
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
ProCarManuals.com 

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
ProCarManuals.com 

10
No sparks, 
flames or 
smoking.Buckle up
Use protective 
gogglesAirbag
Keep out of 
reach of 
children.Electric 
windows
Battery acid 
contains 
sulphuric acid.Central 
locking
Refer to the 
Owner’s 
Manual.Never place a 
rear-facing 
child seat in 
this seat.
Risk of 
explosive gas.
HeadlightsWindshield 
wipers
Direction 
indicatorsWindshield 
washers
Parking lights Defroster
Hazard 
warning lightsRear window 
heating
Front fog 
lightsVentilation fan
Rear fog lights
Coolant 
temperatureRadiator fan
Battery 
chargingFuel
Foot brake
Coolant level
Engine oil 
pressure
ABS brakes
Examples of symbols that can be found in your car
ProCarManuals.com 

36 SafetyFront passenger seat The airbags are interconnected and have a 
common warning light. The passenger 
airbag module is housed in the fascia above 
the glove compartment and is marked ”SRS 
AIRBAG”. (SRS = Supplementary Restraint 
System)
Both airbags will be inflated in the event of a 
moderate to severe frontal, or near-frontal 
crash, even if the passenger seat is unoccu-
pied. 
Side airbags Side airbags are housed inside the back-
rests of the front seats and are designed to 
protect the driver and front passenger in the 
event of a side impact. 
In a side impact, only the airbag on that side 
will be activated, and only then if certain 
predetermined conditions are met such as 
the force and angle of the impact, the speed 
of the car on impact, and at which point on 
the car’s side the impact occurs. 
The sensors, which are fitted in the front 
doors, sense the rise in pressure caused by 
the door panel being pressed in during an 
WARNING
Never secure a rear-facing child seat in 
the right front seat of a car equipped with 
a passenger airbag. Inflation of the airbag 
in the event of a crash could seriously 
injure or kill a child. 
WARNING Children 12 and 
under can be killed by 
the airbag
 The back seat is the 
safest place for children
 Never allow a child to stand in front of 
the seat or to sit on the lap of a 
front-seat passenger. Serious injury or 
death could result if the airbag is 
inflated in a crash. 
 Never place anything on the dash or in 
front of the seat as, in addition to being 
a hazard to passengers, this could 
interfere with the function of the airbag 
in the event of a crash. The same 
applies to the mounting of accessories 
on the dash. 
 Keep feet on the floor – never put feet 
up on the fascia, on the seat or out of 
the window. 
 Do not carry anything in your lap. 
IB420
Passenger airbag and driver’s airbag both 
inflated 
ProCarManuals.com 

49 Security
Activating the car alarm The car alarm cannot be activated if the 
driver’s door is open or if the ignition switch 
is in ON position.
If, on the other hand, one of the other doors 
or the trunk or hood is open or opened and 
not closed again during the 10-seconds 
delay period, it will be excluded from the 
alarm function. 
If it is then closed, a new delay period of ten 
seconds will start, and the door (or trunk or 
hood) will once again be secured by the 
alarm system. 
As usual, the LED will be on continuously 
during the new delay period and will start to 
flash once every other second after the 
10-seconds period has elapsed. 
Window glass sensorThe car-alarm system incorporates a 
sensor that monitors the window glass for 
the sound of breakage. The sensor is fitted 
inside the rear dome light. 
To avoid false alarms, such as the alarm 
being triggered by noise from passers by 
when the windows have been left open, or 
when children or pets are left inside the car, 
the sensor can be temporarily disabled. 
To disable the sensor 
To disable the sensor, first turn off the igni-
tion and remove the key from the switch. 
Next, press and hold the NIGHT PANEL 
button until ”DOOR ALARM ONLY” appears 
on the Saab Information Display (SID) and 
a chime sounds. The car alarm must now be 
activated within three minutes, or the glass 
sensor will become active again. 
The glass sensor will be enabled again 
automatically when the car is next unlocked. 
The sensor can also be enabled again by 
repeating the procedure for disabling it. 
When the sensor has been enabled, ”FULL 
THEFT ALARM” will appear on the Saab 
Information Display (SID). 
If a fault is detected in the glass sensor, 
”SERVICE THEFT ALARM” will appear on 
the Saab Information Display (SID). 
Electronic starting interlock 
(immobilizer) When the key is inserted in the ignition, a 
signal is sent to the receiver. If the signal is 
verified, the engine can be started. 
Each time the key is removed from the igni-
tion, the electronic immobilizer is activated. 
This means that the car cannot be started 
without the correct key inserted in the igni-
tion and the immobilizer thus deactivated. 
If a fault is detected (e.g. in the transmitter) 
”KEY NOT ACCEPTED” will appear on the 
Saab Information Display (SID). 
In this case, you can still start the car if you 
turn the ignition key to ON and press one of 
the buttons on the key (providing that the 
receiver gets the right signal from the key).
Take the car to an authorized Saab dealer to 
have the system checked. 
The LED double-flashes when the car is 
immobilized.
ProCarManuals.com 

50 SecurityAlarm signals When the car alarm is armed, it will be trig-
gered if any door, or the trunk lid or hood, is 
opened or if a window is broken.
The alarm will also be triggered if an attempt 
is made to bypass or short-circuit the igni-
tion switch, or to disconnect the battery. 
If the alarm is triggered, the following alarm 
signals will be set off: 
 Flashing of hazard warning lights for five 
minutes. 
 Siren wailing for 30 seconds. 
The alarm signals will stop if the alarm is 
deactivated (car unlocked) during the alarm 
period.
The alarm siren has a long-life battery 
(approx. 10 years), see ”SERVICE THEFT 
ALARM”, on page 52. When the battery 
goes dead, the siren must be replaced: it is 
not possible to change the batteries. 
Panic-functionIn the car alarm system is a function called 
"Panic-function". 
To activate panic function:
 Push and hold one of the buttons on the 
key for 2 seconds. Or, if you are sitting 
inside the car, push the LOCK-switch on 
the center console for 2 seconds.
These actions will trigger the alarm (hazard 
warning lights and siren).
To deactivate panic function:
 Push one of the buttons on the key, push 
the LOCK-switch in the center console, 
turn the key in the driver´s door or turn the 
ignition to ON.
When the panic-function is activated the car 
will be locked/unlocked depending upon 
which button was pushed.
When the ignition is ON the panic-function 
cannot be activated.
NOTICE It is possible to inadvertently deacti-
vate the car alarm and at the same 
time unlock the car, if the button on the 
key is pressed by mistake when the 
car is still within its range. 
 When locking the car by remote con-
trol in extremely cold weather, it is 
advisable to check that the lock 
system has operated properly. To do 
so, check that the interior locking but-
tons are all down.
If not, unlock and relock the car again. 
ProCarManuals.com 

51 Security
Overview of functions 
Alarm signals may differ between model variants for different coun-
tries.
Some of the car-alarm functions can be reprogrammed – con-
sult your Saab dealer for further details (see page  271). Locking/ 
activation Hazard warning lights flash once and the horn 
chirps once.
The LED will come on for 10 seconds.
Unlocking/
deactivation Hazard warning lights flash twice and the horn 
chirps twice.
The LED will come on for two seconds.
Unlocking/
deactivation of 
trunk lid/tailgate 
alarm Hazard warning lights flash three times and the 
horn chirps three times.
The LED will flash three times per second for 10 
seconds.
Alarm triggered  Hazard warning lights flash for 5 min.
Siren wails for 30 seconds.
To switch off the alarm, deactivate the system in 
the normal way (unlocking).
Window-glass 
sensor The sensor detects if any window is broken and 
triggers the alarm. 
To disable the sensor, see page 49.
Key  The range of the key is normally 5–10 yds. (5–
10 metres), although it can be substantially more 
than this in ideal conditions (range can vary 
greatly depending on the position of the car and 
its surroundings).
If the key is not working, it may be because the 
code signal has not been synchronized with that 
in the control module for the car alarm. To rectify 
this, press the unlock button on the key at least 
four times in quick succession. When it is recog-
nized, the door locks will cycle.
If a key is lost, the new one will have to be pro-
grammed (all keys must be present) to match the 
car’s unique security code. Contact an author-
ized Saab dealer.Battery  for  key The battery for the key will normally have a life of 
4 years. When the battery needs changing, 
”REPLACE KEY BATTERY” will appear on the 
Saab Information Display (SID).
Contact an authorized Saab dealer.
Car-battery 
voltage If the battery is disconnected while the alarm is 
active (car is locked), for example during an 
attempt to steal the car, the alarm will be trig-
gered.
ProCarManuals.com 

52 SecurityOverview of LED signals and SID messagesSome signals may differ between model variants for different 
countries. Status LED signal
Activation (during 10-second delay). Comes on for 10 seconds.
Alarm activated (after delay). Flashes once every other 
second.
Deactivation. Comes on for 2 seconds.
Alarm not activated. Off.
Door, trunk lid/tailgate or hood open 
or opened during delay period.Flashes three times per sec-
ond for 10 seconds.
Unlocking  the  trunk  lid/tailgate. Flashes three times per sec-
ond for 10 seconds.
Closing of door, trunk lid/tailgate or 
hood after delay period.Comes on for 10 seconds.
Car immobilized but not locked.
Car alarm not activated.Flashes twice at three sec-
onds intervals.
Fault in a switch serving doors, hood 
or trunk lid.Flashing (instead of being 
on continuously) during 
delay period.
SID message Reason/action
SERVICE  THEFT  ALARM Probably a fault in one of the sensors 
or the alarm siren.
Have the car checked by an autho-
rized Saab dealer.
KEY NOT ACCEPTED Fault in key transmitter or in igni-
tion-switch receiver.
Turn ignition switch to ON and press 
the unlock button on the key. Start 
the engine. 
Have the car checked by an autho-
rized Saab dealer.
REPLACE  KEY  BATTERY Fit a new battery in the key, see page 
45.
DOOR ALARM ONLY Window-glass sensor disabled.
FULL THEFT ALARM Window-glass sensor in circuit.
 REMOTE KEY
 TRANSPONDRTurn the ignition key to position ON 
and then press the button for open-
ing the trunk lid. Saab Information 
Display (SID) displays the number of 
keys and transmitters (transpon-
ders) coded to the car.
ProCarManuals.com