2004 SAAB 9-5 engine

155 Starting and driving
Opening the fuel filler door in an emergency,
see page 146.
Recommended fuel:The engine in your Saab 9-5 is designed to
operate on unleaded gasoline that has an
octane rating of 87 or higher. Octane rating
is determined according to the formula:
where MON is the Motor Octane Number,
and RON is the Research Octane Number.
The average of these two values is the
octane rating of the gasoline as it appears
on the pump at a retail gas station. This
value is sometimes referred to as the
"Anti-Knock Index" (AKI) or the "Average
Octane Number" (AON).
To avoid deposit formation on the fuel injec-
tors which can cause poor driveability, use
only quality gasolines that contain deter-
gents and corrosion inhibitors. Because
gasolines sold at retail gas stations vary in
their composition and quality, you should
switch to a different brand if you begin expe-
riencing driveability and/or hard starting
problems shortly after refueling your car. In
recent years, a variety of fuel additives and
alcohols or oxygenates have been blended
with gasoline. These types of gasolines may
be found in all parts of the United States and
Canada, but particularly in geographic
areas and cities that have high carbon mon-
oxide levels. Saab approves the use of such
"reformulated" gasolines in its products,
which help in reducing pollution from all
motor vehicles, provided that the following blending percentages are met by such
fuels:
 Up to 10 % ethanol by volume, with corro-
sion inhibitors.
 Up to 15 % MTBE by volume (methyl ter-
tiary butyl ether).
 Up to 5 % methanol by volume, with an
equal amount of a suitable co-solvent and
added corrosion inhibitors.
Other, less common, fuel additives used by
some gasoline dealers are also acceptable,
provided that the resultant gasoline is not
more than 2.7 % oxygen by weight.
Some Canadian and U.S. gasolines contain
an octane enhancing additive called meth-
lycyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT). If such fuel is used, your emission
control system performance may deterio-
rate and the malfunction indicator lamp on
your instrument panel may turn on. If this
occurs, return to your authorized Saab
dealer for service.
However, these blended gasolines are reg-
ulated and should never exceed these rec-
ommended blend percentages and service
station operators should know if their gaso-
lines contain detergents and oxygenates,
and have been reformulated to reduce vehi-
cle emissions. Nevertheless, if you begin to
notice a problem with the way your car starts
or runs shortly after it has been refueled, try
a different brand of gasoline.
NOTICE Fill to maximum filling capacity
 Stop filling after the first time that the
nozzle trips to shut off the flow of fuel.
 Filling capacity can differ between
different fuel stations and outside
temperature. Fuel tank volume when
nozzle trips to shut off, may vary by
0.5 gal. (2 liters).
 Do not fill fuel all the way up the filler
pipe. The gasoline must be allowed
room for expansion especially during
hot weather.
MON + RON
2
ProCarManuals.com

156 Starting and driving
Fuel (Gasoline Engine)Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87
octane or higher. Use of gasoline with an
octane rating lower than 87 can result in
severe engine damage. Damage caused by
incorrect fuel being used is not covered
under the terms of the New Car Warranty
and will be the responsibility of the owner. It
is recommended that the gasoline meet
specifications which were developed by the
American Automobile Manufacturers Asso-
ciation (AAMA) and endorsed by the Cana-
dian Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Associa-
tion for better vehicle performance and
engine protection. Gasolines meeting the
AAMA specification could provide improved
driveability and emission control system
performance compared to other gasolines.
Be sure the posted octane is at least 87. If
the octane is less than 87, you may get a
heavy knocking noise when you drive. If it’s
bad enough, it can damage your engine. If
you’re using fuel rated at 87 octane or
higher and you hear heavy knocking, your
engine needs service. But don’t worry if you
hear a little pinging noise when you’re accel-
erating or driving up a hill. That’s normal,
and you don’t have to buy a higher octane
fuel to get rid of pinging. It’s the heavy, con-
stant knock that means you have a problem.
NOTICEHigher concentrations of methanol than
listed above, or the use of methanol-
blended gasoline without suitable
co-solvents and corrosion inhibitors,
can damage your car’s fuel system,
leading to the need for repairs which are
not covered by Saab’s product warranty.
NOTICEThe engine control module (ECM) mon-
itoring the engine parameters also
stores fault codes.
Under certain circumstances, this may
cause constant illumination of the
”Engine malfunction (CHECK
ENGINE)” lamp , thus indicating a
fault that must be checked by your Saab
dealer, see page 57.
NOTE: always observe the following two
measures:
 Make sure that the fuel filler cap is
screwed on correctly before the
engine is started. Screw on the fuel
filler cap until you hear 3 distinct
clicks.
 Avoid driving with the fuel low level
indicator illuminated. The symbol
illuminates when less than approxi-
mately 2 gallons (8 litres) of fuel
remains in the tank.
In Canada, look for the
”Auto Makers’ Choice” label
on the fuel pump.
ProCarManuals.com

157 Starting and driving
If your vehicle is certified to meet California
Emission Standards (indicated on the
underhood emission control label), it is
designed to operate on fuels that meet Cali-
fornia specifications. If such fuels are not
available in states adopting California emis-
sions standards, your vehicle will operate
satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal spec-
ifications, but emission control system per-
formance may be affected. The ”Engine
malfunction (CHECK ENGINE)” indicator
on your main instrument panel may turn on
and/or your vehicle may fail a smog-check
test. See ”Engine malfunction (CHECK
ENGINE)” indicator on page 57. If this
occurs, return to your authorized Saab
dealer for diagnosis to determine the cause
of failure. In the event it is determined that
the cause of the condition is the type of fuels
used, repairs may not be covered by your
warranty. Some gasolines that are not reformulated
for low emissions may contain an
octane-enhancing additive called methylcy-
clopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT); ask your service station operator
whether or not the fuel contains MMT. Saab
Automobile AB does not recommend the
use of such gasolines. If fuels containing
MMT are used, spark plug life may be
reduced and your emission control system
performance may be affected. The malfunc-
tion indicator lamp on your instrument panel
may turn on. If this occurs, return to your
authorized Saab dealer for service.
Engine Break-In PeriodPistons, bores and bearings need time to
obtain uniform, wear-resistant surfaces.
If a new engine is driven too hard, this grad-
ual process of bedding-in will not be possi-
ble and the life of the engine will be short-
ened.
During the first 1,200 miles (2,000 km), do
not exceed 5,000 rpm.
In addition, refrain from driving the car at full
throttle, other than for brief instances,
during the first 1,800 miles (3,000 km). Wearing in new brake padsNew brake pads take time to bed in, about
90 miles (150 km) if the car is driven largely
under stop-and-go conditions or about
300 miles (500 km) of highway driving.
To extend the useful life of the pads, avoid
hard braking as much as possible during
this period.
ProCarManuals.com

158 Starting and drivingGear changingManual transmissionTo start the engine the clutch pedal must
be fully depressed.
The gear positions are marked on the gear
lever. Before reverse (R) can be engaged,
you must lift the ring underneath the
gear-lever knob.
To change gear, fully depress the clutch
pedal and then release it smoothly. It is
inadvisable to drive with your hand resting
on the gear lever, as this can increase the
wear on the transmission.
When changing down from 5th to 4th gear,
ease the gear lever straight back, without
applying any lateral pressure. This will pre-
vent 2nd gear being engaged by mistake,
which can result in overreving and possible
damage to the engine.
Before engaging reverse, wait till the car is
at a standstill, release the accelerator and
fully depress the clutch. From neutral, press
the gear lever firmly to the right before
easing it back into reverse.
Towing Towing of cars with manual transmission,
see page 188. NOTICEWhen the reverse gear is to be engaged
the car must be at a standstill with the
accelerator fully released. Lift the reverse
lock-out collar and push the gear lever
firmly to the right in neutral before easing
it into reverse.
IB471
13
25
R
4
ProCarManuals.com

159 Starting and driving
Automatic transmission
The electronic control module for the auto-
matic transmission receives information on
engine torque and road speed, and also
controls the hydraulic pressure in the trans-
mission to ensure that gear changing is as
smooth as possible.
The position of the selector lever is shown
by the symbols adjacent to the lever and
also by an indicator on the main instrument
panel. If manual mode (M) is selected, the
current gear is also displayed on the main
instrument panel.
The ignition key can only be removed when
the selector lever is in the P position. When the car is stationary, the engine must
be at idling speed when the selector lever is
moved.
You must have your foot on the brake
pedal to move the lever out of park.
If the accelerator is depressed while the
lever is moved, this will result in abnormal
wear in the transmission.

WARNING
 Make it a habit to keep your foot on the
brake when selecting a drive position,
to prevent the car from creeping for-
ward (or backward if reverse is
selected).
 The car must be at a standstill before
P, R or N is selected. You have to have
your foot on the brake pedal to move
the lever out of P. If the car is still
moving when a drive position is subse-
quently selected, this could cause a
crash or damage the automatic trans-
mission.
 Never park the car with the selector
lever in a drive position, even if the
parking brake is on.
 If you want to leave the car with the
engine running, move the selector
lever to P or N and apply the parking
brake.
NOTICEAfter selecting a drive position, pause
briefly to allow the gear to engage (the car
starts to pull a little) before you acceler-
ate.
Selector lever
Selector-lever indicator on main instru-
ment panel
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

161 Starting and driving
Park Brake Shift lockThe transmission has a security function
known as Park Brake Shift Lock. To move
the gear selector out of the P position, the
brake pedal must be depressed at the same
time as the gear selector catch (detente) is
pressed in.
Shift Lock overrideCheck fuse No. 1 (see page 229). If the
problem was cured by changing the fuse or
battery, you do not have to contact a Saab
dealer.
If the fuse blows again as soon as the Shift
Lock feature is activated you should contact
your Saab dealer.
If the fuse is OK, check the battery regarding
the voltage.
1 Apply the parking brake
2 Make sure the key is in position ON
3 Use a small tool such as a screwdriver
and push the lever (see picture) down-
wards so that the detent button can be
pressed approx. 10 mm
4 Move the selector out of position P to N
5 Remove the tool
6 Release the parking brake if the car is to
be moved immediately; otherwise keep
it applied
Automatic transmission,
fault indicator
If ”Automatic transmission, fault indicator”
light appears on the main instrument panel,
the system has detected a fault in the auto-
matic transmission or its control module
(see page 59).
This also means that the Limp-home mode
has been selected, to guard against further
damage being done to the transmission. In
this mode, the automatic transmission
starts in 5th gear, and gear changes (if nec-
essary) will have to be made manually.
Stop the car in a safe place. Switch off then
restart the engine. If the fault is intermittent,
the transmission will operate as normal
despite the fault indicator being on. Have
the car checked at an authorized Saab
dealer.
It is not possible to select the SPORT,
WINTER or Sentronic mode when the
Limp-home mode is active.
Gear changes must be made manually.
The following gears will be engaged in the
respective selector positions when the auto-
matic transmission is in Limp-home mode:
NOTICEDue to electrical problems it may not be
possible to move the selector out of the
park position, even if the ignition is ON. If
for some reason the selector has to be
moved out of the park position (i.e. to tow
the car a short distance) do as described
below.
Position R D M L
Gear Reverse 5th 5th 2nd
ProCarManuals.com

162 Starting and driving
Overheated transmission fluid If the automatic-transmission fluid should
overheat, the following message will appear
on the SID:
”Gearbox too hot. Make a safe stop.”. In this
event, stop the car in a suitable place,
switch off the engine and open the hood.
Wait for several minutes then turn on the
ignition to check that the message has gone
out. When driving subsequent to the trans-
mission fluid overheating, select a gear in
which the engine speed is about 3,000 rpm.
Overheating of the automatic-transmission
fluid can occur when the car is towing a
heavy load, such as a camping trailer in hilly
country. High ambient temperatures can
also increase the temperature of the trans-
mission fluid or the oil cooler may be faulty.
Contact an authorized Saab dealer (see
also page 178).
Driving on hilly roads with a heavy
loadThe transmission fluid can overheat when
the gearbox is strained, for example, when
driving with a trailer on hilly roads. To avoid
the transmission fluid overheating, always
drive in Normal mode. The adaptive gear
change patterns are then active.
High air temperatures or a faulty oil cooler
can also cause the transmission fluid to
overheat. Overheating reduces the service
life of the fluid. Contact an authorized Saab
dealer (see also page 178). Towing Towing of cars with automatic transmission,
see page 188.
NOTICEIf the control module has actuated the
Limp-home function for the automatic
transmission, the car will remain in 5th
gear when D is selected, making it very
sluggish.
Select position L to prevent unnecessary
wear on the transmission. The transmis-
sion then starts in 2nd gear. Once the car
is moving you can select position D.
When the indicator light is on, the car
must not be driven with a caravan or
trailer attached.
WARNING
Remember to use engine-braking (selec-
tor position D or L) to spare the brakes
when you are driving on a long or steep
downhill slope.
Brake failure can result from overheated
brakes!
ProCarManuals.com