2008 SAAB 9-7X ABS

{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working
properly if the brake system warning light is
on. Driving with the brake system warning
light on can lead to an accident. If the light
is still on after you have pulled off the road
and stopped carefully, have the vehicle towed
for service.
Antilock Brake System
Warning Light
For vehicles with
the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), this
light comes on briey
when the engine
is started.That is normal. If the light does not come on then,
have it xed so it will be ready to warn you if there
is a problem.
If the ABS light stays on, turn the ignition off, if the light
comes on when you are driving, stop as soon as it is
safely possible and turn the ignition off. Then start the
engine again to reset the system. If the ABS light still
stays on, or comes on again while you are driving, your
vehicle needs service. If the regular brake system
warning light is not on, your vehicle still has brakes, but
not antilock brakes. If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, your vehicle does not have antilock
brakes and there is a problem with the regular brakes.
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-34.
For vehicles with a Driver Information Center (DIC),
seeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-48for
all brake related DIC messages.
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Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunk Driving.................................................4-2
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-3
Braking.........................................................4-3
Antilock Brake System (ABS)...........................4-4
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-5
Limited-Slip Rear Axle.....................................4-5
StabiliTrak
®System........................................4-5
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System.......................4-10
Steering......................................................4-10
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-12
Passing.......................................................4-12
Loss of Control.............................................4-12
Off-Road Driving...........................................4-13
Driving at Night............................................4-14Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-14
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-15
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-16
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-16
Winter Driving..............................................4-17
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.............................................4-21
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-22
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-22
Towing..........................................................4-28
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-28
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-28
Electronically Controlled Air Suspension
System....................................................4-28
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-30
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
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And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road, whether it is pavement
or gravel; the condition of the road, whether it is
wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the condition of the brakes;
the weight of the vehicle; and the amount of brake force
applied.
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is
a mistake. The brakes might not have time to cool
between hard stops. The brakes will wear out much
faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace
with the traffic and allow realistic following distances,
you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking.
That means better braking and longer brake life.
If your vehicle’s engine ever stops while you are driving,
brake normally but do not pump the brakes. If you do,
the pedal could get harder to push down. If the
engine stops, you will still have some power brake
assist. But you will use it when you brake. Once the
power assist is used up, it can take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3.Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has the Antilock Brake System (ABS),
an advanced electronic braking system that will
help prevent a braking skid.
When you start the engine and begin to drive away,
ABS will check itself. You might hear a momentary
motor or clicking noise while this test is going on.
This is normal.
If there is a problem with
ABS, this warning light will
stay on. SeeAntilock
Brake System Warning
Light on page 3-35.
Along with ABS, your vehicle has a Dynamic Rear
Proportioning (DRP) system. If there is a DRP problem,
both the brake and ABS warning lights come on
accompanied by a 10-second chime. The lights and
chime will come on each time the ignition is turned on
until the problem is repaired. See your dealer/retailer
for service.
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Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If
one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each front wheel
and at both rear wheels.
ABS can change the brake pressure faster than any
driver could. The computer is programmed to make the
most of available tire and road conditions. This can
help you steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, the computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls braking pressure
accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change the time you need to
get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle
in front of you, you will not have time to apply the brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead to stop, even though you
have ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
rmly and let antilock work for you. You might feel the
brakes vibrate or notice some noise, but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With ABS, you can steer and brake at the same time.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
Limited-Slip Rear Axle
Your vehicle may have this feature. A limited-slip rear
axle can give you additional traction on snow, mud, ice,
sand or gravel. It works like a standard axle most of
the time, but when one of the rear wheels has no
traction and the other does, this feature will allow the
wheel with traction to move the vehicle.
StabiliTrak®System
Your vehicle is equipped with StabiliTrak®, Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) which combines antilock
brake, traction and stability control systems and helps
the driver maintain directional control of the vehicle
in most driving conditions.
Traction control activates when the controller senses
wheel spin. StabiliTrak
®will selectively apply the brakes
and reduce engine torque to help regain traction.
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Vehicles with a DIC Vehicles without a DIC Event
Solid Service StabiliTrak
®Solid SolidStabiliTrak
®system
is disabled due to a
system fault.
SolidStabiliTrak
®
Not ReadySolid OffStabiliTrak
®system
is disabled due to a
failure to initialize.
Notice:If the StabiliTrak
®light comes on due to
heavy braking and/or because the traction control
system has been continuously active, do not
allow the wheel(s) of one axle to spin excessively.
If you do, you may be causing damage to the
transfer case. This could lead to costly repairs not
covered by your warranty.
Notice:If you allow the wheel(s) of one axle to spin
excessively while the StabiliTrak
®, ABS and brake
warning lights and the SERVICE STABILITRAK
message are displayed, you could damage the
transfer case. The repairs would not be covered by
your warranty. Reduce engine power and do not
spin the wheel(s) excessively while these lights
and this message are displayed.
StabiliTrak
®may activate on dry or rough roads or
under conditions such as heavy acceleration while
turning or abrupt upshifts/downshifts of the transmission.When this happens, you may notice a reduction in
acceleration, or may hear a noise or vibration.
This is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the system
activates, the StabiliTrak
®light will blink, and the
cruise control will automatically disengage. When
road conditions allow, you may re-engage the cruise
control. SeeCruise Control on page 3-11.
StabiliTrak
®will turn off automatically if a problem is
detected in the system. The StabiliTrak®light will come
on and SERVICE STABILITRAK will be displayed on
the DIC. For vehicles without a DIC, the StabiliTrak
®
light and the StabiliTrak®service light will both come on.
If the SERVICE STABILITRAK message (or StabiliTrak®
service light) does not clear itself after restarting the
vehicle, you should see your dealer for service.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. SeeAccessories and Modifications
on page 5-3for more information.
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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, the 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 want to slow down and adjust your driving to these
conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance is 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 reducing vehicle speed by shifting
to a lower gear. Any sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide. You might 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 Antilock Brake System (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
Off-Road Driving
Your vehicle does not have features like added ground
clearance, special underbody shielding, and a transfer
case low gear range, things that are necessary for
extended or severe off-road service. You should
not drive off-road unless you are on a level, solid
surface.
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Accelerate gently. Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive wheels will spin and
polish the surface under the tires even more.
The Antilock Brake System (ABS) improves your
vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop on a
slippery road. Even though you have ABS, begin
stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement.
SeeAntilock Brake System (ABS) on page 4-4.
Allow greater following distance on any
slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be
ne until you hit a spot that is covered with ice.
On an otherwise clear road, ice patches can appear
in shaded areas where the sun cannot reach,
such as around clumps of trees, behind buildings,
or under bridges. Sometimes the surface of a curve
or an overpass can remain icy when the surrounding
roads are clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead
of you, brake before you are on it. Try not to
brake while you are actually on the ice, and avoid
sudden steering maneuvers.
If You Are Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in
a serious situation. You should probably stay with your
vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near
help and you can hike through the snow. Here are some
things to do to summon help and keep yourself and
your passengers safe:
Turn on the hazard warning ashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that
you have been stopped by the snow.
Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you.
If you do not have blankets or extra clothing, make
body insulators from newspapers, burlap bags,
rags, oor mats — anything you can wrap around
yourself or tuck under your clothing to keep warm.
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Parking on Hills
{CAUTION:
You really should not park your vehicle, with
a trailer attached, on a hill. If something goes
wrong, your rig could start to move. People
can be injured, and both your vehicle and
the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK (P) yet. When parking uphill, turn your
wheels away from the curb. When parking
downhill, turn your wheels into the curb.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer
wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your
parking brake, and then shift into PARK (P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal
down while you:
start your engine,
shift into a gear, and
release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store
the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for
more on this. Things that are especially important in
trailer operation are automatic transmission uid
(don’t overll), engine oil, axle lubricant, belt(s),
cooling system and brake system. Each of these is
covered in this manual, and the Index will help you
nd them quickly. If you’re trailering, it’s a good idea
to review these sections before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and
bolts are tight.
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