warning SAAB 9-5 2000 User Guide

18 SafetyChild safety

The same attention must be given to child
safety in the car as is given to adults.
Children travel most safely when properly
restrained, but restraints must be suitable
for the size of the child. Always follow the
child seat/booster cushion manufacturer´s
instructions when installing these devices in
your vehicle.
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 seat instructions.Saab 9-5 Sedan
For child car seats that are approved for
rear-facing installation in the rear seat and
have top tether straps, we recommend that
you position it on one of the outer places.
Fasten such a child seat with the three-point
seat belt and the two underside anchorage
tethers.
The tethers should be attached according to
the manufacturer´s instructions, to the fixing
points beneath the driver´s and passen-
ger´s seat. The fixing points on electrically
adjustable seats are color marked.
If you intend to install another make of child
car seat, make sure that it is possible to fit it in accordance with the manufacturer’s
instructions.
When fitting child seats in cars you must
always read the instructions supplied by
the car seat manufacturer.
WARNING
 Children must always be suitably
restrained in the car.
 NEVER put a child seat in the front.
 Children 12 and under can be killed by
the airbag.
 The BACK SEAT is the SAFEST place
for children.
 Sit as far back as possible from the air
bag.
WARNING
A special accessory is available for lock-
ing the center armrest so that a child seat
can be installed in the middle seat. See
your Saab dealer for details.
When a rear-facing child seat is fitted in
the center position of the rear seat in the
Saab 9-5 Sedan the center armrest must
be secured in place with this strap. If this
is not done, the center armrest could
swing down in the event of a frontal colli-
sion and cause injury to the child.
IB1204
Fitting the locking strap on the center arm-
rest, Saab 9-5 Sedan.
The locking strap is standard equipment
on certain markets.
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19 Safety
Saab 9-5 Wagon:
For child car seats that are approved for
rear-facing installation in the rear seat and
have top tether straps, we recommend that
you position the seat in the center seat. This
type of child seat must be secured with the
three-point seat belt and the two underside
anchorage belts. These belts should be
attached to the attachment points beneath
the driver’s and passenger’s seat. The
attachment points on electrically-adjusted
seats are marked in colour.
If a child seat from another manufacturer is
used, ensure that it can be correctly
mounted, according to the child-seat
instructions.
When fitting child seats in cars you must
always follow the instructions supplied
by the car seat manufacturer.
Child tether anchorages(required in Canada, available at no
charge from Saab in the U.S.)
Child restraints with a tether strap must be
anchored according to Canadian law.
If you have any questions regarding child
tether anchorages please contact your
Saab dealer.
There are two designs of child tether
anchorages.
Upon request, your Saab dealer will obtain
the anchorage hardware kit and install it for
you. Please use the tether anchorage hard-
ware kit available from your Saab dealer as
the hardware was specifically designed for
your vehicle.9-5 Sedan:
1 Open the cover of the appropriate
anchorage.
2 Place the child restraint in the rear seat.
3 Attach the tether to the anchorage.
WARNING
Child 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.
 Harnesses.
 Attaching other items or equipment to
the vehicle.
 Load securing device.
IB587
Child tether anchorages in parcel shelf,
Saab 9-5 Sedan
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20 SafetyChild restraints with a tether strap must be
anchored according to Canadian law.
If you have any questions regarding child
tether anchorages please contact your
Saab dealer.
Design 1 (9-5 Wagon only):
1 Place the child restraint in the rear seat.
2 Raise the head restraint to its upper
position and than route the tether under
the head restraint.
3 Attach the tether to the anchorage.Design 2 (9-5 Wagon only):
All three child anchorages are installed at
factory.
1 Fold the backrest of the rear seat for-
ward, see page 119.
2 Fold the appropriate anchor to upright
position.
3 Place the child restraint in the rear seat.
4 Raise the head restraint to its upper
position and than route the tether under
the head restraint.
5 Attach the tether to the anchor.
6 Raise the backrest of the rear seat.
Make sure it locks properly.
WARNING
Make sure the child-restraint anchorages
are folded all the way up or down other-
wise it can obstruct locking the rear seat
backrest.
IB1266
Child tether anchorages, Saab 9-5
Wagon. Design 1
IB1352
Child tether anchorages, Saab 9-5
Wagon. Design 2
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21 Safety
Integrated booster seat(Accessory) The integrated booster seat in the back is
intended for children weighing 33-80 lbs.
(15-36 kg) and between 38 and 54 inches
(97 and 137 cm) tall.
When seated in the integrated booster seat,
the child must wear the standard three-point
safety belt.
Whatever the age or weight of the child, it is
vital that the safety belt be worn correctly.
The seat should always be kept clean and
intact to ensure that it continues to function
as intended. Folding down To fold the seat down, pull the strap pro-
vided between the seat and the backrest. Fastening the safety belt
 Seat the child well back in the seat, snug
against the backrest.
 Pull out the safety belt smoothly and
insert the tongue in the lock. Check that it
is securely fastened.
 Ensure that the lap strap is positioned low
across the hips and that the diagonal
strap is well in on the shoulder, although
not touching the neck or in a position that
creates discomfort.  For optimum protection, the safety belt
should be snug against the body. Pull the
diagonal strap towards the shoulder to
take up any slack.
 After fastening the belt, grasp the strap at
the shoulder, pull it out and, without letting
go, allow the slack to be taken up by the
reel. Make sure that the strap is well in on
the shoulder.
 Check that the belt runs freely between
the reel and the lock.
To fold the seat away Fold back the seat and ensure that it is
locked in position.
WARNING
Never wear a safety belt with the diagonal
strap positioned behind your back or
slipped off the shoulder and under your
arm.
IB605
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22 Safety
WARNING
 The standard safety belt must still
always be used in conjunction with the
integrated booster seat.
 The seat must not be modified in any
way.
 Never leave a child unattended.
 Check to ensure that the belt is not
twisted or rubbing against any sharp
edges.
 Adjust the head restraint so that it pro-
vides the best possible support when
there is a passenger in the rear seat.
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.
Label in integrated booster seat
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23 Safety
Airbag (Supplemental
Restraint System
"SRS") The supplementary restraint system (SRS)
comprises an airbag in the steering wheel,
a front passenger airbag and side airbags in
the front seats.
The system supplements the protection
provided by the safety belts to further
enhance the safety of occupants.
If a fault is detected in the SRS, the
AIR BAG warning light on the main instru-
ment panel will come on (see pages 48 and
26). When the system is triggered by impact of a
frontal collision, the airbags in the steering
wheel and passenger side of the dash board
are inflated, after which they deflate through
vents in the back of the bags.
The entire process takes less than
0.1 second – literally, faster than the blink-
ing of an eye.
These airbags are triggered only by moder-
ate to severe frontal or near-frontal colli-
sions. They will not be activated by minor
front-end impacts, rear-end or side impacts,
or by the car rolling over.
WARNING
To reduce risk of injury:
Always wear your safety belt.
Always adjust your seat so that you
are as far back as possible but still
able to reach the steering wheel and
controls comfortably.
 Children 12 and under or shorter than
140 cm (55 inches) should always
travel in the rear as the vehicle is
equipped with an airbag on the pas-
senger side.
WARNING
 Even if the car is equipped with an
SRS (airbag), safety belts must still
always be worn by all occupants.
 Note that because an airbag inflates
and deflates extremely rapidly, it will
not provide protection against a
second impact occurring in the same
incident. Always use your safety belt.
 Always sit with the whole of your back
in contact with the backrest of the seat,
and with your seat as far back as is
practical. This is to reduce the risk of
injury from contact with the backrest of
the seat when the airbag inflates and
also because the airbag needs space
in which to inflate.
 Never attach anything to the steering
wheel or passenger side of the instru-
ment panel, as this could result in
injury if the airbag should inflate. The
same applies to anything you might
have in your mouth, such as a pipe, for
instance.
 Some components of the airbag will
be hot for a short time. In some circum-
stances the airbag can cause burns or
abrasions to the body when the airbag
inflates/deflates.
 Never rest your hands or forearms on
the steering-wheel center padding.
 If the AIR BAG warning light remains
on after the car has been started or
comes on while you are driving, have
the car checked immediately by an
authorized Saab dealer. The warning
light could signify that the airbags may
not inflate in a crash, or they could
even inflate without a crash.
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25 Safety
Front passenger seat The airbags are interconnected and have a
common warning light. The passenger
airbag module is housed in the fascia above
the glove compartment and is marked ”SRS
AIRBAG”.
Both airbags will be inflated in the event of a
moderate to severe frontal, or near-frontal
collision, even if the passenger seat is unoc-
cupied.
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 an accident could seriously
injure or kill a child.
WARNING Children 12 and
under can be killed by
the airbag
 The back seat is the
safest place for children
 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 collision.
 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 an accident. The same
applies to the mounting of accessories
on the dash.
 Keep feet on the floor - never put feet
up on the fascia, on the seat or out of
the window.
 Do not carry anything in your lap.
IB420
Passenger airbag and driver’s airbag both
inflated
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26 SafetyAIR BAG warning light
SRS servicingThe SRS must be inspected as part of the
normal service program but otherwise may
be regarded as maintenance-free.
Scrapping or working on airbags
and belt pretensioners Frequently asked questions on func-
tion of airbags
Do you still need to wear a
safety b
elt if air-
bags are fitted?
Yes, always! The airbag merely supple-
ments the car’s normal safety system.
Moreover, the airbag will only be actuated in
a moderate to severe frontal, or near-frontal
collision, which means, of course, that it pro-
vides no protection in minor frontal colli-
sions, major rear-end or side-on collisions
or if the car rolls over.
The safety belts help reduce the chance of
the car occupants from being thrown around
and injured inside the car.
But they also ensure that, if a collision
occurs in which the airbags are inflated, the
airbag will make the optimum contact with
the occupant, i.e. square on from the front.
If the occupant meets the airbag in an offset
position, the protection afforded will be
reduced.
In addition, airbags provide no protection
against a secondary impact occurring in the
same incident. So there is no doubt about
the benefit of wearing safety belts at all
times.
Do not sit too close to the airbag: it needs
room to inflate.
The airbag inflates very quickly and power-
fully in order to protect an adult person in a
serious frontal collision.
WARNING
 If the air bag readiness light stays on
after you start your vehicle, it means
the air bag system may not be working
properly.
 The air bags in your vehicle may not
inflate in a crash, or they could even
inflate without a crash.
 To help avoid injury to yourself or oth-
ers, have your vehicle serviced right
away if the air bag readiness light
stays on after you start your vehicle.
WARNING
 Under no circumstances may any
modifications be made that affect the
steering wheel or the airbag’s electri-
cal circuitry.
 Before starting any welding work on
the car, always disconnect the nega-
tive (–) battery lead and cover the con-
ductor.
 Airbags and belt pretensioners must
be deployed under controlled condi-
tions 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 an accident 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 only be carried out by
knowledgeable personnel.
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28 SafetyWhat 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.
Side airbags Side airbags are housed inside the back-
rests of the front seats and are designed to
protect the driver and front passenger in the
event of a side impact.
In a side impact, only the airbag on that side
will be activated, and only then if certain pre-
determined 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 sensors, which are fitted in the front
doors, sense the rise in pressure caused by
the door panel being pressed in during an
impact condition. The side airbag trigger will
be commanded based on the characteris-
tics of this pressure rise.
WARNING
When an airbag is inflated there is dust in
the air.
Because the dust sometimes contains
particles of a substance resembling dish
detergent, the following precautions
should be taken:
 As soon as possible, wash any
exposed skin using a mild soap and
water.
 If there is irritation of the eyes, flush
them liberally with clean water for at
least 20 minutes.
IB422
Side airbag inflated
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29 Safety
WARNING
 This car is equipped with side airbags
and no extra interior trim should be fit-
ted. Failure to observe this warning
could result in the side airbags not
inflating as intended and thus not pro-
viding 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 sensors for the side airbags are
fitted in the doors.
 We advise against doing any work on
the doors that could affect the mois-
ture barrier in the door or the airbag
sensors. It is essential that the mois-
ture barrier (thick plastic film) in the
door is not damaged in any way.
 Improvement of the anticorrosion
treatment of the doors should only be
carried out by an authorized Saab
dealer. Otherwise there is a risk that
the side impact sensor and the mois-
ture barrier in the door could be dam-
aged.
 The side airbags will inflate only in the
event of a side impact not in the event
of a front or rear-end collision or of the
car’s rolling over.
 Damage to the seat cover, or the seat
seam, in the area of the side airbag
must immediately be repaired by an
authorized Saab dealer.
 Do not modify the speaker installation
in the front doors or install speakers
other than those specifically approved
by Saab.
IB592
Side airbag components 1 Side airbag
2 Sensor
3 Moisture barrier
4 Label on seat
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