish this but it can also be accomplished in your home garage with everyday tools as follows:

- use the tips of a pair of heavy needle nosed pliers (or end prong snap ring pliers or a 'U' bent heavy nail's shank clamped in long nose Vice-Grip plier jaws) to engage the two holes on the face of the hydraulic actuating piston to twist the hydraulic piston to the right a few turns until it turns somewhat more freely within its rubber dust seal (lubricating around the edges of the dust seal where it meets the face of the hydraulic piston with brake fluid helps).

- place a piece of 3/16" clear tubing over the the nipple of the brake bleeder valve after removing its dust cover and OPEN THE BLEEDER VALVE keeping the clear tubing pointing upward (important to keep air from possibly entering the hydraulic assembly; a small amount of brake fluid will come out but no air should be allowed to enter)

- apply an 8 inch 'C' clamp which has a ball jointed (hopefully lubricated) pad at the end of the clamp's jack screw such that the clamp's ball jointed pad rests centered on the face of the hydraulic actuating piston and the clamp's fixed pad rests on the back side of the caliper/hydraulic actuating piston assembly. Tighten the 'C' clamp enough so that the clamp will stay in place on its own and then give it another 1/4 turn on the jack screw (do not over tighten it as it would cause damage) .

- now using a pair of channel lock pliers, clamp them firmly around the outer perimeter of the 'C' clamp's ball jointed clamp pad which is resting in contact with the face of the hydraulic actuating piston and turn it 1/4 turn to the right, such that THE PAD AND PISTON ROTATE TOGETHER. If the pad skids on ther face of the piston instead of turning together with it, include a small piece of sandpaper or a knurled (bicycle axle type) washer between the 'C' clamp's pad and the face of the hydraulic actuating piston to improve the grip. The piston MUST turn while being forced inward.

- notice that the 'C' clamp becomes a bit looser as the hydraulic actuating piston retracts slightly with the 1/4 turn so re-tighten the 'C' clamp with a 1/4 turn of its jack screw after each 1/4 turn of the hydraulic actuating piston, repeating this operation until the hydraulic actuating piston has been backed off sufficiently to provide the caliper / hydraulic actuating piston assembly adequate clearance to accommodate the total thickness of the new thicker brake pads and the brake rotor.

- reassemble the caliper/hydraulic actuating piston assembly over the brake rotor with the new rear brake pads in place in the caliper / brake pad carrier bracket and refasten it onto the caliper carrier bracket (with its two Allen head bolts - applying a thin layer of grease to the shanks of the bolts and blue loc-tite reversible thread locker to the threads - replace the dust covers over these two bolts when fully tightened / torqued).

- CLOSE THE BLEEDER VALVE (obviously a most important item) and dry it and its surrounding area off completely.

- Start the engine to power up the hydraulic brake booster and pump the brakes firmly several times which will cause the caliper assembly's hydraulic actuating piston to self adjust the caliper's hydraulic actuating piston into proper relationship with the brake rotor.

- Re-check the bleeder valve to be absolutely sure it had been properly closed and that no brake fluid had issued when pumping the brakes in the step above and replace its dust cover.

- Open the cap on the on the master cylinder's brake fluid reservoir (under hood on the driver side firewall) and replenish any lost brake fluid (using only type DOT 4brake fluid - do not allow any dirt to enter the master cylinder's reservoir)

- Test the hand brake and test drive the vehicle with several hard stops before considering the newly replaced rear brake pad job complete and the vehicle ready to be safely returned to service.

- This is a safety related procedure so please do the work with great care.

2004 Saab 9-3

Headlamp bulb replacement.

There is a retaining bracket between the old bulb and the plug

The bracket retains the bulb in the headlamp housing.

There are two clips that hold the retaining bracket in place.

Be Careful not to break the clips and release the bulb.

These bulbs are stubborn so be firm.

Replace the bulb and retainer. The twist the assembly on the headlamp housing.

Not the best design I've ever seen so be careful

Marcos

You can use Bosch Platinum spark plugs because they will fit into the holes, but you will give up reliability and driveability. For some reason, the Bosch plugs do not play well with the Saab ignition/fuel systems. Stick with the factory recommendation for optimum economy and driveability.