2005 SAAB 9-5 ignition

131 Starting and driving
IB1754
Starting and driving
Ignition switch ________ 132
Starting the engine ____ 133
Important considerations
for driving___________ 136
Refueling ____________ 138
Engine Break-In Period_ 142
Gear changing ________ 142
Cruise control ________ 151
Braking ______________ 152
Electronic Stability
Program (ESP) _______ 155
Economical motoring __ 157
Driving in cold weather_ 159
Driving in hot weather _ 160
Towing a trailer _______ 161 Driving with a roof rack
load_________________ 166
Driving at night ________ 168
Driving with a load _____ 168
Driving considerations
with compact spare
wheel/tire fitted _______ 170
Spare wheel and tools __ 170
Driving with the trunk
lid/tailgate open _______ 171
Driving in deep water ___ 171
Towing the car_________ 171
Jump starting _________ 174
Saab Parking Assistance 177
Parking brake _________ 179
Parking _______________ 179
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132 Starting and drivingIgnition switchThe combined ignition switch and gear-
lever lock is located in the center console
between the front seats. The ignition key
can only be removed when reverse is
engaged (automatic transmission: selector
in ”P” position).
The key fits all the locks on the car. The key
number is specified on the small plastic
strap that comes with the keys when the car
is delivered. Keep a note of the key number
in a safe place, as you will need to quote it if
ordering a replacement key.
See also page 38.
LOCK position Engage reverse and turn the key to LOCK.
Automatic transmission: select ”P”.
The gear lever is locked. This is the only position in which the key can be
removed.
The parking lights, hazard warning lights and interior lighting all work. OFF position Gear lever no longer locked.
Certain electrical circuits operationalON position All electrical circuits working.
Do not leave the key in the ON position
when the engine is not running.
Turn the key to OFF to switch off the
electrical circuits. In the ON position certain warning and indicator lights
come on as a check, and they normally are extinguished after about
3 seconds.
ST (starter) position The starter operates when the key is turned to this position. When
released, the key will spring back to the ON position. If the engine fails to
start, the key must first be turned back to the position between OFF and
LOCK before the starter can be operated again.
When the starter motor is running, several electrical circuits are
disconnected to facilitate starting.
LOCK
OFFONST
LOCK
OFFONST
LOCK
OFFONST
LOCK
OFFONST
IB1120
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133 Starting and driving

If the car does not startIf the text
”Key not accepted.
Contact service.”
is shown on the SID, after a failed start
attempt, the cause could be a fault in the
transmitter in the key, or in the receiver in
the ignition lock. The following should be
done:
 Turn the key back to the LOCK position.
 Turn the key to ON.
 Press one of the buttons on the remote
control (the LED stops blinking).
 Start the engine.
Try another key. If this works, then the fault
is in the first key.
Contact an authorized Saab dealer for
checking and rectification.
Note:
Certain electronic items, such as cellular
phones, may affect the starting produce-
dure. Be sure that all devices are clear of the
key/ignition switch area.
Starting the engine
NOTICETake care not to spill drinks or to drop
crumbs over the ignition switch. If dirt or
liquid gets into it, the switch may not
operate properly.
WARNING
 Always remove the key before leaving
the car.
 Always apply the parking brake before
removing the ignition key.
WARNING
 When starting the engine:
– Sit down in the driver’s seat.
– Depress the clutch pedal fully. If the
gear lever is not in the neutral position,
the clutch pedal must be fully depres-
sed or the car will jump forwards or
backwards, which may cause a crash.
– Never start the car from outside the
vehicle, e.g. through a wound down
window. This could lead to serious
personal injury.
 Engage reverse (R) (position P for
automatic transmission) to remove the
ignition key. The key can only be
removed in this gear position.
 Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless,
odorless, poisonous gas. Be alert to
the danger of CO – always open the
garage doors before starting the
engine in the garage.
 There is also a danger of CO poiso-
ning if the exhaust system is leaking.
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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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136 Starting and drivingImportant
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
 One of the advantages of boost pres-
sure regulation is that the engine can
also be run safely on gasoline with a
lower octane rating, although not lower than AON 87. However, engine perfor-
mance will fall slightly and heavy load-
ing and laboring should be avoided. For
optimum performance, use the recom-
mended grade of fuel.
 The maximum boost pressure is adjus-
ted automatically to the knocking or
pinging tendency of the engine. Occa-
sional, short-lived knocking when the
engine is under a heavy load is per-
fectly normal; the extent will depend on
the grade of fuel in the tank.
 Isolated instances of knocking are
more likely to occur with low-octane
fuel. This controlled form of knocking,
followed by a reduction in the boost
pressure, is a sign that the wastegate is
functioning and is perfectly safe for the
engine.

NOTICE If the engine sounds strange there is a
fault in the system. Have the car
checked without delay by an authori-
zed Saab dealer.
 The use of fuel with too low an octane
rating can cause serious engine
damage.
WARNING
If the engine is being run with the car on a
rolling road or dynamometer, longer than
for a standard state emission inspection,
to ensure adequate cooling, air must be
blown into the engine compartment and
under the car at a rate equivalent to the
ram-air effect that would be obtained at
the corresponding road speed.
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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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143 Starting and driving
Towing Towing of cars with manual transmission,
see page 171.
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.
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.
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 selec-
ted).
 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.
Selector lever
IB471
13
25
R
4
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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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