2001 SAAB 9-5 Owners Manual

17 Safety
WARNING
Safety belts are designed to bear upon
the bony structure of the body, and should
be worn low across the front of the pelvis
or the pelvis, chest and shoulders, as
applicable; wearing the lap portion of the
belt across the abdominal area must be
avoided.
Safety belts should be adjusted as firmly
as possible, consistent with comfort, to
provide the protection for which they have
been designed. A loose belt will greatly
reduce the protection afforded to the
wearer.
Care should be taken to avoid contamina-
tion of the webbing with polishes, oils and
chemicals, and particularly battery acid.
Cleaning may safely be carried out using
mild soap and water. The belt should be
replaced if webbing becomes frayed,
contaminated or damaged.
It is essential to replace the entire assem-
bly after it has been worn in a severe
impact even if damage to the assembly is
not obvious.
Belts should not be worn with straps
twisted.
Each belt assembly must only be used by
one occupant; it is dangerous to put a belt
around a child being carried on the occu-
pant´s lap.
No modifications or additions should be
made by the user which will either prevent
the safety belt adjusting device from oper-
ating to remove slack, or prevent the
safety belt assembly from being adjusted
to remove slack.
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18 SafetyHead restraintThe front seats in the Saab 9-5 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 upwards, thus
limiting 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: press the catch on the left-hand
side of the attaching point and press down
the head restraint.
Rear-seat head restraints9-5 Sedan: The rear head restraints have
three adjustment positions for passenger
comfort.
They can also be folded down to increase
the driver’s rearward vision when the seat is
unoccupied.
9-5 Wagon: The height of the rear head
restraints can be adjusted to provide opti-
mum passenger comfort.
WARNING
 Adjust the head restraint so that the
head is well supported and the center
of the head restraint is at ear height,
thus reducing the likelihood of neck
injury in an accident.
 The rear head restraint should not be
folded down when the seat is occu-
pied.
IB460
IB400
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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
restrained 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.
Saab recommends rearward facing child
restraints.
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.
Lockable belt tongue In 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. Saab 9-5 Sedan
Child restraint that are approved for rear-
ward facing installation in the rear seat can
be positioned in any of the three rear places.
If the child restraint is positioned in the
center place, the child restraint support legs
should be used and the rear seat armrest
secured with the safety strap (accessory).
You must fasten such a child restraint with
the three-point safety belt and the two
underside anchorage tethers.
The tethers should be fixed to the beam
beneath the driver´s and passenger´s seat.
The fixing points are color marked.
If you intend to install another make of child
restraint make sure that it is possible to fit it
in accordance with the manufacturer’s
instructions.
IB1204
Fitting the locking strap on the center arm-
rest, Saab 9-5 Sedan (not needed on
Wagon).
The locking strap is standard equipment
in certain markets.
IB822
Locking the lap belt1 Locked
2 Unlocked
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21 Safety
When fitting child seats in cars you must
always read the instructions supplied by
the car seat manufacturer.Saab 9-5 Wagon:
Child restraint that are approved for rear-
ward facing installation in the rear seat can
be positioned in any of the three rear places.
If the child restraint is positioned in the
center place, the child restraint support legs
should be used. You must fasten such a
child restraint with the three-point safety belt
and the two underside anchorage tethers.
The tethers should be fixed to the beam
beneath the driver´s and passenger´s seat.
The fixing points are color marked.
If a child seat from another manufacturer is
used, ensure that it can be correctly
mounted, according to the child-seat
instructions.
When fitting child seats in cars you must
always follow the instructions supplied
by the car seat manufacturer.
WARNING
A special accessory is available for lock-
ing the center armrest so that a child seat
can be installed in the middle seat. See
your Saab dealer for details.
When a rear-facing child seat is fitted in
the center position of the rear seat in the
Saab 9-5 Sedan the center armrest must
be secured in place with this strap. If this
is not done, the center armrest could
swing down in the event of a frontal colli-
sion and cause injury to the child.
IB1686
IB1688
IB425
Child restraints installed in the rear seat Child restraints installed in the rear seat Fixing points for child restraint tethers
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22 SafetyChild tether anchorages for forward
facing child car seatsChild restraints with a tether strap must be
anchored according to Canadian law.
If you have any questions regarding child
tether anchorages please contact your
Saab dealer.9-5 Sedan:
1 Open the cover that is right behind the
child restraint. Make sure it locks.
2 Place the child restraint in the rear seat.
3 Route the tether under the headrest.
4 Attach the tether to the anchorage.
5 Tighten the tether so that the back of the
child restraint is pressed hard against
the backrest.
6 Secure the lower part of the child
restraint by means of the safety belt as
described in the child restraint mounting
instruction.
WARNING
Child tether anchorages are designed to
withstand only those loads imposed by
correctly fitted child restraints.
Under no circumstances are they to be
used for:
 Adult safety belts.
 Harnesses.
 Attaching other items or equipment to
the vehicle.
 Load securing device.
IB1698
Child tether anchorages in parcel shelf,
Saab 9-5 Sedan
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23 Safety
9-5 Wagon:
1 Fold the backrest of the rear seat for-
ward, see page 137.
2 Fold the anchor that is right behind the
child restraint to its upright position.
3 Place the child restraint in the rear seat.
4 Raise the head restraint to its upper
position and then route the tether under
the headrestraint. *)
5 Attach the tether to the anchor.
6 Raise the backrest of the rear seat.
Make sure it locks properly.
7 Tighten the tether so that the back of the
child restraint is pressed hard against
the backrest.
8 Secure the lower part of the child
restraint by means of the safety belt as
described in the child restraint mounting
instruction on the previous page.
*) it may not be possible to route the tether
through the cargo net (accessory), if one is
fitted. Instead we recommend a cargo guard
(accessory).
WARNING
Make sure the child-restraint anchorages
are folded all the way up or down other-
wise it can obstruct locking the rear seat
backrest.
IB1352
Child tether anchorages, Saab 9-5 Wagon
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24 SafetyIntegrated booster seat(accessory)The integrated booster seat in the back is
intended for children weighing 33-80 lbs.
(15-36 kg) and between 38 and 54 inches
(97 and 137 cm) tall.
When seated in the integrated booster seat,
the child must wear the standard three-point
safety belt.
Whatever the age or weight of the child, it is
vital that the safety belt be worn correctly.
The seat should always be kept clean and
intact to ensure that it continues to function
as intended. Folding down To fold the seat down, pull the strap pro-
vided between the seat and the backrest. Fastening the safety belt
 Seat the child well back in the seat, snug
against the backrest.
 Pull out the safety belt smoothly and
insert the tongue in the lock. Check that it
is securely fastened.
 Ensure that the lap strap is positioned low
across the hips and that the diagonal
strap is well in on the shoulder, although
not touching the neck or in a position that
creates discomfort.  For optimum protection, the safety belt
should be snug against the body. Pull the
diagonal strap towards the shoulder to
take up any slack.
 After fastening the belt, grasp the strap at
the shoulder, pull it out and, without letting
go, allow the slack to be taken up by the
reel. Make sure that the strap is well in on
the shoulder.
 Check that the belt runs freely between
the reel and the lock.
To fold the seat away Fold back the seat and ensure that it is
locked in position.
WARNING
Never wear a safety belt with the diagonal
strap positioned behind your back or
slipped off the shoulder and under your
arm.
IB605
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