2000 Saab 9-5 Owner's Manual - Page 139

Starting and driving P R N D 3 2 1 Three modes for the automatic transmission can be selected: Normal, Sport and Winter. The Normal mode, which provides the best fuel economy, is the default setting when the engine is started. When the Sport mode is selected, the throttle angle is altered to provide more power at the same throttle setting. The transmission also 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 144). The Winter mode is intended for use when pulling away and driving on icy roads. In this mode, the transmission starts in 3rd gear, to provide better grip, and the WINTER indicator appears on the main instrument panel. When the ignition is turned to OFF, the automatic transmission will automatically revert to Normal mode (see page 144). Adaptive gear-change pattern is a transmission 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 selects one of three available gear-change patterns, and so avoids unnecessary changing up or down. 139 Lock-up function The automatic transmission has a lock-up function, which renders the torque converter inoperative in 3rd and 4th gears, the result of which is to reduce the engine speed and, hence, fuel consumption. When the lock-up function comes into operation, it may give the impression of an overdrive being engaged. Kick-down When the accelerator is pressed down hard, a change-down to the next gear will be effected to provide maximum acceleration, e.g. for overtaking. The change-up to the next gear again will take place either when the accelerator is released or when maximum engine speed is reached. Detent positions for selector movement The detent button on the selector lever has to be pressed before the selector can be moved between certain positions. IB474