176 Starting and drivingDriving 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
248).
Strong, sturdy roof carriers designed spe-
cially for the car are available from your
Saab dealer. Always secure the roof load
safely.
Fitting the roof carriers (accessory)
9-5 SedanThe carrier feet are marked with a top view
of the car and arrow indicating their posi-
tions.
1 Slip the plastic cover onto the adjustable
foot of the carrier (foot with knob for
tightening) to protect the paintwork
during assembly.
2 Open all the doors.
Fold back the rubber strip and find the
fixing holes.
3 Start on the left-hand side of the car.
Rest the carrier carefully across the roof,
with the rigid foot towards you. Hold the
foot clear of the roof to avoid damaging
the paintwork.
Fold back the rubber strip and insert the
pins on the foot into the fixing holes.
Make sure that the rubber strip comes
inside the plastic cover on the carrier. Repeat the procedure with the other car-
rier.
4 Close the doors on the left-hand side of
the car gently, to hold the carrier feet in
place.
5 Now go around to the other side of the
car and remove the plastic cover from
the carrier’s adjustable foot. Fold back
the rubber strip and insert the pins on the
foot into the fixing holes. Do the same
with the other carrier and close the doors
gently.
6 Tighten each carrier by turning the knob
clockwise (by hand). Tighten just
enough to bring the foot up against the
edges of the fixing holes.
Remove the carriers when not in use, as
they increase fuel consumption.
The instructions that accompany the carri-
ers also include advice on driving with a roof
load - we strongly recommend that you read
them carefully.
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.
Suit your speed to the prevailing con-
ditions.
Due to higher aerodynamic drag, fuel
economy may suffer when driving with
a roof rack.
IB480
IB481
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180 Starting and drivingTowing the carTransporting the carFront towing eye
The front towing eye is stored with the spare
wheel.
The attachment point (tapped hole) for the
towing eye is midway along the engine sub-
frame at the front of the car.
Remove the plastic plug and screw in the
towing eye securely.
To ensure that the towing eye is in far
enough, insert the handle of the wheel
wrench through the eye for additional lever-
age.
WARNING
Remember that the brake servo does
not operate when the engine is off.
Much greater pressure than normal
will therefore be required to operate
the brake pedal.
Nor does the steering servo operate
when the engine is off. The steering
will therefore be much heavier than
usual.
The towing vehicle should always be
heavier than the vehicle on tow.
Never allow passengers to ride in the
car being towed.
Always seek professional help if the
car needs to be towed.NOTEIf a car with a sport (lowered) chassis is
transported, for example on a flat bed
truck, take extra care not to damage the
spoiler and/or underbody.
WARNING
Make sure that the towing eye at the
front is screwed in tightly.
The towing eye is only designed for
use when the car is being towed on the
road. It must not be used to pull the
car out of a ditch, for example. If the
towing eye were to shear suddenly, it
could cause serious injury.
Always seek professional help if the
car needs to be recovered.
NOTE Do not drive the car with the front
towing eye in position. If it catches the
curb, for example, the engine sub-
frame could be damaged.
Refit the plastic plug in the hole when
the towing eye has been removed, to
keep dirt and moisture out of the
threads.
IB482
Front towing eye
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181 Starting and driving
Rear towing eyeThe car has a permanently mounted towing
eye at the back. If the car is equipped with a
trailer hitch, this can be used instead of the
towing eye. Considerations when towing the car
with manual transmission Gear lever in neutral and parking lights on.
Drive carefully and do not exceed the
speed limit for vehicles being towed.
Always try to keep the towrope taut by
gently applying the brake, as necessary.
This will avoid the towrope being jerked
violently.
Considerations when towing the car
with automatic transmission Selector lever at N (neutral) and parking
lights on.
Drive carefully and do not exceed the
speed limit for vehicles being towed.
Always try to keep the towrope taut by
gently applying the brake, as necessary.
This will avoid the towrope being jerked
violently. 1 Selector lever in position N.
2 The local regulations on towing speeds
must be followed.
The highest permissible towing speed is
30 mph (50 km/h), unless the legal limit
is lower. The longest permissible towing
distance is 25-30 miles (40-50 km). If the
car has to be transported farther than
that, summon a tow truck. A flat bed tow
truck is the preferred method to tow.
Failure to follow these guidelines can result
in damage.
Cars with automatic transmission cannot be
bump started. In an emergency, it is possi-
ble to start the engine using jump leads (see
the section, ”Jump starting” on page 182). NOTE The car must be towed front first.
If 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.
IB483
Rear towing eye
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184 Starting and drivingSaab Parking
Assistance(Option)The parking aid system facilitates parking
and reversing. There are four sensors in
the rear bumper that detect objects up to 6
feet (1.8 metres) behind the car.
The system uses four sensors in the rear
bumper. These emit ultrasound signals that
bounce back to the sensors off any objects
behind the car. The system, however,
cannot always detect small or narrow
objects or objects that do not reflect ultra-
sound back towards the car, such as pipes,
or the corner of a house or rectangular post.The system is activated automatically when
reverse is engaged or selected. When the
sensors detect an object within the moni-
tored area, the SID will display the text
"PARK ASSIST" and pulses of sound
(-----) will be heard. The frequency of the
pulses increases as the car comes closer to
the object.
When the distance to the object is less
than 12 in. (30 cm), a continuous tone
will be heard.When an object is approximately 3 feet
(90 cm) from the car, the sound pulses
change character markedly. A distance of
about 3 feet (90 cm) is suitable if you wish
to load or unload the luggage compartment.
If the distance between an object and the
corner sensors does not change for three
seconds, e.g. if you are reversing alongside
a wall, the system will switch to monitoring
straight back. The system indicates if the
distance to the wall decreases again.
The system can be disengaged for when
driving with a caravan or trailer. Press and
hold the CLEAR button on the SID when the
display shows "PARK ASSIST", until the
display shows "PARK ASSIST OFF". The
system is re-engaged in the same way. The
system is also always activated when the
ignition key is turned to ON.
WARNING
Responsibility always lies with the driver
when reversing.
Saab Parking Assistance can facilitate
reversing at low speeds, such as when
reverse parking.
Bear in mind that small and/or narrow
objects cannot always be detected by
the system.
NOTEReverse slowly so that you have time to
stop the car when the continuous tone is
heard at approx. 30 cm.
IB1299
Area monitored by the sensors seen from
the side
IB1300
Area monitored by the sensors seen from
above
ProCarManuals.com
186 Starting and drivingParking on a hillWhen parking on a steep hill, turn the front
wheels so that they will be blocked by the
curb if the car should move. Long-term parkingIf the car is not going to be used for some
time, e.g. 3–4 months, the following steps
are recommended:
Run the engine to normal temperature
before long-term parking.
Drain the washer-fluid reservoir and
hoses.
Wash and wax the car. Clean the rubber
seals on the hood, luggage compartment
lid and doors, and lubricate them with
glycerol (glycerin).
After washing the car, dry the brake discs
by taking the car out on the road and
applying the brakes a few times.
Fill the fuel tank with fuel to prevent con-
densation forming in it.
Top up the coolant and check the anti-
freeze before the onset of winter.
Park the car in a dry, covered and
well-ventilated building. Leave the park-
ing brake OFF!
Disconnect the negative (-) battery lead.
If frost is likely to occur during the
long-term parking, remove the battery
and store it away from the frost.
Ideally, the car should be put up on
blocks, with the wheels off the ground. If
this is not possible, inflate the tires to
about 43 psi (300 kPa). Leave all the windows open a crack and
cover the car with a fabric tar paulin - not
one made of plastic.
123
IB485
1Pointing downhill and
against the curb
– Turn the wheels into
the curb and edge the
car forward until the
wheels touch the curb.2Pointing uphill and
against the curb
– Turn the wheels away
from the curb and edge
the car back until the
wheels touch the curb.3Pointing uphill or
downhill – no curb
– Turn the wheels
towards the edge of the
road. If the car should
start rolling, it will not run
into the road.
ProCarManuals.com
194 Car care and technical informationOil changingThe engine oil must be changed in accor-
dance with the service program, see page
244.
Oil volume and grade, see page 251.
Oil changing should be carried out on a
warm engine.
1 Unscrew the drain plug in the bottom of
the sump and leave the oil to drain into
an oil tray or other suitable receptacle for
at least ten minutes. Take care, as the oil
may be hot.
2 After the oil has been drained, unscrew
and remove the oil filter.
3 Fit a new filter and tighten it by hand.
4 Refit the drain plug with a new washer.
5 Fill with new engine oil.
Run the engine to normal temperature and
check the oil level.
NOTEChange of engine oil and oil filter may be
required more frequently (5000-mile
intervals (8,000 km)) if any one of the fol-
lowing conditions apply to the car:
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8
to 16 km). This is particularly important
when outside temperatures are below
freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling
(such as frequent stop-and-go driving).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a car-
rier on top of your vehicle.
If the vehicle is used for delivery ser-
vice, police, taxi or other commercial
applications.
IB493
Drain plug and oil filter, 4-cylinder engine
IB494
Drain plug and oil filter, 3.0t V6
ProCarManuals.com
208 Car care and technical information
Front turn signal bulbsTo change the bulb, the complete lamp unit
has to be removed.
1 Depress the catch, accessed from the
engine bay.
2 Carefully pull out the lamp unit.
3 The bulb holder has a bayonet fitting.
Grip the holder and twist it counterclock-
wise.
4 Withdraw the bulb holder from the lamp
unit.
5 The bulb also has a bayonet fitting.
Press in the bulb and twist it counter-
clockwise.
6 Fit the new bulb and check that it is cor-
rectly seated.
To re-install the lamp unit1 Align the catch with the recess in the
lamp housing holder.
2 Press the lamp housing towards the
headlight slightly and press the housing
towards the rear of the car.
3 Make sure the locating pin and the two
plastic lugs enter their respective holes.
4 Press the lamp housing until it click into
place.
IB1789
2
13
3
Front turn signal bulb1Catch
2 Bayonet pin
3 Plastic lugs
IB1875
Catch seen from engine bay, left-hand
side
IB1876
Catch seen from engine bay, right-hand
side
IB1790
ProCarManuals.com
210 Car care and technical information2 The bulb has a bayonet fitting. Press in
the bulb and twist it counterclockwise.
3 Change the bulb.
Refitting the trim
1 Reset the studs by pushing back the
center buttons so that they protrude by
0.2 inch (5 mm).
2 Insert the studs through the trim and tail-
gate panel. Press the center buttons in,
flush with the collar.
3 Screw the handle back onto the trunk.
High-mounted stop lights, 9-5 SedanThe bulbs can be accessed after the panel
in the rear headlining has been removed.
1 Remove the panel by carefully pushing
in the two clips, one at the time.
2 Release the bulb holder, which is
retained by a clip at either end.
3 Withdraw the bulb gently straight back.
4 Push in the new bulb.
5 Refit the bulb holder.
6 Replace the panel by carefully pushing
the panel towards the headlining so that
the two clips engage their respective
slot.
Tailgate bulbs, 9-5 Wagon1 Turn the lock a quarter turn (90 °) with a
screwdriver or the ignition key.
2 Open and remove the cover.
3 Take out the bulb holder by twisting it
slightly counterlockwise.
4 Press in the bulb and twist it
counterclockwise.
5 Change the bulb.
6 Check that the new bulb is working.
IB518
3
2
2
3
1
IB519
High-mounted stop lights1 Panel
2 Retaining clips
3 Bulbs
IB1227
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