2003 VOLVO XC70
Electrical system
When replacing the battery or when carrying out work involving the elect\
rical system, the following
should be observed:
l A battery connection to the wrong terminal will damage the electrical sy\
stem. Be sure to connect the
positive battery cable to the positive battery terminal and the negative\
battery cable to the negative
battery terminal.
l If booster batteries are used for starting, they must be properly connec\
ted to minimize the risk of the
electrical system being damaged. For correct connection, see "Jump start\
ing" section.
l Never disconnect the battery circuit (for example, to replace the batte\
ry) while the engine is running,
as this may damage the generator. Always make sure that all the battery \
connections are properly
cleaned and tightened.
l If any electrical welding work is performed on the vehicle, the battery'\
s ground lead (negative cable)
and all the connecting cables of the generator must be disconnected and \
the welder cables placed as near
the welding points as possible.
l The radio must be turned off before the battery is disconnected.
l Switch off the ignition for at least 10 minutes before disconnecting the\
battery.
pg. 97 Roof racks/Load carriers
Load carriers (accessory)
Load carriers are available as Volvo accessories. Observe the following \
points when in use:
l To avoid damaging your car and to achieve maximum safety when driving, w\
e recommend using the
load carriers that Volvo has developed especially for your car.
l Volvo-approved removable roof racks are designed to carry the maximum al\
lowable roof load for this
vehicle: 220 lbs (100 kg). For Non-Volvo roof racks, check the manufac\
turer's weight limits for the rack.
l Never exceed the rack manufacturer's weigh limits and never exceed the m\
aximum rated roof load of
220 lbs (100 kg).
l Avoid single-point loads. Distribute loads evenly.
l Place heavier cargo at the bottom of the load.
l Anchor the cargo correctly with appropriate tie-down equipment.
l Check periodically that the load carriers and load are properly secured.\
l Remember that the car's center of gravity and handling change when you c\
arry a load on the roof.
l The car's wind resistance (and correspondingly, fuel consumption) will\
increase with the size of the
load.
l Drive smoothly. Avoid rapid starts, fast cornering and hard braking.
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Rear towing eyelet
Precautions when the car is in tow
l The steering wheel must be unlocked. Turn the ignition key to position I\
or II.
l The gear selector must be in position N.
l Maximum speed: 50 mph (80 km/h)
l Maximum distance with front wheels on ground: 50 miles (80 km).
l While the car is being towed, try to keep the tow rope taut at all times\
.
l Cars with an automatic transmission should only be towed in forward dire\
ction.
CAUTION:
l Please check with state and local authorities before attempting this typ\
e of towing, as vehicles being
towed are subject to regulations regarding maximum towing speed, length \
and type of towing device,
lighting, etc.
l If the car's battery is dead, do not attempt to start the vehicle by pus\
hing or pulling it as this will
damage the three-way catalytic converter(s). The engine must be jump s\
tarted using an auxiliary battery
(see
page 103).
l If the car is being towed on a flat bed truck, the towing eyelets must n\
ot be used to secure the car on
the flat bed. Consult the tow truck operator.
WARNING!
l Remember that the power brakes and power steering will not function when\
engine is not running.
The braking and steering systems will function but the brake pedal press\
ure required is 3 - 4 times
above normal and greater steering effort must be exerted.
l The towing eyelets must not be used for pulling another vehicle out of a\
ditch or for any similar
purpose involving severe strain.
l Do not use the towing eyelets to pull the car up onto a flat bed tow tru\
ck.
pg. 100 Vehicle towing information
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pg. 101 Towing a trailer
When preparing for trailer towing, observe the following:
Volvo recommends the use of Volvo trailer hitches which are specially de\
signed for the car.
l Maximum trailer weight recommended by Volvo is:
Trailers without brakes: 1100 lbs (500 kg)
Trailers with brakes: 3300 lbs* (1,500 kg),
Observe the legal requirements of the state/province in which the vehicl\
es are registered.
l All Volvo models are equipped with energy-absorbing shock-mounted bumper\
s. Trailer hitch
installation should not interfere with the proper operation of this bump\
er system.
Trailer towing does not normally present any particular problems, but ta\
ke into consideration:
l Increase tire pressure to recommended full. See section "Wheels and tire\
s".
l When your car is new, avoid towing heavy trailers during the first 620 m\
iles (1000 km).
l Recommended hitch tongue load is:
Trailer weights below 2,650 lbs (1,200 kg) - 110 lbs (50 kg)
Trailer weights above 2,650 lbs (1,200 kg) - 165 lbs (75 kg)
l Maximum speed when towing a trailer: 50 mph (80 km/h).
l Engine and transmission are subject to increased loads. Therefore, engin\
e coolant temperature should
be closely watched when driving in hot climates or hilly terrain. Use a \
lower gear and turn off the air
conditioner if the temperature gauge needle enters the red range.
l If the automatic transmission begins to overheat, a message will be disp\
layed in the text window.
l Avoid overload and other abusive operation.
l Hauling a trailer affects handling, durability, and economy.
l It is necessary to balance trailer brakes with the towing vehicle brakes\
to provide a safe stop (check
and observe state/local regulations).
l Do not connect the trailer's brake system directly to the vehicle's brak\
e system.
l More frequent vehicle maintenance is required.
l Remove the ball and drawbar assembly when the hitch is not being used.
l Volvo recommends the use of synthetic engine oil when towing a trailer o\
ver long distances or in
mountainous areas.
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1. If necessary, remove the cotter pin from the locking bolt and slide t\
he locking bolt out of the hitch
assembly.
2. Slide the ball holder into the hitch assembly.
3. Align the hole in the ball holder with the one in the hitch assembly.\
4. Slide the locking bolt through the hitch assembly/ball holder.
5. Insert the cotter pin in the hole at the end of the locking bolt.
Removing the ball holder
1. Remove the cotter pin from the locking bolt and slide the locking bol\
t out of the ball holder/hitch
assembly.
2. Pull the ball holder out of the hitch assembly.
NOTE: A cover for the hitch assembly can be purchased from your Volvo retaile\
r.
pg. 103 Jump starting
Jump starting
Follow these instructions to jump start your car's dead battery or to ju\
mp start another car's dead battery
using your car. Although your car's battery is located under the floor o\
f the cargo area, jumper cables
should be connected in the engine compartment, to the points shown in the illustrations.
If the 12-volt auxiliary battery to be used is in another car, check tha\
t the cars are not touching to prevent
premature completion of a negative circuit. Be sure to follow jump start\
ing instructions provided for the
other vehicle.
To jump start your car:
l Switch off the ignition.
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2003 VOLVO XC70
Cold weather precautions
If you wish to check your car before the approach of cold weather, the f\
ollowing advice is worth noting:
l Make sure that the engine coolant contains 50 percent antifreeze. Any ot\
her mixture will reduce
freeze protection. This gives protection against freezing down to -31°\
F (-35°C). See section "Coolant".
The use of "recycled" antifreeze is not approved by Volvo. Different typ\
es of antifreeze must not
be mixed.
l Volvo recommends using only genuine Volvo antifreeze in your car's radia\
tor. Your local Volvo
retailer stocks plenty of Volvo engine coolant to protect your car durin\
g cold weather.
l Try to keep the fuel tank well filled - this prevents the formation of condensation in the tank. \
In
addition, in extremely cold weather conditions it is worthwhile to add f\
uel line de-icer before refueling.
l The viscosity of the engine oil is important. Oil with low viscosity (thinner oil) improves cold-
weather starting as well as decreasing fuel consumption while the engine\
is warming up. For winter use,
5W-30 oil, particularly the synthetic type *, is recommended. Be sure to\
use good quality oil but do not
use this cold-weather oil for hard driving or in warm weather. See section "Engine oil" for more
information.
l The load placed on the battery is greater during the winter since the windshield wipers, lighting, etc\
.
are used more often. Moreover, the capacity of the battery decreases as \
the temperature drops. In very
cold weather, a poorly charged battery can freeze and be damaged. It is \
therefore advisable to check the
state of charge more frequently and spray an anti-rust oil on the batter\
y posts.
l Volvo recommends the use of snow tires on all four wheels for winter dri\
ving - see section "Wheels
and tires".
l To prevent the washer fluid reservoir from freezing, add washer solvents\
containing antifreeze (see
page 130 for the location of the washer fluid reservoir). This is important sin\
ce dirt is often splashed on
the windshield during winter driving, requiring the frequent use of the \
washers and wipers. The Volvo
Washer Solvent should be diluted as follows:
Down to 14° F (-10° C): 1 part washer solvent and 4 parts water \
Down to 5° F (-15° C): 1 part washer solvent and 3 parts water
Down to 0° F (-18° C): 1 part washer solvent and 2 parts water
Down to -18° F (-28° C): 1 part washer solvent and 1 part water \
l Use Volvo Teflon Lock Spray in the locks.
NOTE: Avoid the use of de-icing sprays as they can cause damage to the locks.
W Winter/Wet driving mode - enhanced vehicle traction
l Mode W will only function if the gear selector is in the (D)rive posit\
ion.
l Press the button at the base of the gear selector to engage/disengage th\
is driving mode (see
illustration).
l 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).
l This mode may be selected for starting/moving off on slippery roads.
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pg. 105 Long distance trips
Before a long distance trip
It is always worthwhile to have your car checked at a Volvo retailer bef\
ore driving long distances. Your
retailer will also be able to supply you with bulbs, fuses, spark plugs \
and wiper blades for your use in the
event that problems occur.
As a minimum, the following items should be checked before any long trip\
:
l Check that engine runs smoothly and that fuel consumption is normal.
l Check for fuel, oil, and fluid leakage.
l Check condition of accessory drive belts.
l Check transmission oil level*.
l Check state of the battery's charge.
l Examine tires carefully (the spare tire as well), and replace those th\
at are worn. Check tire pressures.
l The brakes, front wheel alignment, and steering gear should be checked b\
y your Volvo retailer only.
l Check all lights, including high beams.
l Reflective warning triangles are legal requirement in some countries.
l Have a word with your Volvo retailer if you intend to drive in countries\
where it may be difficult to
obtain the correct fuel.
l Consider your destination. If you will be driving through an area where \
snow or ice are likely to
occur, consider snow tires.
* To prevent injury from contact with hot surfaces, do not inspect your \
car's transmission fluid yourself.
Have your car's transmission fluid level inspected by a qualified Volvo \
service technician.
pg. 106 Three-way catalytic converters
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Volvo retailer replace these bulbs if necessary.
pg. 125 Replacing bulbs
Rear reading lights
These bulbs may be difficult for you to replace yourself. We recommend t\
hat you let an authorized
Volvo retailer replace these bulbs if necessary.
NOTE: Other bulbs may be difficult for you to replace yourself. Let an author\
ized Volvo retailer
replace these bulbs if necessary.
pg. 126 Paint touch up
Paint touch-up
Paint damage requires immediate attention to avoid rusting. Make it a ha\
bit to check the finish regularly
- when washing the car for instance. Touch-up if necessary.
Paint repairs require special equipment and skill. Contact your Volvo re\
tailer for any extensive damage.
Minor scratches can be repaired by using Volvo touch-up paint.
NOTE: When ordering touch-up paint from your Volvo retailer, use the paint cod\
e indicated on the
model plate. The plate is located in the engine compartment.
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charcoal canister to the engine's air intake system and into the combust\
ion process.
NOTE:
l Overfilling the fuel tank can cause damage to the evaporative control sy\
stem.
l If the fuel filler cap is not closed tightly or if the engine is running\
when the car is refueled, the
Malfunction Indicator Lamp may indicate a fault.
l 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 evaporati\
ve emission control system
mandated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California \
Air Resources Board. If you
experience difficulties in refueling your vehicle, please ask the gas st\
ation attendant for assistance.
CAUTION:
Fuel must not be siphoned from the fuel tank. This will damage the evapo\
rative control system.
pg. 131 Drive belt, Coolant
Belt check
Check the belt regularly to make sure it is in good condition and is cle\
an. A worn or dirty belt can cause
poor cooling and low alternator output as well as impair the operation o\
f the power steering and the air
conditioning unit.
NOTE: The drive belt is equipped with a self-tensioning mechanism and requires\
no adjustment
between changes.
WARNING!
The engine must not be running when this check is
performed.
Check coolant level
The cooling system must be filled with coolant and not leak to operate a\
t maximum efficiency. Check
the coolant level regularly. The level should be between the "MAX" and "\
MIN" marks on the expansion
tank. The check should be made with particular thoroughness when the eng\
ine is new or when the
cooling system has been drained. Do not remove the filler cap other than\
for topping up with coolant.
Frequent removal may prevent coolant circulation between the engine and \
the expansion tank during
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