warning lights SAAB 9-3 2004 User Guide

98 Instruments and controlsManual climate-control
systemFresh air for the cabin is drawn in through an
inlet grille at the bottom edge of the wind-
shield. It passes through a filter before
reaching the climate control system and
delivery into the cabin. The air is evacuated
via openings in the parcel shelf. It is then led
through outlets on either side of the car
behind the rear bumper.
The incoming air is treated in three stages:
first it passes through a filter; it is then dehu-
midified and cooled; and finally, if required,
it is heated.
To optimize the performance of the A/C sys-
tem, all windows and the sunroof should be
shut.
To reduce potential misting on the insides of
the windows, the glass should be cleaned
with a quality glass cleaner. How often this
will need to be done depends on how clean
the air is - if there are smokers in the car, the
windows will need to be cleaned more fre-
quently.
The output of air is controlled by the fan
speed.
Temperature controlThe temperature of the incoming air can
be infinitely varied using the temperature
control.
Fan
Control panel: manual climate control1 Temperature
2 Fan speed
3 Air distribution
4 Seat heating, front right seat
5 Recirculation6 Rear window/door mirror heating
7 Hazard warning lights
8 Air conditioning (A/C)
9 Seat heating, front left seat
ProCarManuals.com

103 Instruments and controls
Automatic climate-
control system (ACC)Fresh air for the cabin is drawn in through an
inlet at the bottom edge of the windshield. It
passes through an effective filter before
reaching the climate control system and
delivery into the cabin. The air is evacuated
via openings in the parcel shelf. It is then led
through outlets on either side of the car
behind the rear bumper.
The Automatic Climate-Control system
(ACC) automatically maintains the desired
cabin temperature, regardless of the
weather outside.
The system will achieve the desired temper-
ature in the quickest possible way.
Note that heating or cooling is not
speeded up by setting the temperature
higher or lower than the final tempera-
ture you desire.
To optimize the performance of the air con-
ditioning system, all windows and the sun-
roof should be shut. The air vents in the
fascia must be open.
The incoming air is treated in three stages:
first it passes through a filter; it is then dehu-
midified and cooled; and finally, if required,
it is heated.To reduce potential misting on the insides of
the windows, the glass should be cleaned
with a quality glass cleaner. How often this
will need to be done depends on how clean
the air is - if there are smokers in the car, the
windows will need to be cleaned more
frequently.
ACC panel1 Temperature setting: left-hand side
2 Manual setting of air distribution
3 Recirculation
4 AUTO (automatic regulation)
5A/C
6 Defroster
7 Rear window heating
8 Temperature setting: right-hand side
9 Seat heating, front right seat10 Manual increase of fan speed
11 Hazard warning lights
12 Manual decrease of fan speed
13 Seat heating, front left seat
ProCarManuals.com

141 Starting and driving
To allow the various systems in the car time
to register that the remote control has been
inserted into the ignition switch, do not turn
the remote control for roughly half a second. 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 154.
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.
ProCarManuals.com

143 Starting and driving
Starting the engineAvoid racing the engine or loading it heavily
before it has warmed up. Do not drive away
before the warning and indicator lights have
gone out.
The engine has an automatic choke and
should be started as follows:
Cars with manual transmission
To start the engine the clutch pedal must
be fully depressed.
1 Make sure the parking brake is applied.
2 Depress the clutch pedal but do not
touch the accelerator.
3 Start the engine. Let the remote control
spring back as soon as the engine has
started and is running smoothly.
Allow the engine to idle for about
10 seconds. Do not apply full throttle for at
least 3 minutes after starting.Cars with automatic transmission
The selector lever must be in the P or N
position.
1 The selector lever must be in the P or N
position.
2 Keep your foot on the brake pedal.
Note! Once the engine has started, the
brake pedal will sink. This is perfectly
normal.
3 Start the engine. Let the remote control
spring back as soon as the engine has
started and is running smoothly.
Allow the engine to idle for about
10 seconds. Do not apply full throttle for at
least 3 minutes after starting.
Useful tips on starting the engineIf the engine has failed to start after several
attempts in very cold weather, proceed as
follows:
1 Turn the ignition switch to ON (it is
essential that you turn the ignition to
ON before depressing the accelerator).
2 Press the accelerator to the floor and run
the starter motor for 5-10 seconds. This
will prevent the engine being flooded
(fully depressed accelerator cuts off the
fuel supply).
3 Now start the engine in the normal way
- do not touch the accelerator.
If the engine stalls immediately after starting
(e.g. if the clutch was released too quickly),
do not touch the accelerator when restarting
the engine.
ProCarManuals.com

163 Starting and driving
Traction Control
System (TCS)Anti-spin system
How the system worksThe Traction Control System (TCS) is
designed to prevent wheelspin. This
enables the car to achieve the best possible
grip and, hence, maximum tractive effort,
together with greater stability.
The TCS uses information from the ABS
wheel sensors to detect when the front (driv-
ing) wheels are rotating faster then the rear
wheels. It then monitors whether one driving
wheel is rotating faster than the other. If so,
the faster wheel is retarded until both
wheels are rotating at the same speed.If the two front wheels are rotating at the
same speed but are turning faster than the
rear wheels, the torque from the engine is
reduced to eliminate the difference.
The process continues until all the wheels
are rotating at the same speed.
The advantages of the TCS become most
apparent when the cohesion between the
front wheels and the road surface is so low
that one or both of the wheels would lose
their grip were the car not equipped with the
TCS, e.g.:
 When the car is pulling away or accelerat-
ing with the front wheels on different
surfaces (e.g. one slippery and one dry),
the TCS functions like an electronic differ-
ential lock, making sure that both wheels
rotate at the same speed.
 When the car is pulling away or accelerat-
ing on a slippery surface, in which case
the system eliminates wheelspin. The
system also functions when the car is
reversing.
 When cornering, if the inside front wheel
rotates faster than the other wheels.
TCS OFF
lights up under the speedometer if:
 a fault has been detected and the system
has therefore been switched off
 there is a fault in the ABS system
 the system has been switched off
manually.
WARNING
When driving normally, the TCS system
helps to improve the car’s directional
stability. The TCS must not be regarded
as a system to enable the driver to main-
tain higher speeds. The same precau-
tions must be adopted as normal for safe
cornering and driving on slippery roads.
ProCarManuals.com

184 Starting and drivingDriving 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 91).
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
disengaged 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
designated storage space.
ProCarManuals.com

185 Starting and driving
The front towing eye is stowed by the spare
wheel. On the left-hand side of the bumper
is a cover concealing the attachment point
(tapped hole) for the towing eye.
1 Press the knob on the upper section of
this cover to open it.
2 Screw in the towing eye. The towing
eye has a left-hand thread!
3 Insert the wheel wrench into the eye to
tighten it properly.
Rear towing eyeThe car has a permanent towing eye at the
rear under the bumper.
If the car is equipped with a towbar, this can
be used instead of the towing eye.
Towing the carEngage neutral (automatic transmission:
move the selector lever to N). Turn on the
parking lights.
Engage neutral (automatic transmission:
move the selector lever to N). Turn on the
hazard warning lights.
Drive carefully and do not exceed the
speed limit for vehicles on tow.NOTICENever use the towing eyes to pull the car
unstuck.
Front towing eye fitted.
The towing eye has a left-hand thread!
Rear towing eye
Never use the towing eyes to pull the car
unstuck.
ProCarManuals.com

188 Starting and drivingIt is essential when a donor battery is to be
used to jump start the car that the jump
leads be connected correctly to prevent
arcing.
To jump start your vehicle:
1 Check the other vehicle. It must have a
12-volt battery with a negative ground
system.2 Get the vehicles close enough so the
jumper cables can reach, but be sure the
vehicles are not touching each other. If a
poor connection on the negative jumper
cable should exist, it is possible for
damage to be caused to electrical
systems/components of either vehicle
should inadvertent contact be made.
You would not be able to start your car
and bad grounding could damage the
electrical systems.
3 Turn off the ignition on both vehicles.
Turn off lights that are not needed, and
radios. This will avoid sparks and help
save both batteries and it could save
your radio.4 Open the hood and locate the battery.
Find the positive (+) and negative (–) termi-
nals on the battery.NOTICEIgnoring these steps could result in costly
damage to your vehicle that would not be
covered by your warranty.
Trying to start your car by pushing or pull-
ing it could damage your vehicle, even if
you have a manual transmission. If you
have an automatic transmission, your
vehicle cannot be started by pushing or
pulling it.
NOTICEIf the other system is not a 12-volt system
with a negative ground, both vehicles can
be damaged.
WARNING
You could be injured if the vehicles roll.
Set the parking brake firmly on each vehi-
cle. Put an automatic transmission in P
(Park) or a manual transmission in
Neutral.
NOTICEIf you leave your radio on, it could be
badly damaged. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
WARNING
An electric fan can start up even when the
engine is not running and can injure you.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from
any underhood electric fan.Jump starting
ProCarManuals.com

208 Car careChanging bulbsAutochecking of lightsThe bulbs that are most important from the point of view of traffic
safety are monitored by the car’s electrical system. If one of these
bulbs should fail, a message will be displayed on the SID.
Example of SID message:
The following bulbs are not checked: parking lights, front fog lights,
reversing lights, license plate lighting, side marker lights and side
direction indicators.If a brake light bulb fails
If a brake light bulb fails, the adjacent taillight will act as a brake light
to ensure traffic safety. Change the broken bulb when possible.
All rear light bulbs are of the same type and rated 21 W, with the
exception of the license plate lighting which is rated 5 W.
Wrong bulb fitted
If a dipped or main beam bulb of too high a rating is fitted, a bulb
failure message will be shown on the SID (a too high wattage bulb
can damage the reflector).
If the following message is displayed but the bulb shines, it is most
likely that an incorrect bulb has been fitted.
Note:
When changing bulbs, fit the same type of bulb (e.g. Long-Life)
as that removed.
Headlight aiming, page 257.
WARNING
Before changing a bulb in the engine bay, switch off the engine
to avoid the danger of fingers and hands being injured by moving
parts.
The radiator fan can cut in even when the engine is switched off.NOTICESwitch off the ignition before changing a bulb, to avoid possible
short-circuiting.
Left low beam failure.
Right high beam failure.
ProCarManuals.com

209 Car care
Bi-Xenon headlight, main and dipped beam (certain
variants only)Bi-xenon headlights produce roughly two times as much light as
halogen bulbs and have a significantly longer service life.
The lamp units consist of a gas discharge lamp containing xenon.
When the lights are switched on a very high voltage activates the
xenon gas. The lamps soon reach full intensity.
Cars with Bi-Xenon headlights have automatic levelling. The level-
ling system is comprised of two sensors, one on the front suspen-
sion and one on the rear suspension, and a control unit by the engine
bay fuse box. Headlight alignment is adjusted automatically to the
car’s load to prevent dazzling drivers in oncoming traffic.
If a fault is detected in the system, the following message will be dis-
played on the SID:
WARNING
Bi-Xenon headlights are high tension. All work on Bi-Xenon head-
lights, including changing bulbs, must be carried out by dealer
personnel.
Headlight levelling
malfunction.
Contact Saab dealer.
Contact a Saab dealer to have a Bi-Xenon
headlight changed
ProCarManuals.com