2003 VOLVO V70 tow

Use the switch on the front door armrests to lock/unlock the car from the inside.WARNING!
If the doors are locked while driving, this may hinder rapid access to the occupants of the car in the event of an
accident. (Also see information on "Child safety locks").
NOTE: To help prevent accidentally locking the keys in the car, the central locking system is designed to unlock the
doors immediately if the key is left in the ignition switch, the car is locked using the lock button on the door and the
door is then closed. A sound from the lock will be audible at this time.
Please note that this function will not unlock the doors if the engine is running.
Immobilizer (start inhibitor)
Each of the keys supplied with your car contains a coded transmitter. The code in the key is transmitted to an antenna
in the ignition switch where it is compared to the code stored in the start inhibitor module. The car will start only with
a properly coded key. If you misplace a key, take the other keys to an authorized Volvo retailer for reprogramming as
an antitheft measure.
*This key operates only driver's door and ignition switch/steering wheel lock.
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the following condition: (1) This device
may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation.
Exterior courtesy lights
Home Safe System
When you leave your car at night, you can make use of the courtesy lighting function:
Remove the key from the ignition switch.
Pull the direction indicator lever towards the steering wheel (as when activating the high beams).
Exit the car and lock the doors.
The headlights, parking lights, license plate lights and the lights in the sideview mirrors will now come on and remain
on for 30, 60 or 90 seconds (the time interval is at your discretion and can be changed by an authorized Volvo retailer).
Approach lighting
When approaching the car at night, press the yellow button in the central locking remote control (see illustration on
page 77
). This lights up the interior courtesy light, parking lights, license plate lights and the lights in the sideview
mirrors.
pg. 77 Remote keyless entry system
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The alarm is automatically armed whenever you lock your car. When armed, the alarm continuously monitors a
number of points on the car. The following conditions will set off the alarm:
The hood is forced open.
The tailgate is forced open.
A door is forced open.
The ignition switch is tampered with.
If there is movement in the passenger compartment (if the car is equipped with the optional movement sensor).
The car is lifted or towed (if the car is equipped with the optional inclination sensor).
The battery is disconnected (while the alarm is armed).
Arming the alarm
Press the LOCK button on the remote control, lock the car using the key in the driver's door or press the central lock
button on one of the front doors with the door open. One long flash of the turn signals will confirm that the alarm is
armed.
Disarming the alarm
Press the UNLOCK button on the remote control or unlock the doors with the key.
Turning off (stopping) the alarm
If the alarm is sounding, it can be stopped by pressing the UNLOCK button on the remote control or by unlocking the
driver's door with the key.
Visual alarm signal
The visual alarm signal is given by flashing all turn signals and turning on the interior lighting for approximately 5
minutes.
Audible alarm signal
An audible alarm signal is given by a battery powered siren. One alarm cycle lasts for 25 seconds.
"Panic" button
In an emergency situation, this feature can be used to attract attention. Activate the "panic" function by pressing the
red button on the remote control (see illustration on page 77
) for at least 3 seconds or by pressing this button twice
within 3 seconds. The turn signals will flash, the interior lights will go on and the car's horn will sound.
The function can be turned off by pressing any of the buttons on the remote control or will stop automatically
after 25 seconds. When a button is pressed, there is a 5 second delay before the panic alarm is deactivated.
NOTE: This function will NOT unlock the car.
pg. 81 Alarm
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2 0 0 3
VOLVO V70
Chapter 6 - Starting and driving
pg. 83 Starting and driving
Fuel requirements84
Fuel Formulations85
Refueling86
Starting the engine87
Manual transmission89
Automatic transmission (AW5)90
Automatic transmission (Geartronic)92
All Wheel Drive94
Driving economy95
Points to remember96
Roof racks/load carriers97
Emergency towing99
Vehicle towing information100
Towing a trailer101
Detachable trailer hitch102
Jump starting103
Winter driving104
Long distance trips105
Three-way catalytic converter106
pg. 84 Fuel requirements
Fuel requirements
Octane rating : Volvo engines are designed for optimum performance on unleaded premium gasoline with an octane
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P (Park)
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)rive 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 or (D)rive from third gear.
L (Low gears)
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.
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Kickdown
Automatic shift to a lower gear (kickdown) is achieved by depressing the accelerator pedal fully and briskly. An
upshift will occur when approaching the top speed for a particular gear or by releasing the accelerator pedal slightly.
Kickdown can be used for maximum acceleration or when passing at highway speeds. Kickdown does not function
when the transmission is in the manual shift (geartronic) mode (see next page).
Automatic transmission - adaptive system
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.
Automatic transmission - shift gate positions
You can move the gear selector freely between the (MAN)ual and (D)rive positions while driving.
Depress the button on the front of the gear selector knob to move between the R, N, D, and P positions.
Please see the following page for information on using the Geartronic manual shift mode.
pg. 93 Automatic transmission (Geartronic)
Manual shifting - Geartronic
You can move the gear selector freely between the (MAN)ual and (D)rive positions while driving. Gears 2, 3, and 4
have a "lock -up" function which reduces engine speed and helps save fuel. The currently selected gear will be
displayed in the instrument panel (see page 27
).
To access the (MAN)ual shifting position from (D)rive, pull the gear selector back slightly from D and move it to
the left to MAN.
To return to the (D)rive position from MAN, move the gear selector to the right and push it forward to the (D)rive
position.
While driving
If you select the (MAN)ual position while driving, the gear that was being used in the (D)rive position will also
initially be selected in (MAN)ual position.
Move the gear selector forward (toward "+") to shift to a higher gear or rearward (toward "-") to shift to a lower
gear.
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If you hold the gear selector toward "-", the transmission will downshift, one gear at a time, 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 the D (Drive) position.
W Winter/Wet driving mode - enhanced vehicle traction
Mode W will function only 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 27
).
This mode may be selected for starting/moving off on slippery roads.
pg. 94 All Wheel Drive - option
All Wheel Drive (AWD) - general information
Your Volvo can be equipped with permanent All Wheel Drive, which means that power is distributed automatically
between the front and rear wheels. Under normal driving conditions, most of the engine's power is directed to the front
wheels. However, if there is any tendency for the front wheels to spin, an electronically controlled coupling distributes
power to the wheels that have the best traction.
Tire dimensions
Volvo recommends that you always drive on tires of the same brand, size, construction (radial), tread pattern, load-,
speed-, traction-, temperature-, and treadwear rating. Never drive on mixed tires, except for brief periods when the
temporary spare tire is in use.
Always use properly inflated tires of correct dimensions. Tire size and inflation pressures are shown on the tire
pressure label located inside the fuel filler door.
Tire Rotation
Volvo recommends rotating the tires every 7,500 miles (12,000 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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Temporary Spare
The temporary spare tire is for temporary, low-speed, short-distance use only. Replace it with a full-sized tire as soon
as possible, in accordance with "Tire Rotation" above. Do not drive on the temporary spare at speeds above 50 m.p.h.
(80km/h) or for distances greater than 50 miles (80 km).
Never install snow chains on a temporary spare.
pg. 95 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 conditioner's 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.
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
"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.
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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. 96 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 129
and 132 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!
Driving with the tailgate open : Driving with the tailgate open could mean that poisonous exhaust gases enter the
passenger compartment.
If the tailgate must be kept open for any reason, proceed as follows:
- Close the windows.
- Set the ventilation system control to air flow to floor, windshield and side windows and blower control to its
highest setting.
Floor mats : An extra mat on the driver's floor can cause the accelerator pedal to catch. Check that the movement
of the accelerator pedal is not impeded. Not more than one protective floor covering may be used at one time.
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