service SAAB 9-5 2001 Owner's Manual

116 OnStar - TelematicsVirtual Advisor(expected availability fourth quarter 2000)
Once you have activated Personal Calling,
you can enjoy your time in your Saab even
more with the OnStar Virtual Advisor. This
service allows you to listen to your favorite
news and information topics, such as
weather reports, stock quotes and sports
scores. You can even listen to your e-mail,
whenever you want, without ever taking
your eyes off the road. Using simple voice
commands, you can browse your personal
topics and skip or listen to those you
choose. You can also search for additional
information on special topics that interest
you.
To find out how to set up a customized pro-
file, visit the OnStar Subscriber Website at
www.onstar.com, or turn to the OnStar Sub-
scriber Website section on page 31 of this
guide. If you do not have Internet access,
you can still take advantage of the OnStar
Virtual Advisor services as a default profile
will be set up for you.
Calling the Virtual Advisor
Getting Information from the Virtual
AdvisorThe OnStar Virtual Advisor will prompt you
for information you desire. These offerings
will change to provide you with services and
information that you and other subscribers
want and need. The prompts are very clear
and easy to understand and use.Information AvailableOnStar will continue to add new features
and categories to the Virtual Advisor. The
following general categories will give you an
overview of the types of information avail-
able to you. For complete up-to-date cate-
gories, you can go to the Saab Cars USA,
Inc. Website at www.saabusa.com or the
OnStar Website at www.onstar.com, and
then click on the link to the Subscriber Web-
site.
WeatherThe OnStar Virtual Advisor will deliver an
up-to-date weather forecast for the current
location of the vehicle. The forecast
includes current temperature, daily
high/low, tomorrow’s high/low, precipitation
forecast, and unusual conditions.Stock QuotesThe OnStar Virtual Advisor can provide you
with current quotes for the stocks you have
specified in your customized profile as well
as other requested stocks. All market data
is delayed by twenty minutes. If you have
not set your profile, you can still access the
stock quote feature through your default
profile and then request the stock of your
choice.Sports ScoresThe OnStar Virtual Advisor can provide you
with scores for your favorite college and pro-
fessional teams with up-to-the- minute high-
lights, even if they are being broadcast on a
local station. See the team selection option
in your Mobile Profiler section of the sub-
scriber section of OnStar.com.
If you have not set your profile or are still
using the default profile, you can access the
sports option of the Virtual Advisor and ask
for an update on your favorite sport. You
always have access to the options in the Vir-
tual Advisor. 1 Press the
OnStar DOT
buttonOnStar will respond
”Ready”
2Say ”Virtual
Advisor”You will be connected
to Virtual Advisor
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117 OnStar - Telematics
News HeadlinesThe OnStar Virtual Advisor will provide cur-
rent headlines for many different catego-
ries, including:
 International News Headlines
 National News Headlines
 Technology Headlines
 Business Headlines
 Sports Headlines
 Entertainment HeadlinesE-mail ReaderThe OnStar Virtual Advisor allows you to lis-
ten, and soon respond, to your e-mails any
time you want. E-mail availability is based
on the address(es) you provide to OnStar.
Every Virtual Advisor enrollee will receive
an E-mail account.
OnStar Subscriber
Website(Expected availability Fourth Quarter 2000)
As an OnStar subscriber, you have access
to the OnStar Subscriber Website. The Sub-
scriber Website will provide you with impor-
tant facts about your OnStar subscription
and allow you to customize your Virtual
Advisor Mobile Profile. All this allows you to
access up-to-the-minute information that
can make your driving experience safer and
more enjoyable.
The Subscriber Website was designed to
provide you with easy access to personal-
ized information, learn more about OnStar,
update your account information, plan your
travel, receive weather information and
interact with OnStar.
You can also act like an OnStar Advisor and
pinpoint your Saab. To access the Sub-
scriber Website, simply go to
www.onstar.com, and then click on the
OnStar Subscriber link. The OnStar Sub-
scriber Website is a secured site that is
password protected. You will be required to
provide your OnStar account number and
personal identification number (PIN). If you
do not know your account number or PIN,
contact OnStar at 1-888-4-ONSTAR. For
security reasons, your PIN will be mailed to
your address on record.
LimitationsNotwithstanding anything contained herein,
OnStar's nonperformance hereunder shall
be excused if caused by act or omission of
a cellular carrier or a third-party service pro-
vider, equipment failure, acts of god, strikes,
equipment or facility shortage, or other
causes beyond OnStar’s reasonable con-
trol. In addition, the liability of OnStar, if any,
for any mistake, omission, interruption,
delay, error, defect or other failure in the ser-
vice furnished, or in the equipment used in
furnishing service, shall in no event exceed
the amount of OnStar’s charges to sub-
scriber for said service during the period so
affected, provided that no liability shall
result for outages of 24 hours or less.
This manual includes the latest information
at the time it was printed. We reserve the
right to make changes in the products and
services without prior notification.
In order to provide you with excellent ser-
vice, any call to the OnStar Center may be
monitored or recorded.
All features may not be available on all mod-
els. Please consult your dealer for details.
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118 OnStar - TelematicsOnStar Operation:OnStar uses existing emergency service
providers and cellular and satellite technol-
ogies. OnStar requires cellular service to be
available and operating for features to func-
tion properly.Personal Calling:Existing OnStar service agreement
required. Additional usage charges apply
for Personal Calling. Interim 2001 model
year availability in select markets. For
system limitations and details, call
1-800-ONSTAR-7 or visit www.onstar.com.Virtual Advisor:Existing OnStar and Personal Calling ser-
vice agreement required. Additional usage
charges apply for Personal Calling. Interim
2001 model year availability in select mar-
kets. For system limitations and details, call
1-800-ONSTAR-7 or visit www.onstar.com.
Additional InformationWarranty
OnStar is warranted as part of the General
Motors new vehicle limited warranty.
A Note About Privacy
At OnStar, we know you want to protect your
privacy, and we take subscriber privacy
very seriously. We never provide your per-
sonal information to another company or
person unless you authorize it, or we are
required to by the legal process, or in such
cases where you have provided it for billing
purposes or you have requested a hotel res-
ervation, are sending flowers, etc. Having
this information on file with OnStar is a real
advantage and helps you avoid repeating
your credit card information over a cellular
connection. Your trust is what we most
value.Transferring OnStar
Because your OnStar 3-button system is an
integral part of your Saab, it cannot be trans-
ferred to another vehicle. Each OnStar
System stays with the original car or truck in
which it was installed.
The one-year OnStar prepaid subscription
applicable to new retail deliveries cannot be
transferred to another vehicle. However, if
you’ve purchased additional years of ser-
vice and decide to dispose of your Saab,
any remaining service will be refunded to
you. Or, if you choose, you can have it trans-
ferred to another vehicle on your account.
Any service that is refunded or transferred
will be prorated at the monthly rate in effect
at the time of transfer.
OnStar Subscription InformationTo renew your subscription or upgrade your
plan, just push the OnStar button, or call the
OnStar customer service department at
1-888-864-2801 between 8 am and 6 pm
EST.
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150 Starting and drivingIt is possible for air to enter the lubricating
system in conjunction with an oil or oil-filter
change, or if the car has been stored for
some time. This air can cause the hydraulic
cam followers to emit a ticking noise, which
can persist for up to 15 minutes after start-
ing. Although this is quite normal and does
not indicate any malfunction, it is advisable
not to exceed 3,000 rpm before the noise
has disappeared.
The hydraulic cam lifters are completely
service free; the valve clearance is set up at
the factory and will not need any subse-
quent adjustment.
Starting the engineAvoid racing the engine or putting a heavy
load on it before it has warmed up. Drive
away as soon as the oil warning light has
been extinguished to enable the engine to
attain its normal temperature as quickly as
possible.
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 Depress the clutch pedal fully but do not
touch the accelerator.
2 Start the engine. Let the ignition key
spring back as soon as the engine has
started and is running smoothly – at very
low temperatures, you may need to run
the starter for up to 25 seconds. Wait
20-30 seconds before running the
starter again, to give the battery time to
recover.
Let the engine idle for about 10 seconds. Do
not open the throttle wide for at least
2-3 minutes after starting. Cars with automatic transmission
1 The selector lever must be in the P or N
position.
2 Keep your foot on the brake pedal.
3 Start the engine. Let the ignition key
spring back as soon as the engine has
started and is running smoothly – at very
low temperatures, you may need to run
the starter for up to 25 seconds. Wait
20-30 seconds before running the
starter again, to give the battery time to
recover.
Let the engine idle for about 10 seconds. Do
not open the throttle wide for at least
2–3 minutes after starting.
Useful tips on cold climate starting If the engine has failed to start after several
attempts in very cold weather, press and
hold the accelerator down to the floor and
run the starter for 5–10 seconds. This will
prevent the engine being flooded (exces-
sively rich fuel-air mixture).
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.  The tail pipe of the exhaust system
can become very hot during driving.
Bear this in mind when loading and
unloading the car.
 Do not rest or sleep in the car when
parked with the engine running. There
is a risk of depressing the accelerator
which could lead to engine damage.
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152 Starting and driving
AON 93. One of the advantages of the
system is that it enables the engine to
be run safely on lower-grade fuel,
although not lower than AON 87.
 The maximum boost pressure is
adjusted automatically to the knocking
or pinging tendency of the engine.
Occasional, short-lived knocking when
the engine is under a heavy load is per-
fectly normal; the extent will depend on
the grade of fuel in the tank.
 Isolated instances of knocking are
more likely to occur with low-octane
fuel. This controlled form of knocking,
followed by a reduction in the boost
pressure, is a sign that the wastegate is
functioning and is perfectly safe for the
engine.
Important considerations with cata-
lytic convertersThe catalytic converter is an emission-con-
trol device incorporated in the car’s exhaust
system. It consists of a metal canister with a
honeycomb insert, the cells of which have
walls coated in a catalytic layer (mixture of
precious metals).
To ensure that the catalytic converter con-
tinues to function properly, and also to avoid
damage to the converter and its associated
components, the following points must be
observed:
 Have the car serviced regularly in accor-
dance with the service program. The fuel
and ignition systems are particularly
important in this context.
 Always be alert to any misfiring of the
engine (not running on all cylinders) and
any loss of power or performance. At the
first sign of a malfunction, reduce speed
and take the car to an authorized Saab
dealer as soon as possible.
 If the engine fails to start (in very cold
weather or if the battery is flat), the car can
be jump started (manual gearbox only) or
started using jump leads to a donor bat-
NOTEIf constant knocking occurs every time a
load is put on the engine, this indicates a
malfunction in the system.
Have the car checked without delay by an
authorized Saab dealer.
WARNING
If the engine is being run with the car on a
rolling road or dynamometer, to ensure
adequate cooling, air must be blown into
the engine compartment and under the
car at a rate equivalent to the ram-air
effect that would be obtained at the corre-
sponding road speed.
NOTEUse only unleaded gasoline. Leaded gas-
oline is detrimental to the catalyst and
oxygen sensor and will seriously impair
the function of the catalytic converter.
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155 Starting and driving
Opening the fuel filler flap in an emergency,
see page 145.
Recommended fuel:The engine in your Saab 9-5 is designed to
operate on unleaded gasoline that has an
octane rating of 87 or higher. Octane rating
is determined according to the formula:
where MON is the Motor Octane Number,
and RON is the Research Octane Number.
The average of these two values is the
octane rating of the gasoline as it appears
on the pump at a retail gas station. This
value is sometimes referred to as the
"Anti-Knock Index" (AKI) or the "Average
Octane Number" (AON).
To avoid deposit formation on the fuel injec-
tors which can cause poor driveability, use
only quality gasolines that contain deter-
gents and corrosion inhibitors. Because
gasolines sold at retail gas stations vary in
their composition and quality, you should
switch to a different brand if you begin expe-
riencing driveability and/or hard starting
problems shortly after refueling your car. In
recent years, a variety of fuel additives and
alcohols or oxygenates have been blended
with gasoline. These types of gasolines may
be found in all parts of the United States and
Canada, but particularly in geographic
areas and cities that have high carbon mon-
oxide levels. Saab approves the use of such
"reformulated" gasolines in its products,
which help in reducing pollution from all
motor vehicles, provided that the following blending percentages are met by such
fuels:
 Up to 10% ethanol by volume, with corro-
sion inhibitors.
 Up to 15% MTBE by volume (methyl ter-
tiary butyl ether).
 Up to 5% methanol by volume, with an
equal amount of a suitable co-solvent and
added corrosion inhibitors.
Other, less common, fuel additives used by
some gasoline dealers are also acceptable,
provided that the resultant gasoline is not
more than 2.7% oxygen by weight.
Some Canadian and U.S. gasolines contain
an octane enhancing additive called meth-
lycyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT). If such fuel is used, your emission
control system performance may deterio-
rate and the malfunction indicator lamp on
your instrument panel may turn on. If this
occurs, return to your authorized Saab
dealer for service.
However, these blended gasolines are reg-
ulated and should never exceed these rec-
ommended blend percentages and service
station operators should know if their gaso-
lines contain detergents and oxygenates,
and have been reformulated to reduce vehi-
cle emissions. Nevertheless, if you begin to
notice a problem with the way your car starts
or runs shortly after it has been refueled, try
a different brand of gasoline.
NOTE Fill to maximum filling capacity
 Stop filling after the first time that the
nozzle trips to shut off the flow of fuel
 Filling capacity can differ between
different fuel stations and outside
temperature. Fuel tank volume when
nozzle trips to shut off, may vary by
0.5 gal. (2 liters).
 Do not fill fuel all the way up the filler
pipe. The gasoline must be allowed
room for expansion especially during
hot weather.
MON + RON
2
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157 Starting and driving
Canada Only
Be sure the posted octane is at least 87. If
the octane is less than 87, you may get a
heavy knocking noise when you drive. If it’s
bad enough, it can damage your engine. If
you’re using fuel rated at 87 octane or
higher and you hear heavy knocking, your
engine needs service. But don’t worry if you
hear a little pinging noise when you’re accel-
erating or driving up a hill. That’s normal,
and you don’t have to buy a higher octane
fuel to get rid of pinging. It’s the heavy, con-
stant knock that means you have a problem.
If your vehicle is certified to meet California
Emission Standards (indicated on the
underhood emission control label), it is
designed to operate on fuels that meet Cal-
ifornia specifications. If such fuels are not
available in states adopting California emis-
sions standards, your vehicle will operate
satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal spec-
ifications, but emission control system per-
formance may be affected. The ”Engine
malfunction (CHECK ENGINE)” indicator
on your main instrument panel may turn on
and/or your vehicle may fail a smog-check
test. See ”Engine malfunction (CHECK
ENGINE)” indicator on page 51. If this
occurs, return to your authorized Saab
dealer for diagnosis to determine the cause
of failure. In the event it is determined that
the cause of the condition is the type of fuels
used, repairs may not be covered by your
warranty. Some gasolines that are not reformulated
for low emissions may contain an
octane-enhancing additive called methylcy-
clopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT); ask your service station operator
whether or not the fuel contains MMT. Saab
Automobile AB does not recommend the
use of such gasolines. If fuels containing
MMT are used, spark plug life may be
reduced and your emission control system
performance may be affected. The malfunc-
tion indicator lamp on your instrument panel
may turn on. If this occurs, return to your
authorized Saab dealer for service.
Engine Break-In PeriodPistons, bores and bearings need time to
obtain uniform, wear-resistant surfaces.
If a new engine is driven too hard, this grad-
ual process of bedding-in will not be possi-
ble and the life of the engine will be short-
ened.
During the first 1,200 miles (2,000 km), do
not exceed 5,000 rpm.
In addition, refrain from driving the car at full
throttle, other than for brief instances,
during the first 1,800 miles (3,000 km). Wearing in new brake padsNew brake pads take time to bed in, about
90 miles (150 km) if the car is driven largely
under stop-and-go conditions or about
300 miles (500 km) of highway driving.
To extend the useful life of the pads, avoid
hard braking as much as possible during
this period.
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162 Starting and driving
Overheated transmission fluid If the automatic-transmission fluid should
overheat, the following message will appear
on the SID:
”TRANSMISSION OVERHEATING”. If this
happens, stop the car and wait for the mes-
sage to be extinguished. Continue driving in
a locked gear that produces an engine
speed of about 3,000 rpm.
Overheating of the automatic-transmission
fluid can occur when the car is towing a
heavy load, such as a camping trailer in hilly
country, with the wrong gear selected,
resulting in abnormally frequent gear
changing. Try selecting position 1, 2 or 3.
High ambient temperatures can also
increase the temperature of the transmis-
sion fluid or the oil cooler may be faulty.
Contact an authorized Saab dealer (see
also page 174).
Driving on hilly roads with a heavy
loadThe transmission fluid can overheat when
the gearbox is strained, for example, when
driving with a trailer on hilly roads with the
wrong gear is selected, resulting in many
extra gear changes. To avoid the transmis-
sion fluid overheating, always drive in
Normal mode. The adaptive gear change
patterns are then active.
High air temperatures or a faulty oil cooler
can also cause the transmission fluid to
overheat. Overheating reduces the service
life of the fluid. Contact an authorized Saab
dealer (see also page 174. Towing Towing of cars with automatic transmission,
see page 181.
NOTEIf the control module has actuated the
Limp-home function for the automatic
transmission, the car will remain in 4th
gear when D is selected, making it very
sluggish. To overcome this, move the
selector lever to position 2.
WARNING
Remember to use engine-braking (selec-
tor position 1, 2, or 3) to spare the brakes
when you are driving on a long or steep
downhill slope.
Brake failure can result from overheated
brakes!
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171 Starting and driving
a major impact on fuel consumption after
the engine has started from cold. Thus, if the
car is mainly used for short journeys of
3–5 miles (5–8 km), the fuel consumption
will be 60–80 % higher than normal.Driving technique To obtain the best running economy, not
only regarding fuel consumption but gen-
eral wear also, regular service is required.
 High speed, unnecessary acceleration,
heavy braking and much low gear work all
gives rise to higher fuel consumption.
 Frequent gear changing in traffic, starting
in cold weather, the use of studded tires
and roof racks, and towing a trailer all
increase fuel consumption.
 Do not run the engine when the car is sta-
tionary.
If idling, it will take much longer before the
engine becomes hot. Engine wear is
greatest during this warming-up phase.
Therefore drive away as soon as possible
after the engine is started and avoid high
revving. Driving in a low gear results in higher fuel
consumption than in a high gear because
of the higher engine speed for a given
road speed. Always change up to a higher
gear as soon as traffic conditions allow
and use the highest gear as much as pos-
sible.
 Check the air pressure in the tires once a
month. Incorrect pressures increase tire
wear. It is better to have slightly higher
pressure than lower.
 Check fuel consumption regularly.
Increased consumption can indicate that
something is wrong and that the car
needs to be checked by an authorized
Saab dealer.
Practical trials on the roads have demon-
strated that substantial savings in fuel con-
sumption can be made if the above advice
is heeded.
Road conditions Wet roads increase fuel consumption, as do
unpaved roads and driving in hilly country
(the amount of fuel saved driving downhill is
less than the additional amount required to
climb the hill).
Engine block heater (standard
equipment in Canada, accessory in
U.S.)The following are just some of the benefits
to the car and the environment of using an
engine block heater:
 Lower fuel consumption.
 Reduced wear on the engine.
 Inside of car warms up faster.
 Exhaust emissions substantially reduced
over short runs.
The engine heater is effective at outside
temperatures up to +15-20°C. The warmer
it is outside, the shorter the time the engine
heater needs to be connected. Longer than
1.5 hours is unnecessary.
If the car is equipped with a removable,
electrical cabin heater that is not in use, this
should be stored in the luggage compart-
ment.
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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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