2006 SAAB 9-5 ESP

135 Interior equipment and trunk
Folding the narrow section of the backrestThe folding is facilitated if the front seat is not too far back.
1 Make sure that the head restraint is in the down position. For
height adjustment refer to page 21.
2 Put the safety belt in the belt clip near the backrest.
3 Raise the rear seat cushion by pulling the loop located at the rear
of the cushion.
4 Fold the narrow section (right) of the backrest forward by raising
the opening handle.
5 Adjust the front seat for optimal passenger comfort.NOTICEThe safety belts for the outer seating positions should be put in
their respective belt clips near the back rest to prevent them being
pinched when the rear seat is raised to the upright position, see
illustration page 133.
IB3128
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136 Interior equipment and trunkLoad anchoring
Driving with the trunk lid/tailgate open, see
page 185.
WARNING
 Put heavy loads as low down and as
far forward as possible in the luggage
compartment, i.e. against the back of
the rear seat.
Never overload the cargo net
. If the
elastic breaks this may cause personal
injury. Do not use a cargo net that
shows signs of wear.
 Never stack cargo so high that any part
of the cargo lies above the edge of the
backrest, if a cargo guard
is not
being used.
 Always tie down the cargo so that it
cannot be thrown forward during
heavy braking or in the event of a
crash.
 Unsecured and heavy cargo can
increase the risk of injury during hard
braking, sudden avoidance maneu-
vers and in the event of a crash.
 For the best load anchoring, use the
special cargo tie down eye and load
straps
.
 Load the cargo tie down eyes evenly.
Never attach more than one strap to
each tie down eye.
 Provide protection on sharp edges to
prevent damage to the load straps.
 Never use the elastic floor net
and
elastic side net (accessory) when the
rear seat is folded down. These nets
are only intended to keep light objects
tidy, not for the anchoring of loads.
 If possible, avoid having the rear seat
folded down when driving with a heavy
load because the anchoring possibili-
ties are restricted when the rear seat is
in this position. That the rear seat is
in the upright position is a basic
requirement for protection against
cargo displacement in the event of
a crash.
 Cargo can intrude into the passenger
compartment during a sudden stop or
front crash if the outer safety belts are
not fastened. Check that the two red
warning-indication flags are fully
down. This shows that the backrests
are locked.
WARNING
 Match the speed and driving style
according to how the car is loaded.
The driving characteristics of the car
can be affected because the center of
gravity is altered when there is a cargo
in the luggage compartment.
 An object weighing 55 lbs. (25 kg) cor-
responds to a weight of 2200 lbs.
(1000 kg) in a head on crash at
32 mph (50 km/h).
 Adjust the car’s load (passengers and
luggage) so that the gross vehicle
weight or the axle weight is not
exceeded, see page 260.
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137 Interior equipment and trunk
On the floor of the luggage compartment
there may be two longitudinal aluminium
rails (CargoTracks™) where accessory
cargo tie down eye can be mounted.
Fitting a lashing eye:
1 Hold it between your forefinger and
middle finger with the ring up.
2 Press down the spring centre section
with your thumb.
3 Insert the centre section into one of the
holes and move the lashing eye forward
or back slightly to fit it into the middle of
the recess in the rail.
4 Release it.
5 Check that the lashing eye is firmly fitted
by pulling on it.Items for load anchoring:
 Cargo tie down eye
.
 Special load straps
.
Items to keep light objects tidy
:
 Elastic floor cargo net
.
 Elastic side cargo net for the right-hand
side of the luggage compartment
.
The elastic nets may only be used to keep
light objects tidy, not for anchoring.
The floor net should be attached to the
cargo tie down eye that are mounted on the
CargoTracks™. Place the tie down eyes as
far forward and as far back as possible on
the CargoTracks™.
The side netting should be attached to the
two tie down eyes which are included in the accessory kit and to two of the eyes
mounted on the right-hand CargoTrack™
on the floor.
The cargo tie down eyes, load straps and
elastic nets are stored in the two floor lock-
ers on the right- and left-hand side of the
luggage compartment. The lockers are
opened by lifting the respective fabric loop.
NOTICEDo not place any objects so that the
demisting and antenna elements on the
inside of the window could be damaged.
IB4092
Cargo tie down eye
mounted on the lon-
gitudinal rails

IB1216
Example of cargo anchoring
IB1215
Elastic cargo net for lighter objects.
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141 Starting and driving
IB3878
Starting and driving
Ignition switch ________ 142
Starting the engine ____ 143
Important considerations
for driving___________ 146
Refueling ____________ 148
Engine Break-In Period_ 152
Gear changing ________ 152
Cruise control ________ 161
Braking ______________ 162
Electronic Stability
Program (ESP) _______ 165
Economical motoring __ 172
Driving in cold weather_ 174
Driving in hot weather _ 175
Towing a trailer




_____ 176 Driving with a roof rack
load________________ 181
Driving at night _______ 183
Driving with a load ____ 183
Driving with a spare
wheel fitted _________ 185
Driving with the trunk
lid/tailgate open______ 185
Driving in deep water __ 185
Towing the car________ 185
Jump starting ________ 188
Saab Parking
Assistance




________ 170
Parking brake ________ 167
Parking ______________ 168

Asterisk means: equipment not fitted in all cars
(can depend on model variant, engine variant,
market specification, options or accessories).
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146 Starting and drivingImportant
considerations for
drivingThe engine-management system in the
Saab 9-5 is called Saab Trionic T7. The
system manages the ignition, fuel injection
and turbo boost pressure.
The Trionic T7 system developed by Saab
is an intelligent engine-management
system designed to achieve optimum driv-
ability under differing driving conditions.
The system makes adjustments automati-
cally, for instance, if the car is being driven
at altitude (oxygen-deficient air), for differ-
ent grades of fuel (AON 87–93) and for dif-
ferent load conditions.
1 Starting and driving
 Refrain from using full throttle before
the engine has warmed up (before
needle in mid-range on temperature
gauge).
 A safety function prevents the engine
from revving faster than 6,000 rpm by
limiting the induction air.
2 Stopping the engine
 Do not rev the engine immediately
before switching it off – stop the engine
when it is idling.
3 Regulating the boost pressure
 One of the advantages of boost pres-
sure regulation is that the engine can
also be run safely on gasoline with a
lower octane rating, although not lower than AON 87. However, engine perfor-
mance will fall slightly and heavy load-
ing and laboring should be avoided. For
optimum performance, use the recom-
mended grade of fuel.
 The maximum boost pressure is
adjusted automatically to the knocking
or pinging tendency of the engine.
Occasional, short-lived knocking when
the engine is under a heavy load is per-
fectly normal; the extent will depend on
the grade of fuel in the tank.
 Isolated instances of knocking are
more likely to occur with low-octane
fuel. This controlled form of knocking,
followed by a reduction in the boost
pressure, is a sign that the wastegate is
functioning and is perfectly safe for the
engine.

NOTICE If the engine sounds strange there is a
fault in the system. Have the car
checked without delay by a workshop.
We recommend that you contact an
authorized Saab dealer.
 The use of fuel with too low an octane
rating can cause serious engine
damage.
WARNING
If the engine is being run with the car on a
rolling road or dynamometer, longer than
for a standard state emission inspection,
to ensure adequate cooling, air must be
blown into the engine compartment and
under the car at a rate equivalent to the
ram-air effect that would be obtained at
the corresponding road speed.
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149 Starting and driving
Refueling
1 Switch off the engine.
2 Open the filler cap, located in the
right-hand rear fender.
3 Insert the fuel pump nozzle beyond the
flange on the filler pipe and let the first
mark (a ring, a pimple or the first
spring-coil) rest on the flange. Do not
withdraw the nozzle while filling is in
progress.
4 Cease refueling the first time the pump
stops, and wait a few seconds after
you´ve finished pumping before you
remove the nozzle.Filler cap
When you put the filler cap back on, turn it
to the right (clockwise) until you hear three
clicks. Make sure you fully install the cap.
The most effective way to prevent conden-
sation forming in the tank (and thus avoid
possible running problems) is to keep the
tank well filled.
Before the onset of freezing temperatures in
winter, it may be advisable to add gasoline
anti-freeze to the fuel a few times to dispel
any condensation in the system.The fuel door has a built in filler cap holder
slot located on the fuel door. Slide the white
ring on the cap into the slot.
Notice: If you need a new fuel cap, be sure
to get the right type. Your dealer can get one
for you. If you get the wrong type, it may not
fit properly
WARNING
If a fire starts while you are refueling, do
not remove the nozzle. Shut off the flow of
fuel by shutting off the pump or by notify-
ing the station attendant. Leave the area
immediately.
NOTICE Fill to maximum filling capacity.
 Stop filling after the first time that the
nozzle trips to shut off the flow of fuel.
 Filling capacity can differ between
different fuel stations and outside
temperature. Fuel tank volume when
nozzle trips to shut off, may vary by
0.5 gal. (2 liters).
 Do not fill fuel all the way up the filler
pipe. The gasoline must be allowed
room for expansion especially during
hot weather.
When refueling, hang the filler cap inside
the fuel door
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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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