[sandraqu]

How do I test the fuel pump?

I went over to the back seat and found the two harnesses. Following instructions for a 1999 9-3 (whereas mine is a 2001 9-3)... The brown harness when unplugged shows the Fuel Gauge not working when key ON, so I am guessing it's the black harness with three wires that is for the Fuel Pump. Please note that with the brown harness plugged in, and the black one not plugged, I hear the fuel pump for a few seconds when key ON. I understand this to be normal.

I put a multimeter set to A with the bars symbol (solid bar at top, and three dashes underneath) to 20 (20 Amp), put ground wire to ground (big seat belt bolt at base of seat) and red wire to female harness. Tried each wire and cranked the car. Got nothing on the three wires.

Feel free to correct my method if it's incorrect.

 

[earthworm]

Unplug the power supply and measure the volts at various switch/control settings.
ign. off =
...... on =
starter on =

Also test the FP's resistance(Ohms) at the same time.
Then, with the harness connected ,measure the voltage drop.
You can also measure the amps that the FP consumes, but parameters are a must for all of this.
As is a good book/manual.

 

[john bernard]

How do I test the fuel pump?

I went over to the back seat and found the two harnesses. Following instructions for a 1999 9-3 (whereas mine is a 2001 9-3)... The brown harness when unplugged shows the Fuel Gauge not working when key ON, so I am guessing it's the black harness with three wires that is for the Fuel Pump. Please note that with the brown harness plugged in, and the black one not plugged, I hear the fuel pump for a few seconds when key ON. I understand this to be normal.

I put a multimeter set to A with the bars symbol (solid bar at top, and three dashes underneath) to 20 (20 Amp), put ground wire to ground (big seat belt bolt at base of seat) and red wire to female harness. Tried each wire and cranked the car. Got nothing on the three wires.

Feel free to correct my method if it's incorrect.

In your first paragraph, if your facts are correct, then your conclusion is wrong about which harness is which. You said with the brown harness plugged in you heard the pump clicking.... If that is so, then it's the brown harness that feeds the pump-obviously! How could it be otherwise??
If your multimeter is a cheap one like mine is, I think it reads milliamps, not amps. A good way to blow up the meter set to milliamps is to attach it to a power source. ask me how I know.
You can check voltage to the pump easily at the fuel pump fuse. that is no. 32 on a NG 900 I don't know if the 9-3 is the same.
I am guessing you are not M.I.T. Is it Harvard? Any how, got to love the rowing on the Charles.

 

[bgkast]

On my 1999 9-3 the brown plug under the access panel is both for the fuel gauge and fuel pump. With the brown plug disconnected the fuel gauge does not register. I followed the same instructions as the OP http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=186476, but the "if it's not the fuel gauge plug, it's the other that powers the pump" logic is not correct for my car.

On my car the brown plug has 4 wires, two of them are thicker gauge than the others and these run the fuel pump. Of these thicker wires the black is ground and the green/black is 12v from the fuel pump relay and fuse 32.