
3
Instrument panel 
IB1080
Indicator and warning lights ______  56
Speedometer _________________  63
Odometer and trip meter ________  62
Fuel gauge___________________  63
Temperature gauge ____________  63
Parking lights____________    71
High/low beam __________  71
Daytime running lights_____  71
Instrument illumination ____  73
Changing bulbs __________  214Turn signal and lane change 
indicators ______________  73
High beam flasher ________  71
Cruise control ___________  171Front fog lights___________  74
Ashtrays (accessory) ___________  135
Cigarette lighters (accessory) ____  136
Saab Information Display (SID) ___  65
Night panel___________________  69
Clock _______________________  70
Wipers and washers ______  75
Rear-window wiper (9-5 
Wagon) _______________  76
Rain sensing wipers (option)  75
Washers _______________  213
Wipers and washers ______  212Saab 9-5 Audio System ___  89
Steering-wheel controls ___  106Hazard warning lights_____  74Automatic climate control 
(ACC) ________________  77
Air conditioning (ACC) ____  242
Electric heating, front seats ______  15
Ventilated front seats ___________  15Steering-wheel controls ___  106
Sentronic, manual mode ___  167
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4Exterior 
IB1736
Driving with a roof rack load______  185
Fitting the roof carriers (accessory)  185
Maximum roof load ____________  258
Rearview mirror _______________  126
Hood _______________________  198
Engine compartment: washing ___  245
Central locking __________  42
Trunk lid lock, 9-5 Sedan __  46
Tailgate, 9-5 Wagon ______  47
Child safety locks ________  45
Car alarm ______________  48Headlights _____________  71
High/low beam __________  71
Turn signal and lane change 
indicators______________  73
Headlight washers _______  75
Changing bulbs _________  214
Fuel gauge___________________  63
Fuel filler flap _________________  157
Refueling ____________________  158
Economical motoring ___________  178
Fuel ________________________  260
b Tires pressure ________________  268
Wheels and tires ______________  267
Braking______________________  172
Driving in cold weather__________  179
Compact spare wheel __________  236
Changing a wheel _____________  237
Trunk _______________________  139
Folding the rear seat, 9-5 Sedan __  139
Folding the rear seat, 9-5 Wagon _  142
Trunk Release Handle __________  148
Spare wheel and tools __________  149
Compact spare wheel __________  236Towing a trailer __________  181
Towing the car ___________  189
Rear towing eye _________  190Headlights ______________  71
Rear light cluster, 9-5 Sedan  219
Rear lights clusters, 9-5 
Wagon ________________  221
Changing bulbs __________  214Sunroof ________________  132
Washing the car _________  244
Waxing and polishing _____  245
Touching up the paint _____  245
Anti-corrosion treatment ___  246
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5
Interior 
IB581
Rearview mirrors ______________  125
Door mirrors __________________  125
Sun visors ___________________  135
Safety belts ____________  17
Airbag _________________  32
Child safety ____________  23
Child safety locks ________  45
Safety belts ____________  243Glove compartment ______  136Manual transmission _____  162
Automatic transmission ___  163
Electric windows ______________  131
Ignition switch ________________  152
Starting the engine ____________  153
Engine Break-In Period _________  161
Driving in hot weather __________  181
Driving in cold weather _________  179
Parking _____________________  195
Steering wheel adjustment _  124
Airbag _________________  33
Power steering fluid _______  208
Steering-wheel controls ___  106
Sentronic, manual mode ___  167Seats __________________  12
Electric heating, front seats _  15
Ventilated front seats______  15
Safety belts _____________  17
Child safety _____________  23
Folding the rear seat, 9-5 
Sedan ________________  139
Folding the rear seat, 9-5 
Wagon ________________  142
Upholstery and trim _______  243
Side airbags ____________  36
Interior lighting ________________  134
Sunroof _____________________  132
Dome light, front ______________  223
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9
IB336
(This label only used in some countries) 
Jack is designed only for changing a tire or 
mounting tire snow chains.
Car must be level and the jack must be placed 
on a firm and level ground.
Never crawl under the car when it is jacked up.
Jacking Instructions
1 Set parking brake and shift transmission to 
park.
2 Fit top of jack into jacking point next to wheel 
to be changed (See illustration).
3 Crank jack so that car begins to lift.
4 Remove center cap by inserting a screw 
driver under cap and prying up.
5 Using socket wrench in tool kit, loosen wheel 
bolts one-half turn.
6 Raise car so that tire clears ground. Loosen 
wheel bolts completely and remove wheel.
7 Mount spare wheel and tighten bolts enough 
so wheel is not loose.
8 Lower car. Tighten wheel bolts in crosswise 
order. (See illustration)
Observe max. speed limit for spare tire.
CANADAUSA
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 BELTS and CHILD RESTRAINTSContact an authorized 
Saab workshop if a 
Xenon headlight requires 
replacement. (Only cars 
with Xenon headlights.)
Long loads 
Always SECURE LOAD to prevent it from 
shifting 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.
ProCarManuals.com 

12 SafetySeats 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  
124).
 Side airbags (see page  36).Head restraint(see page 16).
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. Bear this in mind when adjusting 
the seat, and make sure that nothing gets 
caught and damaged. Ensure that noth-
ing can be trapped when adjusting the 
seat. 
Bear in mind that children can be injured 
if they play with the electrically-operated 
seats.
Always remove the ignition key when you 
leave the car to prevent personal injury 
caused by the electrically adjustable 
seats, for example, due to children play-
ing.
WARNING
Never adjust the driver’s seat except 
when the car is stationary. 
IB401
ProCarManuals.com 

13 Safety
Legroom adjustment To adjust the legroom, push the lower 
control forward or back. 
Backrest rake angle To adjust the backrest, move the upper 
control forward or back.
Lumbar supportTurn the smaller wheel for stepless adjust-
ment of the lumbar support. 
WARNING
The backrest should be upright during 
driving, so that the safety belt, airbag and 
backrest can provide optimum protection 
in the event of emergency braking or a 
crash and in particular a rear-end colli-
sion.
IB402
IB403
IB1161
ProCarManuals.com 

33 Safety
Airbag  The AIRBAG system comprises an airbag in 
the steering wheel, a front passenger airbag 
and side airbags in the front seats.
The system supplements the protection 
provided by the safety belts to further 
enhance the safety of the occupants.
If a fault is detected in the AIRBAG, the 
AIR BAG warning light on the main instru-
ment panel will come on (see pages 58 and 
38). 
When the system is triggered by impact of a 
frontal crash, the airbags in the steering 
wheel and passenger side of the dash board are inflated, after which they deflate through 
vents in the back of the bags.
The front airbags are inflated in two stages. 
Stage 1: process is a less severe, softer 
inflation of the airbag. This stage is used in 
lower force crashes, or if the seat is posi-
tioned close to the steering wheel or dash-
board. 
Stage 2: process is a more forceful and 
quicker inflation of the airbag. This stage is 
used in more severe crashes and/or when 
the seat adjustment is back a significant 
distance from the steering wheel or dash-
board.
Note: 
The sensor reacts differently depending on 
whether or not the front seatbelts on the 
driver’s and passenger sides are used. Situ-
ations can therefore arise where only one of 
the airbags inflates.
The entire process takes less than 
0.1 second – literally, faster than the blink-
ing of an eye. 
These airbags are triggered only by moder-
ate to severe frontal or near-frontal crashes. 
They will not be activated by minor front-end 
impacts, rear-end or side impacts, or by the 
car rolling over. 
WARNING
To reduce risk of injury:
Always wear your safety belt.
Always adjust your seat so that you 
are as far back as possible but still 
able to reach the steering wheel and 
controls comfortably.
 Children 12 and under or shorter than 
55 inches (140 cm) should always 
travel in the rear as the vehicle is 
equipped with an airbag on the 
passenger side. 
WARNING
 Even if the car is equipped with 
AIRBAG, safety belts must still 
always be worn by all occupants. 
 Note that because an airbag inflates 
and deflates extremely rapidly, it will 
not provide protection against a 
second impact occurring in the same 
incident. Always use your safety belt. 
 Always sit with the whole of your back 
in contact with the backrest of the seat, 
and with your seat as far back as is 
practical. Otherwise you will be thrown 
back against the backrest when the 
airbag inflates which could cause you 
injury or death. The airbag needs 
room in which to inflate.
 Never attach anything to the steering 
wheel or passenger side of the instru-
ment panel, as this could result in 
injury if the airbag should inflate. The 
same applies to anything you might 
have in your mouth, such as a pipe, for 
instance. 
 Some components of the airbag will 
be warm for a short time. In some 
circumstances the airbag can cause 
minor burns or abrasions to the body 
when the airbag inflates/deflates. 
ProCarManuals.com 

34 Safety Never rest your hands or forearms on 
the steering-wheel center padding.
 If the AIR BAG warning light remains 
on after the car has been started or 
comes on while you are driving, have 
the car checked immediately by an 
authorized Saab dealer. The warning 
light could signify that the airbags may 
not inflate in a crash, or they could 
even inflate without a crash. See 
page.  58.
IB417Moment of impact. 
The sensors detect 
deceleration and send 
a signal via the cen-
tral sensor to the gas 
generator that inflates 
the airbag. 
The inflating airbag 
cushions the driver. 
Airbag now fully 
inflated. 
The airbag starts to 
deflate. 
IB419
Inflated airbag (driver side) Inflation and deflation together take less than 
0.1 second. 
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