2002 SAAB 9-5 light

143 Interior equipment and trunk
Fuel filler flapThe fuel filler flap is opened by means of a
button on the driver’s door. The flap is
spring-loaded, so it opens slightly automat-
ically when released.
Refueling, see page 152.
Opening the fuel filler
flap in an emergencyIf the fuel filler flap fails to open after the
button on the driver’s door has been
pressed, it can be opened manually from
inside the trunk.
9-5 Sedan:
Start by checking fuse 25 (see page 218).
A thin cable on the right-hand side in the
trunk is connected to the catch for the filler
flap. To open the flap, pull the yellow plastic
arrow on the end of the cable. 9-5 Wagon:
Start by checking fuse 25 (see page 218).
On the right-hand side of the luggage com-
partment, in the storage locker, is a thin wire
that is tied to the locking arm of the filler flap.
To open the flap pull the yellow plastic arrow
attached to the end of the wire.
IB1231
To open filler flap in an emergency,
9-5 Wagon
IB467
To open fuel filler flap in an emergency
9-5 Sedan
IB466
Button for releasing filler flap
ProCarManuals.com

146 Starting and drivingIgnition switchThe combined ignition switch and
gear-lever lock is located in the center con-
sole between the front seats. The ignition
key can only be removed when reverse is
engaged (automatic transmission: selector
in ”P” position).
The key fits all the locks on the car. The key
number is specified on the small plastic
strap that comes with the keys when the car
is delivered. Keep a note of the key number
in a safe place, as you will need to quote it if
ordering a replacement key.
See also page 38.
LOCK position Engage reverse and turn the key to LOCK.
Automatic transmission: select ”P”.
The gear lever is locked. This is the only position in which the key can be
removed.
The parking lights, hazard warning lights and interior lighting all work. OFF position Gear lever no longer locked.
Certain electrical circuits operationalON position All electrical circuits working. Do not leave the key in the ON position
when the engine is not running. Turn the key to OFF to switch off the
electrical circuits. In the ON position certain warning and indicator lights
come on as a check, and they normally are extinguished after about
3 seconds.ST (starter) position The starter operates when the key is turned to this position. When
released, the key will spring back to the ON position. If the engine fails to
start, the key must first be turned back to the position between OFF and
LOCK before the starter can be operated again.
When the starter motor is running, several electrical circuits are
disconnected to facilitate starting.
LOCK
OFFONST
LOCK
OFFONST
LOCK
OFFONST
LOCK
OFFONST
IB1120
ProCarManuals.com

148 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.
ProCarManuals.com

149 Starting and driving
Limp-home modeThe car’s engine-management system
includes a diagnostic function that checks
numerous internal functions after the
engine has been shut off. If a fault is
detected in the throttle system, the
engine-management system puts the throt-
tle system into the limp-home mode. This
limits idling control, disables the cruise-con-
trol system and limits the capacity of the A/C
compressor.
If the limp-home mode is in operation
(”Engine malfunction (CHECK ENGINE)”
light on, see below) and the outside temper-
ature is close to or below freezing, you may
need to use some throttle on starting (some
pressure on the accelerator).
If the diagnostic system has detected a fault
in the engine-management system, the
”Engine malfunction (CHECK ENGINE)”
light on the main instrument panel will
come on (see page 53), indicating that you
should have the car checked as soon as
possible by an authorized Saab dealer.
Important
considerations for
drivingThe engine-management system in the
Saab 9-5 is called Saab Trionic T7. The
system manages the ignition, fuel injection
and turbo boost pressure.
The Trionic T7 system developed by Saab
is an intelligent engine-management
system designed to achieve optimum driv-
ability under differing driving conditions.
The system makes adjustments automati-
cally, for instance, if the car is being driven
at altitude (oxygen-deficient air), for differ-
ent grades of fuel (AON 87–93) and for dif-
ferent load conditions.
1 Starting and driving
 Refrain from using full throttle before
the engine has warmed up (before
needle in mid-range on temperature
gauge).
 A safety function prevents the engine
from revving faster than 6,000 rpm by
limiting the induction air.
2 Stopping the engine
 Do not rev the engine immediately
before switching it off - stop the engine
when it is idling.
3 Regulating the boost pressure
 The system is optimized for fuel with an
octane rating of AON 90. The 2.3 T
(Aero) and 3.0t V6 are optimized for
NOTEIf the CHECK ENGINE warning light
starts to flash, ease off the accelerator
slightly. If the light does not cease to flash
within 5 seconds, stop the car in a suita-
ble place as soon as possible and turn off
the engine. The car must be towed to an
authorized Saab dealer.
If the CHECK ENGINE warning light
flashes, it indicates that the engine is
misfiring which can result in damage to
the catalytic converter.
ProCarManuals.com

151 Starting and driving
battery. However, as soon as you have
started the engine, it is important that it
runs on all cylinders. If it is misfiring, allow
i t t o i d l e f o r u p t o f i v e m i n u t e s t o g i v e i t t i m e
to settle and run smoothly. If, after this
time, the engine still fails to run properly,
turn off the engine and get in touch with an
authorized Saab dealer for advice.  Never park the car on dry grass or other
combustible material. The catalytic con-
verter gets very hot and could therefore
start a fire.
 Never drive off if the engine is misfiring.
 If you jump start the car when the engine
is already up to normal temperature, the
engine must start to run on all cylinders.
Stop jump-starting if the engine fails to
start immediately.
Failure to follow these directions could
result in the catalytic converter and associ-
ated components being damaged, and
could represent a breach of the warranty
conditions.
3.0t V6: When starting the engine from cold
an electrical pump is activated. This pump
forces air into the exhaust system so that
the catalytic converter will reach its normal
operating temperature more rapidly. The
pump is active for 30-60 seconds.
Fuel filler flapThe fuel filler flap is opened by means of a
button on the driver’s door. The flap is
spring-loaded, so it opens slightly automat-
ically when released.
NOTEIf the car runs out of fuel, it is possible for
air to get into the fuel system. If this
happens, the catalytic converter may
overheat and be damaged.
IB1289
2
2
1
3
3
Oxygen-sensor-controlled
injection system 1 Engine control module
2 Oxygen sensor (lambda probe)
3 Catalytic converters
B466
Button for releasing filler flap
ProCarManuals.com

156 Starting and drivingGear changingManual transmissionTo start the engine the clutch pedal must
be fully depressed.
The gear positions are marked on the gear
lever. Before reverse (R) can be engaged,
you must lift the ring underneath the
gear-lever knob.
To change gear, fully depress the clutch
pedal and then release it smoothly. It is
inadvisable to drive with your hand resting
on the gear lever, as this can increase the
wear on the transmission.
When changing down from 5th to 4th gear,
ease the gear lever straight back, without
applying any lateral pressure. This will pre-
vent 2nd gear being engaged by mistake,
which can result in overreving and possible
damage to the engine.
Before engaging reverse, wait till the car is
at a standstill, release the accelerator and
fully depress the clutch. From neutral, press
the gear lever firmly to the right before
easing it back into reverse.
Shift-up indicator for improved fuel
economy (U.S. models only)Cars equipped with a manual transmission
have a "Shift-up" light on the instrument
panel. The light begins to work after the
vehicle is warmed up and provides you with
a good indication when to shift to a higher
gear.
It is not necessary or recommended to
follow the shift-up recommendations in all
driving conditions, for example, when driv-
ing in heavy urban traffic or steep downhill
grades.
However, shifting with the light should result
in improved fuel economy. Therefore, for
reduced fuel consumption and better
energy conservation, you should make a
habit of shifting before or when the shift-up
light comes on.Towing Towing of cars with manual transmission,
see page 180.
IB471
13
25
R
4
ProCarManuals.com

159 Starting and driving
Park Brake Shift lockThe transmission has a security function
known as Park Brake Shift Lock. To move
the gear selector out of the P position, the
brake pedal must be depressed at the same
time as the gear selector catch (detente) is
pressed in.
Shift Lock override1 Apply the parking brake
2 Make sure the key is in position ON
3 Use a small tool such as a screwdriver
and push the lever (see picture) down-
wards so that the detent button can be
pressed approx. 10 mm
4 Move the selector out of position P to N
5 Remove the tool
6 Release the parking brake if the car is to
be moved immediately; otherwise keep
it applied
Check fuse No. 1 (see page 218). If the fuse
is OK, check the battery regarding the volt-
age.
If the problem was cured by changing the
fuse or battery, you do not have to contact a
Saab dealer.
If the fuse blows again as soon as the Shift
Lock feature is activated you should contact
your Saab dealer.
Automatic transmission,
fault indicator
If ”Automatic transmission, fault indicator”
light appears on the main instrument panel,
the system has detected a fault in the auto-
matic transmission or its control module
(see page 55).
This also means that the Limp-home mode
has been selected, to guard against further
damage being done to the transmission. In
this mode, the automatic transmission
starts in 5th gear, and gear changes (if nec-
essary) will have to be made manually.
It is not possible to select the SPORT or
WINTER mode when the Limp-home mode
is active.
You should have the automatic transmis-
sion checked as soon as possible by an
authorized Saab dealer.
The following gears will be engaged in the
respective selector positions when the auto-
matic transmission is in the Limp-home
mode:
NOTEDue to electrical problems it may not be
possible to move the selector out of the
park position, even if the ignition is ON. If
for some reason the selector has to be
moved out of the park position (i.e. to tow
the car a short distance) do as described
below.
Position R D 4 3 L
Gear Reverse 5th 5th 5th 2nd
IB1758
ProCarManuals.com

161 Starting and driving
Selector positions
P
To shift out of the P position you must
depress the brake pedal and the ignition
must be ON.
The parking position (P) must only be selected
when the car is at a complete standstill. The
selector lever is locked and the transmission is
mechanically immobilized. Always apply the
parking brake after parking the car.
The engine can be started. The key can be
removed.
R
The reverse (R) position must only be selected
when the car is at a complete standstill. The
detent-release button must be pressed before
the selector lever can be moved to R. Wait until
reverse gear has engaged (car starts to creep)
before touching the accelerator.
N
In the Neutral position (N), the transmission is
disengaged from the engine. The engine can be
started, but first ensure that the parking brake is
on, to prevent the car from moving off unexpect-
edly.
To prevent the engine and transmission from
becoming hotter than necessary, select N for
stops other than brief ones, e.g. if stuck in a traf-
fic jam.
The normal drive position (D) is recommended
for waiting at traffic lights.
D
The Drive position (D) is the position for normal
motoring. Gear changes between 1st and 5th
will take place automatically, the timing of which
is determined by the throttle (accelerator) posi-
tion and the speed of the car.
After moving the selector lever to D, pause to
give the gear time to engage (car starts to pull).
4
In position 4, 5th gear is locked out. The car will
start in 1st gear and normal gear changing (up
and down) will take place automatically between
gears 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Moving the selector lever from D to 4 will effect
a change-down to 4th gear, which will give better
engine-braking.
Do not move the selector to position 4 at speeds
in excess of 90 mph (150 km/h).
3
Position 3 is recommended in hilly country as it
provides effective engine-braking. Normal gear
changing (up and down) between 1st and 3rd
gear will take place automatically. Fourth and
5th gears are locked out.
Do not move the selector to position 3 at speeds
in excess of 70 mph (110 km/h).
ProCarManuals.com