service indicator SAAB 9-5 2004 Owners Manual
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Page 57 of 288

57 Instruments and controls
CHECK message indicator 
This light indicates that there is a message 
in the Saab Information Display (SID). A 
chime will also sound 
(see page 67). 
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 an 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.brake 
smoothly, engage neutral, stop in a suita-
ble place, switch off the engine, etc.).
NOTICEThe car should be checked immediately 
at an authorized Saab dealer to prevent 
more serious faults from arising.NOTICEIf 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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Page 67 of 288

67 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 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 approximately 
600 miles (1,000 km) before the next sched-
uled 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 64.  Message See
page
Fog light failure.   216
Rear light failure.   220
Brake light failure.   220
Washer fluid level low. Refill.  214
Coolant level low. Refill.  207
Remote control battery low. 
Replace battery. 43
Key not accepted. Contact service.  50
Theft protection failure. Contact 
service. 50
Gearbox too hot. Make a safe stop.  162
Tighten fuel filler cap.  154
Time for service. 
1)
 264
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Page 155 of 288

155 Starting and driving
Opening the fuel filler door in an emergency, 
see page 146.
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.
NOTICE 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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Page 156 of 288

156 Starting and driving
Fuel (Gasoline Engine)Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 
octane or higher. Use of gasoline with an 
octane rating lower than 87 can result in 
severe engine damage. Damage caused by 
incorrect fuel being used is not covered 
under the terms of the New Car Warranty 
and will be the responsibility of the owner. It 
is recommended that the gasoline meet 
specifications which were developed by the 
American Automobile Manufacturers Asso-
ciation (AAMA) and endorsed by the Cana-
dian Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Associa-
tion for better vehicle performance and 
engine protection. Gasolines meeting the 
AAMA specification could provide improved 
driveability and emission control system 
performance compared to other gasolines.
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.
NOTICEHigher concentrations of methanol than 
listed above, or the use of methanol- 
blended gasoline without suitable 
co-solvents and corrosion inhibitors, 
can damage your car’s fuel system, 
leading to the need for repairs which are 
not covered by Saab’s product warranty.
NOTICEThe engine control module (ECM) mon-
itoring the engine parameters also 
stores fault codes.
Under certain circumstances, this may 
cause constant illumination of the 
”Engine malfunction (CHECK 
ENGINE)” lamp  , thus indicating a 
fault that must be checked by your Saab 
dealer, see page  57.
NOTE: always observe the following two 
measures:
 Make sure that the fuel filler cap is 
screwed on correctly before the 
engine is started. Screw on the fuel 
filler cap until you hear 3 distinct 
clicks.
 Avoid driving with the fuel low level 
indicator illuminated. The symbol 
illuminates when less than approxi-
mately 2 gallons (8 litres) of fuel 
remains in the tank.
In Canada, look for the 
”Auto Makers’ Choice” label 
on the fuel pump.
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Page 157 of 288

157 Starting and driving
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 Cali-
fornia 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  57. 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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Page 162 of 288

162 Starting and driving
Overheated transmission fluid If the automatic-transmission fluid should 
overheat, the following message will appear 
on the SID: 
”Gearbox too hot. Make a safe stop.”. In this 
event, stop the car in a suitable place, 
switch off the engine and open the hood.
Wait for several minutes then turn on the 
ignition to check that the message has gone 
out. When driving subsequent to the trans-
mission fluid overheating, select a gear in 
which the engine speed is 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. High ambient temperatures can 
also increase the temperature of the trans-
mission fluid or the oil cooler may be faulty. 
Contact an authorized Saab dealer (see 
also page 178).
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. To avoid 
the transmission 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 178). Towing Towing of cars with automatic transmission, 
see page 188.
NOTICEIf the control module has actuated the 
Limp-home function for the automatic 
transmission, the car will remain in 5th 
gear when D is selected, making it very 
sluggish. 
Select position L to prevent unnecessary 
wear on the transmission. The transmis-
sion then starts in 2nd gear. Once the car 
is moving you can select position D.
When the indicator light is on, the car 
must not be driven with a caravan or 
trailer attached.
WARNING
Remember to use engine-braking (selec-
tor position D or L) 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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Page 208 of 288

208 Car care and technical informationBrake and clutch fluid Checking the fluid level The combined brake and clutch-fluid reser-
voir is transparent to facilitate checking of 
the fluid level.
The level should be between the MAX and 
MIN marks. Top up, as necessary, with 
DOT 4 fluid. Do 
not
 use DOT 5 brake fluid.
Use only new brake fluid from a sealed con-
tainer.
Check that there are no leaks in the brake 
system.
The brake fluid level will fall somewhat as 
the brake pads wear. The MAX level in the 
reservoir corresponds to the amount of 
brake fluid required with new brake pads. If 
the fall in fluid level is moderate, due to 
normal brake pad wear, topping up is not 
necessary.
Changing of the brake fluid should be 
carried out by an authorized Saab dealer.The vehicle´s regular braking system is 
adjusted automatically, but the parking 
brake has to be adjusted manually. This 
work, involving adjustment of the parking 
brake cables and brake pads, must only be 
carried out by an authorized Saab dealer.
It is not possible to detect, through abnormal 
pedal or parking brake-lever travel, whether 
brake pads are worn and need replacing. It 
is therefore essential that brake pads be 
checked regularly, as specified in the ser-
vice program.
Brake pad wear indicators The outboard brake pads on the front 
wheels incorporate pad-wear indicators. 
When the lining is down to 0.11 in (3 mm), 
the pad will produce a screeching, squeal-
ing or scraping noise when the brakes are 
applied. New pads should be fitted without 
delay.
Brake pads should only be changed by 
an authorized Saab dealer. To ensure 
optimum brake performance, use only 
Saab original brake pads.
WARNING
Brake fluid deteriorates as it becomes 
old. Because it is hygroscopic, it absorbs 
water from the air and, in time, could allow 
vapor to form in the brake system, thus 
reducing its performance. It is therefore 
important that brake fluid be changed reg-
ularly, as specified in the service pro-
gram.
NOTICEAvoid spilling brake fluid onto paintwork, 
since it can cause the paint to bubble and 
lift. If any brake fluid is spilled, the area 
should be flushed with large quantities of 
water as quickly as possible. 
IB1188
Brake and clutch-fluid reservoir 
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Page 235 of 288

235 Car care and technical information
When It Is Time for New TiresOne way to tell when it’s time for new tires is 
to check the treadwear indicators, which will 
appear when your tires have only 1/16 inch 
(1.6 mm) or less of tread remaining.
You need a new tire if any of the following 
statements are true:
 You can see the indicators at three or 
more places around the tire.
 You can see cord or fabric showing 
through the tire’s rubber.
 The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or 
snagged deep enough to show cord or 
fabric.
 The tire has a bump, bulge or split.
 The tire has a puncture, cut or other 
damage that can’t be repaired well 
because of the size or location of the dam-
age.
Treadwear indicatorsThe tires incorporate wear indicators in the 
form of smooth, treadless strips across the 
width, which become visible when only 
2/32" (1.6 mm) of tread remains. As soon as 
the indicators become visible, new tires 
should be fitted without delay.
Make sure you are familiar with the legal 
limit for minimum tread depth in your 
country and also any regulations gov-
erning the use of winter (snow) tires.
Buying New TiresTo find out what kind and size of tires you 
need, look at the Tire-Loading Information 
label.
The tires installed on your vehicle when it 
was new had a Tire Performance Criteria 
Specification (TPC Spec) number on each 
tire’s sidewall. When you get new tires, get 
ones with that same TPC Spec number. 
That way your vehicle will continue to have 
tires that are designed to give proper endur-
ance, handling, speed rating, traction, ride 
and other things during normal service on 
your vehicle. If your tires have an all-season 
tread design, the TPC number will be fol-
lowed by an “MS” (for mud and snow).
If you ever replace your tires with those not 
having a TPC Spec number, make sure they 
are the same size, load range, speed rating 
and construction type (bias, bias-belted or 
radial) as your original tires.
If you wish to fit other tires or wheels than 
those supplied with the car, consult your 
Saab dealer first as to the possibilities 
available.
Wheels/tires combinations that are not 
approved by Saab can negatively affect the 
car’s directional stability, steering and brak-
ing in both wet and dry conditions.
SG840
Wear indicators 
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Page 274 of 288

274 Specifications
Engine variants  
When to change engine oilYour vehicle will display when it is time for servicing on the SID, 
based on the mileage and time since the last service.
Under normal circumstances the service indication will come 
after:
up to 15,000 miles (24,000 km) or 1 year.
For this service system to work it is of outmost importance that 
the right engine oil is used.
When the message for service is displayed you need to have the 
required service done as soon as possible. 
After the service your service personnel will reset the service 
indicator. It is important to reset the service indicator in order to 
optimize the time to the next service.
Oil capacity incl. filter (on changing) ____ 4.1 qts (4.0 litres) 
2.3t EcopowerRating, EEC at 5500 rpm  ___________ 185 hp (136 kW)
Maximum torque, EEC at 1800 rpm  ___ 206.5 ft.lb
(280 Nm)
Compression ratio  _________________ 9.3:12.3T Ecopower Rating, EEC at 5500 rpm ____________   220 hp (161 kW) 
Maximum torque, EEC at 1800 rpm ____  228.6 ft.lb 
(310 Nm) 
Compression ratio  _________________ 9.3:1 2.3 Turbo Ecopower Rating, EEC at 5500 rpm ____________ 250 hp (184 kW)
Maximum torque, EEC at 1900 rpm 258.0 ft.lb. 
(350 Nm)
Compression ratio _________________ 9.3:1
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Page 286 of 288

286 IndexRoof load
 _____________________ 183
Running-in ____________________ 174
SSDM
 _________________________ 267
SID
 ___________________________ 63
Saab 9-5 Audio System
 ___________ 85
Saab Information Display (SID)
 _____ 63
Saab Parking Assistance
 _________ 194
Safety belts
 _____________________ 17
Safety belts, care of
 _____________ 253
Safety-belt pretensioners
 __________ 18
Safety-belt reminder
 ______________ 17
Seats
 __________________________ 12
Securing a load
 __________________ 44
Selector lever indication, automatic 
transmission
 ___________________ 63
Sentronic, manual mode
 __________ 163
Service costs
 __________________ 265
Service information
 ______________ 266
Service intervals
 ________________ 264
Service record retention
 __________ 265
Settings, seats
 __________________ 12
Side airbags
 ____________________ 35
Signalling, horn _________________ 120
Sliding floor, 9-5 Wagon
 __________ 143
Snow chains
 ___________________ 176
Spare wheel ___________________ 246
Spare wheel and tools
 ___________ 145
Spark plugs
 ____________________ 275
Speedometer ________________ 60
, 61Starting in cold weather, ACC
 _______ 81
Starting in hot weather, ACC _______ 81
Steering wheel adjustment
 ________ 120
Steering, technical data
 __________ 277
Steps for determining correct load 
limit
 _________________________ 244
Stone-chip damage, repairing
 ______ 255
Storage compartments
 ___________ 132
Sun visors
 _____________________ 131
Sunroof
 _______________________ 128
Suspension ____________________ 277
Suspension, technical data
 ________ 277
Switches
 _______________________ 69
Symboler ________________________ 9
Systems, adjustment
 _____________ 282
TTCS OFF
 _______________________ 59
Table of fuses
 __________________ 229
Tachometer
 _____________________ 60
Tailgate, opening
 ________________ 44
Tank gauge
 _____________________ 61
Technical data __________________ 269
Telematics
 _____________________ 107
Temperature control, ACC
 _________ 77
Temperature gauge, engine ________ 61
Temperature zones, ACC
 __________ 77
Textile carpeting
 ________________ 253
Through-load hatch ______________ 137
Tie Downs
 _____________________ 137
Tightening torque, wheel studs
 _____ 247Tip, driving at night
 ______________ 185
Tip, to avoid theft
 ________________ 197
Tire chains
 _____________________ 239
Tire date code __________________ 245
Tire inspection and rotation
 ________ 234
Tire markings
 ___________________ 241
Tire pressure ___________________ 186
Tire sidewall labeling
 _____________ 240
Tire terminology and definitions
 ____ 242
Tire, compact spare
 ______________ 246
Tires
 _____________________ 233
, 278
Tires, winter
 ____________________ 278
Tools
 _________________________ 145
Touching-in the paintwork
 _________ 255
Towbar attachment
 ______________ 178
Towbar load
 ____________________ 182
Towing the car __________________ 188
Towing, automatics
 ______________ 188
Traction
 _______________________ 171
Trailer weights
 __________________ 271
Treadwear indicators
 _____________ 235
Trionic
 ________________________ 202
Trip computer
 ___________________ 63
Trip meter
 ______________________ 60
Trunk
 _________________________ 135
Trunk lid, opening
 ________________ 44
Turbo gauge
 ____________________ 62
Turbo, points to note
 _____________ 151
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