2004 SAAB 9-5 warning

177 Starting and driving
If winter tires are fitted, the same type must
be fitted on all wheels. Your Saab dealer will
be pleased to advise you on the best tires for
your car.
Remember that tires age. It may therefore
be necessary to change them before they
reach the legal wear limit, as they gradually
lose their friction properties.
The best response if the car gets into a
front-wheel skid is to freewheel (manual
gearbox only), i.e. disengage the clutch (so
that the wheels are neither driven or
retarded by the engine.
If the car has automatic transmission, ease
up on the accelerator and steer carefully in
the desired direction.
In a rear-wheel skid, steer in the same direc-
tion that the rear of the car is moving.
Tire chainsIf you want to fit tire chains (where legally
permitted) they should only be fitted to the
tires recommended under ”Specifications”
(see page 278).
Consult your Saab dealer for details of
approved tire chains.
Driving in hot weather Always check the coolant level before
starting a journey. The level should be just
below the MAX mark.
 At the end of a journey, if the engine has
worked hard, allow it to idle for two or
three minutes before switching it off.
If the needle on the temperature gauge
enters the red zone:
1 Bring the car to a standstill but leave the
engine running. Do not remove the cap
on the expansion tank even if the tank is
empty. If the needle on the temperature
gauge continues to rise while the engine
is idling, switch off the engine.
WARNING
 Do not exceed 30 mph (50 km/h)
when tire chains are fitted.
 Tire chains can reduce the directional
stability of the car.
 Tire chains must not be used on the
rear wheels. NOTICE Check the links frequently for wear.
 Check that the chains do not contact
the wheel-arch liner at full lock.
 See section ”Specifications”, page
278, for information on allowable
wheel dimensions for the fitting of tire
chains.
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178 Starting and driving2 Wait until the needle has dropped back
to indicate normal temperature (roughly
midway, in the white zone) before stop-
ping the engine. If the coolant needs top-
ping up, unscrew the cap on expansion
tank carefully.
Top up, as necessary, ideally with a
50/50 mixture of Saab-approved coolant
and water. If only water is available, use
that, but remember to have the coolant
mixture checked as soon as possible. 3 As soon as possible, have the cooling
system checked by an authorized Saab
dealer.
Towing a trailer
Trailer hitch attachmentTrailer hitch attachments are available as
accessories. These are designed for a max-
imum trailer weight of 3500 lbs. (1588 kg),
see also page 271.
Use only the electrical trailer hitch socket
provided in the trailer hitch kit.
Saab recommends:
 Use a Saab original hitch kit attachment
which is designed and tested by Saab.
 Consult your Saab dealer regarding the
appropriate hitch kit for your car.
WARNING
 Exercise care when opening the hood
if the engine is overheated. Never
remove the expansion tank cap com-
pletely when the engine is hot.
 The cooling system is pressurized -
hot coolant and vapor can escape.
These can cause injury to your eyes
and burns. Open the cap slowly to
release the pressure before
removing it.
WARNING
 When towing a trailer, do not attempt
to negotiate a hill having a gradient in
excess of 15 %. The weight distribu-
tion over the front wheels of the car will
be insufficient to prevent wheelspin,
making further progress impossible.
 In addition, the parking brake may not
always be able to hold the car and
trailer securely, with the result that the
wheels can start to slide downhill.
 Always apply the trailer’s handbrake
when unhitching it. There is otherwise
a risk of personal injury or damage to
the bumper should the trailer start to
roll.
NOTICEUse only a genuine Saab trailer hitch and
wiring, since other wiring methods can
cause expensive damage to the car’s
body and electrical system.
Consult an authorized Saab dealer for
guidance on how to connect the trailer
hitch electrical system.
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182 Starting and drivingTrailer hitch loadThe weight distribution on the trailer makes
a lot of difference to the handling properties
of the car and trailer combination. As
regards single-axle trailers, whenever pos-
sible, concentrate the load over the wheels
and keep it as low as possible.
The trailer should be loaded so that the
maximum load on the towbar ball is 5 % to
7 % of the trailer weight with a maximum
permissible tongue weight of 110–165 lbs.
(50–75 kg).
Note that this load must be added to the total
load for the car. If this now exceeds the
specified load capacity, the load in the lug-
gage compartment will have to be reduced
by a corresponding amount.
WARNING
When you connect the trailer be sure to
attach its safety chains to the holes as
illustrated.
IB106
Distribution of load in trailer aLight
b Moderate
cHeavy
Attach the safety chains to the holes as
illustrated.
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183 Starting and driving
Driving with a roof rack
loadThe maximum permissible roof load is
220 lbs. (100 kg).
Note that the roof load is included in the
car’s maximum permissible load (see page
270).
Strong, sturdy roof carriers designed spe-
cially for the car are available from your
Saab dealer. Always secure the roof load
safely.
Fitting the roof carriers (accessory)
9-5 SedanThe carrier feet are marked with a top view
of the car and arrow indicating their posi-
tions.
1 Slip the plastic cover onto the adjustable
foot of the carrier (foot with knob for tight-
ening) to protect the paintwork during
assembly.
2 Open all the doors.
Fold back the rubber strip and find the
fixing holes. 3 Start on the left-hand side of the car.
Rest the carrier carefully across the roof,
with the rigid foot towards you. Hold the
foot clear of the roof to avoid damaging
the paintwork.
Fold back the rubber strip and insert the
pins on the foot into the fixing holes.
Make sure that the rubber strip comes
inside the plastic cover on the carrier.
Repeat the procedure with the other car-
rier.
WARNING
 A roof load will affect the car’s center
of gravity and aerodynamics. Be
aware of this when cornering and driv-
ing in crosswinds.
 Suit your speed to the prevailing con-
ditions.
 Due to higher aerodynamic drag, fuel
economy may suffer when driving with
a roof rack.
IB480
IB481
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186 Starting and drivingTires
The tire pressure should match the current
load and speed of the car; see page 279 or
the tire pressure label on page 280.
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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187 Starting and driving
Driving considerations
with compact spare
wheel/tire fitted
The following should be observed when the
compact spare wheel (T115/70 R16) is
fitted:
 The compact spare is light and easy to
handle when changing the wheel.
 Do not drive further than necessary with
the compact spare fitted – the maximum
life of the wheel is only just over
2000 miles (3,500 km).
 Refit the standard tire as soon as possi-
ble.
Important considerations when driving with
a compact spare tire:
 The car’s ground clearance is reduced.
 The car must not be driven with more than
one compact tire at a time.
 Avoid driving against a curb.
 Do not use snow chains.
 Do not fit the wheel cover - this would con-
ceal the warning text.
WARNING
 Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h) as
the tire can overheat and adversely
affect the handling of the car.
 Tire pressure: refer to page 279.
 The spare wheel or punctured tire
must be stowed under the trunk floor,
and secured in place with the retaining
nut.
NOTICETo avoid damaging a punctured alloy
wheel it can be placed outside up in the
spare-wheel well but only while driving to
the closest workshop.
A general rule is that all heavy loads must
be well secured in the luggage compart-
ment, see page 137 and 140.
IB1769
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188 Starting and drivingDriving with the trunk
lid/tailgate openAvoid driving with the trunk lid/tailgate partly
or fully open, since exhaust fumes can be
drawn into the cabin.
If you must drive with the trunk lid/tailgate
open, all windows and the sunroof (if fitted)
must be closed and the cabin fan on at its
highest speed setting.
Driving in deep water Towing the carNOTICEDo not drive in water deeper than
12 inches (30 cm) and do not drive faster
than 3–4 mph. Water can otherwise be
sucked into the engine. The engine will be
seriously damaged if water enters the
intake system.
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 servo 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.
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189 Starting and driving
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.
Rear towing eyeThe car has a permanently mounted towing
eye at the back. If the car is equipped with a
trailer hitch, this can be used instead of the
towing eye.
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
IB483
Rear towing eye
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