2000 SAAB 9-5 engine overheat

146 Starting and drivingBrakingTo avoid the brakes becoming overheated,
(e.g. when negotiating long descents with a
drop of several hundred feet), select a low
gear to use the braking effect of the engine.
If the car has automatic transmission, move
the selector lever to position 1 or 2.
When driving fast, you can help to prolong
the life of the brakes by thinking ahead and
braking harder for short periods, rather than
braking more moderately over long
stretches. Brake pad wear indicatorsThe outboard brake pads on the front
wheels incorporate pad-wear indicators.
When the lining is down to 3 mm, the pad
will produce a screeching, squealing or
scraping noise when the brakes are applied.
New pads should be fitted without delay.
Brake pads should only be replaced by
an authorized Saab dealer. To ensure optimum brake performance,
it is recommended that you use only
Saab original brake pads.
ABS brakesABS (antilock braking system) modulates
the brake pressure to the respective
wheels. Wheel sensors detect if a wheel is
about to lock, and the control module
reduces the pressure to that wheel and then
increases it once more until the tendency is
detected again.
The brake system is equipped with an Elec-
tronic Brake-force Distribution device
(EBD), which distributes the brake pressure
between the front and rear wheels, in such
a way as to achieve optimum braking perfor-
mance irrespective of the car’s speed and
load.
The ABS system has a built-in diagnostic
function which will switch on the Anti-lock
brake warning light if a fault is detected in
the system (see page 48).
WARNING
 It is prudent to try your brakes from
time to time, especially when driving in
heavy rain, on roads with a lot of sur-
face water, or in snow or slush. In such
conditions, the brakes may take
longer than normal to take effect. To
rectify this, touch the brake pedal peri-
odically to dry the brakes out.
The same applies after the car has
been washed or when the weather is
very humid.
 The brakes are power assisted and it
should be kept in mind that the servo
unit only provides the power assis-
tance when the engine is running.
 The brake pressure required when the
engine is off,( e.g. when the car is on
tow) is roughly four times the normal
pedal force required. The pedal also
feels hard and unresponsive.
 We advise against using wheels with
open wheel covers in winter, as the
brake components are then more
exposed both to slush, road salt and
grit.
WARNING
 The additional safety afforded by the
ABS system is not designed to allow
drivers to drive faster but to make
normal driving safer.
 To stop as quickly as possible, without
loss of directional stability, whether
the road surface is dry, wet or slippery,
press the brake pedal down hard-
without letting up, declutching
simultaneously, and steer the car to
safety.
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153 Starting and driving
Recommendations for cars with auto-
matic transmission.
The following time limits are based on the
capacity of the cooling system in warm
weather, i.e. approximately 104°F (40°C).
When negotiating long hills, bear the follow-
ing important considerations in mind:
If TRANSMISSION OVERHEATING
appears on the SID, stop the car as soon as
it is safe to do so and wait until the warning
has been extinguished. When continuing
your journey, select a locked gear (1, 2 or 3)
that will allow you to drive at an engine
speed of about 3,000 rpm (see page 142).
Do not drive continuously with the WINTER
mode selected in hilly country when you are
towing a trailer, as this will increase fuel con-
sumption and risk overheating the transmis-
sion.
Trailer hitch loadThe weight distribution on the trailer makes
a lot of difference to the handling properties
of the car and trailer combination. As
regards single-axle trailers, whenever pos-
sible, concentrate the load over the wheels
and keep it as low as possible.
The trailer should be loaded so that the
maximum load on the towbar ball is 5% to
7% of the trailer weight with a maximum per-
missible tongue weight of 165 lbs. (75 kg).
Note that this load must be added to the total
load for the car. If this now exceeds the
specified load capacity, the load in the lug-
gage compartment will have to be reduced
by a corresponding amount. Driving considerations Always take extra care when towing a
trailer, as the car’s handling will be different
and its braking effect reduced. The trailer’s
braking system and suspension also have a
considerable effect on these characteris-
tics.
If the car is equipped with automatic trans-
mission, select position 1 when ascending
or descending steep hills. Gradient
of hill, % Maximum
trailer
weight, lbs.
(kg)Maximum dura-
tion, minutes
6-7 2000 (900) unlimited
8-9 2000 (900) 15 max
10-15 1000 (450) 15 max. NOTEIf the “Fault indicator, automatic trans-
mission” indicator comes on, cease
towing until the problem has been recti-
fied.
IB106
Distribution of load in trailer a Light
b Moderate
cHeavy
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154 Starting and drivingDriving considerations
with compact spare
wheel/tire fittedThe following should be observed when the
compact spare wheel (T115/70 R16) is
fitted:
The compact spare is light and easy to
handle when changing the wheel. Do not
drive further than necessary with the com-
pact spare fitted – the maximum life of the
wheel is only just over 2000 miles
(3,500 km). Have the standard wheel
repaired and refitted as soon as possible. The car’s ground clearance is reduced with
the compact spare fitted. Note that only one
compact spare wheel may be used at any
time. Take care not to hit the curb and do not
fit snow chains. Leave the wheel cover off,
so that the warning text is readily visible.
Driving with the trunk
lid/tailgate openAvoid driving with the trunk lid/tailgate partly
or fully open, since exhaust fumes can be
drawn into the cabin.
If you must drive with the trunk lid/tailgate
open, all windows and the sunroof (if fitted)
must be closed and the cabin fan on at its
highest speed setting.Driving in deep water
WARNING
Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h) as the
tire can overheat and adversely affect the
handling of the car.
The tire should be inflated to 60 psi
(420 kPa).
NOTETo avoid damaging a punctured alloy
wheel it can be placed outside up in the
spare-wheel well but only while driving to
the closest workshop.
A general rule is that all heavy loads must
be well secured in the luggage compart-
ment, see page 118 and 121.
NOTEDo not drive in water deeper than
12 inches (30 cm) and do not drive faster
than at idling speed. Water can otherwise
be sucked into the engine. The engine will
be damaged if water enters the intake
system.
IB465
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