2004 SAAB 9-3 door lock

43 Security
Locking a car with dead batteryThe steering wheel lock requires sufficient
battery voltage to lock and unlock. If the bat-
tery voltage drops below a certain level
while the remote control is in the ignition
switch, you will not be able to remove the
remote control.
If you must leave the car, proceed as
follows:
1 Lock the car by pressing down the lock
buttons on the doors.
2 Lock the front left door from outside with
the traditional key (see page 42). The
car is now locked but the car alarm will
remain inactive.
Trunk lidOpening
The trunk lid is unlocked and slightly opened
when the button on the remote control
or on the inside of the driver’s door is
pressed once.
The hazard warning lights will flash three
times to confirm.
Closing
The trunk lid is locked when closed.
If the doors are locked when the trunk lid is
closed it is armed and the movement sensor
in the cabin will be armed.
Opening button on driver’s door
ProCarManuals.com

44 SecuritySwitches on front doorsThe central locking can also be operated
from inside the car using the button by each
front door handle.
 Locking the car with the remote control
renders these buttons inoperative.
 If you are sitting in the car and press the
button on the driver’s door, this will unlock
the driver’s door. Press the button a
second time to unlock the remaining
doors and the trunk lid. The button on the
passenger door works in the same way
except that this first unlocks the passen-
ger door. During this operation the rear
doors remain locked.
If the car is left with one or more doors open,
the interior lighting will be switched off auto-
matically after 20 minutes. This is to prevent the battery from running flat. Also, if the car
has electrically adjustable seats, these will
cease to operate.
Child safety locksThe rear doors are equipped with child
safety locks that are activated by means of
a catch next to the door latch.
Insert a screwdriver or the traditional key
(enclosed in the remote control) and turn it
45° in the direction shown on the label on
the door.
When the child safety lock is in the locked
position, the door can only be opened from
outside the car.
WARNING
If small children are carried in the rear
seat, the safety locks on the rear doors
should be activated to prevent uninten-
tional opening from the inside.
Child safety locks
Central locking switch
ProCarManuals.com

47 Security
3 Change the battery. Fit the new battery
so that it is positioned in the same way
as the old battery, with the positive (+)
side facing down.
4 Fit the two halves of the remote control
together and press them together until
you hear a click. Avoid pressing the
buttons. Reinsert the traditional key into
the remote control.5 After changing the battery in the remote
control, it is only possible to use the
remote control a limited number of times
before synchronization with the car is
lost. Therefore, do not press the buttons
on the remote control repeatedly directly
after changing the battery.
Unlock the car and insert the remote
control into the ignition switch to
synchronize the remote control and car.
If the central locking system does not work
after changing the battery and the car is
locked, proceed as follows:
1 Unlock the front left door with the tradi-
tional key. If the car has a car alarm, this
will be tripped.
2 Open the door and insert the remote
control into the ignition switch. If the car
has a car alarm, this will be silenced.
The remote control and receiver unit are
now synchronized.
ImmobilizerThe remote control contains an electronic
code that is unique to your car. When the
remote control is inserted into the ignition
switch, this code is checked and the LED on
the dashboard double-flashes for
3 seconds. If the code is correct, the car can
be started.
Each time you remove the remote control
from the ignition, the electronic starting
interlock is activated, the LED double-
flashes for 3 seconds and the car becomes
immobilized. If an incorrect remote control is
now inserted into the ignition switch (e.g.
the remote control of another car), the
immobilizer will remain operative (the LED
will not flash for 3 s) and it will not be possi-
ble to start the car.
If the immobilizer system malfunctions, the
Saab Information Display (SID) displays:
Immobilizer failure.
Try starting again.
Contact Saab dealer.
Change the battery and fit together
the two halves of the remote control
ProCarManuals.com

48 SecurityIf, when inserted into the ignition switch,
there is a problem checking the electronic
code of the remote control, the following
message will appear on the SID:
Visit a Saab dealer to have the problem
checked and rectified.
Car alarmThe car alarm is armed when the car is
locked with the remote control.
The car alarm will not be armed if you
lock the car with the traditional key (see
page 42).
All the doors, the hood and the trunk lid are
monitored by the alarm.The alarm is armed 11 seconds after the car
has been locked by remote control.
During the delay period, the LED shines
constantly. It will then start to flash once
every 3 seconds. The LED is located on the
dashboard.
If a door or the trunk lid is open when the car
is locked with the remote control, the LED
will flash 3 times per second for
11 seconds. Check that the doors, hood
and trunk lid are closed.
If the signal persists, contact a Saab dealer
to have the problem checked and rectified.
Locking the trunk lid: If you unlock the
trunk lid from outside the car with the
button on the remote control, you must lock
the car with the button to arm the car
alarm. Key not accepted.
Contact Saab dealer.
WARNING
Leaving children or pets unattended in a
locked car is dangerous. It is also danger-
ous to leave children in a vehicle with the
ignition key. A child or others could be
badly injured or even killed.
ProCarManuals.com

49 Security
To avoid any inconvenience, make sure that
anyone using the car is familiar with how the
car alarm and the locking system work.
If the alarm has been tripped since the car
was last locked, the Saab Information Dis-
play (SID) will display:
If a fault arises in the car alarm system, the
Saab Information Display (SID) will display:Arming the car alarmThe alarm is armed when all doors, the hood
and the trunk lid are closed and you lock the
car with the remote control.
What trips the alarm?The alarm will be tripped if:
 a door, the hood or the trunk lid is opened
 somebody tries to hotwire the carSignals when the alarm is trippedIf the alarm is triggered, the following alarm
signals will be set off:
 all direction indicators flash for 5 minutes.
 the horn sounds for 30-second intervals
with 10-second breaks (max. 10 cycles).
The signals can vary between markets
and due to legal and insurance require-
ments.Switching off the alarm if tripped
If the alarm has been triggered (direction
indicators flashing and horn sounding) it can
be turned off by pressing one of the buttons
on the remote control or, if you are sitting in
the car, by turning the ignition to ON (see
below).
Alarm has been triggered
since being armed.
Theft protection failure.
Contact Saab dealer.
Turns off lights and horn.
Unlocks car.
Turns off lights and horn.
Car remains locked.
Turns off lights and horn.
Unlocks trunk.
Turns off lights and horn.
Turns on exterior and cabin light-
ing. Car remains locked.
If sitting in the car: Turn the remote
control to ON in the ignition switch
ProCarManuals.com

50 Security
Panic functionThe car alarm includes a panic function.
This function allows the alarm to be started
manually, for example, to attract attention.
The panic alarm can only be activated while
the car is stationary. The alarm is silenced if
the car is driven off.
When the alarm is tripped, the lights and
horn come on for 3 minutes or until you
press one of the remote control buttons.
To start the alarm manually proceed as
follows:
 Press and hold the button on the
remote control for more than 2 seconds,
or if you are sitting in the car...
 Press and hold the or button on
one of the front doors for more than
2 seconds.
To switch off the alarm:
 Press one of the remote control buttons
or, if you are sitting in the car, the or
buttons on one of the front doors.
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
control in extremely cold weather, it is
advisable to check that the lock
system has operated properly. To do
so, check that the interior locking
buttons are all down.
If not, unlock and relock the car again.
ProCarManuals.com

52 SecurityQuick guide, LED and Saab Information Display (SID)
messagesActivity LED signal
Arming (delay period) Shines for 11 s.
Alarm armed Flashes once every 3 s.
Disarming Extinguishes.
Alarm not armed Off.
A door, the hood or the tailgate is
open or opened during the delay
period.Flashes for 11 s then flashes
once every 3 s.
Car immobilized but not locked. Off.
Change of status of immobilizer
system, valid remote control
inserted or removed from ignition
switch.Double-flashes for 3 s.
SID message Reason/action
Key not accepted.
Contact Saab dealer.Error when remote control
inserted into ignition switch.
Remote control battery low. Battery needs replacing.
See page 46.
2: standard key
Key No: 1Check of the number of remote
controls programmed for your
car. See page 45.
Alarm has been triggered
since being armed.The alarm has been tripped
since the car was last locked.
Immobilizer failure.
Try starting again.
Contact Saab dealer.Error when immobilizer code
checked.
ProCarManuals.com

70 9-3 ConvertibleInterior lightingThe interior lighting consists of a front roof
light, two front reading lights, footwell light-
ing and courtesy lighting in the doors. The
light switches are located in the roof con-
sole.
The cabin lighting comes on:
 When a door is opened and the ignition is
OFF.
 When the remote control is removed from
the ignition switch.
The lighting goes out:
 When the car is locked.
 When the ignition is turned on.
 Approx. 20 s after closing all doors.
The lights are dimmed out gradually.
If a door is left open with the ignition OFF,
the interior lighting goes out automatically
after 5 min so as not to drain the battery.
The interior lighting can be switched off
completely.
1 Open the driver’s door.
2 Turn off the cabin lighting with the center
button, see illustration.
This is canceled when the ignition switch is
turned to position ON or when the car is
locked with the remote control.
Glove boxThe glove compartment lighting comes on
when the compartment is opened and goes
out when it is closed.
For changing bulbs, refer to page 218.Sun visorAn illuminated vanity mirror is provided on
the inside of the sun visors. The lighting
comes on when the cover is raised and goes
out when it is closed.Trunk lightingThe trunk lighting comes on and goes out
when the trunk lid is opened and closed.
If the trunk lid is left open, the lighting will be
switched off automatically after 20 min to
prevent the battery from running flat.
For changing bulbs, refer to page 220.
Front interior lighting - Convertible1 Left-hand reading light
2 Cabin light
3 Right-hand reading light
ProCarManuals.com