Page 57 of 123

R (Reverse)
Never engage R while the car is moving.
N (Neutral)
Neutral - no gear engaged. Use the parking brake.
D (Drive)
D is the normal driving position and should be used as often as possible to help improve fuel economy. The car should
not be moving when shifting from R to the D position.
4 (Intermediate gear)
The transmission will shift automatically between gears 4, 3, 2 or 1 from this position. The transmission cannot shift
up to (D)rive from fourth gear.
3 (Intermediate gear)
The transmission will shift automatically between gears 3, 2 and 1 from this position. The transmission cannot shift
up to fourth gear or (D)rive from third gear.
L (Low gears)
The transmission is locked in gears 1 and 2 when the selector is in this position.
NOTE:
· Gears 4, 3, or L can be used if you are driving in a mountainous area, towing a trailer or to increase engine braking
effect.
· The transmission has a built-in limiter designed to help prevent excessive engine speeds (high rpm) when gears 4, 3,
or L are selected.
Automatic transmission - adaptive system
The automatic transmission is controlled by an adaptive system that constantly monitors the way in which the
transmission functions. It senses and adapts each gear shift for optimal performance.
pg. 79 Automatic transmission - five speed
Automatic transmission - shift gate positions
The gear selector can be moved freely between N and D.
Depressing the button on the front of the gear selector knob enables you to move the gear selector to positions P, R, N,
D, 4, 3 and L.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 58 of 123

W Winter/Wet driving mode - enhanced vehicle traction
Mode W will only function if the gear selector is in the (D)rive position.
Press the button at the base of the gear selector to engage/disengage this driving mode (see illustration).
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
).
This mode may be selected for starting/moving off on slippery roads.
Kickdown
Automatic shift to a lower gear (kickdown) is achieved by depressing the accelerator pedal fully and briskly. An
upshift will occur when approaching the top speed for a particular gear or by releasing the accelerator pedal slightly.
Kickdown can be used for maximum acceleration or when passing at highway speeds.
Cold starts
When driving before the engine has reached its normal operating temperature, the transmission will shift up at slightly
higher engine speeds to heat the three-way catalytic converter as quickly as possible.
pg. 80 Automatic transmission (Geartronic)
P (Park)
Use this position when starting the engine or parking the car.
Never use P while the car is in motion.
The parking brake should also be set whenever the car is parked.
The gear selector is mechanically locked in the P position (SHIFTLOCK). To release the gear selector from this
position, the engine must be running (or the ignition key must be in position II) and the brake pedal must be
depressed.
WARNING!
Never leave the car unattended when the engine is running. If, by mistake, the gear selector is moved from P, the car
ProCarManuals.com
Page 59 of 123

may start moving.
R (Reverse)
Never engage R while the car is moving forward.
N (Neutral)
Neutral - no gear engaged. Use the parking brake.
D (Drive)
D is the normal driving position and should be used as often as possible to help improve fuel economy. The car should
not be moving when shifting from R to the D position.
Kickdown
Automatic shift to a lower gear (kickdown) is achieved by depressing the accelerator pedal fully and briskly. An
upshift will occur when approaching the top speed for a particular gear or by releasing the accelerator pedal slightly.
Kickdown can be used for maximum acceleration or when passing at highway speeds. Kickdown does not function
when the transmission is in the manual shift (geartronic) mode (see next page).
Shift gate positions
Automatic transmission - adaptive system
The automatic transmission is controlled by an adaptive control system that constantly monitors the way in which the
transmission functions. It senses and adapts each gear shift for optimal performance. The system also monitors your
particular driving style and adapts gear shifting accordingly.
Automatic transmission - shift gate positions
You can move the gear selector freely between the (MAN) ual and (D)rive positions while driving.
Depress the button on the front side of the gear selector knob to move between the R, N, D and P positions.
Please see the following page for information on using the Geartronic manual shift mode.
pg. 81 Automatic transmission (Geartronic)
Manual shifting - Geartronic
You can move the gear selector freely between the (MAN) ual and (D)rive positions while driving. Gears 2, 3, and 4
have a "lock -up" function which reduces engine speed and helps save fuel.
The currently selected gear will be displayed in the instrument panel (see page 27
).
To access the (MAN)ual shifting position from (D)rive, pull the gear selector back slightly from D and move it to
the left to MAN.
To return to the (D)rive position from MAN, move the gear selector to the right and push it forward to the (D)rive
position.
While driving
ProCarManuals.com
Page 60 of 123

If you select the (MAN)ual position while driving, the gear that was being used in the (D)rive position will also
initially be selected in (MAN)ual position.
Move the gear selector forward (toward "+") to shift to a higher gear or rearward (toward "-") to shift to a lower
gear.
If you hold the gear selector toward "-", the transmission will downshift one gear , and will utilize the braking power
of the engine. If the current speed is too high for using a lower gear, the downshift will not occur until the speed has
decreased enough to allow the lower gear to be used.
If you slow down to a very low speed, the transmission will automatically shift down.
When starting in the (MAN)ual position, 3rd gear is the highest gear that may be selected.
NOTE: Kickdown (see previous page) does not function when the transmission is in the manual shift (geartronic)
mode. The gear selector must be in D (Drive) position.
* Models with a 5-cylinder turbo engine have a 5-speed transmission. Fifth gear also has the lock-up function.
W Winter/Wet driving mode - enhanced vehicle traction
Mode W will only function if the gear selector is in the (D)rive position.
Press the button at the base of the gear selector to engage/disengage this driving mode. The position of this button
may vary slightly on certain models.
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
).
This mode may be selected for starting/moving off on slippery roads.
pg. 82 Four -C active chassis system
Four-C (option)
Your car can be optionally 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 button in the center console (see the illustration on page 31
) can be used at any time to switch between the two
driving modes: Comfort or 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.
Comfort
ProCarManuals.com
Page 61 of 123

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
An indicator lamp in the button will come on when this mode has been activated.
In Sport 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.
pg. 83 Front/rear park assist (option/accessory)
A - front (accessory as available), B - rear (option)
Front/rear park assist
The park assist system(s) are designed to assist you when driving into parking spaces, garages, etc. They utilize
ultrasound sensors located in the bumpers to measure the distance to a vehicle or other object, or a person who may be
close to the front or rear of the vehicle.
When is park assist active?
Front: the system is active from the time the engine is started until the car exceeds a speed of approximately 10 mph
(15 km/h).
Rear: when the engine is running and reverse gear is selected.
NOTE:
· If the vehicle is equipped with front and rear park assist, both systems will either be activated or deactivated together.
They cannot be used separately.
· The indicator light in the button (see the illustration on page 31
) will light up to indicate that park assist system(s) are
activated.
When park assist is actively working:
1. The audio system's volume will be reduced.
2. An intermittent signal will be audible from the speakers to indicate that you are approaching a person, object,
parked vehicle, etc.
The signals begin when the distance between the bumper and the object is:
Rear: approximately 5 feet (1.5 meters)
Front: approximately 2.5 ft (0.8 meters)
3. At a distance of approximately 1 foot (30 cm), the signal will become constant.
Deactivating the system(s)
ProCarManuals.com
Page 62 of 123

· Press the Park assist button on the center console (see page 31) to temporarily deactivate the system(s).
· The indicator light in the button will go out when the system(s) have been deactivated.
· If the vehicle is equipped with front and rear park assist, both systems will be deactivated by pressing the button.
NOTE:
It may be necessary to deactivate one or both of the park assist systems in certain cases.
· Rear park assist: towing a trailer, carrying bicycles in a rear-mounted carrier, etc, could trigger the rear park assist
system's sensors.
· Front park assist: it may not be possible to combine auxiliary headlights and front park assist since these lights
could trigger the system's sensors.
Faults in the system
If a fault should occur in the system, the LED in the button will be switched off and a message will be displayed in the
text window.
Cleaning the sensors
For the system to function properly, the sensors in the front and/or rear bumpers should be kept clean. They can be
cleaned with car washing detergent and a sponge.
WARNING!
These systems are designed to be a supplementary aid when parking the vehicle. They are not, however, intended to
replace the driver's attention and judgement.
pg. 84 Driving economy
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 also 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.
ProCarManuals.com
Page 63 of 123

NOTE: Vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions should use (D)rive as often as possible and avoid using
"kickdown" to help improve fuel economy.
Cooling system
The risk for engine overheating is greatest, especially in hot weather, when:
Towing a trailer up steep inclines for prolonged periods at wide open throttle and low engine rpm.
Stopping the engine suddenly after high speed driving (so-called "after-boiling" can occur).
To avoid overheating, the following rules should be followed:
Do not drive for prolonged periods at engine speeds above 4500 rpm if you are towing a trailer in hilly terrain.
Reduce speed when towing a trailer up long, steep inclines. The risk of overheating can be reduced by switching off
the air conditioning system for a short time.
Do not let the engine idle unnecessarily for prolonged periods.
Do not mount auxiliary lamps in front of the grill.
When the risk of overheating is imminent, or in the event of overheating (the temperature gauge goes repeatedly into,
or stays continually in, the red section), the following precautions should be taken:
Switch off the air conditioning system.
Pull off the road, away from traffic, stop the car and put the gear selector into Park. Do not stop the engine!
Switch the heater to full (maximum) position. Increase the engine speed to approx. 2000 rpm (twice idling speed)
until the temperature begins to drop.
If the warning light in the center of the instrument panel is red, and the message "Coolant level low stop engine" is
displayed, switch off the engine as soon as possible.
WARNING!
Do not remove coolant expansion tank cap. The coolant will be extremely hot.
If necessary, see page 132
for information on checking and topping-up the coolant level.
Contents | Top of Page
ProCarManuals.com
Page 64 of 123

2 0 0 5
VOLVO S80
Chapter 7 - Wheels and tires
pg. 97 Wheels and tires
General information98
Tire inflation99
Tire inflation pressure tables101
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)102
Self supporting run flat tires103
Tire designations104
Glossary of tire terminology105
Vehicle loading106
Uniform tire quality grading107
Snow chains, snow tires, studded tires108
Temporary spare109
Changing a wheel110
pg. 98 Wheels and tires
General information
Your vehicle is equipped with tires according to the vehicle's tire information placard on the B-pillar (the structural
member at the side of the vehicle, at the rear of the driver's door opening), or on the inside of the fuel filler door on
Canadian models.
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
ProCarManuals.com