
1996 Volvo 850
Doors and locks
Your car is equipped with a two door operated central locking system.
The key, used on either of the front doors, will lock/unlock all doors, \
trunk/tailgate and on certain
models also the fuel tank cover.
Turn the key once to unlock the door in which the key is inserted.
Turn the key again (within 10 seconds) to unlock all doors, trunk/tail\
gate and on certain models also the
fuel tank cover.
One turn with the key towards lock in one of the front doors locks all d\
oors, trunk/tailgate and fuel tank
filler cap.
Use the switch on the instrument panel to lock/unlock the car from the i\
nside. This button will only
function when the doors are closed.
Check the action of the buttons on the other doors to verify their corre\
ct function (lock/unlock). The
driver's door can be locked only by using the key when outside the vehic\
le. On vehicles equipped with
the optional remote control locking system, refer to the following page.\
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1996 Volvo 850
NOTE: If the backrest is folded down for prolonged periods, the seat bel\
t locks could be covered (i.e.,
with a towel) to help avoid marks on the backrest upholstery. pg. 2:17 Folding rear seat (wagon)
Seat cushion strap
Folding rear seat (wagon)
The rear seat is split into two sections so that each section can be fol\
ded independently.
l Straighten front backrests if they are tilted too far to the rear.
l Pull the strap to lift the rear seat cushion and swing the cushion up an\
d toward the back of the front
seats.
l The outboard head restraints must be lowered before the backrest is fold\
ed down (see inset
illustration above):
1 - pull straight up, 2 - fold forward
l Push the center head restraint straight down if it has raised.
l Move the backrest release lever rearward and fold the backrest down.
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1996 Volvo 850
pg. 2:18 Folding rear seat, Removing seat cushions (wagon)
WARNING! The red lock indicator is VISIBLE (A) when the backrest in NO\
T locked in position and
not visible (B) when the backrest is correctly locked in place. When t\
he backrest is in the upright
position, it must always be correctly locked in place.
Removing seat cushions
The seat cushion can be easily removed to provide a slightly larger carg\
o storage area.
l Fold the seat cushion toward the back of the front seats
l Release the red catches
l Disconnect the connector for the rear seat heating (certain models)
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1996 Volvo 850
The luggage net helps prevent cargo and animals from being thrown forwar\
d should the vehicle stop
suddenly or be involved in an accident. The luggage net unreels from the\
rear upped edge of the rear seat
backrest.
The luggage net must be accessed from the cargo storage area.
1 Open the cover on the passenger side seat back and pull the luggage ne\
t toward you.
2 Hook the rod onto the bracket on the right side ceiling.
3 Pull out the left side of the rod and attach it to the bracket on the \
driver's side ceiling.
4 Unreel the driver's side luggage net.
5 Hook it to the rod.
6 Make sure the nets are securely attached to the hooks under the covers\
and pulled taut.
Use the reverse procedure procedure to retract the net.
The luggage net can also be used when the rear seat is folded down. Howe\
ver, extra brackets (optional)
must be installed on the upper front door hand grips. pg. 2:21 Securing cargo
Eyelets in trunk (sedans)
Securing cargo
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1996 Volvo 850
WARNING! Do not use child safety seats or child boosters cushions/backre\
sts in the front passenger's
seat. We also recommend that children who have outgrown these devices si\
t in the rear seat with the
seat belt properly fastened.
NOTE: Deployment of SRS components occurs only one time during an accide\
nt. In a collision where
deployment occurs, the air bags and seat belt tensioners activate. Some \
noise occurs and a small amount
of powder is released. The release of the powder may appear as smoke-lik\
e matter. This is a normal
characteristic and does not indicate fire.
WARNING!
l Occupants in the front passenger's seat must never sit on the edge of th\
e seat, sit leaning toward the
instrument panel or otherwise sit out of position. The occupant's back m\
ust be as upright as comfort
allows and be against the seat back with the seat properly fastened.
l Feet must be on the floor, e.g. not on the dash, seat or out of the wind\
ow.
l Children must never be allowed to stand in front of the passenger seat. \
l No objects or accessory equipment, e.g. dash covers, may be placed on, a\
ttached to or installed near
the SRS hatch (the area above the glove compartment) or the area affec\
ted by air bag deployment (see
illustration).
l There should be no loose articles, e.g. coffee cups, on the floor, seat \
or dash area.
l Never try to open the SRS cover on the steering wheel or the passenger s\
ide SRS hatch. This should
only be done by an authorized Volvo service technician.
l Failure to follow these instructions can result in injury to the vehicle\
occupants in an accident.
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1996 Volvo 850
pg. 3:7 Volvo SRS
NOTE: The information on this page does not pertain to the Side Impact p\
rotection System airbags.
When are the airbags deployed?
The SRS system is designed to deploy during certain frontal or front-ang\
ular collisions, impacts, or
decelerations, depending in the crash severity, angle, speed, and object\
impacted. The SRS sensor is
designed to react to both the impact of the collision and the inertial f\
orces generated by it and to
determine if the intensity of the collision is sufficient for the airbag\
s to be deployed.
NOTE: The SRS system activates only once in a collision.
If the airbags have been deployed, we recommend the following:
Have the car towed to an authorized Volvo retailer. Even if it can be dr\
iven after an accident we do not
recommend driving the car with deployed airbags.
Have an authorized Volvo retailer replace the SRS system components.
Use only new, Genuine Volvo Parts when replacing SRS components (airbag\
s, seat belts, tensioners,
etc.)
When are the airbags NOT deployed?
Not all frontal collisions activate the SRS system. If the collision inv\
olves a non-rigid object (e.g., a
snow drift or bush), or a rigid, fixed object at a low speed, the SRS s\
ystem will not necessarily deploy.
Airbags do not normally deploy in a side impact collision, in a collisio\
n from the rear or in a rollover
situation. The amount of damage to the bodywork does not reliably indica\
te if the airbags should have
deployed or not.
Can the airbags deploy accidentally?
The SRS system is designed to deploy during certain frontal or front-ang\
ular collisions, impacts, or
decelerations, depending on the crash severity, angle, speed and object \
impacted. The SRS system has
its own diagnostic unit which continuously monitors and inspects the sys\
tem. Make a habit of checking
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1996 Volvo 850
the SRS system warning light when starting and driving the car. Normally\
, this light will come on when
the ignition is switched on and should go out after approximately 10 sec\
onds or when the engine is
started. If this light should stay on or come on while you are driving, \
drive the car to an authorized
Volvo retailer for inspection as soon as possible.
Seat belts - the heart of the Volvo safety system
The heart of the Volvo safety system is the three-point seat belt! In or\
der for the SRS system to provide
the protection intended, seat belts must be worn at all times by everyon\
e in the car. The SRS system is a
supplement to the seat belts.
WARNING! If your car has been subjected to flood conditions (e.g. soake\
d carpeting/standing water
on the floor of the vehicle) or if your car has become flood-damaged in\
any way, do not attempt to
start the vehicle or put the key in the ignition before disconnecting th\
e battery (see below). This may
cause airbag deployment which could result in personal injury. Have the \
car towed to an authorized
Volvo retailer for repairs.
Automatic transmission only:
Before attempting to tow the car, use the following procedure to overrid\
e the shiftlock system to move
the gear selector to the neutral position.
l Disconnect the battery
l Wait at least one minute
l Insert the key in the ignition and turn it to position 1
l Press firmly on the shiftlock override button (located near the base of\
the gear selector).
l While holding the override button down, move the gear selector from the \
park position.
pg. 3:8 Volvo Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) airbag
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1996 Volvo 850
Starting and driving
pg. 4:1 Starting and driving
Starting and driving
This section on starting and driving contains items such as starting the\
engine, operating gear selector,
towing, trailers.
4:2 Break-in period
4:3Fuel requirements, Octane rating
4:4Driving economy
4:5Starting the engine
4:6Manual transmission
4:7Automatic Transmission
4:10Points to remember
4:12Emergency towing
4:13Vehicle Towing Information
4:14Starting with an auxiliary battery (jump starting)
4:15Three-way catalytic converter
4:16Brake system, ABS
4:17Trailer towing
4:18Winter driving
4:19Long distance trips, City driving
pg. 4:2 Break-in period, Fuel requirements
A new car should be broken-in!
Refrain from utilizing your car's full driving potential during the firs\
t 1,200 miles (2,000 km) including
the "kick-down" function (automatic transmission).
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