Page 4 of 256
4Exterior Sunroof _______________ 132
Convertible _____________ 48
Washing the car ________ 220
Waxing and polishing ____ 221
Touching-up of paintwork _ 221
Anticorrosion treatment ___ 222Taillights ______________ 202
Stop lights _____________ 202
Light switches ___________ 75
Changing bulbs _________ 200Towing ________________ 179
Towrope attachment eyes _ 179
Towing a trailer _________ 173Trunk lid lock ___________ 138
Lowering the rear seat ____ 138
Trunk _________________ 141
Spare wheel ___________ 143
Tools _________________ 143
Lighting _______________ 202
Driving with a roof rack load ____ 176
Mounting of roof rack __________ 176
Maximum loads ______________ 234
Hood release handle __________ 186
Engine compartment: washing __ 220
Central locking __________ 36
Interior locking buttons ____ 37
Trunk lock ______________ 40
Child safety lock catch ____ 39
Car alarm (Anti-theft system) 41Headlight switches _______ 75
High/low beam control stalk 75
Turn signal & lane change
indicators ______________ 76
Headlamp wipers _______ 198
Changing bulbs ________ 200Fuel filler door __________ 151
Refuelling _____________ 151
Fuel grade ____________ 239
Fuel gauge _____________ 68
Fuel economy __________ 170
Tires & Rims _____________ 211 / 242
Tire pressure ___________ back cover
Driving in cold weather ________ 171
Brakes and braking ___________ 164
Compact spare wheel _________ 214
Changing a wheel ____________ 215
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Page 5 of 256
5
Interior Power steering _________ 241
Steering-wheel adjustment 131
Airbag _________________ 28
Internal rearview mirror ________ 137
Door mirrors ________________ 137
Vanity mirror ________________ 134
Safety belts _____________ 12
Safety-belt care ________ 218
Airbag _________________ 28
Child seats _____________ 19
Child safety lock catch ____ 39Glove compartment _____ 135Manual transmission ____ 155
Automatic transmission __ 156
IB1353
Seat adjustment ________ 124
Safety belts _____________ 12
Seat heating ___________ 129
Rear seat _____________ 138
Folding down the rear seat 138
Child seats _____________ 19
Upholstery: cleaning _____ 219
Interior lighting switch _________ 133
Interior lighting: changing bulbs __ 204
Center console ______________ 130
Electric windows _____________ 130
Sunroof ____________________ 132
Convertible __________________ 48
Ignition switch _______________ 146
Starting the engine ___________ 147
Engine break-in period ________ 155
Parking ____________________ 168
Driving in hot/cold weather _____ 171
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Page 8 of 256
8
Long loads Always SECURE LOAD to prevent it from shift-
ing during transport.
An unsecured load could cause passenger
injuries in braking situations or in the event of a
crash.
Cover sharp edges with a protective wrap.
Belt beam Warning for pinch risk due to
movable parts when beam is in
unlocked position.
Wheel changing: Intended for the Saab 9-5 and 9-3. Use the jack
only on firm, level ground. Use blocks. Max. jack
load: 2200 lbs. (1000 kg). For further information,
see the manual.
AIR BAG
WARNING
Flip visor over
50 10 111
WARNING
DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY can occur.
Children 12 and under can be killed by the air bag.
The BACK SEAT is the SAFEST place for children.
NEVER put a rear-facing child seat in the front.
Sit as far back as possible from the air bag.
ALWAYS use SEAT BELT and CHILD RESTRAINTS
IB1195
USA CANADA
USACANADA
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Page 12 of 256
12 SafetySafety belts Three-point inertia-reel safety belts are pro-
vided for all seats. The results of studies show that it is equally
important to wear safety belts in the rear
seat as in the front seats.
Safety-belt reminder When the ignition is switched on, the ”fasten
belts” reminder will light up until the driver
fastens the safety belt. In addition an audi-
ble signal sounds for 6 seconds, or until the
driver fastens his belt.
WARNING
Safety belts must be worn at all times by
all car occupants. Child safety, see page
19.
Check that the locking tongue is properly
locked in the belt lock.
WARNING
In the event of a crash, the rear-seat pas-
sengers can be thrown forward against
the front seat backrests, imposing much
higher stresses on the front seat passen-
gers 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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Page 14 of 256
14 Safety Children who have grown out of a child
seat should be restrained by the car’s
standard three-point belts. Make sure that
the shoulder belt is not in contact with the
neck or throat. If it is, a booster seat/cush-
ion may be necessary.
Front seat belts Fasten the belt by pulling the belt and insert-
ing the tongue in the buckle. Check that it is
securely fastened.
Because the lower belt-anchorage points
are on the seat (9-3 5-door), the belt buckle
follows the movement of the seat during
seat adjustment. In the 9-3 Coupé and
9-3 Convertible, the lower outer anchorage
point is in the rear of the sill, which makes it
all the more important that the lap strap is
not slack during use.
Grasp the shoulder belt close to the buckle
and pull the belt towards the shoulder to
tighten the lap belt part.
The belt must be as far in on the shoulder as
possible.To release the belt, press the red button on
the belt buckle, as illustrated.
See page 218 for the checking of belt func-
tion, cleaning etc.
WARNING
Never fasten the safety belt with the
shoulder belt behind the body or pull the
belt off the shoulder and under the arm.
IB1304
To fasten the belt
IB1305
Press the red button to release the belt.
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Page 19 of 256
19 Safety
Child safety
Car safety tips Protect your children from getting
trapped in the trunk of a car
For Trunk Release Handle see page 39 and
143.
WARNING
NEVER put a rear-facing child seat in
the front.
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 of a lap-shoulder
belt or LATCH. If the child restraint is
not properly secured, a child can be
injured in a crash.
Children 12 and under can be killed by
the airbag.
According to crash 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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Page 20 of 256
20 SafetyThe same attention must be given to child
safety in the car as is given to adults.
Saab recommends rearward facing child
restraints for children up to 3 years old.
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.
IB1683
Illustration showing lower attachments (ISOFIX) in the rear seat.
Top tethers are located behind the head restraints, one for each seat position, see page
23 and 24.
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Page 21 of 256
21 Safety
LATCHLATCH (Lower Anchorages & Top tethers
for CHildren) consists of top tether and
lower anchorage bars (“ISOFIX”) for child
restraints in the two outboard rear seats.
ISOFIX are lower attachments located
where the seat and back cushions come
together. Top tether are upper attachments
located between belt beam and parcel shelf,
see page 23 and 24.
Saab recommends rearward facing child
restraints for children 3 and under.
IB1899
ISOFIX attachment points in the rear seat, 9-3 Convertible
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