
117 Interior equipment and trunk
WARNING
Place heavy items closest to the backrest and stow smaller
and lighter items on top.
Secure heavy and bulky items using the four tie down points
provided in the trunk. This will avert the danger of luggage
flying around if the car should brake suddenly or be involved
in an accident (see page 118).
When the backrest is folded down or the trunk pass-through
hatch is open, even small items can be thrown around inside
the car. It is therefore advisable to secure these as well.
Do not exceed the load capacity of the car, as this will alter its
handling characteristics (see page 226).
Make sure that the seat cushions and backrests are properly
secured when folding them back to their normal position.
Check that the button (item 3 on page 116) is flush with the
surround before entering the back seat.
IB462
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121 Interior equipment and trunk
Load anchoring
WARNING
Put heavy loads as low down and as
far forward as possible in the luggage
compartment, i.e. against the back of
the rear seat.
Never stack cargo so high that any part
of the cargo lies above the edge of the
backrest, if a cargo guard (accessory)
is not being used.
Always tie down the cargo so that it
cannot be thrown forward during
heavy braking or in the event of a
collision.
Unsecured and heavy cargo can
increase the risk of injury during hard
braking, sudden avoidance maneu-
vers and in the event of a collision.
For the best load anchoring, use the
special cargo bolt and load straps
(accessory).
Load the cargo bolts evenly. Never
attach more than one strap to each tie
down eye.
Provide protection on sharp edges to
prevent damage to the load straps.
Never use the elastic floor net and
elastic side net when the rear seat is
folded down. These nets are only
intended to keep light objects tidy, not
for the anchoring of loads.
If possible, avoid having the rear seat
folded down when driving with a heavy
load because the anchoring possibili-
ties are restricted when the rear seat is
in this position. That the rear seat is in
the upright position is a basic require-
ment for protection against cargo dis-
placement in the event of a collision.
Cargo can intrude into the passenger
compartment during a sudden stop or
front crash if the outer safety belts are
not fastened. Check that the two red
warning-indication flags are fully
down. This shows that the backrests
are locked.
WARNING
The driving characteristics of the car
can be affected because the center of
gravity is altered when there is a cargo
in the luggage compartment. There-
fore match the speed and driving style
according to how the car is loaded.
An object weighing 55 lbs. (25 kg) cor-
responds to a weight of 2200 lbs.
(1000 kg) in a head on collision at
32 mph (50 km/h).
Adjust the car’s load (passengers and
luggage) so that the gross vehicle
weight or the axle weight is not
exceeded, see page 226.
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126 Interior equipment and trunkSpare wheel and toolsThe spare wheel, together with the jack and
jack handle, front towrope attachment eye
and toolkit, are stowed away underneath
the trunk.
Driving considerations with compact spare
wheel/tire fitted, see page 154.
Fuel filler flapThe fuel filler flap is opened by means of a
button on the driver’s door. The flap is
spring-loaded, so it opens slightly automat-
ically when released.
Refueling, see page 134.
Opening the fuel filler
flap in an emergencyIf the fuel filler flap fails to open after the
button on the driver’s door has been
pressed, it can be opened manually from
inside the trunk.
9-5 Sedan:
Start by checking fuse 25 (see page 194).
A thin cable on the right-hand side in the
trunk is connected to the catch for the filler
flap. To open the flap, pull the yellow plastic
arrow on the end of the cable.
WARNING
Stow all tools carefully away after use, so
that they cannot get loose and cause
injury in the event of an accident.
IB465
Stowage of spare wheel and tools under
trunk floor
IB466
Button for releasing filler flap
IB467
To open fuel filler flap in an emergency
9-5 Sedan
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130 Starting and drivingIgnition switchThe combined ignition switch and
gear-lever lock is located in the center con-
sole between the front seats. The ignition
key can only be removed when reverse is
engaged (automatic transmission: selector
in ”P” position).
The key fits all the locks on the car. The key
number is specified on the small plastic
strap that comes with the keys when the car
is delivered. Keep a note of the key number
in a safe place, as you will need to quote it if
ordering a replacement key.
See also page 32.
LOCK position Engage reverse and turn the key to LOCK.
Automatic transmission: select ”P”.
The gear lever is locked. This is the only position in which the key can be
removed.
The parking lights, hazard warning lights and interior lighting all work. OFF position Gear lever no longer locked.
Certain electrical circuits operationalON position All electrical circuits working. Do not leave the key in the ON position
when the engine is not running. Turn the key to OFF to switch off the
electrical circuits. In the ON position certain warning and indicator lights
come on as a check, and they normally are extinguished after about
3 seconds.ST (starter) position The starter operates when the key is turned to this position. When
released, the key will spring back to the ON position. If the engine fails to
start, the key must first be turned back to the position between OFF and
LOCK before the starter can be operated again.
When the starter motor is running, several electrical circuits are
disconnected to facilitate starting.
LOCK
OFFONST
LOCK
OFFONST
LOCK
OFFONST
LOCK
OFFONST
IB1120
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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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145 Starting and driving
Cruise controlThe system is operated by means of the
controls on the stalk switch:
ON/OFF (switch on/off).
RES/– (Resume preset speed).
SET/+ (to set the desired speed).
CANCEL (Cancel operation of system,
e.g. to reduce speed temporarily).
When the system is ON, the CRUISE indi-
cator light will appear on the main instru-
ment panel and will be extinguished when
the system is switched OFF. If CANCEL is
selected, CRUISE will flash once. To set the desired speed Move the switch to ON. Accelerate to the
desired speed (minimum speed: 25 mph
(40 km/h)) and press SET/+.
To increase the preset speed Accelerate to the desired speed and press
SET/+.
You can also increase the speed of the car
using the SET/+ button. Press it once to
increase the speed by 1 mph (1.6 km/h) or
hold it in and release when the desired
speed is reached. Temporary increase in speed Press the accelerator to override the preset
speed, e.g. for overtaking.
When you release the accelerator, the
system will revert to the preset speed. To cancel temporarily Move the control stalk to CANCEL
(spring-loaded position before OFF posi-
tion). This will disengage the system but the
preset speed will be retained in the system memory. (The memory is deleted when the
engine is switched off.)
To re-engage the system To revert to the preset speed, slide the
switch to RES/–. This will only operate when
the car’s speed is above 25 mph (40 km/h). To reduce the preset speedThe cruise-control system will always disen-
gage automatically the moment that either
the brake pedal or the clutch pedal is
depressed.
It is also possible to reduce the speed by
means of the RES/– button.
Sliding the button to RES/– once will reduce
the speed by 1 mph (1.6 km/h). Holding the
button in the RES/– position will effect a
gradual reduction in speed until the button
is released. Disengaging the system The system will be disengaged:
When the brake or clutch pedal is
depressed.
When the switch is moved to CANCEL.
When the switch is moved to OFF.
When the engine is switched off.
When the selector lever is moved to posi-
tion N (cars with automatic transmission).
WARNING
Do not use the Cruise-control system
on wet or icy roads, in dense traffic or
on winding roads.
Set the control to OFF when you do
not want to use the system, to prevent
the system being activated inadvert-
ently.
IB475
Cruise-control switches
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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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148 Starting and drivingTCS eliminates wheelspin. The same
applies when the car is reversing.
On cornering, if there is a tendency for the
inner front wheel to rotate faster than the
other wheels.
On overtaking.
TCS OFF The TCS OFF indicator on the main instru-
ment panel will come on:
If a fault has been detected and the
system has therefore been switched off.
If there is a fault in the ABS system.
If the system has been switched off man-
ually.
The indicator light will also come on for
4 seconds when the ignition key is turned to
ON, while an internal system check is per-
formed. TCS indicator The indicator light will come on for
4 seconds when the ignition key is turned to
ON, while an internal system check is per-
formed.
The TCS light in the tachometer comes on
when the system is operative, i.e. when the
wheels are not rotating at the same speed.
The fact that the TCS system is operative
indicates that the limit for grip has been
exceeded and that the driver must exert
greater care.
Turning the TCS off The TCS is switched on automatically when
the engine is started.
The system can be switched off manually by
the TCS button, whereupon TCS OFF on
the main instrument panel will come on. The
TCS system cannot be switched off if the car
is travelling faster than 35 mph (60 km/h).
It may be necessary to switch off the system
if the car has become bogged down, for
instance. Press TCS to switch it on again.
If a fault is detected in the ABS system, the
TCS will be switched off automatically.
The cruise-control system will automatically
be disengaged after one second if it is active
when the TCS starts to operate.
WARNING
In normal driving, the TCS system
enhances the safety of the car, but it does
not mean that the car can be driven faster.
The same care and prudence normally
applied should be displayed on cornering
and when driving on slippery roads.
IB478
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