brake light SAAB 9-5 2001 Owners Manual

4Exterior
IB580
Roof-rack load _______________ 176
Mounting holes for roof rack ____ 176
Maximum loads ______________ 250
Rearview mirrors _____________ 125
Hood ______________________ 188
Engine compartment: washing __ 233
Central lock ____________ 34
Interior locking buttons ____ 36
Child safety lock catch ____ 37
Trunk/tailgate lid lock _____ 38
Car alarm (anti-theft alarm) 41Front lights _____________ 63
Headlight switch _________ 63
High/low beam
control stalk ____________ 63
Turn signal &
lane change indicators ___ 65
Headlight wipers _________ 68
Changing bulbs ________ 205
Fuel gauge __________________ 55
Fuel filler flap ________________ 154
Refueling ___________________ 154
Fuel economy _______________ 170
Fuel grade __________________ 252
Economical motoring __________ 170
Tire pressure ___________ back cover
Wheel and tire specifications ____ 257
Brakes and braking ___________ 167
Winter driving ________________ 172
Wheels and tires _____________ 221
Wheel changing ______________ 226
Spare wheel _________________ 180
Luggage compartment _________ 134
Folding down the rear seat,
9-5 Sedan ___________________ 134
Folding down the rear seat,
9-5 Wagon __________________ 137
Trunk _______________________ 134
Tool kit ______________________ 144
Spare wheel _____________ 144, 180
Jack ________________________ 226Driving with a trailer ______ 174
Towing ________________ 181
Towrope attachment eyes _ 181Light switches ___________ 63
Changing bulbs _________ 205
 Tail lights ____________ 208
 Stop lights ___________ 208Sunroof _______________ 128
Washing the car ________ 232
Waxing and polishing ____ 233
Touching-up of paintwork _ 234
Anticorrosion treatment ___ 234
Service program_________ 245
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49 Instruments and controls
Warning, charging
This light will come on together with if
the battery is discharging. If it comes on
while you are driving, stop the car as soon
as possible and switch off the engine.
Check the alternator drive belt (see page
202). If the belt has broken, the engine may
overheat (cooling system will not function
properly), the battery will not be charged,
the A/C compressor will not run and power
assistance for the steering will be lost.
Brake warning light
This light will come on together with if
there is insufficient brake fluid in the reser-
voir (see pages 198 / 198).
If the ABS warning light is on at the same
time, the ABS system may be inoperative
because of a fault (see ”Anti-lock brake
warning”, page 50).
Parking brake warning
light
This light will show when the parking brake
is on (see page 185).
If the car is driven with the parking brake still
on, will also come on and a chime will
sound.
The parking brake is mechanical and oper-
ates on the rear wheels.
WARNING
Never drive the car when these warning
lights are on. Danger of brake failure!
Have the brake system checked by an
authorized Saab dealer.
WARNING
 Always apply the parking brake when
parking, see page 185.
 Always apply the parking brake before
removing the ignition key.
 Do not apply the parking brake while
the car is moving.
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50 Instruments and controls

Anti-lock brake warning
This light will come on if a fault has occurred
in the ABS system.
On certain variants and as well
as can light up to indicate a fault in the
electronic brake force distribution system
(distribution of the brake pressure between
the front and rear wheels).
Conventional braking without the ABS func-
tion will still be available.
For safety reasons, stop the car and check
the level of the brake fluid (see page 198).If the level is normal, depress the brake
pedal firmly two or three times. Now check
the level again. If the level is still normal, you
may drive the car, with considerable cau-
tion, to the nearest authorized Saab dealer
to have the brake system checked.

Airbag warning light
This light together with will come on if
a potentially serious fault has occurred in
the airbag system.
The light will come on for about three sec-
onds when the ignition switch is turned to
the Start or Drive position. It should go out
after the engine has started.
WARNING
 If the ABS is inoperative, there is a
danger of the rear wheels locking up
on hard braking.
 If the level of brake fluid in the reser-
voir is below the MIN mark, the car
should be towed to an authorized
Saab dealer.
WARNING
 If the airbag readiness light stays on
after you start your vehicle, it means
the airbag system may not be working
properly. One or more of the following
conditions may occur:
- Non-deployment of the airbags in the
event of a crash.
- Deployment of the airbags without a
crash.
- Deployment of the airbags in
crashes less severe than intended.
 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.
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51 Instruments and controls
CHECK message indicator
This light indicates that there is a message
in the SID. A chime will also sound
(see page 61).
Central warning light
This light will come on and a chime will
sound if a fault has been detected in any
system that is critical to safety. Any of the
following can activate the central warning
light and alarm:
 Airbag system.
 Low oil pressure in engine.
 Parking brake is on (when car is moving).
 Brake fluid level low.
 Fault detected in ABS system.
 Electronic brake force distribution (distri-
bution of brake pressure between front
and rear wheels).
 Engine overheating.
 Alternator not charging properly.
Engine malfunction
(CHECK ENGINE)
This light indicates a malfunction in the
fuel-injection or ignition system. The car
may still be driven with care and with some-
what diminished performance (see page
151).
Indicator, fuel
This light comes on when there is less than
about 2.5 gallons (10 liters) of fuel left in the
tank.
WARNING
An illuminated ”Engine malfunction
(CHECK ENGINE)” indicator light indi-
cates a serious engine-related problem.
While your car may be able to be driven
with the ”Engine malfunction (CHECK
ENGINE)” indicator light illuminated
(Limp-home mode), you are advised to
have your car serviced at an authorized
Saab dealer as soon as possible.
Continued driving without this problem
being corrected might cause serious
further damage to your car and create
unsafe driving conditions. The operator
should be prepared to take action if such
unsafe conditions arise (e.g., apply the
brakes, disengage transmission, turn off
the ignition etc.).
NOTEThe car should be checked immediately
at an authorized Saab dealer to prevent
more serious faults from arising.NOTEIf the car runs out of fuel, air can be drawn
in with the fuel, which, in turn, can cause
the catalytic converter to be damaged by
overheating.
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52 Instruments and controls
Indicator, cruise control
This light shows when the cruise-control
system is active (see page 166).
Indicator, high beam
This light shows when the headlights are on
high beam (see page 63).
Indicator, rear fog light
This light shows when the rear fog light is on
(see page 64).
The rear fog light is switched off automat-
ically when the engine is switched off. When
the fog light is next needed, it will have to be
switched on manually again.
The rear fog light consists of one light so it
should not be mistaken for brake lights.
Indicator, open door
If a door has not been closed properly, the
pictogram will indicate the door concerned
(or tailgate).
Indicator, SPORT-mode
This light will come on in cars with automatic
transmission when the S (SPORT) button
on the selector lever has been pressed
(position D, 3, 2 or 1) see page 165.
In this mode, the gear changes occur later,
at higher engine revs, giving the engine and
transmission a sportier feel.
To cancel the SPORT mode, press the S
button on the selector lever again. The
mode is also deselected automatically
when the selector lever is moved to P or R.
Indicator, WINTER-mode
This light shows when the WINTER mode
has been selected in cars with automatic
transmission (see page 165).
In the WINTER mode, the car pulls away in
3rd gear, to help prevent wheelspin on an
icy road.
To cancel the WINTER mode, press the W
button.
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61 Instruments and controls
CHECK messages When the engine is started, CHECKING will
appear on the display for about four sec-
onds, while the SID checks are being per-
formed.
When a CHECK message is generated
while the car is being driven, a chime will
sound, INFO DISPL will illuminate on on the
main instrument panel, and the message
will appear on the SID. The number of mes-
sages that can be displayed by the SID
varies with the specification of the car.
If more than one CHECK message has
been generated, the
+ symbol will appear to
the left of the text on the display. The mes-
sages appear in order of priority.
If a new fault occurs while another message
is being displayed, the message relating to
the new one will appear for 10 seconds,
after which the display will return to the ear-
lier one.
Press CLEAR once to acknowledge a mes-
sage, whereupon it will be cleared from the
display. It will not be displayed again before
the ignition has been switched off and then
on again. The following messages may be displayed:
1 This message will be displayed approxi-
mately 600 miles (1,000 km) before the next
scheduled service is due, or when 365 days
have elapsed since the last service. The
message should be cleared at the time of that
service (see the Saab Warranties & Service
Record Booklet).
This message can also be deleted by first
briefly pressing the CLEAR button, then
depressing it a second time for at least eight
seconds until ”SERVICE” appears on the dis-
play and a chime sounds. The message can
only be deleted when it is shown on the SID.
Night panelTo improve night-driving conditions inside
the car, the Night Panel mode can be
selected. In this mode, the amount of infor-
mation displayed is reduced, and only the
most important instruments and displays
will be illuminated.
When the Night Panel button is pressed,
only the speedometer will be illuminated (up
to the 87-mph or 140-km/h graduation), all
the other instruments illumination being
extinguished and their needles moved to
zero. Both the SID and the ACC displays will
be extinguished and the backlighting for
switches and other controls will be dimmed.
Note: All indicator and warning lights,
together with the display of CHECK mes-
sages, will operate as normal, except ”Out-
door temperature (Frost warning)”, see
page 58. Message See
page
FRONT LIGHT FAILURE 205
REAR LIGHT FAILURE 208
FOG LIGHT FAILURE 209
BRAKE LIGHT FAILURE 208
WASHER FLUID LEVEL LOW 204
FILL COOLANT FLUID 196
REPLACE KEY BATTERY 37
KEY NOT ACCEPTED 45
SERVICE THEFT ALARM 45
TRANSMISSION OVERHEATING 162
TIGHTEN FUEL FILLER CAP 154
TIME FOR SERVICE
1)
242
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64 Instruments and controlsCourtesy Headlight FeatureA delay function allows the headlights to
remain on low beam for about 30 seconds
after the driver’s door has been closed.
To activate this function,
 Switch off the ignition and remove the key
 Open the driver’s door
 Pull the high/low beam control stalk
towards the steering wheel like you are
flashing the high beam, see page 63. The
low beam headlights will now come on
immediately after the driver’s door has
been closed (within 30 seconds) and will
remain on for about 30 seconds.
The length of time for this function can be
adjusted by your authorized Saab dealer.
Rear fog lightPress the button to switch on the rear fog
light, which will only come on if the head-
lights are on.
The rear fog light will go off automatically
when the engine is switched off. When the
fog light is next needed, it will have to be
switched on manually again.
The rear fog light consists of one light so it
should not be mistaken for brake lights.
Make sure you are familiar with the appli-
cable provincial/state law regarding the
use of rear fog lights.

WARNING
In poor visibility, avoid following the tail
lights of the vehicle in front. If the vehicle
stops suddenly, you may be unable to
avoid a collision and therefore risk injury
to yourself and others.
IB351
Rear fog light
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135 Interior equipment and trunk
WARNING
 Place heavy items closest to the backrest and stow smaller
and lighter items on top.
 Secure heavy and bulky items using the four tie down points
provided in the trunk. This will avert the danger of luggage
flying around if the car should brake suddenly or be involved
in an accident (see page 136).
 When the backrest is folded down or the trunk pass-through
hatch is open, even small items can be thrown around inside
the car. It is therefore advisable to secure these as well.
 Do not exceed the load capacity of the car, as this will alter its
handling characteristics (see page 250).
 Make sure that the seat cushions and backrests are properly
secured when folding them back to their normal position.
Check that the button (item 3 on page 134) is flush with the
surround before entering the back seat.
The tail pipe of the exhaust system can become very hot during
driving. Bear this in mind when loading and unloading the car so
that children, for example, do not burn themselves.
IB462
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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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163 Starting and driving
Selector positions
P
To shift out of the P position you must
depress the brake pedal and the ignition
must be ON.
The parking position (P) must only be selected
when the car is at a complete standstill. The
selector lever is locked and the transmission is
mechanically immobilized. Always apply the
parking brake after parking the car.
The engine can be started. The key can be
removed.
R
The reverse (R) position must only be selected
when the car is at a complete standstill. The
detent-release button must be pressed before
the selector lever can be moved to R. Wait until
reverse gear has engaged (car starts to creep)
before touching the accelerator.
N
In the Neutral position (N), the transmission is
disengaged from the engine. The engine can be
started, but first ensure that the parking brake is
on, to prevent the car from moving off unexpect-
edly.
To prevent the engine and transmission from
becoming hotter than necessary, select N for
stops other than brief ones, e.g. if stuck in a traf-
fic jam.
The normal drive position (D) is recommended
for waiting at traffic lights.
D
The Drive position (D) is the position for normal
motoring. Gear changes between 1st and 4th
will take place automatically, the timing of which
is determined by the throttle (accelerator) posi-
tion and the speed of the car.
After moving the selector lever to D, pause to
give the gear time to engage (car starts to pull).
3
In position 3, 4th gear is locked out. The car will
start in 1st gear and normal gear changing (up
and down) will take place automatically between
gears 1, 2 and 3.
Moving the selector lever from D to 3 will effect
a change-down to 3rd gear, which will give better
engine-braking.
Do not move the selector to position 3 at speeds
in excess of 90 mph (150 km/h).
2
Position 2 is recommended in hilly country as it
provides effective engine-braking. Normal gear
changing (up and down) between 1st and 2nd
gear will take place automatically. Third and 4th
gears are locked out.
Do not move the selector to position 2 at speeds
in excess of 70 mph (110 km/h).
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