2003 SAAB 9-5 steering

124 Interior equipment and trunkSteering wheel
adjustment Fore-and-aft and tilt adjustment of the steer-
ing wheel is possible.
Pull down the lever fully until you hear a
click. Move the steering wheel to the desired
position and then raise the lever. The lever
should lock with a click.
Make sure that the lever is fully locked
before driving off.
HornThe horn is sounded by pressing the central
part of the steering wheel. Press closest to
the steering wheel rim.
WARNING
Never adjust the steering wheel unless
the car is stationary.
IB408
To adjust the steering wheel
IB1563
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167 Starting and driving
Descending hillsIf the speed of the car increases while
descending a steep hill, despite the acceler-
ator being released, the control module will
change down a gear when you brake. If you
desire more powerful engine braking, man-
ually select a lower gear.
Sentronic, manual modeMove the selector lever to the M position.
Select a higher gear by flicking the
right-hand paddle towards you. Select
a lower gear by flicking the left-hand paddle
towards you.
An example of when you may wish to make
manual gear changes is when overtaking, to
enable you to remain in a low gear for an
extended period of time.
Changes from 3rd to 4th and from 4th to 5th
can be made when the engine speed is
above roughly 2,000 rpm.
If the road surface is slippery, you may wish
to pull off in 2nd or 3rd to reduce the risk of
wheel spin.
When descending hills you should select a
low gear to increase the braking effect of the
engine and thus spare the brakes.
Manual gear selections are shown on the
main instrument panel. The selector posi-
tion and the current gear are displayed.When the selector lever is in the M position,
as opposed to the D position, gas engines
are much more responsive to changes in
accelerator position. The accelerator has a
different feel.
When in manual mode, kick-down operates
for 4th and 5th gears (below 2,000 rpm).
Kick-down cannot be activated in 1st, 2nd or
3rd gears.
For optimum performance, gear changes
should be made before reaching 6,000 rpm.
To avoid damaging the engine and trans-
mission, the transmission will shift up a gear
if the engine is in danger of overrevving. You
may feel a slight jolt before this gear change
is effected.
Paddles on the steering wheel for
changing gear manually
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174 Starting and drivingThe ABS system has a built-in diagnostic
function which will switch on the Anti-lock
brake warning light if a fault is detected in
the system (see page 58).
The ABS system will not reduce the braking
distance on loose gravel or on snow or ice
but, because the wheels cannot lock up,
some steering control is retained.
When the ABS system is working, i.e. mod-
ulation of the brake pressure is in progress,
the brake pedal will pulsate and a ticking
noise will be heard. All this is perfectly nor-
mal.
Press the pedal down hard (you cannot
press too hard) and steer the car to safety.
Do not release the brake pedal before the
car has come to a halt or the danger is
past!
That is critical.
If the road is slippery, the ABS system will
operate even when only light pressure is
applied to the pedal. This means that you
can brake gently to test the condition of the
road and adapt your driving accordingly.
It is well worth practicing the use of ABS
brakes on a skid pad or other suitable facil-
ity.
IB476
Braking with ABS brakes.
When the system is operating, the brake
pedal will pulsate gently and the system
will make a ticking noise.
IB477
Braking with ABS – evasive steering
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176 Starting and drivingTurning the TCS off The TCS is switched on automatically when
the engine is started.
The system can be switched off manually by
the TCS button, whereupon on the
main instrument panel will come on. The
TCS system cannot be switched off if the car
is travelling faster than 35 mph (60 km/h).
It may be necessary to switch off the system
if the car has become bogged down, for
instance. Press TCS to switch it on again.
If a fault is detected in the ABS system, the
TCS will be switched off automatically.
The cruise-control system will automatically
be disengaged after one second if it is active
when the TCS starts to operate.
Electronic Stability
Program (ESP)(option/certain models only)The Electronic Stability Program employs
both the antilock braking system (ABS) and
the traction control system (TCS). It is a
safety system that helps the driver to stabi-
lize the car in unusual circumstances that
can otherwise be difficult to handle.How the ESP system worksThe Electronic Stability Program can help to
prevent the car from skidding by braking
one or several wheels independently of the
driver. The engine output is then also
reduced to prevent the driving wheels from
spinning. The car has sensors that measure
wheel speed, yaw acceleration, lateral
acceleration, steering wheel position and
braking pressure. The values provided by
these sensors are used to calculate the
actual direction of the car. If this direction
does not agree with that intended by the
driver, calculated from the steering wheel
position, the ESP is engaged.
ESP improves the driver’s chances of
retaining control over the car in critical situ-
ations.
To ensure that the system works as
designed, the dimensions of all four tires
must be the same.
ESP OFFThe light in the rev counter comes on
if:
 A fault has been detected and the system
has therefore been switched off.
 The system has been switched off manu-
ally.
 When the ignition key is turned to the ON
position, the lamp is lit for about four sec-
onds while the system undergoes a
self-test.
IB478
IB1847
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179 Starting and driving
 Driving in a low gear results in higher fuel
consumption than in a high gear because
of the higher engine speed for a given
road speed. Always change up to a higher
gear as soon as traffic conditions allow
and use the highest gear as much as pos-
sible.
 Check the air pressure in the tires once a
month. Incorrect pressures increase tire
wear. It is better to have slightly higher
pressure than lower.
 Check fuel consumption regularly.
Increased consumption can indicate that
something is wrong and that the car
needs to be checked by an authorized
Saab dealer.
Practical trials on the roads have demon-
strated that substantial savings in fuel con-
sumption can be made if the above advice
is heeded.Road conditions Wet roads increase fuel consumption, as do
unpaved roads and driving in hilly country
(the amount of fuel saved driving downhill is
less than the additional amount required to
climb the hill).
Engine block heater (standard
equipment in Canada, accessory in
U.S.)The following are just some of the benefits
to the car and the environment of using an
engine block heater:
 Lower fuel consumption.
 Exhaust emissions substantially reduced
over short runs.
 Reduced wear on the engine.
 Inside of car warms up faster.
The engine heater is effective at outside
temperatures up to +15–20°C. The warmer
it is outside, the shorter the time the engine
heater needs to be connected. Longer than
1.5 hours is unnecessary.
If the car is equipped with a removable,
electrical cabin heater that is not in use, this
should be stored in the luggage compart-
ment.
Driving in cold weatherBefore starting a journey in cold weather
you should check the following:
 That the wiper blades have not become
frozen to the windshield/glass.
 Brush any snow away from the air intake
for the heater system (opening between
hood and windshield).
 It may be advisable to lubricate the
door-lock cylinder (use molybdenum
disulphide, MoS
2) to prevent its freezing.
If the lock has frozen, take care not to
break the key (or use the remote control)
– heat it first or spray it with de-icer.
 Periodically during the winter, add gaso-
line anti-freeze to the fuel to dispel any
condensation in the fuel tank which could
freeze and cause problems in the system.
Keep the tank well filled to reduce the risk
of condensation forming.
If the car is parked outside in freezing
weather, fuel additives (gasoline
anti-freeze) will not do any good as it
cannot remove water that has already fro-
zen. Park the car in a warm place so that
any ice that may have built up melts, then
add gasoline anti-freeze when filling up
the tank. Condensation is caused by
changes in the outdoor temperature or by
the car being parked alternately in a
garage and outside.
 It is particularly important when the roads
are slippery that the brakes and tires be in
good condition.
WARNING
Never switch the engine off while driving
as the effect of the brakes and power
steering will be greatly reduced.
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187 Starting and driving
Driving with a loadThe driving characteristics of the car are
affected by the way it is loaded.
 Place heavy loads as far forward and as
low as possible in the trunk.
 Secure the load to the tie downs, see
page 141.
 The load should be such that the car´s
total weight or axle weight are not
exceeded, see page 258.
 Heavy loads mean that the car’s center of
gravity is further back. As a result, the car
will sway more during evasive steering.
 Never exceed the permissible load in the
roof box, even if there is room for more.
 Ensure that the tire pressure is correct –
slight overinflation is preferable to under-
inflation.
 The braking distance of a loaded car is
always greater. Keep your distance from
the vehicle in front.
 Roof loads can negatively affect tele-
communication.
Tire pressure, see page 269 and back
cover.
Tires The tire pressure should match the current
load and speed of the car; see page 268 or
the tire pressure label on
page 269.
The tire pressures given apply to cold tires,
that is tires that are the same temperature
as the outside air temperature.
The tire pressure increases as the tires
become warm (e.g. during highway driving)
with approximately 0.3 bar (4 psi). When
the temperature of the tires changes by 50°
(10°C), the tire pressure will change 0.1 bar
(2 psi).Never reduce the pressure of a hot tire. If the
tires are hot when you check them, only
increase the pressure, if necessary.
Underinflated tires wear more quickly than
slightly overinflated tires.
If a valve is leaking, simply unscrew it and fit
a new one.
Important! Remember to adjust the tire
pressures if you change the load in the car
or intend to drive at substantially lower or
higher speeds than normal.
WARNING
Check the tire pressure at least once a
month and before long journeys. Under-
inflation can result in:
 Punctures
 Separation of the tire and tread
 Damage to the sidewalls
 Damage to the rims on poor roads
 Poor handling characteristics
 Premature tire wear
 Increased fuel consumption.
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189 Starting and driving
Towing the carTransporting the car Front 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 pump 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.NOTICEIf 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.
 Make sure that all bystanders keep a
suitable distance, in case the towing
eye or tow rope should break. The
towing eye or tow rope could catapult
off and cause seriously injury.
NOTICE 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.
IB2427
Front towing eye
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197 Car care and technical information
Car care and
technical
information
772
Hood ................................. 198
Engine compartment,
4-cyl. engine ................... 199
Engine compartment,
6-cyl. (3.0t V6)................. 200
Emission control systems 201
Engine............................... 202
Engine oil ......................... 203
Transmission fluid........... 205
Coolant ............................. 206
Brake and clutch fluid ..... 207
Power steering fluid ........ 208
Air filter ............................. 208 Battery .............................. 209
Drive belts ........................ 211
Wipers and washers ....... 212
Changing bulbs ............... 214
Fuses ................................ 226
Wheels .............................. 232
Compact spare wheel ..... 236
Flat spotting..................... 241
Air conditioning (ACC) ... 242
Safety belts ...................... 243
Upholstery and trim ........ 243
Textile carpeting.............. 243
Washing the car .............. 244 Waxing and polishing ...... 245
Engine compartment ....... 245
Touching up the paint ..... 245
Anti-corrosion treatment . 246
For long trips .................... 248
Recovery and/or recycling
of automotive materials. 248
Headlight aiming .............. 250
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