2006 Saab 9-5 Owner's Manual - Page 157

Starting and driving Driving on hilly roads 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 in Normal mode. 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. Contact an authorized Saab dealer (see also page 176). 157 Towing Towing of cars with automatic transmission, see page 185. Descending hills WARNING Remember to use engine-braking (selector position D or L) to spare the brakes when you are driving on a long or steep downhill slope. Brake failure can result from overheated brakes! If the speed of the car increases while descending a steep hill, despite the accelerator being released, the control module will change down a gear when you brake. If you desire more powerful engine braking, manually select a lower gear.