The Side Marker LED Lights Kit (US style) for Saab 9-3

The Side marker lights provide provide additional illumination at night and during times of poor visibility, and in this way increase the visibility of the vehicle for other drivers and pedestrians alike. Also, since we have both front and rear light markers, when looking at the car from the side – we can determine its driving direction. And that’s not all, they are especially useful when the vehicle is exiting the parking lot, thanks to these lights, other road users can notice your intention to exit from parking lot, and then correct their movements.

Unfortunately, these side  marker lights are only mandatory in the USA and Mexico, and it would be useful for all those involved in public transport – to be introduced by other countries in the world. In the United States, side marker lights became a requirement since the beginning of 1968, for vehicles that exceed 80 inches in length, and the following year a new obligation was introduced for other categories of vehicles, including trailers, multi-purpose vehicles, motorcycles, cars and small trucks.

Of course, since Saab vehicles were also marketed in the US, Saab, as a vehicle manufacturer, also predicted these marking lights for this market. The exterior lighting system of the Saab cars includes the following light functions: Headlamps, halogen/xenon Main and dipped beam, tail lights, number plate lighting and parking lights are part of the main lighting, and Side marker lights.

On certain markets (mainly US), the dipped beam is used as daytime running lights (DRL). The light switch must then be in position O. Side marker ligths on certain markets are on at the same time as the parking lights.

The Front Side marker lights in US 

The front side marker lights are located in the left and rigth corners of the front bumper. The LEDs for the rear side marker lights are located in the ligth cluster in the car body. The front and rear side marker lights are on with the parking lights.

In the case of the old Saab 9-3 model they turn on when the headlights are on. And the whole amber section doesn’t turn on. Just certain section where the bulb sits (bulb not LED). In the case of the NEW Saab 9-3 model, from MY2007, The front side marker lights are LED and located in headligths box.

Saab cars that were intended for markets outside the US and Canada, these The front side marker lights do not exist. The space for them is in the headlight box, but there is no LED indicator. Many owners of Saab 9-3 NG models outside the US want to activate this feature, both for stylistic reasons and for increased safety.

Only Saab enthusiasts who were encouraged to dismantle the headlamps could integrate these LED indicators, but they also had a good knowledge of electronics. Nevertheless, the market has come up with an almost complete solution that does not require knowledge of electronics, no special tools or even disassembly of headlights.

Swedish guy Kim Hagman from Österbymo (SWE) offers LED diode kits to you who want to look your headlights with nice orange diodes like the USA models. As he says, he has sold over 500 kits so far, and have been doing this for over 4 years. He has a great manufacturer that they talked to and tested a nice color, yellow orange as original as possible. You need to make a small gap on the back of the headlight, does not appear after intervention and does not affect the function, and after intervention you can glue that part back into place.

You don’t have to lift or pick away the front bumper. The operation takes about 1 hour per light, total beginner say 1. 5 hour per ove light. No advanced tools needed or specialist skills.  He has a good detailed description with pictures and text you get to take part in in connection with purchase. Kim also has a video manual that he can send to customers.

The entire kit, consisting of 6 LEDs, 3 each for left and right side, costs 150 SEK (€15) and can be ordered by sending a direct message to Kim.