Instruments and controls
3-13
3
– CONTINUED –
When the battery becomes fully charged,
the light will go out.Brake system
warning lightThis light has the following three func-
tions:
Parking brake warning
The light comes on with the parking brake
applied while the ignition switch is in the
“ON” position. It goes out when the park-
ing brake is fully released.
Brake fluid level warning
This light comes on when the brake fluidlevel has dropped to near the “MIN” level
of the brake fluid reservoir with the ignition
switch in the “ON” position and with the
parking brake fully released.
If the brake system warning light should
come on while driving (with the parking
brake fully released and with the ignition
switch positioned in “ON”), it could be an
indication of leaking of brake fluid or worn
brake pads. If this occurs, immediately
stop the vehicle at the nearest safe place
and check the brake fluid level. If the fluid
level is below the “MIN” mark in the reser-
voir, do not drive the vehicle. Have the ve-
hicle towed to the nearest Saab dealer for
repair.
Electronic Brake Force Distribution
(EBD) system warning (vehicles
with ABS)
The brake system warning light also illu-
minates if a malfunction occurs in the EBD
system. In that event, it comes on together
with the ABS warning light.
The EBD system may be malfunctioning if
the brake system warning light and ABS
warning light illuminate simultaneously
during driving.
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 ABS
warning 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.
Door open warning light The door open warning light comes on if
any door or the rear liftgate is not fully
closed. Driving with the brake system
warning light on is dangerous.
This indicates your brake system
may not be working properly. If
the light remains on, have the
brakes inspected by a Saab dealer
immediately.
If at all in doubt about whether the
brakes are operating properly, do
not drive the vehicle. Have your
vehicle towed to the nearest Saab
dealer for repair.
(U.S.)
(Canada)
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3
– CONTINUED –
Daytime running light systemCars with HID headlights
The low beam headlights, tail lights, park-
ing lights, and licence plate lights will au-
tomatically come on when the engine has
started, under the following conditions:
The parking brake is fully released.
The light switch is in the “OFF” or
“ ” position.
The automatic transmission selector le-
ver is set at other than the “P” position.
Except cars with HID headlights
The low beam headlights will automatical-
ly come on at reduced brightness when
the engine has started, under the follow-
ing conditions:
The parking brake is fully released.
The light switch is in the “OFF” or
“ ” position.
The automatic transmission selector le-
ver is set at other than the “P” position.
Turn signal lever1) Right turn
2) Left turn
3) Lane change for right
4) Lane change for leftTo activate the right turn signal, push the
turn signal lever up. To activate the left
turn signal, push the turn signal lever
down. When the turn is finished, the lever
will return automatically. If the lever does
not return after cornering, return the lever
to the neutral position by hand.
To signal a lane change, push the turn sig-
nal lever up or down slightly and hold it
during the lane change. The turn signal in-
dicator lights will flash in the direction of
the turn or lane change. The lever will re- The side marker lights are not
turned on by the daytime running
light system. The light switch must
always be turned to the “ ” po-
sition when it is dark outside.
The tail lights, parking lights, and
side marker lights are not turned on
by the daytime running light system.
The light switch must always be
turned to the “ ” position when
it is dark outside.
1
23
4
300601
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14
Climate control
Ventilation ........................................................... 4-2
Air flow selection .................................................... 4-2
Center and side vents ............................................ 4-3
Manual climate control system
3 ..................... 4-3
Control panel .......................................................... 4-3
Heater operation ..................................................... 4-5
Air conditioner operation ....................................... 4-7
Automatic climate control system
3 ............... 4-7
Control panel .......................................................... 4-8
To use as full-automatic climate control
system ................................................................... 4-8
To use as semi-automatic climate control
system ................................................................... 4-8
Fan speed control dial ........................................... 4-8
Temperature control dial ........................................ 4-9
Air flow control dial ................................................ 4-9
Air inlet selection button ........................................ 4-9
Air conditioner button ............................................ 4-10
Temperature sensors ............................................. 4-10
Operating tips for heater and air
conditioner ...................................................... 4-11
Cleaning ventilation grille ...................................... 4-11
Efficient cooling after parking in direct
sunlight ................................................................. 4-11
Lubrication oil circulation in the refrigerant
circuit .................................................................... 4-11
Checking air conditioning system before
summer season .................................................... 4-11
Cooling and dehumidifying in high humidity
and low temperature weather conditions .......... 4-11Air conditioner compressor shut-off when
engine is heavily loaded ...................................... 4-12
Refrigerant for your climate control system ........ 4-12
Air filtration system
3 ........................................ 4-12
Replacing an air filter ............................................. 4-12
3 Asterisk means: equipment not fitted in all cars (can depend
on model variant, engine variant, market specification, options
or accessories)
.
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4-4
Climate control
Fan speed control dial
The fan operates only when the ignition
switch is turned to the “ON” position. The
fan speed control dial is used to select four
fan speeds.
Air flow control dial
This dial has the following five positions:
: Air flows through the instrument pan-
el outlets.
: Air flows through the instrument pan-
el outlets and the foot outlets.
: Air flows through the foot outlets and
some through the windshield defroster
outlets.
: Air flows through the windshield de-
froster outlets and foot outlets.
: Air flows through the windshield de-
froster outlets.NOTEYou will find the notation “USE
WITH ” on the air flow control
dial plate.
This is intended to remind you to set
the air inlet selection lever in the“ ” position when defogging the
windshield.
Defogging with the air inlet selection
lever set in the “ ” position pro-
vides better defogging performance
than in the “ ” position.
When the dial is placed in the “ ”
or “ ” position, the air conditioner
compressor operates automatically re-
gardless of the position of the air con-
ditioner button to defog the windshield
quickly.
However the indicator on the air condi-
tioner button will not come on.
Also, you cannot stop the air condi-
tioner compressor by pressing the air
conditioner button.
Air conditioner buttonThe air conditioner operates only when
the engine is running.
Push the air conditioner button while the
fan is in operation to turn on the air condi-
tioner. The indicator light will come on.
Push it again to turn off the air conditioner.
Air inlet selection lever
(Recirculation): Interior air is recir-
culated inside the vehicle.
Place the air inlet selection lever in the
“ ” position for fast cooling with the
air conditioner or when driving on a dusty
road.
(Outside air): Outside air is drawn
into the passenger compartment.
Place the air inlet selection lever in the
“ ” position when the interior has
cooled to a comfortable temperature and
the road is no longer dusty.
400288
Continued operation in the
“ ” position may fog up the
windows. Switch to the
“ ”position as soon as the
outside dusty condition clears.
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4
– CONTINUED –
Air conditioner operationCooling or dehumidifying
For cooling and dehumidification of the
passenger compartment, performing the
following steps will allow air to flow
through the instrument panel outlets:
1. Set the air inlet selection lever to the
“ ” position.
2. Set the air flow control dial to the “ ”
position.
3. Set the air conditioner button to the
“ON” position.
4. Set the temperature control dial to the
blue side.
5. Set the fan speed control dial at the
highest speed.Defrosting or defogging
To direct warm air to the windshield and
front door windows:
1. Set the air inlet selection lever to the
“ ” position.
2. Set the air flow control dial to the
“ ” position.
3. Set the temperature control dial to the
red side.
4. Set the fan speed control dial at the
highest speed.
The air conditioner compressor automati-
cally operates when the air flow control
dial set in the “ ” or “ ” position to
provide better defogging performance.
However, the air conditioner indicator light
does not come on at this time.
Automatic climate control system 3
Although this climate control system can
be used as a full-automatic climate control
system, it can also, if desired, be used as
a semi-automatic climate control system.
When it is used as a full-automatic climate
control system, the outlet air temperature,
fan speed, air flow distribution, air inlet
control, and air conditioner compressor
operation are all automatically controlled
to maintain a constant, comfortable tem-
perature inside the vehicle.
NOTEOperate the automatic climate con-
trol system when the engine is run-
ning.
When the engine coolant is cold, the
blower does not run.
In the “AUTO” mode, when the air
temperature in the passenger compart-
ment is sufficiently cool, the air condi-
tioner compressor does not operate.
For efficient defogging or dehumidify-
ing in cold weather, press the “A/C”
button to operate the air conditioner
compressor.
Even when cooling is not necessary,
setting the temperature much lower
than the current outlet air temperature
400373
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4-9
4
– CONTINUED –
AUTO position and the air flow control
dial in the “ ”, “ ”, or “ ” po-
sition, the fan does not operate during
engine warmup until the engine cool-
ant temperature exceeds approx. 122F
(50C).Temperature control dialThis dial is used to set the desired interior
temperature. With the dial set to your de-
sired temperature, the system automati-
cally adjusts the temperature of air sup-
plied from the outlets such that the desired
temperature is achieved and maintained.
If the dial is turned fully counterclockwise,
the system gives maximum cooling perfor-
mance. If the dial is turned fully clockwise,
the system gives maximum heating per-
formance.
Air flow control dialThis dial has the following six positions.
The outlets from which air is supplied in
each position are as follows:
AUTO: The air flow control is adjusted au-
tomatically in accordance with the air tem-
perature inside and outside the passenger
compartment, the intensity of sunlight,
and other factors. Saab recommends us-
ing the AUTO position.
: Instrument panel outlets
: Instrument panel outlets and foot out-
lets
: Foot outlets and windshield defroster
outlets (relatively little air from windshield
defroster outlets): Windshield defroster outlets and foot
outlets
: Windshield defroster outlets
NOTEWhen the dial is placed in the “ ”
or “ ” position, the air conditioner
compressor operates automatically to
defog the windshield quickly. At the
same time, the air inlet selection is au-
tomatically set to “outside air” mode.Air inlet selection buttonON position (Recirculation): Interior air
is recirculated inside the vehicle. Push the
air inlet selection button to the ON position
for fast cooling with the air conditioner or
when driving on a dusty road. The indica-
tor light will come on.
400600
400380
400381
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4-11
4
– CONTINUED –
– Do not subject the sensors to impact.
– Keep water away from the sensors.
– Do not cover the sensors.
The sensors are located as follows:
– Solar sensor: beside windshield de-
froster grille
– Interior air temperature sensor: beside
the fan speed control dial
– Outside temperature sensor: behind
front grille.
Operating tips for heater and air conditionerCleaning ventilation grilleAlways keep the front ventilation inlet
grille free of snow, leaves, or other ob-
structions to ensure efficient heating and
defrosting. Since the condenser is located
in front of the radiator, this area should be
kept clean because cooling performance
is impaired by any accumulation of insects
and leaves on the condenser.Efficient cooling after parking
in direct sunlightAfter parking in direct sunlight, drive with
the windows open for a few minutes to al-low outside air to circulate into the heated
interior. This results in quicker cooling by
the air conditioner. Keep the windows
closed during the operation of the air con-
ditioner for maximum cooling efficiency.
Lubrication oil circulation in
the refrigerant circuitOperate the air conditioner compressor at
a low engine speed (at idle or low driving
speeds) a few minutes each month during
the off-season to circulate its oil.Checking air conditioning
system before summer sea-
sonCheck the air conditioner unit for refriger-
ant leaks, hose conditions, and proper op-
eration each spring. This check is best
performed by your Saab dealer.Cooling and dehumidifying in
high humidity and low tem-
perature weather conditionsUnder certain weather conditions (high
relative humidity, low temperatures, etc.)
a small amount of water vapor emission
from the air outlets may be noticed. This
condition is normal and does not indicate
400610
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4-12
Climate control
any problem with the air conditioning sys-
tem.Air conditioner compressor
shut-off when engine is
heavily loadedTo improve acceleration and gas mileage,
the air conditioner compressor is de-
signed to temporarily shut off during air
conditioner operation whenever the accel-
erator is fully depressed such as during
rapid acceleration or when driving on a
steep upgrade.Refrigerant for your climate
control systemYour air conditioner uses ozone friendly
refrigerant HFC134a. Therefore, the
method of adding, changing or checking
the refrigerant is different from the method
for CFC12 (Freon). Consult your Saab
dealer for service. Repairs needed as a
result of using the wrong refrigerant are
not covered under warranty.
Air filtration system 3If your vehicle’s air conditioning system is
equipped with an air filtration system, re-
place the filter element according to the
replacement schedule shown in the fol-
lowing. This schedule should be followed
to maintain the filter’s dust collection abili-
ty. Under extremely dusty conditions, the
filter should be replaced more frequently.
It is recommended that you have your fil-
ter checked or replaced by your Saab
dealer. For replacement, use only a genu-
ine Saab air filter kit.Replacement schedule:
Every 12 months or 15,000 miles (24,000
km) whichever comes first
Replacing an air filter1. Remove the glove box.
1) Open the glove box.
2) Remove the nine screws and the one
clip securing the glove box.
3) Disconnect the glove box light con-
nector.
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