2005 VOLVO XC90
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 vehicle is refueled, the Ma\
lfunction Indicator Lamp ("Check
Engine" light) will illuminate.
Important information
Before you operate your vehicle for the first time, please familiarize y\
ourself with the new engine oil
consumption information on
page 86. 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 used 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 its 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
environmental impact.
Volvo's environmental activities are based on a holistic view, which mea\
ns we consider the overall
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A timer automatically switches off the heating to the sideview mirrors a\
fter approximately 4 minutes and
to the rear window after approximately 12 minutes. The LED will go out c\
orrespondingly.
Heated front seats (option)
l The front seat heating can be switched on and off as required.
l Press the switch once for maximum seat heating. Both LED's in the switch\
will be lit.
l Press the switch a second time for comfort heating. One LED in the switc\
h will be lit.
l Press the switch a third time to turn the heating off completely.
The seat heating for the passenger seat should be switched off when the \
seat is not occupied.
pg. 39 Instruments and controls
Trip computer (option)
The trip computer stores information gathered from several systems in yo\
ur vehicle and has four menus
that can be displayed in the text window.
l Driving distance on current fuel reserve
l Average fuel consumption
l Current fuel consumption
l Average speed
l Current speed in mph (Canadian models only)
NOTE: Warning messages from the vehicle's monitoring systems will override the\
trip computer
function. If a warning message is displayed in the text window while you\
are using the trip computer,
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you must acknowledge the message by pressing button A. Press button A ag\
ain to return to the trip
computer function.
Trip computer controls and functions.
The four* trip computer functions can be accessed by twisting control B \
one step at a time in either
direction. Twisting a fifth** time returns you to the original function.\
The trip computer can be reset (current data will be erased from system\
memory) by pressing RESET
(button C).
1. Driving distance on current fuel reserve
This function shows the approximate distance that can be driven on the f\
uel remaining in the tank. This
calculation is based on average fuel consumption during the last 12 mile\
s (20 km) of driving and the
amount of fuel remaining in the tank when the reading was taken.
When the driving distance on current fuel reserve is less than 12 miles \
(20 km), "----" will be displayed
in the text window.
2. Average fuel consumption
This value indicates fuel consumption since the last time the trip compu\
ter was reset (by pressing
RESET, button C). When the engine is switched off, information on fuel \
consumption is stored and
remains in system memory until the RESET (button C) is pressed again.
3. Current fuel consumption
This value indicates the current fuel consumption, based on readings tak\
en once per second. When the
vehicle is not moving, "----" will be displayed.
4. Average speed
This value indicates average speed since the last time the trip computer\
was reset (by pressing RESET,
button C). When the engine is switched off, information on average spee\
d is stored and remains in
system memory until the RESET (button C) is pressed again.
5. Current speed in miles per hour (Canadian models only)
This function provides the driver with an instantaneous conversion of th\
e vehicle's current speed from
km/h to mph.
NOTE: Trip computer readings may vary slightly depending on the circumference\
of the tires on the
vehicle.
* Five functions on Canadian models
** A sixth time on Canadian models
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pg. 86 Starting and driving
Refueling
ENGINE OIL
Although some oil consumption occurs during normal engine operation, mor\
e oil is consumed when the
engine is new as the internal parts generate higher friction while weari\
ng-in to each other. From the time
the engine is new until the first maintenance is performed, the oil cons\
umption could be higher than
normal. For this reason, it is especially important to check the oil eve\
ry time you refuel your vehicle
during this period. See
page 142.
Fuel requirements
Octane rating
Volvo engines are designed for optimum performance on unleaded premium g\
asoline with an AKI
octane rating of 91 or above. AKI (ANTI KNOCK INDEX) is an average of \
the Research Octane
Number, RON, and the Motor Octane Number, MON. ((RON + MON)/2). The \
minimum octane
requirement is AKI 87 (RON 91).
Deposit control gasoline (detergent additives)
Volvo recommends the use of detergent gasoline to control engine deposit\
s. Detergent gasoline is
effective in keeping injectors and intake valves clean. Consistent use o\
f deposit control gasolines will
help ensure good driveability and fuel economy. If you are not sure whet\
her the gasoline contains
deposit control additives, check with the service station operator.
NOTE: Volvo does not recommend the use of external fuel injector cleaning syst\
ems.
Unleaded fuel
Each Volvo has a three-way catalytic converter and must use only unleade\
d gasoline. U.S. and Canadian
regulations require that pumps delivering unleaded gasoline be labelled \
"UNLEADED". Only these
pumps have nozzles which fit your vehicle's filler inlet. It is unlawful\
to dispense leaded fuel into a
vehicle labelled "unleaded gasoline only". Leaded gasoline damages the t\
hree-way catalytic converter
and the heated oxygen sensor system. Repeated use of leaded gasoline wil\
l lessen the effectiveness of
the emission control system and could result in loss of emission warrant\
y coverage. State and local
vehicle inspection programs will make detection of misfueling easier, po\
ssibly resulting in emission test
failure for misfueled vehicles.
NOTE: Some U.S. and Canadian gasolines contain an octane enhancing additive ca\
lled methyl-
cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT). If such fuels are used, \
your Emission Control System
performance may be affected, and the Check Engine Light (malfunction in\
dicator lamp) located on your
instrument panel may light. If this occurs, please return your vehicle t\
o an authorized Volvo retailer for
maintenance.
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* The gear selector must be in the (P)ark position (automatic transmission).
** Please be aware that leaving the key in this position will increase b\
attery drain.
pg. 91 Starting and driving
General information
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. Obs\
erve the following rules:
l 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 eng\
ine uses more fuel and is subject
to increased wear.
l Whenever possible, avoid using the vehicle for driving short distances. \
This does not allow the engine
to reach normal operating temperature.
l Drive carefully and avoid rapid acceleration and hard braking.
l Use the transmission's (D)rive position as often as possible and avoid using "kickdown" to help
improve fuel economy.
l Do not exceed posted speed limits.
l Avoid carrying unnecessary items (extra load) in the vehicle.
l Maintain correct tire pressure. Check tire pressure regularly (when tir\
es are cold).
l Remove snow tires when threat of snow or ice has ended.
l Note that roof racks, ski racks, etc, increase air resistance and also f\
uel consumption.
l At highway driving speeds, fuel consumption will be lower with the air c\
onditioning on and the
windows closed than with the air conditioning off and the windows open. \
l Using the onboard trip computer's fuel consumption modes can help you le\
arn how to drive more
economically.
Other factors that decrease gas mileage are:
l Dirty air cleaner
l Dirty engine oil and clogged oil filter
l Dragging brakes
l Incorrect front end alignment
Some of the above mentioned items and others are checked at the standard\
Maintenance intervals.
Weight distribution affects handling
At the specified curb weight your vehicle has a tendency to understeer, \
which means that the steering
wheel has to be turned more than might seem appropriate for the curvatur\
e of a bend. This ensures good
stability and reduces the risk of rear wheel skid. Remember that these p\
roperties can alter with the
vehicle load. The heavier the load in the cargo area, the less the tende\
ncy to understeer.
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WARNING!
Loads carried on the vehicle's roof should not exceed 220 lbs (100 kg)\
, including the weight of the
load carriers and any other load carrying equipment (ski boxes, bicycle\
racks, etc.). Excessive loads
on the roof can adversely affect the handling and roadholding characteri\
stics of the vehicle.
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. 109 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\
.
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2005 VOLVO XC90
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
page 140 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 mode-enhanced 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 26).
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. 110 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.
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pg. 142 Maintenance
Oil and fluids (contd)
Checking the oil level
The oil level should be checked every time the vehicle is refueled. This\
is especially important
during the period up to the first maintenance. CAUTION
Not checking the oil level regularly can result in serious engine damage\
if the oil level becomes too
low.
Park the vehicle on a level surface and wait for at least 5 minutes afte\
r the engine has been switched
off. Be sure the oil level is maintained between the upper and lower mar\
ks on the dipstick. Low oil
level can cause internal damage to the engine and overfilling can result\
in high oil consumption. The
distance between the dipstick marks represents approx. 1.6 US qt (1.5 l\
iter). The oil should preferably
be checked when cold, before the engine has been started.
NOTE: The engine must be stopped when checking the oil.
WARNING!
Do not allow oil to spill onto or come into contact with hot exhaust pip\
e
surfaces.
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