2006 SAAB 9-5 transmission oil

64 Instruments and controlsAutochecking of lights,
main instrument panel The above warning and indicator lights
should come on when the ignition is
switched on prior to starting. They should go
out after about 3 seconds.
The following lights light up until the engine
is started, presuming that no fault exists:
 Oil pressure warning light .
 Warning, charging .
InstrumentsTachometerThe tachometer indicates the engine speed
in thousands of revolutions per minute. The
needle may be allowed to enter the broken
red zone on the dial only for an instant.
A safety cut-out function (in the fuel system)
prevents the engine speed from exceeding
approximately 6,000 rpm.
Odometer and trip meter The odometer records the distance traveled
in miles on U.S. vehicles and on Canadian
vehicles the distance indicated is in kilome-
tres, and the trip meter in miles and tenths
(kilometres and tenths of kilometres on
Canadian vehicles). Reset button The reset button has two functions, deter-
mined by whether the ignition is ON or OFF.
 When the ignition is ON, pressing the
button will reset the trip meter.
 When the ignition is OFF, the display
lights up enabling you to read the odome-
ter and trip meter. Pressing the button a
second time will reset the trip meter.
IB3947
1 Cars with automatic transmission
IB3847
IB4157
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144 Starting and drivingIt is possible for air to enter the lubricating
system in conjunction with an oil or oil-filter
change, or if the car has been stored for
some time. This air can cause the hydraulic
cam followers to emit a ticking noise, which
can persist for up to 15 minutes after start-
ing. Although this is quite normal and does
not indicate any malfunction, it is advisable
not to exceed 3,000 rpm before the noise
has disappeared.
The hydraulic cam lifters are completely
service free; the valve clearance is set up at
the factory and will not need any subse-
quent adjustment.
Starting the engineAvoid racing the engine or putting a heavy
load on it before it has warmed up. Drive
away as soon as the oil warning light has
been extinguished to enable the engine to
attain its normal temperature as quickly as
possible.
The engine has an automatic choke and
should be started as follows:
Cars with manual transmission
To start the engine the clutch pedal must
be fully depressed.
1 Depress the clutch pedal fully but do not
touch the accelerator.
2 Start the engine. Let the ignition key
spring back as soon as the engine has
started and is running smoothly – at very
low temperatures, you may need to run
the starter for up to 25 seconds. Wait
20–30 seconds before running the
starter again, to give the battery time to
recover.
Note:
On cars with manual transmission, if the
starter fails to engage when the ignition key
is turned to the start position, make sure the
clutch pedal is full depressed. Misposi-
tioned floor mats or other obstructions
under the clutch pedal may affect starting.
Let the engine idle for about 10 seconds.
Do not open the throttle wide for at least
2–3 minutes after starting. Cars with automatic transmission





1 The selector lever must be in the P or N
position.
2 Keep your foot on the brake pedal.
3 Start the engine. Let the ignition key
spring back as soon as the engine has
started and is running smoothly – at very
low temperatures, you may need to run
the starter for up to 25 seconds. Wait
20–30 seconds before running the
starter again, to give the battery time to
recover.
Let the engine idle for about 10 seconds. Do
not open the throttle wide for at least
2–3 minutes after starting.  The tail pipe of the exhaust system
can become very hot during driving.
Bear this in mind when loading and
unloading the car.
 Do not rest or sleep in the car when
parked with the engine running. There
is a risk of depressing the accelerator
which could lead to engine damage.
There is also the risk that exhaust
gases may enter the cabin.
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156 Starting and drivingIf ”Automatic transmission
, fault indicator”
 appears on the main instrument panel,
the system has detected a fault in the auto-
matic transmission or its control module
(see page 62).
This also means that the Limp-home mode
has been selected, to guard against further
damage being done to the transmission. In
this mode, the automatic transmission
starts in 5th gear, and gear changes (if nec-
essary) will have to be made manually.
Stop the car in a safe place. Switch off then
restart the engine. If the fault is intermittent,
the transmission will operate as normal
despite the fault indicator being on. Have
the car checked at a workshop. We recom-
mend that you contact an authorized Saab
dealer.
It is not possible to select the SPORT or
Sentronic mode when the Limp-home mode
is active.
Gear changes must be made manually.
The following gears will be engaged in the
respective selector positions when the auto-
matic transmission is in Limp-home mode:
Overheated transmission fluid If the automatic-transmission fluid should
overheat, the following message will appear
on the SID:
”Gearbox too hot.
Make a safe stop.”
In this event, stop the car in a suitable place,
switch off the engine and open the hood.
Wait for several minutes then turn on the
ignition to check that the message has gone
out. When driving subsequent to the trans-
mission fluid overheating, select a gear in
which the engine speed is about 3,000 rpm.
Overheating of the automatic-transmission
fluid can occur when the car is towing a
heavy load, such as a camping trailer in hilly
country. High ambient temperatures can
also increase the temperature of the trans-
mission fluid or the oil cooler may be faulty.
Contact a workshop. We recommend that
you contact an authorized Saab dealer (see
also page 176).
Automatic transmission




,
fault indicator
Position R D M L
Gear Reverse 5th 5th 2nd
NOTICEIf the control module has actuated the
Limp-home function for the automatic
transmission, the car will remain in 5th
gear when D is selected, making it very
sluggish.
Select position L to prevent unnecessary
wear on the transmission. The transmis-
sion then starts in 2nd gear. Once the car
is moving you can select position D.
When the indicator light is on, the car
must not be driven with a caravan or
trailer attached.
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157 Starting and driving
Driving on hilly roads with a
heavy loadThe transmission fluid can overheat when
the gearbox is strained, for example, when
driving with a trailer on hilly roads. To avoid
the transmission fluid overheating, always
drive in Normal mode. The adaptive gear
change patterns are then active.
High air temperatures or a faulty oil cooler
can also cause the transmission fluid to
overheat. Overheating reduces the service
life of the fluid. Contact an authorized Saab
dealer (see also page 176).
Towing Towing of cars with automatic transmission,
see page 185.
Descending hillsIf the speed of the car increases while
descending a steep hill, despite the acceler-
ator being released, the control module will
change down a gear when you brake. If you
desire more powerful engine braking, man-
ually select a lower gear.
WARNING
Remember to use engine-braking (selec-
tor position D or L) to spare the brakes
when you are driving on a long or steep
downhill slope.
Brake failure can result from overheated
brakes!
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160 Starting and drivingIf you move the selector lever from D to L, down shifts will follow a
set pattern to avoid damaging the engine or transmission.
Manual gear-changing is not recommended on slippery roads.
If one of the drive wheels spins excessively, the engine torque will
be reduced to avoid damaging the transmission.Adaptive gear-change patternsAdaptive gear-change patterns are selected automatically depend-
ing on the engine load and the present temperature of the transmis-
sion. The function is available in Normal and Sport modes.
The changes occur at a higher engine speed and the car remains in
the same gear for longer, if the transmission control module senses
that the load has not decreased. These gear-change patterns pre-
vent unnecessary changing up and down, when for example driving
up or down long slopes with a trailer or caravan, and to prevent over-
heating the transmission oil. The adaptive gear-change function is
also selected automatically when the transmission oil becomes too
hot, to protect the transmission itself from damage and to lower the
oil temperature.
The adaptive gear-change pattern function is deselected when:
 The engine is switched off.
 The load is reduced so much that the function is no longer
required.
 ”Automatic transmission
, fault indicator” appears on main
instrument panel, see page 156.
SPORT modes
To select Sport mode, press the ”S” button on
the selector lever when the selector lever is in
position N or D.
In this mode, gear changes will take place at
higher engine speeds than in Normal mode, in
other words, the transmission will change up
later and change down earlier for the same throt-
tle (accelerator) position.
The Sport mode will be deselected if:
 The S button is pressed.
 The selector lever is moved to position P,R, M
or L.
 The engine is switched off.
 ”Automatic transmission
, fault indicator”
appears on main instrument panel, see
page 156.
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187 Starting and driving
Towing the car Gear lever in neutral (in cars with automatic
transmission: selector lever at N (neutral))
Turn on the parking lights.
Drive carefully and do not exceed the
speed limit for vehicles being towed.
Always try to keep the towrope taut by
gently applying the brake, as necessary.
This will avoid the towrope being jerked
violently.
The local regulations on towing speeds
must be followed.
The highest permissible towing speed is
30 mph (50 km/h), unless the legal limit is
lower. The longest permissible towing dis-
tance is 30 miles (50 km). If the car has to
be transported farther than that, summon a
tow truck. A flat bed tow truck is the pre-
ferred method to tow.
Failure to follow these guidelines can result
in damage.Cars with automatic transmission
The car cannot be push started. In an emer-
gency, it is possible to start the engine using
jump leads (see the section, ”Jump starting”
on page 188).
Transporting the car
NOTICENever use the towing eyes to pull the
car unstuck.
NOTICE The car must be towed front first.
 If the car is to be towed with the front
wheels off the ground, make sure the
parking brake is off, as this acts on the
rear wheels.
NOTICEIf a car with a sport (lowered) chassis is
transported, for example on a flat bed
truck, take extra care not to damage the
spoiler and/or underbody.
Never use the towing eyes to pull the car
unstuck
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191 Car care and technical information
IB3888
Hood ________________ 192
Engine compartment __ 193
Emission control
systems ____________ 194
Engine ______________ 196
Engine oil ____________ 196
Transmission fluid ____ 198
Coolant ______________ 198
Brake and clutch fluid__ 199
Power steering fluid ___ 201
Air filter _____________ 201
Battery ______________ 202
Drive belts ___________ 204
Wipers and washers ___ 205
Changing bulbs _______ 207
Fuses _______________ 219 Tires ________________ 225
Compact spare tire ____ 237
Safety belts __________ 242
Upholstery and trim ___ 243
Textile carpeting ______ 243
Washing the car ______ 244
Waxing and polishing __ 245
Engine compartment __ 245
Touching up the paint _ 245
Air conditioning (ACC) _ 246
Anti-corrosion treatment 248
For long trips _________ 249
Recovery and/or
recycling of automotive
materials ___________ 250
Headlight aiming ______ 250
Car care and technical information

Asterisk means: equipment not fitted in all cars
(can depend on model variant, engine variant,
market specification, options or accessories).
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196 Car care and technical informationEngineThe 2.3-liter model is a transverse, 4-cylin-
der in-line engine with twin overhead cam-
shafts and 4 valves per cylinder.
This engine is equipped with balance shafts
that reduce engine vibration to a minimum.
The balance shafts are chain driven and
rotate at twice the speed of the crankshaft.
They produce forces and torques that are
opposed to those generated by the pistons
and connecting rods, an effect that occurs
twice for each revolution of the engine.
Engine noise is also reduced as the
counter-rotating shafts counteract the vibra-
tion from the moving parts of the engine.
The transmission, located on the right
(viewed from the front), is integrated with
the engine. All models have front-wheel
drive.
Engine oilChecking the oil level Check the engine-oil level regularly. This
should be done after the engine has been
run to normal temperature and then allowed
to cool for 2–5 minutes, with the car stand-
ing on level ground. Remove the dipstick
and wipe it clean before checking the level.
The oil level must not be allowed to drop
below the MIN mark on the dipstick, nor
should oil be filled beyond the MAX mark, as
this can lead to excessive oil consumption.
The distance between the MIN and MAX
marks on the dipstick corresponds to a
volume of approximately 1.05 qts (1 liter).When necessary, add oil of the recom-
mended grade via the dipstick tube.
Recommended oil grade, see page 263.
NOTICE Do not operate the engine with a low
oil level.
 Change engine oil and oil filter as pre-
scribed in the service programme.
 Only use the recommended oil type.
Follow the three points listed above to
avoid severe engine damage.
More frequent oil changes are recom-
mended if your vehicle is operated under
certain conditions, see page 254.
IB601
Balance shafts
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