108 OnStar - TelematicsYour new vehicle may come equipped with
advanced telematics hardware. OnStar
telematics is a sophisticated in-vehicle
system allowing convergence of wireless
communications, GPS (Global Positioning
System) satellites and advanced vehicle
electronics.
You should activate immediately to ensure
you receive your full year of service, as your
prepaid subscription begins at the time of
delivery.
Here’s how to activate your OnStar ser-
vice:
1 Push the blue OnStar button located in
your Saab. After a prerecorded mes-
sage explaining the benefits of OnStar,
you will be greeted by a live OnStar advi-
sor. The advisor will activate your
OnStar service.
2 Provide the information requested by
the advisor to activate your account and
set up your personal profile. This will
take approximately 10–15 minutes. You
can also provide OnStar with customer
and driver information on their website
at www.onstarenrollment.com. You will
receive an e-mail confirmation with an
OnStar account number. Once you have
received this information, complete the
enrollment process from the car by
pushing the blue OnStar button.
Using OnStarWelcome to OnStar. This section gives you
all the information you need to get started
using OnStar, including descriptions of all
OnStar services. It also introduces the
added services of Personal Calling, Virtual
advisor, and the Onstar Subscriber website.
For a complete explanation of these addi-
tional services, please see pages 112, 116
and 117.
NOTE: In order for OnStar to operate, the
car audio system must be switched on.OnStar is EasyIf your new Saab has OnStar, it’s easy to
start using your OnStar system. In fact,
pressing the OnStar button is usually all you
need to do. Once you are connected, an
OnStar advisor will help you with the ser-
vices in your plan.
Inoperative if battery is discharged or
disconnected.
OnStar is powered by your vehicle´s battery
and will not operate if the battery is dis-
charged or disconnected.
Potentially inoperative if vehicle is in a
crash
If your vehicle is in a crash, some compo-
nents could be damaged or disconnected,
potentially rendering OnStar inoperative.Your onboard OnStar System consists of
three buttons:
OnStar Services Button
Press this button, and you are
connected to an OnStar advi-
sor. You will hear a chime, fol-
lowed by the words
”Connecting to OnStar.” Allow
20–30 seconds for initial con-
nection to the OnStar Call
Center. An advisor will then
help you with any of the ser-
vices included in your OnStar
plan.
If cellular service is unavail-
able, OnStar will generate a
fast busy tone. The OnStar
system will retry calls a num-
ber of times before returning
to the ready mode. To cancel
the automatic dialing, press
the White dot button.
ProCarManuals.com
123 Interior equipment and trunk
Preparations for first-time programming
Before programming the garage opener for
the first time, you must delete any factory
codes.
Press and hold the two outer buttons until
the indicator light begins to flash-after
20 seconds. Release both buttons. Do not
hold for longer that 30 seconds. The garage
opener is now in the train (or learning) mode
and can be programmed at any time begin-
ning with "Programming" - step 2.
Programming
The garage opener can record and store the
frequencies of three different remote con-
trols.
The battery in the remote control should be
fairly new for programming to work well.
Do not repeat "Programming" - step two
to train additional devices to a second or
third button. Begin with "Programming" -
step three.
1 Turn the ignition ON.
2 Press and hold the two outer buttons
(buttons one and three) - releasing only
when the indicator light begins to flash
(after 20 seconds). Do not hold the but-
tons for longer than 30 seconds and do
not repeat step two to program a
second and/or third hand-held transmit-
ter to the remaining two buttons.
3 Position the end of your hand-held trans-
mitter 1-3 inches (5-14 cm) away from
the button you wish to program while
keeping the indicator light in view. The transmitter should face the mirror from
below or left side of the mirror.
4 Simultaneously press and hold both the
chosen and hand-held transmitter but-
tons. Do not release the buttons until
step 5 has been completed.
Note: Some gate operators and garage
door openers may require you to replace
this Programming Step 4 with procedures
noted in the "Gate Operator / Canadian Pro-
gramming" section.
5 After the indicator light changes from a
slow to a rapidly blinking light, release
both the mirror and hand-held transmit-
ter buttons.
6 Press and hold the just-trained button
and observe the indicator light.
If the indicator light stays on con-
stantly, programming is complete
and your device should activate when
the button is pressed and released.
Note: To program the remaining two but-
tons, begin with "Programming" - step
three. Do not repeat step two.
If the indicator light blinks rapidly for two
seconds and then turns to a constant
light continue with "Programming"
steps 7-9 to complete the programming of
a rolling code equipped device (most com-
monly a garage door opener).
7 At the garage door opener receiver
(motor-head unit) in the garage, locate
the "learn" or "smart" button. This can
usually
be found where the hanging antenna wire is attached to the
motor-head unit.
8 Firmly press and release the "learn" or
"smart" button. (The name and color of
the button may vary by manufacturer.)
Note: There are 30 seconds in which to ini-
tiate step nine.
9 Return to the vehicle and firmly press,
hold for two seconds and release the
programmed button. Repeat the
"press/hold/release" sequence a
second time, and, depending on the
brand of the garage door opener (or
other rolling code equipped device),
repeat this sequence a third time to com-
plete the programming process.
The garage opener should now activate
your rolling code equipped device.
Note: To program the remaining two but-
tons, begin with "Programming" -
step
three
. Do not repeat step two.
ProCarManuals.com
124 Interior equipment and trunkGate Operator / Canadian Programming
Canadian radio-frequency laws require
transmitter signals to "time-out" (or quit)
after several seconds of transmission -
which may not be long enough for the
garage opener to pick up the signal during
programming. Similar to this Canadian law,
some U.S. gate operators are designed to
"time-out" in the same manner.
If you live in Canada or you are having diffi-
culties programming a gate operator by
using the "Programming" procedures
(regardless of where you live), replace
"Programming " step 4 with the following:
Note: If programming a garage door opener
or gate operator, it is advised to unplug the
device during the "cycling" process to pre-
vent possible overheating.
4 Continue to press and hold the button
while you press and release - every two
seconds ("cycle") your hand-held transmit-
ter until the frequency signal has success-
fully been accepted by the garage opener.
(The indicator light will flash slowly and then
rapidly.)
Proceed with "Programming" step five to
complete.Reprogramming a single button
To program a device to the garage opener
using a button previously trained, follow
these steps:
1 Press and hold the desired button. DO
NOT release the button.
2 The indicator light will begin to flash after
20 seconds. Without releasing the
button, proceed with "Programming" -
step 3.Erasing the three buttons
To erase programming from the three but-
tons (individual buttons cannot be erased
but can be "reprogrammed" as outlined
below), follow the step noted:
Press and hold the two outer buttons until
the indicator light begins to flash-after
20 seconds. Release both buttons. Do
not hold for longer that 30 seconds. The
garage opener is now in the train (or
learning) mode and can be programmed
at any time beginning with "Programming"
- step 3.NOTICESwitch off the power supply to the garage
door or gate (or park the car beyond the
range of the remote control) while
programming using the "cycling" method
to prevent damaging the electrical motor.
ProCarManuals.com
130 Interior equipment and trunkInterior lighting The interior lighting consists of one dome
light in the front and one in the back, a
map-reading light in the front, two reading
lights in the back, floor courtesy lights in the
front (in some model variants) and door
courtesy lights on all doors.
The courtesy lights come on automatically
when the respective door is opened. Each
reading light has its own switch adjacent to
the lamp.
The switch for the dome lights is on the front
overhead panel. When the switch is in the
mid-position (door-activated), the interior
lighting will come on: When the car is unlocked from the out-
side.
When any door is opened.
When the ignition key is withdrawn from
the ignition switch.
When the switch on the overhead panel is in
the mid-position, the lighting is switched off
automatically 30 seconds after the last door
has been closed or when the ignition is
switched ON.
There is also a light in the sun visors. The
light comes on when the cover over the
vanity mirror is opened.
When the ignition is OFF, if a door has been
left open for 20 minutes, the interior lighting
will be switched off automatically to save the
battery.
Luggage-compartment lightingThe luggage-compartment lighting comes
on automatically when the trunk is opened
and goes out when the trunk is closed.
The lighting will also be switched off auto-
matically after 20 minutes if the trunk has
been left open.
123
IB357
1
2
1
IB358
1 Reading lights
2 Dome light 1 Interior lighting on continuously
2 Lighting comes on when a door is opened
3 Lighting always off
ProCarManuals.com
151 Starting and driving
Limp-home modeThe engine management system has a
diagnostic feature that continually checks a
number of internal functions. If, for example,
a fault is detected in the throttle valve, the
engine management system will go into
Limp-home mode.This limits idling control,
disables the cruise-control system and
limits the capacity of the A/C compressor.
If the limp-home mode is in operation
(”Engine malfunction (CHECK ENGINE)”
light on, see below) and the outside temper-
ature is close to or below freezing, you may
need to use some throttle on starting (some
pressure on the accelerator).
If the diagnostic system has detected a fault
in the engine-management system, the
”Engine malfunction (CHECK ENGINE)”
light on the main instrument panel will
come on (see page 57), indicating that you
should have the car checked as soon as
possible by an authorized Saab dealer.
Important
considerations for
drivingThe engine-management system in the
Saab 9-5 is called Saab Trionic T7. The
system manages the ignition, fuel injection
and turbo boost pressure.
The Trionic T7 system developed by Saab
is an intelligent engine-management
system designed to achieve optimum driv-
ability under differing driving conditions.
The system makes adjustments automati-
cally, for instance, if the car is being driven
at altitude (oxygen-deficient air), for differ-
ent grades of fuel (AON 87–93) and for dif-
ferent load conditions.
1 Starting and driving
Refrain from using full throttle before
the engine has warmed up (before
needle in mid-range on temperature
gauge).
A safety function prevents the engine
from revving faster than 6,000 rpm by
limiting the induction air.
2 Stopping the engine
Do not rev the engine immediately
before switching it off – stop the engine
when it is idling.
3 Regulating the boost pressure
The system is optimized for fuel with an
octane rating of AON 90. The 2.3 Turbo
and 2.3 T are optimized for AON 93.
NOTICEIf the CHECK ENGINE warning light
starts to flash, ease off the accelerator
slightly. If the light does not cease to flash
within 5 seconds, stop the car in a suit-
able place as soon as possible and turn
off the engine. The car must be towed to
an authorized Saab dealer.
If the CHECK ENGINE warning light
flashes, it indicates that the engine is mis-
firing which can result in damage to the
catalytic converter.
ProCarManuals.com
160 Starting and drivingThe detent button on the selector lever has
to be pressed before the selector can be
moved between certain positions. Four modes for the automatic transmission
can be selected: Normal, Manual, Sport and
Winter.
The Normal mode, which provides the best
fuel economy, is the default setting when
the engine is started.
Manual mode (Sentronic): see page 163.
When the Sport mode is selected, the
throttle angle is altered to provide more
power at the same throttle setting. The
transmission also changes up later than in
Normal mode to provide higher perfor-
mance. In this mode, the SPORT indicator
will appear on the main instrument panel
(see page 166).
The Winter mode is intended for use when
pulling away and driving on icy roads. In this
mode, the transmission starts in 3rd gear, to
provide better grip, and the WINTER indica-
tor appears on the main instrument panel.
When the ignition is turned to OFF, the auto-
matic transmission will automatically revert
to Normal mode (see page 166).
Adaptive gear-change pattern is a trans-
mission function in the Normal and Sport
modes which matches gear changing to
current driving conditions. The transmission
control module senses the load on the
engine and temperature of the transmis-
sion. A suitable gear change pattern is then
selected automatically to avoid unneces-
sary gear changes and undesired tempera-
ture increases in the transmission.
Lock-up function The automatic transmission has a lock-up
function, which can render the torque con-
verter inoperative in 3rd, 4th and 5th gears,
thus reducing the engine speed and fuel
consumption.
When the lock-up function comes into oper-
ation, it may give the impression of an over-
drive being engaged.Kick-downWhen the accelerator is pressed down hard,
a change-down to the next gear will be
effected to provide maximum acceleration,
e.g. for overtaking.
Following this, the next higher gear will be
selected at the optimum engine speed for
acceleration or, if you ease off the acceler-
ator, before reaching this.
Detent positions for selector movement
ProCarManuals.com
165 Starting and driving
If you move the selector lever from D to L, downchanges will follow
a set pattern to avoid damaging the engine or transmission.
Manual gear-changing is not recommended on slippery roads.
If one of the drive wheels spins excessively, the engine torque will
be reduced to avoid damaging the transmission.
Adaptive gear-change patternsAdaptive gear-change patterns are selected automatically depend-
ing on the engine load and the present temperature of the transmis-
sion. The function is available in Normal and Sport modes.
The changes occur at a higher engine speed and the car remains in
the same gear for longer, if the transmission control module senses
that the load has not decreased. These gear-change patterns pre-
vent unnecessary changing up and down, when for example driving
up or down long slopes with a trailer or caravan, and to prevent over-
heating the transmission oil. The adaptive gear-change function is
also selected automatically when the transmission oil becomes too
hot, to protect the transmission itself from damage and to lower the
oil temperature.
The adaptive gear-change pattern function is deselected when:
Winter mode is selected.
The engine is switched off.
The load is reduced so much that the function is no longer
required.
”Automatic transmission, fault indicator” appears on main
instrument panel, see page 161.
ProCarManuals.com
168 Starting and drivingTo reduce the preset speedThe cruise control system will always disen-
gage automatically the moment that either
the brake pedal or the clutch pedal is
depressed.
It is also possible to reduce the speed by
means of the RESUME/– button.
Sliding the button to RESUME/– once will
reduce the speed by 1 mph (1.6 km/h).
Holding the button in the RESUME/– posi-
tion will effect a gradual reduction in speed
until the button is released.
Disengaging the system The system will be disengaged:
When the brake or clutch pedal is
depressed.
When the switch is moved to CANCEL.
When the switch is moved to OFF.
When the engine is switched off.
When the selector lever is moved to posi-
tion N (cars with automatic transmission).
When the TCS/ESP system is operative
for more than 1 minute.
BrakingTo avoid the brakes becoming overheated,
(e.g. when negotiating long descents with a
drop of several hundred feet), select a low
gear to use the braking effect of the engine.
If the car has automatic transmission, move
the selector lever to position D or L.
When driving fast, you can help to prolong
the life of the brakes by thinking ahead and
braking harder for short periods, rather than
braking more moderately over long
stretches. Brake pad wear indicatorsThe outboard brake pads on the front
wheels incorporate pad-wear indicators.
When the lining is down to 3 mm, the pad
will produce a screeching, squealing or
scraping noise when the brakes are applied.
New pads should be fitted without delay.
Brake pads should only be replaced by
an authorized Saab dealer.
To ensure optimum brake performance,
it is recommended that you use only
Saab original brake pads.
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