instrument panel SAAB 9-5 2007 Owner's Manual

128 Interior equipment and trunkCup holders Cup holders are provided in the instrument
panel fascia, in the center console compart-
ment between the front seats, and in the
rear-seat armrest (certain variants only).
To access the cup holder in the instrument
panel, press the symbol and release.
To access the cup holder in the rear seat
armrest, lower the armrest and press the
front edge of the holder. Close in the same
way.
The number of cup holders provided may
vary between models.
WARNING
The cup holder should not be used to
hold cups made of china, glass or hard
plastic as these can cause injury in the
event of a crash.
Use only for paper cups or aluminium
cans.
Avoid spillage, particularly of hot
drinks.
Avoid putting oversized cups in the
cup holder.NOTICETake care not to spill any liquid on the
audio system, ignition switch or the like
when using the cup holders. Soft drinks in
particular can cause malfunction.
IB1153
1
2
Cup holder in center console
3
IB443
Cup holder in rear armrest
3
Press the edge to open/close.
IB444
Cup holder in fascia 1 Press symbol to open
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143 Starting and driving
Useful tips on cold climate
startingIf 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.
Limp-home modeThe engine management system has a
diagnostic feature that continually checks a
number of internal functions.
If, for example, a fault is detected in the
throttle valve, the engine management
system will go into Limp-home mode.This
limits:
idling control,
disables the cruise-control system and
limits the capacity of the A/C compressor.
If the limp-home mode is in operation
(”Engine malfunction (CHECK ENGINE)”
light on, see below) and the outside temper-
ature is close to or below freezing, you may
need to use some throttle on starting (some
pressure on the accelerator).
If the diagnostic system has detected a fault
in the engine-management system, the
”Engine malfunction (CHECK ENGINE)”
light on the main instrument panel will
come on (see page 58), indicating that you
should have the car checked as soon as
possible by a workshop. We recommend
that you contact an authorized Saab dealer.
NOTICEIf the CHECK ENGINE warning light
starts to flash, ease off the accelerator
slightly. If the light does not cease to flash
within 5 seconds, stop the car in a suit-
able place as soon as possible and turn
off the engine. The car must be towed to
a workshop. We recommend that you
contact an authorized Saab dealer.
If the CHECK ENGINE warning light
flashes, it indicates that the engine is mis-
firing which can result in damage to the
catalytic converter.
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151 Starting and driving
Towing Towing of cars with manual transmission,
see page 183.
Automatic transmission3
The electronic control module for the auto-
matic transmission receives information on
engine torque and road speed, and also
controls the hydraulic pressure in the trans-
mission to ensure that gear changing is as
smooth as possible.
The position of the selector lever is shown
by the symbols adjacent to the lever and
also by a symbol on the main instrument
panel. If manual mode (M) is selected, the
current gear is also displayed on the main
instrument panel.
The ignition key can only be removed when
the selector lever is in the P position.
NOTICEWhen the reverse gear is to be engaged
the car must be at a standstill with the
accelerator fully released. Lift the reverse
lock-out collar and push the gear lever
firmly to the right in neutral before easing
it into reverse.
WARNING
Make it a habit to keep your foot on the
brake when selecting a drive position,
to prevent the car from creeping for-
ward (or backward if reverse is
selected).
The car must be at a standstill before
P, R or N is selected. You have to have
your foot on the brake pedal to move
the lever out of P. If the car is still
moving when a drive position is subse-
quently selected, this could cause a
crash or damage the automatic trans-
mission.
Never park the car with the selector
lever in a drive position, even if the
parking brake is on.
If you want to leave the car with the
engine running, move the selector
lever to P or N and apply the parking
brake.
Selector lever
IB471
13
25
R
4
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152 Starting and drivingWhen the car is stationary, the engine must
be at idling speed when the selector lever is
moved.
You must have your foot on the brake
pedal to move the lever out of park.
If the accelerator is depressed while the
lever is moved, this will result in abnormal
wear in the transmission.
The detent button on the selector lever has
to be pressed before the selector can be
moved between certain positions. Three modes for the automatic transmis-
sion can be selected: Normal, Manual and
Sport.
Normal mode
The Normal mode, which provides the best
fuel economy, is the default setting when
the engine is started.
Manual mode (Sentronic): see page 156.
Sport mode
When the Sport mode is selected, the trans-
mission changes up later than in Normal
mode to provide higher performance. In this
mode, the SPORT indicator will appear on
the main instrument panel (see page 158).
Adaptive gear-change pattern
Adaptive gear-change pattern is a transmis-
sion function in the Normal and Sport
modes which matches gear changing to
current driving conditions. The transmission
control module senses the load on the
engine and temperature of the transmis-
sion. A suitable gear change pattern is then
selected automatically to avoid unneces-
sary gear changes and undesired tempera-
ture increases in the transmission.
NOTICEAfter selecting a drive position, pause
briefly to allow the gear to engage (the car
starts to pull a little) before you accel-
erate.
Detent positions for selector movement
IB3853
Selector-lever indicator on main instru-
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154 Starting and drivingIf ”Automatic transmission3, fault indicator”
light appears on the main instrument panel,
the system has detected a fault in the auto-
matic transmission or its control module
(see page 62).
This also means that the Limp-home mode
has been selected, to guard against further
damage being done to the transmission. In
this mode, the automatic transmission
starts in 5th gear, and gear changes (if nec-
essary) will have to be made manually.
Stop the car in a safe place. Switch off then
restart the engine. If the fault is intermittent,
the transmission will operate as normal
despite the fault indicator being on. Have
the car checked at a workshop. We recom-
mend that you contact an authorized Saab
dealer.
It is not possible to select the SPORT or
Sentronic mode when the Limp-home mode
is active.
Gear changes must be made manually.
The following gears will be engaged in the
respective selector positions when the auto-
matic transmission is in Limp-home mode:
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 a workshop. We recommend that
you contact an authorized Saab dealer (see
also page 174).
Automatic transmission3,
fault indicator
Position R D M L
Gear Reverse 5th 5th 2nd
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.
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156 Starting and drivingSentronic, manual mode 3Move the selector lever to the M position.
Select a higher gear by pushing the
right-hand paddle on the steering
wheel. Select a lower gear by pushing the
left-hand paddle on the steering wheel.
An example of when you may wish to make
manual gear changes is when overtaking, to
enable you to remain in a low gear for an
extended period of time.
Changes from 3rd to 4th and from 4th to 5th
can be made when the engine speed is
above roughly 2,000 rpm.
If you select a gear that is judged too high by
the system, the selected gear position will
be shown briefly on the main instrument
panel and then the gear that is actually
engaged.If the road surface is slippery, you may wish
to pull off in 2nd or 3rd to reduce the risk of
wheel spin.
When descending hills you should select a
low gear to increase the braking effect of the
engine and thus spare the brakes.
Manual gear selections are shown on the
main instrument panel. The selector posi-
tion and the current gear are displayed.When the selector lever is in the M position,
as opposed to the D position, engines are
much more responsive to changes in accel-
erator position. The accelerator has a differ-
ent feel.
When in manual mode, kick-down operates
for 4th and 5th gears (below 2,000 rpm).
Kick-down cannot be activated in 1st, 2nd or
3rd gears.
For optimum performance, gear changes
should be made before reaching 6,000 rpm.
To avoid damaging the engine and trans-
mission, the transmission will shift up a gear
if the engine is in danger of overrevving. You
may feel a slight jolt before this gear change
is effected.
IB3880
Paddles on the steering wheel for
changing gear manually
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158 Starting and drivingIf you move the selector lever from D to L, down shifts will follow a
set pattern to avoid damaging the engine or transmission.
Manual gear-changing is not recommended on slippery roads.
If one of the drive wheels spins excessively, the engine torque will
be reduced to avoid damaging the transmission.Adaptive gear-change patternsAdaptive gear-change patterns are selected automatically depend-
ing on the engine load and the present temperature of the transmis-
sion. The function is available in Normal and Sport modes.
The changes occur at a higher engine speed and the car remains in
the same gear for longer, if the transmission control module senses
that the load has not decreased. These gear-change patterns pre-
vent unnecessary changing up and down, when for example driving
up or down long slopes with a trailer or caravan, and to prevent over-
heating the transmission oil. The adaptive gear-change function is
also selected automatically when the transmission oil becomes too
hot, to protect the transmission itself from damage and to lower the
oil temperature.
The adaptive gear-change pattern function is deselected when:
The engine is switched off.
The load is reduced so much that the function is no longer
required.
”Automatic transmission3, fault indicator” appears on main
instrument panel, see page 154.
SPORT modes
To select Sport mode, press the ”S” button on
the selector lever when the selector lever is in
position N or D.
In this mode, gear changes will take place at
higher engine speeds than in Normal mode, in
other words, the transmission will change up
later and change down earlier for the same throt-
tle (accelerator) position.
The Sport mode will be deselected if:
The SPORT button is pressed.
The selector lever is moved to position P,R, M
or L.
The engine is switched off.
”Automatic transmission3, fault indicator”
appears on main instrument panel, see
page 154.
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164 Starting and drivingThe ESP
® indicator light
The indicator light on the main instru-
ment comes on for a short period of time
when the ESP
® system is operative.
Operation of the ESP
® system indicates
reduced cohesion between the tires and the
road, and that extra care should be taken by
the driver.
The ESP
® OFF-indicator light
The light on the main instrument comes
on if:
A fault has been detected and the system
has therefore been switched off.
The system has been switched off manu-
ally.
When the ignition key is turned to the ON
position, the lamp is lit for about four sec-
onds while the system undergoes a
self-test.
Turning the ESP
® system off
The system can be turned off manually with
the ESP
® button, whereupon the light
on the main instrument panel will come on.
The ESP® system cannot be switched off if
the car is travelling faster than 35 mph
(60 km/h).
The ESP® system is always operative
during braking, even if it has been switched
off manually.
NOTICESuspension modifications, such as
changing the type of wheels, dampers or
springs, can affect the function of the
ESP
® system.
Always consult a workshop before chang-
ing any suspension components. We rec-
ommend that you contact an authorized
Saab dealer.
IB4475
ESP
® button
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165 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
you park the car.
Always apply the parking brake
before removing the ignition key.
Do not use the parking brake while
driving.
WARNING
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).
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.
Apply the parking brake.
Shift to Reverse for manual transmis-
sion (automatic transmission: move
selector lever to P (Park)), and remove
the ignition key. Lock the car.
IB360
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176 Starting and drivingWhen negotiating long hills, bear the follow-
ing important considerations in mind:
Use Normal mode when driving with a
caravan or trailer on hilly roads. The
adaptive gear change pattern function will
prevent the transmission overheating.
Rises in coolant temperature are indi-
cated by the temperature gauge in the
main instrument panel.Recommendations for cars with
automatic transmission
Rises in coolant temperature are indicated
by the temperature gauge in the main instru-
ment panel.
The following steps are taken in order as the
temperature of the engine increases:
Gear change pattern is altered.
A/C compressor is switched off.
Engine torque is reduced.
The following message will be displayed on
the SID if the transmission fluid becomes
too hot:
“Gearbox too hot.
Make a safe stop.
If this message appears, stop the car as
soon as it is safe to do so and allow the
engine to idle until the message has gone
out. The selector lever should be in
position P.When continuing your journey, select
manual mode and a gear in which the
engine speed is about 3,000 rpm until the
incline eases (see page 157).
WARNING
Remember to use the braking effect of the
engine (position D or L) when you are
descending long or steep hills to spare
the brakes.
Brake failure can result from overheated
brakes!
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