2000 SAAB 9-5 service

48 Instruments and controls

Anti-lock brake warning
This light together with and indi-
cates that a fault has occurred in the ABS
system. Conventional braking without the
ABS function will still be available.
For safety reasons, stop the car and check
the level of the brake fluid (see page 175).
If the level is normal, depress the brake
pedal firmly two or three times. Now check
the level again. If the level is still normal, you
may drive the car, with considerable cau-
tion, to the nearest authorized Saab dealer
to have the brake system checked.

Airbag warning light
This light together with will come on if
a potentially serious fault has occurred in
the airbag system.
The light will come on for about three sec-
onds when the ignition switch is turned to
the Start or Drive position. It should go out
after the engine has started.
CHECK message indicator
This light indicates that there is a message
in the SID. A chime will also sound
(see page 58).
Central warning light
This light will come on and a chime will
sound if a fault has been detected in any
system that is critical to safety. Any of the
following can activate the central warning
light and alarm:
 Airbag system.
 Low oil pressure in engine.
 Parking brake is on (when car is moving).
 Brake fluid level low.
 Fault detected in ABS system.
 Engine overheating.
 Alternator not charging properly.
The symbol and audible alarm are also acti-
vated if the ignition key is turned to the ON
position and the engine is not started within
10 seconds.
WARNING
 If the ABS is inoperative, there is a
danger of the rear wheels locking up
on hard braking.
 If the level of brake fluid in the reser-
voir is below the MIN mark, the car
should be towed to an authorized
Saab dealer.
WARNING
 If the airbag readiness light stays on
after you start your vehicle, it means
the airbag system may not be working
properly.
 The airbags in your vehicle may not
inflate in a crash, or they could even
inflate without a crash.
 To help avoid injury to yourself or
others, have your vehicle serviced
right away if the airbag readiness light
stays on after you start your vehicle.
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49 Instruments and controls

Engine malfunction
This light indicates a malfunction in the
fuel-injection or ignition system. The car
may still be driven with care and with some-
what diminished performance (see page
132).
Indicator, fuel
This light comes on when there is less than
about 2.5 gallons (10 liters) of fuel left in the
tank.
Indicator, cruise control
This light shows when the cruise-control
system is active (see page 145).
Indicator, high beam
This light shows when the headlights are on
high beam (see page 61).
Indicator, rear fog light
This light shows when the rear fog light is on
(see page 62).
The rear fog light is switched off automat-
ically when the engine is switched off. When
the fog light is next needed, it will have to be
switched on manually again.
The rear fog light consists of one light so it
should not be mistaken for rear light.
Indicator, open door
If a door has not been closed properly, the
pictogram will indicate the door concerned
(or tailgate).
WARNING
An illuminated “Engine malfunction” indi-
cator light indicates a serious
engine-related problem. While your car
may be able to be driven with the “Engine
malfunction” indicator light illuminated
(Limp-home mode), you are advised to
have your car serviced at a qualified facil-
ity as soon as possible.
Continued driving without this problem
being corrected might cause serious fur-
ther damage to your car and create
unsafe driving conditions. The operator
should be prepared to take action if such
unsafe conditions arise (e.g., apply the
brakes, disengage transmission, turn off
the ignition etc.).
NOTEIf the car runs out of fuel, air can have
been drawn in with the fuel, which, in turn,
can cause the catalytic converter to be
damaged by overheating.
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58 Instruments and controlsResetting values
To reset the values, press CLEAR for at
least four seconds.
The following functions will be reset
simultaneously:
 Estimated range on remaining fuel
(function based on a fuel consumption of
28 mpg).
 Average fuel consumption.
 Average speed.
 Arrival time (function based on current
speed).
Programmed values for DIST, ALARM and
SPD W will not be reset (see the respective
function).
CHECK messages When the engine is started, CHECKING will
appear on the display for about four sec-
onds, while the SID checks are being per-
formed.
When a CHECK message is generated
while the car is being driven, a chime will
sound, INFO DISPL will come on on the
main instrument panel, and the message
will appear on the SID. The number of mes-
sages that can be displayed by the SID
varies with the specification of the car.
If more than one CHECK message has
been generated, the
+ symbol will appear to
the left of the text on the display. The mes-
sages appear in order of priority.
If a new fault occurs while another message
is being displayed, the message relating to
the new one will appear for 10 seconds,
after which the display will return to the ear-
lier one.
Press CLEAR once to acknowledge a mes-
sage, whereupon it will be cleared from the
display. It will not be displayed again before
the ignition has been switched off and then
on again. The following messages may be displayed:
Message See
page
FRONT LIGHT FAILURE 182
REAR LIGHT FAILURE 185
FOG LIGHT FAILURE 186
BRAKE LIGHT FAILURE 185
TEST BRAKE LIGHTS
1)
185
WASHER FLUID LEVEL LOW 181
FILL COOLANT FLUID 174
REPLACE KEY BATTERY 35
KEY NOT ACCEPTED 42
SERVICE THEFT ALARM 42
TRANSMISSION OVERHEAT-
ING 141
TIGHTEN FUEL FILLER CAP 134
TIME FOR SERVICE
2)
218
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59 Instruments and controls
1 This message cannot be removed by pressing
CLEAR. Depress the brake pedal.
2 This message will be displayed approxi-
mately 600 miles (1,000 km) before the next
scheduled service is due, or when 365 days
have elapsed since the last service. The
message should be cleared at the time of that
service (see the Saab Warranties & Service
Record Booklet).
If you have carried out the service yourself,
you can clear the message by pressing
CLEAR once. Reset by pressing CLEAR for
at least eight seconds, until ”SERVICE”
appears on the display and a chime sounds.
Night panelTo improve night-driving conditions inside
the car, the Night Panel mode can be
selected. In this mode, the amount of infor-
mation displayed is reduced, and only the
most important instruments and displays
will be illuminated.
When the Night Panel button is pressed,
only the speedometer will be illuminated (up
to the 87-mph or 140-km/h graduation), all
the other instruments illumination being
extinguished and their needles moved to
zero. Both the SID and the ACC displays will
be extinguished and the backlighting for
switches and other controls will be dimmed.
Note: All indicator and warning lights,
together with the display of CHECK mes-
sages, will operate as normal, except "Frost
warning", see page 55. The following conditions will wake up the
respective displays in the Night-Panel
mode:
 Setting of the Audio system, SID or ACC
(display comes on for ten seconds).
 CHECK message generated in the SID.
 High engine revs cause the rev counter to
be illuminated until the engine speed has
fallen again.
 If the quantity of fuel remaining falls below
4 gallons (15 liters), the fuel gauge will be
illuminated.
 If the engine temperature rises above nor-
mal, the temperature gauge will be illumi-
nated.
 If the speed of the car exceeds 84 mph
(135 km/h), the entire speedometer will
be illuminated.
 In cars with automatic transmission, if the
selector lever is moved from D to position
3, 2 or 1, the selector indication on the
main instrument panel will be illuminated.
To restore the displays and lighting to the
normal mode, press the Night-Panel button.
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83 Saab 9-5 Audio System
Press and hold in the AS/SEARCH button
for more than a second to initiate a search
for the six strongest stations.
Each time the system finds and stores a sta-
tion, the number on the far right of the dis-
play will change. If the system cannot find
six stations with good reception, the remain-
ing preset buttons will be empty. If one of
these empty buttons is pressed, U**** (FM)
or AM**** will appear on the display.
When the system leaves the AS mode, it
returns to the station that was selected
before the AS mode was activated.
The AS mode can also be used in the AM
band.
WB (Weather Band) (5)Press the WB button to select the Weather
Band mode. The radio will automatically
search for the strongest national weather
service station in the area. When a weather
band station is received, the display indi-
cates "WB". The strongest station generally
provides the most accurate information for
the area in which you are travelling.
To exit the Weather Band mode, depress
the WB button again. Weather Band recep-
tion is available in CD, TAPE and RADIO
mode. If the radio is unable to find a suffi-
ciently strong station to lock onto, the unit
will continue to search and the display will
indicate "NO WB".
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89 Saab 9-5 Audio System
CD changer(accessory)Important! Always keep the sliding cover
closed to keep dust out of the CD changer,
so that it will continue to provide satisfactory
service for a long time. To load the CD changer (which is installed
in the luggage compartment and can
accommodate six CDs) proceed as follows:
1 Slide the top right back.
2 Lift out the CD magazine.
3 Press back the catch on the magazine.
4 Withdraw one CD tray at a time and
swap/load the CD (label side up). Slide
the tray back into the magazine.
Note the position of the magazine for load-
ing (see picture).
Insert the entire magazine carefully inside
the CD changer and slide back the cover.
To select the CD changer  If the Audio System is in the RADIO or
TAPE mode, press the CD/RDM button
twice.
 If the CD player is active, press the
CD/RDM button once.
If the CDs in the magazine have not been
changed, the system will start playback
from where it left off before.
If there is no magazine in the CD changer,
the following will appear on the display:
NOTEDo not use writeable CDs in your audio
system, as in certain cases these types of
CD are only suitable for home use and
can therefore cause operational prob-
lems.
IB383
4
3
Changing a CD
IB1341
2
1
CD changer in luggage compartment,
Saab 9-5 Sedan
IB1208
CD changer in luggage compartment,
Saab 9-5 Wagon
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100 Saab 9-5 Audio System
OnStar System (US Option only)Your vehicle may be equipped with OnStar,
a vehicle telematics communications and
navigation system. See the separate
OnStar owner’s manual supplied in your
vehicle’s document organizer.
WARNING
The CD player/CD changer is classified
as Class 1 laser equipment
 Service and repair work must only be
carried out by authorized technicians.
 If the casing is damaged, hazardous
laser radiation can occur. NOTEAll work on the Audio System must be
carried out by an authorized Saab dealer.
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131 Starting and driving
If the car does not startIf the text “KEY NOT ACCEPTED” is shown
on the SID, after a failed start attempt, the
cause could be a fault in the transmitter in
the key, or in the receiver in the ignition lock.
The following should be done:
 Turn the key back to the LOCK position.
 Turn the key to ON.
 Press one of the buttons on the remote
control (the LED stops blinking).
 Start the engine.
Try another key. If this works, then the fault
is in the first key.
Contact an authorized Saab dealer for
checking and rectification.
Starting the engine Do not run the starter motor for more than
25 seconds at a time. Wait 20-30 seconds
before running the starter again, to give the
battery time to recover.
Avoid racing the engine or putting a heavy
load on it before it has warmed up. Drive
away as soon as the oil warning light has
been extinguished to enable the engine to
attain its normal temperature as quickly as
possible.
It is possible for air to enter the lubricating
system in conjunction with an oil or oil-filter
change, or if the car has been stored for
some time. This air can cause the hydraulic
cam followers to emit a ticking noise, which
can persist for up to 15 minutes after start-
ing. Although this is quite normal and does
not indicate any malfunction, it is advisable
not to exceed 3,000 rpm before the noise
has disappeared.
The hydraulic cam lifters are completely
service free; the valve clearance is set up at the factory and will not need any subse-
quent adjustment.
Starting the engineThe engine has an automatic choke and
should be started as follows:
Cars with manual gearbox
To start the engine the clutch pedal must
be fully depressed.
1 Depress the clutch pedal fully but do not
touch the accelerator.
2 Start the engine. Let the ignition key
spring back as soon as the engine has
started and is running smoothly – at very
low temperatures, you may need to run
the starter for up to 25 seconds.
Let the engine idle for about 10 seconds. Do
not open the throttle wide for at least
2-3 minutes after starting.
Cars with automatic transmission
1 The selector lever must be in the P or N
position.
2 Keep your foot on the brake pedal.
3 Start the engine. Let the ignition key
spring back as soon as the engine has
started and is running smoothly – at very
low temperatures, you may need to run
the starter for up to 25 seconds.
Let the engine idle for about 10 seconds. Do
not open the throttle wide for at least
2–3 minutes after starting.
NOTETake care not to spill drinks or to drop
crumbs over the ignition switch. If dirt or
liquid gets into it, the switch may not
operate properly.
WARNING
 Always remove the key before leaving
the car.
 Always apply the parking brake before
removing the ignition key.
WARNING
 Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless,
odorless, poisonous gas. Be alert to
the danger of CO – always open the
garage doors before starting the
engine in the garage.
 There is also a danger of CO poison-
ing if the exhaust system is leaking.
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