SAAB 9-5 2001 Owners Manual

181 Starting and driving
Towing the carTransporting the carFront towing eye
The front towing eye is stored with the spare
wheel.
The attachment point (tapped hole) for the
towing eye is midway along the engine sub-
frame at the front of the car.
Remove the plastic plug and screw in the
towing eye securely.
To ensure that the towing eye is in far
enough, insert the handle of the wheel
wrench through the eye for additional lever-
age.
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 being towed.
 Always seek professional help if the
car needs to be towed.NOTEIf a car with sports (lowered) chassis is
transported, for example on a flat bed
truck, take extra care not to damage the
spoiler and/or underbody.
WARNING
 Make sure that the towing eye at the
front is screwed in tightly.
 The towing eye is only designed for
use when the car is being towed on the
road. It must not be used to pull the
car out of a ditch, for example. If the
towing eye were to shear suddenly, it
could cause serious injury.
 Always seek professional help if the
car needs to be recovered.
NOTE Do not drive the car with the front
towing eye in position. If it catches the
curb, for example, the engine sub-
frame could be damaged.
 Refit the plastic plug in the hole when
the towing eye has been removed, to
keep dirt out of the threads.
IB482
Front towing eye
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182 Starting and drivingRear towing eyeThe car has a permanently mounted towing
eye at the back. If the car is equipped with a
trailer hitch, this can be used instead of the
towing eye. Considerations when towing the car
with manual transmission Gear lever in neutral and parking lights on.
Drive carefully and do not exceed the
speed limit for vehicles being towed.
Always try to keep the towrope taut by
gently applying the brake, as necessary.
This will avoid the towrope being jerked
violently.
Considerations when towing the car
with automatic transmission Selector lever at N (neutral) and parking
lights on.
Drive carefully and do not exceed the
speed limit for vehicles being towed.
Always try to keep the towrope taut by
gently applying the brake, as necessary.
This will avoid the towrope being jerked
violently. 1 Selector lever in position N.
2 Raise the oil level in the gearbox above
normal by 2 extra quarts. Use oil of type
Texaco Texamatic Dexron III.
3 The local regulations on towing speeds
must be followed.
The highest permissible towing speed is
30 mph (50 km/h), unless the legal limit
is lower. The longest permissible towing
distance is 25-30 miles (40-50 km). If the
car has to be transported farther than
that, summon a tow truck. A flat bed tow
truck is the preferred method to tow.
4 When the car is being returned to ser-
vice, check the gearbox oil, and reduce
it to the prescribed amount if necessary.
Failure to follow these guidelines can result
in damage.
Cars with automatic transmission cannot be
bump started. In an emergency, it is possi-
ble to start the engine using jump leads (see
the section, ”Jump starting” on page 183). NOTE The car must be towed front first.
 If the car is to be towed with the front
wheels off the ground, make sure the
parking brake is off, as this acts on the
rear wheels.
IB483
Rear towing eye
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183 Starting and driving
Jump startingIf your battery has run down, you may want
to use another vehicle and some jumper
cables to start your Saab. Follow the steps
below to do it safely.
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 elec-
trical systems.
3 Turn off the ignition on both vehicles.
Turn off all 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.
WARNING
Batteries can cause injury. They can be
dangerous because:
 They contain acid that can burn you.
 They contain gas that can explode or
ignite.
 They contain enough electricity to
injure you.
If you do not follow these steps exactly,
some or all of these things can hurt you.NOTEIgnoring 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.
NOTEIf 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 Neu-
tral.NOTEIf you leave your radio on, it could be
badly damaged. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
+
–
+
–
IB484
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184 Starting and driving
5 Check that the jumper cables do not
have loose or missing insulation. If they
do, you could get a shock and also the
vehicles could be damaged.
Before you connect the cables, here are
some basic things you should know.
Positive (+) will go to positive (+) and
negative (-) will go to negative (-) or a
major metal engine part with a good
ground. Do not connect (+) to (-) or you
will get a short that could injure you or
would damage the battery and maybe
other parts as well.
6 Connect the red positive (+) cable to the
positive (+) terminal of the vehicle with
the discharged battery.
7 Do not let the other end touch metal.
Connect it to the positive (+) terminal of
the good battery. Use a remote positive
(+) terminal if the vehicle has one.8 Now connect the black negative (-)
cable to the good battery’s negative ter-
minal.
Do not let the other end touch anything
until the next step. The other end of the
negative cable does not go to the dead
battery. It goes to a major metal part with
a good ground on the engine of the vehi-
cle with the discharged battery.
9 Attach the cable at least 18 inches
(45 cm) away from the discharged bat-
tery, but not near engine parts that
move. The electrical connection is just
as good there, but the chance of sparks
getting back to the battery is much less.
10 Start the vehicle with the good battery
and run the engine for a while.
11 Try to start the vehicle with the dis-
charged battery. If it does not start after
a few tries, it probably needs service.
12 Remove the cables in reverse order to
prevent electrical shorting. Take care
that they do not touch each other or any
other metal.
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.
WARNING
Using a match or flame of any kind near a
battery can cause battery gas to explode.
You can suffer burns or be blinded. Use a
flashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water.
The battery installed in your new Saab
has filler caps. Be sure the right amount
of water is there. Add distilled or boiled
water if the level is too low. If you don’t,
explosive gas could be present.
Be sure the electrolyte in the battery is not
frozen. Discharged batteries will freeze.
When connecting jumper cables to a
frozen battery, gas from the chemical
reaction inside the battery can build up
under the ice and cause an explosion.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn
you. Do not get it on you. If you acciden-
tally get it in your eyes or on your skin,
flush the area with water and get medical
help immediately.
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185 Starting and driving
Parking brake The parking brake is situated between the
front seats and acts on the rear wheels.
When the parking brake is on, the indicator
light on the main instrument panel will be on.
To release the parking brake, lift the lever
slightly, press the release button and
release the lever by pushing down on it.
Parking
WARNING
 Always apply the parking brake when
parking.
 Always apply the parking brake before
removing the ignition key.
 Do not use the parking brake when the
car is moving.
WARNING
 Park where the vehicle will not create
an obstruction or a hazard to other
road users.
 Do not park on dry grass or other com-
bustible material. The catalytic con-
verter gets very hot and could start a
fire.
 Do not leave children or pets unat-
tended in the car. In warm, sunny
weather, the temperature inside the
car can reach 160–180°F (70–80°C). NOTE Apply the parking brake.
 Engage reverse (automatic transmis-
sion: move selector lever to P (Park)),
and remove the ignition key.
 Lock the car.
IB360
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186 Starting and drivingParking on a hillWhen parking on a steep hill, turn the front
wheels so that they will be blocked by the
curb if the car should move. Long-term parkingIf the car is not going to be used for some
time, e.g. 3–4 months, the following steps
are recommended:
 Run the engine to normal temperature
before long-term parking.
 Drain the washer-fluid reservoir and
hoses.
 Wash and wax the car. Clean the rubber
seals on the hood, luggage compartment
lid and doors, and lubricate them with
glycerol (glycerin).
 After washing the car, dry the brake discs
by taking the car out on the road and
applying the brakes a few times.
 Fill the fuel tank with fuel to prevent con-
densation forming in it.
 Top up the coolant and check the anti-
freeze before the onset of winter.
 Park the car in a dry, covered and
well-ventilated building. Leave the park-
ing brake OFF!
 Disconnect the negative (-) battery lead.
If frost is likely to occur during the
long-term parking, remove the battery
and store it away from the frost.
 Ideally, the car should be put up on
blocks, with the wheels off the ground. If
this is not possible, inflate the tires to
about 43 psi (300 kPa).  Leave all the windows open a crack and
cover the car with a fabric tar paulin - not
one made of plastic.
123
IB485
1Pointing downhill and
against the curb
– Turn the wheels into
the curb and edge the
car forward until the
wheels touch the curb.2Pointing uphill and
against the curb
– Turn the wheels away
from the curb and edge
the car back until the
wheels touch the curb.3Pointing uphill or
downhill – no curb
– Turn the wheels
towards the edge of the
road. If the car should
start rolling, it will not run
into the road.
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187 Car care and technical information
Car care and
technical
information
Hood release handle ....... 188
Engine compartment,
4-cyl. engine ................... 189
Engine compartment,
6-cyl. (3.0t V6)................. 190
Emission control systems 191
Engine............................... 192
Engine oil ......................... 193
Transmission fluid........... 195
Coolant ............................. 196
Brake and clutch fluid ..... 198
Power steering fluid ........ 199
Battery .............................. 199 Drive belts ........................ 202
Wipers and washers ....... 203
Changing bulbs ............... 205
Fuses ................................ 215
Wheels .............................. 221
Compact spare wheel ..... 225
Flat spotting..................... 229
Air conditioning (ACC) ... 230
Safety belts ...................... 231
Upholstery and trim ........ 231
Textile carpeting.............. 232
Washing the car .............. 232
Waxing and polishing ..... 233 Engine compartment ....... 233
Touching up the paint ..... 233
Anticorrosion treatment .. 234
For long trips .................... 236
Recovery and/or recycling
of automotive materials. 236
Headlight aiming .............. 238
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188 Car care and technical informationHood release handleThe hood release handle is located under-
neath the instrument panel. To open the
hood:
1 Pull the release handle.
2 The front of the hood will now spring up,
providing access to the secondary
safety catch.
3 Push the catch upwards, lifting the hood
at the same time. The hood can now be
lifted right up.
To close the hood, release it from a height
of about 8 in (20 cm). Do not press down on
it.
In cold weather, when the mechanism is
stiff, the hood might need to be released
from twice the height to lock properly.
Check that the hood is now closed securely.
WARNING
Make sure not to hold your fingers
between the hood and the hood safety
catch if you lay the hood down but not
closing it.
IB487
IB486
Hood release handle Hood secondary safety catch
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189 Car care and technical information
Engine compartment, 4-cyl. engine
8
7
9
10
6
2
4
3
5
IB488
1
Engine compartment, 4-cyl. engine 1 Engine-oil dipstick/filler cap
2 Reservoir, brake/clutch fluid
3 Fuse box
4 Expansion tank, coolant
5 Washer-fluid filler cap
6Battery
7 Dipstick, automatic transmission fluid
8 Turbo unit
9 Ignition discharge module
10 Reservoir, power-steering fluid
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190 Car care and technical informationEngine compartment, 6-cyl. (3.0t V6)
10
7
9
8
1
3
2
5
4
6
IB576
Engine compartment, 6-cyl. (3.0t V6) 1 Engine-oil dipstick
2 Engine-oil filler cap
3 Reservoir, brake/clutch fluid
4 Fuse box
5 Expansion tank, coolant
6 Washer-fluid filler cap
7Battery
8 Dipstick, automatic transmission fluid
9 Ignition discharge module
10 Reservoir, power-steering fluid
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