2007 SAAB 9-5 brake

172 Starting and drivingEngine block heater3The 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
2) 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 195.
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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174 Starting and driving2 Wait until the needle has dropped back
to indicate normal temperature (roughly
midway, in the white zone) before stop-
ping the engine. If the coolant needs top-
ping up, unscrew the cap on expansion
tank carefully.
Top up, as necessary, ideally with a
50/50 mixture of Saab-approved coolant
and water. If only water is available, use
that, but remember to have the coolant
mixture checked as soon as possible. 3 As soon as possible, have the cooling
system checked by a workshop. We rec-
ommend that you contact an authorized
Saab dealer.
Towing a trailer3Trailer hitch attachment3Trailer hitch attachments are available as
accessories. These are designed for a max-
imum trailer weight of 3500 lbs. (1588 kg),
see also page 259.
Use only the electrical trailer hitch socket
provided in the trailer hitch kit.3
Saab recommends:
Use a Saab original hitch kit attachment
which is designed and tested by Saab.
Consult your Saab dealer regarding the
appropriate hitch kit for your car.If the car has a 13-pin genuine Saab electri-
cal socket, the trailer/caravan can be equip-
ped with rear fog lamp and reversing lamps.
The caravan can also have interior and
exterior lighting when the car’s ignition is off.
Do not put a load on the battery for so
long that it becomes discharged and the
car cannot be started.
There is also access to power in the caravan
during a journey, the caravan battery can be
charged for example.

WARNING
Exercise care when opening the hood
if the engine is overheated. Never
remove the expansion tank cap com-
pletely when the engine is hot.
The cooling system is pressurized -
hot coolant and vapor can escape.
These can cause injury to your eyes
and burns. Open the cap slowly to
release the pressure before
removing it.
WARNING
When towing a trailer, do not attempt
to negotiate a hill having a gradient in
excess of 15 %. The weight distribu-
tion over the front wheels of the car will
be insufficient to prevent wheelspin,
making further progress impossible.
In addition, the parking brake may not
always be able to hold the car and
trailer securely, with the result that the
wheels can start to slide downhill.
Always apply the trailer’s parking-
brake when unhitching it. There is oth-
erwise a risk of personal injury or
damage to the bumper should the
trailer start to roll.
NOTICEOnly use a towbar that has been appro-
ved for your car. We recommend that you
entrust towbar installation to an authori-
zed Saab workshop, which can also pro-
vide important information such as trailer
weight. Your authorized Saab workshop
has information on how the towbar is to be
installed and whether other measures
must be undertaken that could affect the
cooling system or other equipment.
We recommend that you consult an
authorized Saab dealer for guidance on
how to connect the trailer hitch electrical
system.
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176 Starting and drivingWhen negotiating long hills, bear the follow-
ing important considerations in mind:
Use Normal mode when driving with a
caravan or trailer on hilly roads. The
adaptive gear change pattern function will
prevent the transmission overheating.
Rises in coolant temperature are indi-
cated by the temperature gauge in the
main instrument panel.Recommendations for cars with
automatic transmission
Rises in coolant temperature are indicated
by the temperature gauge in the main instru-
ment panel.
The following steps are taken in order as the
temperature of the engine increases:
Gear change pattern is altered.
A/C compressor is switched off.
Engine torque is reduced.
The following message will be displayed on
the SID if the transmission fluid becomes
too hot:
“Gearbox too hot.
Make a safe stop.
If this message appears, stop the car as
soon as it is safe to do so and allow the
engine to idle until the message has gone
out. The selector lever should be in
position P.When continuing your journey, select
manual mode and a gear in which the
engine speed is about 3,000 rpm until the
incline eases (see page 157).
WARNING
Remember to use the braking effect of the
engine (position D or L) when you are
descending long or steep hills to spare
the brakes.
Brake failure can result from overheated
brakes!
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177 Starting and driving
Recommendations for cars with manual
gearbox
Rises in coolant temperature are indicated
by the temperature gauge in the main instru-
ment panel.
The following steps are taken in order as the
temperature of the engine increases:
A/C compressor is switched off.
engine torque is reduced.
When continuing your journey, select a gear
in which the engine speed is about
3,000 rpm until the incline eases.
Driving considerations Always take extra care when towing a
trailer, as the car’s handling will be different
and its braking effect reduced. The trailer’s
braking system and suspension also have a
considerable effect on these characteris-
tics, see also ”Driving with a load” page 181.
If the car has automatic transmission, select
position D when ascending steep hills. This
ensures that the adaptive gear change pat-
terns are operational, see page 158. Use
position D or L for steep descents.
Checks before drivingMake sure that the car and camper or trailer
are in good working order. This is essential
since towing a camper or trailer increases
the strain on the car.
Check and if necessary adjust the tire
pressure of the car and camper or trailer.
Make sure all wheel bolts are properly
tightened.
Make sure that the equipment joining the
car and camper or trailer is properly
secured and adjusted.
Make sure the camper or trailer’s electri-
cal cable is properly connected and is not
so long that it drags along the ground.
Also, make sure the cable is not too short
and risks breaking when turning a corner.
Check all bulbs.
Check the car and camper or trailer
brakes.
Make sure that all items on or in the cara-
van or trailer are properly secured.
Make sure that the camper or trailer’s
jockey wheel is raised and locked.
Check the distribution of the load so that
the car and camper or trailer are well bal-
anced.
Check that the rearview mirrors provide
the best possible rearward vision.
Make sure the camper or trailer’s safety
cable is correctly attached.
WARNING
Utilize the braking effect of the engine
(1st, 2nd or 3rd gear) when you are
descending long or steep hills to spare
the brakes.
Brake failure can result from overheated
brakes!
NOTICEIf the ”Automatic transmission3, fault
indicator” indicator comes on, cease
towing until the problem has been recti-
fied.
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183 Starting and driving
Driving with a spare
wheel fittedSee page 235.Driving with the trunk
lid/tailgate openAvoid driving with the trunk lid/tailgate partly
or fully open, since exhaust fumes can be
drawn into the cabin.
If you must drive with the trunk lid/tailgate
open, all windows and the moonroof3 must
be closed and the cabin fan on at its highest
speed setting.
Driving in deep water Towing the carNOTICEDo not drive in water deeper than
12 inches (30 cm) and do not drive faster
than 3–4 mph. Water can otherwise be
sucked into the engine. The engine will be
seriously damaged if water enters the
intake system.
WARNING
Remember that the brake servo does
not operate when the engine is off.
Much greater pressure than normal
will therefore be required to operate
the brake pedal.
Nor does the steering servo operate
when the engine is off. The steering
will therefore be much heavier than
usual.
The towing vehicle should always be
heavier than the vehicle on tow.
Never allow passengers to ride in the
car being towed.
Always seek professional help if the
car needs to be towed.
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185 Starting and driving
Towing the car Gear lever in neutral (in cars with automatic
transmission: selector lever at N (neutral))
Turn on the parking lights.
Drive carefully and do not exceed the
speed limit for vehicles being towed.
Always try to keep the towrope taut by
gently applying the brake, as necessary.
This will avoid the towrope being jerked
violently.
The local regulations on towing speeds
must be followed.
The highest permissible towing speed is
30 mph (50 km/h), unless the legal limit is
lower. The longest permissible towing dis-
tance is 30 miles (50 km). If the car has to
be transported farther than that, summon a
tow truck. A flat bed tow truck is the pre-
ferred method to tow.
Failure to follow these guidelines can result
in damage.Cars with automatic transmission
The car cannot be push started. In an emer-
gency, it is possible to start the engine using
jump leads (see the section, ”Jump starting”
on page 186).
Transporting the car
NOTICENever use the towing eyes to pull the
car unstuck.
NOTICE The car must be towed front first.
If the car is to be towed with the front
wheels off the ground, make sure the
parking brake is off, as this acts on the
rear wheels.
NOTICEIf a car with a sport (lowered) chassis is
transported, for example on a flat bed
truck, take extra care not to damage the
spoiler and/or underbody.
Never use the towing eyes to pull the car
unstuck
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186 Starting and drivingJump startingIf your battery has run down, you may want
to use another vehicle and some jumper
cables to start your Saab. Follow the steps
below to do it safely.To jump start your vehicle:
1 Check the other vehicle. It must have a
12-volt battery with a negative ground
system.
2 Get the vehicles close enough so the
jumper cables can reach, but be sure the
vehicles are not touching each other. If a
poor connection on the negative jumper
cable should exist, it is possible for
damage to be caused to electrical sys-
tems/components of either vehicle
should inadvertent contact be made.
You would not be able to start your car
and bad grounding could damage elec-
trical systems.
3 Turn off the ignition on both vehicles.
Turn off all lights that are not needed,
and radios. This will avoid sparks and
help save both batteries and it could
save your radio.
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 bat-
tery.
The battery contains corrosive sulfuric
acid. Always wear a face mask or gog-
gles 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.
NOTICEIgnoring these steps could result in costly
damage to your vehicle that would not be
covered by your warranty.
Trying to start your car by pushing or pull-
ing it could damage your vehicle, even if
you have a manual transmission. If you
have an automatic transmission, your
vehicle cannot be started by pushing or
pulling it.
NOTICEIf the other system is not a 12-volt system
with a negative ground, both vehicles can
be damaged.
WARNING
You could be injured if the vehicles roll.
Set the parking brake firmly on each vehi-
cle. Put an automatic transmission in P
(Park) or a manual transmission in
Neutral.
IB3931
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189 Car care and technical information
IB3888
Hood ________________ 190
Engine compartment __ 191
Emission control
systems ____________ 192
Engine ______________ 194
Engine oil ____________ 194
Transmission fluid ____ 195
Coolant ______________ 195
Brake and clutch fluid__ 196
Power steering fluid ___ 198
Air filter _____________ 198
Battery ______________ 199
Drive belts ___________ 201
Wipers and washers ___ 202
Changing bulbs _______ 204
Fuses _______________ 216 Tires ________________ 222
Compact spare tire ____ 234
Safety belts __________ 239
Upholstery and trim ___ 240
Textile carpeting ______ 240
Washing the car ______ 241
Waxing and polishing __ 242
Engine compartment __ 242
Touching up the paint _ 242
Air conditioning (ACC) _ 243
Anti-corrosion treatment 245
For long trips _________ 246
Recovery and/or
recycling of automotive
materials ___________ 247
Headlight aiming ______ 247
Car care and technical information
3 Asterisk means: equipment not fitted in all cars
(can depend on model variant, engine variant,
market specification, options or accessories).95_U S _M 07.book Page 189 Friday, June 9, 2006 8:58 AM
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