2006 SAAB 9-2X clutch

7-6
Starting and operating

A vehicle fails
the OBD inspection if the
“CHECK ENGINE” warning light/MIL is
not properly operating or there is one or
more diagnostic trouble codes stored in
vehicle’s computer with the “CHECK EN-
GINE” warning light/MIL illuminated.

A state emission inspection may reject
(not pass or fail) a vehicle if the number of
OBD system readiness monitors “Not
Ready” is greater than one. Under this
condition, the vehicle operator should be
instructed to drive his/her vehicle for a few
days to set the monitors and return for an
emission re-inspection.

Owners of rejected or failing vehicles
should contact their Saab Dealer for ser-
vice.
Preparing to driveYou should perform the following checks
and adjustments every day before you
start driving.
1. Check that all windows, mirrors, and
lights are clean and unobstructed.
2. Check the appearance and condition of
the tires. Also check tires for proper infla-
tion.
3. Look under the vehicle for any sign of
leaks.
4. Check that the hood, trunk and rear lift-
gate are fully closed.
5. Check the adjustment of the seat.
6. Check the adjustment of the inside and
outside mirrors.
7. Fasten your seatbelt. Check that your
passengers have fastened their seatbelts.
8. Check the operation of the warning and
indicator lights when the ignition switch is
turned to the “ON” position.
9. Check the gauges, indicator and warn-
ing lights after starting the engine.NOTEEngine oil, engine coolant, brake fluid,
washer fluid and other fluid levels
should be checked daily, weekly or at
fuel stops.
Starting the engine
Manual transmission vehicle1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Turn off unnecessary lights and acces-
sories.
3. Press the clutch pedal to the floor and
shift the shift lever into neutral. Hold the
clutch pedal to the floor while starting the
engine.
The starter motor will only operate when
the clutch pedal is pressed fully to the
floor.
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.Do not operate the starter motor
continuously for more than ten sec-
onds. If the engine fails to start after
operating the starter for five to ten
seconds, wait for ten seconds or
more before trying again.
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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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Starting and operating
7-9
7
– CONTINUED –

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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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
8-19
8
– CONTINUED –

Before starting out on a trip

Check that the vehicle and vehicle-to-
hitch mounting are in good condition. If
any problems are apparent, do not tow the
trailer.

Check that the vehicle sits horizontally
with the trailer attached. If the vehicle is
tipped sharply up at the front and down at
the rear, check the total trailer weight,
GVW, GAWs and tongue load again, then
confirm that the load and its distribution
are acceptable.

Check that the tire pressures are cor-
rect.

Check that the vehicle and trailer are
connected properly. Confirm that
– the trailer tongue is connected prop-
erly to the hitch ball.
– the trailer lights connector is connect-
ed properly and trailer’s brake lights illu-
minate when the vehicle’s brake pedal
is pressed, and that the trailer’s turn sig-nal lights flash when the vehicle’s turn
signal lever is operated.
– the safety chains are connected prop-
erly.
– all cargo in the trailer is secured safe-
ty in position.
– the side mirrors provide a good rear-
ward field of view without a significant
blind spot.

Sufficient time should be taken to learn
the “feel” of the vehicle/trailer combination
before starting out on a trip. In an area free
of traffic, practice turning, stopping and
backing up.

Driving with a trailer

You should allow for considerably more
stopping distance when towing a trailer.
Avoid sudden braking because it may re-
sult in skidding or jackknifing and loss of
control.

Avoid abrupt starts and sudden acceler-
ations. If your vehicle has a manual trans-
mission, always start out in first gear and
release the clutch at moderate engine rev-
olution.

Avoid uneven steering, sharp turns and
rapid lane changes.

Slow down before turning. Make a long-
er than normal turning radius because the
trailer wheels will be closer than the vehi-
cle wheels to the inside of the turn. In atight turn, the trailer could hit your vehicle.

Crosswinds will adversely affect the
handling of your vehicle and trailer, caus-
ing sway. Crosswinds can be due to
weather conditions or the passing of large
trucks or buses. If swaying occurs, firmly
grip the steering wheel and slow down im-
mediately but gradually.

When passing other vehicles, consider-
able distance is required because of the
added weight and length caused by at-
taching the trailer to your vehicle.
1) Left turn
2) Right turn
Backing up with a trailer is difficult and
takes practice. When backing up with a
trailer, never accelerate or steer rapidly.
When turning back, grip the bottom of the
When towing a trailer, steering,
stability, stopping distance and
braking performance will be dif-
ferent from normal operation. For
safety’s sake, you should employ
extra caution when towing a trail-
er and you should never speed.
You should also keep the follow-
ing tips in mind:1
2
800231
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111
Maintenance and service
Maintenance schedule ....................................... 11-3
Maintenance precautions .................................. 11-3
Before checking or servicing in the engine
compartment ........................................................ 11-4
When you do checking or servicing in the engine
compartment while the engine is running ......... 11-4
Engine hood ....................................................... 11-4
Engine compartment overview ......................... 11-6
Non-turbo models ................................................... 11-6
Turbo models .......................................................... 11-7
Engine oil ............................................................ 11-8
Checking the oil level ............................................. 11-8
Changing the oil and oil filter ................................ 11-8
Recommended grade and viscosity ..................... 11-11
Recommended grade and viscosity under severe
driving conditions ................................................ 11-11
Synthetic oil ............................................................ 11-12
Cooling system .................................................. 11-12
Cooling fan, hose and connections ...................... 11-12
Engine coolant ........................................................ 11-13
Air cleaner element ............................................ 11-15
Replacing the air cleaner element ......................... 11-16
Spark plugs ......................................................... 11-18
Recommended spark plugs ................................... 11-18
Drive belts ........................................................... 11-18
Manual transmission oil .................................... 11-19
Checking the oil level ............................................. 11-19
Recommended grade and viscosity ..................... 11-20
Automatic transmission fluid ............................ 11-20
Checking the fluid level .......................................... 11-20
Recommended fluid ............................................... 11-21
Front differential gear oil (AT vehicles) ............ 11-22
Checking the oil level ............................................. 11-22
Recommended grade and viscosity ..................... 11-22
Rear differential gear oil .................................... 11-23
Checking the gear oil level .................................... 11-23
Recommended grade and viscosity ..................... 11-23
Power steering fluid ........................................... 11-24
Checking the fluid level .......................................... 11-24
Recommended fluid ............................................... 11-25
Brake fluid ........................................................... 11-25
Checking the fluid level .......................................... 11-25
Recommended brake fluid ..................................... 11-26
Clutch fluid (MT vehicles) .................................. 11-26
Checking the fluid level .......................................... 11-26
Recommended clutch fluid .................................... 11-27
Brake booster ..................................................... 11-27
Brake pedal ......................................................... 11-27
Checking the brake pedal free play ...................... 11-27
Checking the brake pedal reserve distance ......... 11-28
Clutch pedal (MT vehicles) ................................ 11-28
Checking the clutch function ................................ 11-28
Checking the clutch pedal free play ..................... 11-28
Replacement of brake pad and lining ............... 11-29
Breaking-in of new brake pads and linings .......... 11-29
Parking brake stroke .......................................... 11-30
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11 - 6
Maintenance and service
Engine compartment overview
Non-turbo models
12 3456
7 8 9 10 11
1312
B00464
1) Air cleaner element (page 11-15)
2) Manual transmission oil level gauge
(MT) (page 11-19) or Differential gear
oil level gauge (AT) (page 11-22)
3) Clutch fluid reservoir (page 11-26)
4) Automatic transmission fluid level
gauge (page 11-20)
5) Brake fluid reservoir (page 11-25)
6) Fuse box (page 11-40)
7) Battery (page 11-39)
8) Windshield washer tank (page 11-35)
9) Engine coolant reservoir
(page 11-13)
10) Engine coolant reservoir
oil level gauge (page 11-8)
11) Engine oil level gauge filler cap
(page 11-8)
12) Radiator cap (page 11-13)
13) Power steering fluid reservoir
(page 11-24)
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