Page 38 of 288
38 SafetyHow loud is the inflation? The noise of the inflation is certainly loud,
but it is of an very short duration and will not
damage your hearing. For a short time after-
wards you could experience a buzzing
noise in your ears.
Most people who have experienced it
cannot remember the noise of the inflation
at all – all they remember is the noise of the
crash. Can you still use a child seat in the front if a
passenger airbag is installed? Definitely not!
Children 12 and under or shorter than
55 inches (140 cm) can be killed by the air-
bag.
The back seat is the safest place for chil-
dren.
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 restraints.
What should I do if the AIR-BAG warning
light comes on? If the warning light is on, it means that a fault
has been detected in the system. The
airbag cannot be relied on to operate as
intended and it might even be activated
erroneously. You should therefore take the
car to an authorized Saab dealer as soon as
possible.
Are the dust and fumes given off when the
airbag operates at all harmful? Most people who have remained in a car
with little or no ventilation for several min-
utes complained only of minor irritation of
the throat and eyes. Avoid as much as pos-
sible getting dust on your skin as there is a
risk of skin irritation.
If you suffer from asthma, the incident may
bring on an attack, in which case you should
follow the normal procedure advised by
your doctor. It is advisable to consult a
doctor afterwards.
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Page 53 of 288
53 9-3 Convertible
Advice on soft top
operation ___________ 54
Operating the soft top __ 55
Raising the soft top
manually ___________ 60
SID warnings and
messages __________ 63
"Easy entry" __________ 65
Head restraints _______ 66
Safety belts, rear seat,
Convertible _________ 67 Roll-over protection ____ 68
Electric windows _______ 69
Interior lighting ________ 70
Unlocking the trunk lid
manually ____________ 71
Placing two golf bags
in the trunk __________ 72
9-3 Convertible
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Page 65 of 288
65 9-3 Convertible
"Easy entry"To facilitate getting in and out of the rear
seat, the front seats can be slid forward.
Manually adjusted passenger seats
1 Raise the handle by the head restraint
on the seat.
2 Tip the backrest and slide the seat
forward.
Repositioning:
1 Tip back the backrest.
2 Slide the seat back to the desired
position.
Make sure the backrest and seat are prop-
erly locked in position.Electrically adjustable front seats
1 Raise the handle by the head restraint
on the seat.
2 Tip the backrest forward.
3 The seat now moves to its foremost
position.
Repositioning:
1 Tip the backrest back to its normal
position.
2 Raise and hold the handle until the seat
has returned to its previous position.
WARNING
Always check that the backrest locks
properly when returned to normal
position.
Check that the fore-and-aft position of
the seat is properly locked. The back-
rest and the entire belt-in seat must be
locked in position; otherwise the occu-
pant of the seat is at risk of injury
during braking or in the event of a
crash, especially if a rear-facing child
seat is fitted behind the backrest.
"Easy entry" function. Illustration shows an electrically adjustable seat (option)
ProCarManuals.com
Page 67 of 288
67 9-3 Convertible
Safety belts, rear seat,
ConvertibleThe two rear seats have three-point safety
belts with inertia reels.
Fasten the belt by pulling the belt and insert-
ing the tongue in the buckle. Check that it is
securely fastened.
Position the lap part low across the hips.
Grasp the shoulder belt close to the buckle
and pull the belt towards the shoulder to
tighten the lap belt part.
The belt must be as far in on the shoulder as
possible.
Press the red button on the belt buckle to
release the belt.
Refer to page 248 for how to check the func-
tion of the safety belts, cleaning, etc.
For how to secure loads on the rear seat,
refer to page 15.
WARNING
If a cargo has to be placed on a seat,
it must be properly secured with the
safety belt. This reduces the risk of the
cargo being thrown about during hard
braking or a crash, which could cause
personal injury.
Check that the belt is not twisted or
lying against sharp edges.
Make sure you use the correct seat-
belt buckle.Safety belts, rear seat, Convertible
ProCarManuals.com
Page 68 of 288
68 9-3 ConvertibleRoll-over protectionThe roll-over protection is part of the car’s
crash safety system and consists of a roll
bar behind each rear seat head restraint,
the windshield frame and the seatbelt pre-
tensioners.
The roll bars and seatbelt pretensioners are
deployed automatically if the car turns over
as a result of a crash. These are also
deployed in frontal and side-on crashes.If the roll bars are deployed for any other
reason, they can be pushed back manually.
A catch by each roll bar must first be
released. The soft top cannot be operated
while the roll bars are extended.
1 Release the catch and press the roll bar
forcibly down until it locks in position.
2 Fit the two covers.
If the roll bars have been lowered manually,
you must have the system checked immedi-
ately at a Saab dealer.
WARNING
The roll bars have powerful springs
that rapidly extend the bars in the
event of an crash/roll-over. If the bars
are not locked they may cause per-
sonal injury.
If the bars are pushed back down
manually they will not provide the
intended protection in the event of a
crash/roll-over.
Roll bar
Release of roll bar catch
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Page 77 of 288
77 Instruments and controls
This light reminds the driver to buckle up.
This light comes on when the parking brake
is applied (see page 167).
The parking brake is mechanical and oper-
ates on the rear wheels.This light comes on if a potentially serious
fault has occured in the airbag system.
The following message is shown on the
Saab Information Display (SID):
This light will come on for about four sec-
onds when the ignition switch is turned to
the Start or Drive position.
Seatbelt reminder
Parking brake warning
light
WARNING
Always apply the parking brake when
parking, see page 167.
Always apply the parking brake
before removing the remote control.
Do not apply the parking brake while
the car is moving.
Airbag warning lightAirbag malfunction.
Contact Saab dealer.
WARNING
If the airbag readiness light stays on
after you start your vehicle, it means
the airbag system may not be working
properly. One or more of the following
conditions may occur:
- Non-deployment of the airbags in the
event of a crash.
- Deployment of the airbags without a
crash.
- Deployment of the airbags in crashes
less severe than intended.
To help avoid injury to yourself or
others, have your vehicle serviced
right away if the airbag readiness light
stays on after you start your vehicle.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 94 of 288
94 Instruments and controlsHazard warning lightsThe button for the hazard warning lights is
located on the climate control panel.
When the button is pressed, all the direction
indicators and the symbol in the button flash
simultaneously.
If an indicator bulb breaks, the frequency
with which the indicators flash will be
doubled.
Hazard warning lights should only be used
if, because of an accident or breakdown, the
car constitutes a hazard to other road users.
Back-Up The back-up lights come on automatically
when reverse gear is engaged or selected
with the ignition switched on.
Button for accessory, Sport SedanThis button can be used for accessories,
such as extra lights.Priority of audible informationSound from various functions in the car,
such as the direction indicators, parking
assistance and seatbelt reminders, come
from the same sound source: the car’s
sound system. If two or more of these func-
tions are active simultaneously, the most
important function at that time will be priori-
tized.
If, for example, the direction indicators are
active when you engage reverse, the park-
ing assistance (if fitted) will be heard instead
of the direction indicators. When reverse is
disengaged, the direction indicators will be
heard, if they are still active.
WARNING
Switch on the hazard flashers if the car
has to be left at the roadside on account
of a crash, engine trouble or a flat tire.
If you carry a warning triangle or flares,
they should be set up along the side of the
road 50–110 yds. (50–100 metres)
behind your vehicle. If the car is not
clearly visible (e.g. over the brow of a hill
or bridge), place the triangle/flare even
further back.
Hazard warning light switch
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Page 134 of 288
134 Interior equipmentTrunkFolding down the rear seat, Sport SedanConvertible: The rear seat can not be folded.
WARNING
Never drive the car if the backrest is not correctly locked into
position as this increases the risk of personal injury in the
event of heavy braking or a crash.
Never leave a child or animal unattended in the car. During
sunny weather the temperature in the passenger and trunk
can climb to 160–180°F (70–80°C). Small children are very
susceptible to heat stroke.
Keep hands well clear of all moving parts.
Never place heavy objects on the parcel shelf. There is always
a danger of loose objects being thrown forward and causing
injury if the car should brake suddenly or be involved in a
crash. See also page 183.
When folding the backrest back upright, make sure that it is
locked correctly on both sides. This is imperative since the
center safety belt is mounted in the backrest.
When folding the backrest back upright, make sure that it is
locked correctly on both sides. This is imperative since other-
wise objects in the trunk could force their way into the cabin
during heavy breaking or a crash.
Adjust the head restraints for the rear seats to be occupied to
a suitable height before riding in the car.
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