109 OnStar - Telematics
System status lightSolid Green — Indicates the OnStar
system in the vehicle is powered ON and
ready to make calls or receive calls from the
OnStar Center.
Blinking Green — The light blinks green to
indicate a call is being connected or in
progress. If you notice this light blinking
while you are not on a call, press the Call
Answer/End button.
Red — This signals that your OnStar
system may not be functioning properly.
Press the OnStar button to attempt to con-
tact an OnStar Advisor. If the connection is
made, the Advisor will assist you in making
sure your OnStar system is operating prop-
erly. If you cannot contact the OnStar Cen-
ter, please take your car to the nearest Saab
dealer for diagnosis and service.The OnStar Center is the heart of your ser-
vice — staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week with knowledgeable OnStar Advisors.
Even on weekends and holidays, there is
always someone ready to help.
OnStar uses sophisticated Global Position-
ing System (GPS) satellites to locate your
Saab, and wireless technology to provide
the communications link and seamless inte-
gration into your Saab. This system allows
our OnStar Advisors to pinpoint your Saab´s
location precisely. This way, Advisors can
provide you with a range of helpful services
to protect you and your Saab. Plus, with our
Premium Plan* included for 12 months with
your Saab, Advisors can also access an
extensive database to assist you with direc-
tions, making reservations and other conve-
nience services.
*) New retail deliveries only.
Emergency button
In an emergency, press this
button to connect with an
OnStar Advisor. Your call will
be given the highest priority,
and you will hear a tone fol-
lowed by the words ”Connect-
ing to OnStar Emergency.” The
Advisor will locate your Saab,
find out what kind of assistance
you require, and contact the
nearest emergency services
provider who can dispatch
ambulance, fire, police or other
emergency services. Please
use this button only for true
emergencies.
Call answer/end button
Press this button at the end of a
call. You’ll hear the words
”OnStar Request Ended.” Also,
press this button to answer a
call from the OnStar Center, or
cancel a call if one of the other
buttons is accidentally
pressed. This button is also
used to access OnStar Per-
sonal Calling services which
are described on page 112.
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110 OnStar - TelematicsThe OnStar CenterConnecting to the OnStar centerIn addition to using the 3-button system
found in your Saab, there are two other
ways to connect to the OnStar Center.
Toll-Free Call
To take advantage of your OnStar Services
from outside your Saab, you can call OnStar
toll-free at 1-888-4-OnStar
(1-888-466-7827). Remember to have your
Personal Identification Number (PIN)
handy.
Automatic Notification
A priority signal will be sent to the OnStar
Center with your exact location if an airbag
deploy.(Vehicle electrical system and cellular service
must be operable.)
Your personal identification number
(PIN)When you signed up with OnStar, you were
asked to provide a Personal Identification
Number (PIN). You’ll need your PIN to
access many of OnStar’s services. If, for
example, your vehicle has been stolen, an
Advisor will ask for your PIN in order to pro-
vide assistance.
Changing your PIN is easy. Call the OnStar
Center and provide the Advisor with your
current number, and he or she will assist
you in setting up a new number. If you have
forgotten your PIN, just call the OnStar Cen-
ter. For security reasons, we will send your
PIN to you in the mail.
The OnStar Safety and
Security PlanThe OnStar Safety and Security Plan is part
of the Premium Plan that comes with your
vehicle.* With it, you have access to a com-
plete range of services providing you with
an unsurpassed level of safety and security
— 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And you
have it all at the touch of a button.
So whether you’re on a lonesome country
road or stuck in highway traffic, you have at
your disposal a complete range of services
providing you with unsurpassed security.
And you have it all at the touch of a button.Automatic notification of air bag
deploymentShould your front air bags deploy, a priority
signal will be sent to the OnStar Center with
your Saab´s location (as long as cellular
service and the vehicle’s electrical system
are operable). An Advisor will attempt to
contact you to assess the nature of your
emergency, and then notify the necessary
emergency services provider.Emergency servicesShould you require emergency assistance,
press the red emergency button and we will
contact the nearest emergency services
provider with your exact location and your
request for help.* New retail deliveries only.
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111 OnStar - Telematics
Roadside assistance**There’s nothing worse than being stranded
on the road with car trouble. No matter what
the problem is (flat tire, out of gas, or engine
trouble), just call OnStar. We will contact the
help you need to get you quickly back on the
road.Stolen vehicle trackingOnStar doesn’t just protect you, it protects
your Saab, too. If your vehicle is ever stolen,
just contact OnStar by calling
1-888-4-ONSTAR. We will put you in touch
with the authorities and aid them in locating
your Saab. Ask your insurance carrier about
possible premium discounts.Accident Assist™Accident Assist™ provides step-by-step
guidance about what to do in case of an
accident. Working with leading insurance
companies we have developed a ”best
practices” list to assist you through most
accident situations. OnStar Accident
Assist™ can make the process of complet-
ing a police report and/or insurance claim
less stressful.
OnStar Med-Net***OnStar MED-NET securely stores your per-
sonal medical information (e.g., physician’s
name, emergency contacts, medications,
chronic conditions) and, in an emergency,
can quickly send it to a medical facility. This
important information can help assist with
diagnosis and treatment. **There will be no charge for Roadside Assistance as
long as your vehicle is under warranty.
***Requires activation and additional fee.Hands-free communicationTalking to an OnStar Advisor is easy and
hands-free. Simply press the OnStar but-
ton, and a small microphone picks up your
voice while the OnStar Advisor talks to you
through your stereo speakers. You can
even adjust the volume to your liking with
the steering wheel controls or the radio
volume knob. Your hands remain on the
steering wheel, while your eyes remain on
the road.Being safe on the road is important, but
there’s more to life than security. There’s liv-
ing. That’s why we have created the OnStar
Premium Plan. It gives you not only the
important protections of the Safety and
Security Plan, but also a whole range of ser-
vices which truly change driving from a
chore to a luxury. All new Saab models
come with a full year of the OnStar Premium
Service Plan.* * New retail deliveries only.
The OnStar Premium
Plan *Route supportWith OnStar Route Support, an Advisor can
help you find your way, no matter how far off
course you are. You can get exact street
directions, or guidance to nearby gas sta-
tions, restaurants, hotels or ATMs.Ride AssistIf you need a lift, anytime of the day or night,
just call OnStar. We’ll contact transportation
and send it right to you.Information and Convenience ser-
vicesOur Advisors have access to over five mil-
lion service listings including hotels, restau-
rants, gas stations, dealerships, hospitals,
ATMs and airports — more than 250 service
categories in all. Our Advisors can even
assist you with hotel and restaurant reser-
vations.*All Saab models come with a full year of Premium Ser-
vice. New retail deliveries only.
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112 OnStar - TelematicsConcierge servicesFrom the simple to the extraordinary,
OnStar Concierge is always ready to help.
Whether it’s tickets to that ”hard-to-get”
play, or even complete planning of your next
vacation, OnStar Concierge can make all
the arrangements you need — at home or
on the road. There is no additional cost to
you for the efforts of the OnStar Concierge.
You will not pay more than retail value for
goods and services, or current market value
for tickets, specialty items or unique ser-
vices. For your convenience, we will bill your
credit card for any purchases and/or ship-
ping you authorize.
Additional ServicesPersonal CallingAs an OnStar Safety and Security Plan or
Premium Plan subscriber, you have access
to OnStar Personal Calling. OnStar Per-
sonal Calling provides you with a nation-
wide wireless phone service in your Saab
that you can activate simply by pressing a
button and using your voice. You can use
Personal Calling in your Saab to place or to
receive calls. The voice-activated system
will dial the number. Your party will answer
through your stereo speakers.
With OnStar Personal Calling, you can
enjoy the simplicity of a one-touch wireless
connection. Whether you are placing or
receiving a call, once you press the button,
you never have to take your hands off the
wheel or your eyes off the road. The ease of
the hands-free communication service
allows you to enjoy an even greater level of
safety, security and convenience while driv-
ing.
This new service is not yet available in all
areas. Complete availability in the U.S. is
anticipated in the first quarter of 2001*. For
system limitations and details, call OnStar
at 1-800-ONSTAR-7.* Availability in Canada was undetermined at time of
publication. Please contact your local dealer in Canada.
Signing Up for Personal CallingAs an OnStar subscriber, the Personal Call-
ing capability is already built into your
Saab’s OnStar hardware. In order to use
this service, an OnStar Advisor must set up
your cellular account. You must also pro-
vide a credit card in order to establish your
prepaid cellular account. Usage charges
will be deducted from this prepaid account
of ”units.” Units are easily replenished using
the credit card on file at OnStar. Once you
sign up for OnStar Personal Calling, you will
be given your own personal phone number
that others can use to call into your Saab. To sign up for Personal Calling,
simply Press the OnStar button in your Saab.
Inform the Advisor that you would like to
sign up for Personal Calling.
The Advisor will set up your account.
You will need to provide account and
credit card information.
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116 OnStar - TelematicsVirtual Advisor(expected availability fourth quarter 2000)
Once you have activated Personal Calling,
you can enjoy your time in your Saab even
more with the OnStar Virtual Advisor. This
service allows you to listen to your favorite
news and information topics, such as
weather reports, stock quotes and sports
scores. You can even listen to your e-mail,
whenever you want, without ever taking
your eyes off the road. Using simple voice
commands, you can browse your personal
topics and skip or listen to those you
choose. You can also search for additional
information on special topics that interest
you.
To find out how to set up a customized pro-
file, visit the OnStar Subscriber Website at
www.onstar.com, or turn to the OnStar Sub-
scriber Website section on page 31 of this
guide. If you do not have Internet access,
you can still take advantage of the OnStar
Virtual Advisor services as a default profile
will be set up for you.
Calling the Virtual Advisor
Getting Information from the Virtual
AdvisorThe OnStar Virtual Advisor will prompt you
for information you desire. These offerings
will change to provide you with services and
information that you and other subscribers
want and need. The prompts are very clear
and easy to understand and use.Information AvailableOnStar will continue to add new features
and categories to the Virtual Advisor. The
following general categories will give you an
overview of the types of information avail-
able to you. For complete up-to-date cate-
gories, you can go to the Saab Cars USA,
Inc. Website at www.saabusa.com or the
OnStar Website at www.onstar.com, and
then click on the link to the Subscriber Web-
site.
WeatherThe OnStar Virtual Advisor will deliver an
up-to-date weather forecast for the current
location of the vehicle. The forecast
includes current temperature, daily
high/low, tomorrow’s high/low, precipitation
forecast, and unusual conditions.Stock QuotesThe OnStar Virtual Advisor can provide you
with current quotes for the stocks you have
specified in your customized profile as well
as other requested stocks. All market data
is delayed by twenty minutes. If you have
not set your profile, you can still access the
stock quote feature through your default
profile and then request the stock of your
choice.Sports ScoresThe OnStar Virtual Advisor can provide you
with scores for your favorite college and pro-
fessional teams with up-to-the- minute high-
lights, even if they are being broadcast on a
local station. See the team selection option
in your Mobile Profiler section of the sub-
scriber section of OnStar.com.
If you have not set your profile or are still
using the default profile, you can access the
sports option of the Virtual Advisor and ask
for an update on your favorite sport. You
always have access to the options in the Vir-
tual Advisor. 1 Press the
OnStar DOT
buttonOnStar will respond
”Ready”
2Say ”Virtual
Advisor”You will be connected
to Virtual Advisor
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117 OnStar - Telematics
News HeadlinesThe OnStar Virtual Advisor will provide cur-
rent headlines for many different catego-
ries, including:
International News Headlines
National News Headlines
Technology Headlines
Business Headlines
Sports Headlines
Entertainment HeadlinesE-mail ReaderThe OnStar Virtual Advisor allows you to lis-
ten, and soon respond, to your e-mails any
time you want. E-mail availability is based
on the address(es) you provide to OnStar.
Every Virtual Advisor enrollee will receive
an E-mail account.
OnStar Subscriber
Website(Expected availability Fourth Quarter 2000)
As an OnStar subscriber, you have access
to the OnStar Subscriber Website. The Sub-
scriber Website will provide you with impor-
tant facts about your OnStar subscription
and allow you to customize your Virtual
Advisor Mobile Profile. All this allows you to
access up-to-the-minute information that
can make your driving experience safer and
more enjoyable.
The Subscriber Website was designed to
provide you with easy access to personal-
ized information, learn more about OnStar,
update your account information, plan your
travel, receive weather information and
interact with OnStar.
You can also act like an OnStar Advisor and
pinpoint your Saab. To access the Sub-
scriber Website, simply go to
www.onstar.com, and then click on the
OnStar Subscriber link. The OnStar Sub-
scriber Website is a secured site that is
password protected. You will be required to
provide your OnStar account number and
personal identification number (PIN). If you
do not know your account number or PIN,
contact OnStar at 1-888-4-ONSTAR. For
security reasons, your PIN will be mailed to
your address on record.
LimitationsNotwithstanding anything contained herein,
OnStar's nonperformance hereunder shall
be excused if caused by act or omission of
a cellular carrier or a third-party service pro-
vider, equipment failure, acts of god, strikes,
equipment or facility shortage, or other
causes beyond OnStar’s reasonable con-
trol. In addition, the liability of OnStar, if any,
for any mistake, omission, interruption,
delay, error, defect or other failure in the ser-
vice furnished, or in the equipment used in
furnishing service, shall in no event exceed
the amount of OnStar’s charges to sub-
scriber for said service during the period so
affected, provided that no liability shall
result for outages of 24 hours or less.
This manual includes the latest information
at the time it was printed. We reserve the
right to make changes in the products and
services without prior notification.
In order to provide you with excellent ser-
vice, any call to the OnStar Center may be
monitored or recorded.
All features may not be available on all mod-
els. Please consult your dealer for details.
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118 OnStar - TelematicsOnStar Operation:OnStar uses existing emergency service
providers and cellular and satellite technol-
ogies. OnStar requires cellular service to be
available and operating for features to func-
tion properly.Personal Calling:Existing OnStar service agreement
required. Additional usage charges apply
for Personal Calling. Interim 2001 model
year availability in select markets. For
system limitations and details, call
1-800-ONSTAR-7 or visit www.onstar.com.Virtual Advisor:Existing OnStar and Personal Calling ser-
vice agreement required. Additional usage
charges apply for Personal Calling. Interim
2001 model year availability in select mar-
kets. For system limitations and details, call
1-800-ONSTAR-7 or visit www.onstar.com.
Additional InformationWarranty
OnStar is warranted as part of the General
Motors new vehicle limited warranty.
A Note About Privacy
At OnStar, we know you want to protect your
privacy, and we take subscriber privacy
very seriously. We never provide your per-
sonal information to another company or
person unless you authorize it, or we are
required to by the legal process, or in such
cases where you have provided it for billing
purposes or you have requested a hotel res-
ervation, are sending flowers, etc. Having
this information on file with OnStar is a real
advantage and helps you avoid repeating
your credit card information over a cellular
connection. Your trust is what we most
value.Transferring OnStar
Because your OnStar 3-button system is an
integral part of your Saab, it cannot be trans-
ferred to another vehicle. Each OnStar
System stays with the original car or truck in
which it was installed.
The one-year OnStar prepaid subscription
applicable to new retail deliveries cannot be
transferred to another vehicle. However, if
you’ve purchased additional years of ser-
vice and decide to dispose of your Saab,
any remaining service will be refunded to
you. Or, if you choose, you can have it trans-
ferred to another vehicle on your account.
Any service that is refunded or transferred
will be prorated at the monthly rate in effect
at the time of transfer.
OnStar Subscription InformationTo renew your subscription or upgrade your
plan, just push the OnStar button, or call the
OnStar customer service department at
1-888-864-2801 between 8 am and 6 pm
EST.
ProCarManuals.com
150 Starting and drivingIt 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 engineAvoid 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.
The engine has an automatic choke and
should be started as follows:
Cars with manual transmission
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. Wait
20-30 seconds before running the
starter again, to give the battery time to
recover.
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. Wait
20-30 seconds before running the
starter again, to give the battery time to
recover.
Let the engine idle for about 10 seconds. Do
not open the throttle wide for at least
2–3 minutes after starting.
Useful 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. The tail pipe of the exhaust system
can become very hot during driving.
Bear this in mind when loading and
unloading the car.
Do not rest or sleep in the car when
parked with the engine running. There
is a risk of depressing the accelerator
which could lead to engine damage.
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