2003 VOLVO XC70
Rear fog light
This light indicates that the rear fog light is on.
Malfunction indicator lamp
On-Board Diagnostic II (OBDII): As you drive, a computer called "OBDII" monitors your car's engine,
transmission, electrical and emission systems. The CHECK ENGINE light wi\
ll light up if the computer
senses a condition that potentially may need correcting. When this happe\
ns, please have your car checked by
a Volvo retailer as soon as possible.
A CHECK ENGINE light may have many causes. Sometimes, you may not notice\
a change in your car's
behavior. Even so, an uncorrected condition could hurt fuel economy, emi\
ssion cleanliness, and driveability.
Extended driving without correcting the cause could even damage other co\
mponents in your car.
Canadian models are equipped with this warning light:
NOTE: If the fuel filler cap is not closed tightly or if the engine is runni\
ng when the car is refueled, the
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.
Anti-lock Brake System ABS
If the warning light comes on, there is a malfunction of the ABS system \
(the standard braking system will
still function). The vehicle should be driven to a Volvo retailer for i\
nspection. See
page 19 for additional
information.
Stability Traction Control (STC) system (option), or Dynamic
Stability and Traction Control (DSTC) system (option)
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Winter driving 104
Long distance trips 105
Three-way catalytic converter 106
pg. 84 Fuel requirements
Fuel requirements
Octane rating: Volvo engines are designed for optimum performance on unleaded premium\
gasoline
with an octane rating AKI of 91, or above. AKI (ANTI KNOCK INDEX) is a\
n average of the Research
Octane Number, RON, and the Motor Octane Number, MON. (RON + MON/2). T\
he minimum octane
requirement is AKI 87 (RON 91).
Deposit control gasoline (detergent additives)
Volvo recommends the use of gasoline containing deposit control additive\
s. These additives have shown
to be effective in keeping injectors and intake valves clean. Consistent\
use of deposit control gasolines
will help ensure good driveability and fuel economy. If you are not sure\
whether the gasoline contains
deposit control additives, check with the service station operator.
Unleaded fuel
Each Volvo has a three-way catalytic converter and must use only unleade\
d gasoline. U.S. and Canadian
regulations require that pumps delivering unleaded gasoline be labelled \
"UNLEADED". Only these
pumps have nozzles which fit your car's filler inlet. It is unlawful to \
dispense leaded fuel into a vehicle
labelled "unleaded gasoline only". Leaded gasoline damages the three-way\
catalytic converter and the
heated oxygen sensor system. Repeated use of leaded gasoline will lessen\
the effectiveness of the
emission control system and could result in loss of emission warranty co\
verage. State and local vehicle
inspection programs will make detection of misfueling easier, possibly r\
esulting in emission test failure
for misfueled vehicles.
NOTE: Some U.S. and Canadian gasolines contain an octane enhancing additive ca\
lled methyl-
cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT). If such fuels are used, \
your Emission Control System
performance may be affected, and the Check Engine light (malfunction in\
dicator lamp) located on your
instrument panel may light. If this occurs, please return your vehicle t\
o an authorized Volvo retailer for
service.
Gasoline containing alcohol and ethers
"Oxygenated fuels"
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2003 VOLVO XC70
NOTE: During a transitional period, a small number of service stations may sti\
ll have fuel nozzles that
are not compatible with the fuel filler neck on cars equipped with the e\
vaporative control system. Please
refer to
page 130 for additional information.
CAUTION:
l Do not refuel with the engine running *. Turn the ignition off or to pos\
ition I. If the ignition is on, an
incorrect reading could occur in the fuel gauge.
l After refueling, close the fuel filler cap by turning it clockwise until\
it clicks into place *.
l Allow for fuel expansion by not overfilling the tank. Overfilling could \
also cause damage to the
emission control systems.
l Avoid spilling gasoline when refueling. In addition to causing damage to\
the environment, gasolines
containing alcohol can cause damage to painted surfaces, which may not b\
e covered under the New
Vehicle Limited Warranty.
l 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 f\
uel 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 runni\
ng when the car is refueled, the Check
Engine light (malfunction indicator lamp) may indicate a fault. Howeve\
r, your vehicle's performance
will not be affected. Use only Volvo original or approved fuel filler ca\
ps.
pg. 87 Starting the engine
Starting the engine
1. Fasten the seat belt.
WARNING!
Before starting, check that the seat, steering wheel and mirrors adjuste\
d properly. Make sure the brake
pedal can be depressed completely. Adjust the seat if necessary. See
page 56.
2. Apply the parking brake, if not already set. The gear selector (automatic transmission) is locked in
the (P)ark position (SHIFT-LOCK). Manual transmission: the clutch must be fully depressed.
3. Without touching the accelerator pedal, turn the ignition key* to the starting position. Allow the
starter to operate for up to 10 seconds. Release the key as soon as the \
engine starts. If the engine fails to
start, repeat this step.
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WARNING!
l Always place the gear selector in Park and apply the parking brake befor\
e leaving the vehicle.
Never leave the car unattended with the engine running.
l Always open garage doors fully before starting the engine inside a garag\
e to ensure adequate
ventilation. The exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide, which is invisib\
le and odorless but very
poisonous.
l An extra mat on the driver's floor can cause the accelerator pedal and t\
he clutch to catch. Check
that the movement of the accelerator pedal and clutch is not impeded. No\
t more than one protective
floor covering may be used at one time.
pg. 89 Manual transmission
Shift positions
Depress the clutch pedal completely when changing gears*.
Remove your foot from the clutch pedal while driving. The shift pattern \
should be followed. Overdrive
(5th gear) should be used as often as possible to help improve fuel ec\
onomy. This gear should be
engaged at speeds above approx. 50 mph (80 km/h).
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Engaging reverse gear
Reverse gear should only be engaged from a complete stop.
CAUTION: Be careful that you do not inadvertently engage reverse while moving for\
ward.
* Clutch interlock
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. WARNING!
An extra mat on the driver's floor can cause the accelerator pedal and t\
he clutch to catch. Check that
the movement of the accelerator pedal and clutch is not impeded. Not mor\
e than one protective floor
covering may be used at one time.
pg. 90 Automatic transmission AW5
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pattern, load-, speed-, traction-, temperature-, and treadwear rating. N\
ever 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). Tir\
es should be rotated front-to-
back/back-to-front only. Tires must maintain the same direction of rotat\
ion throughout their lifetime, and
should never be rotated from one side of the vehicle to the other.
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. Obs\
erve the following rules:
l 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 eng\
ine uses more fuel and is subject
to increased wear.
l Whenever possible, avoid using the car for driving short distances. This\
does not allow the engine to
reach normal operating temperature.
l Drive carefully and avoid rapid acceleration and hard braking.
l Do not exceed posted speed limits.
l Avoid carrying unnecessary items (extra load) in the car.
l Maintain correct tire pressure. Check tire pressure regularly (when tir\
es are cold).
l Remove snow tires when threat of snow or ice has ended.
l Note that roof racks, ski racks, etc., increase air resistance and also \
fuel consumption.
l Avoid using automatic transmission kickdown feature unless necessary.
l 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 spee\
ds, fuel consumption will be
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lower with the air conditioning on and the windows closed than with the \
air conditioning off and the
windows open.
l Using the onboard trip computer's fuel consumption modes can help you le\
arn how to drive more
economically.
Other factors that decrease gas mileage are:
l Dirty air cleaner
l Dirty engine oil and clogged oil filter
l Dragging brakes
l Incorrect front end alignment Some of the above mentioned items and othe\
rs are checked at the
standard Maintenance Service intervals.
NOTE: Vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions should use (D)rive as o\
ften 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 high\
est gear that still allows smooth
acceleration.
Weight distribution affects handling
At the specified curb weight your car has a tendency to understeer, whic\
h 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 p\
roperties can alter with the
vehicle load. The heavier the load on the rear of the vehicle (e.g., he\
avily 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 hand\
ling. 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 permissib\
le axle loads are not
exceeded.
pg. 96 Points to remember
Cooling system
The risk for engine overheating is greatest, especially in hot weather, \
when:
l Towing a trailer up steep inclines for prolonged periods at wide open th\
rottle and low engine rpm.
l Stopping the engine suddenly after high speed driving (so-called "after\
-boiling" can occur).
l To avoid overheating, the following rules should be followed: Do not dri\
ve for prolonged periods at
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engine speeds above 4500 rpm if you are towing a trailer in hilly terrai\
n.
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 followi\
ng precautions should be taken:
l Switch off the air conditioning system.
l Pull off the road, away from traffic, stop the car and put the gear sele\
ctor into neutral.
l Switch the heater to full (maximum) position. Increase the engine spee\
d 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. flood\
ed roadways, etc.).
Damage to the engine could result if excess water is drawn in through th\
e air intake system. Never drive
the vehicle in water deeper than 1 foot (300 mm). See the flood warnin\
g on
page 7.
WARNING!
l 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 an\
d side windows and blower
control to its highest setting.
l 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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