Petrol in a Diesel Saab 9-3? Start With the Tank
Once you have put petrol in a diesel Saab 9-3, the size of its fuel tank is among the earliest things to know, since it determines how much of the fuel in there is now petrol. The tank and the engines are given here for every Saab 9-3 version that we have figures for.
The guidance doesn't change with the number once it has happened. Call Petrol in Diesel with the motor switched off. We'll come to you and empty it just where it stands.
Each version in turn: Saab 9-3 fuel tank capacity
Versions of the Saab 9-3 differ, so the fuel tank holds anywhere from 58 to 68 litres according to yours.
Our figures place the biggest tank on the 9-3 2.2 TiD and the smallest on the 9-3 SportLimousine 1.9 TTiD.
As a comparison, 59 litres is the figure on the 9-3 Cabriolet 1.9 TTiD.
On the 9-3 SportCombi 1.9 TTiD the tank size is 58 litres.
| Version | Fuel tank |
|---|---|
| Saab 9-3 2.2 TiD | 68 litres |
| Saab 9-3 Cabriolet 1.9 TiD | 61 litres |
| Saab 9-3 Cabriolet 1.9 TTiD | 59 litres |
| Saab 9-3 Coupe 2.2 TiD | 68 litres |
| Saab 9-3 SportCombi 1.9 TiD | 58 litres |
| Saab 9-3 SportCombi 1.9 TTiD | 58 litres |
| Saab 9-3 SportLimousine 1.9 TiD | 62 litres |
| Saab 9-3 SportLimousine 1.9 TTiD | 58 litres |
| Saab 9-3 SportLimousine 2.2 TiD | 62 litres |
| Saab 9-3X SportCombi 1.9 TTiD | 58 litres |
A couple of litres of wrong fuel in your Saab 9-3, and what they amount to
How full your tank was when you filled up determines the share of petrol, because wrong fuel in your Saab 9-3 blends with whatever diesel was already there. How much petrol gets to the motor rests a lot on the amount in the tank. The tank holds up to 68 litres, and in a nearly full one a couple of litres remain a small part of the total, yet in a tank sitting near empty the same few litres become a much bigger part.
The quantity of petrol that is too much is something people often wonder about. The more helpful point to find out is whether the motor has run, as running it is what carries the blend from your tank and through your pump and the injectors.
Having it drained is the safe course no matter what the share is. When the amount is modest, your 9-3 usually needs no more than that.
The engine options on your diesel 9-3
When you phone, it is useful to have read the badge beforehand, because the name of the version on it tells us which engine your 9-3 has.
The 9-3 Coupe 2.2 TiD carries the biggest engine at 2.2 litres, and the 9-3X SportCombi 1.9 TTiD the smallest one at 1.9 litres.
There are Cabriolet and Coupe 9-3 versions in the figures as well.
Not knowing which version you own does not need to stop you. Phone all the same, and we'll work it out with you.
When there's AdBlue in a diesel Saab 9-3
With AdBlue, fuel tank size works differently. If you have AdBlue in a diesel Saab 9-3, the diesel around it doesn't dilute it, as AdBlue is mainly water and does not mix with diesel. It sinks to the base of the tank, which is where the fuel pump draws from, so even a tiny volume reaches the fuel lines.
AdBlue gives your pump no lubrication and won't combust. Its water dries out as it sits, leaving urea that forms crystals in the fuel filter and your lines, where it corrodes the metal it sits against.
Some diesel vehicles keep AdBlue in a second tank with its own filler, often next to the diesel filler under the same flap. Where your 9-3 has an AdBlue filler, its cap is usually blue and takes a slimmer nozzle than the diesel one.
Fuel drain on your Saab 9-3
Whatever size your tank is on your version, a fuel drain on your Saab 9-3 empties the lot, right where the vehicle is sitting. Clean diesel is put in once the tainted fuel gets pumped out and the lines and your filter are rinsed, and then the system is primed and the motor fired up.
Whether your 9-3 is still at the station forecourt or parked on your drive does not change anything. You can drive it away when this drain is finished, and it will be running on fresh diesel.
How AdBlue removal from a diesel Saab 9-3 works
With AdBlue lying at the bottom of your tank and not mixed in, AdBlue removal from a diesel Saab 9-3 starts by draining your tank completely. Where the motor has been started, the fuel lines and the filter are purged through as well, and the filter is replaced if needed.
This is about AdBlue that has got into the diesel tank. It's not removing or disabling the AdBlue system on the car.
What a fuel drain on the Saab 9-3 will cost
There is no fixed price published on this page, since jobs on one model can vary quite a lot. What affects it most is whether the 9-3 has been started or driven, and beyond that how much was put in against the capacity of the tank, whether it was petrol or AdBlue, and where the vehicle is now.
Ring with those details so we can explain what this job will involve.
Your tank questions on petrol in a diesel Saab 9-3
How many litres is the Saab 9-3 fuel tank capacity?
Every version is set out above in the table, with tanks from 58 to 68 litres according to which one you have.
With a larger tank, is petrol less of a worry?
A bigger tank means a couple of litres form less of the whole, yet that petrol is still in there and still reaches the pump when the motor runs. A drain removes all of it while your 9-3 stays turned off.
Diesel versions of the 9-3: how many do you cover?
There are 10 diesel 9-3 versions in our data, and the model name on your badge shows which row of the table above is yours.
What counts as wrong fuel in my Saab 9-3?
Petrol counts whatever the grade, super unleaded too, and so does AdBlue that was meant for its own dedicated tank. Everything other than diesel in your diesel tank is wrong fuel.
Wherever the Saab 9-3 is, can you drain the car?
Yes. We come to the vehicle, whether it's still at the station forecourt or parked at home, so it does not need to be shifted or switched on.