1
Owner’s Manual
Saab 9-3 M2005
© Saab Automobile AB 2004Service Readiness, Saab Automobile AB, Trollhättan, Sweden
Printed in Sweden
Safety 11
Security 41
9-3 Convertible 55
Instruments and controls 77
Interior equipment 121
Starting and driving 145
Car care 197
Customer Assistance and Information 261
Technical data 267
Index 283
ProCarManuals.com
14 SafetyFront safety beltsFasten 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.
The front safety belts have their lower
anchorage points on the seats. The safety
belts follow the seats when the legroom is
adjusted.
Refer to page 251 for how to check the func-
tion of the safety belts, cleaning, etc.
Belt height adjustment,
Sport SedanThe belt guide on the door pillar for the front
safety belts can be set at different heights.
The front belt guide in the Convertible is not
adjustable due to the belt being incorpo-
rated into the seat.Adjust the belt so that it is as high up as
possible without rubbing against the neck.
To avoid chafing in the case of a short
person, the guide can be lowered until the
belt comes about an inch (a few centime-
ters) from the throat but still provides safe
restraint.
Raise the belt guide by pushing it upward to
the desired position. To lower it, depress the
catch release button while lowering the
guide. Check that the guide locks in its new
position.
To fasten the belt Press the red button to release the belt
The belt guide on door pillar
ProCarManuals.com
16 SafetySafety belts, rear seatSafety belts rear seat, Convertible, see
page 69
The three rear seats all have three-point
safety belts with inertia reels.
Fasten the belts by pulling the belt across
you and inserting the tongue into the buckle.
Check that it is securely fastened.
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 buckle to
release the belt.
See page 251 for the checking of belt func-
tion, cleaning, etc.
WARNING
Make sure that the belt does not
become trapped when the backrest is
folded down or raised (see page 140).
If 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 safety
belt buckle. The buckles for the center
and left-hand rear seats are close
together.
Rear safety belts
Securing an item on the rear seat
ProCarManuals.com
25 Safety
LATCH child seat installation
Before starting the installation, please read
through this instruction, and the child seat
installation instruction.
1 Place the child restraint on one of the
designated outboard rear seat cush-
ions.
2 Slide the attachment on the child
restraint in between the seat cushion
and backrest.
3 Press the child restraint down on the
seat, 1 in illustration.
4 Press the child restraint rearward, lining
up the inner restraint attachment arm
with the label, 2 in illustration.
5 Connect the restraint attachment arms
to the anchorages 3 in illustration.
6 Follow the child restraint instructions to
confirm that both restraint attachment
arms are properly attached to the bars.
7 Attach the top tether strap to the in-car
anchorage and tighten according to the
restraint instructions, see page 26
and 27.
8 Pull the child restraint to make a second
check that the restraint is securely
attached at both the lower anchorage
bars and the top tether strap.
Only use the belt supplied with the child
restraint.
For the top tether, only use the strap sup-
plied with the child restraint.
The availability of LATCH child restraints is
limited.When fitting child restraints in cars you
must always read the instructions sup-
plied by the child restraint manufacturer.
Rigid 2-point lower anchorage with top
tetherSemi-rigid 2-point lower anchorage with
top tether
ProCarManuals.com
26 SafetyChild tether anchorages for
forward facing child seatsSport Sedan
Convertible, see page 27
Child restraints with a tether strap must be
attached according to Canadian and U.S.
safety standards.
If you have any questions regarding child
anchorages please contact your Saab
dealer.The car is provided with three top tether
anchorages. Use the one that is right behind
the seating position in which the child
restraint is to be installed and attach the
restraint as follows:
1 Open the cover that is right behind the
child restraint, 1 in illustration.
2 Place the child restraint in the rear seat.
3 Secure the lower part of the child
restraint by means of the lower anchor-
ages (ISOFIX) or the safety belts as
described in the child restraint installa-
tion instruction.
4 Lower the headrest and route the tether
over it.
5 Attach the tether to the anchorage, 2 in
illustration.6 Close the cover to the middle position, 3
in illustration.
7 Tighten the tether so that the back of the
child restraint is pressed hard against
the backrest.
8 Pull the child restraint to make a second
check that the restraint is securely
attached at both the lower anchorages
bars on the safety belts and the top
tether strap.
WARNING
Child top tether anchorages are designed
to withstand only those loads imposed by
correctly fitted child restraints.
Under no circumstances are they to be
used for adult safety belts.
Child tether anchorages in parcel shelf, Sport Sedan
ProCarManuals.com
27 Safety
Child tether anchorages for
forward facing child seatsConvertible
Child restraints with a tether strap must be
attached according to Canadian and U.S.
safety standards.
If you have any questions regarding child
anchorages please contact your Saab
dealer.
The car is provided with two top tether
anchorages. Use the one that is right behind
the seating position in which the child
restraint is to be installed and attach the
restraint as follows:
1 Remove the head restraint on the seat-
ing position where the child restraint
shall be fitted.
2 Place the child restraint in the rear seat.
3 Secure the lower part of the child
restraint by means of the lower anchor-ages (ISOFIX) or the safety belts as
described in the child restraint installa-
tion instruction.
4 Attach the tether to the anchorage.
5 Tighten the tether so that the back of the
child restraint is pressed hard against
the backrest.
6 Pull the child restraint to make a second
check that the restraint is securely
attached at both the lower anchorages
bars on the safety belts and the top
tether strap.
7 Put the head restraint back on and make
sure it is secure mounted. Adjust it in its
highest position.
WARNING
Child top tether anchorages are designed
to withstand only those loads imposed by
correctly fitted child restraints.
Under no circumstances are they to be
used for adult safety belts.
WARNING
If the size of the child restraint makes it
impossible to put the head restraint back
on, place it in the trunk.
How to take away the head restraint1 Raise the head restraint
2 Push the catch forward and pull the head
restraint straight upward
Top tether anchorages in the rear seat
ProCarManuals.com
28 SafetyInstallation of child restraint
using the standard safety beltChild restraints that are approved for rear-
ward facing installation in the rear seat can
be positioned in any of the three rear places.
Make sure that it is possible to fit it in accor-
dance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
When fitting child restraints in cars you
must always read the instructions sup-
plied by the child restraint manufacturer.If fitting a child restraint that is intended to be
secured in position by the standard safety
belt, make use of the locking function of the
belt.
Locking the belt lessens the risk that the
seat will work loose while the car is in
motion.
1 Position the child restraint in the back
seat.
2 Route the belt in the restraint according
to the installation instruction of the
restraint.
3 Pull out the belt completely until it stops.
Then let the belt slowly pull in the slack.
Clicking sound indicates that the lock
function is in work.
4 Pull the shoulder belt tight to secure the
child restraint in position.
5 Check for correct locking function by
pulling on the belt. The belt must not
unreel.The safety belt locking function will be deac-
tivated when the safety belt is retracted.
1 Disengage the safety belt latch from the
buckle.
2 Disengage the safety belt from the child
restraint, according to the instructions
from the child restraint manufacturer.
3 Let the safety belt retract until the click-
ing sound ceases.
WARNING
Failure to follow all the manufacturer’s
instructions on the use of child restraint
systems can cause your child to strike the
vehicle´s interior during a sudden stop or
crash.
ProCarManuals.com
33 Safety
Front passenger seatThe system is the same as that used on the
driver’s side.
The airbag systems are interconnected and
have a common warning light . The pas-
senger airbag module is housed in the
fascia above the glove box and is marked
"AIRBAG".
Both airbags will be inflated in the event of a
moderate to severe frontal, or near-frontal
crash, even if the passenger seat is unoccu-
pied.
The car is equipped as standard with
a passenger airbag.
WARNING
Never secure a rear-facing child seat in
the right front seat of a car equipped with
a passenger airbag. Inflation of the airbag
in the event of a crash could seriously
injure or kill a child.
WARNING
DEATH or SERIOUS
INJURY can occur
Children 12 and under or
shorter than 55 inches
(140 cm) can be killed by the
airbag
The BACK SEAT is the SAFEST place
for children
NEVER put a rear-facing child seat in
the front
Sit as far back as possible from the
airbag
ALWAYS use SAFETY BELTS and
CHILD RESTRAINTS
Never allow a child to stand in front of
the seat or to sit on the lap of a front
seat passenger. Serious injury or
death could result if the airbag is
inflated in a crash.
The glove box must be closed while
travelling. An open glove box door
could cause leg injuries in the event of
a crash.
Operation of the steering wheel airbag in
a front-end crash
Moment of impact.
Sensors detect a
deceleration and send
a signal via the control
module to a gas gen-
erator that inflates the
airbag.
The inflating airbag
cushions the driver.
Airbag now fully
inflated.
The airbag starts to
deflate.
ProCarManuals.com