SAAB 9000. Instruction - page 51
11 •20 Bodywork and fittings
27.4 Carefully lower the sound insulation
panels away from the facia, and pull them
off the metal anchoring tabs at the bulkhead
old fork underneath their heads and carefully
levering them out. Do not attempt to remove
the fixings by pulling on the trim panel; they
may pull through the panel, or snap off
completely.
Refitting
8 Refit the centre console by reversing the
removal procedure.
Removal
1 Disconnect the battery negative cable, and
position it away from the terminal.
27.6c ... and recover the rubber spacers
27.6a Remove the three screws
(arrowed)...
Warning: On vehicles fitted with
airbags, allow 20 minutes to
elapse after disconnecting the
battery negative cable, before
working on any component in the airbag
system; refer to Section 28 for more
details,
2 Refer to Section 26 and remove the centre
console.
3 Remove the carpeted trim panels from the
sides of the driver and passenger footwells by
extracting the crosshead screws and press-
studs.
4 Prise out the press-studs from the front
edges of the sound insulation panels,
underneath the driver and passenger side of
the facia. Note: The press-studs are of the
two-piece type, which can be removed as
follows: press the rod at the centre of the stud
in as far as it will go, using a narrow-bladed
screwdriver. Slide the prongs of an old fork
underneath the head of the stud, and prise it
out of the panel. Carefully lower the panels
away from the facia, and pull them off the
metal anchoring tabs at the bulkhead (see
illustration).
5 Prise the rubber sealing strips away from
the driver and passenger door apertures; just
enough to allow access to the A-pillar trim
panels. Grasp the panel firmly and working
from the top, ease it away from the A-pillar to
release the press-studs; refer to Section 25 for
further details.
6 Remove the three screws, then lift off the
27.6b ... lift off the speaker/ventilation
grilles...
speaker/ventilation grilles, and recover the
rubber spacers (see illustrations).
7 To release the upper facia panel, unscrew
the fixings at the following locations: three at
either end of the facia beneath the
speaker/ventilation grilles, one in the glovebox
housing - accessed by opening the glovebox
door and prising out the rubber cap, and one
at the front edge of the facia - directly above
the tachometer dial.
8 Apply the handbrake, then raise the front
edge of the upper facia panel, and extract the
A-pillar restraint cable from its mounting clips.
Where fitted, unplug the wiring from the sun
sensor, at the connector. Lift the panel away
from the facia •and out of the cabin area (see
illustration).
9 Remove the retaining screws and lift out the
entire glovebox assembly; unplug the wiring
for the internal switch and light as the
connectors are revealed (see illustrations).
Note: Where a passenger airbag is fitted, refer
to Section 28 for details of its removal.
10 On vehicles fitted with Automatic Climate
Control (ACC), reach through the glovebox
aperture, and press the ACC unit out of the
facia front panel. Unplug the connectors,
labelling them to aid refitting later (see
illustrations).
11 On vehicles with air conditioning and/or a
conventional heating system, reach through
the glovebox aperture, compress the four
catches, and press the heater control panel
out of the facia front panel. Separate the
27.8 Lift the upper facia panel away from
the facia
27.9a Unplug the wiring for the glovebox
internal switch ..
27.9b ... and glovebox light, as the
connectors are revealed
Bodywork and fittings 11 •21
27.10a Reach through the glovebox
aperture, and press the ACC unit out of the
facia front panel
balljoint for the link rod in the air distribution
valve, then detach the gear housing for the
temperature control valve (refer to Chapter 3
for guidance). Unplug the electrical
connectors, labelling them to aid refitting later.
12 Reach behind the facia, and press out the
stowage bin moulding, directly beneath the
ashtray (see illustration).
13 Pull the ashtray drawer out of its housing.
Use a small screwdriver to release the ashtray
housing retaining clips, then lift it out of the
facia front panel (see illustrations). Unplug
the cigarette lighter wiring as the connector is
revealed.
14 Using the special key supplied with the
vehicle, extract the radio/cassette unit
from the facia front panel (see illustration).
27.1 Ob Unplug the connectors, labelling
them to aid refitting later
Unplug the connectors, label them, then feed
them back through the facia aperture.
15 Remove the two screws, and lift the lower
plastic cowling panel from the steering
column.
16 On vehicles fitted with a driver's airbag,
refer to Section 28 and remove the airbag
module.
17 Refer to Chapter 10 and remove the
steering wheel.
18 On vehicles fitted with a driver's airbag,
refer to Section 28 and remove the airbag
rotary contact unit. Ensure that the indicator
stalk switch is in the neutral/off position, to
prevent it fouling the contact unit.
19 Remove the two screws, and lift the upper
plastic cowling panel from the steering
27.12 Reach behind the facia, and press
out the stowage bin moulding, directly
beneath the ashtray
column.
20 Referring to Chapter 12 for details,
slacken and remove the three retaining
screws, and lift off the steering column stalk
switch assembly. Unplug the multi-plug
connectors from the assembly; label them
carefully and note their fitted positions, as they
are very similar in appearance.
21 To release the facia front panel, unscrew
the fixings at the following locations: two
inside the ashtray mounting aperture, and two
behind clip-on plastic covers either side of the
steering column, adjacent to the switch banks.
Note that the fifth fixing doubles up as the
retaining screw for the mounting frame, to
which the gear lever gaiter is attached (see
illustrations).
27.13a Use a small screwdriver to release
the ashtray housing retaining clips ...
27.13b . . . then lift it out of the facia front
panel
27.14 Using the special key supplied with
the vehicle, extract the radio/cassette unit
from the facia front panel
11
27.21 a Facia front panel fixings: two inside
the ashtray mounting aperture...
27.21 b ... two behind clip-on plastic
covers adjacent to the switch banks, on
the right-hand side...
27.21 c ... and left-hand side of the
steering column ...
11 •22 Bodywork and fittings
27.21 d . . . the fifth fixing doubles up as the
retaining screw for the mounting frame, to
which the gear lever gaiter is attached
22 On vehicles fitted with ACC, prise off the
plastic cover from the cabin temperature sensor.
Reach behind the facia front panel, and release
the sensor body. Unlike all other components
fitted into the facia, the sensor body is withdrawn
from the rear of the panel, rather than from the
front. Refer to Chapter 3 if necessary.
23 Refer to Chapter 12 and remove the
hazard light switch, heated seat rheostats,
instrument panel illumination rheostat,
headlight leveller control, front and rear
foglight switches, and headlight switch. Label
all connectors, to aid refitting later.
24 Again referring to Chapter 12, remove the
clock/trip computer module from the facia.
Unplug the connector, and label the cables to
aid refitting later.
25 Carefully draw the facia front panel away
from the main framework, ensuring that
nothing remains connected, before lifting the
panel out of the cabin area.
26 Referring to Chapter 12, remove the four
screws that secure the instrument panel in
position. Note that the screw heads face the
bulkhead, and so must be extracted from
within the facia, using a short-handled
screwdriver. Recover the rubber mounting
bushes. Lift the instrument panel out through
the top of the facia, and recover the rubber
mounting feet.
27 Remove the screws that secure the side
window demister ducts to the speaker
mounting brackets.
27.30 Remove the screws that secure the
front of the fuse panel/relay box to the facia
(locations arrowed)
28 Disconnect the cables from the speaker
terminals.
29 At the lower right-hand side of facia, under
the steering column, remove the screws that
secure the cruise control ECU bracket (where
applicable) to the facia. Refer to Chapter 4A
for further details.
30 Remove the screws that secure the front
of the fuse panel/relay box to the facia, and
allow it to hang on its rear mounting bracket
(see illustration).
31 Work around the periphery of the facia
framework assembly, and remove all the
remaining fixings (see illustration).
32 Finally, disengage the framework from the
locating lug on the top of the steering column
bracket, and pull it away from the bulkhead,
disconnecting the ventilation ducts from the
facia grilles and the heater unit casing. Check
that nothing remains connected to the
assembly, then lift it out of the cabin area.
Refitting
33 Refit the facia by following the removal
procedure in reverse, noting the points in the
following paragraphs.
34 When fitting the facia framework
assembly, ensure that all the ventilation
ducting locates correctly over the ports on the
heater unit casing and the facia grilles, before
inserting any of the retaining screws. In
addition, ensure that where the framework
passes over the steering column, it engages
27.31 Locations of facia framework
assembly retaining screws
with the lug fixed to the top of the steering
column bracket (see illustration).
35 As the instrument panel is refitted, check
that the rubber feet locate in the indentations
on the metal mounting brackets; refer to
Chapter 12 for guidance.
36 Refer to Section 28 when refitting the
driver's airbag rotary contact unit, and follow
the instructions carefully. If the unit is refitted
incorrectly, it can easily be damaged,
rendering the airbag system inoperative.
37 Reinstate all electrical connections
according to the notes made during removal.
38 When fitting the facia front panel, ensure
that all the ventilation ducting locates correctly
over the grilles before inserting any of the facia
retaining screws.
39 When refitting the heater control panel on
vehicles fitted with air conditioning and/or a
conventional heating system (not ACC), set
the heater unit flap valve in the engine bay to
the "cold" position (away from the bulkhead),
then reconnect the gear housing for the
temperature control valve, with the control
turned to the "cold" position. Refit the air
distribution control with the knob is set to "0"
and the distribution gear mechanism rotated
fully anti-clockwise.
40 Ensure that as the facia top panel is
refitted, the A-pillar restraint cable is clipped
securely to its underside, and is not fouled by
any other components or wiring.
41 Refit the two-piece press-studs at the
front edge of the sound insulation panel under
the facia, as follows. Pull the rod at the centre
of the stud out to the end of its travel, insert
27.34 When fitting the facia framework
assembly, ensure that it engages with the
lug fixed to the top of the steering column
bracket (arrowed)
27.41 a To refit the sound insulation panel,
insert the stud into the panel...
27.41 b ... then lock it in position by
pushing in the centre rod, until it is flush
with the top of the stud head, using a
narrow-bladed screwdriver
Bodywork and fittings 11 •23
the stud into the panel, then lock it in position
by pushing in the centre rod, until it is flush
with top of the stud head, using a narrow-
bladed screwdriver (see illustrations).
42 On completion, reconnect the battery
negative cable, and check the operation of all
controls, gauges and instruments disturbed
during the removal process, including the
ventilation system. On vehicles with SRS,
check that the instrument panel warning light
extinguishes after the initial self-test period;
refer to Section 28 for further details.
General information
The operation of the SRS is managed by an
Electronic Control Unit (ECU). When the
vehicle's ignition switch is turned to the "Start"
or "Drive" position, the ECU performs its
"housekeeping" self-test checks of the
system's components; if a fault is detected,
the ECU records it in memory as a "fault flag".
Following this, the ECU flashes the instrument
panel-mounted warning light in a sequence
that depends on the results of the
housekeeping checks, as follows:
1988-1991 model year vehicles: At start-up,
the ECU will flash the SRS warning light
for approximately six seconds, as a visual
check of the bulb operation, and then
extinguish. If the ECU has previously-set
fault flags stored in memory, or if a fault is
detected at start-up, the SRS warning
light will flash for approximately 10
minutes, and then shine steadily. If the
vehicle has been involved in a collision in
which the SRS has been activated, the
SRS warning light will flash for
approximately five seconds, and then
shine steadily.
Post-1991 model year vehicles: As an added
safety measure, the SRS warning light is
now illuminated by two bulbs that are
fused independently. At start -up, if no
faults are detected, both bulbs will
illuminate the SRS warning light for
approximately five seconds, and then
extinguish. If the ECU has previously-set
fault flags stored in memory, or if a fault is
detected at start-up, bulb No 2 will shine
continuously, whilst No 1 bulb will flash for
approximately five minutes, and then shine
steadily. If the vehicle has been involved in
a collision in which the SRS has been
activated, both bulbs will illuminate the
SRS warning light continuously.
Once a fault has manifested itself in the
manner described above, the only course of
action open is to take the vehicle to a Saab
dealer for examination. Dedicated test
equipment is needed to interrogate SRS ECU,
firstly to determine the nature and incidence of
the fault, and secondly to clear the stored fault
flag, thus preventing the fault from being
displayed by the warning light once the fault
has been rectified.
For safety reasons, owners are strongly
advised against attempting to diagnose
problems with the SRS using standard
workshop equipment. The information in this
Section is therefore limited to those
components in the SRS which must
occasionally be removed to gain access to
other components on the vehicle.
Warning: A number of additional
precautions must be observed
when working on vehicles with
airbags/SRS:
a) Disconnect the battery negative cable,
and wait at least twenty minutes before
disconnecting any of the SRS
components' electrical wiring; this gives
the ECU internal trigger capacitor time to
discharge, and avoids accidental
detonation.
b) Make no attempt to splice into any of the
electric cables in the SRS wiring harness,
as this may affect the operation of the
SRS.
c) Avoid hammering or causing any harsh
vibration at the front of the vehicle,
particularly in the engine bay, as this may
trigger the crash sensors and activate the
SRS.
d) Do not use ohmmeters or any other device
capable of supplying current on any of the
SRS components, as this may cause
accidental detonation.
e) Before working on the steering system, be
sure to lock the steering column in the
dead-ahead position before disconnecting
it from the steering rack, as any
misalignment caused when the column
and rack are reunited may damage the
steering wheel contact unit.
f) Airbags (and seat belt tensioners) are
classed as pyrotechnical (explosive)
devices, and must be stored and handled
according to the relevant laws in the
country concerned. In general, do not
leave these components disconnected
from their electrical wiring any longer than
is absolutely necessary; in this state they
are unstable, and the risk of accidental
detonation is introduced. Rest a
disconnected airbag with the metal bracket
facing downwards, away from flammable
materials - never leave it unattended.
Driver's airbag module
Removal
1 Disconnect the battery negative cable, and
wait at least twenty minutes before
progressing any further; refer to the Warnings
listed in the "General Information" sub-section
above for more detail.
2 Remove the two airbag retaining screws;
these are accessed from behind the steering
wheel, at the rear of the spokes.
3 Carefully prise the airbag module away from
the steering wheel, to gain access to the
wiring behind.
4 Unplug the cable connector from the rear of
the airbag (see illustration).
Refitting
5 Refit the airbag by reversing the removal
procedure; observe the torque wrench setting
listed when tightening the airbag retaining
screws.
6 Reconnect the battery negative cable, and
turn the ignition switch to the "Drive" or "Start"
position. Check the condition of the system by
observing the SRS warning light; refer to the
"General Information" sub-section to interpret
the results obtained.
Passenger airbag module
Removal
7 The passenger airbag module is held in the
facia by four retaining screws and a number of
clips (see illustration).
8 Disconnect the battery negative cable, and
wait at least twenty minutes before
progressing any further; refer to the Warnings
listed in the "General Information" sub-section
for more detail.
28.4 Unplug the cable connector from the
rear of the airbag
28.7 Passenger airbag module
A Passenger airbag module
B Airbag module retaining screws
C Wiring harness connector
D Cover panel
E Cover panel retaining screw locations
