Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
The ABS system in your car performs a self -diagnostic test when the vehicle first reaches the speed of approximately
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 filler door
Press the button on the light switch panel (see page 34
) when the car is at a standstill to unlock the fuel filler door.
Please note that the fuel filler door will remain unlocked until the 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 Malfunction Indicator Lamp ("Check Engine" light) may
indicate a fault.
WARNING! If your vehicle is involved in an accident, unseen damage may affect your vehicle's driveability and
safety.
Important
Before you operate your car for the first time, please familiarize yourself with the new-engine oil consumption
information on page 137
. You should also be familiar with the information in the chapters one, two and four 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.
The manual is structured so that it can be used for reference. For this reason, it should be kept in the car for
ready access.
Do not export your Volvo to another country before investigating that country's applicable safety and exhaust
emission requirements. In some cases it may be difficult or impossible to 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 manual 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 and that 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
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 reproductive harm. In addition, certain
fluids contained in vehicles and certain products of component wear contain or emit chemicals known to the State
of California to cause cancer, and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
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2 0 0 4
VOLVO V70
Chapter 1 - Safety
pg. 1 Safety
Not wearing a seat belt is like believing "It'll never happen to me!" Volvo, the inventor of the three-point seat belt,
urges you and all adult occupants of your car to wear seat belts and ensure that children are properly restrained, using
an infant, car or booster seat determined by age, weight and height. Volvo also believes no child should sit in the front
seat of a car.
Fact: In every state and province, some type of child-restraint legislation has been passed. Additionally, most states
and provinces have already made it mandatory for occupants of a car to use seat belts.
So, urging you to "buckle up" is not just our recommendation - legislation in your state or province may mandate seat
belt usage. The few seconds it takes to buckle up may one day allow you to say, "It's a good thing I was wearing my
seat belt."
Seat belts
2
Center head restraint3
Front airbags (SRS)4
Side impact airbags (SIPS)8
Volvo Inflatable Curtain (VIC)9
Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS)10
Child safety11
Occupant safety17
Brake system18
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)19
Stability Traction Control (STC)20
Dynamic Stability Traction Control (DSTC)20
pg. 2 Seat belts
Seat belts
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If the inflatable curtain deploys, it remains inflated for approximately 3 seconds.
WARNING!
The IC system is a supplement to the Side Impact Protection System. It is not designed to deploy during collisions
from the front or rear of the car or in rollover situations.
Never try to open or repair any components of the IC system. This should be done only by an authorized Volvo
service technician.
The inflatable curtains are designed to deploy only during certain side-impact collisions, depending on the crash
severity, angle, speed and impact. The inflatable curtains are not designed to deploy in all side impact situations.
In order for the IC to provide its best protection, both front seat occupants and both outboard rear seat occupants
should sit in an upright position with the seat belt properly fastened; adults using the seat belt and children using the
proper child restraint system. Only adults should sit in the front seats. Children must never be allowed in the front
passenger seat. See page 14
for guidelines. Failure to follow these instructions can result in injury to the vehicle
occupants.
When the rear seat backrest(s) are folded down, the car should not be loaded to a level higher than 2 in. (5 cm)
below the upper edge of the rear passenger door windows. Objects placed higher than this level could impede the
function of the inflatable curtain.
pg. 10 Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS)
Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS) - front seats only
The WHIPS system consists of specially designed hinges and brackets on the front seat backrests and head restraints
designed to help absorb some of the energy generated in a collision from the rear ("rear-ended").
In the event of a collision of this type, the hinges and brackets of the front seat backrests are designed to change
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position slightly to allow the backrest/head restraint to help support the occupant's head before moving slightly
rearward. This movement helps absorb some of the forces that could result in the whiplash effect.
Do not wedge boxes, suitcases, etc. behind front seats
WARNING!
Any contact between the front seat backrests and the folded rear seat could impede the function of the WHIPS
system. If the rear seat is folded down, the occupied front seats must be adjusted forward so that they do not touch
the folded rear seat.
Boxes, suitcases, etc. wedged behind the front seats (see illustration above) could impede the function of the
WHIPS system.
The WHIPS system is designed to supplement the other safety systems in your car. For this system to function
properly, the three-point seat belt must be worn. Please be aware that no system can prevent all possible injuries that
may occur in an accident.
If your car has been involved in a collision, the front seat backrests must be inspected by an authorized Volvo
retailer even if the seats appear to be undamaged. Certain components in the WHIPS system may need to be
replaced. Do not attempt to service any component in the WHIPS system yourself.
If the rear seat backrests are folded down, cargo must be secured to prevent it from sliding forward against the
front seat backrests in the event of a collision from the rear. This could interfere with the action of the WHIPS
system.
The WHIPS system is designed to function in certain collisions from the rear, depending on the crash severity,
angle and speed.
Occupants in the front seats must never sit out of position. The occupant's back must be as upright as comfort
allows and be against the seat back with the seat belt properly fastened.
Contents | Top of Page
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If the light comes on while the engine is running, have the charging system checked.
* Rear fog light, if used, and trailer turn signal, if towing a trailer, will go on while driving.
pg. 29 Indicator and warning lights
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 will light up if the computer senses a condition that
potentially may need correcting. When this happens, 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, emission cleanliness, and driveability. Extended driving
without correcting the cause could even damage other components 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 running 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 inspection. See page 19
for additional information.
Stability Traction Control (STC) system (option), or Dynamic Stability and
Traction Control (DSTC) system (option)
An indicator light will flash when STC or DSTC is actively working to stabilize the car. See pages 20-21 for more
detailed information.
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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 Four -C active chassis system (R-models only)
Four-C
R-models are equipped with the Four-C (Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept) system.
This system is based on a number of sensors that continuously monitor factors such as the car's lateral and vertical
movements, speed, and movements of the wheels. The sensors receive data up to 500 times per second, which is used
to provide extremely fast and precise adjustment of each shock absorber. The system adjusts the stiffness of the shock
absorbers approximately 100 times per second.
The buttons in the center of the dashboard (see the illustration above) can be used at any time to switch between three
driving modes: Comfort, Sport, or Advanced sport.
The system then adjusts the stiffness of the shock absorbers accordingly, for example when the type of road changes,
or if the driver wishes to change driving style. This adjustment takes place instantaneously.
The effect of pressure on the throttle pedal is linked to the selected mode, where the Advanced sport setting provides
the most immediate throttle response.
Comfort
The Comfort mode chassis setting offers the greatest amount of shock absorption and the softest ride. This mode is
recommended for long-distance driving, or when driving in slippery conditions.
If Comfort mode was selected when the engine was switched off, this mode will be active when the engine is restarted.
Sport
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In this mode, shock absorption is stiffer to reduce the car's body sway during cornering and to provide more immediate
steering response.
If this setting was selected when the engine was switched off, Sport mode will be active when the engine is restarted.
Advanced sport
In this mode, movement of the shock absorbers is minimal, response from pressure on the throttle pedal is more direct,
and body sway in curves or when cornering is sharply reduced.
If Advanced sport mode was selected when the engine was switched off, Sport mode will be active when the engine
is restarted.
pg. 96 Driving economy, Handling
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. Observe the following rules:
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 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 posted speed limits.
Avoid carrying unnecessary items (extra load) in the car.
Maintain correct tire pressure. Check tire pressure regularly (when tires are cold).
Remove snow tires when threat of snow or ice has ended.
Note that roof racks, ski racks, etc., increase air resistance and fuel consumption.
Avoid using automatic transmission kickdown feature unless necessary.
Avoid using the air conditioning when it is not required. When engaged, the A/C compressor places an additional
load on the engine. However, at higher driving speeds, fuel consumption will be lower with the air conditioning on and
the windows closed than with the air conditioning off and the windows open.
Using the onboard trip computer's fuel consumption modes can help you learn how to drive more economically.
Other factors that 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: Vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions should use (D)rive as often 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 highest gear that still allows smooth acceleration.
Handling, roadholding
Vehicle load, tire design and inflation pressure all affect vehicle handling. 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
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Ordinary fuses
LocationAmperage
1 Accessories 25A
2 Auxiliary lamps (option) 20A
-
4 Oxygen sensors 20A
5 Crankcase ventilation heater, solenoid valves 10A
6 Mass airflow sensor, engine control module, injectors 15A
7 Throttle module 10A
8 A/C compressor, accelerator pedal position sensor, E-box fan 10A
9 Horn 15A
10 Tailgate wiper 10A
11 Ignition coils 20A
12 Brake light switch 5A
13 Windshield wipers 25A
14 ABS/STC/DSTC 30A
15 -
16 Windshield washers, headlight wiper/washers (certain models) 15A
17 Low beam, right 10A
18 Low beam, left 10A
19 ABS/STC/DSTC 30A
20 High beam, left 15A
21 High beam, right 15A
22 Starter motor 25A
23 Engine control module 5A
24 -
pg. 120 Fuses in the passenger compartment
Fuse box in the passenger compartment
This fuse box is located at the far left side of the instrument panel. Extra fuses and the fuse removal tool are also stored
here. When replacing a blown fuse, be sure to replace it with a new one of the same color and amperage (written on
the fuse).
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