
1996 Volvo 850
seat belt. The rear seats are provided with self-retracting inertia reel\
belts. The front seats are provided
with single roller belts with tensioners.
To buckle:
Pull the belt out far enough to insert the latch plate into the receptac\
le (buckle for rear seats) until a
distinct snapping sound is heard. The seat belt retractor is normally "u\
nlocked" and you can move freely,
provided that the shoulder belt is not pulled out too far. The retractor\
will lock up as follows:
l if the belt is pulled out rapidly
l during braking and acceleration
l if the vehicle is leaning excessively
l when driving in turns
For the seat belt to provide maximum protection in the event of an accid\
ent, it must be worn correctly.
When wearing the seat belt remember:
l The belt should not be twisted or turned.
l The lap belt must be positioned low on the hips (not pressing against t\
he abdomen).
l The shoulder section of the front seat belts adjusts automatically to th\
e driver's height.
Make sure that the shoulder belt is rolled up into its retractor and tha\
t the shoulder and lap belts are taut.
Before exiting the car, check that the seat belt retracts fully after be\
ing unbuckled.
If necessary, guide the belt back into the retractor slot.
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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
Storing the booster cushion
To store (fold up):
l Fold down the booster cushion backrest to the seat section (A)
l Fold up the booster cushion unit (B)
NOTE: The booster cushion must be folded down as one unit. If the backre\
st is not strapped to the seat section of the cushion, the
backrest hinges may lock.
pg. 3:11 Child safety
Auxiliary seat - A-Fold up, B-Fold down
Auxiliary seat (optional)
If all the seats are occupied, a rear-facing auxiliary seat in the cargo\
area of the wagon models can be used. This seat is designed for
two children each weighing 84 lb (40 kg) and approximately 60 in (150\
cm) tall.
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1996 Volvo 850
WARNING! Both rear seat backrests must be up when the auxiliary seat is \
being
used.
Do not use a booster cushion or child seat in conjunction with the auxil\
iary seat.
Spool-out
To make child seat installation easier, each seat buckle (except for th\
e driver's belt) is equipped with a locking mechanism to help
keep the lap section of the seat belt taut.
When attaching the seat belt to a child seat:
l Make sure the red lock button is moved to the right (see illustration A\
). A coin, etc. can be used to move the button.
l Attach the seat belt to the child seat according the child seat manufact\
urer's instructions.
l Pull the lap section of the seat belt taut.
The lap section of the seat belt cannot be loosened as long as the red l\
ock button is in the right position.
The lap section of the seat belt can be adjusted when the lock button is\
in the left position (see illustration B).
NOTE: Before exiting the car, check that the seat belt retracts fully af\
ter being unbuckled. If necessary, guide the belt back into the
retractor slot. When not in use, the child restraint should be secured w\
ith the seat belt to help prevent movement during a sudden
stop.
WARNING! Do not use child safety seats or child booster cushions/backres\
ts in the front passenger's seat. We also recommend
that children who have outgrown these devices sit in the rear seat with \
the seat belt properly fastened.
pg. 3:12 Child safety
Child safety
Volvo recommends the proper use of restraint systems for all occupants i\
ncluding children. Remember that, regardless of age and
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1996 Volvo 850
Volvo allows the use of the following "oxygenated fuels"; however, the o\
ctane ratings listed on this page
must still be met.
Alcohol -- Ethanol
Fuels containing up to 10% ethanol by volume may be used.
Ethanol may also be referred to as Ethyl alcohol, or "Gasohol".
Ethers -- MTBE
Fuels containing up to 15% MTBE may be used.
Refueling
The fuel tank filler cap is located behind the door on the left rear fen\
der. Open cap slowly during hot
weather conditions.
When filling, position the cap in the special bracket on the door.
NOTE: Turn the ignition off or to position I when refueling. If the igni\
tion is on, an incorrect reading
could occur in the fuel gauge (low fuel will be indicated).
After filling the tank, install the cap and turn until a "click" is hear\
d.
The fuel tank is designed to hold approximately 19.3 US gals (73 liters\
) with sufficient volume left over
to accommodate possible expansion of the fuel in hot weather. The "usabl\
e" tank capacity will be
somewhat less than the specified maximum. When the fuel level is low, su\
ch factors as ambient
temperature, the fuel's "vapor pressure" characteristics, and terrain ca\
n affect the fuel pumps' ability to
supply the engine with an adequate supply of fuel. Therefore, it is advi\
sable to refuel as soon as possible
when the needle nears the red zone, or when the fuel warning light comes\
on.
CAUTION: Do not refuel with the engine running. After refueling, close t\
he fuel filler cap by turning
it clockwise until it clicks into place.
NOTE: if the filler cap is not closed tightly or if the engine is runnin\
g when the car is refueled, the
Malfunction Indicator Lamp may indicate a fault. Use only Volvo original\
or approved fuel filler caps.
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1996 Volvo 850
Some of the above mentioned items and others are checked at the standard\
Maintenance Service
intervals.
NOTE: ( D )rive or 5th gear (manual transmissions) should be used as\
often as possible to help improve
fuel economy. pg. 4:5 Starting the engine
Starting and stopping
1. Fasten the seat belt.
WARNING! Before starting, check that the seat and steering wheel are adj\
usted properly. Make sure
the brake pedal can be depressed completely. Move the seat closer if nec\
essary. Refer to section "front
seats".
2. Apply the parking brake, if not already set. The gear selector ( aut\
omatic transmission ) is locked in
the ( P )ark position ( SHIFT LOCK ).
3. Without touching the accelerator pedal , turn the ignition key to the\
starting position. Allow the starter
to operate for 5-10 seconds (turbo: 10 seconds). Release the key as so\
on as the engine starts. If the
engine fails to start, repeat step 3.
For cold starts at altitudes above 6000 ft (1800 m), depress the accel\
erator pedal halfway and turn the
key to the starting position. Release the accelerator pedal slowly when \
the engine starts.
4. To release the gear selector from the (P)ark position (automatic t\
ransmission), the ignition key must
be in position II and the brake pedal must be depressed.
See page 6:18 for instructions on manually
overriding the SHIFTLOCK system.
Do not race a cold engine immediately after starting. Oil flow may not r\
each some lubricating points fast
enough to prevent engine damage.
NOTE: (Automatic transmission only)
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1996 Volvo 850
Your car is equipped with a KEYLOCK system. When the engine is switched \
off, the gear selector must
be in the ( P )ark position before the starting key can be removed fro\
m the ignition switch.
5. Select desired gear. The gear engages after a slight delay (automati\
c transmission) which is especially
noticeable when selecting R.
CAUTION: (Automatic transmission only) The engine should be idling; ne\
ver accelerate until after
you feel the gear engage! Too rapid acceleration immediately after selec\
ting a gear will cause harsh
engagement and premature transmission wear.
NOTE: Selecting P or N (automatic transmission) when idling at a stand\
still for prolonged periods of
time will help prevent overheating of transmission oil.
WARNING! Always place the gear selector (automatic transmission) in Pa\
rk and apply the parking
brake before leaving the vehicle. Never leave the car unattended with th\
e engine running.
Always open the garage doors fully before starting the engine inside a g\
arage to ensure adequate
ventilation. The exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide, which is invisib\
le and odorless but very
poisonous.
TURBO CAUTION:
Never race the engine immediately after starting. Oil flow may not reach\
some lubricating points fast
enough to prevent engine damage.
Do not race the engine just prior to switching off!
Hydraulic valve lifters
This engine features hydraulic valve lifters which means that valve clea\
rance is adjusted automatically.
It is possible that the valve lifters will produce a ticking sound for t\
he first few seconds after the engine
is started, while the oil pressure is increasing.
If the car has not been used for a long period of time, this ticking sou\
nd may last for up to 15 minutes.
This is entirely normal.
Do not exceed 300 rpm until the ticking sound disappears.
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1996 Volvo 850
P (Park)
Use this position when starting the engine or parking the car.
Never use P while car is in motion.
The parking brake should also be used when parking on grades.
The gear selector is mechanically locked in the P position (Shift lock)\
. To release the selector, start the
engine and depress the brake pedal. If it is necessary to manually relea\
se the gear selector,
see page 6:18
for instructions.
CAUTION:
l Never select P or R while the car is in motion.
l When initially selecting positions D, 3, L or R, your right foot should \
press firmly on the brake
pedal to ensure that the car is standing still with the engine idling.
l The gear selector should not be downshifted to L at speeds above 75 mph \
(125 km/h).*
* Always observe posted speed limits.
WARNING! Never leave the car when the engine is running. If, by mistake,\
the gear selector is moved
from P the car may start moving.
R (Reverse)
Never engage R while is moving forward.
N (Neutral)
Neutral = no gear is engaged. Use the parking brake. The engine can be s\
tarted with the gear selector in
this position.
D (Drive)
D is the normal driving position and should be used as often as possible\
to help improve fuel economy.
When modes E or S are selected, upshift and downshift of the forward gea\
rs occur automatically and are
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