2006 SAAB 9-5 key

153 Starting and driving
Towing Towing of cars with manual transmission,
see page 185.
Automatic transmission





The electronic control module for the auto-
matic transmission receives information on
engine torque and road speed, and also
controls the hydraulic pressure in the trans-
mission to ensure that gear changing is as
smooth as possible.
The position of the selector lever is shown
by the symbols adjacent to the lever and
also by an indicator on the main instrument
panel. If manual mode (M) is selected, the
current gear is also displayed on the main
instrument panel.
The ignition key can only be removed when
the selector lever is in the P position.
NOTICEWhen the reverse gear is to be engaged
the car must be at a standstill with the
accelerator fully released. Lift the reverse
lock-out collar and push the gear lever
firmly to the right in neutral before easing
it into reverse.
WARNING
 Make it a habit to keep your foot on the
brake when selecting a drive position,
to prevent the car   creeping for-
ward (or backward if reverse is
selected).
 The car must be at a standstill before
P, R or N is selected. You have to have
your foot on the brake pedal to move
the lever out of P. If the car is still
moving when a drive position is subse-
quently selected, this could cause a
crash or damage the automatic trans-
mission.
 Never park the car with the selector
lever in a drive position, even if the
parking brake is on.
 If you want to leave the car with the
engine running, move the selector
lever to P or N and apply the parking
brake.
Selector lever
IB471
13
25
R
4
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155 Starting and driving
Lock-up function The automatic transmission has a lock-up
function, which can render the torque con-
verter inoperative in 3rd, 4th and 5th gears,
thus reducing the engine speed and fuel
consumption.
When the lock-up function comes into oper-
ation, it may give the impression of an over-
drive being engaged.Kick-downWhen the accelerator is pressed down hard,
a change-down to the next gear will be
effected to provide maximum acceleration,
e.g. for overtaking.
Following this, the next higher gear will be
selected at the optimum engine speed for
acceleration or, if you ease off the acceler-
ator, before reaching this.
Park Brake Shift LockThe transmission has a security function
known as Park Brake Shift Lock. To move
the gear selector out of the P position, the
brake pedal must be depressed at the same
time as the gear selector catch (detent) is
pressed in.
Shift Lock override
Check fuse No. 1 (see page 221). If the
problem was cured by changing the fuse or
battery, you do not have to contact a work-
shop.
If the fuse blows again as soon as the Shift
Lock feature is activated you should contact
a workshop. We recommend that you con-
tact an authorized Saab dealer.If the fuse is OK, check the battery regarding
the voltage.
1 Apply the parking brake
2 Make sure the key is in position ON
3 Use a small tool such as a screwdriver
and push the lever (see picture) down-
wards so that the detent button can be
pressed approx. 10 mm
4 Move the selector out of position P to N
5 Remove the tool
6 Release the parking brake if the car is to
be moved immediately; otherwise keep
it applied.NOTICEDue to electrical problems it may not be
possible to move the selector out of the
park position, even if the ignition is ON. If
for some reason the selector has to be
moved out of the park position (i.e. to tow
the car a short distance) do as described
below.
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159 Starting and driving
Selector positions
P
To shift out of the P position you must
depress the brake pedal and the ignition
must be ON.
The parking position (P) must only be selected
when the car is at a complete standstill. The
selector lever is locked and the transmission is
mechanically immobilized. Always apply the
parking brake after parking the car.
The engine can be started. The key can be
removed.
R
The reverse (R) position must only be selected
when the car is at a complete standstill. The
detent-release button must be pressed before
the selector lever can be moved to R. Wait until
reverse gear has engaged (car starts to creep)
before touching the accelerator.
N
In the Neutral position (N), the transmission is
disengaged from the engine. The engine can be
started, but first ensure that the parking brake is
on, to prevent the car from moving off unexpect-
edly.
To prevent the engine and transmission from
becoming hotter than necessary, select N for
stops other than brief ones, e.g. if stuck in a traf-
fic jam.
The normal drive position (D) is recommended
for waiting at traffic lights.
D
The Drive position (D) is the position for normal
motoring. Gear changes between 1st and 5th
will take place automatically, the timing of which
is determined by the throttle (accelerator) posi-
tion and the speed of the car.
After moving the selector lever to D, pause to
give the gear time to engage (car starts to pull).
M
Move the selector lever from position D to M to
allow you to change gear manually. Refer to
page 158.
L
Select position L if you wish to drive in 1st gear.
No upchanges will be made if you pull off in posi-
tion L. If you move the selector lever from posi-
tion D or M to L at a high vehicle speed, the
transmission will automatically shift down
through 4th, 3rd and 2nd gears to 1st gear,
depending on the car’s speed. Use this position
for descending steep hills if the car is heavily
loaded to spare the brakes.
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166 Starting and drivingESP indicator lightThe indicator light on the main instru-
ment comes on for a short period of time
when the ESP system is operative.
Operation of the ESP indicates reduced
cohesion between the tires and the road,
and that extra care should be taken by the
driver.ESP OFFThe light on the main instrument
comes on if:
 A fault has been detected and the system
has therefore been switched off.
 The system has been switched off manu-
ally.
 When the ignition key is turned to the ON
position, the lamp is lit for about four sec-
onds while the system undergoes a
self-test.
Turning ESP offThe system can be turned off manually with
the ESP button, whereupon the light
on the main instrument panel will come on.
The ESP system cannot be switched off if
the car is travelling faster than 35 mph
(60 km/h).
The ESP is always operative during brak-
ing, even if it has been switched off manu-
ally.NOTICESuspension modifications, such as
changing the type of wheels, dampers or
springs, can affect the function of the ESP
system.
Always consult a workshop before chang-
ing any suspension components. We rec-
ommend that you contact an authorized
Saab dealer.
IB3884
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167 Starting and driving
Parking brake

The parking brake is situated between the
front seats and acts on the rear wheels.
When the parking brake is on, the indicator
light on the main instrument panel will
be on. To release the parking brake, lift the
lever slightly, press the release button and
release the lever by pushing down on it.
WARNING
Always apply the parking brake when
you park the car.
Always apply the parking brake
before removing the ignition key.
 Do not use the parking brake while
driving.
IB360
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168 Starting and drivingParking
Parking on a hillWhen parking on a steep hill, turn the front
wheels so that they will be blocked by the
curb if the car should move.
WARNING
 Do not leave children or pets unat-
tended in the car. In warm, sunny
weather, the temperature inside the
car can reach 160–180°F (70–80°C).
 Park where the vehicle will not create
an obstruction or a hazard to other
road users.
 Do not park on dry grass or other com-
bustible material. The catalytic con-
verter gets very hot and could start a
fire.
 Apply the parking brake.
 Shift to Reverse for manual transmis-
sion (automatic transmission: move
selector lever to P (Park)), and remove
the ignition key. Lock the car.
NOTICEEmpty the car yourself and bear in mind:
 Never leave a mobile phone, camera,
computer or similar object visible in
your car.
 Clothing, packages and bags attract
thieves.
 Do not leave small objects such as
CDs, sunglasses and coins visible.
 If possible, park in a well-lit,
conspicuous parking space.
 Thieves strike whenever and wher-
ever they are given the opportunity.
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171 Starting and driving
When an object is approximately 3 feet
(90 cm) from the car, the sound pulses
change character markedly. A distance of
about 3 feet (90 cm) is suitable if you wish
to load or unload the luggage compartment.
If the distance between an object and the
corner sensors does not change for three
seconds, e.g. if you are reversing alongside
a wall, the system will switch to monitoring
straight back. The system indicates if the
distance to the wall decreases again.
The system can be disengaged for when
driving with a trailer. Press and hold the
CLEAR button on the SID when the display
shows "PARK ASSIST", until the display
shows "PARK ASSIST OFF". The system is
re-engaged in the same way. The system is
also always activated when the ignition key
is turned to ON. Pressing a SID button briefly will not disen-
gage the system, the display will simply
show the previously selected function.
Ice, snow and dirt can affect the sensitivity
of the sensors. In such cases a continuous
tone will sound warning the driver that the
system cannot measure the distance to an
object. You can turn the system off by press-
ing and holding the CLEAR button for
1.5 seconds.
If the text "PARK ASSIST FAILURE" is dis-
played on the SID, have the system
checked by a workshop. We recommend
that you contact an authorized Saab dealer.NOTICEReverse slowly so that you have time to
stop the car when the continuous tone is
heard at approx. 12 in. (30 cm).
NOTICETo function well, the sensors must be kept
clean. Ice snow and dirt can affect their
sensitivity.
Do not spray the sensors or closer than
8 in. (20 cm) to the sensors with a pres-
sure washer, as this could damage them.
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174 Starting and drivingEngine block heater




The following are just some of the benefits
to the car and the environment of using an
engine block heater:
 Lower fuel consumption.
 Exhaust emissions substantially reduced
over short runs.
 Reduced wear on the engine.
 Inside of car warms up faster.
The engine heater is effective at outside
temperatures up to 58–68°F (+15–20:C).
The warmer it is outside, the shorter the time
the engine heater needs to be connected.
Longer than 1.5 hours is unnecessary.
If the car is equipped with a removable,
electrical cabin heater that is not in use, this
should be stored in the luggage compart-
ment.
Driving in cold weatherBefore starting a journey in cold weather
you should check the following:
 That the wiper blades have not become
frozen to the windshield/glass.
 Brush any snow away from the air intake
for the heater system (opening between
hood and windshield).
 It may be advisable to lubricate the
door-lock cylinder (use molybdenum
disulphide, MoS

) to prevent its freezing.
If the lock has frozen, take care not to
break the key (or use the remote control)
– heat it first or spray it with de-icer.
 Periodically during the winter, add gaso-
line anti-freeze to the fuel to dispel any
condensation in the fuel tank which could
freeze and cause problems in the system.
Keep the tank well filled to reduce the risk
of condensation forming.
If the car is parked outside in freezing
weather, fuel additives (gasoline
anti-freeze) will not do any good as it
cannot remove water that has already fro-
zen. Park the car in a warm place so that
any ice that may have built up melts, then
add gasoline anti-freeze when filling up
the tank. Condensation is caused by
changes in the outdoor temperature or by
the car being parked alternately in a
garage and outside.
 It is particularly important when the roads
are slippery that the brakes and tires be in
good condition. Check the anti-freeze in the engine cool-
ant, see page 198.
The car´s trip computer will warn you when
there is a risk of slippery conditions. For fur-
ther information on this function, see
page 68.
The car is equipped with tires designed to
provide optimum grip on both wet and dry
roads, although this has been achieved at
the expense of somewhat reduced grip on
snow and ice. For regular driving on snow
and ice, we therefore recommend that
winter (snow) tires be fitted.
Winter (snow) tires, particularly studded
tires (where use is legally permitted), gener-
ally make driving safer on snow and ice.
Acquaint yourself with the legal provi-
sions governing the use of different
types of winter tires and snow chains.
Studded tires are not allowed in some
countries.
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