2006 Saab 9-3 Owner's Manual - Page 175

Starting and driving Lock-up The transmission's torque converter has a lock-up function. This can lock the torque converter, thus reducing the engine speed and fuel consumption. 175 Limp-home WARNING NOTICE Remember to use the braking effect of the engine (1st, 2nd or 3rd gear) when you are descending long or steep hills to spare the brakes. Overheating can cause the brakes to fade! Do not tow a trailer if limp-home mode is engaged. If the transmission malfunctions, the control module will activate limp-home mode. Drivability will be affected to varying degrees. The following message is shown on the SID: Gearbox malfunction. Limited performance. Contact Saab dealer. In this mode, only 2nd and 5th gears are available. Select 2nd gear when driving at low speeds and 5th gear at higher speeds. 2nd gear must be selected manually. Select 5th gear manually or move the selector lever to D (see page 178). Cars with 5-speed transmission In this mode, only 2nd and 5th gears are available. Select 2nd gear when driving at low speeds and 5th gear at higher speeds. 2nd gear must be selected manually. Select 5th gear manually or move the selector lever to D, see page 178. Cars with 6-speed transmission 3 • The car may be totally powerless. If this is case, have the car transported to a workshop to have the problem rectified. Kick-down When the accelerator is pressed down fully, a down change is made to optimize acceleration, e.g. for overtaking. Following this, the next higher gear will be selected at the optimum engine speed, unless you ease off the accelerator before reaching this. Towing Towing of cars with automatic transmission, see page 205. Driving in hilly country with a heavy load The 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 with the selector lever in the D position. 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. Descending hills If the speed of the car increases while descending a steep hill, despite the accelerator being released, the control module will change down. If you desire more powerful engine braking, manually select a lower gear (see page 178).