2006 SAAB 9-2X stop start

Starting and operating
7-9
7
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Shifting speeds
Recommended shifting speeds
The best compromise between fuel econ-
omy and vehicle performance during nor-
mal driving is ensured by shifting up at the
speeds listed in the following table.
Maximum allowable speeds
The following table shows the maximum
speeds that are possible with each differ-
ent gear.
Never exceed the speed limit listed in the
following table for each gear position ex-
cept for brief acceleration in an emergen-
cy. The tachometer’s needle will enter the
red area if these speeds are exceeded.
Failure to observe this precaution can
lead to excessive engine wear and poor
fuel economy.
Non-turbo models
mph (km/h)Turbo
models
mph (km/h)

Driving tipsDo not drive with your foot resting on the
clutch pedal and do not use the clutch to
hold your vehicle at a standstill on an up- Do not drive the vehicle with the
clutch disengaged (i.e., when the
clutch pedal is depressed) or with
the shift lever in the neutral posi-
tion. Engine braking has no effect in
either of these conditions and the
risk of an accident is consequently
increased.
Shift into reverse ONLY when the
vehicle has completely stopped. It
may cause damage to the transmis-
sion to try shifting into reverse
when the vehicle is moving.
Shift up mph (km/h)
1st to 2nd 15 (24)
2nd to 3rd 25 (40)
3rd to 4th 40 (65)
4th to 5th 45 (73)
1st 31 (50)
2nd 52 (84)
3rd 76 (120)
1st 34 (54)
2nd 59 (95)
3rd 85 (136)When shifting down a gear, ensure
that the vehicle is not travelling at a
speed exceeding the Maximum Al-
lowable Speed for the gear which is
about to be selected. Failure to ob-
serve this precaution can lead to en-
gine over-revving and this in turn
can result in engine damage.
In addition, sudden application of
engine brakes when the vehicle is
travelling on a slippery surface can
lead to wheel locking; as a conse-
quence, control of the vehicle may
be lost and the risk of an accident in-
creased.
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7-10
Starting and operating
grade. Either of those actions may cause
clutch damage.
Do not drive with your hand resting on the
shift lever. This may cause wear on the
transmission components.
When it is necessary to reduce vehicle
speed due to slow traffic, turning corners,
or driving up steep hills, downshift to a
lower gear before the engine starts to la-
bor.
On steep downgrades, downshift the
transmission to 4th, 3rd or 2nd gear as
necessary; this helps to maintain a safe
speed and to extend brake pad life.
In this way, the engine provides a braking
effect. Remember, if you “ride” (over use)
the brakes while descending a hill, they
may overheat and not work properly.
The engine may, on rare occasions, knock
when the vehicle rapidly accelerates or
rapidly pulls away from a standstill. This
phenomenon is not an indication of a
problem in your vehicle.
Automatic transmissionThe automatic transmission is electroni-
cally controlled and provides 4 forward
speeds and 1 reverse speed.NOTE
When the engine coolant tempera-
ture is still low, your vehicle’s automat-
ic transmission will up-shift at higher
engine speeds than when the coolant
temperature is sufficiently high in or-
der to shorten the warm-up time and
improve driveability. The gearshift tim-
ing will automatically shift to the nor-
mal timing after the engine has warmed
up.

Immediately after ATF (automatic
transmission fluid) is replaced, you
may feel that the automatic transmis-
sion operation is somewhat unusual.
This results from invalidation of data
the on-board computer has collected
and stored in memory to allow the
transmission to shift at the most ap-
propriate times for the current condi-
tion of your vehicle. Optimized shifting
will be restored as the vehicle contin-
ues to be driven for a while.
Do not shift from the “P” or “N” po-
sition into the “D”, “3”, “2”, “1” or
“R” position while depressing the
accelerator pedal. This may cause
the vehicle to jump forward or back-
ward.

Shift into the “P” or “R” position
only after the vehicle is complete-
ly stopped. Shifting while the ve-
hicle is moving may cause
damage to the transmission.

Do not race the engine for more
than five seconds in any position
except the “N” or “P” position
when the brake is set or when
chocks are used in the wheels.
This may cause the automatic
transmission fluid to overheat.

Avoid shifting from one of the for-
ward driving positions into the
“R” position or vice versa until the
vehicle has completely stopped.
Such shifting may cause damage
to the transmission.
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Starting and operating
7-11
7
– CONTINUED –

Selector lever for automatic
transmission
: With the brake pedal depressed,
move the lever along the gate.: Move the lever along the gate.
The selector lever has seven positions.

P (Park)
This position is for parking the vehicle and
starting the engine.
In this position, the transmission is me-
chanically locked to prevent the vehicle
from rolling freely.
When you park the vehicle, first set the
parking brake fully, then shift into the “P”
position. Do not hold the vehicle with only
the transmission.
A shift interlock function is employed in
the automatic transmission system to en-sure safe starting of the vehicle.
To shift the selector lever from the “P” to
the any other position, you have to de-
press the brake pedal fully when the igni-
tion switch is in the “ON” position. This
prevents the vehicle from lurching when it
is started.
If the shift lever does not move from the
“P” position with the brake pedal de-
pressed, refer to the “Shift lock release”
section in this chapter.

R (Reverse)
This position is for backing the vehicle.
To shift from the “N” to “R” position, first
stop the vehicle completely then move the
lever to the “R” position.

N (Neutral)
This position is for restarting a stalled en-
gine.
In this position the wheels and transmis-
sion are not locked. In this position, the
transmission is neutral; the vehicle will roll
freely, even on the slightest incline unless
the parking brake or foot brake is on.
Avoid coasting with the transmission neu-
tral.
During coasting, there is no engine brak-
ing effect.
When parking the vehicle, first se-
curely apply the parking brake
and then place the selector lever
in the “P” position. Avoid parking
for a long time with the selector le-
ver in any other position as doing
so could result in a dead battery.
P
R
N
D
3
2
1
700034
700332
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7-12
Starting and operating
NOTEIf you stop the engine with the selector
lever in the “N” position, move the se-
lector lever to the “P” position immedi-
ately. Otherwise, you may find that the
selector lever soon cannot be moved
to the “P” position. If you find that the
selector lever cannot be moved from
the “N” position to the “P” position,
turn the ignition switch to the “ON” po-
sition and try again.
D (Drive)
This position is for normal driving.
The transmission automatically shifts into
a suitable gear from 1st to 4th according to
the vehicle speed and the acceleration
you require.
When more acceleration is required in this
position, press the accelerator pedal fully
to the floor and hold that position. The
transmission will automatically downshift
to 3rd, 2nd or 1st gear. When you releasethe pedal, the transmission will return to
the original gear position.
While climbing a grade
When driving up hill, undesired upshift to
4th gear is prevented from taking place
when the accelerator pedal is released.
This minimizes the chances of subse-
quent downshifting to a lower gear when
accelerating again. This prevents repeat-
ed upshifting and downshifting resulting in
a smoother operation of the vehicle.
NOTEThe transmission may downshift to
2nd or 1st gear, depending on the way
the accelerator pedal is pressed to ac-
celerate the vehicle again.
While going down a hill
When descending a steep hill, depressing
the brake pedal will cause the transmis-
sion to downshift to 3rd gear, thus apply-
ing engine braking. Reacceleration for a
short time will cause the transmission to
upshift normally.NOTEIn some cases, depressing the brake
pedal on a downhill grade does not re-
sult in an automatic downshift to 3rd
gear. This can happen when the auto-
matic transmission fluid temperature isvery low, for example, during driving
shortly after the vehicle has been
parked for an extended period of time.
When the ATF temperature has risen to
a certain level, automatic downshift
normally takes place. In the meantime,
downshift manually for engine braking
as required.

3 (Third)
This position is for using engine braking
when going down a hill or for climbing a
grade.
The transmission automatically shifts into
a suitable gear from 1st to 3rd according
to the vehicle speed and the acceleration
you require.
When more acceleration is required in this
position, press the accelerator pedal fully
to the floor and hold that position. The
transmission will automatically downshift
to 2nd or 1st gear. When you release the
pedal, the transmission will return to the
original gear position.

2 (Second)
This position is for using engine braking
when going down a hill or for climbing a
steep grade.
In this position, the transmission holds in
the 2nd gear.
Use this position when starting off from a Do not drive the vehicle with the se-
lector lever in the “N” (neutral) posi-
tion. Engine braking has no effect in
this condition and the risk of an ac-
cident is consequently increased.
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Starting and operating
7-13
7
– CONTINUED –
standstill on slippery road surfaces such
as mud or snow. It will ensure greater trac-
tion.

1 (First)
This position is for driving up or down very
steep grades, or driving through mud or
sand, or on slippery surfaces. In this posi-
tion, the transmission holds in the 1st
gear.

Maximum speeds
The following tables show the maximum
speeds that are possible with each differ-
ent gear.
When shifting down a gear, it is important
to confirm that the current vehicle speed is
not in excess of the Maximum Allowable
Speed of the gear which is about to be se-
lected.
mph (km/h)
NOTEIn order to prevent over-revving during
deceleration of the vehicle, the trans-mission will remain in the current gear
if the speed of the vehicle is in excess
of the Maximum Allowable Speed for
the gear to which the selector lever has
been moved.

Driving tips

Always apply the foot or parking brake
when the vehicle is stopped in the “D”, “3”,
“2”, “1” or “R” position.

Always set the parking brake when
parking your vehicle. Do not hold the vehi-
cle with only the transmission.

Do not keep the vehicle in a stationaryposition on an uphill grade by using the
“D”, “3”, “2”, or “1” position. Use the brake
instead.
The engine may, on rare occasions, knock
when the vehicle rapidly accelerates or
rapidly pulls away from a standstill. This
phenomenon is not an indication of a
problem in your vehicle.

Shift lock releaseIf the selector lever does not move from
the “P” position with the brake pedal de-
pressed and the ignition switch in the “ON”
position, perform the following steps:
To override the shift lock:
1. Set the parking brake and stop the en-
gine.
2. Take out the screwdriver from the tool
bag.
3. Remove the cover by prying on the
edge with the screwdriver.
Non-turbo models Turbo models
1 28 (45) 28 (45)
2 62 (100) 65 (104)
3 97 (156) 104 (167)
When shifting down a gear, ensure
that the vehicle is not travelling at a
speed exceeding the Maximum Al-
lowable Speed for the gear which is
about to be selected. Failure to ob-
serve this precaution can lead to en-
gine over-revving and this in turn
can result in engine damage.
In addition, sudden application of
engine brakes when the vehicle is
travelling on a slippery surface can
lead to wheel locking; as a conse-
quence, control of the vehicle may
be lost and the risk of an accident in-
creased.
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Starting and operating
7-15
7
– CONTINUED –
Power steeringThe power steering system operates only
when the engine is running.
If you lose power steering assist because
the engine stops or the system fails to
function, you can steer but it will take
much more effort.NOTERight after the engine has been started
and before it has warmed up, you may
hear a noise coming from areas adja-
cent to the power steering pump which
is located at the right-front area of the
engine compartment. This noise is nor-
mal. It does not indicate power steering
system trouble.
Braking
Braking tips
When the brakes get wet
When driving in rain or after washing the
vehicle, the brakes may get wet. As a re-
sult, brake stopping distance will be long-
er. To dry the brakes, drive the vehicle at
a safe speed while lightly depressing the
brake pedal to heat up the brakes.

Use of engine braking
Remember to make use of engine braking
in addition to foot braking. When descend-
ing a grade, if only the foot brake is used,
the brakes may start working improperly
because of brake fluid overheating,
caused by overheated brake pads. To
help prevent this, shift into a lower gear to
get stronger engine braking.

Braking when a tire is punctured
Do not depress the brake pedal suddenlywhen a tire is punctured. This could cause
a loss of control of the vehicle. Keep driv-
ing straight ahead while gradually reduc-
ing speed. Then slowly pull off the road to
a safe place.

Brake system
Two separate circuits
Your vehicle has two separate circuit
brake systems. Each circuit works diago-
nally across the vehicle. If one circuit of
the brake system should fail, the other half
of the system still works. If one circuit fails,
the brake pedal will go down much closer
to the floor than usual and you will need to
press it down much harder. And a much
longer distance will be needed to stop the
vehicle.

Brake booster
The brake booster uses engine manifold
vacuum to assist braking force. Do not
turn off the engine while driving because
that will turn off the brake booster, result-
ing in poor braking power.
The brakes will continue to work even
when the brake booster completely stops
functioning. If this happens, however, you
will have to push the pedal much harder
than normal and the braking distance will
increase. Do not hold the steering wheel at the
fully locked position left or right for
more than five seconds. This may
damage the power steering pump.
Never rest your foot on the brake
pedal while driving. This can cause
dangerous overheating of the
brakes and needless wear on the
brake pads and linings.
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7-16
Starting and operating

Disc brake pad wear warning
indicatorsThe disc brake pad wear warning indica-
tors on the disc brakes give a warning
noise when the brake pads are worn.
If a squeaking or scraping noise is heard
from the disc brakes while braking, imme-
diately have your vehicle checked by your
Saab dealer.
ABS (Anti-lock Brake Sys-tem)The ABS system prevents the lock-up of
wheels which may occur during sudden
braking or braking on slippery road surfac-
es. This helps prevent the loss of steering
control and directional stability caused by
wheel lock-up.
When the ABS system is operating, you
may hear a chattering noise or feel a slight
vibration in the brake pedal. This is normal
when the ABS operates.
The ABS system will not operate when the
vehicle speed is below approximately 6
mph (10 km/h).

ABS system self-checkJust after the vehicle is started, you may
feel on the brake pedal a vibration similar
to when the ABS operates, and you may
also hear the sound of the ABS working
from the engine compartment. This is
caused by an automatic functional test of
700040
Always use the utmost care in driv-
ing – overconfidence because you
are driving with an ABS equipped
vehicle could easily lead to a seri-
ous accident.

The ABS system does not always
decrease stopping distance. You
should always maintain a safe fol-
lowing distance from other vehi-
cles.

When driving on badly surfaced
roads, gravel roads, icy roads, or
over deep newly fallen snow,
stopping distances may be longer
for a vehicle with the ABS system
than one without. When driving
under these conditions, therefore,
reduce your speed and leave am-
ple distance from other vehicles.

When you feel the ABS system
operating, you should maintain
constant brake pedal pressure.
Do not pump the brake pedal
since doing so may defeat the op-
eration of the ABS system.
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7-18
Starting and operating
Electronic Brake Force Dis-tribution (EBD) systemThe EBD system maximizes the effective-
ness of the brakes by allowing the rear
brakes to supply a greater proportion of
the braking force. It functions by adjusting
the distribution of braking force to the rear
wheels in accordance with the vehicle’s
loading condition and speed.
The EBD system is an integral part of the
ABS system and uses some of the ABS
system’s components to perform its func-
tion of optimizing the distribution of brak-
ing force. If any of the ABS components
used by the EBD function fails, the EBD
system also stops working.
When the EBD system is operating, you
may hear a chattering noise or feel a slight
vibration in the brake pedal. This is normal
and does not indicate a malfunction.

Steps to take if EBD system
failsIf a malfunction occurs in the EBD system,
the system stops working and the brake
system warning light and ABS warning
light come on simultaneously.
The EBD system may be faulty if the brake
system warning light and ABS warning
light illuminate simultaneously during driv-
ing.
Even if the EBD system fails, the conven-
tional braking system will still function.
However, the rear wheels will be more
prone to locking when the brakes are ap-
plied harder than usual and the vehicle’s
motion may therefore become somewhat
harder to control.
If the brake system warning light and ABSwarning light illuminate simultaneously,
take the following steps:
1. Stop the vehicle in the nearest safe, flat
place.
2. Shut down the engine, then restart it.
3. Release the parking brake. If both
warning lights go out, the EBD system
may be faulty. Drive carefully to the near-
est Saab dealer and have the system in-
spected.
4. If both warning lights come on again
and stay illuminated after the engine has
been restarted, shut down the engine
again, apply the parking brake, and check
the brake fluid level.
5. If the brake fluid level is not below the
“MIN” mark, the EBD system may be
faulty. Drive carefully to the nearest Saab
dealer and have the system inspected.
6. If the brake fluid level is below the
“MIN” mark, DO NOT drive the vehicle. In-
stead, have the vehicle towed to the near-
est Saab dealer for repair.
700360
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