SAAB 9-5 2002 Owner's Guide

31 Safety
IB1742
5
1
4
2
6
3
2
6
7
7
5
SRS (airbag) system with belt pretensioners 1 Electronic control module and sensor
2 Belt pretensioners (for both front safety belts)
3 Steering wheel with integral airbag
4 Passenger airbag
5 Side-airbag sensor
6 Side airbag
7 Front sensors
IB1743
Accessories and other equipment must
not be fitted to the surfaces marked as
these are where the airbags inflate in the
event of a crash.
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32 SafetyFront 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
crash, even if the passenger seat is unoccu-
pied.
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
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 a crash 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 crash.
 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 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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33 Safety
impact condition. The side airbag trigger will
be commanded based on the characteris-
tics of this pressure rise.
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 front 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
front 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 front door could be
damaged.
 The side airbags will inflate only in the
event of a side impact; not in the event
of a front or rear-end crash or of the
car’s rolling over.
 Damage or wear 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.
IB1182
Side airbag inflated
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34 Safety
AIR 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
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 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 only be carried out by
knowledgeable personnel.
IB1707
Side airbag components 1 Side airbag
2 Sensor
3 Moisture barrier
4 Text on seat
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35 Safety
Frequently asked questions on func-
tion of airbagsDo 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
crash, which means, of course, that it pro-
vides no protection in minor frontal crashes,
major rear-end or side-on crashes 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 crash 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 posi-
tion, 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,
before they are thrown forward, in a serious
frontal crash.
How do I position the seat to leave room for
the airbag to inflate?Don’t have your seat too far forward.
Recline the seat back to increase the dis-
tance between you and the airbag. For short
drivers, special accessory pedal extensions
are available through your Saab dealer.
Airbags inflate extremely rapidly and with
great force - to be fast enough to protect an
adult in the seat. When do the front airbags inflate? The airbag will only be inflated under certain
predetermined conditions in a moderate to
severe frontal, or near-frontal crash,
depending on such factors as the force and
angle of the impact, the speed of the car on
impact, and the resistance to deformation of
the impacting object.
The airbag can only be activated once in the
same incident.
Do not attempt to drive the car after an
airbag has been inflated, even if it is possi-
ble.
What won’t trigger the front airbags? The airbag will not be activated in all
front-end crashes. For instance, if the car
has hit something relatively soft and yielding
(e.g. a snow drift or a hedge) or a solid
object at a low impact speed, the airbag will
not necessarily be triggered. How loud is the inflation? The noise of the inflation is certainly loud,
but it is very short-lived and will not damage
your hearing. For a short time afterwards
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 can be injured or
killed by the airbag.
The BACK SEAT is the SAFEST place for
children.
NEVER put a child seat in the front.
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36 SafetyAre the smoke 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 far as possible
getting dust on your skin as there is a risk of
skin irritation.
If this trouble persists, you should consult a
doctor.
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.
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.
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.
WARNING
To reduce the risk of head injuries in the
event of a crash, the headliner and pillar
trims incorporate energy absorbing mate-
rial. These areas must not be modified in
any way. Work on these areas must only
be carried out at an authorized Saab
dealer.
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37 Security
Security Doors................................... 38
Central locking ................... 38
Car alarm ............................ 43
IB446
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38 SecurityDoorsDoor handlesPull the handle to open the door.
If the door is stuck (e.g. if frozen), hold the
handle from above to secure a better grip.
Central locking

Key / Remote control The key unit consists of a mechanical key
with integrated remote control.
The mechanical key is used for manual
locking and unlocking.
The remote control is used for remote lock-
ing and unlocking.
The key fits all the car’s locks
The key supplied with the car has a code
number on a black plastic tag that needs to
be quoted for ordering additional keys. You
should therefore make a careful note of the
number.
The key contains a unique electronic code
for your car. When the key is inserted in the
ignition, the code is checked. If it matches,
the car can be started. Two keys are supplied with the car. It is pos-
sible to have up to four at one time that are
coded for your car. If one is lost, contact
your authorized Saab dealer to obtain a
replacement.
NOTE: For this reason, we strongly advise
you to take two keys with you on long jour-
neys and to keep them separate. If all keys
are lost, it will be necessary to replace costly
electronic components as well as the keys.
This loss and replacement cost is not cov-
ered by the new car warranty.
If an additional key is to be added, all of the
original keys must be brought to the dealer
so that the control module can ”learn” to rec-
ognize the new components.
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.
IB447
Door handle Key / Remote control
1To lock
2 To unlock
3 Opening the trunk (9-5 Sedan)
Unlocking the tailgate (9-5 Wagon)
IB1524
3
2 1
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39 Security
To check the number of keys that are pro-
grammed for the car; see page 47.Electronic starting interlock
(immobilizer)Each time the key is removed from the igni-
tion, the electronic starting interlock is acti-
vated and the car is thus immobilized, see
also page 44.Reprogramming lock system
functionsCertain lock system functions can be repro-
grammed by your authorized Saab work-
shop; see page 259.
Locking/unlocking the car When the car is locked and unlocked the
theft alarm is also affected.
Remote locking (1)
Press once on the control: all doors
locked.
The hazard warning lights will flash once
and the horn chirps once to confirm.
The tailgate cannot be opened now from
inside using the switch on the driver´s door.
Remote unlocking (2)
Press once on the control: the driver´s
door is unlocked. Press a second time to
unlock the rest of the doors.
The hazard warning lights will flash twice
and the horn chirps twice to confirm.
If remote unlocking should fail to work
Unlock the driver’s door with the key. To
silence the alarm, insert the key into the igni-
tion switch and turn it to the ON position.
The car can now be started. Contact your
local Saab dealer to have the system
checked and rectified.
NOTEThe key contains delicate electronics.
 Do not expose it to water.
 Avoid rough handling.
 Do not place the key where it may be
subjected to high temperatures, e.g.
on the instrument panel.
 The key may malfunction if it becomes
very cold. Warm it in your hands for a
couple of minutes.
Never open the key except to change the
battery. For changing the battery, see
page 40.
WARNING
The remote control also works from inside
the car. Therefore, hold the key in such a
way that the buttons are not unintention-
ally pressed when the key is turned, or
inserted or removed from the ignition
switch.
Otherwise, the doors may be unintention-
ally locked or the tailgate unlocked. On
Sedan models, the trunk may even be
opened.
IB1557
Locking/unlocking by remote control.1To lock
2 To unlock
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40 SecurityLocking by key (1)
When the car is locked and unlocked the
theft alarm is also affected.
Turn the key clockwise: all doors locked.
The trunk lid/tailgate cannot be opened now
from inside using the switch on the driver’s
door.
Unlocking by key (2)
Turn the key counterclockwise once: the
driver´s door will unlock.
Turn the key counterclockwise twice: all
doors, but not trunk lid/tailgate, unlocked. The central locking can also be operated
from inside the car by means of the
switch on the center console.
 To lock all doors: press the symbol side of
the switch once.
 To unlock the driver´s door: press the
switch once.
 To unlock all doors: press the switch
twice.
This switch is inoperative when the car is
locked from the outside.
The interior locking buttons on each door
affect only the respective door.If the car is left with the doors open, the inte-
rior lighting and the courtesy lights in the
doors will be switched off automatically after
20 minutes, to prevent a flat battery. In such
cases the electrically operated seats will not
function.
Changing the key batteryWhen the battery voltage in the key falls
below a predetermined level the SID will
issue the following message: ”REPLACE
KEY BATTERY”. Press the CLEAR button
on the SID to acknowledge this message.
You must then replace the battery without
delay to avoid malfunctions. The life of the
battery is normally 4 years.Contact a Saab
dealer to have the battery replaced.
WARNING
Having the doors locked when you are
driving will reduce the likelihood of:
 Passengers, especially children,
opening doors and falling out of the
car.
 Intruders entering the car when it is
moving slowly or stopped.
 Being thrown out of the car in a crash.
IB451
Switch for operation of central locking
IB1555
2
1
Locking/unlocking by key1To lock
2 To unlock
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