brake SAAB 9-7X 2009 Owner's Manual

OIL PRESSURE LOW/STOP ENGINE
Notice:If you drive your vehicle while the engine
oil pressure is low, severe engine damage may
occur. If a low oil pressure warning appears on the
Driver Information Center (DIC), stop the vehicle
as soon as possible. Do not drive the vehicle until
the cause of the low oil pressure is corrected.
SeeEngine Oil on page 5-18for more information.
This message displays if low oil pressure levels
occur. Stop the vehicle as soon as safely possible and
do not operate it until the cause of the low oil pressure
has been corrected. Check the oil as soon as possible
and have your vehicle serviced by your dealer/retailer.
SeeEngine Oil on page 5-18.
PASSENGER DOOR AJAR
This message displays and a chime sounds if the
passenger door is not fully closed. Stop and turn off the
vehicle, check the door for obstructions, and close
the door again. Check to see if the message still
appears on the DIC.
REAR ACCESS OPEN
This message displays and a chime sounds if the liftgate
or liftglass is open while the ignition is in ON/RUN.
Turn off the vehicle and check the liftgate and liftglass.
SeeLiftgate/Liftglass on page 2-12. Restart the vehicle
and check for the message on the DIC display.
RIGHT REAR DOOR AJAR
This message displays and a chime sounds if the
passenger side rear door is not fully closed. Stop and
turn off the vehicle, check the door for obstructions, and
close the door again. Check to see if the message
still appears on the DIC.
SERVICE AIR BAG
This message displays if there is a problem with the
airbag system. Have your dealer/retailer inspect the
system for problems. SeeAirbag Readiness Light on
page 3-28andAirbag System on page 1-52for more
information.
SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM
This message displays if a problem occurs with the
brake system. If this message appears, stop as soon as
possible and turn off the vehicle. Restart the vehicle
and check for the message on the DIC display.
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If the message is still displayed, or appears again when
you begin driving, the brake system needs service.
See your dealer/retailer.
SERVICE CHARGING SYS (System)
This message displays if there is a problem with
the battery charging system. Under certain conditions,
the charging system light may also turn on in the
instrument panel cluster. SeeCharging System Light
on page 3-30. The battery will not be charging at
an optimal rate and the vehicle will lose the ability to
enter the fuel economy mode. The vehicle is safe
to drive, however you should have the electrical system
checked by your dealer/retailer.
SERVICE STABILITRAK
If this message displays, it means there may be a
problem with the StabiliTrak system. If this message
appears, try to reset the system by performing the
following: stop; turn off the engine; then start the engine
again. If this message still comes on, it means there
is a problem. You should see your dealer/retailer
for service. The vehicle is safe to drive, however, you
do not have the benet of StabiliTrak, so reduce
your speed and drive accordingly.
SERVICE TIRE MONITOR
On vehicles with the Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS), this message displays if a part on the TPMS
is not working properly. The tire pressure light also
ashes and then remains on during the same ignition
cycle. SeeTire Pressure Light on page 3-34. Several
conditions may cause this message to appear. SeeTire
Pressure Monitor Operation on page 5-69for more
information. If the warning comes on and stays on,
there may be a problem with the TPMS. See your
dealer/retailer.
STABILITRAK ACTIVE
This message displays anytime the StabiliTrak system
activates to maintain vehicle stability. Any combination of
engine speed management, brake traction control,
and stability control displays this message.
STABILITRAK NOT READY
This message may display if driving conditions delay
StabiliTrak system initialization. This is normal. Once the
system initializes, this message will no longer be
displayed on the DIC.
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STABILITRAK OFF
This message displays when you press the StabiliTrak
button for more than ve seconds or when stability
control has been automatically disabled. The StabiliTrak
button is located on the transmission shift handle.
To limit wheel spin and realize the full benets of the
stability enhancement system, you should normally
leave StabiliTrak on. However, you should turn
StabiliTrak off if your vehicle gets stuck in sand, mud,
ice, or snow and you want to rock your vehicle to
attempt to free it, or if you are driving in extreme off-road
conditions and require more wheel spin. SeeIf Your
Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on
page 4-20. To turn the StabiliTrak system back on,
press the StabiliTrak button again.
The message may display if the brake system warning light
is on. SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-31.
The message turns off as soon as the conditions that
caused the message to be displayed are no longer
present.
TIGHTEN FUEL CAP
This message may display and a chime may sound if
the vehicle’s fuel cap is not tightened properly. Fully
reinstall the fuel cap. SeeFilling the Tank on page 5-8.The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has
been left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing
fuel cap allows fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
This message remains on until it is manually cleared
from the DIC display. The DIC message is also
cancelled if the ignition is turned off.
The DIC message and the Service Engine Soon light
may come on again during a second trip if the fuel cap is
still not tightened properly. SeeMalfunction Indicator
Lamp on page 3-34for more information.
TRACTION CONTROL OFF
This message displays when you momentarily press
the StabiliTrak button located on the transmission
shift handle. In this mode, stability control and the
brake-traction control are functional. Engine speed
management will be modied and the driven wheels can
spin more freely. For more details on this mode, see
StabiliTrak
®System on page 4-6.
TURN SIGNAL ON
This message displays and a chime sounds if a turn
signal is left on for 3/4 of a mile (1.2 km). Move the turn
signal/multifunction lever to the off position.
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Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle............4-2
Driving for Better Fuel Economy.......................4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunk Driving.................................................4-3
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-3
Braking.........................................................4-4
Antilock Brake System (ABS)...........................4-5
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-6
StabiliTrak
®System........................................4-6
Limited-Slip Rear Axle...................................4-10
All-Wheel Drive (AWD) System.......................4-10
Steering......................................................4-10
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-12
Passing.......................................................4-12
Loss of Control.............................................4-12
Off-Road Driving...........................................4-13Driving at Night............................................4-14
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-15
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-16
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-16
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-17
Winter Driving..............................................4-18
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.............................................4-20
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-21
Loading the Vehicle......................................4-21
Towing..........................................................4-27
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-27
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-28
Electronically Controlled Air Suspension
System....................................................4-28
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-29
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
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Your Driving, the Road, and
the Vehicle
Driving for Better Fuel Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel mileage. Here are some
driving tips to get the best fuel economy possible.
Avoid fast starts and accelerate smoothly.
Brake gradually and avoid abrupt stops.
Avoid idling the engine for long periods of time.
When road and weather conditions are appropriate,
use cruise control, if equipped.
Always follow posted speed limits or drive more
slowly when conditions require.
Keep vehicle tires properly inated.
Combine several trips into a single trip.
Replace the vehicle’s tires with the same TPC Spec
number molded into the tire’s sidewall near the size.
Follow recommended scheduled maintenance.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means “always expect the
unexpected.” The rst step in driving defensively is to
wear your safety belt — SeeSafety Belts: They Are for
Everyone on page 1-10.
{CAUTION:
Assume that other road users (pedestrians,
bicyclists, and other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what they
might do and be ready. In addition:
Allow enough following distance between you
and the driver in front of you.
Focus on the task of driving.
Driver distraction can cause collisions resulting in
injury or possible death. These simple defensive
driving techniques could save your life.
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Drunk Driving
{CAUTION:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous. Your
reexes, perceptions, attentiveness, and judgment
can be affected by even a small amount of alcohol.
You can have a serious — or even fatal — collision
if you drive after drinking. Do not drink and drive or
ride with a driver who has been drinking. Ride home
in a cab; or if you are with a group, designate a
driver who will not drink.
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is
a global tragedy.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive a
vehicle: judgment, muscular coordination, vision, and
attentiveness.
Police records show that almost 40 percent of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases,
these deaths are the result of someone who was drinking
and driving. In recent years, more than 17,000 annual
motor vehicle-related deaths have been associated with
the use of alcohol, with about 250,000 people injured.For persons under 21, it is against the law in every
U.S. state to drink alcohol. There are good medical,
psychological, and developmental reasons for
these laws.
The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway
safety problem is for people never to drink alcohol and
then drive.
Medical research shows that alcohol in a person’s
system can make crash injuries worse, especially
injuries to the brain, spinal cord, or heart. This means
that when anyone who has been drinking — driver
or passenger — is in a crash, that person’s chance of
being killed or permanently disabled is higher than if the
person had not been drinking.
Control of a Vehicle
The following three systems help to control the vehicle
while driving — brakes, steering, and accelerator. At
times, as when driving on snow or ice, it is easy to ask
more of those control systems than the tires and road can
provide. Meaning, you can lose control of the vehicle.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
vehicle performance. SeeAccessories and Modifications
on page 5-3.
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Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-31.
Braking action involves perception time and reaction
time. Deciding to push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or
more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness,
coordination, and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol,
drugs, and frustration. But even in three-fourths of a
second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels
66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough space between
the vehicle and others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly
with the surface of the road, whether it is pavement or
gravel; the condition of the road, whether it is wet, dry, or
icy; tire tread; the condition of the brakes; the weight of
the vehicle; and the amount of brake force applied.Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. The brakes might not have time to cool between
hard stops. The brakes will wear out much faster with a
lot of heavy braking. Keeping pace with the traffic and
allowing realistic following distances eliminates a lot of
unnecessary braking. That means better braking and
longer brake life.
If the engine ever stops while the vehicle is being driven,
brake normally but do not pump the brakes. If the brakes
are pumped, the pedal could get harder to push down.
If the engine stops, there will still be some power brake
assist but it will be used when the brake is applied. Once
the power assist is used up, it can take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
vehicle performance. SeeAccessories and Modifications
on page 5-3.
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Antilock Brake System (ABS)
This vehicle has the Antilock Brake System (ABS),
an advanced electronic braking system that will
help prevent a braking skid.
When the engine is started and the vehicle begins to
drive away, ABS checks itself. A momentary motor
or clicking noise might be heard while this test is going
on. This is normal.
If there is a problem with
ABS, this warning light
stays on. SeeAntilock
Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light on
page 3-32.
Along with ABS, the vehicle has a Dynamic Rear
Proportioning (DRP) system. If there is a DRP problem,
both the brake and ABS warning lights come on
accompanied by a 10-second chime. The lights and
chime will come on each time the ignition is turned on
until the problem is repaired. See your dealer/retailer for
service.Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You
slam on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that the wheels are slowing down.
If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each front wheel
and at both rear wheels.
ABS can change the brake pressure to each wheel, as
required, faster than any driver could. This can help
the driver steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the computer keeps
receiving updates on wheel speed and controls braking
pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change the time needed to get
a foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease stopping
distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to apply the brakes if that
vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave enough
room up ahead to stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down rmly and let antilock work. The brakes might
vibrate or some noise might be heard, but this is normal.
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Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows the driver to steer and brake at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can help more than
even the very best braking.
Brake Assist
This vehicle has a Brake Assist feature designed to
assist the driver in stopping or decreasing vehicle speed
in emergency driving conditions. This feature uses the
stability system hydraulic brake control module to
supplement the power brake system under conditions
where the driver has quickly and forcefully applied the
brake pedal in an attempt to quickly stop or slow down
the vehicle. The stability system hydraulic brake control
module increases brake pressure at each corner of the
vehicle until the ABS activates. Minor brake pedal
pulsations or pedal movement during this time is normal
and the driver should continue to apply the brake pedal
as the driving situation dictates The Brake Assist feature
will automatically disengage when the brake pedal is
released or brake pedal pressure is quickly decreased.
StabiliTrak®System
The vehicle has the StabiliTrak system which combines
antilock brake, traction and stability control systems and
helps the driver maintain directional control of the vehicle
in most driving conditions.
Traction control activates when the controller senses
wheel spin. StabiliTrak will selectively apply the brakes
and reduce engine torque to help regain traction.
Stability control activates when the controller senses a
discrepancy between the intended path and the direction
the vehicle is travelling. StabiliTrak selectively applies
braking pressure at any one of the vehicle’s brakes to
help guide the vehicle in the intended direction.
When you rst start the vehicle and begin to drive away,
the system performs several diagnostic checks to insure
there are no problems. The system may be heard or felt
while it is working. This is normal and does not mean
there is a problem with the vehicle. If driving conditions
delay system initialization, the STABILITRAK NOT
READY message may be displayed on the Driver
Information Center (DIC). If this is the case, the vehicle
does not need servicing.
For more information on the stability messages, see
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-45.
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When the StabiliTrak
system is both on and
actively controlling the
stability of the vehicle, the
StabiliTrak light will blink for
the duration of the event.
The system may be heard or felt while it is working.
This is normal.
The StabiliTrak disable
button is located on the
transmission shift handle.
The StabiliTrak system has three modes of operation:
STABILITRAK ON, TRACTION CONTROL OFF,
and STABILITRAK OFF.
STABILITRAK ON — The vehicle will default to
STABILITRAK ON every time the driver starts the
vehicle. The StabiliTrak light will be off and no DIC
messages will be displayed.TRACTION CONTROL OFF — The driver can modify
the engine speed management system by momentarily
pressing the StabiliTrak button on the transmission shift
handle. The StabiliTrak light will come on and TRACTION
CONTROL OFF will be displayed. Momentarily pressing
the StabiliTrak button again will return the system to the
STABILITRAK ON mode.
STABILITRAK OFF — The driver can turn off StabiliTrak
by pressing the StabiliTrak button for more than
ve seconds. The StabiliTrak light will come on and
STABILITRAK OFF will be displayed. For vehicles
without a DIC, the StabiliTrak indicator light will come
on. Momentarily pressing the StabiliTrak button
again will return the system to the STABILITRAK ON
mode. See StabiliTrak Off below for more information.
Traction Control Off
In this mode, stability control and brake-traction control
are functional. Engine speed management will be
modied and the driven wheels can spin more freely.
This can cause the brake-traction control to activate
more frequently. If the controller detects excessive wheel
spin in this mode, the StabiliTrak indicator light may
blink and the STABILITRAK ACTIVE message may be
displayed to warn the driver that damage may occur
to the transfer case.
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