Volvo Cars of North America Volvo Cars of Canada Ltd.
Customer Relations175 Gordon Baker Road
P.O. Box 914 North York, Ontario M2H 2N7
Rockleigh, New Jersey 07647-0914 800-663-8255
800-458-1552
We also invite you to visit our Home Page on the Internet at:
http://www.volvocars.com
Contents
Contents
Chapter 1 - Occupant safety
Chapter 2 - Instruments, switches and controls
Chapter 3 - Body and interior
Chapter 4 - Starting and driving
Chapter 5 - Wheels and tires
Chapter 6 - In case of an emergency
Chapter 7 - Car care
Chapter 8 - Volvo Service
Chapter 9 - Specifications
Chapter 10 - Audio systems
Homelink® Universal Transceiver (option)
Index
Back Cover
General information
Important
Before you operate your car for the first time, please familiarize yourself with the BREAK-IN information on
page 60.
You should also be familiar with the information in the first three chapters 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.
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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 tank cover
The fuel tank cover is locked and must be popped open using the control on the driver's door (see illustration on page
14).
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 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 in your Warranty and Service Records Information booklet.
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
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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 speed limit.
Avoid carrying unnecessary items (extra load) in the car.
Maintain correct tire pressure. Check tire pressure regularly (check when tires are cold).
Remove snow tires when threat of snow or ice has ended.
Note that trunk-mounted luggage racks increase air resistance and thereby fuel consumption.
Avoid using automatic transmission kickdown feature unless necessary.
Avoid using the air conditioning when it is not required. When engaged, the air conditioner's compressor places an
additional load on the engine. However, please note that fuel consumption is lower with the air conditioning on than it
is when driving with the air conditioning switched off and the windows down.
If your car is equipped with the optional Trip Computer, utilizing the fuel consumption modes can help you "learn"
how to drive more economically.
Other factors which 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 : (D)rive or 5th gear (manual transmissions) should be used as often as possible to help improve fuel economy.
pg. 64 Starting the Engine
Starting and stopping
1. Fasten the seat belt.
WARNING!
Before starting, check that the seat, steering wheel and mirrors are adjusted properly. Make sure the brake pedal can
be depressed completely. Move the seat closer if necessary. Refer to section "front seats".
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 step 3.
For cold starts at altitudes above 6000 ft (1800 meters), depress the accelerator pedal halfway and turn the key to the
starting position. Release the pedal slowly when the engine starts.
4. To release the gear selector from the (P)ark position (automatic transmission), the ignition key must be in position II
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2 0 0 4
VOLVO C70
Chapter 5 - Wheels and tires
pg. 79 Wheels and tires
Page
General information, Wear indicator, Tire economy, Flat spots 80
Snow chains, Snow tires81
Inflation pressure82
Uniform tire quality grading83
pg. 80 Wheels and tires
General information
Your vehicle is equipped with tires according to the tire information label located on the rear facing side of the
right front door.
The following is an example of a tire designation code 225/50R16:
225 = tire width in mm.
50 = tire profile. This is the relationship (in percent) between the section height and width of the tire.
R = radial tires.
16 = diameter in 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 somewhat higher degree of road holding on slippery surfaces
than tires without the "all-season" rating. However, for optimum road holding on icy or snow covered roads we
recommend 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 car's roadholding and handling characteristics.
NOTE: When storing wheel/tire assemblies (e.g. winter tires and wheels), either 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
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tire damage.
Wear indicator
The tires have a so called "wear indicator" in the form of a number of narrow strips running across or parallel to the
tread. When approx. 1/16" (1.6 mm) is left on the tread, these strips become visible and indicate that the tire should be
replaced.
Tires with less than 1/16" (1.6 mm) tread have a very poor grip in rain or snow.
When replacing worn tires, it is recommended that the tire be identical in type (radial) and size as the one being
replaced. Using a tire of the same make (manufacturer) will prevent alteration of the driving characteristics of the
vehicle.
To improve tire economy:
Maintain correct tire pressure.
Drive smoothly: avoid fast starts, hard braking and tire screeching.
Tire wear increases with speed.
Correct front wheel alignment is very important.
Unbalanced wheels impair tire economy and driving comfort.
If the wheels are rotated, they should be kept on the same side of the car so that they revolve in the same direction
as prior to rotation.
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 parked, the tires have a tendency to distort
slightly, forming flat spots. These flat spots can cause vibrations 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. Remember that, in cold weather, it takes longer for the tire to warm up and consequently longer for the
flat spot to disappear.
pg. 81 Wheels and tires
Snow chains
Snow chains can be used on your Volvo with the following restrictions:
Snow chains should be installed on front wheels only. Use only Volvo approved snow chains.
Snow chains may be mounted on tire dimension 195/65R15. Tire dimension 205/55R16 requires a special type of
snow chain. Consult your Volvo retailer.
If accessory, aftermarket or "custom" tires and wheels are installed and are of a size different than the original tires
and wheels, chains in some cases CANNOT be used. Snow chains cannot be used on those models fitted with all-
season tires 225/50 R16 or 225/45 R17 or 225/40R18. Sufficient clearances between chains and brakes, suspension
and body components must be maintained.
Some strap -on type chains will interfere with brake components and therefore CANNOT be used.
Consult your Volvo retailer for additional snow chain information.
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CAUTION:
Check local regulations regarding the use of snow chains before installing.
Always follow the chain manufacturer's installation instructions carefully. Install chains as tightly as possible and
retighten periodically.
Never exceed the chain manufacturer's specified maximum speed limit. (Under no circumstances should that limit
be higher than 30 mph (45 km/h).
Avoid bumps, holes or sharp turns when driving with snow chains.
The handling of the vehicle can be adversely affected when driving with chains. Avoid fast or sharp turns as well as
locked wheel braking.
Snow tires, studded tires *
Tires for winter use:
Owners who live in or regularly commute through areas with sustained periods of snow or icy driving
conditions are strongly advised to fit suitable winter tires to help retain the highest degree of traction.
It is important to install winter tires on all four wheels to help retain traction during cornering, braking, and
accelerating. Failure to do so could reduce traction to an unsafe level or adversely affect handling. Do not mix tires of
different design as this could also negatively affect overall tire road grip. Volvo recommends 195/65 R15 winter tires
on 15" steel wheels on all C70 models including those equipped with 16", 17" or 18" 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 which the car should be driven as smoothly as
possible to give the studs the opportunity to seat properly in the tires. The car 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 of the car.
NOTE: Please consult state or provincial regulations restricting the use of studded winter tires before installing such
tires.
* Where permitted.
pg. 82 Wheels and tires
Checking and correcting tire pressure
Check the tire pressure when refuelling.
The tire pressure should be corrected only when the tires are cold.
With warm tires, correct only when the pressure is too low. The tire temperature rises after driving just a few miles.
Tire rotation
Volvo recommends rotating the tires every 7,500 miles (12,000 km) and 15,000 miles (24,000 km). Tires should be
rotated front -to-back/back-to-front only. Tires must maintain the same direction of rotation throughout their lifetime,
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and should never be rotated from one side of the vehicle to the other.
Vehicle loading
The tires on your Volvo will perform to specifications at all normal loads when inflated as recommended on the tire
information label located on the rear facing edge of the passenger's door*. This label also lists vehicle load limits.
Do not load your car beyond the indicated limits.
*Please note that the tire information label indicates pressure for both comfort and fuel economy.
Tire pressure label
pg. 83 Wheels and tires
Uniform tire quality grading
ALL PASSENGER CAR TIRES MUST CONFORM TO FEDERAL SAFETY REQUIREMENTS IN
ADDITION TO THESE GRADES
TREADWEAR
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified government test course. For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and one half (1 1/2) times as
well on the government course as a tire graded 100. The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual
conditions of their use, however, and many depart significantly from the norm due to variation in driving habits,
service practices and differences in road characteristics and climate.
TRACTION
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B, and C, as measured under controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor traction performance.WARNING!
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on braking (straight-ahead) traction tests and does not include
cornering (turning) traction.
TEMPERATURE
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The temperature grades are AA (the highest), A, B, and C, representing the tire's resistance to the generation of heat
and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a minimum level of performance that all
passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher
levels of performance on the laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by law.WARNING!
The temperature grade for this tire is established for a tire that is properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive
speed, underinflation, or excessive loading, either separately or in combination, can cause heat buildup and possible
tire failure.
pg. 84 This page left intentionally blank
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