child seat SAAB 9-3 2003 User Guide

22 SafetyThe same attention must be given to child
safety in the car as is given to adults.
Saab recommends rearward facing
restraints for children 3 and under.
Children travel most safely when properly
restrained, but restraints must be suitable
for the size of the child.
Make sure you are acquainted with the
legal requirements for seating children
in the car.
Make sure that it is possible to fit a child
restraint in accordance with the manufac-
turer’s child restraint instructions.
When fitting child restraints in cars you
must always read the instructions sup-
plied by the child restraint manufacturer.
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 (also called ISOFIX).
In this vehicle, LATCH is installed at the two
outboard seating positions in the rear seat,
and there is a top tether on the rear center
position. The top tethers are located on top
of the parcel shelf, see page 24. They are
covered by a lid with a child seat anchor symbol. The lower anchorages are located
where the seat cushion and seat back come
together. There is a label above the inner
lower anchorage, see picture above. Label
consists of a symbol of a child restrained in
a seat inside a circle.
Saab recommends rearward facing
restraints for children 3 and under.
If you have any questions regarding LATCH
please contact your Saab dealer.Lower anchorages (ISOFIX) in the rear seat
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23 Safety
LATCH child seat installation
Before starting the installation, please read
through this instruction, and the child seat
installation instruction.
1 Place the child restraint on one of the
designated outboard rear seat cush-
ions.
2 Slide the attachment on the child
restraint in between the seat cushion
and backrest.
3 Press the child restraint down on the
seat, 1 in illustration.
4 Press the child restraint rearward, lining
up the inner restraint attachment arm
with the label, 2 in illustration.
5 Connect the restraint attachment arms
to the anchorages 3 in illustration.
6 Follow the child restraint instructions to
confirm that both restraint attachment
arms are properly attached to the bars.7 Attach the top tether strap to the in-car
anchorage and tighten according to the
restraint instructions
8 Pull the child restraint to make a second
check that the restraint is securely
attached at both the lower anchorage
bars and the top tether strap.
Only use the belt supplied with the child
restraint.
For the top tether, only use the strap sup-
plied with the child restraint.
The availability of LATCH child restraints is
limited.
When fitting child restraints in cars you
must always read the instructions sup-
plied by the child restraint manufacturer.
Rigid 2-point lower anchorage with top
tether
Semi-rigid 2-point lower anchorage with
top tether
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24 SafetyChild tether anchorages for forward
facing child seatsChild restraints with a tether strap must be
attached according to Canadian and U.S.
safety standards.The car is provided with three top tether
anchorages. Use the one that is right behind
the child restraint and attach the restraint as
follows:
1 Open the cover that is right behind the
child restraint, 1 in illustration.
2 Place the child restraint in the rear seat.
3 Secure the lower part of the child
restraint by means of the lower anchor-
ages (ISOFIX) or the safety belts as
described in the child restraint installa-
tion instruction.
4 Lower the headrest and route the tether
over it.
5 Attach the tether to the anchorage, 2 in
illustration.
6 Close the cover to the middle position, 3
in illustration.7 Tighten the tether so that the back of the
child restraint is pressed hard against
the backrest.
8 Pull the child restraint to make a second
check that the restraint is securely
attached at both the lower anchorages
bars on the safety belts and the top
tether strap.
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.
Child tether anchorages in parcel shelf
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25 Safety
Installation of child restraint using
the standard safety beltChild restraints that are approved for rear-
ward facing installation in the rear seat can
be positioned in any of the three rear places.
Make sure that it is possible to fit it in accor-
dance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
When fitting child restraints in cars you
must always read the instructions sup-
plied by the child restraint manufacturer.
Saab recommends rearward facing
restraints for children 3 and under.If fitting a child restraint that is intended to be
secured in position by the standard safety
belt, make use of the locking function of the
belt.
Locking the belt lessens the risk that the
seat will work loose while the car is in
motion.
1 Position the child restraint in the back
seat.
2 Route the belt in the restraint according
to the installation instruction of the
restraint.
3 Pull out the belt completely until it stops.
Then let the belt slowly pull in the slack.
Clicking sound indicates that the lock
function is in work.
4 Pull the shoulder belt tight to secure the
child restraint in position.
5 Check for correct locking function by
pulling on the belt. The belt must not
unreel.The safety belt locking function will be deac-
tivated when the safety belt is retracted.
1 Disengage the safety belt latch from the
buckle.
2 Disengage the safety belt from the child
restraint, accordning to the instructions
from the child restraint manufacturer.
3 Let the safety belt retract until the click-
ing sound ceases.
WARNING
Failure to follow all the manufacturer’s
instructions on the use of this child
restraint system can cause your child to
strike the vehicle´s interior during a
sudden stop or crash.
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26 SafetyAirbag
Airbag system components Airbag in steering wheel
 Airbag in instrument panel in front of
passenger seat
 Side airbags in front seat backrests
 Inflatable curtains along length of headlin-
ing (from front to rear roof pillars)
 Safety belt pretensioners for front seats.
The airbag system supplements the protec-
tion provided by the safety belts to further
enhance the safety of occupants taller than
55 in. (140 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, the force of the crash and
the position of the seats at the moment of
impact.
 Stage I is activated if the force of the
impact is low or if the seat is close to the
steering wheel or fascia.
 Stage II is activated in all other cases.
Note:
The sensor reacts differently depending on
whether or not the front safety belts on the
driver’s and passenger sides are used. Sit-
uations can therefore arise where only one
of the airbags inflates.If the force of the impact is small, the airbag
needs only to inflate to Stage I to provide
optimum protection. If the seat is positioned
far forward (the person occupying the seat
is fairly short), only Stage I is activated to
prevent injury caused by the airbag being
inflated with full force.
If only Stage I is activated at the moment of
impact, Stage II will be activated later. This
occurs when the airbag is already fully
inflated and thus does not affect the person
occupying the seat. Stage II is activated
here to render the gas generator harmless
(its activation is not noticeable to the occu-
pant).
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
comfortably.
 Passengers 12 and under or shorter
than 55 inches (140 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
passenger airbag.
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30 Safety
Front passenger seatThe system is the same as that used on the
driver’s side.
The airbag systems are interconnected and
have a common warning light . The pas-
senger airbag module is housed in the
fascia above the glove compartment and is
marked "AIRBAG".
Both airbags will be inflated in the event of a
moderate to severe frontal, or near-frontal
crash, even if the passenger seat is unoccu-
pied.
The car is equipped as standard with
a passenger airbag.
WARNING
Never secure a rear-facing child seat in
the right front seat of a car equipped with
a passenger airbag. Inflation of the airbag
in the event of a crash could seriously
injure or kill a child.
WARNING
 DEATH or SERIOUS
INJURY can occur
Children 12 and under or
shorter than 55 inches
(140 cm) can be killed by the airbag
 The BACK SEAT is the SAFEST place
for children
 NEVER put a rear-facing child seat in
the front
 Sit as far back as possible from the
airbag
 ALWAYS use SAFETY BELTS and
CHILD RESTRAINTS
Never allow a child to stand in front of
the seat or to sit on the lap of a front
seat passenger. Serious injury or
death could result if the airbag is
inflated in a crash.
 The glove compartment must be
closed while travelling. An open glove
compartment door could cause leg
injuries in the event of a crash.
 Never place anything on the dash or in
front of the seat as, in addition to being
a hazard to passengers, this could
interfere with the function of the airbag
in the event of a crash. The same
applies to the mounting of accessories
on the dash.
Operation of the steering wheel airbag in
a front-end crash
Moment of impact.
Sensors detect a
decelleration and send
a signal via the control
module to a gas gen-
erator that inflates the
airbag.
The inflating airbag
cushions the driver.
Airbag now fully
inflated.
The airbag starts to
deflate.
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36 SafetyWhen do the airbags in the steering wheel
and passenger side of the dash board
inflate? The airbag will only be inflated under certain
predetermined conditions in a moderate to
severe frontal, or near-frontal crash,
depending on such factors as the force and
angle of the impact, the speed of the car on
impact, and the resistance to deformation of
the impacting object.
The airbag can only be activated once in the
same incident.
Do not attempt to drive the car after an
airbag has been inflated, even if it is possi-
ble.What won’t trigger the airbag? The airbag will not be activated in all frontal
crashes. For instance, if the car has hit
something relatively soft and yielding (e.g. a
snow drift or a hedge) or a solid object at a
low impact speed, the airbag will not neces-
sarily be triggered.
How loud is the inflation? The noise of the inflation is certainly loud,
but it is of an very short duration and will not
damage your hearing. For a short time after-
wards you could experience a buzzing
noise in your ears.
Most people who have experienced it
cannot remember the noise of the inflation
at all – all they remember is the noise of the
crash. Can you still use a child seat in the front if a
passenger airbag is installed? Definitely not!
Children 12 and under or shorter
than55 inches (140 cn) can be killed by the
airbag.
The back seat is the safest place for chil-
dren.
Never put a rear-facing child seat in the
front.
Sit as far back as possible from the air bag.
Always use seat belts and child restraints.
What should I do if the AIR-BAG warning
light comes on? If the warning light is on, it means that a fault
has been detected in the system. The
airbag cannot be relied on to operate as
intended and it might even be activated
erroneously. You should therefore take the
car to an authorized Saab dealer as soon as
possible.Are the dust and fumes given off when the
airbag operates at all harmful? Most people who have remained in a car
with little or no ventilation for several min-
utes complained only of minor irritation of
the throat and eyes. Avoid as much as pos-
sible getting dust on your skin as there is a
risk of skin irritation.
If you suffer from asthma, the incident may
bring on an attack, in which case you should
follow the normal procedure advised by
your doctor. It is advisable to consult a
doctor afterwards.
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42 SecuritySwitches on front doorsThe central locking can also be operated
from inside the car using the button by each
front door handle.
 Locking the car with the remote control
renders these buttons inoperative.
 If you are sitting in the car and press the
button on the driver’s door, this will unlock
the driver’s door and fuel filler door. Press
the button a second time to unlock the
remaining doors and the trunk lid. The
button on the passenger door works in the
same way except that this first unlocks the
passenger door and fuel filler flap. In this
mode, the other doors cannot be opened
from outside the car.
If the car is left with one or more doors open,
the interior lighting will be switched off auto-matically after 20 minutes. This is to prevent
the battery from running flat. Also, if the car
has electrically adjustable seats, these will
cease to operate.
Child safety locksThe rear doors are equipped with child
safety locks that are activated by means of
a catch next to the door latch.
Insert a screwdriver or the traditional key
(enclosed in the remote control) and turn it
45° in the direction shown on the label on
the door.
When the child safety lock is in the locked
position, the door can only be opened from
outside the car.
WARNING
If small children are carried in the rear
seat, the safety locks on the rear doors
should be activated to prevent uninten-
tional opening from the inside.
Child safety locks
Central locking switch
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116 Interior equipmentTrunkFolding down the rear seatFor greater flexibility, the rear seat is split so that the narrow and
the wide part can be folded down separately.
Next to the hinges in the trunk are handles for unlocking the rear seat
backrests.
The operation is easier if the front seats are not too far back and
the rear seat head restraints are fully lowered.
1 Unlock the backrest by pulling the appropriate handle in the
trunk.
2 Fold the backrest forward.
Note: When returning the backrest to its upright position, make
sure that it locks properly in place and that the seatbelt does not
get caught.
If the left-hand backrest is not properly locked in position, the follow-
ing message is displayed on the SID (equivalent message displayed
for right-hand backrest):Trunk Release Handle, see page 118.
Emergency opening of the narrow backrest, see page
119.
Rear left seat backrest
unlocked.
WARNING
 Never driver the car if the backrest is not correctly locked into
position as this increases the risk of personal injury in the
event of heavy braking or a crash.
 Never leave a child or animal unattended in the car. During
sunny weather the temperature in the passenger and trunk
can climb to 160–180°F (70–80°C). Small children are very
susceptible to heat stroke.
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122 Starting and drivingIgnition switchThe ignition switch is located on the center
console between the front seats. In cars
with automatic transmission, the remote
control can only be removed when the
selector lever is in position P.NOTICETake care not to spill drinks or to drop
crumbs over the ignition switch. If dirt or
liquid gets into it, the switch may not
operate properly.
WARNING
• Always remove the remote control
before leaving children unattended in
the car.
 Apply the parking brake before remov-
ing the remote control.
 Never remove the remote control
while the car is moving. This will acti-
vate the steering wheel lock and make
it impossible to steer the car.
LOCK position
The position lights, hazard warning lights and interior lighting can be
turned on.
Cars with automatic transmission: Move the gear lever to P.
The gear lever is locked in position. This is the only position in which the
remote control can be removed.
Cars with manual transmission: The remote control can be removed
regardless of the position of the gear lever.
OFF position
Parts of the electrical system are operative.
Do not leave the remote control in the OFF position with the engine
not running as this could cause the battery to run flat in a matter of
hours.
Cars with automatic transmission: The gear lever is not locked. See
also page 135.
ON position
The entire electrical system is operative.
Do not leave the remote control in the ON position when the engine
is not running.
Turn the remote control to the OFF position to disconnect the electrical
system.
When you turn the remote control to ON, some indicator and warning lights
will come on in the main instrument panel. These should go out after about
3 seconds.
ST - starter position
The starter motor operates (automatic transmission: selector lever must
be in P or N) when the remote control is turned to this position. When
released, the remote control will spring back to the ON position.
The car has an electronic restart lock. If the engine fails to start, the remote
control must first be turned back to a position between OFF and LOCK
before the starter motor can be operated again.
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