warning SAAB 9-3 2005 Owner's Manual

34 SafetyHead protectionThe pillar trim and headlining (not Converti-
ble soft top) are designed to absorb energy,
softening possible blows to the head. After
a crash, these items must be changed in the
seat positions that were occupied. Never fit
accessories to the pillar trim or headlining
as these could reduce the effectiveness of
the head protection and inflatable curtain
(Sport Sedan).
Side-impact protection
The side airbags, which help protect the
upper body (head also in Convertible), are
integrated in the outside edges of the front
seat backrests. The side impact protection
of the Sport Sedan also includes inflatable
curtains (see page 35).
The side impact protection will be activated
if certain predetermined conditions are met
such as the force and angle of the impact,
the speed of the car on impact, and at which
point on the car´s side the impact occurs.
The side-impact protection is only activated
on the side of impact, while the safety belt
pretensioners on both sides are deployed.
The front seats and outer rear seats have
safety belt pretensioners.
There are two sensors on each side of the
car, one at the rear of each door sill and one
in the lower part of each C-pillar.
Convertible: The Convertible has two side
impact protection sensors, one on each side
of the car. These are located at the rear of
the sills.  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.
 Keep feet on the floor – never put feet
up on the dash, on the seat or out of
the window.
 Do not carry anything in your lap.
WARNING
 This car is equipped with side airbags
and no extra seat cover should be
fitted. Failure to observe this warning
could result in the side airbags not
inflating as intended and thus not
providing the intended protection
either.
 Never place any object in the area that
would be occupied by the inflated air-
bag.
 For optimum protection, sit upright in
the seat, with your safety belt correctly
fastened.
 The side-impact protection will only be
activated in the event of a side-on
crash and not in the event of a rear-
end crash or the car rolling over. For
the Convertible’s Roll-over protection
see page 70.
 Damage or wear to the seat cover, or
the seat seam, in the area of the side
airbag must be repaired immediately
by an authorized Saab dealer.
ProCarManuals.com

35 Safety
Inflatable curtains, Sport Sedan
WARNING
 Do not sit with your head resting
against the side window. The inflat-
able curtain is designed to inflate
between the window and the head.
Resting the head against the window
could prevent the inflatable curtain
from providing the intended
protection.
 Hang only light clothes from the hooks
on the rear seat courtesy handles. The
items of clothing must not contain
heavy or sharp objects. Do not use
wire coat hangers.
 Do not position a sun visor or similar
item in the area that would be filled by
the inflatable curtain.
 To reduce the risk of head injuries in
the event of a crash, the roof pillars
and headlining incorporate cushioning
material. Do not attach anything to the
car’s headlining, roof pillars or side
panels as this could prevent the side-
impact protection from providing the
intended protection.
 Do not stack loads so high that they
could encumber the inflatable curtain
in the event of a crash.
Inflated side airbag and inflatable curtain,
Sport Sedan
Inflated side airbag with head protection,
Conver tible
ProCarManuals.com

37 Safety
Airbag warning lamp What Will You See After an
Airbag Inflates?
After an airbag inflates, it quickly deflates,
so quickly that some people may not even
realize the airbag inflated. Some compo-
nents of the airbag module - the steering
wheel hub for the driver's frontal airbag, the
instrument panel for the right front passen-
ger's frontal airbag or the ceiling of your
vehicle near the side windows - will be hot
for a short time. The parts of the bag that
come into contact with you may be warm,
but not too hot to touch. There will be some
smoke and dust coming from the vents in
the deflated airbags. Airbag inflation does
not prevent the driver from seeing or being
able to steer the vehicle, nor does it stop
people from leaving the vehicle.In many crashes severe enough to inflate an
airbag, windshields are broken by vehicle
deformation. Additional windshield break-
age may also occur from the right front pas-
senger airbag.
 Airbags are designed to inflate only once.
After an airbag inflates, you will need
some new parts for your airbag system. If
you do not get them, the airbag system
will not be there to help protect you in
another crash. A new system will include
airbag modules and possibly other parts.
The service manual for your vehicle
covers the need to replace other parts.
 Your vehicle is equipped with a crash
sensing and diagnostic module which
records information after a crash. See
Vehicle Data Collection and Event Data
Recorders on page 266.
WARNING
 If the airbag readiness light stays on
after you start your vehicle, it means
the airbag system may not be working
properly. See page 81.
 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.
WARNING
When an airbag inflates, there is dust in
the air. This dust could cause breathing
problems for people with a history of
asthma or other breathing trouble. To
avoid this, everyone in the vehicle should
get out as soon as it is safe to do so. If you
have breathing problems but can not get
out of the vehicle after an airbag inflates,
then get fresh air by opening a window or
a door. If you experience breathing prob-
lems following an airbag deployment, you
should seek medical attention.
ProCarManuals.com

38 Safety Let only qualified technicians work on
your airbag system. Improper service can
mean that your airbag system will not
work properly. See your dealer for
service.Notice:
If you damage the covering for
the driver's or the right front passenger's
airbag, or the side impact airbag cover-
ing on the ceiling near the side windows,
the bag may not work properly. You may
have to replace the airbag module in the
steering wheel, both the airbag module
and the instrument panel for the right
front passenger's airbag, or side impact
airbag module and ceiling covering for
the roof-mounted side impact airbag. Do
not open or break the airbag coverings.
Servicing the airbag systemThe airbag system must be inspected as
part of the normal service program but oth-
erwise may be regarded as maintenance-
free.
Scrapping or working on airbag
and belt pretensioners
WARNING
 Under no circumstances should any
modifications be made that affect the
steering wheel or the airbag’s electri-
cal circuitry.
 During any welding, both battery
cables must be disconnected and
covered.
 Before quick drying paint in the vicinity
of the electronic control module, the
module’s grounding points and wiring
must be covered.
 Airbags and safety belt pretensioners
must be deployed under controlled
conditions before the car is scrapped
or any of the system’s components are
removed. Airbags or belt pretension-
ers that have been deployed as a
result of a crash must be replaced by
new ones.
 Airbag-system components must
never be transferred for use in another
vehicle.
 All work involving the scrapping or
replacement of airbags or belt preten-
sioners must be carried out by autho-
rized personnel only.
ProCarManuals.com

40 SafetyHow 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 than
55 inches (140 cm) can be killed by the air-
bag.
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 airbag.
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.
ProCarManuals.com

42 SecurityDoorsOpen the door by lifting the door handle.
The following message appears on the
Saab Information Display (SID) if a door is
not closed (text displayed first when vehicle
speed exceeds 15 mph (25 km/h) and the
door has still not been closed):
Central lockingRemote controlThe remote control and ignition key are inte-
grated in one unit, and referred to in this
manual as the remote control.
The remote control contains a mechanical
key, referred to in this manual as the tradi-
tional key. This traditional key can be used
in an emergency to lock or unlock the
driver’s door from outside (see page 44).
This key does not fit the ignition switch.A key code number is supplied with your
car. This number needs to be quoted for
ordering a new traditional key (contained in
the remote control). Therefore, keep this
number in a safe place.
The remote control contains an electronic
code that is unique to your car. When the
remote control is inserted into the ignition
switch, this code is checked. If the code is
incorrect, the car will not start.
The car is supplied with two remote con-
trols. It is possible to have up to five remote
controls programmed for the car at any one
time. If one is lost, a replacement should be
obtained as soon as possible. Contact your
Saab dealer. When a new key is pro-
grammed into the car, the lost key will be
deprogrammed automatically.
Note:
If a new remote control has to be ordered
and programmed, at least one old one is
required for the locking system’s electronic
unit to recognize the new (ordered) remote
control.
Once the new remote control has been pro-
grammed, the old unit that is lost will not
work. Therefore you should carry two
remote controls separately, especially on
long journeys. Close doors.
WARNING
Leaving children or pets unattended in a
locked car is dangerous. It is also danger-
ous to leave children in a vehicle with the
ignition key. A child or others could be
badly injured or even killed.
ProCarManuals.com

44 SecurityLocking/unlocking the carRemote locking and unlocking also control
the car alarm.
Remote locking
Press the button once: all doors and
the trunk lid locked (Convertible: also fuel
filler door).
The hazard warning lights will flash once to
confirm.Remote unlocking
Pressing the button once: the driver´s
door is unlocked (Convertible: also fuel filler
door). Press a second time to unlock the
rest of the doors and enable the trunk lid
switch.
The hazard warning lights will flash twice to
confirm.
If a fault arises in the locking system, the
Saab Information Display (SID) will display:
Saab Information Display (SID), see
page 87.
Intermittent malfunctioning
Equipment in the vicinity of the car that uses
the same frequency as the remote control
may cause interference to the remote con-
trol signal. In this case, retry from another
angle and aim at the receiver located by the
steering wheel.If remote unlocking should fail to work
1 Remove the traditional key from the
remote control by pressing the emblem
on the reverse of the remote control.
(This key only fits the front left-hand
door.)
2 Carefully remove the cover plate from
the keyhole in the door.
3 Unlock the door with the key.
The car alarm will be tripped. To silence the
alarm, insert the remote control into the igni-
tion switch.
WARNING
Leaving children or pets unattended in a
locked car is dangerous. It is also danger-
ous to leave children in a vehicle with the
ignition key. A child or others could be
badly injured or even killed.
Never lock anyone in the car.
Lock system failure.
Contact Saab dealer.
Locking/unlocking the front left-hand door
with the traditional key1 Lock
2 Unlock
ProCarManuals.com

45 Security
Locking a car with dead batteryThe steering wheel lock requires sufficient
battery voltage to lock and unlock. If the bat-
tery voltage drops below a certain level
while the remote control is in the ignition
switch, you will not be able to remove the
remote control.
If you must leave the car, proceed as
follows:
1 Lock the car by pressing down the lock
buttons on the doors.
2 Lock the front left door from outside with
the traditional key (see page 44). The
car is now locked but the car alarm will
remain inactive.
Trunk lidOpening
The trunk lid is unlocked and slightly opened
when the button on the remote control
or on the inside of the driver’s door is
pressed once.
The hazard warning lights will flash three
times to confirm.
Closing
The trunk lid is locked when closed.
If the doors are locked when the trunk lid is
closed it is armed and the movement sensor
in the cabin will be armed.
Opening button on driver’s door
ProCarManuals.com

46 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. 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 passen-
ger door. During this operation the rear
doors remain locked.
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
ProCarManuals.com

48 SecurityChanging the key batteryWhen the voltage of the remote control bat-
tery drops below a certain level, the Saab
Information Display (SID) will display:
Change the battery as soon as possible to
avoid malfunctioning.Battery type: For optimum performance in
all temperatures and good service life, Saab
recommends the use of a Sony or Pana-
sonic CR2032, 3V lithium battery.
The battery should last for about 4 years of
normal use.
The battery type is marked on the inside of
the remote control. Avoid leaving finger-
prints on the faces of the battery.
1 Press the emblem on the reverse of the
remote control to remove the traditional
key.
2 Insert the tip of the key into the small slot
and turn the key to split the remote
control.
WARNING
Keep the battery and other small compo-
nents of the remote control out of reach of
children.NOTICEThe electronics of the remote control are
sensitive to electrostatic discharge. Incor-
rect handling when changing the battery
can damage the remote control. Avoid
touching electronic components of the
remote control with your hands.
Remote control battery
low. Replace battery.
Press the emblem to remove
the traditional key
ProCarManuals.com