2002 Saab 9-3 Owner's Manual - Page 161

Starting and driving If the gear selector lever is moved from position D to 1, a change-down to 3rd gear will occur at about 110 mph (180 km/h). A change-down to 2nd gear will occur at about 75 mph (120 km/h) and to 1st gear at about 40 mph (65 km/h). When position 1 is selected, all the other gears will be locked out. Manual gear-changing is not recommended on slippery roads. If one of the drive wheels spins excessively, the engine torque will be reduced to avoid damaging the transmission. 161 Adaptive gear-change patterns Adaptive gear-change patterns are selected automatically depending on the engine load. This function applies in the Normal and Sport modes. The change occurs at a higher rotation speed and the gear remains engaged for a longer period, if the control module senses that the load does not drop. These change patterns avoid unnecessary gear changes when, for example, driving on long inclines with a trailer, and to prevent overheating of the transmission oil. This function cuts in automatically if the oil becomes too hot, to protect the transmission from damage, and lowers the oil temperature. The adaptive change pattern function is not activated at speeds over 93 mph (150 km/h). If a pattern is in operation when this speed is exceeded, it will be maintained until the control module senses that a more suitable one can be activated. The adaptive gear-change pattern function is deselected when: • Winter mode is selected. • The engine is switched off. • The load is reduced by so much that this function is no longer required. • "Automatic transmission fault indicator" appears on the main instrument panel, see page 159. NOTE • Do not move the selector to position 3 at speeds in excess of 90 mph (150 km/h). • Do not move the selector to position 2 at speeds in excess of 70 mph (110 km/h).