
2003 VOLVO XC90
Load carrier cover
The vehicle's ignition key or the stud on the edge of the supplied torqu\
e wrench can be used to undo or
tighten the cover. Turn a quarter turn (90 degrees). See illustration.\
pg. 107 Starting and driving
Cold weather precautions
If you wish to check your vehicle before the approach of cold weather, t\
he following 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 vehicle's r\
adiator. Your Volvo
retailer stocks plenty of Volvo engine coolant to help protect your vehi\
cle during 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 cold-weather oil for hard driving or in warm weather. See section "E\
ngine 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 antirust oil on the battery\
posts.
l Volvo recommends the use of snow tires on all four wheels for winter driving - see section "Wheels
and tires."
l To prevent the washer fluid reservoir from freezing, add washer solvents containing antifreeze (see
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2003 VOLVO XC90
page 128 for the location of the washer fluid reservoir).
This is important since dirt is often splashed on the windshield during \
winter driving, requiring the
frequent use of the washers and wipers. Volvo Washer Solvent should be d\
iluted 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 modeÐenhanced vehicle traction
l Mode W will only function if the gear selector is in the (D)rive position.
l Press the button at the base of the gear selector to engage/disengage th\
is driving mode.
l An LED in the button will light up to indicate that W is engaged and thi\
s will also be displayed in the
instrument panel (see
page 24).
l This mode may be selected for starting/moving off on slippery roads.
* Synthetic oil is not used when the oil is changed at the normal mainte\
nance intervals except at owner
request and at additional charge. Please consult your Volvo retailer.
pg. 108 Starting and driving
Before a long distance trip
It is always worthwhile to have your vehicle checked at a Volvo retailer\
before driving long distances.
Your retailer will also be able to supply you with bulbs, fuses, spark p\
lugs 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 transmission oil level*.
l Check condition of drive belts.
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 legally required in some states/provinc\
es.
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.
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2003 VOLVO XC90
2 0 0 3
VOLVO XC90
Wheels and tires
pg. 113 Wheels and tires
General information114
Tire pressure116
Tread wear indicators117
Uniform Tire Quality Grading118
Changing wheels119
pg. 114 Wheels and tires
General information
General information about wheels and tires
Your vehicle is equipped with tires according to the tire information la\
bel on the inside of the fuel filler
door. All tires have a dimension designation. The following is an example of a tire designation:
225/70R16.
225 section width (mm)
70 relationship between section height and width
R radial tire
16 wheel rim diameter (inches)
The tires have good road holding characteristics and offer good handling\
on dry and wet surfaces. It
should be noted however that the tires have been developed to give these\
features on snow/ice-free
surfaces.
Certain models are equipped with "all-season" tires, which provide a som\
ewhat higher degree of
road holding on slippery surfaces than tires without the "all-season" ra\
ting.
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2003 VOLVO XC90
However, for optimum road holding on icy or snow-covered roads, we recom\
mend suitable winter tires
on all four wheels. When replacing tires, be sure that the new tires are\
the same size designation, type
(radial) and preferably from the same manufacturer, on all four wheels\
. Otherwise there is a risk of
altering the vehicle's roadholding and handling characteristics.
NOTE: When storing wheel/tire assemblies (e.g. winter tires and wheels), eit\
her stand the assemblies
upright, or suspend them off the ground. Laying wheel/tire assemblies on\
their sides for prolonged
periods can cause wheel and/or tire damage.
New tires
Remember that tires are perishable goods. As of 2000, manufacturing year\
and week will be indicated
with 4 digits (e.g. 0015 means that the tire is manufactured year 2000,\
week 15).
Improving tire economy:
l Maintain correct tire pressure. See the tire pressure label on the insid\
e of the fuel filler door.
l Drive smoothly: avoid fast starts, hard braking and tire screeching.
l Tire wear increases with speed.
l Correct front wheel alignment is very important.
l Unbalanced wheels impair tire economy and driving comfort.
l If tires are rotated, they must be kept on the same side of the vehicle \
so that they revolve in the same
direction as before rotation.
l Hitting curbs or potholes can damage the tires and/or wheels permanently\
.
Flat spots
All tires become warm during use. After cooling, when the vehicle is par\
ked, the tires have a tendency to
distort slightly, forming flat spots. These flat spots can cause vibrati\
ons similar to the vibrations caused
by unbalanced wheels. They do, however, disappear when the tire warms up\
. The degree to which flat
spots form depends on the type of cord used in the tire. In cold weather\
, it takes longer for the tire to
warm up and consequently longer for the flat spot to disappear.
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2003 VOLVO XC90
Volvo recommends 225/70 R16 (235/65 R17 on seven-seat models with the T\
6 turbo engine) winter
tires on all four wheels.
Winter tires wear more quickly on dry roads in warm weather. They should\
be removed when the winter
driving season has ended.
Studded tires should be run-in 300-600 miles (500 -1000 km) during whi\
ch the vehicle should be driven
as smoothly as possible to give the studs the opportunity to seat proper\
ly in the tires. The tires should
have the same rotational direction throughout their entire lifetime. In \
other words, if you wish to rotate
the wheels, make sure that the same wheels are always on the same side o\
f the vehicle.
NOTE: Please consult state or provincial regulations restricting the use of st\
udded winter tires before
installing such tires.
* Where permitted
pg. 116 Wheels and tires
Tire pressure
Tire pressure label
Checking and correcting tire pressure
The tire pressure label is located on the inside of the fuel filler door\
.
l Check the tire pressure regularly.
l The tire pressure should be corrected only when the tires are cold.
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2003 VOLVO XC90
l With warm tires, correct only when the pressure is too low. The tire tem\
perature rises after driving
just a few miles.
Vehicle loading
The tires on your Volvo will perform to specifications at all normal loa\
ds when inflated as
recommended on the tire information label located on the inside of the f\
uel filler door. This label lists
both tire and vehicle design limits. Do not load your vehicle beyond the\
load limits indicated.
WARNING!
Improperly inflated tires will reduce tire life, adversely affect vehicl\
e handling and can possibly lead
to failure resulting in loss of vehicle control without prior warning.
Temporary Spare
The spare tire in your vehicle is called a "Temporary Spare".
Recommended tire pressure (see decal on Fuel filler door) should be ma\
intained irrespective which
position on the vehicle the Temporary Spare tire is used on. In the even\
t of damage this tire, a new one
can be purchased from your Volvo retailer.
WARNING!
Current legislation prohibits the use of the Temporary Spare" tire other\
than as a temporary
replacement for a punctured tire. It must be replaced as soon as possibl\
e by a standard tire. Road
holding and handling may be affected with the "Temporary Spare" in use. \
Do not exceed 50 mph (80
km/h). Do not drive farther than 50 miles (80 km) on a temporary spar\
e tire.
CAUTION
The vehicle must not be driven with wheels of different dimensions or wi\
th a spare tire other than the
one that came with the vehicle. The use of different size wheels can ser\
iously damage your vehicle's
transmission.
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" in th\
e previous paragraph. Do not drive
on the temporary spare at speeds above 50 m.p.h. (80km/h) or for dista\
nces greater than 50 miles (80
km). Never install snow chains on a temporary spare.
NOTE: Certain models may be equipped with a full-size spare tire. When used, i\
t should be inflated to
the same pressure as the tire it is replacing.
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2003 VOLVO XC90
by the warranty. You will be required to pay for labor and material used\
.
Maintenance
Your Volvo passed several major inspections before it was delivered to y\
ou, in accordance with Volvo
specifications. The maintenance outlined in the Warranty and Service Rec\
ords Information booklet,
many of which will positively affect your vehicle's emissions, should be\
performed as indicated. It is
recommended that receipts for vehicle emission maintenance be retained i\
n case questions arise
concerning maintenance.
Inspection and maintenance should also be performed anytime a malfunctio\
n is observed or suspected.
Page 125 provides more information about maintenance of emission-related compone\
nts.
Applicable warranties - U.S./Canada
In accordance with applicable U.S. and Canadian regulations, the followi\
ng list of warranties is
provided.
l New Vehicle Limited Warranty
l Parts and Accessories Limited Warranty
l Corrosion Protection Limited Warranty
l Seat Belt and Supplemental Restraint Systems Limited Warranty
l Emission Design and Defect Warranty
l Emission Performance Warranty These are the federal warranties; other wa\
rranties are provided as
required by state/provincial law. Refer to your separate Warranty and Se\
rvice Records Information
booklet for detailed information concerning each of the warranties.
pg. 125 Maintenance
Periodic maintenance helps minimize emissions
Periodic maintenance will help keep your vehicle running well. Your Warr\
anty and Service Records
Information booklet provides a comprehensive periodic maintenance schedu\
le up to 150,000 miles
(240,000 km) of vehicle maintenance. The schedule includes components \
that affect vehicle emissions.
This page describes some of the emission-related components.
Engine air filter
The engine air filter cleans particles from air entering the engine. Rep\
lace the engine air filter cartridge
with a new one every 37,500 miles (60,000 km) under normal driving con\
ditions. Replace the cartridge
more often when the vehicle is driven under dirty and dusty conditions. \
The cartridge cannot be cleaned,
and should always be replaced with a new one.
Fuel filter
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2003 VOLVO XC90
The fuel filter should be replaced at 120,000 miles (193,000 km). The \
filter is replaced as a complete
unit. Replace more frequently if contaminated fuel is introduced into th\
e tank, or if there is reason to
suspect that this has occurred.
Fuel system, including filler cap, tank, lines, and connections
The ability of the fuel system to contain hydrocarbons depends upon a le\
ak-free system. Inspect fuel
lines every 30,000 miles (48,000 km). Check for proper sealing of the \
fuel filler cap, which contains "O"
ring seals.
NOTE: If the fuel filler cap is not closed tightly or if the engine is running\
when the vehicle is refueled,
the Check Engine light (Malfunction Indicator) may indicate a fault. H\
owever, your vehicle's
performance will not be affected. Use only Volvo original or approved fu\
el filler caps.
Timing belt
For proper functioning of the engine and emission control systems, the t\
iming belt and belt pretensioner
must be replaced every 120,000 miles (193,000 km). Engine damage will \
occur if the belt fails.
PCV system
(on turbocharged models)
The nipple in the intake manifold and the filter at the end of the PCV h\
ose in the air cleaner should be
inspected and cleaned at 120,000 miles (193,000 km), and again at 150,\
000 miles (240,000 km).
Spark plugs
The spark plugs should be replaced every 60,000 miles (96,000 km) unde\
r normal driving conditions.
City driving or fast highway driving may necessitate replacement sooner.\
Under normal driving conditions, spark plugs require no maintenance betw\
een replacement intervals.
When installing new plugs, be sure to use the right type and to tighten \
them correctly. When changing
the plugs, clean the terminals and rubber seals. Also check that the sup\
pressor connectors are in good
condition. Cracked or damaged connectors should be replaced.
pg. 126 Maintenance
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