2005 SAAB 9-5 ECU

168 Starting and driving
Driving at nightBear in mind the following points when
driving at night:
 Nighttime driving requires your full con-
centration.
 Do not rush. Count on your journey taking
slightly longer.
 The number of drivers under the influence
of drugs is likely to be greater at night than
during the day.
 Do not stare at the headlights of onco-
ming vehicles.
 Avoid driving at night if you have poor eye-
sight. Night vision deteriorates with age.
 Keep your car's headlights, windows and
mirrors clean. Also, if you wear glasses,
make sure they are clean.
 Make sure you are well rested before star-
ting a long journey. Take a break every
other hour.
 Only eat light meals. Heavy meals have a
tendency to induce tiredness.
Driving with a loadThe driving characteristics of the car are
affected by the way it is loaded.
 Place heavy loads as far forward and as
low as possible in the trunk.
 Secure the load to the tie downs, see
page 123.
 The load should be such that the car´s
total weight or axle weight are not
exceeded, see page 252.
 Heavy loads mean that the car’s center of
gravity is further back. As a result, the car
will sway more during evasive steering.
 Never exceed the permissible load in the
roof box, even if there is room for more.
 Ensure that the tire pressure is correct –
slight overinflation is preferable to under-
inflation.
 The braking distance of a loaded car is
always greater. Keep your distance from
the vehicle in front.
 Roof loads can negatively affect tele-
communication.Tire pressure, see page 262 and back
cover.
IB1295
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170 Starting and drivingSpare wheel and toolsThe spare wheel, together with the jack and
jack handle, front towrope attachment eye
and toolkit, are stowed away underneath
the trunk.
Driving considerations
with compact spare
wheel/tire fitted
The following should be observed when the
compact spare wheel (T115/70 R16) is
fitted:
 The compact spare is light and easy to
handle when changing the wheel.
 Do not drive further than necessary with
the compact spare fitted – the maximum
life of the wheel is only just over
2000 miles (3,500 km).
 Refit the standard tire as soon as pos-
sible.
Important considerations when driving with
a compact spare tire:
 The car’s ground clearance is reduced.
 The car must not be driven with more than
one compact tire at a time.
 Avoid driving against a curb.
 Do not use snow chains.
 Do not fit the wheel cover - this would con-
ceal the warning text.
WARNING
Stow all tools carefully away after use, so
that they cannot get loose and cause
injury in the event of a crash.
WARNING
 Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h) as
the tire can overheat and adversely
affect the handling of the car.
 Tire pressure: refer to page 261.
 The spare wheel or punctured tire
must be stowed under the trunk floor,
and secured in place with the retaining
nut.
NOTICETo avoid damaging a punctured alloy
wheel it can be placed outside up in the
spare-wheel well but
only
while driving to
the closest workshop.
A general rule is that all heavy loads must
be well secured in the luggage compart-
ment, see page 123 and 126.
IB3232
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172 Starting and drivingFront towing eye
The front towing eye is stored with the spare
wheel.
The attachment point (tapped hole) for the
towing eye is midway along the engine sub-
frame at the front of the car.
Remove the plastic plug and screw in the
towing eye securely.
To ensure that the towing eye is in far
enough, insert the handle of the wheel
wrench through the eye for additional
leverage.
Rear towing eyeThe car has a permanently mounted towing
eye at the back. If the car is equipped with a
trailer hitch, this can be used instead of the
towing eye.
WARNING
 Make sure that the towing eye at the
front is screwed in tightly.
 The towing eye is only designed for
use when the car is being towed on the
road. It
must not be used
to pull the
car out of a ditch, for example.
 Make sure that all bystanders keep a
suitable distance, in case the towing
eye or tow rope should break. The
towing eye or tow rope could catapult
off and cause serious injury.
NOTICE Do not drive the car with the front
towing eye in position. If it catches the
curb, for example, the engine sub-
frame could be damaged.
 Refit the plastic plug in the hole when
the towing eye has been removed, to
keep dirt and moisture out of the
threads.
IB2427
Front towing eye
IB483
Rear towing eye
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182 Car care and technical informationHood The hood release handle is located under-
neath the instrument panel. To open the
hood:
1 Pull the release handle.
2 The front of the hood will now spring up,
providing access to the secondary
safety catch.
3 Push the catch upwards, pushing the
hood downward a little bit at the same
time. The hood can now be lifted right
up.
To close the hood, release it from a height
of about 8 in (20 cm).
Do not
press down
on it.
In cold weather, when the mechanism is
stiff, the hood might need to be released
from twice the height to lock properly.
Check that the hood is now closed securely.
WARNING
Never hold your fingers between the hood
and safety catch if lowering but not clos-
ing the hood.
IB487
IB486
Hood release handle Hood secondary safety catch
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198 Car care and technical informationHeadlight bulb for high beam (Halogen)On cars equipped with Xenon lamps the Halogen lamps are used
only for high beam flasher if the daytime running lights are deacti-
vated and the headlight switch is in the off position (otherwise Xenon
lamp is utilized):
1 Unscrew the cover from the back of the lamp unit. To improve
accessibility to the right-hand headlight, hold aside the induction
air hose. To improve accessibility to the left-hand headlight,
remove the battery cover. Release the two clips along the long
sides of the cover.
2 Unplug the connector.
3 To remove the spring clip, push it in and then move it to the right.
4 Remove the bulb.
5 Without touching the glass with your fingers, insert the new bulb.
6 Line up the bulb with the guide in the reflector and secure it with
the spring clip. Look through the headlight lens to help fit the bulb
correctly.
7 Plug in the connector.
8 Screw on the cover. Make sure that the guide on the cover is alig-
ned with the recess in the lamp housing.
IB1785
IB1883
Make sure the cover is correctly fitted before locking it in place
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199 Car care and technical information
Headlight bulb for low beam (Halogen)1 Unscrew the cover from the back of the lamp unit. To improve
accessibility to the right-hand headlight, hold aside the induction
air hose. To improve accessibility to the left-hand headlight,
remove the battery cover. Release the two clips along the long
sides of the cover.
2 Unplug the connector.
3 To remove the spring clip, push it in and then move it to the right.
4 Remove the bulb.
5 Without touching the glass with your fingers, insert the new bulb.
Look through the headlight lens to help fit the bulb correctly.
6 Line up the bulb with the guide in the reflector and secure it with
the spring clip.
7 Plug in the connector.
8 Screw on the cover. Make sure that the guide on the cover is
aligned with the recess in the lamp housing.
IB1786
IB1882
Make sure the cover is correctly fitted before locking it in place
IB1910
Contact an aut-
horized Saab
workshop if a
Xenon head-
light requires
replacement
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203 Car care and technical information
Rear light cluster, 9-5 SedanThe bulbs for the lamps in the rear light clus-
ter are accessed from the luggage compart-
ment.
1 Lower the flap (secured with catches).
2 Squeeze the two plastic lugs and
remove the bulb holder.
3 The bulb has a bayonet fitting. Press in
the bulb and twist it counterclockwise.
4 Change the bulb.
IB516
IB1791
12
3
2
3
5
6
4
1
4
IB1792
1
1
2
3
2
6
4
4
52
2
3
Rear light clusters, 9-5 SportWagon1 Direction indicators
2 Taillights
3 Stop lights and taillights
4 Reversing lights
5 Rear fog light
6 High-mounted brake light
Rear light clusters, 9-5 Sedan1 Direction indicators
2 Taillights
3 Stop lights and taillights
4 Reversing lights
5 Rear fog light
6 High-mounted brake light
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206 Car care and technical informationRear lights clusters,
9-5 SportWagon1 Open the tailgate.
2 Remove the cover by turning the two
catches counterclockwise one quarter
turn.
3 Remove the two screws securing the
light cluster to the body. 4 Pull the light cluster rearwards and
angle it outwards (it is seated quite
firmly).
5 Release the fastener from the body.
Reinsert the fastener into the groove in
the light cluster. Press in the fastener
until you hear a click.
6 Take out the bulb holder by twisting it
slightly counterclockwise.
7 Press in the bulb and twist it counter-
clockwise.
8 Change the bulb.
9 Check that the new bulb works.
Reassembly:1 Align the fastener with the hole in the
body.
2 Press the lamp unit home into the body
until you hear a click.
3 Fit the screws and cover.
IB1793
IB1919
IB1881
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