
2005 VOLVO XC90
affect the fuel pump's ability to supply the engine with an adequate sup\
ply of fuel. Therefore, it is
advisable to refuel as soon as possible when the needle nears the red zo\
ne, or when the fuel warning
light comes on.
WARNING!
Never carry a cell phone that is switched on while refueling your vehicle. If the phone rings, this may
cause a spark that could ignite gasoline fumes, resulting in fire and in\
jury.
CAUTION
- Do not refuel with the engine running *. Turn the ignition off or to p\
osition I. If the ignition is on,
an incorrect reading could occur in the fuel gauge
- After refueling, close the fuel filler cap by turning it clockwise unt\
il it clicks into place*.
- Allow for fuel expansion by not overfilling the tank. Overfilling coul\
d also cause damage to the
emission control systems.
- Avoid spilling gasoline during refueling. In addition to causing damag\
e to the environment,
gasolines containing alcohol can cause damage to painted surfaces, which\
may not be covered under
the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
- Do not use gasolines containing methanol (methyl alcohol, wood alcoho\
l). This practice can result
in vehicle performance deterioration and can damage critical parts in th\
e fuel system. Such damage
may not be covered under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
* If the fuel filler cap is not closed tightly or if the engine is runni\
ng when the vehicle is refueled, the
Check Engine Light (malfunction indicator lamp) may indicate a fault. \
However, your vehicle's
performance will not be affected. Use only Volvo original or approved fu\
el filler caps.
pg. 89 Starting and driving
Starting the engine
1. Fasten the seat belt.
WARNING!
Before starting, check that the seat, steering wheel and mirrors are adj\
usted properly. Make sure the
brake pedal can be depressed completely. Adjust the seat if necessary. S\
ee
pages 58, 60.
2. Apply the parking brake if not already set. The gear selector is lock\
ed in the (P)ark position
(Shiftlock).
Manual transmission: the clutch must be fully depressed.
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2005 VOLVO XC90
* 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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2005 VOLVO XC90
NOTE: Avoid driving on steep inclines if the fuel tank is nearly empty. If the\
flow of fuel to the engine
is interrupted due to the vehicle's angle of inclination, this could res\
ult in damage to the three-way
catalytic converter. We recommend keeping the fuel tank at least half fu\
ll when driving on steep inclines.
Driving through water
l The vehicle should not be driven through water that is deeper than 18 in\
ches (48 cm). Driving through
deeper water could result in damage to transmission components or the di\
fferential, or to the engine if
excess water is drawn in through the air intake system.
l Drive slowly and avoid stopping when driving through water.
l After having driven through water, apply the brakes lightly several time\
s to remove water, mud, etc
from the brake discs.
l Never allow the vehicle to stand in water above the door sills. This cou\
ld result in damage to the
electrical system.
Conserving electrical current
Keep the following in mind to help minimize battery drain:
l When the engine is not running, avoid turning the ignition key to positi\
on II (see page 90). Many
electrical systems (the audio system, the optional infotainment/navigat\
ion systems, power windows, etc)
will function with the ignition key in position I. This position reduces\
drain on the battery.
l Please keep in mind that using systems, accessories, etc that consume a \
great deal of current when the
engine is not running could result in the battery being completely drain\
ed.
NOTE: A warning message will be displayed in the text window in the instrument\
panel when the
battery charge is low.
pg. 93 Starting and driving
Automatic transmission with Geartronic
5-cylinder turbo models
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2005 VOLVO XC90
P Park
Use this position when starting the engine or parking the vehicle.
Never use P while the vehicle is in motion.
The parking brake should also be set whenever the vehicle 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 ignitio\
n key must be in position II) and
the brake pedal must be depressed.
N (Neutral)
Neutral - no gear engaged. Use the parking brake.
6-cylinder turbo models
WARNING!
Never leave the vehicle unattended when the engine is running. If, by mi\
stake, the gear selector is
moved from P, the vehicle may start moving.
R (Reverse)
Never engage R while the vehicle is moving forward.
D (Drive)
D is the normal driving position and should be used as often as possible\
to help improve fuel economy.
The vehicle should not be moving when shifting from R to the D position.
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2005 VOLVO XC90
Shiftgate positions
NOTE:
l 5-cylinder turbo engine: 5 forward speeds.
l 6-cylinder turbo engine: 4 forward speeds.
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 of the gear selector knob to move betwee\
n the R, N, D, and P positions.
pg. 94 Starting and driving
Automatic transmission with Geartronic (contd)
Manual shifting - Geartronic
You can move the gear selector freely between the (MAN)ual and (D)rive positions while driving.
l Models equipped with a 5-cylinder turbo engine have five forward speeds.\
Models equipped with a 6-
cylinder turbo engine have four forward speeds
l A "lock-up" feature on gears 3 and 4 (and 5, if equipped) reduces engi\
ne speed and help saves fuel.
The currently selected gear will be displayed in the instrument panel (\
see
page 26).
l To access the (MAN)ual shifting position from (D)rive, move the gear selector to the left to MAN.
l To return to the (D)rive position from MAN, move the gear selector to the right.
While driving
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.
l Move the gear selector forward (toward "+") to shift to a higher gear \
or rearward (toward "-") to shift
to a lower gear.
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2005 VOLVO XC90
6-cylinder turbo models
pg. 96 Starting and driving
All Wheel Drive
All Wheel Drive (AWD) - general information
Your Volvo can be equipped with permanent All Wheel Drive (option), wh\
ich means that power is
distributed automatically between the front and rear wheels. Under norma\
l driving conditions, most of
the engine's power is directed to the front wheels. However, if there is\
any tendency for the front wheels
to spin, an electronically controlled coupling distributes power to the \
wheels that have the best traction.
Tire dimensions
Volvo recommends that you always drive on tires of the same brand, size,\
construction (radial), tread
pattern, load-, speed-, traction-, temperature-, and treadwear rating. N\
ever drive on mixed tires, except
for brief periods when the temporary spare tire is in use.
Always use properly inflated tires of correct dimensions. Tire size and \
inflation pressures are shown on
the tire inflation pressure placards, located on the driver's side B-pil\
lar (the structural member at the side
of the vehicle, at the rear of the driver's door opening), or on the in\
side of the fuel filler door on
Canadian models.
Temporary Spare
The temporary spare tire is for temporary, lowspeed, short-distance use \
only. Replace it with a full-sized
tire as soon as possible. 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.
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2005 VOLVO XC90
WARNING!
- Do not connect the jumper cable to any part of the fuel system or to a\
ny moving parts. Avoid
touching hot manifolds.
Never expose the battery to open flame or electric spark.
- Do not smoke near the battery.
- Batteries generate hydrogen gas, which is flammable and explosive.
- Battery fluid contains sulphuric acid. Do not allow battery fluid to c\
ontact eyes, skin, fabrics or
painted surfaces. If contact occurs, flush the affected area immediately\
with water. Obtain medical
help immediately if eyes are affected.
- Failure to follow the instructions for jump starting can lead to perso\
nal injury.
pg. 105 Starting and driving
Towing a trailer
The maximum weights recommended by Volvo for trailers with brakes are sh\
own in the table below.
No. of
occupants 1
2 3 4 5 6 7
Seating
position Front
seat Front
seat 2nd row
of seats2nd row
of seats2nd row
of seatsOptional 3rd
row of seats Optional 3rd row of
seats
All Wheel
Drive 5,000
lbs
(2250
kg)5,000
lbs
(2250
kg)4,500
lbs
(2050
kg)3,700
lbs
(1700
kg)2,900
lbs
(1350
kg)
1,800 lbs
(800 kg)
Trailer towing not
recommended
Max. trailer
hitch tongue
load 500 lbs
(225 kg)
500 lbs
(225 kg)450 lbs
(205 kg)370 lbs
(170 kg)290 lbs
(135 kg)180 lbs (80
kg)
-
Front Wheel
Drive 4,000
lbs
(1800
kg)4,000
lbs
(1800
kg)4,000
lbs
(1800
kg)4,000
lbs
(1800
kg)3,700
lbs
(1650
kg)
2,500 lbs
(1150 kg)
1,400 lbs (650 kg)
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2005 VOLVO XC90
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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