In addition to continuous environmental refinement of conventional gasoline-powered internal combustion engines,
Volvo is actively looking at advanced technology alternative-fuel vehicles.
When you drive a Volvo, you become our partner in the work to lessen the car's impact on the environment.
To reduce your vehicle's environmental impact, you can:
· Maintain proper air pressure in your tires. Tests have shown decreased fuel economy with improperly inflated tires
· Follow the recommended maintenance schedule
· Drive at a constant speed
· See an authorized Volvo retailer as soon as possible for inspection if the check engine (malfunction indicator) lamp
illuminates, or stays on after the vehicle has started
· Properly dispose of any vehicle related waste such as used motor oil, used batteries, brake pads, etc.
· When cleaning your car, use Volvo's own car care products, all of which have systematically been adapted to the
environment
Prem-Air
On the surface of the radiator in the engine compartment, there is a special coating called Prem-Air. Prem-Air works
as a catalytic converter, converting most of the ozone passing through the radiator into oxygen, thereby reducing
harmful ground-level ozone.
For additional information regarding the environmental activities in
which Volvo Cars of North America, Inc. and Volvo Car Corporation are involved, visit our Internet Home Page at:
http://www.volvocars.com
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Always keep the air intake grille at the base of the windshield free of snow.
Cabin air filter
Replace the cabin air filter with a new one at the recommended intervals. The filter should be replaced more often
when driving under dirty and dusty conditions. The filter cannot be cleaned and therefore should always be replaced
with a new one.
Sensors
The sunlight sensor on the dashboard and passenger compartment temperature sensor in the ECC control panel should
not be covered in any way as this could cause incorrect information to be sent to the ECC system.
Parking the car in warm weather
If your car has been parked in the sun in warm weather, opening the windows and sun roof (option) for several
minutes before driving will help release the warm air from the passenger compartment. When the engine is running,
close the windows and sun roof and use the recirculation function for several minutes to enable the air conditioning to
cool the compartment as quickly as possible.
Windows and optional sun roof
The ECC system will function best if the windows and optional sun roof are closed. If you drive with the sun roof
open, we recommend that you manually adjust the temperature and blower control (the LED in the AUTO switch
should be off).
Acceleration
The air conditioning is momentarily disengaged during full-throttle acceleration.
ECC maintenance
All maintenance on the climate control systems should be carried out by an authorized Volvo service technician only.
Refrigerant
Volvo cares about the environment. The air conditioning system in your car contains a CFC-free refrigerant - R134a.
This substance will not deplete the ozone layer. The system contains 2.2 lbs (1000 g) R134a and uses PAG oil.
Passenger compartment blower
Approximately 50 minutes after the ignition is turned off, the blower may come on automatically, and run for five
minutes, to remove condensation in the A/C evaporator.
pg. 44 Electronic Climate Control (ECC)
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NOTE: Vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions should use (D)rive as often as possible and avoid using
"kick -down" to help improve fuel economy. Vehicles equipped with manual transmissions should use fifth gear at
highway speeds. At other times, choose the highest gear that still allows smooth acceleration.
Weight distribution affects handling
At the specified curb weight your car has a tendency to understeer, which means that the steering wheel has to be
turned more than might seem appropriate for the curvature of a bend. This ensures good stability and reduces the risk
of rear wheel skid. Remember that these properties can alter with the vehicle load. The heavier the load on the rear of
the vehicle (e.g., heavily loaded (max. 220 lbs, 100 kg) cargo area or when towing a trailer, the less the tendency to
understeer.
Handling, roadholding
Vehicle load, tire design and inflation pressure all affect vehicle handling. Therefore, check that the tires are inflated to
the recommended pressure according to the vehicle load. See "Tire pressure" section. Loads should be distributed so
that capacity weight or maximum permissible axle loads are not exceeded.
pg. 90 Points to remember
Cooling system
The risk for engine overheating is greatest, especially in hot weather, when:
Towing a trailer up steep inclines for prolonged periods at wide open throttle and low engine rpm.
Stopping the engine suddenly after high speed driving (so-called "after-boiling" can occur).
To avoid overheating, the following rules should be followed: Do not drive for prolonged periods at engine speeds
above 4500 rpm if you are towing a trailer in hilly terrain. Reduce speed when towing a trailer up long, steep inclines.
The risk of overheating can be reduced by switching off the air conditioning system for a short time. Do not let the
engine idle unnecessarily for prolonged periods. Do not mount auxiliary lamps in front of the grill.
When the risk of overheating is imminent, or in the event of overheating (the temperature gauge goes repeatedly into,
or stays continually in, the red section), the following precautions should be taken:
Switch off the air conditioning system.
Pull off the road, away from traffic, stop the car and put the gear selector into neutral.
Switch the heater to full (maximum) position. Increase the engine speed to approx. 2000 rpm (twice idling speed)
until the temperature begins to drop.
WARNING!
Do not remove coolant expansion tank cap. The coolant will be extremely hot.
If necessary, see page 127
and 130 for information on checking and topping-up the coolant level.
CAUTION: Drive slowly and carefully if going through standing water (i.e. flooded roadways, etc.). Damage to the
engine could result if excess water is drawn in through the air intake system. Never drive the vehicle in water deeper
than 1 foot (300 mm). See the flood warning on page 7
.
WARNING!
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Minor scratches on the surface
If the stone chip has not penetrated down to the metal and an undamaged layer of paint remains, the touch-up paint can
be applied as soon as the spot has been cleaned.
Deep scratches
1. Place a strip of masking tape over the damaged surface. Pull the tape off so that any loose flakes of paint adhere to
it.
2. Thoroughly mix the primer and apply it with a small brush.
When the primer surface is dry, the paint can be applied using a brush. Mix the paint thoroughly; apply several thin
paint coats and let dry after each application.
3. If there is a longer scratch, you may want to protect surrounding paint by masking it off.
pg. 123 Washing the car
Washing the car
The car should be washed at regular intervals since dirt, dust, insects and tar spots adhere to the paint and may cause
damage. It is particularly important to wash the car frequently in the wintertime to prevent corrosion, when salt has
been used on the roads.
When washing the car, do not expose it to direct sunlight. Use lukewarm water to soften the dirt before you wash
with a sponge and plenty of water, to avoid scratching.
Bird droppings: Remove from paintwork as soon as possible. Otherwise the finish may be permanently damaged.
A detergent can be used to facilitate the softening of dirt and oil.
A water-soluble grease solvent may be used in cases of sticky dirt. However, use a wash place equipped with a
drainage separator.
Remove dirt from the drain holes in the doors and rocker panels.
Dry the car with a clean chamois.
Tar spots can be removed with kerosene or tar remover after the car has been washed.
A stiff-bristle brush and lukewarm soapy water can be used to clean the wiper blades. Frequent cleaning improves
visibility considerably.
Wash off the dirt from the underside (wheel housings, fenders, etc.).
In areas of high industrial fallout, more frequent washing is recommended.
CAUTION:
During high pressure washing, the spray mouthpiece must never be closer to the vehicle than 13" (30 cm). Do not
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