2006 SAAB 9-5 airbag

40 SafetyFrequently asked questions
on function of airbagsDo you still need to wear a safety belt if air-
bags are fitted?
Yes, always! The airbag merely supple-
ments the car’s normal safety system.
Moreover, the airbag will only be actuated in
a moderate to severe frontal, or near-frontal
crash, which means, of course, that it pro-
vides no protection in minor frontal crashes,
major rear-end or side-on crashes or if the
car rolls over.
The safety belts help reduce the chance of
the car occupants from being thrown around
and injured or killed inside the car.
But they also ensure that, if a crash occurs
in which the airbags are inflated, the airbag
will make the optimum contact with the
occupant, i.e. square on from the front. If the
occupant meets the airbag in an offset posi-
tion, the protection afforded will be reduced.
In addition, airbags provide no protection
against a secondary impact occurring in the
same incident. So there is no doubt about
the benefit of wearing safety belts at all
times.
Do not sit too close to the airbag: it needs
room to inflate.
The airbag inflates very quickly and power-
fully in order to protect an adult person,
before they are thrown forward, in a serious
frontal crash.How do I position the seat to leave room for
the airbag to inflate?
Don’t have your seat too far forward.
Recline the seat back to increase the dis-
tance between you and the airbag. For short
drivers, special accessory pedal extensions
are available through your Saab dealer.
Airbags inflate extremely rapidly and with
great force – to be fast enough to protect an
adult in the seat.
When do the front airbags inflate?
The airbag will only be inflated under certain
predetermined conditions in a moderate to
severe frontal, or near-frontal crash,
depending on such factors as the force and
angle of the impact, the speed of the car on
impact, and the resistance to deformation of
the impacting object.
The airbag can only be activated once in the
same incident.
Do not attempt to drive the car after an
airbag has been inflated, even if it is
possible.What won’t trigger the front airbags?
The airbag will not be activated in all
front-end crashes. For instance, if the car
has hit something relatively soft and yielding
(e.g. a snow drift or a hedge) or a solid
object at a low impact speed, the airbag will
not necessarily be triggered.
How loud is the inflation?
The noise of the inflation is certainly loud,
but it is very short-lived and will not damage
your hearing. For a short time afterwards
you could experience a buzzing noise in
your ears.
Most people who have experienced it
cannot remember the noise of the inflation
at all – all they remember is the noise of the
crash.
Can you still use a child seat in the front if a
passenger airbag is installed?
Definitely not!
 Children 12 and under or shorter than
55 inches (140 cm) can be killed by the
airbag.
 The BACK SEAT is the SAFEST place for
children.
 NEVER put a child seat in the front.
 Sit as far back as possible from the airbag.
 Always use safety belts and child
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41 Safety
Are the smoke and fumes given off when the
airbag operates at all harmful?
Most people who have remained in a car
with little or no ventilation for several min-
utes complained only of minor irritation of
the throat and eyes. Avoid as far as possible
getting dust on your skin as there is a risk of
skin irritation.
If you suffer from asthma, the incident may
bring on an attack, in which case you should
follow the normal procedure advised by
your doctor. It is advisable to consult a
doctor afterwards.What should I do if the AIRBAG warning
light comes on?
If the warning light is on, it means that a fault
has been detected in the system. The
airbag cannot be relied on to operate as
intended and it might even be activated
erroneously. You should therefore take the
car to an authorized Saab dealer as soon as
possible.
Adding Equipment to Your
Airbag-Equipped VehicleIs there anything I might add to the front or
sides of the vehicle that could keep the air-
bags from working properly?
Yes. If you add things that change your vehi-
cle’s frame, bumper system, front end or
side sheet metal or height, they may keep
the airbag system from working properly.
Also, the airbag system may not work prop-
erly if you relocate any of the airbag sen-
sors. If you have any questions about this,
you should contact Saab Customer Assis-
tance before you modify your vehicle.
The phone numbers and addresses for
Customer Assistance can be found on
page 255.
Because I have a disability, I have to get my
vehicle modified. How can I find out whether
this will affect my advanced airbag system?
Changing or moving any parts of the front
seats, safety belts, the airbag sensing and
diagnostic module or the inside rearview
mirror can affect the operation of the
advanced airbag system. If you have ques-
tions, call Customer Assistance. The phone
numbers and addresses for Customer
Assistance can be found on page 255.
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61 Instruments and controls
This light will come on if a potentially serious
fault has occurred in the airbag system. The light will come on for about three sec-
onds when the ignition switch is turned to
the Start or Drive position. It should go out
after the engine has started.This light comes on when there is less than
about 2.5 gallons (10 liters) of fuel left in the
tank. This light indicates that there is a fault in the
Xenon headlight system, which consists of
xenon headlights and an automatic levelling
system.
If a fault arises in the Xenon headlight sys-
tem, the headlights will be angled down to
avoid impairing the vision of drivers in
oncoming traffic. Adjust your speed accord-
ingly as visibility will be reduced.
Airbag warning light
WARNING
 If the airbag readiness light stays on
after you start your vehicle, it means
the airbag system may not be working
properly.
 To help avoid injury to yourself or
others, have your vehicle serviced
right away if the airbag readiness light
stays on after you start your vehicle.
Indicator, fuel
NOTICE
If the car runs out of fuel, air can be drawn
in with the fuel, which, in turn, can cause
the catalytic converter to be damaged by
overheating.
Xenon headlight fault
indicator





NOTICE
If the Xenon headlight fault indicator lights
up, have your car checked as soon as
possible a workshop. We recommend
that you contact an authorized Saab
dealer.
If you do not rectify the problem, nighttime
visibility will be poor since the range of the
headlights is reduced.
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222 Car care and technical information
Relay panel under instrument panel
26 7,5 Driver seat memory
; mirrors memory
;
moonroof
; parking assistant
; seatbelt reminder;
ACC
27 10 Engine-management system; SID; main instrument
28 7.5 Airbag
29 7.5 ABS/ESP
30 7.5 Starter motor; transmission control module (cars with
automatic transmission)
31 7.5 Cruise control
; water valve; fog lights, front
; rain
sensor

32 – –
33 7.5 Direction-indicator switch
34 30 12-volt socket (cigarette lighter) front/rear
35 15 Daytime running light
36 30 Electric windows, left
37 30 Windshield wipers
38 30 Electric heating, front seats

39 20 Limp-home solenoid
# Function
A –
B Electric heating of rear seat
C1 –
C2 –
D–
E Main relay (engine management system)
F–
G Fuel pump
H Ignition switch
I Rear-window / door mirrors heating
IB3916
A
BC1
C2
L2 L1 D
GE
F
H
I
K J
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271 Specifications
1 Region ___________Y = Northern Europe
2 Country __________S = Sweden
3 Manufacturer _____3 = Saab Automobile AB
4 Product line ______E = 9-5
5 Model series ______D = 9-5 Arc with driver’s and
passenger-side airbags
H = 9-5 Aero with driver’s and
passenger-side airbags
6 Body version _____4 =
5 =4-door
5-door
7 Gearbox __________5 =
9 = Manual 5-speed
Automatic 5-speed8 Engine variant _____G = 2.3Turbo
9 Check digit ________0–9/X
10 Model year ________6 = 2006
11 Factory ___________3 = Trollhättan
12 Serial number ______000001–999999 position:1234567891011 12
||||||||||| |
V. I . N . :Y S 3 E H 4 9 G 6 6 3 045842
||||||
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273 Index
Index
AA/C system, fault diagnosis
_______ 247
A/C system, maintenance
_________ 246
ABS brakes
____________________ 162
ACC
__________________________ 79
ACC functions
___________________ 82
ACC, automatic climate control
_____ 79
ACC, calibration
_________________ 86
ACC, condensation water
__________ 86
ACC, useful tips
_________________ 86
AUX input
_____________________ 104
Adjusting the steering wheel
_______ 114
Adjustment, seats
________________ 18
Air conditioning (A/C), fault diagnosis
and maintenance ______________ 246
Airbag
_________________________ 29
Alarm _________________________ 50
Alarm functions
__________________ 53
Alarm signals
________________ 50
, 53
Album information
_______________ 104
Alternator
_____________________ 204
Alternator drive belt
__________ 204
, 265
Alternator rating
________________ 265
Antennas
______________________ 109
Anticorrosion treatment
___________ 248
Antidazzle rear-view mirror
________ 121
Ashtrays
______________________ 126
Autochecking of lights on starting
____ 64Auto-dimming rear-view mirror with
garage door opener
____________ 118
Automatic climate control (ACC)
_____ 79
Automatic transmission, technical
data
_________________________ 266
Aviod theft, tip
__________________ 168
BBattery
________________________ 202
Battery charging/replacing
________ 203
Battery, boost starting
____________ 188
Before a long journey ____________ 249
Before towing a camper or trailer
___ 179
Belt guide
______________________ 12
Boost starting using jump leads
____ 188
Brake and clutch fluid
____________ 199
Brake-fluid reservoir
_____________ 199
Brakes, technical data ____________ 267
Bulbs, changing
________________ 207
Bulbs, table of
__________________ 218
Buying new tires ________________ 228
CCD changer
____________________ 100
CHECK messages
_______________ 71
CHECKING
_____________________ 71
Car alarm
______________________ 50
Car care
______________________ 191Cargo net, 9-5 SportCombi
________ 138
Carpeting, care of
_______________ 243
Catalytic converter, important
considerations
_________________ 147
Central locking ___________________ 44
Change language in SID
___________ 72
Change of address notification
_____ 256
Changing a wheel
_______________ 239
Changing bulbs
_________________ 207
Changing wiper blades
___________ 205
Charger/Jump starting ____________ 190
Charging the battery/Jump starting
__ 190
Chassis number
________________ 270
Chassis number, key to
___________ 271
Checks before towing a camper or
trailer
________________________ 179
Child safety
_____________________ 22
Child safety locks, rear doors
_______ 47
Cleaning, engine bay
_____________ 245
Clock
_________________________ 105
Color code, body
________________ 270
Color code, trim _________________ 270
Compact spare wheel
____________ 237
Compass
______________________ 122
Condensation water, ACC
__________ 86
Connecting a portable player ______ 104
Coolant
_______________________ 198
Courtesy Headlight Feature
________ 74
Crash memory, see EDR
_________ 257
Cross modulation
_______________ 110
Cruise control
__________________ 161
Cup holder
_____________________ 129
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274 IndexDDICE/TWICE
___________________ 220
Dampers
______________________ 267
Date
_________________________ 105
Date code, tires
_________________ 237
Date display
___________________ 105
Definitions and terminology, tire
____ 234
Determining correct load, tires
_____ 236
Dim-dipped beam
________________ 73
Direction indicators _______________ 75
Diversity antenna
_______________ 109
Door handles
___________________ 44
Door mirrors
___________________ 116
Doors, locks & luggage compartment
_43
Drive belt
______________________ 265
Drive belt, alternator
_____________ 204
Drive belts, length
_______________ 265
Driver’s seat, programmable
________ 20
Driving at night
_________________ 183
Driving in hot weather
____________ 175
Driving with a load
______________ 183
EEDR (Event Data Recorders)
______ 257
ESP
__________________________ 165
Electric heating of rear seat
________ 87
Electric windows
________________ 115
Electrical system, technical data
____ 265
Electronic Stability Program, ESP __ 165Electronic starting interlock
_________ 49
Emergency operation of moonroof
__ 124
Emission control systems
_________ 194
Engine bay
____________________ 193
Engine bay, cleaning
_____________ 245
Engine number
_________________ 270
Engine oil, grade ________________ 263
Engine, description ______________ 196
Engine, technical data ____________ 262
Engine, temperature gauge
________ 65
Engine-oil level, checking
_________ 196
Error codes, Audio System ________ 112
Event Data Recorders (EDR) ______ 257
Expansion tank, coolant
__________ 198
FFilling a portable fuel container
_____ 150
Flat spots, tires
_________________ 227
Fluid level, automatic transmission
__ 198
Folding the parcel shelf,
9-5 SportCombi
________________ 134
Folding the rear seat, 9-5 Sedan
___ 130
Folding the rear seat, 9-5 SportCombi
133
Frequency band
_________________ 93
Frequently asked questions on airbag

40
Front fog lights
__________________ 76
Frost warning
___________________ 68
Fuel
__________________________ 148
Fuel consumption
________________ 68
Fuel container
__________________ 150Fuel gauge
_____________________ 65
Fuel grade _____________________ 262
Fuel information
_________________ 150
Fuse box under hood
____________ 223
Fuse panel
_____________________ 219
Fuses
_________________________ 219
GGarage door opener
_____________ 118
Gearbox number
________________ 270
Gearbox oil, checking
____________ 198
Gearbox, technical data, __________ 266
General functions
_______________ 105
Glove compartment ______________ 127
HHandbrake
_____________________ 167
Hazard warning lights
_____________ 76
Head restraint
___________________ 21
Headlight flasher _________________ 73
Headlights
______________________ 73
Heated front seats
________________ 87
Hood
_________________________ 192
Horn __________________________ 114
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275 Index
IIf a tire goes flat
________________ 231
Ignition switch
__________________ 142
Immobilizer
_____________________ 49
Indicator and warning lights
________ 58
Indicator lights
___________________ 58
Information about fuel
____________ 150
Instrument illumination ____________ 75
Instruments and controls __________ 57
Interior equipment
_______________ 113
Interior lighting
_________________ 124
Interior rearview mirror
___________ 116
JJack
_________________________ 240
KKey
___________________________ 44
Key to chassis number
___________ 271
Key, remove
___________________ 142
LLATCH (child safety)
______________ 23
Labeling, tire sidewall ____________ 232
Labels
__________________________ 7Leather upholstery, care of
________ 243
Light horn
______________________ 73
Light switches ___________________ 73
Loading MP3 discs
______________ 102
Loading your vehicle _____________ 234
Luggage-compartment lighting
_____ 125
MMP3 player
____________________ 102
Main instrument panel
_____________ 58
Main/dipped beam
_______________ 73
Maintenance schedule ___________ 254
Maintenance, A/C-system _________ 246
Manual gearbox, technical data
____ 266
Maxi fuses
_____________________ 220
Milometer ______________________ 64
Moonroof ______________________ 123
Motoring abroad
________________ 249
Multipath propagation
____________ 109
NNew tires, buying
_______________ 228
Night Panel
_____________________ 72
OOil capacity, engine
______________ 262
Oil change, engine ______________ 197Oil specification
_________________ 262
Outdoor temperature
______________ 68
Owner assistance
_______________ 255
PPaintwork, touching-in
____________ 245
Parcel shelf, folding
______________ 134
Parking Assistance ______________ 170
Parking lights
____________________ 73
Plates and labels
________________ 270
Poly-V-belt
_____________________ 204
Portable fuel container
___________ 150
Portable player
_________________ 104
Power steering _________________ 201
Power-steering fluid
______________ 201
Premium
______________________ 107
Pressure gauge
__________________ 66
Prestige
_______________________ 107
Programme type ALARM
__________ 99
QQuality grading, tires
_____________ 229
Questions on function of airbag
______ 40
RRDS time
______________________ 106
Radiator fan ____________________ 204
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