brake SAAB 9-2X 2006 Owner's Manual

7-16
Starting and operating

Disc brake pad wear warning
indicatorsThe disc brake pad wear warning indica-
tors on the disc brakes give a warning
noise when the brake pads are worn.
If a squeaking or scraping noise is heard
from the disc brakes while braking, imme-
diately have your vehicle checked by your
Saab dealer.
ABS (Anti-lock Brake Sys-tem)The ABS system prevents the lock-up of
wheels which may occur during sudden
braking or braking on slippery road surfac-
es. This helps prevent the loss of steering
control and directional stability caused by
wheel lock-up.
When the ABS system is operating, you
may hear a chattering noise or feel a slight
vibration in the brake pedal. This is normal
when the ABS operates.
The ABS system will not operate when the
vehicle speed is below approximately 6
mph (10 km/h).

ABS system self-checkJust after the vehicle is started, you may
feel on the brake pedal a vibration similar
to when the ABS operates, and you may
also hear the sound of the ABS working
from the engine compartment. This is
caused by an automatic functional test of
700040
Always use the utmost care in driv-
ing – overconfidence because you
are driving with an ABS equipped
vehicle could easily lead to a seri-
ous accident.

The ABS system does not always
decrease stopping distance. You
should always maintain a safe fol-
lowing distance from other vehi-
cles.

When driving on badly surfaced
roads, gravel roads, icy roads, or
over deep newly fallen snow,
stopping distances may be longer
for a vehicle with the ABS system
than one without. When driving
under these conditions, therefore,
reduce your speed and leave am-
ple distance from other vehicles.

When you feel the ABS system
operating, you should maintain
constant brake pedal pressure.
Do not pump the brake pedal
since doing so may defeat the op-
eration of the ABS system.
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Starting and operating
7-17
7
the ABS system being carried out and
does not indicate any abnormal condition.
ABS warning lightThe ABS warning light comes on when the
ignition switch is turned to the “ON” posi-
tion and goes out after approximately two
seconds.
This is an indication that the ABS system
is working properly.
When driving with an insufficient battery
voltage such as when the engine is jump
started, the ABS warning light may come
on. This is due to the low battery voltage
and does not indicate a malfunction.
When the battery becomes fully charged,
the light will go out.
NOTEIf the warning light behavior is as de-
scribed in the following, the ABS sys-
tem may be considered normal.

The warning light comes on right af-ter the engine is started but goes out
immediately, remaining off.

The warning light remains on after
the engine has been started, but it goes
out when the vehicle speed reaches
approximately 8 mph (12 km/h).

The warning light comes on during
driving, but it goes out immediately
and remains off.
700359
When the warning light is on, the
ABS function shuts down; however,
the conventional brake system con-
tinues to operate normally. If the
warning light behaves as follows,
the ABS system may not be working
properly.

The warning light does not come
on when the ignition switch is
turned to the “ON” position.

The warning light comes on when
the ignition switch is turned to the
“ON” position, but it does not go
out even when the vehicle speed
exceeds approximately 8 mph (12
km/h).

The warning light comes on dur-
ing driving.
If these occur, have the ABS system
repaired at the first available oppor-
tunity by your Saab dealer.
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7-18
Starting and operating
Electronic Brake Force Dis-tribution (EBD) systemThe EBD system maximizes the effective-
ness of the brakes by allowing the rear
brakes to supply a greater proportion of
the braking force. It functions by adjusting
the distribution of braking force to the rear
wheels in accordance with the vehicle’s
loading condition and speed.
The EBD system is an integral part of the
ABS system and uses some of the ABS
system’s components to perform its func-
tion of optimizing the distribution of brak-
ing force. If any of the ABS components
used by the EBD function fails, the EBD
system also stops working.
When the EBD system is operating, you
may hear a chattering noise or feel a slight
vibration in the brake pedal. This is normal
and does not indicate a malfunction.

Steps to take if EBD system
failsIf a malfunction occurs in the EBD system,
the system stops working and the brake
system warning light and ABS warning
light come on simultaneously.
The EBD system may be faulty if the brake
system warning light and ABS warning
light illuminate simultaneously during driv-
ing.
Even if the EBD system fails, the conven-
tional braking system will still function.
However, the rear wheels will be more
prone to locking when the brakes are ap-
plied harder than usual and the vehicle’s
motion may therefore become somewhat
harder to control.
If the brake system warning light and ABSwarning light illuminate simultaneously,
take the following steps:
1. Stop the vehicle in the nearest safe, flat
place.
2. Shut down the engine, then restart it.
3. Release the parking brake. If both
warning lights go out, the EBD system
may be faulty. Drive carefully to the near-
est Saab dealer and have the system in-
spected.
4. If both warning lights come on again
and stay illuminated after the engine has
been restarted, shut down the engine
again, apply the parking brake, and check
the brake fluid level.
5. If the brake fluid level is not below the
“MIN” mark, the EBD system may be
faulty. Drive carefully to the nearest Saab
dealer and have the system inspected.
6. If the brake fluid level is below the
“MIN” mark, DO NOT drive the vehicle. In-
stead, have the vehicle towed to the near-
est Saab dealer for repair.
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Starting and operating
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7
– CONTINUED –
Parking your vehicle
Parking brakeTo set the parking brake, press the brake
pedal firmly and hold it down while fully
pulling up the parking brake lever.
To release the parking brake, pull the le-
ver up slightly, press the release button,
then lower the lever while keeping the but-
ton pressed.
When the parking brake is set while the
engine is running, the parking brake warn-
ing light comes on. After starting the vehi-
cle, be sure that the warning light has
gone out before the vehicle is driven. Re-
fer to the “Warning and indicator lights”
section (chapter 3).

Parking tipsWhen parking your vehicle, always set the
parking brake firmly and put the shift lever
in the “1” (1st) for an upgrade or “R” (Re-
verse) for a downgrade for manual trans-
mission vehicles, or in the “P” (Park) posi-
tion for automatic transmission vehicles.
Always set the parking brake firmly when
parking your vehicle. Never rely on the
transmission alone to hold the vehicle.
Driving with the brake system
warning light on is dangerous.
This indicates your brake system
may not be working properly. If
the light remains on, have the
brakes inspected by a Saab dealer
immediately.

If at all in doubt about whether the
brakes are operating properly, do
not drive the vehicle. Have your
vehicle towed to the nearest Saab
dealer for repair.
700336
Never drive while the parking brake
is set because this will cause unnec-
essary wear on the brake linings.
Before starting to drive, always
make sure that the parking brake
has been fully released.
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7-22
Starting and operating
The vehicle will maintain the desired
speed.
Vehicle speed can be temporarily in-
creased while driving with the cruise con-
trol activated. Simply depress the acceler-
ator pedal to accelerate the vehicle. When
the accelerator pedal is released, the ve-
hicle will return to and maintain the previ-
ous cruising speed.
To temporarily cancel the
cruise controlThere are five ways to cancel the cruise
control temporarily:

Pull the control lever in the “CANCEL”
direction.

Depress the brake pedal.
Depress the clutch pedal (manual trans-
mission vehicles only).

Shift the selector lever into the “N” posi-
tion (automatic transmission vehicles
only).

Shift the shift lever into neutral (manual
transmission vehicles only).
The “
” indicator light in the instru-
ment cluster goes off when the cruise con-
trol is cancelled.
To resume the cruise control after it has
been temporarily canceled and with vehi-
cle speed of approximately 20 mph (32
km/h) or more, push the control lever up-
ward in the “RES/ACC” direction to return
to the original cruising speed automatical-
ly.
The “” indicator light in the instru-
ment cluster will automatically come on at
this time.

To turn off the cruise controlThere are two ways to turn off the cruise
control:

Push the main switch again.

Turn the ignition switch to the “ACC” or
“LOCK” position (but only when the vehi-
cle is completely stopped).

To change the cruising speed
To increase the speed (by control le-
ver)
Push the control lever upward in the
“RES/ACC” direction and hold it until the
vehicle reaches the desired speed. Then,
release the control lever. The vehicle
speed at that moment will be memorized
and treated as the new set speed.
When the difference between the actual
vehicle speed and the set speed is less
than 4 mph (6.8 km/h), the set speed can
be increased 1 mph (1.6 km/h) each time
by pressing the control lever upward in the
“RES/ACC” direction quickly.
700161
300334
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Starting and operating
7-23
7

To increase the speed (by accelera-
tor pedal)
1. Depress the accelerator pedal to accel-
erate the vehicle to the desired speed.
2. Push the control lever downward in the
“SET/COAST” direction once. Now the
desired speed is set and the vehicle will
keep running at that speed without de-
pressing the accelerator pedal.NOTEIf the difference between the actual ve-
hicle speed when the control lever is
pushed downward and the speed last
time you set it is less than 4 mph (6.8
km/h), the vehicle speed will be low-
ered by 1 mph (1.6 km/h). This occurs
because the cruise control system unit
regards this lever operation as that in-
tended to decrease the vehicle speed.
To decrease the speed (by control
lever)
Push the control lever downward in the
“SET/COAST” direction and hold it until
the vehicle reaches the desired speed.
Then, release the control lever. The vehi-
cle speed at that moment will be memo-
rized and treated as the new set speed.
When the difference between the actual
vehicle speed and the set speed is less
than 4 mph (6.8 km/h), the set speed can
be lowered 1 mph (1.6 km/h) each time by
pressing the control lever downward in the
“SET/COAST” direction quickly.
To decrease the speed (by brake
pedal)
1. Depress the brake pedal to release
cruise control temporarily.
2. When the speed decreases to the de-
sired speed, press the control lever down-
ward in the “SET/COAST” direction once.
Now the desired speed is set and the ve-
hicle will keep running at that speed with-
out depressing the accelerator pedal.
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8-2
Driving tips
Driving tips
New vehicle break-in driving
– the first 1,000 miles (1,600 km)The performance and long life of your ve-
hicle are dependent on how you handle
and care for your vehicle while it is new.
Follow these instructions during the first
1,000 miles (1,600 km):

Do not race the engine. And do not al-
low engine speed to exceed 4,000 rpm ex-
cept in an emergency.

Do not drive at one constant engine or
vehicle speed for a long time, either fast or
slow.

Avoid starting suddenly and rapid accel-
eration, except in an emergency.

Avoid hard braking, except in an emer-
gency.
The same break-in procedures should be
applied to an overhauled engine, newly
mounted engine or when brake pads or
brake linings are replaced with new ones.
Fuel economy hintsThe following suggestions will help to
save your fuel.

Select the proper gear position for the
speed and road conditions.

Avoid sudden acceleration or decelera-
tion. Always accelerate gently until you
reach the desired speed. Then try to main-
tain that speed for as long as possible.

Do not pump the accelerator and avoid
racing the engine.

Avoid unnecessary engine idling.

Keep the engine properly tuned.

Keep the tires inflated to the correct
pressure shown on the tire label, which is
located under the door latch on the driv-
er’s side. Low pressure will increase tire
wear and fuel consumption.

Use the air conditioner only when nec-
essary.

Keep the front and rear wheels in prop-
er alignment.

Avoid carrying unnecessary luggage or
cargo.
Engine exhaust gas (Carbon monoxide)
Never inhale engine exhaust gas.
Engine exhaust gas contains car-
bon monoxide, a colorless and
odorless gas which is dangerous,
or even lethal, if inhaled.

Always properly maintain the en-
gine exhaust system to prevent
engine exhaust gas from entering
the vehicle.

Never run the engine in a closed
space, such as a garage, except
for the brief time needed to drive
the vehicle in or out of it.

Avoid remaining in a parked vehi-
cle for a lengthy time while the en-
gine is running. If that is unavoid-
able, then use the ventilation fan
to force fresh air into the vehicle.

Always keep the front ventilation
inlet grille free from snow, leaves
or other obstructions to ensure
that the ventilation system always
works properly.
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Driving tips
8-7
8
– CONTINUED –
Keep the door locks from freezing by
squirting them with deicer or glycerin.
Forcing a frozen door open may damage
or separate the rubber weather strips
around the door. If the door is frozen, use
hot water to melt the ice, and afterwards
thoroughly wipe the water away.
Use a windshield washer fluid that con-
tains an antifreeze solution. Do not use
engine antifreeze or other substitutes be-
cause they may damage the paint of the
vehicle.

Before driving your vehicle
Before entering the vehicle, remove any
snow or ice from your shoes because that
could make the pedals slippery and dan-
gerous.
While warming up the vehicle before driv-
ing, check that the accelerator pedal,
brake pedal, and all other controls operate
smoothly.
Clear away ice and snow that has accu-
mulated under the fenders to avoid mak-
ing steering difficult. During severe winter
driving, stop when and where it is safe to
do so and check under the fenders period-
ically.
Parking in cold weather
Do not use the parking brake when park-
ing for long periods in cold weather since
it could freeze in that position. Instead, ob-
serve the following.
1. Place the shift lever in “1” or “R” for
manual transmission vehicles, and in “P”
for automatic transmission vehicles.
2. Use tire stops under the tires to prevent
the vehicle from moving.
When the vehicle is parked in snow or
when it snows, raise the wiper blades off
the glass to prevent damage to them.
When the vehicle has been left parked af-
ter use on roads heavily covered with
snow, or has been left parked during a
snowstorm, icing may develop on the
brake system, which could cause poor
braking action. Check for snow or ice
buildup on the suspension, disc brakes
and brake hoses underneath the vehicle.
If there is caked snow or ice, remove it,
being careful not to damage the disc
brakes and brake hoses and ABS har-
ness.

Refueling in cold weather
To help prevent moisture from forming in
the fuel system and the risk of its freezing,
use of an antifreeze additive in the fuel
tank is recommended during cold weath-
er.
Use only additives that are specifically de-
signed for this purpose. When an anti-
freeze additive is used, its effect lasts
longer if the tank is refilled whenever the
fuel level reaches half empty.
If your Saab is not going to be used for an
extended period, it is best to have the fuel
tank filled to capacity.
Driving on snowy and icy
roadsTo prevent skidding and slipping, avoid
sudden braking, abrupt acceleration, high-
speed driving, and sharp turning when
driving on snowy or icy roads.
Always maintain ample distance betweenSnow can trap dangerous exhaust
gases under your vehicle. Keep
snow clear of the exhaust pipe and
from around your vehicle if you park
the vehicle in snow with the engine
running.
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8-8
Driving tips
your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you
to avoid the need for sudden braking.
To supplement the foot brake, use the en-
gine brake effectively to control the vehi-
cle speed. (Shift into a lower gear when
necessary.)
Avoid shifting down abruptly. Such behav-
ior can cause the wheels to lock, possibly
leading to loss of vehicle control.
An anti-lock brake system (ABS) enhanc-
es your vehicle’s braking performance on
snowy and icy roads. Refer to the “ABS
(Anti-lock Brake System)” section in chap-
ter 7 for information on braking on slippery
surfaces.NOTEThe following tires are summer tires.
Compared with winter and all-season
tires, summer tires give significantly
less grip on snowy and icy road surfac-
es. Avoid driving on snowy and icy
road surface with summer tires.

Optional 215/45R17 tires for Aero

Wiper operation when snowing
Before driving in cold weather, make sure
the wiper blades are not frozen to the
windshield or rear window. If the wiper
blades are frozen to the windshield or rear
window, use the defroster with the airflow
control dial in the “
” position and the
temperature control dial set for maximum
warmth until the wiper blades are com-
pletely thawed out. If your vehicle is
equipped with a wiper deicer, it is helpful
to thaw the windshield wiper blades. To
thaw out the rear wiper blade, use the rear
window defogger.
When driving in snow, if frozen snow
starts to stick on the surface of the wind-
shield despite wiper operation, use the de-
froster with the airflow control dial in
“
” and the temperature control dial
set for maximum warmth. After the wind-
shield gets warmed enough to melt the
frozen snow on it, wash it away using the
windshield washer.Snow stuck on the wiper arm prevents the
wiper from working effectively. If snow is
stuck on the wiper arm, pull off the road to
a safe place, then remove it. If you stop
the vehicle at road side, use the hazard
warning flasher to alert other drivers.
We recommend use of non-freezing type
wiper blades (winter blades) during the
seasons you could have snow and sub-
zero temperatures. Blades of this type
give superior wiping performance in
snowy conditions. Be sure to use blades
that are suitable for your vehicle.
NOTEWhen the season requiring non-freez-
ing type wiper blades is over, replace
them with standard wiper blades.
Corrosion protectionRefer to the “Corrosion protection” section
(chapter 10). Do not use the cruise control on
slippery roads such as snowy or icy
roads. This may cause loss of vehi-
cle control.
Avoid prolonged continuous driving
in snowstorms. Snow will enter the
engine’s intake system and may
hinder the air flow, which could re-
sult in engine shutdown or even
breakdown.
During high-speed driving, non-
freezing type wiper blades may not
perform as well as standard wiper
blades. If this happens, reduce the
vehicle speed.
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Driving tips
8-13
8
– CONTINUED –
Trailer towingYour vehicle is designed and intended to
be used primarily as a passenger-carrying
vehicle. Towing a trailer puts additional
loads on your vehicle’s engine, drivetrain,
brakes, tires and suspension and has an
adverse effect on fuel economy.
If you do decide to tow a trailer, your safe-
ty and satisfaction depend upon proper
use of correct equipment and cautious op-
eration of your vehicle. Seek the advice of
your Saab dealer to assist you in purchas-
ing a hitch and other necessary towing
equipment appropriate for your vehicle. In
addition, be sure to follow the instructions
on correct installation and use provided by
the trailer and other towing equipment
manufacturers.
Saab assumes no responsibility for inju-
ries or vehicle damage that result from
trailer towing equipment, or from any er-
rors or omissions in the instructions ac-
companying such equipment or for your
failure to follow the proper instructions.
Warranties and maintenanceFor details of application of warranties to
vehicle damage or malfunctions related
with trailer towing, please refer to the
“Saab Warranty and Service RecordBooklet”. If you use your vehicle to tow a
trailer, more frequent maintenance will be
required due to the additional load. (Refer
to “Maintenance schedule under severe
driving conditions” in the “Saab Warranty
and Service Record Booklet”.)
Under no circumstances should a trailer
be towed with a new vehicle or a vehicle
with any new powertrain component (en-
gine, transmission, differential, wheel
bearings, etc.) for the first 1,000 miles
(1,600 km) of driving.

Maximum load limits

Total trailer weightTotal trailer weightThe total trailer weight (trailer weight plus
its cargo load) must never exceed the
maximum weight shown in the following
table. Never exceed the maximum load
limits explained in the following. Ex-
ceeding the maximum load limits
could cause personal injury and/or
vehicle damage.

Adequate size trailer brakes are
required when the trailer and its
cargo exceed 1,000 lbs (453 kg)
total weight.
Before towing a trailer, check the
trailer total weight, GVW, GAWs
and tongue load. Make sure the
load and its distribution in your
vehicle and trailer are acceptable.
800211
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