2005 SAAB 9-3 brake light

143 Interior equipment
Trunk Release HandleThere is a glow-in-the-dark trunk release
handle located inside the trunk on the latch.
This handle will glow following exposure to
light. Pull the release handle down to open
the trunk from inside.
Tie down eyesThere are tie down eyes in the trunk that
should be used to secure loads. In general,
loads should be placed as far forward and
as low down as possible in the trunk.
NOTICEThe trunk release handle was not
designed to be used to tie down the trunk
lid or as an anchor point when securing
items in the trunk. Improper use of the
trunk release could damage it.
WARNING
 Lay heavy bags on the floor. Place
smaller and lighter bags on top.
 Secure heavy and bulky items using
the lashing eyes provided in the trunk.
This will avert the danger of luggage
flying around if the car should brake
suddenly or be involved in a crash.
 Secure small items if the backrest is
folded down. Small items can also be
thrown around inside the car and
cause personal injury.
 The elastic cargo net (accessory) is
only designed for light objects that are
to be kept in place while driving
 Elastic cargo net (accessory): WARN-
ING. Avoid eye injury. DO NOT over-
stretch. ALWAYS keep face and body
out of recoil path. DO NOT use when
strap has visible signs of wear or
damage.
 The rear seat must be in the upright
position to protect against load
displacement in the event of a crash.
 Do not exceed the load capacity of the
car, as this will alter its handling char-
acteristics (see page 268).
 Match your speed and driving style to
how the car is loaded. The handling
characteristics of the car can be
affected since a load in the trunk will
alter the car’s center of gravity.
Tie down eyes in the trunk
Trunk Release Handle
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149 Starting and driving
Starting the engineAvoid racing the engine or loading it heavily
before it has warmed up. Do not drive away
before the warning and indicator lights have
gone out.
The engine has an automatic choke and
should be started as follows:
Cars with manual transmission
To start the engine the clutch pedal must
be fully depressed.
1 Make sure the parking brake is applied.
2 Depress the clutch pedal but do not
touch the accelerator.
3 Start the engine. Let the remote control
spring back as soon as the engine has
started and is running smoothly.
Allow the engine to idle for about
10 seconds. Do not apply full throttle for at
least 3 minutes after starting.Cars with automatic transmission
The selector lever must be in the P or N
position.
1 The selector lever must be in the P or N
position.
2 Keep your foot on the brake pedal.
Note! Once the engine has started, the
brake pedal will sink. This is perfectly
normal.
3 Start the engine. Let the remote control
spring back as soon as the engine has
started and is running smoothly.
Allow the engine to idle for about
10 seconds. Do not apply full throttle for at
least 3 minutes after starting.
Useful tips on starting the engineIf the engine has failed to start after several
attempts in very cold weather, proceed as
follows:
1 Turn the ignition switch to ON (it is
essential that you turn the ignition to
ON before depressing the accelerator).
2 Press the accelerator to the floor and run
the starter motor for 5-10 seconds. This
will prevent the engine being flooded
(fully depressed accelerator cuts off the
fuel supply).
3 Now start the engine in the normal way
- do not touch the accelerator.
If the engine stalls immediately after starting
(e.g. if the clutch was released too quickly),
do not touch the accelerator when restarting
the engine.
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163 Starting and driving
Selector lever positions
P
The selector lever is locked and the transmission
is mechanically blocked.
The engine can be started.
To move the selector lever out of the P position,
depress the brake pedal and press in the detent
(catch) on the selector lever.
Only select the park position (P) when the car is
stationary.
R
Only select the reverse position (R) when the car
stationary. The detent release button must be
pressed before the selector lever can be moved
to R.
Wait until reverse gear has engaged before
touching the accelerator.
N
You must press the brake pedal to move
the selector lever from the neutral position (N).
In neutral, the transmission is disengaged from the
engine. The engine can be started but make sure
the parking brake is on to prevent unexpected
movement.
To prevent the engine and transmission becoming
hotter than necessary, select N for long stops with
the engine running, e.g. when stuck in a traffic jam.
At traffic lights, leave the selector lever in the drive
position (D).
D
The drive position (D) is the normal one for forward
driving. The transmission shifts automatically
between all gears from 1st to 5th, the timing of
which depends on factors such as the current
accelerator position and the speed of the car.
Pause for a moment before applying the acce-
lerator, to allow the gears to engage.
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165 Starting and driving
Cruise control(Cruise control system)
For safety reasons (brake system func-
tion), the brakes must be applied once
when the engine has started, before the
cruise control system can be activated.
The following message is shown on the SID:
The system has the following functions:
1 ON: engaged
2 OFF: disengaged
3 SET/+: sets the speed and increases
the set speed
4 SET/ –: sets the speed and decreases
the set speed
5 RESUME: re-engages the system at the
set speed
The CRUISE indicator light in the main
instrument panel comes on when the switch
is slid to ON. If you switch off the engine
while the cruise control is ON, the system
will be ON the next time the engine is
started.
To set the desired speed1 Slide the switch to ON.
2 Move the thumbwheel up to SET/+ or
SET/– when the car has reached the
desired speed (above 15 mph (25 km/
h)).To increase the preset speedYou can increase the speed in any of
the following ways:
 Accelerate to the desired speed. Jog the
control to SET/+ or SET/–.
 Jog the control to SET/+ to increase the
speed by 1 mph (1.6 km/h) (when cruise
control already engaged).
 Hold the control in the SET/+ position until
the desired speed is reached (when
cruise control already engaged).
WARNING
Do not use the cruise control system in
wet or icy conditions, in dense traffic or on
winding roads.
Tap brakes lightly before
using cruise control.
Cruise control switches
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166 Starting and drivingTo reduce the preset speedYou can reduce speed in any of the follow-
ing ways:
 Brake to the desired speed. Jog the
control to SET/+ or SET/–.
 Jog the control to SET/– to reduce the
speed by 1 mph (1.6 km/h).
 Hold the control in the SET/– position until
the desired speed is reached.Temporary increase in speedAccelerate, without shifting down (manual
transmission), to exceed the set speed such
as for overtaking. When you release the
accelerator, the car will return to the set
speed.To disengage the system
temporarilySlide the switch to the left towards OFF, but
only as far as to disengage the cruise con-
trol. Allow the switch to spring back.
To re-engage the systemSlide the switch to RESUME. The car will
return to the previously set speed. Vehicle
speed must exceed 15 mph (25 km/h).To disengage the systemThe system will be disengaged:
 As soon as the brake or clutch pedal is
depressed (cars with manual transmis-
sion).
 When the switch is slid towards OFF. See
also heading "To disengage the system
temporarily".
 When the switch is slid to OFF.
 When the TCS/ESP system is operative.
 When position N is selected (cars with
automatic transmission).
BrakingIt is good practice to try your brakes period-
ically while driving. This is particularly
important when driving in heavy rain, on
roads with a lot of surface water, in snow or
in salty slush. In such conditions a slight
delay in the braking effect may be noticed.
To minimize this delay, dry the brakes by
applying them lightly now and again. This
should also be done after the car has been
washed, and in extremely damp weather.
To avoid the brakes becoming overheated,
such as when negotiating long descents
with a drop of several hundred yards (hun-
dred metres), select a low gear to utilize the
braking effect of the engine. If the car has
automatic transmission, select 1st or 2nd
gear.
You can help to prolong the life of the brakes
by thinking ahead and braking harder over
short periods, rather than braking more
moderately over long stretches.
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167 Starting and driving
ABS brakesThe Antilock Braking System (ABS) modu-
lates the brake pressure to each wheel. The
pressure is automatically reduced just
before the wheel locks up and then
increases again to the point at which the
wheel is just about to lock. The wheel sen-
sors send information to the brake system’s
electronic control module for every 4 or so
inches (decimetre) that the car rolls. This
information is processed continuously to
ensure that the adjustment of the brake
pressure will be as exact as possible.
Adjustment takes place up to 12 times per
second.The brake system provides Electronic
Brakeforce Distribution (EBD). This distri-
butes the brake pressure between the front
and rear wheels, in such a way as to achieve
optimum braking performance irrespective
of the car’s speed or load.
The ABS has a built-in diagnostics function
which will switch on the ABS warning light
if a fault is detected in the system (see
page 78).
The following message will appear on the
SID (and corresponding symbol on main
instrument unit) if a fault is detected:
WARNING
 It is prudent to try your brakes from
time to time, especially when driving in
heavy rain, through water collected on
the road, in snow, on a wet road
surface or in salty slush. In such condi-
tions, the brakes may take longer than
normal to take effect. To rectify this,
touch the brake pedal periodically to
dry the brakes out.
 The same applies after the car has
been washed or when the weather is
very humid.
 Avoid parking the car with wet brakes.
Before parking, and if the traffic condi-
tions allow, brake quite heavily so that
the brake discs and pads warm up and
dry.
 The brakes are power assisted and it
should be kept in mind that the servo
unit only provides the power assis-
tance when the engine is running.
 The brake pressure required when the
engine is off, (e.g. when the car is
being towed) is roughly four times the
normal pedal force required. The
pedal also feels hard and unrespon-
sive.
 Overheating can cause the brakes to
fade!
WARNING
 The additional safety afforded by the
ABS system is not designed to allow
drivers to drive faster but to make
normal driving safer.
 To stop as quickly as possible, without
loss of directional stability, whether
the road surface is dry, wet or slippery,
press the brake pedal down hard
without letting up (do not pump the
pedal), declutching simulta-
neously, and steer the car to safety.
Antilock brake malfunction.
Contact Saab dealer.
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168 Starting and drivingThe ABS system will not reduce the braking
distance on loose gravel, snow or ice but,
because the wheels cannot lock up, steer-
ing control is retained.
When the ABS system operates you will feel
the brake pedal pulsate and hear a ticking
noise, both of which are perfectly normal.
Apply the brake pedal with full force (you
cannot press too hard), declutch and if nec-
essary steer to safety.
Do not release the brake pedal before the
car has come to a halt or the danger is
past!
The above is critical.
If the road is slippery, the ABS system will
operate even when only light pressure is
applied to the brake pedal. This means that
the driver can brake gently to test the condi-
tion of the road and adapt their driving
accordingly.
It is well worth practising the use of ABS
brakes on a skid pan or other suitable
facility.
Braking with ABS – evasive steering
Braking with ABS brakes.
Indication that the system is operating:
pulsating brake pedal and ticking noise
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173 Starting and driving
Parking brakeThe parking brake lever is situated between
the front seats. The brake acts on the rear
wheels. When the parking brake is applied,
the indicator light on the main instru-
ment panel will come on.
To release the parking brake, lift the lever
slightly, pull the release button on the under-
side of the lever and lower the lever.
If conditions allow, it is best if the brake
pedal is not depressed, or only depressed
as little as necessary so as to stop the car
from rolling, when the parking brake is
applied.
To facilitate releasing the parking brake,
depress the brake pedal. This is especially
appropriate if the car is standing on a hill.If the parking brake is applied when the car
starts off, the following message will appear
on the SID:
Parking
WARNING
Always apply the parking brake when
you park the car. If the car is to be
left parked for a long time, refer to
page 175.
 Always apply the parking brake before
removing the remote control.
 Do not use the parking brake while
driving.
 Grasp the parking brake lever in such
a way that no fingers get trapped when
you release the parking brake.
Release parking brake.
WARNING
Never leave children or pets unat-
tended in the car. In warm, sunny
weather, the temperature inside the
car can reach 160–180°F (70–80°C).
 Park where the vehicle will not create
an obstruction or a hazard to other
road users.
 Do not park on dry grass or other
combustible material. The catalytic
converter gets very hot and could start
a fire.
 Apply the parking brake, remove the
remote control and lock the car.
Correct hold
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