2006 SAAB 9-2X ignition

Starting and operating
7-7
7
– CONTINUED –
If the engine does not start, try the follow-
ing.
1) Turn the ignition switch to the “OFF”
position and wait for at least 10 sec-
onds. After checking that the parking
brake is firmly set, turn the ignition
switch to the “START” position while de-
pressing the accelerator pedal slightly
(about a quarter of the full stroke). Re-
lease the accelerator pedal as soon as
the engine starts.
2) If this fails to start the engine, turn the
ignition switch back to the “OFF” posi-
tion and wait for at least 10 seconds.
Then fully depress the accelerator ped-
al and turn the ignition switch to the
“START” position. If the engine starts,
quickly release the accelerator pedal.
3) If this fails to start the engine, turn the
ignition switch again to the “OFF” posi-
tion. After waiting for 10 seconds or
longer, turn the ignition switch to the
“START” position without depressing
the accelerator pedal.
4) If the engine still refuses to start, con-
tact your nearest Saab dealer for assis-
tance.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator
lights have gone off after the engine has
started. The fuel injection system auto-
matically lowers the idle speed as the en-
gine warms up.
NOTEThe engine may be difficult to start
when the battery has been disconnect-
ed and reconnected (for maintenance
or other purposes). This difficulty is
caused by the electronically controlled
throttle’s self-diagnosis function. To
overcome it, keep the ignition switch in
the “ON” position for approximately 10
seconds before starting the engine.
Automatic transmission vehi-
cle1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and acces-
sories.
3. Shift the selector lever to the “P” or “N”
position (preferably “P” position).
The starter motor will only operate when
the select lever is at the “P” or “N” position.
4. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON” po-
sition and check the operation of the warn-
ing and indicator lights. Refer to the
“Warning and indicator lights” section
(chapter 3).
5. Turn the ignition switch to the “START”
position without depressing the accelera-
tor pedal. Release the key immediately af-
ter the engine has started.
If the engine does not start, try the follow-
ing.1) Turn the ignition switch to the “OFF”
position and wait for at least 10 sec-
onds. After checking that the parking
brake is firmly set, turn the ignition
switch to the “START” position while de-
pressing the accelerator pedal slightly
(about a quarter of the full stroke). Re-
lease the accelerator pedal as soon as
the engine starts.
2) If this fails to start the engine, turn the
ignition switch back to the “OFF” posi-
tion and wait for at least 10 seconds.
Then fully depress the accelerator ped-
al and turn the ignition switch to the
“START” position. If the engine starts,
quickly release the accelerator pedal.
3) If this fails to start the engine, turn the
ignition switch again to the “OFF” posi-
tion. After waiting for 10 seconds or
longer, turn the ignition switch to the
“START” position without depressing
the accelerator pedal.
4) If the engine still refuses to start, con-
tact your nearest Saab dealer for assis-
tance.
6. Confirm that all warning and indicator
lights have gone out after the engine has
started. The fuel injection system auto-
matically lowers the idle speed as the en-
gine warms up.
While the engine is warming up, make
sure that the selector lever is at the “P” or
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7-8
Starting and operating
“N” position and that the parking brake is
applied.NOTEThe engine may be difficult to start
when the battery has been disconnect-
ed and reconnected (for maintenance
or other purposes). This difficulty is
caused by the electronically controlled
throttle’s self-diagnosis function. To
overcome it, keep the ignition switch in
the “ON” position for approximately 10
seconds before starting the engine.
Stopping the engineThe ignition switch should be turned off
only when the vehicle is stopped and the
engine is idling.
Manual transmission – 5 speedsThe manual transmission is a fully syn-
chromeshed, 5-forward-speed and 1-re-
verse-speed transmission.
The shift pattern is shown on the shift le-
ver knob. When shifting from 5th gear to
reverse gear, first return the shift lever to
the neutral position then shift into reverse
gear.
To change gears, fully depress the clutch
pedal, move the shift lever, and gradually
let up on the clutch pedal.
If it is difficult to shift into gear, put the
transmission in neutral, release the clutch
pedal momentarily, and then try again. If you restart the engine while the
vehicle is moving, shift the selector
lever into the “N” position. Do not
attempt to place the selector lever of
a moving vehicle into the “P” posi-
tion.
Do not stop the engine when the ve-
hicle is moving. This will cause loss
of power to the power steering and
the brake booster, making steering
and braking more difficult. It could
also result in accidental activation
of the “LOCK” position on the igni-
tion switch, causing the steering
wheel to lock.
1
3
52
4
R
N
13524R
700032
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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
7-17
7
the ABS system being carried out and
does not indicate any abnormal condition.
ABS warning lightThe ABS warning light comes on when the
ignition switch is turned to the “ON” posi-
tion and goes out after approximately two
seconds.
This is an indication that the ABS system
is working properly.
When driving with an insufficient battery
voltage such as when the engine is jump
started, the ABS warning light may come
on. This is due to the low battery voltage
and does not indicate a malfunction.
When the battery becomes fully charged,
the light will go out.
NOTEIf the warning light behavior is as de-
scribed in the following, the ABS sys-
tem may be considered normal.

The warning light comes on right af-ter the engine is started but goes out
immediately, remaining off.

The warning light remains on after
the engine has been started, but it goes
out when the vehicle speed reaches
approximately 8 mph (12 km/h).

The warning light comes on during
driving, but it goes out immediately
and remains off.
700359
When the warning light is on, the
ABS function shuts down; however,
the conventional brake system con-
tinues to operate normally. If the
warning light behaves as follows,
the ABS system may not be working
properly.

The warning light does not come
on when the ignition switch is
turned to the “ON” position.

The warning light comes on when
the ignition switch is turned to the
“ON” position, but it does not go
out even when the vehicle speed
exceeds approximately 8 mph (12
km/h).

The warning light comes on dur-
ing driving.
If these occur, have the ABS system
repaired at the first available oppor-
tunity by your Saab dealer.
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Starting and operating
7-21
7
– CONTINUED –
Cruise controlCruise control enables you to maintain a
constant vehicle speed without holding
your foot on the accelerator pedal and it is
operative when the vehicle speed is 25
mph (40 km/h) or more. Make sure the
main switch is turned “OFF” when the
cruise control is not in use to avoid unin-
tentionally setting the cruise control.NOTEIf you move the cruise control lever or
press the main switch button while
turning the ignition switch “ON”, the
cruise control function is deactivated
and the “CRUISE” indicator light flash-
es. To reactivate the cruise control
function, turn the ignition switch back
to the “ACC” or “LOCK” position, and
then turn it again to the “ON” position.

To set cruise control
0
1. Push the main switch button.
The “
” indicator light on the instru-
ment cluster will come on.
2. Depress the accelerator pedal until thevehicle reaches the desired speed.
3. Push the control lever downward in the
“SET/COAST” direction and release it.
Then release the accelerator pedal.
At this time, the “ ” indicator light is
illuminated in the instrument cluster. Do not use the cruise control under
any of the following conditions. This
may cause loss of vehicle control:

driving up or down a steep grade

driving in the rain or on slippery or
winding roads

driving in heavy traffic
300332700361
300333700362
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7-22
Starting and operating
The vehicle will maintain the desired
speed.
Vehicle speed can be temporarily in-
creased while driving with the cruise con-
trol activated. Simply depress the acceler-
ator pedal to accelerate the vehicle. When
the accelerator pedal is released, the ve-
hicle will return to and maintain the previ-
ous cruising speed.
To temporarily cancel the
cruise controlThere are five ways to cancel the cruise
control temporarily:

Pull the control lever in the “CANCEL”
direction.

Depress the brake pedal.
Depress the clutch pedal (manual trans-
mission vehicles only).

Shift the selector lever into the “N” posi-
tion (automatic transmission vehicles
only).

Shift the shift lever into neutral (manual
transmission vehicles only).
The “
” indicator light in the instru-
ment cluster goes off when the cruise con-
trol is cancelled.
To resume the cruise control after it has
been temporarily canceled and with vehi-
cle speed of approximately 20 mph (32
km/h) or more, push the control lever up-
ward in the “RES/ACC” direction to return
to the original cruising speed automatical-
ly.
The “” indicator light in the instru-
ment cluster will automatically come on at
this time.

To turn off the cruise controlThere are two ways to turn off the cruise
control:

Push the main switch again.

Turn the ignition switch to the “ACC” or
“LOCK” position (but only when the vehi-
cle is completely stopped).

To change the cruising speed
To increase the speed (by control le-
ver)
Push the control lever upward in the
“RES/ACC” direction and hold it until the
vehicle reaches the desired speed. Then,
release the control lever. The vehicle
speed at that moment will be memorized
and treated as the new set speed.
When the difference between the actual
vehicle speed and the set speed is less
than 4 mph (6.8 km/h), the set speed can
be increased 1 mph (1.6 km/h) each time
by pressing the control lever upward in the
“RES/ACC” direction quickly.
700161
300334
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Driving tips
8-3
8
– CONTINUED –
NOTEDue to the expansion and contraction
of the metals used in the manufacture
of the exhaust system, you may hear a
crackling sound coming from the ex-
haust system for a short time after the
engine has been shut off. This sound is
normal.
Catalytic converterTurbo models
Non-turbo models
The catalytic converter is installed in the
exhaust system. It serves as catalyst to
reduce HC, CO and NOx in exhaust gas-
es, thus providing cleaner exhaust.
To avoid damage to the catalytic convert-
er:

Use only unleaded fuel. Even a small
amount of leaded fuel will damage the cat-
alytic converter.

Never start the engine by pushing or
pulling the vehicle.

Avoid racing the engine.

Never turn off the ignition switch while
the vehicle is moving.

Keep your engine tuned-up. If you feel
the engine running rough (misfiring, back-
firing or incomplete combustion), have
your vehicle checked and repaired by an
authorized Saab dealer.

Do not apply undercoating or rust pre-
vention treatment to the heat shield of cat-
alytic converter and the exhaust system.

If at any time you suspect that ex-
haust fumes are entering the vehi-
cle, have the problem checked
and corrected as soon as possi-
ble. If you must drive under these
conditions, drive only with all win-
dows fully open.

Keep the trunk lid or rear liftgate
closed while driving to prevent ex-
haust gas from entering the vehi-
cle.
800232800218

Avoid fire hazards. Do not drive or
park the vehicle anywhere near
flammable materials (e.g. grass,
paper, rags or leaves), because
the catalytic converter operates at
very high temperatures.
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