2008 SAAB 9-3 length

25 Safety
General information on child
safetyThe same attention must be given to child
safety in the car as is given to adults.
Children travel most safely when properly
restrained. However, the type of restraint
must be appropriate for the size of the child.
We recommend that you always consult
your Saab dealer before fitting a child seat,
child restraint or booster cushion.
The backseat is the safest place for chil-
dren.
Make sure you are acquainted with the
legal requirements for seating children
in the car.
When fitting child restraints in cars you
must always read the instructions sup-
plied by the child restraint manufacturer.
Make sure that it is possible to fit a child
restraint in accordance with the manufac-
turer’s child restraint instructions.
Saab recommends the use of a rear-fac-
ing child seat for as long as this is possi-
ble - for all children under 18 kg (40 lbs.)
as a minimum. Use a child seat approved
for the weight of the child.
Saab recommends the use of a booster seat
for children up to the length of 140 cm
(55 in.) or the weight of 36 kg (80 lbs.).
LATCHLATCH (Lower Anchorages & Top tethers
for CHildren) is a US/Canadian safety stan-
dard for a uniform method of fitting child
restraints without using the standard safety
belts. Only certain child restraints are
equipped to utilize the LATCH system.
The LATCH system is installed in the car to
facilitate proper fitting of child restraints
designed for and equipped with LATCH
attachments.
The LATCH system consists of top tether
and lower anchorages. In this vehicle,
LATCH is installed at the two outboard seat-
ing positions in the rear seat, and there is a
top tether on the rear center position (not
Convertible).
The top tethers are located on top of the
parcel shelf (SportSedan), see page 28, on
the back of the rear seat (SportCombi), see
page 29 and behind the head restraints
(Convertible) see page 30.
The lower anchorages are located where
the seat cushion and seat back come
together. There is a label above the anchor-
ages, see picture on next page. Label con-
sists of a symbol of a child restrained in a
seat inside a circle.
When fitting child restraints in cars you must
always read the instructions supplied by the
child restraint manufacturer.
If you have any questions regarding LATCH
please contact your Saab dealer.
WARNING
If a LATCH-type child restraint is not
attached to its anchor points, the restraint
will not be able to protect the child cor-
rectly. In a crash, the child could be seri-
ously injured or killed. Make sure that a
LATCH-type child restraint is properly
installed using the anchor points, or use
the vehicle's safety belts to secure the
restraint, following the instructions that
came with that restraint, and also the
instructions in this manual.
WARNING
Child top tether anchorages are designed
to withstand only those loads imposed by
correctly fitted child restraints.
Under no circumstances are they to be
used for adult safety belts.
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32 SafetyAirbag
Airbag system componentsAirbag in steering wheel
Airbag in instrument panel in front of
passenger seat
Side airbags in front seat backrests
Convertible: The side airbags help
protect the head also
Inflatable curtains along length of headlin-
ing (from front to rear roof pillars)
(SportSedan and SportCombi only)
Safety belt pretensioners for front seats
Convertible: and outer rear seats.
The airbag system supplements the protec-
tion provided by the safety belts to further
enhance the safety of occupants taller than
59 in. (150 cm).
When the system is activated at the moment
of impact, the airbag inflates and then
deflates through holes in the back. The
whole operation takes roughly 0.1 second,
quicker than the blink of an eye.
The steering wheel and passenger airbags
are so-called smart airbags. The driver and
passenger airbag system compensates for
safety belt usage and the force of the crash
at the moment of impact.There are two impact sensors on the front
bumper, under the lacquered shell. Very
soon after the moment of impact, these
register that the car is involved in a crash.
Using this information and data from the
central sensor in the control module, the
control module determines whether or not to
inflate the airbags. The control module also
controls whether other components of the
airbag system are to be deployed: safety
belt pretensioners, inflatable curtains
(SportSedan and SportCombi) and roll over
bars (Convertible).
Which airbag system components are
deployed depends on a number of factors,
such as the force of the crash and the angle
of impact.
If the airbag system registers forces equiv-
alent to a high-speed crash (airbags inflated
to Stage II), the inflatable curtains will also
be activated (SportSedan and SportCombi)
see page 42.
If a fault arises in the airbag system during
a journey, the airbag warning lamp on the
main instrument panel will come on and the
Saab Information Display (SID) will display:
WARNING
To reduce risk of death or serious injury:
Always wear your safety belt.
Always adjust your seat so that you
are as far back as possible but still
able to operate the pedals and reach
the steering wheel and controls com-
fortably.
Passengers 12 and under or shorter
than 59 inches (150 cm) must always
travel in the rear seat as the car is fitted
with a passenger airbag.
Never fit a child seat in front of the pas-
senger airbag.
Airbag malfunction.
Contact service.
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42 SafetyInflatable curtains, SportSedan
and SportCombi
The inflatable curtains, which protect the
head, are concealed along the lengths of
the headlining (all the way from front to rear
roof pillars).
The inflatable curtains inflate at the same
time as the side airbags in the front seats in
case of a side-on impact.
The inflatable curtains reduce the risk of
head injuries to the occupants of the car’s
outer seats. The inflatable curtains deploys
into the window area between the front and
rear roof pillars.
If the airbag system registers forces equiv-
alent to a high-speed frontal crash (Stage II
for the steering wheel and passenger
airbags), the inflatable curtains will also be
deployed.
WARNING
Do not sit with your head resting
against the side window. The inflat-
able curtain is designed to inflate
between the window and the head.
Resting the head against the window
could prevent the inflatable curtain
from providing the intended pro-
tection.
Hang only light clothes from the hooks
on the rear seat courtesy handles. The
items of clothing must not contain
heavy or sharp objects. Do not use
wire coat hangers.
Do not position a sun visor or similar
item in the area that would be filled by
the inflatable curtain.
To reduce the risk of head injuries in
the event of a crash, the roof pillars
and headlining incorporate cushioning
material. Do not attach anything to the
car’s headlining, roof pillars or side
panels as this could prevent the
side-impact protection from providing
the intended protection.
Do not stack loads so high that they
could encumber the inflatable curtain
in the event of a crash.
Inflated inflatable curtain, SportSedan
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148 Interior equipmentCargo net, vertical3
33 3, SportCombi
Fit the net behind the rear seat backrest.
1 Remove the rear cover panels in the
roof.
2 Fit the net’s upper fasteners into the two
rear attachment points in the roof.
3 Secure the net’s hooks in the two
anchorage eyes closest to the rear seat.
Tension the straps.
The cargo net can also be fitted behind the
front seats when the whole rear seat is
folded.
1 Remove the front cover panels in the
roof.
2 Snap the net’s upper fasteners into the
two front attachment points in the roof.
3 Lengthen the straps with the enclosed
extra straps. Secure the hooks in the two
outer eyes furthest back on the front
seats’ rails down by the floor. Tension
the straps.
Storage
When the cargo net is not in use it should be
stored in the bag supplied. Position the bag
on the floor in the luggage compartment,
closest to the backrest and secure it in the
front anchorage eyes using the Velcro fas-
teners.
Attaching the cargo net to the roof
Cargo net fitted in front anchorage eyeStoring the cargo net
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286 Technical dataGeneral dataOverall length, including bumpers:
SportSedan and Convertible _________ 182.9'' (4647 mm)
SportCombi_______________________ 183.8'' (4670 mm)
Overall width, including door mirrors _____ 80.2'' (2038 mm)
Maximum height ____________________ 60.7'' (1543 mm)
Wheelbase ________________________ 105.3'' (2675 mm)
Tr a c k :
Front ____________________________ 59.8'' (1524 mm)
Re ar ____________________________ 59.3'' (1506 mm)
Ground clearance at GVW ____________ approx. 4.7''
(120 mm)
Number of seats (incl. driver):
SportSedan and SportCombi _________ 5
Convertible _______________________ 4
Turning circle:
Measured at vehicle extremities _______ 39.0 ft. (11.9 m)V.I.N. label on vehi-
cles sold in U.S.A.V.I.N. label on vehicles sold in
Canada
Permissible load (in addition to the driver) = GVW minus curb weight. The maximum
permissible axle load, front or rear, must not be exceeded.
The precise curb weight of the vehicle and load capacity are specified in the vehicle
registration documents.Trunk length, SportSedan:
Rear seat raised ___________________ 40.8'' (1036 mm)
Rear seat lowered _________________ 69.8'' (1774 mm)
Trunk length, Convertible _____________ 29.1" (740 mm)
Trunk length, SportCombi:
Rear seat raised ___________________ 39.9'' (1013 mm)
Rear seat lowered _________________ 70.0'' (1777 mm)
Trunk volume (VDA):
SportSedan ______________________ 15.0 cu.ft. (425 l)
Convertible, soft top raised ___________ 12.4 cu.ft. (352 l)
Convertible, soft top folded ___________ 8.3 cu.ft. (235 l)
SportCombi ______________________ 14.8 cu.ft. (419 l)
SportCombi with rear seat lowered ____ 45.0 cu.ft. (1273 l)
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292 Technical dataDrive belt

Manual transmissionAutomatic transmissionOutside length:
4-cyl engine ______________________ 40.472'' (1028 mm)
V6 engine ________________________ 83.463'' (2120 mm)
Drive belt, 4-cyl engine Drive belt, V6 engine
Type _____________________________ Fully synchronized
with final drive gear
and differential
Oil type (for topping up) _______________ Saab MTF 0063
Oil capacity ________________________ 3.15 qts. (3.0 l)
Speed, mph (km/h) at 1000 rpm in highest
gear ____________________________ 29–35 (46–56)
Type:
5-speed _________________________ Electronically con-
trolled, 5-speed,
fully-automatic with
hydraulic torque
converter, planetary
gears and integral
final drive.
Lock-up function in
selector positions 3,
4 and 5.
6-speed _________________________ Electronically con-
trolled, 6-speed,
fully-automatic with
hydraulic torque
converter, planetary
gears and integral
final drive.
Lock-up function for
1st to 6th gear.
Selector lever positions _______________ P, R, N, D, M
Clutch type ________________________ Hydraulic plate
clutches, brake
bands and one-way
couplings
Speed mph (km/h) at 1000 rpm in top gear:
5-speed _________________________ 18–31 (29–49)
6-speed _________________________ 33–41 (53–66)
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299 Technical data
Customized systemsSeveral of the systems in your Saab can be
customized to better suit your individual
needs. Contact your Saab dealer
Central locking system
Some functions are governed by legal
requirements and cannot therefore be
reprogrammed.
We recommend that you consult a Saab
dealer for further information.
Listed below are a number of examples of
programmable functions.
Audible confirmation of arming/disarming
the car alarm.
Automatic unlocking when car stopped
and remote control removed from the igni-
tion switch.
Trunk lid locked when car driven off or
30 seconds after being shut.Courtesy Headlamp Feature
The length of time the lights are on.
Whether the reversing light or tail lights
should come on as well as the dipped
beam.
Automatic Climate System (ACC)
Convertible: A/C compressor not
switched off when the soft top is open.93_US_M08.book Page 299 Friday, May 11, 2007 11:37 AM
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304 IndexDeep water, driving through
_______ 196
Definitions and terminology, tire ____ 254
Determining correct load, tires
_____ 256
Direction indicator stalk switch _____ 101
Direction indicators
______________ 101
Dome light, Convertible
__________ 232
Dome light, SportSedan __________ 232
Donor battery, boost starting
______ 200
Door handles
___________________ 48
Door mirrors
___________________ 124
Drive belt
______________________ 219
Drive belt, length
________________ 293
Driver’s seat with memory
_________ 21
Driving at night
_________________ 197
Driving in cold climates
___________ 187
Driving in deep water
____________ 196
Driving in hot climates ____________ 189
Driving techniques
______________ 185
Driving with a compact wheel fitted
_260
Driving with a heavy load on hilly
roads
________________________ 167
Driving with a load
______________ 196
Driving with a roof load ___________ 194
Driving with the trunk lid open
______ 196
EEasy entry, Convertible
____________ 73
EDR (Event Data Recorders)
______ 284
ESP®
________________________ 177
Economical motoring
____________ 185
Electrical system, technical data
____ 292Electrically adjustable seats
________ 20
Electric engine heater
____________ 186
Electric heating, front seats
________ 115
Electric windows
________________ 121
Electric windows, Convertible
_______ 77
Electronic Stability Program
_______ 177
Electronic steering wheel lock ______ 154
Emergency opening of the narrow
backrest, SportSedan
___________ 142
Emergency operation of the moonroof
132
Engine bay, cleaning
_____________ 267
Engine heater
__________________ 186
Engine immobilizer
_______________ 55
Engine management system
______ 206
Engine number
_________________ 299
Engine oil, checking
_____________ 210
Engine oil, grade
________________ 290
Engine oil, volume _______________ 291
Engine temperature gauge
_________ 88
Engine, description
______________ 205
Engine, technical data ____________ 289
Engines
_______________________ 292
Event Data Recorders (EDR)
______ 284
Extra electrical socket
____________ 136
FFacilitating entry to rear seat,
Convertible
____________________ 73
Factors affecting fuel consumption
__ 185
Filler cap
______________________ 160
Filling a portable fuel container
_____ 161Filling up
______________________ 159
Flat spots, tires
_________________ 246
Floor jack
______________________ 263
Folding down the rear seat backrest,
SportCombi
___________________ 143
Folding down the rear seat,
SportSedan ___________________ 138
Front fog lights __________________ 100
Front towing eye ________________ 197
Fuel container
__________________ 161
Fuel gauge
_____________________ 89
Fuel grade _____________________ 291
Fuel information
_________________ 161
Functions, car alarm
______________ 58
Fuse panel in luggage compartment
_240
Fuse table
_____________________ 239
Fuses
_________________________ 237
GGDO, garage door opener
_________ 126
Gearbox number
________________ 299
General safety instructions,
Convertible
____________________ 62
Glove box
_____________________ 136
Glovebox lighting
________________ 233
HHandbrake
_____________________ 179
Hazard warning lights
____________ 102
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