battery SAAB 9-5 2008 Owner's Manual

167 Starting and driving
Long-term parkingIf the car is not going to be used for some
time, e.g. 3–4 months, the following steps
are recommended:
Run the engine to normal temperature
before long-term parking.
Drain the washer-fluid reservoir and
hoses.
Wash and wax the car. Clean the rubber
seals on the hood, luggage compartment
lid and doors, and lubricate them with
glycerol (glycerin).
After washing the car, dry the brake discs
by taking the car out on the road and
applying the brakes a few times. Fill the fuel tank with fuel to prevent
condensation forming in it.
Top up the coolant and check the anti-
freeze before the onset of winter.
Park the car in a dry, covered and
well-ventilated building. Leave the park-
ing brake OFF!
Disconnect the negative (–) battery lead.
If frost is likely to occur during the
long-term parking, remove the battery
and store it away from the frost.
Ideally, the car should be put up on blocks,
with the wheels off the ground. If this is not
possible, inflate the tires to about 43 psi
(300 kPa).
Leave all the windows open a crack and
cover the car with a fabric tarpaulin – not
one made of plastic.95_US_M08.book Page 167 Friday, May 11, 2007 1:06 PM
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174 Starting and driving2 Wait until the needle has dropped back
to indicate normal temperature (roughly
midway, in the white zone) before stop-
ping the engine. If the coolant needs
topping up, unscrew the cap on expan-
sion tank carefully.
Top up, as necessary, ideally with a
50/50 mixture of Saab-approved coolant
and water. If only water is available, use
that, but remember to have the coolant
mixture checked as soon as possible. 3 As soon as possible, have the cooling
system checked by a workshop. We
recommend that you contact an autho-
rized Saab dealer.
Towing a trailer3
33 3Trailer hitch attachment3
33 3Trailer hitch attachments are available as
accessories. These are designed for a max-
imum trailer weight of 3500 lbs. (1588 kg),
see also page 261.
Use only the electrical trailer hitch socket
provided in the trailer hitch kit.3
Saab recommends:
Use a Saab original hitch kit attachment
which is designed and tested by Saab.Consult your Saab dealer regarding the
appropriate hitch kit for your car.
If the car has a 13-pin genuine Saab electri-
cal socket, the trailer/caravan can be
equipped with rear fog lamp and reversing
lamps.
The caravan can also have interior and
exterior lighting when the car’s ignition is off.
Do not put a load on the battery for so
long that it becomes discharged and the
car cannot be started.
There is also access to power in the caravan
during a journey, the caravan battery can be
charged for example.

WARNING
Exercise care when opening the hood
if the engine is overheated. Never
remove the expansion tank cap com-
pletely when the engine is hot.
The cooling system is pressurized -
hot coolant and vapor can escape.
These can cause injury to your eyes
and burns. Open the cap slowly to
release the pressure before
removing it.
WARNING
When towing a trailer, do not attempt
to negotiate a hill having a gradient in
excess of 15 %. The weight distribu-
tion over the front wheels of the car will
be insufficient to prevent wheelspin,
making further progress impossible.
In addition, the parking brake may not
always be able to hold the car and
trailer securely, with the result that the
wheels can start to slide downhill.
Always apply the trailer’s parking-
brake when unhitching it. There is oth-
erwise a risk of personal injury or
damage to the bumper should the
trailer start to roll.
NOTEOnly use a towbar that has been
approved for your car. We recommend
that you entrust towbar installation to an
authorized Saab workshop, which can
also provide important information such
as trailer weight. Your authorized Saab
workshop has information on how the
towbar is to be installed and whether
other measures must be undertaken that
could affect the cooling system or other
equipment.
We recommend that you consult an
authorized Saab dealer for guidance on
how to connect the trailer hitch electrical
system.
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186 Starting and drivingJump startingIf your battery has run down, you may want
to use another vehicle and some jumper
cables to start your Saab. Follow the steps
below to do it safely.To jump start your vehicle:
1 Check the other vehicle. It must have a
12-volt battery with a negative ground
system.
2 Get the vehicles close enough so the
jumper cables can reach, but be sure the
vehicles are not touching each other. If a
poor connection on the negative jumper
cable should exist, it is possible for
damage to be caused to electrical
systems/components of either vehicle
should inadvertent contact be made.
You would not be able to start your car
and bad grounding could damage elec-
trical systems.
3 Turn off the ignition on both vehicles.
Turn off all lights that are not needed,
and radios. This will avoid sparks and
WARNING
When working on the battery, highly
explosive gas can build up. A spark
could ignite this gas that collects
around the battery.
Therefore, always avoid sparks and
open flames in the vicinity of the bat-
tery.
The battery contains corrosive sulfuric
acid. Always wear a face mask or gog-
gles when working on the battery.
If battery acid gets into the eyes or
splashes onto skin or clothing, wash
the affected area liberally with water.
If acid gets into the eyes or a large
quantity makes contact with the skin,
seek medical help.
Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead
compounds. Wash your hands after
handling.
NOTEIgnoring these steps could result in costly
damage to your vehicle that would not be
covered by your warranty.
Trying to start your car by pushing or pull-
ing it could damage your vehicle, even if
you have a manual transmission. If you
have an automatic transmission, your
vehicle cannot be started by pushing or
pulling it.
NOTEIf the other system is not a 12-volt system
with a negative ground, both vehicles can
be damaged.
WARNING
You could be injured if the vehicles roll.
Set the parking brake firmly on each vehi-
cle. Put an automatic transmission in P
(Park) or a manual transmission in
Neutral.
IB3931
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187 Starting and driving
help save both batteries and it could
save your radio.
4 Open the hood and locate the battery.
Find the positive (+) and negative (–) termi-
nals on the battery.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 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
terminal.NOTEIf you leave your radio on, it could be
badly damaged. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.
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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188 Starting and driving9 Attach the cable at least 18 inches
(45 cm) away from the discharged
battery, but not near engine parts that
move. To avoid an arc which could deto-
nate the hydrogen gas around the
battery, the final connection must be at
least 18” from the battery.
10 Start the vehicle with the good battery
and run the engine for a while.
11 Try to start the vehicle with the
discharged 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.
Charging the battery/Jump
startingTo avoid damaging the car’s electrical
system and electronics, the following rules
must be followed when charging the battery
or jump starting the car.
If the charger3 or starter unit3 can be
set to different voltages
(6V/12V/18V/24V), 12V must be
selected.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions
supplied with the charger or starter unit.
Nothing that is plugged into an electrical
outlet should be connected to the car
during charging or jump starting.
The charger or starter unit must under no
conditions produce a voltage greater
than:
16V continuous
18V for 60 min.
If you are unsure about the charge rating
of the unit, disconnect the battery clamp
from the positive terminal before connect-
ing the unit to the battery.
WARNING
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.95_US_M08.book Page 188 Friday, May 11, 2007 1:06 PM
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189 Car care and technical information
IB3888
Hood ________________ 190
Engine compartment __ 191
Emission control
systems ____________ 192
Engine ______________ 194
Engine oil ____________ 194
Transmission fluid ____ 195
Coolant ______________ 195
Brake and clutch fluid__ 196
Power steering fluid ___ 198
Air filter _____________ 198
Battery ______________ 199
Drive belts ___________ 201
Wipers and washers ___ 202
Changing bulbs _______ 204
Fuses _______________ 216 Tires ________________ 222
Automatic tire pressure
monitoring system ___ 234
Compact spare tire ____ 237
Safety belts __________ 242
Upholstery and trim ___ 243
Textile carpeting ______ 243
Washing the car ______ 244
Waxing and polishing __ 245
Engine compartment __ 245
Touching up the paint _ 245
Air conditioning (ACC) _ 246
Anti-corrosion treatment 248
For long trips _________ 249
Recovery and/or
recycling of automotive
materials ___________ 250
Headlight aiming ______ 250
Car care and technical information
3 Asterisk means: equipment not fitted in all cars
(can depend on model variant, engine variant,
market specification, options or accessories).95_US_M08.book Page 189 Friday, May 11, 2007 1:06 PM
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191 Car care and technical information
Engine compartment
9
6
8
1
2
4
3
5
7
IB3637
Engine compartment
1 Engine-oil dipstick/filler cap
2 Reservoir, brake/clutch fluid
3 Fuse box
4 Expansion tank, coolant
5 Washer-fluid filler cap
6Battery
7 Turbo unit
8 Ignition discharge module
9 Reservoir, power-steering fluid
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199 Car care and technical information
Battery
The battery is provided with a cover to
protect it from radiated heat. If the battery is
exposed to high temperatures, its life will be
shortened. To remove the cover, release
the two clips along its long sides.
The cover fits the standard battery installed
in the car. If a new battery is to be fitted,
make sure that its dimensions are the same
as the standard one.
The battery is maintenance free and should
be changed if the electrolyte level is too low.
The indicator on the top side of the battery
will be white if the battery needs replacing.The fluid level and the charge level should
be checked regularly.
If frequent short journeys are made, the bat-
tery may need to be given a booster charge.
This can be done either using a battery
charger or by taking the car for a long run.
A car with a standard equipment specifica-
tion and a fully charged battery can be left
for up to 40 days and still have a sufficient
charge for starting. If extra equipment is fit-
ted, such as a car phone, the charge may
only be sufficient for about 15 days.
WARNING
Work on the battery may entail an
explosion hazard, since the battery
gives off hydrogen which forms an
explosive mixture with the oxygen in
the air.
For this reason, always avoid sparks
or open flames when working near the
battery.
The battery contains corrosive sulfuric
acid. Always wear a face mask or
goggles when working on the battery.
If battery acid gets into the eyes or
splashes the skin or clothing, wash the
affected area liberally with water.
If acid gets into the eyes or a large
quantity makes contact with the skin,
seek medical help.
Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead
compounds. Wash your hands after
handling.
NOTEA discharged battery can freeze and frac-
ture. Batteries should therefore always be
stored away from frost.
IB3129
Checking the battery electrolyte level.
Dark or green level indicates the correct
fluid level.
Battery should be changed if indicator is
light
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200 Car care and technical informationCharging/replacing the battery Connect the positive lead to the positive (+)
battery terminal (red), and the negative lead
to a good ground point, e.g. the lifting lug at
the front of the engine.
To remove the battery, always disconnect
the negative (black) lead first and reconnect
it last when fitting the new battery.
The battery size must comply with DIN
53735 MFI 230/2.16.

NOTETo avert the danger of short-circuiting
between the positive (+) terminal on the
battery and the inlet manifold on the
engine, always disconnect the negative
(–) battery lead first and reconnect it last.
NOTEIf boost charging never use anything
but a 12-volt charger, see page 188.
Never reverse the polarity of the bat-
tery by connecting the leads to the
wrong terminals. The red, positive
lead connects to the positive (+) termi-
nal, and the black, negative lead to the
negative (–) terminal.
Serious damage can occur to the car´s
electrical system if a battery or alterna-
tor lead is disconnected while the
engine is running.
The nut on the battery clamp should
be tightened to a torque of 10 Nm.
IB3131
Correct position for battery clamp
IB3130
Battery
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205 Car care and technical informationHeadlight bulb for high beam (Halogen)On cars equipped with Xenon lamps the Halogen lamps are used
only for high beam flasher if the daytime running lights are deacti-
vated and the headlight switch is in the off position (otherwise Xenon
lamp is utilized):
1 Remove the cover from the back of the lamp unit. To improve
accessibility to the right-hand side, hold back the induction air
hose. To improve accessibility to the left-hand side, remove the
battery cover. Release the two clips along the long sides of the
cover.
2 Hold the connector and move the bulb up and down slightly while
pulling it out.
3 Detach the connector from the bulb.
4 Fit the new bulb in the connector without touching the lens with
fingers.
5 Align and fit the bulb in its guide in the reflector by moving it up
and down slightly while pushing it forward.
6Fit the cover.
IB3894
IB3895
The three covers of the headlight.
The left-hand cover is for the direction indicator. Replacement of
this bulb should be carried out by a workshop. We recommend
that you contact an authorized Saab workshop.
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