
Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-6
Safety Belts
.............................................. 1-8
Child Restraints
.......................................1-27
Airbag System
.........................................1-51
Restraint System Check
............................1-67
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-8
Windows
.................................................2-14
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-16
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-20
Mirrors
....................................................2-31
OnStar
®System
......................................2-43
Universal Home Remote System
................2-46
Storage Areas
.........................................2-50
Moonroof
................................................2-55
Vehicle Personalization
.............................2-55
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-19
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-25
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-43
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-58Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-39
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
.................5-10
All-Wheel Drive
........................................5-46
Rear Axle
...............................................5-47
Front Axle
...............................................5-48
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-49
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-49
Windshield Replacement
...........................5-53
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-53
Tires
......................................................5-56
Appearance Care
.....................................5-89
Vehicle Identi cation
.................................5-97
Electrical System
......................................5-98
Capacities and Speci cations
...................5-108
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information.............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-10
Index................................................................ 1
2006 Saab 9-7X Owner ManualM
ProCarManuals.com

DRIVE (D):This position is for normal driving. If you
need more power for passing, and you are:
Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push the
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down.
You will shift down to the next gear and have more
power.
DRIVE (D) can be used when towing a trailer, carrying a
heavy load, driving on steep hills or for off-road driving.
You may want to shift the transmission to THIRD (3) or,
if necessary, a lower gear selection if the transmission
shifts too often.
THIRD (3):This position is also used for normal driving.
However, it offers more power and lower fuel economy
than DRIVE (D).SECOND (2):This position gives you more power
but lower fuel economy than THIRD (3). You can use
SECOND (2) on hills. It can help control your speed as
you go down steep mountain roads, but then you would
also want to use the brakes off and on.
You can also use SECOND (2) for starting the vehicle
from a stop on slippery road surfaces.
FIRST (1):This position gives you even more power but
lower fuel economy than SECOND (2). You can use it on
very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the gear shift
lever is put in FIRST (1) while the vehicle is moving
forward, the transmission will not shift into rst gear until
the vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in
one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal
may damage the transmission. If you are stuck, do
not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
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Notice:If you keep driving your vehicle with this
light on, after awhile, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may not be as good,
and your engine may not run as smoothly. This could
lead to costly repairs that may not be covered by
your warranty.
Notice:Modi cations made to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake, or fuel system of your
vehicle or the replacement of the original tires with
other than those of the same Tire Performance
Criteria (TPC) can affect your vehicle’s emission
controls and may cause this light to come on.
Modi cations to these systems could lead to costly
repairs not covered by your warranty. This may also
result in a failure to pass a required Emission
Inspection/Maintenance test. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not
running. If the light does not come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:
Light Flashing— A mis re condition has been
detected. A mis re increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Diagnosis and service may be required.
Light On Steady— An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Diagnosis and service may be required.
If the Light is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed
Avoiding hard accelerations
Avoiding steep uphill grades
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible
If the light stops ashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to ash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart
the engine. If the light remains on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady” following. If the light is still
ashing, follow the previous steps, and see your dealer
for service as soon as possible.
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There is something else about drinking and driving that
many people do not know. Medical research shows that
alcohol in a person’s system can make crash injuries
worse, especially injuries to the brain, spinal cord, or
heart. This means that when anyone who has been
drinking — driver or passenger — is in a crash, that
person’s chance of being killed or permanently disabled
is higher than if the person had not been drinking.
{CAUTION:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous.
Your re exes, perceptions, attentiveness,
and judgment can be affected by even a small
amount of alcohol. You can have a serious — or
even fatal — collision if you drive after drinking.
Please do not drink and drive or ride with a
driver who has been drinking. Ride home in
a cab; or if you are with a group, designate a
driver who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go where
you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering, and
the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work at
the places where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or ice, it is
easy to ask more of those control systems than the tires
and road can provide. That means you can lose control of
your vehicle.
Adding non-Saab accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. SeeAccessories and Modi cations on
page 5-3.
4-5
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Steering
Power Steering
If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer
but it will take much more effort.
Steering Tips
It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.
A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here is why:
Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject
to the same laws of physics when driving on curves.
The traction of the tires against the road surface makes
it possible for the vehicle to change its path when you
turn the front wheels. If there is no traction, inertia will
keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If you
have ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you will
understand this.
The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle
at which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you
are in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control.Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly accelerate. Both control
systems — steering and acceleration — have to do their
work where the tires meet the road. Adding the sudden
acceleration can demand too much of those places. You
can lose control.
What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up
on the accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you
want it to go, and slow down.
Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should adjust
your speed. Of course, the posted speeds are based on
good weather and road conditions. Under less favorable
conditions you will want to go slower.
If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a
curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front
wheels are straight ahead.
Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive” through the
curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to
accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then
accelerate gently into the straightaway.
Adding non-Saab accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. SeeAccessories and Modi cations on
page 5-3.
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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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You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even several
seconds, for your eyes to re-adjust to the dark. When you
are faced with severe glare, as from a driver who does
not lower the high beams, or a vehicle with misaimed
headlamps, slow down a little. Avoid staring directly into
the approaching headlamps.
Keep the windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean — inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a lm caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and ash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that the headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it is easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as the headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim, so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night
blindness — the inability to see in dim light — and are
not even aware of it.Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a
wet road, you cannot stop, accelerate, or turn as well
because your tire-to-road traction is not as good as on dry
roads. And, if your tires do not have much tread left, you
will get even less traction. It is always wise to go slower
and be cautious if rain starts to fall while you are driving.
The surface may get wet suddenly when your re exes
are tuned for driving on dry pavement.
4-20
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The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even if your
windshield wiper blades are in good shape, a heavy rain
can make it harder to see road signs and traffic signals,
pavement markings, the edge of the road, and even
people walking.
It is wise to keep your wiping equipment in good shape
and keep your windshield washer uid reservoir lled
with washer uid. Replace your windshield wiper inserts
when they show signs of streaking or missing areas
on the windshield, or when strips of rubber start
to separate from the inserts.
{CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They will not
work as well in a quick stop and may cause
pulling to one side. You could lose control of
the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of water
or a car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly
until your brakes work normally.Driving too fast through large water puddles or even
going through some car washes can cause problems,
too. The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid
puddles. But if you cannot, try to slow down before
you hit them.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up
under your tires that they can actually ride on the water.
This can happen if the road is wet enough and you are
going fast enough. When your vehicle is hydroplaning,
it has little or no contact with the road.
Hydroplaning does not happen often. But it can if your
tires do not have much tread or if the pressure in one or
more is low. It can happen if a lot of water is standing on
the road. If you can see re ections from trees, telephone
poles, or other vehicles, and raindrops dimple the water’s
surface, there could be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds.
There just is not a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning.
The best advice is to slow down when it is raining.
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