light SAAB 9-3 2000 User Guide

36 SecurityActivating the car alarmThe car alarm (anti-theft system) is
activated/deactivated when the car is
locked/unlocked by the remote control or by
the key.
The car alarm cannot be activated if the
driver’s door is open or if the ignition switch
is in position ON.
If, on the other hand, one of the other doors
or the trunk or hood is open or opened and
not closed again during the 10-seconds
delay period, it will be excluded from the
alarm function.
If it is then closed, a new delay period of ten
seconds will start, and the door (or trunk or
hood) will once again be secured by the
alarm system.
As usual, the LED will be on continuously
during the new delay period and will start to
flash every three seconds after the 10-sec-
onds period has elapsed.
Window glass sensorThe car-alarm (anti-theft system) incorpo-
rates a sensor that monitors the window
glass for the sound of breakage. The sensor
is fitted inside the rear dome light (on Con-
vertibles: in the front interior light).
To avoid false alarms, such as the alarm
being triggered by children or pets left inside
the car, the sensor can be temporarily dis-
abled.
To disable the sensor
To disable the sensor, first turn off the igni-
tion and remove the key from the switch.
Next, press and hold the NIGHT PANEL
button until ”DOOR ALARM ONLY” appears
on the SID and a chime sounds. The car
alarm must now be activated within three
minutes, or the glass sensor will become
active again.
The glass sensor will be enabled again
automatically the next time the car is
unlocked. The sensor can also be enabled
again by repeating the procedure for dis-
abling it. When the sensor has been
enabled, ”FULL THEFT ALARM” will
appear on the SID.
If a fault is detected in the glass sensor,
”SERVICE THEFT ALARM” will appear on
the SID.
9-3 Convertible: when the car is parked
with the soft top down, the glass sensor will
be automatically disabled.
Electronic starting interlock
(immobilizer)When the key is inserted in the ignition, a
signal is sent to the receiver. If the signal is
verified, the engine can be started.
Each time the key is removed from the igni-
tion, the electronic immobilizer is activated.
If a fault is detected (e.g. in the transmitter)
”KEY NOT ACCEPTED” will appear on the
SID.
In this case, you can still start the car if you
turn the ignition key to ON and press one of
the buttons on the remote control.
Take the car to an authorized Saab dealer to
have the system checked.
The LED on the top of the dash dou-
ble-flashes when the car is immobilized.
ProCarManuals.com

37 Security
Alarm signals When the car alarm is armed, it will be trig-
gered if any door, the trunk lid or hood, is
opened, or if a window is broken.
The alarm will also be triggered if an attempt
is made to bypass or short-circuit the igni-
tion switch, or to disconnect the battery.
If the alarm is triggered, the following alarm
signals will be set off:
 Flashing of hazard warning lights for five
minutes.
 Siren wailing for 30 seconds.
The alarm signals will stop if the alarm is
deactivated (car unlocked) during the alarm
period.
Panic-functionIn the car alarm system is a function called
"Panic-function".
To activate panic function:
 Push and hold one of the buttons on the
remote control for 2 seconds, or if you are
sitting inside the car...
 Push the LOCK-switch on the center con-
sole for 2 seconds (not Convertibles).
These actions will trigger the alarm (hazard
warning lights and siren).
To deactivate panic function:
 Push one of the buttons on the remote
control, push the LOCK-switch in the
center console, turn the key in one of the
doors or turn the ignition to ON.
When the panic-function is activated the car
will be locked/unlocked depending upon
which button was pushed.
When the ignition is ON the panic-function
cannot be activated.
NOTE It is possible to inadvertently deacti-
vate the car alarm and at the same
time unlock the car, if the button on the
remote control is pressed by mistake
when the control is still within range of
the car.
 When locking the car by remote con-
trol in extremely cold weather, it is
advisable to check that the lock
system has operated properly. To do
so, check that the interior locking but-
tons are all down.
If not, unlock and relock the car again.
ProCarManuals.com

38 SecurityOverview of functions
Alarm signals may differ between model variants for different coun-
tries.
Some of the car-alarm functions can be reprogrammed – con-
sult your Saab dealer for further details (see page 231). Locking/
activation Hazard warning lights flash once (0.5 seconds).
Horn chirps once.
The LED will come on for 10 seconds.
Unlocking/
deactivation Hazard warning lights flash twice.
Horn chirps twice.
The LED will come on for two seconds.
Unlocking/
deactivation of
trunk lid alarm Hazard warning lights flash three times.
Horn chirps three times.
The LED will flash three times per second for 10
seconds.
Alarm triggered Hazard warning lights flash for 5 min.
Siren wails for 30 seconds.
To switch off the alarm, deactivate the system in
the normal way (unlocking) by unlocking the
door with the key or the remote
Window-glass
sensor The sensor detects if any window is broken and
triggers the alarm.
To disable the sensor, see page 36.
Remote control The range of the remote control is normally
5-10 yds. (5-10 metres), although it can be sub-
stantially more than this in ideal conditions.
If a remote control is lost, the new one will have
to be programmed from one of the remaining
remote controls to match the car’s unique secu-
rity code. Get in touch with an authorized Saab
dealer. Your dealer will need your second remote
to program a new one
If another remote or key is desired (up to total of
4), all keys and remotes must be present when
programming additional ones.Battery for
remote control The battery for the remote control will normally
have a life of 4-5 years. When the battery needs
changing, ”REPLACE KEY BATTERY” will
appear on the SID.
After fitting a new battery, press the unlock but-
ton on the remote control at least four times in
succession, so that the car alarm can recognize
the signals from the transmitter.
If the remote control has been exposed to very
low temperatures, it may not function properly. If
this happens, warm it in your hands for a few
minutes.
If the remote control is not working, it may be
because the code signal has not been synchro-
nized with that in the control module for the car
alarm. To rectify this, press the unlock button on
the remote control at least four times in quick
succession. When it is recognized, the door
locks will cycle.
Car-battery
voltage If the car-battery voltage is lost while the alarm is
activated - for instance, if the battery has died -
the car alarm will be deactivated. Once battery
voltage is present again, the alarm will revert to
its status at the time the voltage went down.
If the battery is disconnected, e.g. in an attempt
to break into the car, the alarm will be triggered
ProCarManuals.com

41 Convertible
ConvertibleGeneral safety instruc-
tions ................................ 42
Folding the soft top ......... 43
Raising the soft top ......... 45
Manual raising of the soft
top ................................... 46
Fault messages in SID ..... 48
Central operation of the
windows, 9-3 Convertible 49
Trunk, 9-3 Convertible ..... 50
Cleaning the soft top, 9-3
Convertible ..................... 51
Interior lighting................. 52
Manually opening the fuel
filler door ........................ 52
IB1361
ProCarManuals.com

51 Convertible
Trunk Pass-Through in the rear
seatback for long, narrow loadsA trunk pass-through is provided in the rear
seatback support so that long narrow
objects can be carried. Before using this
trunk pass-through, the rear seatback must
be lowered.
Suspend the top storage bag by means of
the hooks as previously described on page.
50.
Cleaning the soft top, 9-3
Convertible
NOTEThe trunk pass-through can only be used
when the top is raised.
If you attempt to lower the top with the top
storage bag suspended from the hooks or
with a load pressing against the top stor-
age bag, the SID will display the message
"CHECK SOFT TOP STORAGE" (see
page 48).
NOTE Note that some automatic car washes
can damage a textile soft top. This
applies to washes that have mechani-
cal feelers in contact with the body-
work.
We advise against washing a Saab
9-3 Convertible in automatic car
washes.
 Park in the shade if possible. Long
standing in strong sunlight can affect
the color and material of the soft top.
 Never use strong bleaches or abra-
sive cleaning agents, since they can
damage the textile soft top.
 Wash bird droppings off at once, since
they can have a corrosive effect on the
textile soft top and paint.
 During prolonged parking, especially
winter storage, the soft top should be
up to give optimum airing of the fabric.
 Do not wash the fabric soft-top with a
high-pressure jet.
 Strong detergents and solvents can
damage the flame retardant treatment
of the soft top.
IB857
Pass through for long loads
ProCarManuals.com

52 ConvertibleUse mild soap, lukewarm water and a
sponge for washing.
Rinse the top thoroughly with plain water to
get rid of all the soap. Flush the cleaning
agent off the bodywork as well, since it can
cause discoloration if it is left to dry on the
paintwork.
If further cleaning is needed after soap and
water have been used, a mild shampoo may
be employed. First rinse the soft top, then
use shampoo on the complete top and
scrub with a small soft hand brush.
Add water as needed until the cleaning
agent lathers. Use a rag or sponge to
remove dirt, so as to avoid working it into the
cloth. Thoroughly rinse the whole car with
plain water and make sure that cleaning
agents are not allowed to dry on the paint-
work.
Cleaning the rear windowThe rear window can be cleaned with a
window cleaner or a mild soap solution and
a soft, anti-static cloth.
Since the rear window is made of glass,
when necessary, you can use an ice
scraper on the outside. Never use a scraper
on the inside!Interior lightingThe front light is located on the front roof rail.
The rear lighting consists of two lights built
in to the side panels adjacent to the rear
seat. The switch is on the center console
between the front seats, see also page 121.
Certain variants have a mirror and lighting
built into the sun visors.
Manually opening the
fuel filler doorConvertible If the fuel filler door, controlled by the central
lock, does not unlock take the following
action:
Check fuse 25. If it is defective or blows
again after changing, the locking motor can
be detached from the flap by pulling a wire.
The wire, marked with a yellow arrow at the
end, is located in the trunk inside the open-
ing in the upholstery in front of the
right-hand rear light.
NOTEAfter washing, the soft top must be given
time to dry completely before being folded
down. A wet or damp top that is folded
down can be damaged by mold.
IB861
Wire for manual opening of fuel filler door
(Convertible)
ProCarManuals.com

53
Instruments and
controlsWarning and indicator
lights ............................... 54
Instruments ...................... 59
Trip computer SID ............ 62
Switches ........................... 71
Wipers and washers ........ 74
Manual climate-control
system ............................. 76
Automatic climate control
(ACC) ............................... 80
IB946
ProCarManuals.com

54 Instruments and controlsMain instrument panel
Warning and
indicator lightsA number of warning and indicator lights will
come on when the ignition is switched on
prior to starting (see page 58). Under
normal conditions, these should go out a
few seconds after the engine has started.
Warning, oil pressure (en-
gine oil)
This symbol comes on together with if
the oil pressure in the engine is too low. If
the symbol flashes or comes on while you
are driving, stop as soon as possible and
where it is safe to do so, switch off the
engine and check the engine oil level, see
page 172. NOTEThe car must not be driven under any cir-
cumstances when the warning lamp is on.
Too low oil pressure will damage the
engine.
IB1356
Main instrument panel 1 Tachometer
2 Indicator and warning lights
3 Speedometer
4 Indicator and warning lights
5 Pressure gauge 6 Fuel gauge (tank volume:
17 gallons (64 litres)
7 Engine temperature gauge
8 Trip meter reset button
9 Odometer and trip meter
ProCarManuals.com

55 Instruments and controls

Warning charging
This light comes on together with if the
battery is not charging. If it comes on while
you are driving, stop the car as soon as pos-
sible and switch off the engine.
Check the alternator drive belt (see page
179). If the belt has broken, the engine may
overheat (cooling system will not function
properly), the belt is slack or broken, battery
charging will be poor and engine cooling
unsatisfactory.
Brake warning light
This light will come on together with if
there is insufficient brake fluid in the reser-
voir, see page 176.
If the ABS warning light is on at the same
time, the ABS system may be inoperative
because of a fault (see anti-lock brake warn-
ing).
Parking brake warning
light
The light will show when the parking brake
is on (see page 151.)
If the car driven with the parking brake on,
will also come on and a chime will
sound.
The parking brake is mechanical and oper-
ates on the rear wheels.
WARNING
Never drive the car when these warning
lights are on. Danger of brake failure!
Have the brake system checked at once
by an authorized Saab dealer.
WARNING
• Always apply the parking brake when
parking
 Always apply the parking brake before
removing the ignition key
 Do not apply the parking brake while
the car is moving (see page 151)
ProCarManuals.com

56 Instruments and controls
Anti-lock brake warning
This light together with and indi-
cates that a fault has occurred in the ABS
system. Conventional braking without the
ABS function will still be available.
For safety reasons, stop the car and check
the level of the brake fluid (see page 176).
If the level is normal, depress the brake
pedal firmly two or three times. Now check
the level again. If the level is still normal, you
may drive the car, with considerable cau-
tion, to the nearest authorized Saab dealer
to have the brake system checked.

Airbag warning light
This light together with will come on if
a potentially serious fault has occurred in
the airbag system.
This light will come on for about three sec-
onds when the ignition switch is turned to
the Start or Drive position. It should go out
after the engine has started.

Indicator, fuel
This light comes on when there is less than
about 2.5 gallons (10 litre) of fuel left in the
tank.
WARNING
 If the ABS is inoperative, there is a
danger of the rear wheels locking up
on hard braking
 If the level of brake fluid in the reser-
voir is below the MIN mark, the car
should be towed to an authorized
Saab dealer
WARNING
 If the airbag readiness light stays on
after you start your vehicle, it means
the airbag system may not be working
properly.
 The airbags in your vehicle may not
inflate in a crash, or they could even
inflate without a crash.
 To help avoid injury to yourself or
others, have your vehicle serviced
right away if the airbag readiness light
stays on after you start your vehicle.
NOTEIf the car runs out of fuel, air can have
been drawn in with the fuel, which, in turn,
can cause the catalytic converter to be
damaged by overheating.
ProCarManuals.com