2002 SAAB 9-5 airbag

34 Safety
AIR BAG warning light
SRS servicingThe SRS must be inspected as part of the
normal service program but otherwise may
be regarded as maintenance-free.
Scrapping or working on airbags
and belt pretensioners
WARNING
 If the air bag readiness light stays on
after you start your vehicle, it means
the air bag system may not be working
properly.
 The air bags in your vehicle may not
inflate in a crash, or they could even
inflate without a crash.
 To help avoid injury to yourself or oth-
ers, have your vehicle serviced right
away if the air bag readiness light
stays on after you start your vehicle.
WARNING
 Under no circumstances may any
modifications be made that affect the
steering wheel or the airbag’s electri-
cal circuitry.
 Before starting any welding work on
the car, always disconnect the nega-
tive (–) battery lead and cover the con-
ductor.
 Airbags and belt pretensioners must
be deployed under controlled condi-
tions before the car is scrapped or any
of the system’s components are
removed. Airbags or belt pretension-
ers that have been deployed as a
result of a crash must be replaced by
new ones.
 Airbag-system components must
never be transferred for use in another
vehicle.
 All work involving the scrapping or
replacement of airbags or belt preten-
sioners must only be carried out by
knowledgeable personnel.
IB1707
Side airbag components 1 Side airbag
2 Sensor
3 Moisture barrier
4 Text on seat
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35 Safety
Frequently asked questions on func-
tion of airbagsDo you still need to wear a
safety b
elt if air-
bags are fitted?
Yes, always! The airbag merely supple-
ments the car’s normal safety system.
Moreover, the airbag will only be actuated in
a moderate to severe frontal, or near-frontal
crash, which means, of course, that it pro-
vides no protection in minor frontal crashes,
major rear-end or side-on crashes or if the
car rolls over.
The safety belts help reduce the chance of
the car occupants from being thrown around
and injured inside the car.
But they also ensure that, if a crash occurs
in which the airbags are inflated, the airbag
will make the optimum contact with the
occupant, i.e. square on from the front. If the
occupant meets the airbag in an offset posi-
tion, the protection afforded will be reduced.
In addition, airbags provide no protection
against a secondary impact occurring in the
same incident. So there is no doubt about
the benefit of wearing safety belts at all
times.
Do not sit too close to the airbag: it needs
room to inflate.
The airbag inflates very quickly and power-
fully in order to protect an adult person,
before they are thrown forward, in a serious
frontal crash.
How do I position the seat to leave room for
the airbag to inflate?Don’t have your seat too far forward.
Recline the seat back to increase the dis-
tance between you and the airbag. For short
drivers, special accessory pedal extensions
are available through your Saab dealer.
Airbags inflate extremely rapidly and with
great force - to be fast enough to protect an
adult in the seat. When do the front airbags inflate? The airbag will only be inflated under certain
predetermined conditions in a moderate to
severe frontal, or near-frontal crash,
depending on such factors as the force and
angle of the impact, the speed of the car on
impact, and the resistance to deformation of
the impacting object.
The airbag can only be activated once in the
same incident.
Do not attempt to drive the car after an
airbag has been inflated, even if it is possi-
ble.
What won’t trigger the front airbags? The airbag will not be activated in all
front-end crashes. For instance, if the car
has hit something relatively soft and yielding
(e.g. a snow drift or a hedge) or a solid
object at a low impact speed, the airbag will
not necessarily be triggered. How loud is the inflation? The noise of the inflation is certainly loud,
but it is very short-lived and will not damage
your hearing. For a short time afterwards
you could experience a buzzing noise in
your ears.
Most people who have experienced it
cannot remember the noise of the inflation
at all - all they remember is the noise of the
crash. Can you still use a child seat in the front if a
passenger airbag is installed? Definitely not!
Children 12 and under can be injured or
killed by the airbag.
The BACK SEAT is the SAFEST place for
children.
NEVER put a child seat in the front.
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36 SafetyAre the smoke and fumes given off when the
airbag operates at all harmful? Most people who have remained in a car
with little or no ventilation for several min-
utes complained only of minor irritation of
the throat and eyes. Avoid as far as possible
getting dust on your skin as there is a risk of
skin irritation.
If this trouble persists, you should consult a
doctor.
If you suffer from asthma, the incident may
bring on an attack, in which case you should
follow the normal procedure advised by
your doctor. It is advisable to consult a
doctor afterwards.
What should I do if the AIR-BAG warning
light comes on? If the warning light is on, it means that a fault
has been detected in the system. The
airbag cannot be relied on to operate as
intended and it might even be activated
erroneously. You should therefore take the
car to an authorized Saab dealer as soon as
possible.
WARNING
When an airbag is inflated there is dust in
the air.
Because the dust sometimes contains
particles of a substance resembling dish
detergent, the following precautions
should be taken:
 As soon as possible, wash any
exposed skin using a mild soap and
water.
 If there is irritation of the eyes, flush
them liberally with clean water for at
least 20 minutes.
WARNING
To reduce the risk of head injuries in the
event of a crash, the headliner and pillar
trims incorporate energy absorbing mate-
rial. These areas must not be modified in
any way. Work on these areas must only
be carried out at an authorized Saab
dealer.
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52 Instruments and controls

Anti-lock brake warning
This light will come on if a fault has occurred
in the ABS system.
On certain variants and as well
as can light up to indicate a fault in the
electronic brake force distribution system
(distribution of the brake pressure between
the front and rear wheels).
Conventional braking without the ABS func-
tion will still be available.
For safety reasons, stop the car and check
the level of the brake fluid (see page 197).If the level is normal, depress the brake
pedal firmly two or three times. Now check
the level again. If the level is still normal, you
may drive the car, with considerable cau-
tion, to the nearest authorized Saab dealer
to have the brake system checked.

Airbag warning light
This light together with will come on if
a potentially serious fault has occurred in
the airbag system.
The light will come on for about three sec-
onds when the ignition switch is turned to
the Start or Drive position. It should go out
after the engine has started.
WARNING
 If the ABS is inoperative, there is a
danger of the rear wheels locking up
on hard braking.
 If the level of brake fluid in the reser-
voir is below the MIN mark, the car
should be towed to an authorized
Saab dealer.
WARNING
 If the airbag readiness light stays on
after you start your vehicle, it means
the airbag system may not be working
properly. One or more of the following
conditions may occur:
- Non-deployment of the airbags in the
event of a crash.
- Deployment of the airbags without a
crash.
- Deployment of the airbags in
crashes less severe than intended.
 To help avoid injury to yourself or
others, have your vehicle serviced
right away if the airbag readiness light
stays on after you start your vehicle.
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53 Instruments and controls
CHECK message indicator
This light indicates that there is a message
in the SID. A chime will also sound
(see page 63).
Central warning light
This light will come on and a chime will
sound if a fault has been detected in any
system that is critical to safety. Any of the
following can activate the central warning
light and alarm:
 Airbag system.
 Low oil pressure in engine.
 Parking brake is on (when car is moving).
 Brake fluid level low.
 Fault detected in ABS system.
 Electronic brake force distribution (distri-
bution of brake pressure between front
and rear wheels).
 Engine overheating.
 Alternator not charging properly.
Engine malfunction
(CHECK ENGINE)
This light indicates a malfunction in the
fuel-injection or ignition system. The car
may still be driven with care and with some-
what diminished performance (see page
149).
Indicator, fuel
This light comes on when there is less than
about 2.5 gallons (10 liters) of fuel left in the
tank.
WARNING
An illuminated ”Engine malfunction
(CHECK ENGINE)” indicator light indi-
cates a serious engine-related problem.
While your car may be able to be driven
with the ”Engine malfunction (CHECK
ENGINE)” indicator light illuminated
(Limp-home mode), you are advised to
have your car serviced at an authorized
Saab dealer as soon as possible.
Continued driving without this problem
being corrected might cause serious
further damage to your car and create
unsafe driving conditions. The operator
should be prepared to take action if such
unsafe conditions arise (e.g., apply the
brakes, disengage transmission, turn off
the ignition etc.).
NOTEThe car should be checked immediately
at an authorized Saab dealer to prevent
more serious faults from arising.NOTEIf the car runs out of fuel, air can be drawn
in with the fuel, which, in turn, can cause
the catalytic converter to be damaged by
overheating.
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102 Saab 9-5 Audio SystemAntennas The Audio System has three antennas
incorporated in the rear window; two for FM
diversity and one for AM.
The car has a factory-fitted roof antenna for
a mobile phone/OnStar. Roof loads may
negatively affect telecommunication.
Multipath propagation Multipath propagation occurs when radio
waves from an FM transmitter are reflected
by, e.g. large buildings, causing them to
arrive slightly later than the direct waves.
This can create interference to radio recep-
tion. To avoid this problem as much as pos-
sible the system is equipped with two FM
antennas, so called FM diversity.
NOTERefrain from placing hard or sharp
objects on the rear parcel shelf, to avoid
damaging the antenna leads.
Do not use sun protective film which con-
tains metal particles on the rear window,
this can be the cause of radio interfer-
ence.
WARNING
To reduce the risk of head injuries in the
event of a crash, the headliner and pillar
trims incorporate energy absorbing mate-
rial. These areas must not be modified in
any way. Work on these areas must only
be carried out at an authorized Saab
dealer.
IB386
IB389
IB1743
Accessories and other equipment must
not be fitted to the surfaces marked as
these are where the airbags inflate in the
event of a crash
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108 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
deploys.(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
OnStar advisor will ask for your PIN in order
to provide 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 Services Plan that comes
with your vehicle.* With it, you have access
to a complete 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 appropriate
emergency services provider.Emergency servicesShould you require emergency assistance,
press the red emergency button and On
Star or an advisor will contact the nearest
emergency services provider with your
exact location and your request for help.* New retail deliveries only.
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118 Interior equipment and trunkSeats Both front seats are electrically operated.
On certain models the driver´s seat is
equipped with a memory function.
To facilitate getting into the car, both seats
can be adjusted when either of the front
doors is open.
For safety reasons, if the door is closed, the
seat can only be adjusted when the ignition
is ON.
Note, however, that both seats can be
adjusted for 30 seconds after both doors
have been closed. The following seat adjustments can be
made to achieve a comfortable driving
position:
Height.
 Legroom.
 Backrest rake angle.
 Lumbar support.
 Head-restraint height.
We recommend that adjustments to the
driver’s seat be performed in the following
order:
1Height.
2 Legroom.
3 Seat tilt angle.
4 Backrest rake angle.
Lastly, adjust the steering wheel (see page
122).
Side airbags (see page 32).Head restraint(see page 18).
Height To raise the seat, lift the lower control
straight up.
To lower the seat, press the lower control
down.
The same control can be used to adjust the
height of the front and rear edges of the seat
independently.
WARNING
The seats are actuated by powerful
motors. Ensure that nothing can be
trapped when adjusting the seat.
Bear in mind that children can be injured
if they play with the electrically-operated
seats
WARNING
Never adjust the driver’s seat except
when the car is stationary.
IB401
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