
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
The ABS  system in your car performs a  self -diagnostic test when the vehicle first reaches the speed of approximately
12 mph (20 km/h). The brake pedal will pulsate several times and  a  sound may be  audible  from  the ABS  control
module. This is normal.
Fuel filler door
Press the button on the light switch panel (see page 34
) when the car is at a  standstill to unlock the fuel filler  door.
Please note that the fuel filler  door will remain unlocked until the car begins to move forward. An audible  click  will be
heard when the fuel filler  door relocks.
Fuel filler cap
After refueling, close the fuel filler  cap by turning it clockwise until it clicks  into place. If this  cap is not closed tightly
or if the engine is running when the car is refueled, the Malfunction  Indicator Lamp ("Check Engine" light) may
indicate a  fault.
Important
Before you operate your car for the first time, please familiarize yourself  with the new-engine oil consumption
information on page 135
. You should also be familiar  with the information in the chapters one, two and four of
this manual.
Information contained in the balance of the manual is extremely useful and should be read  after operating the
vehicle  for the first time.
The manual is structured so that it can be used  for reference. For this reason, it should be kept in the car for
ready  access.
Do not export your Volvo to another country before investigating  that country's applicable safety and exhaust
emission requirements. In  some cases it may be difficult or  impossible  to comply with these requirements.
Modifications to the emission control system(s)  may render your Volvo not certifiable for legal operation in the
U.S., Canada and other countries.
All information, illustrations and specifications contained in this manual are based  on the latest product
information available at the time of publication. Please note that some vehicles may be equipped  differently,
depending  on special legal requirements and that optional  equipment described in this manual may not be
available in all markets.
Volvo reserves the right to make model changes at any time, or  to change specifications or  design, without
notice and without incurring obligation.
CALIFORNIA  Proposition  65 Warning
WARNING! Engine exhaust, some of its  constituents, and  certain vehicle components contain  or emit chemicals
known to the state of California to cause cancer, and  birth defects or other reproductive harm.
 
 In addition, certain
fluids contained in vehicles and  certain products  of component  wear  contain  or emit chemicals known to the State
of California to cause cancer, and  birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Volvo and the environment
Volvo is committed to the well being of our customers. As a  natural part of this  commitment, we care about the
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environment in which  we all live. Caring for the environment means an  everyday involvement in reducing our
environmental impact.
Volvo's  environmental activities are based on a  holistic  view,  which  means we consider the overall environmental
impact of a  product throughout its  complete life cycle. In this  context,  design, production, product use, and  recycling
are all important considerations.
In production, Volvo has partly or completely  phased out several chemicals including freons, lead chromates,
naphtanates, asbestos, mercury and  cadmium; and  reduced the amount of chemicals used in our plants 50% since 1991.
In use, Volvo was the first in the world to introduce into production a  three-way catalytic converter with a  Lambda
sond, now called oxygen  sensor, in 1976. The current version  of this  highly efficient system reduces emissions  of
harmful substances (CO, HC, NOx) from  the exhaust pipe by approximately 95% and  the search to eliminate the
remaining emissions  continues. Volvo is the only automobile manufacturer to offer  CFC-free retrofit kits  for the air
conditioning system for all models as far back as the M/Y 1975 240. Advanced electronic  engine controls, refined
purification systems and  cleaner  fuels  are bringing us closer to our goal.
After Volvo cars and  parts  have fulfilled their use, recycling is the next critical step in completing the life cycle. The
metal content  is about 75% of the total weight of a  car, which  makes the car among the most  recycled  industrial
products.  In order to have efficient and  well controlled recycling, many Volvo variants have printed dismantling
manuals, indicating the weight and  material of individual components. For Volvo, all homogeneous plastic parts
weighing more than 1.7 oz.  (50 grams) are marked with international symbols that indicate how the component  is to be
sorted  for recycling.
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,  LLC. and  Volvo Car  of Canada, Ltd. are involved, visit our Internet Home  Page
at: 
http://www.volvocars.com
 
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This lamp lights up red or yellow depending on the severity of the fault that has been detected.
Yellow  light: Follow the instructions shown in the text window.
Red light:  Stop the car as soon as possible in a  suitable location and  read the message shown in the text window.
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
If the light comes on (or stays on after the vehicle has started), the SRS diagnostic system has detected a  fault. Drive to
an  authorized Volvo retailer for an  inspection of the system. See  the SRS section for more information.
Brake failure warning light
If the light  comes on while driving or  braking, stop immediately, open the hood and check  the brake fluid  level
in the reservoir.  See  page 134 
for reservoir position and  page 137 for instructions.
Canadian models are equipped with this  warning light: 
Oil pressure warning light
If the light  comes on while driving, stop the car and then stop the engine immediately and check  the engine oil
level.  See  page 135
. If the light stays on after restart, have the car towed  to the nearest authorized Volvo retailer. After
hard driving, the light may come on occasionally when the engine is idling. This is normal, provided it goes off when
the engine speed is increased.
Parking brake reminder light
This light will be  on when the parking brake (hand brake) is applied.  The parking brake lever is situated between the
front  seats.
Canadian models are equipped with this  warning light: 
Generator warning light
If the light comes on while the engine is running, have the charging system checked.
* Rear fog light, if used, and  trailer turn signal, if towing a  trailer, will go on while driving. 
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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. 48 Electronic Climate Control  (ECC)
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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.
* Your car is equipped with an  electronic  start inhibitor  (immobilizer). The keys you received  with your car are
specially coded. 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 can only be  started if a  properly coded key  is used.
If two of the keys to your car are close together, e.g.,  on the same key  ring, when you try to start the car, this  could
cause interference in the immobilizer system and  result in the car not starting. If this  should occur, remove one  of the
keys from  the key  ring before trying to start the car again. 
pg. 88 Starting the engine
CAUTION:
The engine should be  idling when you move the gear selector. Never  accelerate until after you feel the transmission
engage! Accelerating immediately after selecting a  gear will cause harsh engagement and  premature transmission wear.
Selecting P or N when idling at a  standstill for prolonged periods  time will help prevent overheating of the automatic
transmission fluid.
Do not race a  cold engine immediately after starting. Oil flow may not reach some lubrication points  fast  enough  to
prevent engine damage.
WARNING!
Always place the gear selector in Park and  apply the parking brake before leaving  the vehicle. Never  leave the car
unattended with the engine running.
Always open  garage doors fully before starting the engine inside a  garage to ensure adequate ventilation. The
exhaust gases contain  carbon monoxide, which  is invisible  and  odorless but very poisonous.
An extra mat on the driver's floor  can cause the accelerator  pedal and  the clutch  to catch. Check that the movement
of the accelerator  pedal and  clutch  is not impeded.  Not more than one  protective floor  covering may be  used at one
time.
pg. 89 Manual transmission
Shift positions
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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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2 0 0 3 
VOLVO V70
Chapter 8 - Maintenance/Servicing
pg. 115 Maintenance/Servicing
Fuses116
Replacing bulbs120
Paint touch up126
Washing the car127
Cleaning the upholstery128
Maintenance service,  Warranty129
Fuel/emissions systems130
Drive belt, Air  pump  system, Coolant131
Emissions maintenance132
Washer fluid  reservoir,  Hoisting the car133
Opening the hood, Engine  compartment134
Engine  oil135
Power steering/Brake fluid  reservoirs137
Battery maintenance138
Replacing wiper  blades140
pg. 116 Fuses
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