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141 Interior equipment
Folding down the rear seat backrest, SportCombiFor greater flexibility, the rear seat is split so that the narrow and the
wide part can be folded down separately.
It is easiest to fold down the rear seat backrests if the front seats are
slid forward.
1 Unlock the backrest by pulling the appropriate handle forward.
An unlocked backrest has a red indicator by the handle.
2 Fold the backrest forward.When returning the backrest to its upright position, make sure that
it locks properly in place. The red indicator by the handle must not
be visible. Also make sure that the seatbelt does not get caught.
If the left-hand backrest is not properly locked in position, the follow-
ing message is displayed on the SID (equivalent message displayed
for right-hand backrest):
WARNING
Never drive the car if the backrest is not correctly locked into
position as this increases the risk of personal injury in the
event of heavy braking or a crash.
Never leave a child or animal unattended in the car. During
sunny weather the temperature in the passenger and trunk
can climb to 160–180°F (70–80°C). Small children are very
susceptible to heat stroke.
Keep hands well clear of all moving parts.
When folding the backrest back upright, make sure that it is
locked correctly on both sides. This is imperative since the
center safety belt is mounted in the backrest.
Adjust the head restraints for the rear seats to be occupied to
a suitable height before riding in the car.
Rear left seat
backrest unlocked.
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143 Interior equipment
Load-through hatch, SportCombiA load-through hatch is incorporated in the rear seat backrest to
enable long, narrow items to be carried inside the car.
Before loading or unloading long items, switch off the engine and
apply the parking brake. This avoids the danger of the car moving
off if a long item were to knock the gear or selector lever into gear.
Fold down the armrest and open the hatch by lifting the handle.
WARNING
Always secure the load firmly, for example using the middle
safety belt. This reduces the danger of personal injury result-
ing from the displacement of the load on hard braking or in the
event of a crash.
Do not exceed the load capacity of the car, as this will alter its
handling characteristics (see page 280).93_U S _M 07.book Page 143 W ednesday, April 12, 2006 9:30 AM
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145 Interior equipment
Cargo net3
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 is a basic require-
ment for protection against cargo
displacement in the event of a
crash.
Improve safety by fastening the outer
seatbelts. Check that the red "indica-
tor-flag" next to the opening handles is
not visible. If the red "indicator-flag" is
visible the backrest is not locked.
Match your speed and driving style to
how the car is loaded. The handling
characteristics of the car can be
affected since a load in the trunk will
alter the car’s center of gravity.
An object weighing 55 lbs. (25 kg)
corresponds to a weight of 2200 lbs.
(1,000 kg) in a front-end collision at
32 mph (50 km/h).
Adjust the car’s load (passengers and
luggage) so that the gross vehicle
weight and the axle weight are not
exceeded, see page 280.
WARNING
Never overload the cargo net3. If the
elastic breaks this may cause
personal injury. Do not use a cargo net
that shows signs of wear.
Never use the elastic floor net3 and
elastic side net3 when the rear seat is
folded down. These nets are only
intended to keep light objects tidy, not
for the anchoring of loads.
Secure the load in the luggage
compartment firmly. Using a cargo net
is not considered as load securing.
The only purpose of a cargo net is to
prevent light objects from being
thrown forward into the cabin during
heavy breaking.
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180 Starting and drivingSaab Parking
Assistance3Saab Parking Assistance
Saab Parking Assistance facilitates parking
and reversing. There are four sensors in the
rear bumper that detect objects up to 6 ft
(1.8 meters) behind the car.
If the car is heavily laden, the system may
falsely indicate that there is an object within
the detection range. This is since the sen-
sors are angled towards the ground when
the car is tail-heavy.The system uses four sensors in the rear
bumper. These emit ultrasound signals that
bounce back to the sensors off any objects
behind the car. The system, however,
cannot always detect small or narrow
objects, such as a post, since the surface
area presented to the car is too small.The system is activated automatically when
reverse is engaged or selected. Audible
confirmation is given and the following text
is shown on the SID:
If a warning message, such as the seatbelt
reminder, is shown on the SID when reverse
is engaged, the audible signals from the
parking assistance system will not be heard
since the warning message has priority.
When the sensors detect an object within
the monitored area, pulses of sound (- - - -)
will be heard. The frequency of these pulses
increases as the car comes closer to the
object.
WARNING
Responsibility always lies with the driver
when reversing.
The parking assistance system can
facilitate parking and reversing.
Bear in mind that small objects, such
as a child lying on the ground, and
narrow objects cannot always be
detected by the system.
Parking assistance
active
Area monitored by the sensors seen from
the side
Area monitored by the sensors seen from
above
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200 Starting and drivingUsing a battery charger3/starter
unitTo avoid damaging the car’s electrical
system and electronics, the following rules
must be followed when charging the battery
or jump starting the car.
If the charger or starter unit can be set to
different voltages (6V/12V/18V/24V), 12V
must be selected.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions
supplied with the charger or starter unit.
No other apparatus that are grounded or
connected to the mains must be
connected to the car during charging or
jump starting.
The charger or starter unit must under no
conditions produce a voltage greater
than:
16V continuous
18V for 60 min.
If you are unsure about the charge rating of
the unit, disconnect the battery clamp from
the positive terminal before connecting the
unit to the battery.
For long tripsBefore starting off on a long journey, it is
advisable to have your car inspected by
your Saab dealer.
Obtain a few important items to take along
on your journey, such as spare bulbs, wiper
blades, fuses, a drive belt (poly-V-belt) and
the like.
You can check some points yourself before-
hand:
Check that no oil or fuel leaks out of the
engine or gearbox/transmission.
Check the coolant and power steering
fluid levels. Check also for leaks.
Inspect the drive belt (poly-V-belt) and
replace if it shows any signs of wear.
Check the battery charge.
Check the tires for tread pattern and air
pressure, including the compact spare
tire.
Take an extra remote control and keep it
separate.
Check the brakes.
Check all bulbs.
Check for the presence of the tool kit and
jack in the car.
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201 Car care
Hood ________________ 202
Engine ______________ 202
Engine bay, 4-cyl engine 205
Engine bay, V6 engine _ 206
Engine oil ____________ 207
Air filter______________ 209
Transmission fluid ____ 209
Coolant ______________ 209
Brake/clutch fluid and
brake pads__________ 211
Power steering________ 212
Battery ______________ 213
Drive belt ____________ 216
Wipers and washers ___ 217
Wiper blades _________ 217
Changing bulbs _______ 219 Fuses ________________ 234
Tires _________________ 241
Compact spare ________ 254
Changing a tire ________ 257
Safety belts ___________ 260
Upholstery and trim ____ 260
Textile carpeting _______ 261
Engine bay ____________ 261
Washing ______________ 261
Waxing and polishing ___ 264
Touching up the paint___ 264
Anti-corrosion treatment 265
Recovery and/or
recycling of automotive
materials ____________ 267
Air conditioning (A/C) ___ 268
Car care
3Asterisk means: equipment not fitted in all cars
(can depend on model variant, engine variant,
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213 Car care
Battery
Check the charge state and electrolyte level
of the battery regularly.If frequent short journeys are made, the
battery may need extra charging. This can
be done with a battery charger or by taking
the car for a long run.
If the battery is not being charged while the
engine is running, the following message
will appear on the SID:
Check the drive belt (see page 216). If the
belt is damaged, the engine may overheat,
the battery may not be charged and the A/C
compressor may not work.
WARNING
When working on the battery, highly
explosive gas can build up. A spark
could ignite this gas that collects
around the battery.
Therefore, always avoid sparks and
open flames in the vicinity of the
battery.
The battery contains corrosive sulphu-
ric acid. Always wear a face mask or
goggles when working on the battery.
If battery acid gets into the eyes or
splashes onto skin or clothing, wash
the affected area liberally with water.
If acid gets into the eyes or a large
quantity makes contact with the skin,
seek medical help.
Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead
compounds. Wash your hands after
handling
NOTICEA discharged battery can freeze and frac-
ture. Batteries should therefore always be
stored away from sub-zero temperatures.
Battery not charging.
Make a safe stop.
Checking the battery electrolyte level.
Level correct if level indicator dark.
Battery should be changed if indicator is
light
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215 Car care
Battery disconnect switch3A collision could cause a short circuit in the
alternator or starter motor. A disconnect
switch by the battery’s positive terminal cuts
off the battery from the alternator and starter
motor when the airbags and seatbelt pre-
tensioners are detonated.
WARNING
If the battery disconnect switch has
tripped, do not reset it until you have visu-
ally inspected the car’s electrical system.
If there are visible signs of damage, have
the car checked at a workshop before
resetting the disconnect switch. We
recommend that you contact an author-
ised Saab workshop.NOTICEExercise special care when removing and
fitting the positive (+) cable so as not to
damage the battery disconnect switch.
Battery disconnect switch with reset
button
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