2003 VOLVO C70 Owners Manual

Depress the clutch pedal completely when changing gears*.
Remove your foot from the clutch pedal while driving.
Overdrive (5th gear) should be used as often as possible to help improve fuel economy. This gear can be engaged at
speeds above approx. 50 mph (80 km/h).
CAUTION: Follow the shift pattern indicated on the gear shift knob when shifting up (e.g., do not shift directly from
2nd to 5th gear) to help avoid excessive wear on the transmission.
Engaging reverse gear
The gear lever must first be moved to neutral in order to engage reverse gear.
CAUTION: Be careful that you do not inadvertently engage reverse while moving forward.
* Clutch interlock (manual transmission only)
The clutch must be fully depressed before you can start your car. If the clutch is not depressed, it will not be possible
to start the engine.
pg. 66 Automatic transmission
P (Park)
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Use this position when starting the engine or parking the car.
Never use P while the car is in motion.
The parking brake should be set whenever the car is parked.
The gear selector is mechanically locked in the P position (SHIFTLOCK). To release the gear selector from this
position, the engine must be running (or the ignition key must be in position II) and the brake pedal must be
depressed.WARNING! Never leave the car unattended 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 the car is moving forward.
N (Neutral)
Neutral - no gear engaged. Use the parking brake.
D (Drive)
D is the normal driving position and should be used as often as possible to help improve fuel economy. The car should
not be moving when shifting from R to the D position.
4 (Intermediate gear)
The transmission will shift automatically between gears 4, 3, 2 or 1 from this position. The transmission cannot shift
up to (D) from fourth gear.
3 (Intermediate gear)
The transmission will shift automatically between gears 3, 2 and 1 from this position. The transmission cannot shift
up to fourth gear of (D)rive from third gear.
L (Low gear)
The transmission is locked in gears 1 and 2 when the selector is in this position.
NOTE:
Gears 4, 3, or L can be used if you are driving in a mountainous area, towing a trailer or to increase engine braking
effect.
The transmission has a built-in limiter designed to help prevent excessive engine speeds (high rpm) when gears 4, 3
or L are selected.
Automatic transmission - adaptive system
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The automatic transmission is controlled by an adaptive control system that constantly monitors the way in which the
transmission functions. It senses and adapts each gear shift for optimal performance. The system also monitors your
particular driving style and adapts gear shifting accordingly.

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2 0 0 3
VOLVO C70
Chapter 5 - Wheels and tires
pg. 79 Wheels and tires
Page
General information, Wear indicator, Tire economy, Flat spots 80
Snow chains, Snow tires81
Inflation pressure82
Uniform tire quality grading83
pg. 80 Wheels and tires
General information
Your vehicle is equipped with tires according to the tire information label located on the rear facing side of the
right front door.
The following is an example of a tire designation code 225/50R16:
225 = tire width in mm.
50 = tire profile. This is the relationship (in percent) between the section height and width of the tire.
R = radial tires.
16 = diameter in inches.
The tires have good road holding characteristics and offer good handling on dry and wet surfaces. It should be noted
however that the tires have been developed to give these features on snow/ice-free surfaces. Certain models are
equipped with "all-season" tires, which provide a somewhat higher degree of road holding on slippery surfaces
than tires without the "all-season" rating. However, for optimum road holding on icy or snow covered roads we
recommend suitable winter tires on all four wheels. When replacing tires, be sure that the new tires are the same
size designation, type (radial) and preferably from the same manufacturer, on all four wheels. Otherwise there is a risk
of altering the car's roadholding and handling characteristics.
NOTE: When storing wheel/tire assemblies (e.g. winter tires and wheels), either stand the assemblies upright, or
suspend them off the ground. Laying wheel/tire assemblies on their sides for prolonged periods can cause wheel and/or
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tire damage.
Wear indicator
The tires have a so called "wear indicator" in the form of a number of narrow strips running across or parallel to the
tread. When approx. 1/16" (1.6 mm) is left on the tread, these strips become visible and indicate that the tire should be
replaced.
Tires with less than 1/16" (1.6 mm) tread have a very poor grip in rain or snow.
When replacing worn tires, it is recommended that the tire be identical in type (radial) and size as the one being
replaced. Using a tire of the same make (manufacturer) will prevent alteration of the driving characteristics of the
vehicle.
To improve tire economy:
Maintain correct tire pressure.
Drive smoothly: avoid fast starts, hard braking and tire screeching.
Tire wear increases with speed.
Correct front wheel alignment is very important.
Unbalanced wheels impair tire economy and driving comfort.
If the wheels are rotated, they should be kept on the same side of the car so that they revolve in the same direction
as prior to rotation.
Hitting curbs or potholes can damage the tires and/or wheels permanently.
Flat spots
All tires become warm during use. After cooling, when the vehicle is parked, the tires have a tendency to distort
slightly, forming flat spots. These flat spots can cause vibrations similar to the vibrations caused by unbalanced wheels.
They do, however, disappear when the tire warms up. The degree to which flat spots form depends on the type of cord
used in the tire. Remember that, in cold weather, it takes longer for the tire to warm up and consequently longer for the
flat spot to disappear.
pg. 81 Wheels and tires
Snow chains
Snow chains can be used on your Volvo with the following restrictions:
Snow chains should be installed on front wheels only. Use only Volvo approved snow chains.
Snow chains may be mounted on tire dimension 195/65R15. Tire dimension 205/55R16 requires a special type of
snow chain. Consult your Volvo retailer.
If accessory, aftermarket or "custom" tires and wheels are installed and are of a size different than the original tires
and wheels, chains in some cases CANNOT be used. Snow chains cannot be used on those models fitted with all-
season tires 225/50 R16 or 225/45 R17 or 225/40R18. Sufficient clearances between chains and brakes, suspension
and body components must be maintained.
Some strap -on type chains will interfere with brake components and therefore CANNOT be used.
Consult your Volvo retailer for additional snow chain information.
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CAUTION:
Check local regulations regarding the use of snow chains before installing.
Always follow the chain manufacturer's installation instructions carefully. Install chains as tightly as possible and
retighten periodically.
Never exceed the chain manufacturer's specified maximum speed limit. (Under no circumstances should that limit
be higher than 30 mph (45 km/h).
Avoid bumps, holes or sharp turns when driving with snow chains.
The handling of the vehicle can be adversely affected when driving with chains. Avoid fast or sharp turns as well as
locked wheel braking.
Snow tires, studded tires *
Tires for winter use:
Owners who live in or regularly commute through areas with sustained periods of snow or icy driving
conditions are strongly advised to fit suitable winter tires to help retain the highest degree of traction.
It is important to install winter tires on all four wheels to help retain traction during cornering, braking, and
accelerating. Failure to do so could reduce traction to an unsafe level or adversely affect handling. Do not mix tires of
different design as this could also negatively affect overall tire road grip. Volvo recommends 195/65 R15 winter tires
on 15" steel wheels on all C70 models including those equipped with 16", 17" or 18" wheels .
Winter tires wear more quickly on dry roads in warm weather. They should be removed when the winter driving
season has ended.
Studded tires should be run-in 300-600 miles (500-1000 km) during which the car should be driven as smoothly as
possible to give the studs the opportunity to seat properly in the tires. The car tires should have the same rotational
direction throughout their entire lifetime. In other words, if you wish to rotate the wheels, make sure that the same
wheels are always on the same side of the car.
NOTE: Please consult state or provincial regulations restricting the use of studded winter tires before installing such
tires.
* Where permitted.
pg. 82 Wheels and tires
Checking and correcting tire pressure
Check the tire pressure when refuelling.
The tire pressure should be corrected only when the tires are cold.
With warm tires, correct only when the pressure is too low. The tire temperature rises after driving just a few miles.
Tire rotation
Volvo recommends rotating the tires every 7,500 miles (12,000 km) and 15,000 miles (24,000 km). Tires should be
rotated front -to-back/back-to-front only. Tires must maintain the same direction of rotation throughout their lifetime,
and should never be rotated from one side of the vehicle to the other.
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Vehicle loading
The tires on your Volvo will perform to specifications at all normal loads when inflated as recommended on the tire
information label located on the rear facing edge of the passenger's door*. This label lists both tire and vehicle design
limits.
Do not load your car beyond the load limits indicated.
*Please note that the tire information label indicates pressure for both comfort and fuel economy.
Tire pressure label
pg. 83 Wheels and tires
Uniform tire quality grading
ALL PASSENGER CAR TIRES MUST CONFORM TO FEDERAL SAFETY REQUIREMENTS IN
ADDITION TO THESE GRADES
TREADWEAR
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified government test course. For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and one half (1 1/2) times as
well on the government course as a tire graded 100. The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual
conditions of their use, however, and many depart significantly from the norm due to variation in driving habits,
service practices and differences in road characteristics and climate.
TRACTION
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B, and C, as measured under controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor traction performance.WARNING!
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on braking (straight-ahead) traction tests and does not include
cornering (turning) traction.
TEMPERATURE
The temperature grades are AA (the highest), A, B, and C, representing the tire's resistance to the generation of heat
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and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a minimum level of performance that all
passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher
levels of performance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by law.WARNING!
The temperature grade for this tire is established for a tire that is properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive
speed, underinflation, or excessive loading, either separately or in combination, can cause heat buildup and possible
tire failure.
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