2008 SAAB 9-3 towing

4ExteriorMoonroof_______________ 130
Touching up paintwork ____ 270
Washing _______________ 267
Waxing and polishing _____ 270
Anti-corrosion treatment ___ 271
Service program _________ 280
Body __________________ 270Brake lights _____________ 229
Light switches ___________ 97
Taillights _______________ 229
Changing bulbs __________ 222Towing _________________ 197
Towing hook eyes ________ 197
Towing a trailer __________ 190Folding down the rear seat _ 138
Lighting ________________ 229
Load-through hatch _______ 140
Spare wheel ____________ 142
Tools __________________ 142
Trunk __________________ 138
Maximum loads _______________ 286
Mounting holes for roof carriers ___ 194
Roof load ____________________ 194
Hood _______________________ 204
Washing the engine bay_________ 267
Central locking __________ 48
Child safety locks ________ 52
Lock buttons ____________ 48
Trunk lock ______________ 51High/Low beam switch ____ 97
Direction indicators_______ 101
Front lights _____________ 224
Headlight levelling (xenon) _ 98
Headlight switches _______ 97
Headlight washers _______ 221
Changing bulbs _________ 222Economical motoring _____ 185
Fuel filler door __________ 159
Fuel gauge _____________ 89
Fuel grade _____________ 291
Refueling ______________ 159
Braking _____________________ 172
Changing wheels ______________ 262
Spare wheel _________________ 260
Tire pressure ________________ 296
Tires _______________________ 244
Wheels _____________________ 294
Winter driving ________________ 187
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39 Safety
The passenger sensing system is designed
to enable (may inflate) the right front
passenger’s frontal airbag anytime the
system senses that a person of adult size is
sitting properly in the right front passenger’s
seat. When the passenger sensing system
has allowed the airbag to be enabled, the on
indicator will light and stay lit to remind you
that the airbag is active.
For some children who have outgrown child
restraints and for very small adults, the pas-
senger sensing system may or may not turn
off the right front passenger’s frontal airbag,
depending upon the person’s seating pos-
ture and body build. Everyone in your vehi-
cle who has outgrown child restraints
should wear a safety belt properly —
whether or not there is an airbag for that per-
son.If a person of adult-size is sitting in the right
front passenger’s seat, but the off indicator
is lit, it could be because that person is not
sitting properly in the seat. If this happens,
turn the vehicle off and ask the person to
place the seatback in the fully upright posi-
tion, then sit upright in the seat, centered on
the seat cushion, with the person’s legs
comfortably extended. Restart the vehicle
and have the person remain in this position
for about two minutes. This will allow the
system to detect that person and then
enable the passenger’s airbag.Aftermarket equipment, such as seat
covers, can affect how well the passenger
sensing system operates. You may want to
consider not using seat covers or other
aftermarket equipment if your vehicle has
the passenger sensing system. See Adding
Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehi-
cle for more information about modifications
that can affect how the system operates.
WARNING
If the airbag readiness light in the instru-
ment panel cluster ever comes on and
stays on, it means that something may be
wrong with the airbag system. If this ever
happens, have the vehicle serviced
promptly, because an adult-size person
sitting in the right front passenger’s seat
may not have the protection of the frontal
airbag. See Airbag warning lamp on
page 43 for more on this, including impor-
tant safety information.
WARNING
Stowing of articles under the passenger’s
seat or between the passenger’s seat
cushion and seatback may interfere with
the proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
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151 Starting and driving
Ignition switch ________ 152
Steering wheel lock ____ 154
Starting the engine ____ 154
Important considerations
for driving __________ 156
Refueling ____________ 159
Engine Break-in Period _ 163
Manual transmission___ 164
Automatic
transmission3
33 3______ 165
Cruise control ________ 171
Braking ______________ 172
Traction Control System
(TCS) ______________ 175
Electronic Stability
Program ESP
®
______ 177
Parking brake_________ 179
Parking ______________ 179
Saab Parking
Assistance3
33 3________ 182 Economical driving _____ 185
Driving in cold weather__ 187
Driving in hot climates __ 189
Towing a trailer3
33 3______ 190
Driving with a roof rack
load ________________ 194
Driving with a load _____ 196
Driving with the trunk lid
open________________ 196
Driving in deep water ___ 196
Driving at night ________ 197
Towing the car _________ 197
Jump starting _________ 200
For long trips __________ 202
Starting and driving
3Asterisk means: equipment not fitted in all cars
(can depend on model variant, engine variant,
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167 Starting and driving
Sport mode3
33 3
Sport mode is selected using the
button, while the word SPORT illuminates
on the SID . Changing up occurs later
and changing down occurs earlier at the
same accelerator pedal position.
Sport mode will be deselected if:
The Sport button is depressed again
the engine is switched off.
Lock-upThe transmission’s torque converter has a
lock-up function. This can lock the torque
converter, thus reducing the engine speed
and fuel consumption.Kick-downWhen the accelerator is pressed down fully,
a down change is made to optimize acceler-
ation, e.g. for overtaking.
Following this, the next higher gear will be
selected at the optimum engine speed,
unless you ease off the accelerator before
reaching this.Driving in hilly country with a
heavy loadThe transmission fluid can overheat when
the gearbox is strained, for example, when
driving with a trailer on hilly roads. To avoid
the transmission fluid overheating, always
drive with the selector lever in the D posi-
tion. The adaptive gear change patterns are
then active.
High air temperatures or a faulty oil cooler
can also cause the transmission fluid to
overheat. Overheating reduces the service
life of the fluid.
TowingTowing of cars with automatic transmission,
see page 197.Descending hillsIf the speed of the car increases while
descending a steep hill, despite the acceler-
ator being released, the control module will
change down. If you desire more powerful
engine braking, manually select a lower
gear (see page 170).
WARNING
Remember to use the braking effect of the
engine (1st, 2nd or 3rd gear) when you
are descending long or steep hills to
spare the brakes.
Overheating can cause the brakes to
fade!
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185 Starting and driving
Economical drivingFactors affecting fuel
consumptionThe fuel consumption of a car is greatly
affected by driving conditions, climate, road
conditions, speed, driving technique, etc.Breaking-inFuel consumption may be somewhat
higher during the break-in period (the
first 3,000–4,000 miles (5,000–7,000 km)).Weather conditionsSummer temperatures give better fuel
economy than winter ones. The difference
can be as much as about 10%. Consump-
tion increases in cold weather because the
engine takes longer to reach its normal
operating temperature. The transmission
and wheel bearings also take longer to
warm up. Even distance affects consump-
tion: short journeys of 3–5 miles (5–8 km)
do not give the engine enough time to
reach its optimum temperature. Wind con-
ditions also have a marked effect on fuel
consumption.How to read the diagram:
If fuel consumption with the engine at
normal temperature is 28 mpg
(10 l/100 km), the actual fuel consumption
3 miles (5 km) after the engine has started
from cold will be:
–23.5 mpg (12 l/100 km) at outside temp.
of 68°F (+20°C) (increase of 20 %).
–17.7 mpg (16 l/100 km) at outside temp.
of 32°F (0°C) (increase of 60 %).
–14 mpg (20 l/100 km) at outside temp. of
–4°F (–20°C) (increase of 100 %).
It is clear from the diagram that both dis-
tance driven and outside temperature have
a significant impact on fuel consumption,
after a cold start.
If the car is normally driven on short jour-
neys, 3–5 miles (5–8 km), for example to
and from work, the average consumption
will be 60–80% above the normal level.
Driving techniquesTo obtain the best running economy, with
regard to fuel consumption and general
wear, the car must be serviced regularly.
High speed, unnecessary acceleration,
frequent braking and much changing
down all give higher fuel consumption.
Frequent gear changing in traffic, starting
in cold weather, the use of studded tires
and roof racks, and towing a camper all
increase fuel consumption.
Do not warm up the engine while the car
is stationary.
If idling, the engine will take much longer Percentage increase in fuel consumption
of engine starting from cold compared to
engine at normal temperature.
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190 Starting and drivingTowing a trailer3
33 3Make sure you are familiar with the legal
requirements regarding speed limits for
towing, maximum trailer weights, trailer
braking requirements, and also any spe-
cial driving licence provisions.
Trailer hitch attachment3
33 3Trailer hitch attachments are available as
accessories. These are designed for a max-
imum trailer weight of 3500 lbs (1588 kg),
with trailer brakes.
An electrical connection3 for the towbar
and an electrical unit are provided in the
electrical center on the left-hand side of the
luggage compartment.
If the car has a 13-pin Saab genuine electri-
cal socket then it is possible to supply a
trailer/caravan with rear fog lights and
reversing lights. The caravan can also have
interior and exterior lighting even when the
car’s ignition is switched off. In which case,
remember not to load the battery for too
long so that it is discharged and pre-
vents the car from starting.
There is also access to power in the caravan
during a journey, the caravan battery can be
charged for example.
Also, if the car has SPA, this is deactivated
automatically if a trailer is hitched up and
correctly connected to the Saab genuine
trailer socket.
Saab recommendations:
Use a genuine Saab trailer hitch that is
designed and tested for your Saab.
Contact your Saab dealer for advice on
which trailer hitch is designed for your car.
WARNING
Do not drive with a trailer on inclines
steeper than 15 %. The load on the
drive (front) wheels will be so low that
the wheels can start to spin and pre-
vent further progress.
In addition, the car’s parking brake
may not always be sufficient to hold
the car and trailer securely, as the
wheels may start to slide.
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.
When you hitch up the trailer be sure
to attach its safety chains to the holes
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193 Starting and driving
Checks before drivingMake sure that the car and trailer are in
good working order. This is essential since
towing a trailer increases the strain on the
car.
Check and if necessary adjust the tire
pressure of the car and trailer.
Make sure all wheel bolts are properly
tightened.
Make sure that the equipment joining the
car and trailer is properly secured and
adjusted.
Make sure the trailer’s electrical 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 break-
ing when turning a corner.
Check all bulbs.
Check the car and trailer brakes.
Make sure that all items on or in the
camper or trailer are properly secured.
Make sure that the trailer’s jockey wheel is
raised and locked.
Check the distribution of the load so that
the car and trailer are well balanced.
Check that the rearview mirrors provide
the best possible rearward vision.
Make sure the trailer’s safety cable is
correctly attached.
Driving considerationsAlways take extra care when towing a
trailer, as the car’s handling will be different
and its braking performance reduced. The
trailer’s braking system and suspension
also have a considerable effect on these
characteristics. See also "Driving with a
load" on page 196.
Drive carefully:
descending hills
on uneven roads
over railway crossings
when meeting large vehicles
If the car has automatic transmission, select
gear M1 when ascending or descending
steep hills.
ReversingGet someone to help you keep an eye out
behind the trailer as the door mirrors do not
always provide sufficient rearward vision
when reversing.
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197 Starting and driving
Driving at nightBear in mind the following points, especially
when driving at night:
Nighttime driving requires your full
concentration
Do not rush. Count on your journey taking
slightly longer.
The number of drivers under the influence
of drugs is likely to be greater at night than
during the day.
Do not stare at the headlights of oncom-
ing vehicles.
Avoid driving at night if you have poor
eyesight. Night vision deteriorates with
age.
Keep your car’s headlights, windows and
mirrors clean. Also, if you wear glasses,
make sure they are clean.
Make sure you are well rested before
starting a long journey. Take a break every
other hour.
Only eat light meals. Heavy meals have a
tendency to induce tiredness.
Wild animals prefer to move at dusk and
dawn.
Check the headlight levelling setting (see
page 98).
Towing the car
Front towing eye
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 when it is on tow.
Always seek professional help if the
car needs to be recovered.
The ignition switch must be in the ON
position if the car is moved with the
engine not running.
The steering wheel lock must be dis-
engaged before towing the car.
The steering wheel lock disengages
when the remote control is inserted
into the ignition switch, if the battery
has sufficient charge.
WARNING
Make sure that the towing eye is
screwed in tightly. It has a left-hand
thread!
The towing eye is only designed for
towing the car on roads. It must not
be used to pull the car out of a ditch,
for example.
Make sure that all bystanders keep a
suitable distance, in case the towing
eye or tow rope should snap. The
towing eye or tow rope could catapult
off and cause seriously injury.
Never drive with the towing eye fitted
to the front bumper. Return it to its des-
ignated storage space.
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