
Defogging and Defrosting
Fog on the inside of the windows is a result of moisture
condensing on the cool window glass. This can be
reduced if the climate control system is used properly.
You can use either defog or front defrost to clear
fog or frost from your windshield.
-(Defog):Use this setting to clear the windows of fog
or moisture. This setting will deliver air to the oor
and windshield outlets.
0(Front Defrost):Press the front defrost button to
clear the windshield and side windows of frost or
fog quickly. The system will automatically control the fan
speed if you select defrost from AUTO mode. If the
outside temperature is 40°F (4°C) or warmer, your air
conditioning compressor will automatically run to
help dehumidify the air and dry the windshield. Do not
drive the vehicle until all the windows are clear.
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a warming grid to
remove fog from the rear window.
<(Rear):Press this button to turn the rear window
defogger on or off.
An indicator light in the button will come on to let you
know that the rear window defogger is activated.
The rear window defogger will turn off approximately
10 minutes after the button is pressed. If you need
additional warming time, press the button again.
If equipped, your heated mirrors will also come on when
you press this button.
Notice:Do not use a razor blade or sharp object to
clear the inside rear window. Do not adhere
anything to the defogger grid lines in the rear glass.
These actions may damage the rear defogger.
Repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
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Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
Your vehicle has the passenger sensing system,
Your rearview mirror has a passenger airbag status
indicator.
When the ignition key is turned to RUN or START, the
passenger airbag status indicator will light ON and
OFF, or the symbol for on and off, for several seconds
as a system check.Then, after several more seconds, the status indicator
will light either ON or OFF, or either the on or off symbol
to let you know the status of the right front passenger’s
frontal airbag.
If the word ON or the on symbol is lit on the passenger
airbag status indicator, it means that the right front
passenger’s frontal airbag is enabled (may in ate).
{CAUTION:
If the on indicator comes on when you have a
rear-facing child restraint installed in the right
front passenger’s seat, it means that the
passenger sensing system has not turned off
the passenger’s frontal airbag. A child in a
rear-facing child restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right front passenger’s
airbag in ates. This is because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would be very close
to the in ating airbag. Do not use a rear-facing
child restraint in the right front passenger’s
seat if the airbag is turned on. Passenger Airbag Status Indicator – United States
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator – Canada
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DIC Warnings and Messages
Messages are displayed on the DIC to notify the driver
that the status of the vehicle has changed and that
some action may be needed by the driver to correct the
condition. More than one message may appear at
one time. They will appear one after the other. Some
messages may not require immediate action, but
you should press the trip stem on the instrument panel
cluster or any of the DIC buttons to acknowledge
that you received the message and to clear it from the
display. Some messages cannot be cleared from
the display because they are more urgent. These
messages require action before they can be removed
from the DIC display. The following are the possible
messages that can be displayed and some information
about them.
BATTERY NOT CHARGING
If the battery is not charging during operation, this
message will appear on the DIC. Driving with this
problem could drain your battery. Have the electrical
system checked by your Saab dealer as soon as
possible. SeeVoltmeter Gage on page 3-32. Press the
select button to acknowledge this message and clear
it from the DIC display.
CHANGE ENGINE OIL
This message is displayed when the engine oil needs to
be changed and service is required for your vehicle.
SeeScheduled Maintenance on page 6-4andEngine
Oil on page 5-16for more information. Also seeEngine
Oil Life System on page 5-19for information on how
to reset the message. This message will clear itself after
10 seconds until the next ignition cycle.
CHECK WASHER FLUID
If the washer uid level is low, this message will appear
on the DIC. Adding washer uid to the windshield
washer uid reservoir will clear the message. See
Windshield Washer Fluid on page 5-36. Press the select
button to acknowledge this message and clear it from
the DIC display.
CURB VIEW ACTIVATED
The CURB VIEW ACTIVATED message is displayed
when the passenger outside rearview mirror moves into
the curb view position. SeeOutside Curb View Assist
Mirror on page 2-42for more information.
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Curb View
Press the customization button until CURB VIEW: OFF
appears in the display. To select your preference for
curb view, press the select button while CURB VIEW:
OFF is displayed on the DIC. Pressing the select button
will scroll through the following choices:
CURB VIEW: OFF (default):The passenger’s outside
mirror will not be tilted down when the vehicle is
shifted into REVERSE (R).
CURB VIEW: PASSENGER:The passenger’s outside
mirror will be tilted down when the vehicle is shifted
into REVERSE (R).
When the vehicle is placed in PARK (P) or in any
forward gear, the mirror will return to the normal driving
position, following a short delay.
Choose one of the available options and press the
customization button while it is displayed on the DIC to
select it and move on to the next feature. For more
information on tilt mirror in reverse, seeOutside Curb
View Assist Mirror on page 2-42.
Alarm Warning
Press the customization button until ALARM WARNING:
BOTH appears in the display. To select your preference
for alarm warning, press the select button while
ALARM WARNING: BOTH is displayed on the DIC.
Pressing the select button will scroll through the
following choices:
ALARM WARNING: BOTH (default):The headlamps
will ash and the horn will chirp when the alarm is
active.
ALARM WARNING: HORN:The horn will chirp when
the alarm is active.
ALARM WARNING: LAMPS:The headlamps will ash
when the alarm is active.
ALARM WARNING: OFF:There will be no alarm
warning on activation.
Choose one of the available options and press the
customization button while your choice is displayed on
the DIC to select it and move on to the next feature.
For more information on alarm warning type, see
Content Theft-Deterrent on page 2-16.
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Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass
while you are awaiting an opportunity. For one thing,
following too closely reduces your area of vision,
especially if you are following a larger vehicle. Also,
you will not have adequate space if the vehicle
ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a
reasonable distance.
When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up,
start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and do
not get too close. Time your move so you will be
increasing speed as the time comes to move into
the other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you will
have a running start that more than makes up for
the distance you would lose by dropping back. And
if something happens to cause you to cancel your
pass, you need only slow down and drop back again
and wait for another opportunity.
If other vehicles are lined up to pass a slow vehicle,
wait your turn. But take care that someone is not
trying to pass you as you pull out to pass the slow
vehicle. Remember to glance over your shoulder
and check the blind spot.
Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder, and
start your left lane change signal before moving out
of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough
ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your
inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal
and move back into the right lane. Remember that
your passenger side outside mirror is convex. The
vehicle you just passed may seem to be farther away
from you than it really is.
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on
two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the next
vehicle.
Do not overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly.
Even though the brake lamps are not ashing, it may
be slowing down or starting to turn.
If you are being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps
you can ease a little to the right.
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Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems — brakes,
steering, and acceleration — do not have enough friction
where the tires meet the road to do what the driver has
asked.
In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to steer
and constantly seek an escape route or area of less
danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not overdriving
those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels
are not rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too
much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to
slip and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration
skid, too much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot
off the accelerator pedal.If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety, you
will want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer
and vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try your
best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration, or braking,
including engine braking by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause the tires to slide. You may
not realize the surface is slippery until your vehicle is
skidding. Learn to recognize warning clues — such as
enough water, ice, or packed snow on the road to make
a mirrored surface — and slow down when you have
any doubt.
Remember: Any Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
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Off-Road Driving
Your vehicle does not have features like added ground
clearance, special underbody shielding, and a transfer
case low gear range, things that are necessary for
extended or severe off-road service. You should not
drive off-road unless you are on a level, solid surface.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely to be
impaired — by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Do not drink and drive.
Adjust the inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare
from headlamps behind you.
Since you cannot see as well, you may need to
slow down and keep more space between you
and other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
vehicle’s headlamps can light up only so much road
ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as
we get older these differences increase. A 50-year-old
driver may require at least twice as much light to see the
same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your night
vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes will
have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you are driving,
do not wear sunglasses at night. They may cut down on
glare from headlamps, but they also make a lot of things
invisible.
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Freeway Driving
Mile for mile, freeways — also called thruways, parkways,
expressways, turnpikes, or superhighways — are the
safest of all roads. But they have their own special rules.
The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep up
with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same speed
most of the other drivers are driving. Too-fast or too-slow
driving breaks a smooth traffic ow. Treat the left lane on
a freeway as a passing lane.At the entrance, there is usually a ramp that leads to the
freeway. If you have a clear view of the freeway as you
drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin to check
traffic. Try to determine where you expect to blend
with the ow. Try to merge into the gap at close to the
prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal, check your
mirrors, and glance over your shoulder as often as
necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic ow.
Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the
posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it is slower. Stay in
the right lane unless you want to pass.
Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use
your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your
shoulder to make sure there is not another vehicle in
your blind spot.
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the
proper lane well in advance. If you miss your exit,
do not, under any circumstances, stop and back up.
Drive on to the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance at
higher speeds, you may tend to think you are going
slower than you actually are.
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