2002 SAAB 9-3 light

163 Starting and driving
Cruise ControlFor safety reasons (brake system func-
tion) the brakes must be applied once,
when the engine has started, before the
cruise control system can be activated.
The system is operated by means of the
controls on the stalk switch:
 OFF (system is disconnected; the system
is always in the OFF position when the
engine is started).
 ON (system switched on).
 SET/+ (to set the desired speed).
 CANCEL (cancel operation of system,
e.g. to reduce speed temporarily).
 RESUME/– (resume preset speed).
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 off 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 RESUME/–. 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:
 Sliding the button to RESUME/– once will
reduce the speed by 1 mph (1.6 km/h).
 Holding the button in the RESUME/–
position will effect a gradual reduction in
speed until the button is released.
WARNING
 Do not use the Cruise-control system
on wet or icy roads, in dense traffic or
on winding roads
 To prevent the system being activated
inadvertently, set the control to OFF
when you do not want to use the
system
IB1593
ProCarManuals.com

165 Starting and driving
ABS brakes ABS (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 per-
formance irrespective of the car’s speed
and load.
The ABS system has a built-in diagnostic
function which will switch on the ABS warn-
ing light if a fault is detected in the system
(see page 62). The ABS system will not reduce the braking
distance on loose gravel or on snow or ice
but, because the wheels cannot lock up,
some steering control is retained.
When the ABS system is working, i.e. mod-
ulation of the brake pressure is in progress,
the brake pedal will pulsate and a ticking
noise will be heard. All this is perfectly nor-
mal.
Press the pedal down hard (you cannot
press too hard) and steer the car to safety. Do not release the brake pedal before the
car has come to a halt or the danger is
past!
This is critical.
If the road is slippery, the ABS system will
operate even when only light pressure is
applied to the pedal. This means that you
can brake gently to test the condition of the
road and adapt your driving accordingly.
It is well worth practising the use of ABS
brakes on a skid pad or other suitable facil-
ity.
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 (do not pump the
pedal), declutching simulta-
neously, and steer the car to safety.
IB877
ABS braking - confirmation that the sys-
tem is operating
IB878
Braking with ABS - evasive steering
ProCarManuals.com

166 Starting and drivingTraction Control SystemHow the system works The traction control system (TCS) is
designed to minimize wheelspin. This
enables the car to achieve the best possible
grip and, hence, maximum tractive effort,
together with greater stability.
The TCS system uses information from the
ABS system’s wheel sensors to detect
when the front (driving) wheels are rotating
faster then the rear wheels. It then monitors
whether one driving wheel is rotating faster
than the other. If so, the faster wheel is
retarded until both wheels are rotating at the
same speed.
If the two front wheels are rotating at the
same speed but are turning faster than the
rear wheels, the torque from the engine is
reduced to eliminate the difference.
The process continues until all the wheels
are rotating at the same speed. The advantages of the TCS system become
most apparent when the cohesion between
the front wheels and the road surface is so
low that one or both of the wheels would
lose their grip were the car not equipped
with the TCS, e.g.:
 When the car is pulling away or accelerat-
ing with the front wheels on different sur-
faces (e.g. one slippery and one dry). The
TCS then functions like an electronic dif-
ferential lock.
 When the car is pulling away or accelerat-
ing on a slippery road, in which case the
TCS 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 indicator on the main instrument
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 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.
WARNING
When driving normally, the TCS helps to
imrove the safety of the car. This does
not mean that car can be driven faster.
The same care and prudence normally
applied should be displayed on corner-
ing and when driving on slippery roads.
ProCarManuals.com

168 Starting and drivingParking brakeThe parking brake lever is located between
the front seats. The brake acts on the rear
wheels. When the parking brake is on, the
indicator lamp on the main instrument panel
will be lit.
To release the brake, lift the lever slightly,
press the pawl button, and let the lever
down.
Parking
WARNING
Always apply the parking brake when
the car is parked.
Always apply the parking brake
before removing the ignition key.
 Never use the parking brake while the
car is moving.
WARNING
 Do not leave children or pets unat-
tended in the car. In warm, sunny
weather, the temperature inside the
car can reach 160–180°F (70–80°C).
 Park where the vehicle will not create
an obstruction or a hazard to other
road users.
 Do not park on dry grass or other com-
bustible material. The catalytic con-
verter gets very hot and could start a
fire.
 Apply the parking brake.
 Shift into Reverse for manual trans-
mission; for automatic transmission:
move selector lever to P (Park)), and
remove the ignition key. Lock the car.
NOTESaab 9-3 Viggen: The body design
together with the relatively low ground
clearance of the car means that great
care must be taken during parking to
avoid damage to the under part of the
bumper.
IB1269
IB982
ProCarManuals.com

171 Starting and driving
 Driving in a low gear results in higher fuel
consumption than in a high gear because
of the lower engine speed for a given road
speed. Always change up to a higher gear
as soon as traffic conditions allow and use
the highest gear as much as possible.
 Check the air pressure in the tires once a
month. Incorrect pressures increase tire
wear. It is better to have slightly higher
pressure than lower.
 Check fuel consumption regularly.
Increased consumption can indicate that
something is wrong and that the car
needs to be checked by an authorized
Saab dealer.
Practical tests on the roads have demon-
strated that substantial savings in fuel con-
sumption can be made if the above advice
is heeded.Road conditions Wet roads increase fuel consumption, as do
unpaved roads and driving in hilly country
(the amount of fuel saved driving downhill is
less than the additional amount required to
climb the hill).
Engine block heater (standard
equipment in Canada, accessory in
U.S.)The following are just some of the benefits
to the car and the environment of using an
engine block heater:
 Lower fuel consumption.
 Reduced wear on the engine.
 Inside of car warms up faster.
 Exhaust emissions substantially reduced
over short runs.
The engine block heater is effective with
outside temperatures up to +60 – +70°F
(+15 – +20°C). The warmer it is outside, the
shorter the time the heater need be con-
nected. Longer than 1.5 hours is unneces-
sary.
If the car is equipped with a removable elec-
trical cabin heater that is not in use, this
should be stored in the luggage compart-
ment.
Driving in cold weatherBefore starting a journey in cold weather
you should check the following:
 That the wiper blades have not become
frozen to the windshield/glass.
 Brush any snow away from the air intake
for the heater system (opening between
hood and windshield).
 It may be advisable to lubricate the
door-lock cylinder (use molybdenum
disulphide, MoS
2) to prevent its freezing.
If the lock has frozen, take care not to
break the key (or use the remote control)
– heat it first or spray it with de-icer.
 Periodically during the winter, add gaso-
line anti-freeze to the fuel to dispel any
condensation in the fuel tank which could
freeze and cause problems in the system.
Keep the tank well filled to reduce the risk
of condensation forming.
If the car is parked outside in freezing
weather, fuel additives (gasoline
anti-freeze) will not do any good as it
cannot remove water that has already fro-
zen. Park the car in a warm place so that
any ice that may have built up melts, then
add gasoline anti-freeze when filling up
the tank. Condensation is caused by
changes in the outdoor temperature or by
the car being parked alternately in a
garage and outside.
 It is particularly important when the roads
are slippery that the brakes and tires be in
good condition.
ProCarManuals.com

176 Starting and drivingTrailer hitch loadThe weight distribution on the trailer makes
a lot of difference to the handling properties
of the car and trailer combination.With sin-
gle-axle trailers, whenever possible, con-
centrate the load over the axle 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 trunk
will have to be reduced by a corresponding
amount.
Driving with a roof rack
loadThe maximum permissible roof load is
220 lbs (100 kg). Note that the roof load is
included in the car’s maximum permissible
load (see page 235).
Strong, sturdy roof carriers designed spe-
cially for the car are available from your
Saab dealer. Always secure the roof load
safely.
WARNING
 A roof load will affect the car’s center
of gravity and aerodynamics. Be
aware of this when cornering and driv-
ing in crosswinds.
 Adjust your speed to the prevailing
conditions.
 Due to higher aerodynamic drag, fuel
economy may suffer when driving with
a roof rack.
IB880
Distribution of load in trailer aLight
b Moderate
cHeavy
ProCarManuals.com

178 Starting and drivingDriving with a loadThe driving characteristics of the car are
affected by the way it is loaded.
 Place heavy loads as far forward and as
low as possible in the trunk.
 Secure the load to the tie downs, see
page 142.
 The load should be such that the car´s
total weight or axle weight are not
exceeded, see page 235.
 Heavy loads mean that the car’s center of
gravity is further back. As a result, the car
will sway more during evasive steering.
 Never exceed the permissible load in the
roof box, even if there is room for more.
 Ensure that the tire pressure is correct –
slight overinflation is preferable to under-
inflation.
 The braking distance of a loaded car is
always greater. Keep your distance from
the vehicle in front.
Tire pressure, see page 211 and back
cover.
TiresThe tire pressure should match the current
load and speed of the car; see the back
cover or the tire pressure label on
page 243.
The tire pressures given apply to cold tires,
that is tires that are the same temperature
as the outside air temperature.
The tire pressure increases as the tires
become warm (e.g. during highway driving)
with approximately 0.3 bar (4 psi). When
the temperature of the tires changes by 50°
(10°C), the tire pressure will change 0.1 bar
(2 psi).Never reduce the pressure of a hot tire. If the
tires are hot when you check them, only
increase the pressure, if necessary.
Underinflated tires wear more quickly than
slightly overinflated tires.
If a valve is leaking, simply unscrew it and fit
a new one.
Important! Remember to adjust the tire
pressures if you change the load in the car
or intend to drive at substantially lower or
higher speeds than normal.NOTECheck the tire pressure at least once a
month. Underinflation is the main cause
of:
 Damage to the wheels.
 Premature tire wear.
 Damage to the sidewalls.
ProCarManuals.com

180 Starting and driving
Saab 9-3 ViggenThe front towing eye is stored in a storage
bag beside the spare wheel. Remove the
plastic cover with a screwdriver from the
car’s toolkit, and screw in the towing eye.
Towing a car with manual gearboxThe gear lever must be in neutral. Switch
hazard lights on.
Drive carefully and do not exceed the
speed limit for vehicles in tow.
Always try to keep the towrope taut by
gently applying the brake as necessary.
This will avoid the towrope being jerked vio-
lently.
NOTEThe design of the underside of the rear
bumper means that the rear towing eye
must not be used. This is to prevent dam-
aging the bumper.
NOTEIf the car is to be towed with the front
wheels off the ground, make sure the
parking brake is off, as this acts on the
rear wheels.
IB885
Rear towing eye
IB1331
Front towing eye, Saab 9-3 Viggen
ProCarManuals.com