systems.
Avoid spilling gasoline during refueling. In addition to causing damage to the environment, gasolines containing
alcohol can cause damage to painted surfaces, which may not be covered under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Do not use gasolines containing methanol (methyl alcohol, wood alcohol). This practice can result in vehicle
performance deterioration and can damage critical parts in the fuel system. Such damage may not be covered under the
New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
* If the fuel filler cap is not closed tightly or if the engine is running when the car is refueled, the Check Engine
Light (Malfunction Indicator Lamp) may indicate a fault. However, your vehicle's performance will not be affected.
Use only Volvo original or approved fuel filler caps.
pg. 73 Starting the engine
Starting the engine
1. Fasten the seat belt.
WARNING!
Before starting, check that the seat, steering wheel and mirrors are adjusted properly. Make sure the brake pedal can
be depressed completely. Adjust the seat if necessary. See page 52
.
2. Apply the parking brake, if not already set. The gear selector is locked in the (P)ark position (SHIFTLOCK).
3. Without touching the accelerator pedal, turn the ignition key* to the starting position. Allow the starter to operate
for up to 5 seconds (turbo: 10 seconds). Release the key as soon as the engine starts. If the engine fails to start, repeat
this step.
NOTE: On certain models, when the car is started, idle speed may be noticeably higher than normal for a short period,
depending on the temperature of the engine.
This has been done to help bring components in the emission control system to their normal operating temperature as
quickly as possible, which enables them to function normally.
For cold starts at altitudes above 6000 ft (1800 meters), depress the accelerator pedal halfway and turn the key to the
starting position. Release the pedal slowly when the engine starts.
4. o release the gear selector from the (P)ark position, the engine must be running (or the ignition key must be in
position II) and the brake pedal must be depressed. While keeping firm pressure on the brake pedal, release the parking
brake.
5. Select the desired gear. The gear engages after a very slight delay which is especially noticeable when selecting R.
NOTE:
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 key can be removed from the ignition switch.
When starting in cold weather, the transmission may shift up at slightly higher engine speeds than normal until the
automatic transmission fluid reaches normal operating temperature.
CAUTION :
The engine should be idling when you move the gear selector. Never accelerate until after you feel the transmission
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Move the gear selector forward (toward "+") to shift to a higher gear or rearward (toward "-") to shift to a lower
gear.
If you hold the gear selector toward "-", the transmission will downshift one gear , and will utilize the braking power
of the engine. If the current speed is too high for using a lower gear, the downshift will not occur until the speed has
decreased enough to allow the lower gear to be used.
If you slow down to a very low speed, the transmission will automatically shift down.
When starting in the (MAN)ual position, 3rd gear is the highest gear that may be selected.
NOTE: Kickdown (see previous page) does not function when the transmission is in the manual shift (geartronic)
mode. The gear selector must be in D (Drive) position.
W Winter/Wet driving mode - enhanced vehicle traction
Mode W will only function if the gear selector is in the (D)rive position.
Press the button at the base of the gear selector to engage/disengage this driving mode (see illustration).
An LED in the button will light up to indicate that W is engaged and this will also be displayed in the instrument
panel (see page 25
).
This mode may be selected for starting/moving off on slippery roads.
pg. 78 Driving economy
Economical driving conserves natural resources
Better driving economy may be obtained by thinking ahead, avoiding rapid starts and stops and adjusting the speed of
your vehicle to immediate traffic conditions. Observe the following rules:
Bring the engine to normal operating temperature as soon as possible by driving with a light foot on the accelerator
pedal for the first few minutes of operation. A cold engine uses more fuel and is subject to increased wear.
Whenever possible, avoid using the car for driving short distances. This does not allow the engine to reach normal
operating temperature.
Drive carefully and avoid rapid acceleration and hard braking.
Do not exceed posted speed limits.
Avoid carrying unnecessary items (extra load) in the car.
Maintain correct tire pressure. Check tire pressure regularly (when tires are cold).
Remove snow tires when threat of snow or ice has ended.
Note that roof racks, ski racks, etc., increase air resistance and also fuel consumption.
Avoid using automatic transmission kickdown feature unless necessary.
Avoid using the air conditioning when it is not required. When engaged, the A/C compressor places an additional
load on the engine. However, at higher driving speeds, fuel consumption will be lower with the air conditioning on and
the windows closed than with the air conditioning off and the windows open.
Using the onboard trip computer's fuel consumption modes can help you learn how to drive more economically.
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Other factors that decrease gas mileage are:
Dirty air cleaner
Dirty engine oil and clogged oil filter
Dragging brakes
Incorrect front end alignment
Some of the above mentioned items and others are checked at the standard Maintenance Service intervals.
NOTE : Vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions should use (D)rive as often as possible and avoid using
"kickdown" to help improve fuel economy.
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 Park. Do not stop the engine!
Switch the heater to full (maximum) position. Increase the engine speed to approx. 2000 rpm (twice idling speed)
until the temperature begins to drop.
If the warning light in the center of the instrument panel is red, and the message "Coolant level lo stop engine" is
displayed, switch off the engine as soon as possible.
WARNING!
Do not remove coolant expansion tank cap. The coolant will be extremely hot.
If necessary, see page 116
for information on checking and topping-up the coolant level.
Contents | Top of Page
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the vehicle and others sharing the roadway. Avoiding distractions is part of that responsibility.
The following should be checked regularly: *
1 Washer fluid reservoir should be filled with water and solvent (wintertime: windshield washer anti-freeze). See
page 118.
2 Power steering - When cold, the level must not be above the COLD mark and when hot it must not be above the
HOT mark. Top up if the level drops to the ADD mark with ATF fluid. See page 122.
3 Coolant level should be between the expansion tank marks. Mixture: 50% anti-freeze and 50% water. See page 116.
4 Engine oil level should be between the dipstick marks. The distance between the marks represents approx.
1.6 US qts (1.5 liters). See page 120.
5 Brake fluid - check, without removing the cap, that the level is above the MIN mark. Use brake fluid DOT 4+. See
page 122.
* Engine oil should be checked each time the car is refuelled.
Octane rating, see page 70.
Tire pressure, see label located on the rear edge of the right front door.
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