53 Instruments and controls
Speedometer (U.S. speedometer
shown)The speedometer receives signals from the
wheel sensors in the ABS system.
If the NIGHT PANEL mode has been
selected, the scale will be illuminated up to
87 mph (140 km/h). The remainder of the
scale will be illuminated if the speed of the
car exceeds 84 mph (135 km/h).
Fuel gauge Fuel-tank capacity, see page 228.
The fuel gauge shows the amount of fuel left
in the tank. When this is down to about
2.5 gal. (10 liters), a warning light on the
main instrument panel will come on (see
page 49).
Use the Saab Information display (SID) to
check the approximate distance that can be
travelled on the remaining fuel
(see page 55).
Temperature gauge The temperature gauge shows the temper-
ature of the coolant. The needle should be
in the middle of the scale when the engine
is at normal operating temperature.
If the needle approaches the red zone,
which can occur in very hot weather or when
the engine is under a heavy load, drive in the
highest gear possible, keep the engine revs
low and avoid shifting down.
If the needle enters the red zone, the
warning light will come on and an alarm
chime will sound.
IB606
IB345
IB343
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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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118 Interior equipment and trunkTrunk pass-through hatch A trunk pass-through hatch is incorporated in the rear-seat backrest
to enable long, narrow items to be carried inside the car.
Items should not weigh more than 33 lbs. (15 kg) nor be more than
2 yards (2 metres) in length. See the label on the hatch.
1 Fold down the armrest.
2 Raise the hatch by lifting the handle.
Before loading or unloading long items, switch off the engine and
apply the handbrake. This averts the danger of the car moving off
suddenly if a long item were to knock the gear or selector lever into
gear. Tie DownsFour tie downs for securing the load are fitted inside the trunk. Place
the load as far in as possible.
WARNING
Anchor the load securely (e.g. using middle safety belt) to
avoid danger of injury resulting from displacement of load on
hard braking.
Do not exceed the load capacity of the car, as this will alter its
handling characteristics (see page 226).
IB463IB464
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132 Starting and drivingUseful tips on cold climate starting If the engine has failed to start after several
attempts in very cold weather, press and
hold the accelerator down to the floor and
run the starter for 5–10 seconds. This will
prevent the engine being flooded (exces-
sively rich fuel-air mixture).
Now start the engine in the normal way – do
not touch the accelerator.
If the engine stalls immediately after starting
(e.g. if the clutch was released too quickly),
do not touch the accelerator when restarting
the engine.
Limp-home modeThe car’s engine-management system
includes a diagnostic function that checks
numerous internal functions after the
engine has been shut off. If a fault is
detected in the throttle system, the
engine-management system puts the throt-
tle system into the limp-home mode. This
limits idling control, disables the cruise-con-
trol system and limits the capacity of the A/C
compressor.
If the limp-home mode is in operation
(“Engine malfunction” light on, see below)
and the outside temperature is close to or
below freezing, you may need to use some
throttle on starting (some pressure on the
accelerator).
If the diagnostic system has detected a fault
in the engine-management system, the
“Engine malfunction” light on the main
instrument panel will come on (see page
49), indicating that you should have the car
checked as soon as possible by an autho-
rized Saab dealer.
Important
considerations for
drivingThe engine-management system in the
Saab 9-5 is called Saab Trionic T7. The
system manages the ignition, fuel injection
and turbo boost pressure.
The Trionic T7 system developed by Saab
is an intelligent engine-management
system designed to achieve optimum driv-
ability under differing driving conditions.
The system makes adjustments automati-
cally, for instance, if the car is being driven
at altitude (oxygen-deficient air), for differ-
ent grades of fuel (AON 87–93) and for dif-
ferent load conditions.
1 Starting and driving
Refrain from using full throttle before
the engine has warmed up (before
needle in mid-range on temperature
gauge).
A safety function prevents the engine
from revving faster than 6,000 rpm by
limiting the induction air.
2 Stopping the engine
Do not rev the engine immediately
before switching it off - stop the engine
when it is idling.
3 Regulating the boost pressure
The system is optimized for fuel with an
octane rating of AON 90. One of the
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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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227 Specifications
Trailer:
Luggage compartment
Volume (SAE):
9-5 Sedan _______________________ 15.9 cu.ft.
(450 litres)
9-5 Wagon, rear seat upright ________ 31.4 cu. ft.
(890 litres)
9-5 Wagon, rear seat folded _________ 73.0 cu. ft.
(2067 litres)
Maximum permissible luggage-compart-
ment load:
At curb weight + 4 passengers at 154 lbs.
(70 kg) _________________________ 176 lbs (80 kg)
Luggage compartment, length, 9-5 Sedan:
Rear seat upright _________________ 43.0 in (1092 mm)
Rear seat folded down _____________ 67.5 in (1714 mm)
Luggage compartment, length, 9-5 Wagon:
Rear seat upright _________________ 42.8 in (1087 mm)
Rear seat folded __________________ 61.2 in (1732 mm)
WARNING
The GVW and maximum axle loads must not be exceeded. Note
that if some accessories (e.g. towbar, CD changer) are fitted, the
available load capacity is reduced by the weight of these.
When carrying a load in the luggage compartment, make sure that
it is tied down securely, particularly when part or all of the rear seat
is folded down.
Maximum towing speed, trailer with brakes 60 mph (100 km/h)
Trailer with brakes _________________ Maximum weight:
2000 lbs (900 kg)
Trailer without brakes ______________ Maximum weight:
1000 lbs (450 kg)
Maximum load on ball hitch __________ 165 lbs (75 kg)
The above speed and weight restrictions are those specified by
Saab Automobile.
Note that local restrictions may apply to trailer speeds and
weights (see page 152).
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243 Index
Light horn ______________________ 61
Light switches ___________________ 61
Luggage-compartment lighting ______ 64MMain instrument panel _____________ 46
Main/dipped beam ________________ 61
Maintenance schedule ___________ 218
Manual gearbox, technical data ____ 231
Maxi fuses _____________________ 193
Milometer ______________________ 52
Motoring abroad ________________ 213NNight Panel _____________________ 59OOil capacity, engine ______________ 228
Oil change, engine ______________ 172
Oil specification _________________ 228
OnStar ________________________ 100
Outdoor temperature ______________ 54
Owner assistance _______________ 219PPaintwork, touching-in ____________ 210
Parking lights ____________________ 61Plates and labels ________________ 235
Poly-V-belt _____________________ 179
Power steering _________________ 176
Power-steering fluid ______________ 176
Programming I, ACC ______________ 73
Programming II, ACC _____________ 74
Programming the ACC ____________ 73
QQuestions on function of airbag ______ 26
Quick guide, Audio System _________ 79RRadio __________________________ 82
Rear fog light ____________________ 62
Rear seat, 9-5 Sedan, folding ______ 116
Rear seat, 9-5 Wagon, folding ______ 119
Rear-seat head restraints _________ 105
Rear-view mirror, antidazzle _______ 109
Rearview mirrors ________________ 108
Reclamation ___________________ 213
Refuelling _____________________ 134
Relay panel ____________________ 195
Remote control __________________ 32
Remote-control battery, changing ____ 35
Reporting safety defects __________ 220
Reprogramming of systems _______ 237
Reservoir, power-steering fluid _____ 176
Rev counter _____________________ 52
Reversing lights __________________ 63Roof load ______________________ 155
Running-in _____________________ 149
SSID ____________________________ 54
SRS (airbag) ____________________ 23
SRS, supplementary restraint system _ 23
Saab 9-5 Audio System ____________ 77
Saab Information Display (SID) ______ 54
Safety belts _____________________ 12
Safety belts, care of ______________ 207
Safety-belt pretensioners ___________ 12
Safety-belt reminder ______________ 12
Seats _________________________ 102
Securing a load __________________ 36
Selector lever indication,
automatic transmission ___________ 54
Service costs ___________________ 219
Service information ______________ 220
Service intervals ________________ 218
Service record retention __________ 219
Settings, seats __________________ 102
Side airbags _____________________ 28
Signalling, horn _________________ 107
Sliding floor, 9-5 Wagon __________ 124
Snow chains ___________________ 150
Spare wheel ____________________ 202
Spare wheel and tools ____________ 126
Spark plugs ____________________ 230
Speed rating ___________________ 198
Speedometer _________________ 52, 53
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