2003 VOLVO XC90
Press the button on the light switch panel (see page 31) when the car is at a standstill to unlock the fuel filler
door. Please note that the fuel filler door will remain unlocked until t\
he 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 Malfun\
ction Indicator Lamp ("Check Engine"
light) may indicate a fault.
Important information
Before you operate your vehicle for the first time, please familiarize y\
ourself with the new engine oil
consumption information on
page 84. You should also be familiar with the information in chapters one, two \
and eight of this manual.
Information contained in the balance of the manual is extremely useful a\
nd should be read after operating the
vehicle for the first time. The manual is structured so that it can be u\
sed for reference. For this reason, it should
be kept in the vehicle for ready access.
Do not export your Volvo to another country before investigating that co\
untry's applicable safety and exhaust
emission requirements. In some cases it may be difficult or impossible t\
o 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 manu\
al 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. 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
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 r\
eproductive harm. In addition, certain
fluids contained in vehicles and certain products of component wear cont\
ain or emit chemicals known to the
State of California to cause cancer, and birth defects or other reproduc\
tive 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
environment in which we all live. Caring for the environment means an ev\
eryday involvement in reducing our
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2003 VOLVO XC90
1. Headlights/Parking lights 31
2. Instrument lighting 31
3. Panel vents 47
4. Text window 28
5. Temperature gauge 24
6. Odometer/Trip odometer/Cruise control indicator 24, 37
7. Speedometer iv
8. Turn signal indicator lights 24
9. Tachometer 24
10. Ambient temperature gauge, clock, gear indicator 24
11. Fuel gauge 24
12. Indicator and warning symbols 25
13. Panel vents 47
14. Glove compartment 65
15. Hazard warning flashers 35
16. Audio system 159
17. Switches in the center console 29
18. Climate system controls 48
19. Windshield wiper/washer lever 34
20. Audio control buttons in steering wheel 161
21. Instrument panel 24
22. Horn iv
23. Cruise control buttons in steering wheel 37
24. Turn signals, High/low beams 33
25. Front fog lights, Rear fog light 31
26. Parking brake pedal 38
27. Parking brake release handle 38
28. Button for unlocking fuel filler door 31
29. Reading lights 61
30. Courtesy light 61
31. Moonroof control (option) 43
32. Seat belt reminder 27
33. Rearview mirror 42
34. Central locking button 77
35. Lockout switch for rear seat power windows 41
36. Power window controls 40
37. Sideview mirror controls 42
Contents
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2003 VOLVO XC90
During pregnancy
Pregnant women should always wear seat belts. Remember that the belt sho\
uld always be positioned in
such a way as to avoid any possible pressure on the abdomen. The lap por\
tion of the belt should be
located low, as shown in the above illustration.
WARNING!
Seat belts:
l Never use a seat belt for more than one occupant. Never wear the shoulde\
r portion of the belt under
the arm, behind the back or otherwise out of position. Such use could ca\
use injury in the event of an
accident. As seat belts lose much of their strength when exposed to viol\
ent stretching, they should be
replaced after any collision, even if they appear to be undamaged.
l Never repair the belt on your own; have this work done by an authorized \
Volvo retailer only.
l Any device used to induce slack into the shoulder belt portion of the th\
ree-point belt system will
have a detrimental effect on the amount of protection available to you i\
n the event of a collision.
l The seat back should not be tilted too far back. The shoulder belt must \
be taut in order to function
properly.
l Do not use child safety seats or child booster cushions/backrests in the\
front passenger's seat. We
also recommend that children who have outgrown these devices sit in the \
rear seat with the seat belt
properly fastened.
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2003 VOLVO XC90
WARNING!
Never drive an SRS equipped vehicle with your hands on the steering whee\
l pad/airbag
housing.
Passenger side airbag
The airbag on the front passenger side is folded up in a compartment abo\
ve the glove compartment. The
panel is embossed SRS.
WARNING!
No objects, accessory equipment or stickers may be placed on, attached t\
o, or installed near the SRS
cover in the center of the steering wheel, the SRS cover above the glove\
compartment or the area
affected by airbag deployment.
Passenger side airbag - location
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2003 VOLVO XC90
WARNING!
As its name implies, SRS is designed to be a SUPPLEMENT to - not a repla\
cement for - the three-
point belt system. For maximum protection, wear seat belts at all times.\
Be aware that no system can
prevent all possible injuries that may occur in an accident.
When installing any accessory equipment, make sure that the SRS system i\
s not damaged. Do not
attempt to service any component of the SRS yourself. Attempting to do s\
o may result in serious
personal injury. If a problem arises, take your vehicle to the nearest a\
uthorized Volvo retailer for
inspection as soon as possible.
pg. 5 Safety
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2003 VOLVO XC90
NOTE:
Deployment of SRS components occurs only one time during an accident. In\
a collision where
deployment occurs, the airbags and seat belt pretensioners activate. Som\
e noise occurs and a small
amount of powder is released. The release of the powder may appear as sm\
oke-like matter. This is a
normal characteristic and does not indicate fire.
NOTE:
Volvo's dual-threshold, dual-stage airbags use special sensors that are \
integrated with the front seat
buckles. The point at which the airbag deploys is determined by whether \
or not the seat belt is being
used, as well as the severity of the collision. Collisions can occur whe\
re only one of the airbags deploys.
If the impact is less severe, but severe enough to present a clear injur\
y risk, the dual-stage airbags are
triggered at 70% of their total capacity. If the impact is more severe, \
the dual-stage airbags are triggered
at full capacity.
WARNING!
Do not use child safety seats or child booster cushions/backrests in the\
front passenger's seat. We also
recommend that occupants under 4 feet 7 inches (140 cm) in height who \
have outgrown these devices
sit in the rear seat with the seat belt fastened. Never drive with the a\
irbags deployed. The fact that
they hang out can impair the steering of your vehicle. Other safety syst\
ems can also be damaged. The
smoke and dust formed when the airbags are deployed can cause skin and e\
ye irritation in the event of
prolonged exposure.
pg. 6 Safety
Airbags (Supplemental Restraint System) (contd)
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2003 VOLVO XC90
WARNING!
Children must never be allowed in the front passenger's seat. Volvo reco\
mmends that ALL occupants
(adults and children) shorter than 4 feet 7 inches (140 cm) be seate\
d in the back seat of any vehicle
with a front passenger-side airbag. See
page 20 for guidelines.
Occupants in the front passenger's seat must never sit on the edge of th\
e seat, sit leaning toward the
instrument panel or otherwise sit out of position. The occupant's back m\
ust be as upright as comfort
allows and be against the seat back with the seat belt properly fastened\
.
Feet must be on the floor, e.g. not on the dash, seat or out of the wind\
ow. No objects or accessory
equipment, e.g. dashboard covers, may be placed on, attached to, or inst\
alled near the SRS hatch (the
area above the glove compartment) or the area affected by airbag deploy\
ment (see illustration on
page
4).
There should be no loose articles, e.g. coffee cups, on the floor, seat \
or dashboard area. Never try to
open the SRS cover on the steering wheel or the passenger side dash. Thi\
s should only be done by an
authorized Volvo service technician.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in injury to the vehicle\
occupants.
Warning light in the instrument panel
A self-diagnostic system incorporated in the sensor monitors the SRS. Th\
is system does not, however,
monitor the Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) airbags. If a fault i\
s detected, the warning light will
illuminate. The light is included in the warning/indicator light cluster\
in the instrument panel. Normally,
the SRS warning lamp should light up when the ignition key is turned to \
positions I, II or III and should
go out after 7 seconds or when the engine is started. Check that this li\
ght is functioning properly every
time the vehicle is started.
The following items are monitored by the self-diagnostic system:
l Sensor unit
l Cable harness
l Gas generator
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2003 VOLVO XC90
WARNING!
If the SRS warning light stays on after the engine has started or if it \
comes on while you are driving,
drive the vehicle to the nearest authorized Volvo retailer for inspectio\
n as soon as possible.
pg. 7 Safety
When are the airbags deployed?
The information on this page pertains to SRS (front) airbags only. For\
information about Side Impact
Protection System (SIPS) airbags, please see
page 10. For Inflatable Curtain (IC) airbags, please see
page 12.
The SRS system is designed to deploy during certain frontal or front-ang\
ular collisions, impacts, or
decelerations, depending on the crash severity, angle, speed and object \
impacted. The SRS sensor is
designed to react to both the impact of the collision and the inertial f\
orces generated by it and to
determine if the intensity of the collision is sufficient for the seat b\
elt pretensioners or airbags to be
deployed.
If the airbags have been deployed, we recommend the following:
l Have the vehicle towed to an authorized Volvo retailer. Never drive with\
the airbags deployed.
l Have an authorized Volvo retailer replace the SRS system components.
l Use only new, Genuine Volvo Parts when replacing SRS components (airbag\
s, seat belts,
pretensioners, etc.).
When are the airbags NOT deployed?
Not all frontal collisions activate the SRS system. If the collision inv\
olves a nonrigid object (e.g., a snow
drift or bush), or a rigid, fixed object at a low speed, the SRS system\
will not necessarily deploy. Front
airbags do not normally deploy in a side impact collision, in a collisio\
n from the rear or in a rollover
situation. The amount of damage to the bodywork does not reliably indica\
te if the airbags should have
deployed or not.
Seat belts - the heart of the Volvo safety system
The heart of the Volvo safety system is the three-point seat belt (a Vo\
lvo invention)! In order for the
SRS system to provide the protection intended, seat belts must be worn a\
t all times by everyone in the
vehicle. The SRS system is a supplement to the seat belts.
WARNING!
Never drive with the airbags deployed. The fact that they hang out can i\
mpair the steering of your
vehicle. Other safety systems can also be damaged. The smoke and dust fo\
rmed when the airbags are
deployed can cause skin and eye irritation in the event of prolonged exp\
osure.
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