2005 SAAB 9-5 battery

134 Starting and drivingIt is possible for air to enter the lubricating
system in conjunction with an oil or oil-filter
change, or if the car has been stored for
some time. This air can cause the hydraulic
cam followers to emit a ticking noise, which
can persist for up to 15 minutes after start-
ing. Although this is quite normal and does
not indicate any malfunction, it is advisable
not to exceed 3,000 rpm before the noise
has disappeared.
The hydraulic cam lifters are completely
service free; the valve clearance is set up at
the factory and will not need any subse-
quent adjustment.
Starting the engineAvoid racing the engine or putting a heavy
load on it before it has warmed up. Drive
away as soon as the oil warning light has
been extinguished to enable the engine to
attain its normal temperature as quickly as
possible.
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 Depress the clutch pedal fully but do not
touch the accelerator.
2 Start the engine. Let the ignition key
spring back as soon as the engine has
started and is running smoothly – at very
low temperatures, you may need to run
the starter for up to 25 seconds. Wait
20–30 seconds before running the star-
ter again, to give the battery time to reco-
ver.
Note:
On cars with manual transmission, if the
starter fails to engage when the ignition key
is turned to the start position, make sure the
clutch pedal is full depressed. Misposi-
tioned floor mats or other obstructions
under the clutch pedal may affect starting.
Let the engine idle for about 10 seconds. Do
not open the throttle wide for at least 2–
3 minutes after starting.
Cars with automatic transmission 1 The selector lever must be in the P or N
position.
2 Keep your foot on the brake pedal.
3 Start the engine. Let the ignition key
spring back as soon as the engine has
started and is running smoothly – at very
low temperatures, you may need to run
the starter for up to 25 seconds. Wait
20–30 seconds before running the star-
ter again, to give the battery time to reco-
ver.
Let the engine idle for about 10 seconds. Do
not open the throttle wide for at least
2–3 minutes after starting.  The tail pipe of the exhaust system
can become very hot during driving.
Bear this in mind when loading and
unloading the car.
 Do not rest or sleep in the car when
parked with the engine running. There
is a risk of depressing the accelerator
which could lead to engine damage.
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137 Starting and driving
Important considerations with
catalytic convertersThe catalytic converter is an emission-con-
trol device incorporated in the car’s exhaust
system. It consists of a metal canister with a
honeycomb insert, the cells of which have
walls coated in a catalytic layer (mixture of
precious metals).
To ensure that the catalytic converter con-
tinues to function properly, and also to avoid
damage to the converter and its associated
components, the following points must be
observed:
 Have the car serviced regularly in accor-
dance with the service program. The fuel
and ignition systems are particularly
important in this context.
 Always be alert to any misfiring of the
engine (not running on all cylinders) and
any loss of power or performance. At the
first sign of a malfunction, reduce speed
and take the car to an authorized Saab
dealer as soon as possible.
 If the engine fails to start (in very cold
weather or if the battery is flat), the car can
be push started (manual gearbox only) or
started using jumper cables to a donor battery. However, as soon as you have
started the engine, it is important that it
runs on all cylinders. If it is misfiring, allow
it to idle for up to five minutes to give it time
to settle and run smoothly. If, after this
time, the engine still fails to run properly,
turn off the engine and get in touch with
an authorized Saab dealer for advice.
 Never park the car on dry grass or other
combustible material. The catalytic con-
verter gets very hot and could therefore
start a fire.
 Never drive off if the engine is misfiring.
 If you jump start the car when the engine
is already up to normal temperature, the engine must start to run on all cylinders.
Stop jump-starting if the engine fails to
start immediately.
Failure to follow these directions could
result in the catalytic converter and associ-
ated components being damaged, and
could represent a breach of the warranty
conditions.
NOTICEUse only unleaded gasoline. Leaded
gasoline is detrimental to the catalyst and
oxygen sensor and will seriously impair
the function of the catalytic converter.
NOTICEIf the car runs out of fuel, it is possible for
air to get into the fuel system. If this
happens, the catalytic converter may
overheat and be damaged.
IB1289
2
2
1
3
3
Oxygen-sensor-controlled
injection system1 Engine control module
2 Oxygen sensor (lambda probe)
3 Catalytic converters
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145 Starting and driving
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.
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 (detent) is
pressed in.Shift Lock overrideCheck fuse No. 1 (see page 213). 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 mm4 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.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.
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174 Starting and drivingJump startingIf your battery has run down, you may want
to use another vehicle and some jumper
cables to start your Saab. Follow the steps
below to do it safely.To jump start your vehicle:
1 Check the other vehicle. It must have a
12-volt battery with a negative ground
system.
2 Get the vehicles close enough so the
jumper cables can reach, but be sure the
vehicles are not touching each other. If a
poor connection on the negative jumper
cable should exist, it is possible for
damage to be caused to electrical sys-
tems/components of either vehicle
should inadvertent contact be made.
You would not be able to start your car
and bad grounding could damage elec-
trical systems.
3 Turn off the ignition on both vehicles.
Turn off all lights that are not needed,
and radios. This will avoid sparks and
help save both batteries and it could
save your radio.
WARNING
 When working on the battery, highly
explosive gas can build up. A spark
could ignite this gas that collects
around the battery.
Therefore, always avoid sparks and
open flames in the vicinity of the bat-
tery.
 The battery contains corrosive sulfuric
acid. Always wear a face mask or
goggles when working on the battery.
 If battery acid gets into the eyes or
splashes onto skin or clothing, wash
the affected area liberally with water.
If acid gets into the eyes or a large
quantity makes contact with the skin,
seek medical help.
 Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead
compounds. Wash your hands after
handling.
NOTICEIgnoring these steps could result in costly
damage to your vehicle that would not be
covered by your warranty.
Trying to start your car by pushing or pul-
ling it could damage your vehicle, even if
you have a manual transmission. If you
have an automatic transmission, your
vehicle cannot be started by pushing or
pulling it.
NOTICEIf the other system is not a 12-volt system
with a negative ground, both vehicles can
be damaged.
WARNING
You could be injured if the vehicles roll.
Set the parking brake firmly on each
vehicle. Put an automatic transmission in
P (Park) or a manual transmission in
Neutral.
+
–
+
–
IB484
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175 Starting and driving
4 Open the hood and locate the battery.
Find the positive (+) and negative (–) termi-
nals on the battery.5 Check that the jumper cables do not
have loose or missing insulation. If they
do, you could get a shock and also the
vehicles could be damaged.
Before you connect the cables, here are
some basic things you should know.
Positive (+) will go to positive (+) and
negative (–) will go to a major metal
engine part with a good ground. Do not
connect (+) to (–) or you will get a short
that could injure you or would damage
the battery and maybe other parts as
well.
6 Connect the red positive (+) cable to the
positive (+) terminal of the vehicle with
the discharged battery.
7 Do not let the other end touch metal.
Connect it to the positive (+) terminal of
the good battery. Use a remote positive
(+) terminal if the vehicle has one.
8 Now connect the black negative (–)
cable to the good battery’s negative
terminal.NOTICEIf you leave your radio on, it could be
badly damaged. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
WARNING
An electric fan can start up even when the
engine is not running and can injure you.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from
any underhood electric fan.
WARNING
Using a match or flame of any kind near a
battery can cause battery gas to explode.
You can suffer burns or be blinded. Use a
flashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water.
The battery installed in your new Saab
has filler caps. Be sure the right amount
of water is there. Add distilled or boiled
water if the level is too low. If you don’t,
explosive gas could be present.
Be sure the electrolyte in the battery is not
frozen. Discharged batteries will freeze.
When connecting jumper cables to a
frozen battery, gas from the chemical
reaction inside the battery can build up
under the ice and cause an explosion.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn
you. Do not get it on you. If you acciden-
tally get it in your eyes or on your skin,
flush the area with water and get medical
help immediately.
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176 Starting and driving9 Attach the cable at least 18 inches
(45 cm) away from the discharged bat-
tery, but not near engine parts that
move. To avoid an arc which could deto-
nate the hydrogen gas around the bat-
tery, the final connection must be at least
18” from the battery.
10 Start the vehicle with the good battery
and run the engine for a while.
11 Try to start the vehicle with the dischar-
ged battery. If it does not start after a few
tries, it probably needs service.
12 Remove the cables in reverse order to
prevent electrical shorting. Take care
that they do not touch each other or any
other metal.
Charging the battery/Jump
startingTo avoid damaging the car’s electrical
system and electronics, the following rules
must be followed when charging the battery
or jump starting the car.
 If the charger or starter unit can be set to
different voltages (6V/12V/18V/24V), 12V
must be selected.
 Follow the manufacturer’s instructions
supplied with the charger or starter unit.
 Nothing that is plugged into an electrical
outlet should be connected to the car
during charging or jump starting.
 The charger or starter unit must under no
conditions produce a voltage greater
than:
 16V continuous
 18V for 60 min.
 If you are unsure about the charge rating
of the unit, disconnect the battery clamp
from the positive terminal before connec-
ting the unit to the battery.
WARNING
Do not let the other end touch anything
until the next step. The other end of the
negative cable
does not
go to the dead
battery. It goes to a major metal part with
a good ground on the engine of the
vehicle with the discharged battery.
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180 Starting and drivingParking on a hillWhen parking on a steep hill, turn the front
wheels so that they will be blocked by the
curb if the car should move. Long-term parkingIf the car is not going to be used for some
time, e.g. 3–4 months, the following steps
are recommended:
 Run the engine to normal temperature
before long-term parking.
 Drain the washer-fluid reservoir and
hoses.
 Wash and wax the car. Clean the rubber
seals on the hood, luggage compartment
lid and doors, and lubricate them with gly-
cerol (glycerin).
 After washing the car, dry the brake discs
by taking the car out on the road and app-
lying the brakes a few times.
 Fill the fuel tank with fuel to prevent con-
densation forming in it.
 Top up the coolant and check the anti-
freeze before the onset of winter.
 Park the car in a dry, covered and well-
ventilated building. Leave the parking
brake OFF!
 Disconnect the negative (–) battery lead.
If frost is likely to occur during the long-
term parking, remove the battery and
store it away from the frost.
 Ideally, the car should be put up on blocks,
with the wheels off the ground. If this is not possible, inflate the tires to about 43 psi
(300 kPa).
 Leave all the windows open a crack and
cover the car with a fabric tarpaulin – not
one made of plastic.
123
IB485
1Pointing downhill and
against the curb– Turn the wheels into
the curb and edge the
car forward until the
wheels touch the curb.2
Pointing uphill and
against the curb– Turn the wheels away
from the curb and edge
the car back until the
wheels touch the curb.3
Pointing uphill or
downhill – no curb– Turn the wheels
towards the edge of the
road. If the car should
start rolling, it will not run
into the road.
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181 Car care and technical information
IB1772
Hood ________________ 182
Engine compartment __ 183
Emission control systems 184
Engine ______________ 186
Engine oil ____________ 186
Transmission fluid ____ 188
Coolant ______________ 188
Brake and clutch fluid__ 189
Power steering fluid ___ 191
Air filter _____________ 191
Battery ______________ 192
Drive belts ___________ 194
Wipers and washers ___ 195
Changing bulbs _______ 197
Fuses _______________ 211 Tires _________________ 217
Compact spare tire _____ 230
Air conditioning (ACC) __ 234
Safety belts ___________ 235
Upholstery and trim ____ 236
Textile carpeting _______ 236
Washing the car _______ 237
Waxing and polishing ___ 238
Engine compartment ___ 238
Touching up the paint __ 238
Anti-corrosion treatment 240
For long trips __________ 241
Recovery and/or recycling
of automotive materials 242
Headlight aiming _______ 242
Car care and technical information
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