5
Interior Power steering _________ 251
Steering-wheel adjustment 137
Airbag _________________ 28
Internal rearview mirror ________ 143
Door mirrors ________________ 143
Vanity mirror ________________ 140
Safety belts _____________ 12
Safety-belt care ________ 224
Airbag _________________ 28
Child seats _____________ 19
Child safety lock catch ____ 39Glove compartment _____ 141Manual transmission ____ 161
Automatic transmission __ 162
IB1353
Seat adjustment ________ 130
Safety belts _____________ 12
Seat heating ___________ 135
Rear seat _____________ 144
Folding down the rear seat 144
Child seats _____________ 19
Upholstery: cleaning _____ 225
Interior lighting switch _________ 139
Interior lighting: changing bulbs __ 210
Center console ______________ 136
Electric windows _____________ 136
Sunroof ____________________ 138
Convertible __________________ 48
Ignition switch _______________ 152
Starting the engine ___________ 153
Engine break-in period ________ 161
Parking ____________________ 174
Driving in hot/cold weather _____ 177
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12 SafetySafety belts Three-point inertia-reel safety belts are pro-
vided for all seats. Research has established that it is danger-
ous for rear-seat passengers not to wear
their safety belts.
Safety-belt reminder When the ignition is switched on, the ”fasten
belts” reminder will light up for 6 seconds or
until the driver and any passengers are
wearing their belts. An audible alarm will
also sound for six seconds or until the driver
has fastened his belt.
WARNING
Safety belts must be worn at all times by
all car occupants. Child safety, see page
19.
Check that the tongue of the belt lock
engages properly.
To reduce the risk of head injuries in the
event of a collision, the roof pillars and
side edges of the headlining incorporate
cushioning material (Convertible: wind-
screen pillars and upper part of wind-
screen rail). These areas must not be
modified in any way. Work on these areas
must only be carried out at an authorized
Saab dealer.
WARNING
In the event of an accident, the rear-seat
passengers can be thrown forward
against the front-seat backrests, impos-
ing much higher stresses on the
front-seat passengers and belts and
resulting in needless injury to everyone in
the car.
WARNING
For safety reasons, you should adjust
safety belts only while the car is station-
ary.
FASTEN BELTS
IB1302
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13 Safety
Safety-belt pretensionersThe belts of the front seats are fitted with
automatic pretensioners, which are acti-
vated in the event of a severe frontal colli-
sion or very violent rear-end collision. They
serve to reduce the forward movement of
the body by tensioning the belt.
The belt pretensioners do not activate in
less violent frontal or rear-end collisions.
Correct position for safety belt The lap part of the belt should be pulled
as tightly as comfortable and as low as
possible across the hips, so that it is just
touching the top of the thighs. The shoul-
der belt should be well in on the shoulder
but not touching the neck.
Check to ensure that the belt is not twisted
or rubbing against any sharp edges.
There should not be any slack in the belt.
Pull the belt tight – particularly important
when thick outer clothing is worn. Refrain from tilting the backrest more than
necessary, as the safety belt provides
better protection when the seat is in the
more upright position.
Only one person per safety belt!
For most of the time a safety belt is worn,
the retractor will allow the wearer freedom
of movement. The retractor locks up auto-
matically if the belt is jerked or withdrawn
sharply, the car tilts, the brakes are
applied hard or a collision occurs.
WARNING
If the car is involved in a collision, the
safety belts, belt pretensioners and other
components must be inspected by an
authorized Saab dealer and replaced as
necessary.
Never make any alterations or repairs to
the safety belt yourself but visit an author-
ized Saab dealer.
WARNING
Proper positioning of the safety belt is
extremely important. An out of position
safety belt can result in the wearer sliding
underneath the belt in a collision (subma-
rining) and injury can result from the lap
portion cutting into the abdomen.
WARNING
If two people share a belt, they risk injury
by being crushed together in the event of
an accident.
IB816
Sit correctly before putting the belt on
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18 SafetyHead restraintThe front seats in the Saab 9-3 are
equipped with Saab Active Head Restraints
(SAHRs). These reduce the risk of whiplash
injury if the car is hit from behind.
In the event of a rear-end collision, the body
is forced back against the backrest. This, in
turn, causes the mechanism to press the
head restraint forward and upward, thus lim-
iting the backward movement of the head.
The SAHR is a mechanical system, actu-
ated by body weight. The mechanism is built
into the top of the backrest, where it is con-
nected to the head restraint.
The SAHR does not normally need to be
replaced after a rear-end collision.
The head restraint can be raised or lowered
and is adjustable in various positions.
Raising: grasp the head restraint on both
sides and pull it straight up.
Lowering: depress the catch on the
left-hand side of the attaching point and
press the head restraint down.
WARNING
Adjust the head restraint so that the head
is well supported and the center of the
head restraint is at ear height, thus reduc-
ing the likelihood of neck injury in an acci-
dent.
IB629
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19 Safety
Child safety
Car safety tips Protect your children from getting
trapped in the trunk of a car
WARNING
Children must always be suitably
restrained in the car. All child
restraints and booster seats are
designed to be secured in vehicle
seats by the lap belt or the lap belt of a
lap-shoulder belt. If the child restraint
is not properly secured, a child can be
endangered in a crash.
NEVER put a child seat in the front.
Children 12 and under can be killed by
the airbag.
According to accident statistics, the
BACK SEAT is SAFER for properly
restrainen children than the front seat.
Sit as far back as possible from the air
bag.
WARNING
Never leave your children unattended
in a car, even for a short time.
– Children can suffer heat stroke - per-
haps die - in a matter of minutes.
– Children can put the car into gear and
hurt themselves or others.
At gas stations, take the keys from the
car while filling the tank.
Never allow children to climb on top of -
or under motor vehicles.
Always look for children before backing
your motor vehicle out of a garage or
driveway.
To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning,
never let a car idle in the garage.
Supervise young children around buck-
ets of water while washing your car.
Small children can drown in seconds in
less than an inch of water.
WARNING
Teach your kids not to play in or around
cars.
Watch your children when loading or
unloading the car so they don´t get
locked in by mistake.
Always lock the doors and trunk of your
car, and keep the keys out of children´s
sight and reach.
Keep the rear fold-down seats closed
to help prevent kids from getting into
the trunk from inside the car.
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20 SafetyThe same attention must be given to child
safety in the car as is given to adults.
Children travel most safely when properly
restrained, but restraints must be suitable
for the size of the child. Always follow the
child seat/booster cushion manufacturer´s
instructions when installing these devices in
your vehicle.
Make sure you are acquainted with the
legal requirements for seating children
in the car.
Make sure that it is possible to fit a child
restraint in accordance with the manufac-
turer’s child seat instructions.
When fitting child seats in cars you must
always read the instructions supplied by
the manufacturer.
Lockable belt tongue If fitting a child seat that is intended to be
secured in position by the lap portion of the
safety belt, make use of the locking function
of the buckle.
Locking the lap portion of the belt lessens
the risk that the seat will work loose while
the car is in motion.
The button for the locking function is located
on the back of the buckle.
1 Position the child seat in the back of the
car.
2 To activate the locking function, move
the locking button on the tongue of the
belt to the position marked
”CHILD SEAT” (item 1 in the figure) in
order to activate the locking function.
3 Secure the base of the child seat with
the lap portion of the safety belt in accor-
dance with the installation instructions
accompanying the child seat.
4 Grasp the shoulder part of the safety belt
and pull it upwards to tighten the lap por-
tion against the child seat.
5 Check for correct locking function by
pulling on the lap portion of the belt. The
belt must not unreel.
IB822
Locking the lap belt 1 Locked
2 Unlocked
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22 SafetyLATCH installationTo facilitate the proper fitting of new spe-
cially-design child restraints, 9-3's except
Convertibles have rigid lower anchorages
(ISOFIX) and top tether anchorages in the
two outboard rear seating positions. There
is an additional top tether anchorage for the
center rear seating position.
LATCH is a U.S./Canadian government
standard for an uniform method of fitting
child restraints without using the standard
safety belts. Only certain child restraints are
equipped to utilize these rigid lower anchor-
ages behind where the seat cushion and
seat back come together. LATCH child
seats also utilize a top tether strap that is
found on some newer child seats that still
require installation with the standard safety
belts.
There are two bars attached to the car body
for each specially designed LATCH child
restraint. A small circular label is located on
the seat back just above each attachment
bar to facilitate installing the child restraint.1 Place the child restraint on one of the
designated outboard rear seat cushions.
2 Press the child restraint rearward, lining
up the restraint attachment arms with
the labels.
3 Follow the child restraint instructions to
confirm that both restraint arms are
properly attached to the bars.
4 Attach the top tether strap to the in-car
anchorage and tighten according to the
restraint instructions, see page 23 and
24.
5 Pull the child restraint to make a second
check that restraint is securely attached
at both the lower anchorage bars and
the top tether strap.
For the top tether, only use the strap sup-
plied with the child restraint.
Always follow the installation instructions
supplied with the child restraint.
The availability of LATCH child restraints
may be limited.
Child restraints using rigid lower anchor-
ages (ISOFIX) cannot be fitted where a inte-
grated booster seat is installed.
IB1684IB1685
Rigid 2-point lower attachment with top
tether
Semi-rigid 2-point lower attachment with
top tether
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26 SafetyIntegrated booster seat
(accessory)Integrated booster seats are available as
part of the rear seat backrest.
This child restraint is designed for use by
children who weigh between 33 and 80 lbs.
(15 and 36 kg) and are between 38 and 54
inches (970 and 1370 mm) in height.
A child sitting in an integrated booster seat
must use the car’s regular lap and shoulder
belt. Regardless of the child’s weight and
age, proper contact between child and belt
is vital. Always make certain that the seat is
undamaged and is kept clean so that it will
function properly.
This child restraint system conforms to all
applicable motor vehicle safety standards. Folding out 1 Press in the latches and lift and remove
the car’s regular head restraint. Turn it
180° and remount it. Make certain that it
is locked securely in place.
2 Lift up the booster seat’s headrest.
3 Pull out the upper part of the opener
strap and lower the seat itself. Make cer-
tain that it is locked in the lowered posi-
tion.
Fasten the belt See that the child is seated as far back as
possible against the back support.
Adjust the booster seat’s head support so
that its center is at ear height.
To attach the belt, pull it out slowly and
insert the latch plate into the buckle. Make
certain the latch plate is properly engaged
in the buckle.
The lap portion of the belt must be posi-
tioned low on the pelvis, and the shoulder
strap must be as far in on the shoulder as
possible without chafing against the
child’s neck or causing discomfort. The belt must contact the body firmly to
provide the best protection. Pull up on the
shoulder strap to tension the belt properly.
Make certain the belt moves freely
between the retractor and the buckle.
IB825
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