
2005 VOLVO XC90
WARNING! If a fault in the system is detected and indicated as explained above, \
be aware that
the passenger's side front airbag will not deploy in the event of a coll\
ision. In this case, the safety
systems and Occupant Weight Sensor should be inspected by an authorized \
Volvo retailer as soon as
possible.
pg. 8 Safety
WARNING!
Never try to open, remove, or repair any components in the OWS system. T\
his could result in system
malfunction. Maintenance or repairs should only be carried out by an aut\
horized Volvo service
technician.
WARNING!
Keep the following points in mind with respect to the OWS system. Failur\
e to follow these
instructions could adversely affect the system's function and result in \
serious injury to the occupant of
the front passenger's seat:
The full weight of the front seat passenger should always be on the seat\
cushion. The passenger
should never lift him/herself off the seat cushion using the armrest in \
the door or the center console,
by pressing the feet on the floor, by sitting on the edge of the seat cu\
shion, or by pressing against the
backrest in a way that reduces pressure on the seat cushion. This could \
cause OWS to disable the
front, passenger's side airbag.
The front passenger's seat should not be modified in any way. This could\
reduce pressure on the seat
cushion, which might interfere with the OWS system's function.
Do not place any type of object on the front passenger's seat in such a \
way that jamming, pressing, or
squeezing occurs between the object and the front seat, other than as a \
direct result of the correct use
of the ALR/ELR seat belt (see
page 22).
No objects should be placed under the front passenger's seat. This could\
interfere with the OWS
system's function.
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2005 VOLVO XC90
Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS) - front seats only
WHIPS consists of specially designed hinges and brackets on the front se\
at backrests and head restraints
designed to help absorb some of the energy generated in a rear-end colli\
sion.
In the event of a collision of this type, the hinges and brackets of the\
front seat backrests are designed to
change position slightly to allow the backrest/head restraint to help su\
pport the occupant's head before
moving slightly rearward. This movement helps absorb some of the forces \
that could result in the
whiplash effect.
WARNING!
WHIPS is designed to supplement the other safety systems in your vehicle\
. For this system to
function properly, the three-point seat belt must be worn. Please be awa\
re that no system can prevent
all possible injuries that may occur in an accident.
If your vehicle has been involved in a collision, the front seat backres\
ts must be inspected by an
authorized Volvo retailer even, if the seats appear to be undamaged. Cer\
tain components in the
WHIPS system may need to be replaced. Do not attempt to service any comp\
onent in the WHIPS
system yourself.
WARNING!
If the rear seat backrests are folded down, cargo must be secured to pre\
vent it from sliding forward
against the front seat backrests in the event of a collision from the re\
ar. 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 occupan\
t's back must be as upright as
comfort allows and be against the seat back with the seat belt properly \
fastened.
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2005 VOLVO XC90
Important!
Why Volvo believes no child should sit in the front seat of a vehicle
It's quite simple really. A front airbag is a very powerful device desig\
ned, by law, to help protect an
adult. Because of the size of the airbag and its speed of inflation, a c\
hild should never be placed in the
front seat, even if he or she is properly belted or strapped into a chil\
d safety seat. Volvo has been an
innovator in safety for over seventy-five years, and we'll continue to d\
o our part. But we need your help.
Please remember to put your children in the back seat, and buckle them u\
p.
Volvo has some very specific recommendations:
l Always wear your seat belt.
l Airbags are a SUPPLEMENTAL safety device which, when used with a three-p\
oint seat belt can help
reduce serious injuries during certain types of accidents. Volvo recomme\
nds that you do not disconnect
the airbag system in your vehicle.
l Volvo strongly recommends that everyone in the vehicle be properly restr\
ained.
l Volvo recommends that ALL occupants (adults and children) shorter than\
four feet seven inches (140
cm) be seated in the back seat of any vehicle with a front passenger si\
de airbag.
Drive safely!
* Automatic Locking Retractor/Emergency Locking Retractor
pg. 23 Safety
Occupant safety, Reporting safety defects
Seat belt maintenance
Check periodically that the seat belts are in good condition. Use water \
and a mild detergent for cleaning.
Check seat belt mechanism function as follows: attach the seat belt and \
pull rapidly on the strap.
Volvo concern for safety
Safety is Volvo's cornerstone. Our concern dates back to 1927 when the f\
irst Volvo rolled off the
production line. Three-point seat belts (a Volvo invention), safety ca\
ges, and energy-absorbing impact
zones were designed into Volvo vehicles long before it was fashionable o\
r required by government
regulation. We will not compromise our commitment to safety. We continue\
to seek out new safety
features and to refine those already in our vehicles. You can help. We w\
ould appreciate hearing your
suggestions about improving automobile safety. We also want to know if y\
ou ever have a safety concern
with your vehicle. Call us in the U.S. at: 800-458-1552 or in Canada at:\
800-663-8255.
Occupant safety
How safely you drive doesn't depend on how old you are, but rather on:
l How well you see.
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2005 VOLVO XC90
pg. 37 Instruments and controls
Tailgate wiper/washer, Water repellant glass
Tailgate wiper/washer
A - Intermittent wiping
B - Normal wiping
Move the lever forward to start the tailgate washer.
Tailgate wiper and reverse gear
If the front wipers are on and the car is put into reverse gear, then th\
e tailgate wiper will go into
intermittent wiping function*.
If the tailgate wiper is already in normal wiping function, the normal w\
iping function will continue.
* Consult your Volvo retailer if you would like to have this function de\
activated.
Water repellent glass (sideview mirrors) - option
The sideview mirrors may be treated with a water repellent coating. This\
improves vision by causing
water to run off quickly. See
page 131 for information on cleaning this type of glass.
CAUTION:
- Use only suitable plastic scrapers to remove ice or snow from the mirr\
ors. Using a metal ice scraper
could damage the water repellent coating.
- Use the heating function to remove ice, snow, or mist from the mirrors\
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2005 VOLVO XC90
Keys
Two types of keys are provided with your vehicle; master keys and a serv\
ice (valet) key. The master
key, the remote control, and the central locking button may all be used \
to lock and unlock all of your
vehicle's locks.
The service key will operate only the driver's door and the ignition swi\
tch. It is intended to help deter
unwanted entry into the glove compartment.
To use your keys:
l Turn the key once to unlock the driver's door only.
l Turn the key again (within 10 seconds) to unlock all doors and the tai\
lgate.
l One turn with the key towards lock in the drivers door locks all doors, \
tailgate.
l Use the switch on the driver's door armrest to lock/unlock the vehicle f\
rom the inside.
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2005 VOLVO XC90
To attach the towing eyelet:
A Use a coin to pry open the lower edge of the cover (A).
B Screw the towing eyelet (C) in place (B), first by hand and then us\
ing the tire iron until it is securely
in place.
After the vehicle has been towed, the eyelet should be removed and retur\
ned to the tool bag. Press the
cover back into position.
Precautions when the vehicle is in tow
l The steering wheel must be unlocked. Turn the ignition key to position I\
or II.
l The gear selector must be in position N.
l Maximum speed: 50 mph (80 km/h). Do not exceed the maximum allowable t\
owing speed.
l Maximum distance with front wheels on ground: 50 miles (80 km).
l While the vehicle is being towed, try to keep the tow rope taut at all t\
imes.
l The vehicle should only be towed in forward direction.
CAUTION
- Please check with state and local authorities before attempting this t\
ype of towing, as vehicles being
towed are subject to regulations regarding maximum towing speed, length \
and type of towing device,
lighting, etc.
- If the vehicle's battery is dead, do not attempt to start the vehicle \
by pushing or pulling it as this will
damage the three-way catalytic converter(s). The engine must be jump s\
tarted using an auxiliary
battery (see
page 104).
- If the vehicle is being towed on a flat bed truck, the towing eyelets \
must not be used to secure the
vehicle on the flat bed. Consult the tow truck operator.
WARNING!
- Remember that the power brakes and power steering will not function wh\
en engine is not running.
The braking and steering systems will function but the brake pedal press\
ure required is 3 - 4 times
above normal and greater steering effort must be exerted.
- The towing eyelets must not be used for pulling the vehicle out of a d\
itch or for any similar purpose
involving severe strain. Do not use the towing eyelets to pull the vehic\
le up onto a flat bed tow truck.
pg. 103 Starting and driving
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2005 VOLVO XC90
Towing vehicles with front wheel drive/All Wheel Drive
Volvo recommends the use of flat bed equipment.
If wheel lift equipment must be used, please use extreme caution to help\
avoid damage to the vehicle. In
this case, the vehicle should be towed with the rear wheels on the groun\
d if at all possible.
If it is absolutely necessary to tow the vehicle with the front wheels o\
n the ground, please refer to the
towing information on the previous page. CAUTION
Sling-type equipment applied at the front will damage radiator and air c\
onditioning lines.
It is equally important not to use sling-type equipment at the rear or a\
pply lifting equipment inside the
rear wheels; serious damage to the rear axle may result.
If the vehicle is being towed on a flat bed truck, the towing eyelets mu\
st not be used to secure the
vehicle on the flat bed. Consult the tow truck operator.
WARNING!
Do not use the towing eyelets to pull the vehicle up onto a flat bed tow\
truck.
pg. 104 Starting and driving
Jump starting
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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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