Have your eyes checked regularly.
Keep your windshield and headlights clean.
Replace wiper blades when they start to leave streaks.
Take into account the traffic, road, and weather conditions, particularly with regard to stopping distance.
Reporting safety defects in the U.S.
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which could cause a crash or could cause injury or death, you should
immediately inform the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in addition to notifying Volvo Cars
of North America. If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety
defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA cannot become
involved in individual problems between you, your retailer, or Volvo Cars of North America. To contact NHTSA, you
may either call the Auto Safety Hotline toll-free at 1- 800-424-9393 (or 202-366-0123 in Washington, D.C. area) or
write to: NHTSA, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington D.C. 20590. You can also obtain other information
about motor vehicle safety from the Hotline.
Volvo strongly recommends that if your vehicle is covered under a service campaign, safety or emission recall or
similar action, it should be completed as soon as possible. Please check with your local retailer or Volvo Cars of North
America, LLC if your vehicle is covered under these conditions. NHTSA can be reached at:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov
or by phone at:
1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327- 4236) (toll free)
1-800-424-9393 (toll free)
1-202-366-0123 (in the Washington DC area)
pg. 11 Seat belts
Seat belts
Adjusting the seat belt
Using seat belts
Volvo, the inventor of the three-point seat belt, urges you and all occupants of your vehicle 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 vehicle.
Most states and provinces make it mandatory for occupants of a vehicle to use seat belts.
Seat belt tensioners
The front and rear outboard seat belts are equipped with tensioners that reduce slack in the belts. These tensioners are
triggered in situations where the airbags deploy. The front seat belts also include a tension reducing device which, in
the event of a collision, limits the peak forces exerted by the seat belt on the occupant.
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is not approved by Volvo. Different types of antifreeze must not be mixed.
Volvo recommends using only genuine Volvo antifreeze in your vehicle's radiator.
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 fuel line de -icer before refueling.
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
1 , is recommended. Be sure to use good quality oil but do not use cold-weather oil for hard driving or in
warm weather. See page 179
for more information.
The load placed on the battery is greater during the winter since the windshield wipers, lighting, etc. 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
anti-rust oil on the battery posts.
Volvo recommends the use of snow tires on all four wheels for winter driving - see the chapter "Wheels and tires."
To prevent the washer fluid reservoir from freezing, add washer solvents containing antifreeze (see page 145 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 diluted 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.
Use Volvo Teflon Lock Spray in the locks.
NOTE: Avoid using de -icing sprays as they can cause damage to the locks.
1. Synthetic oil is not used when the oil is changed at the normal maintenance intervals except at owner request and at
additional charge.
Conserving electrical current
Keep the following in mind to help minimize battery drain:
When the engine is not running, avoid turning the ignition key to position II. Many electrical systems (the audio
pg. 94 General information
system, the optional navigation system, power windows, etc) will function with the ignition key in position I. This
position reduces drain on the battery.
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 drained.
The optional 12 volt socket in the trunk provides electrical current even with the ignition switched off, which drains
the battery.
NOTE: If the ignition is switched on, a warning message will be displayed in the text window in the instrument panel
when the battery charge is low.
An energy conserving function designed into the vehicle's electrical system will switch off certain functions or reduce
the load on the battery by, e.g., reducing the audio system's volume.
Before a long distance trip
It is always worthwhile to have your vehicle checked by a trained and qualified Volvo service technician before
driving long distances. Your retailer will also be able to supply you with bulbs, fuses, spark plugs 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:
Check that engine runs smoothly and that fuel consumption is normal.
Check for fuel, oil, and fluid leakage
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2 0 0 6
VOLVO S40
Chapter 9 - Vehicle care
pg. 135 Vehicle care
Washing and cleaning the car136
Paint touch up139
pg. 136 Washing and cleaning the car
Washing and cleaning the car
Washing the car
The following points should be kept in mind when washing and cleaning the car:
The car should be washed at regular intervals since dirt, dust, insects and tar spots adhere to the paint and may cause
damage. To help prevent corrosion, it is particularly important to wash the car frequently in the wintertime.
Avoid washing your car in direct sunlight. Doing so may cause detergents and wax to dry out and become abrasive.
To avoid scratching, use lukewarm water to soften the dirt before you wash with a soft sponge, and plenty of sudsy
water.
Bird droppings : Remove from paint work as soon as possible. Otherwise the finish may be permanently damaged.
A detergent can be used to facilitate the softening of dirt and oil.
A water-soluble grease solvent may be used in cases of sticky dirt. However, use a wash place equipped with a
drainage separator.
Dry the car with a clean chamois and remember to clean the drain holes in the doors and rocker panels.
Tar spots can be removed with kerosene or tar remover after the car has been washed.
A stiff-bristle brush and lukewarm soapy water can be used to clean the wiper blades. Frequent cleaning improves
visibility considerably.
Wash off the dirt from the underside (wheel housings, fenders, etc).
In areas of high industrial fallout, more frequent washing is recommended.
After cleaning the engine, the spark plug wells should be inspected for water and blown dry if necessary.
Exterior plastic components
Cleaning exterior plastic components should be done with a cleaning agent specially designed for this purpose.
Solvents or stain removers should not be used. Consult your Volvo retailer.
NOTE: When washing the car, remember to remove dirt from the drain holes in the doors and sills.
CAUTION!
During high pressure washing, the spray mouthpiece must never be closer to the vehicle than 13" (30 cm). Do not
spray into the locks.
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2 0 0 6
VOLVO S40
Chapter 10 - Maintenance and servicing
pg. 141 Maintenance and servicing
Volvo maintenance142
Maintaining your car143
Hood and engine compartment145
Engine oil146
Fluids147
Wiper blades149
Battery150
Bulbs152
Replacing front bulbs153
Replacing tail light bulbs156
Replacing interior bulbs157
Fuses158
pg. 142 Volvo maintenance
Volvo maintenance
Volvo advises you to follow the maintenance program outlined in the Warranty and Service Records Information
booklet. This maintenance program contains inspections and services necessary for the proper function of your vehicle.
The maintenance services contain several checks that require special tools and training, and therefore must be
performed by a qualified technician. To keep your Volvo in top condition, specify time-tested and proven Genuine
Volvo Parts and Accessories.
The Federal Clean Air Act - U.S
The Federal Clean Air Act requires vehicle manufacturers to furnish written instructions to the ultimate purchaser to
assure the proper servicing and function of the components that control emissions. These services, which are listed in
the "Warranty and Service Records Information" booklet, are not covered by the warranty. You will be required to pay
for labor and material used.
Maintenance
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removing the cap, that there is sufficient fluid in the reservoir.
Fluid type: DOT 4+ boiling point >536°F (280°C), P/N 9437433
Replace: The fluid should be replaced according to the intervals specified in the Warranty and Service Records
Information booklet. When driving under extremely hard conditions (mountain driving, etc), it may be necessary to
replace the fluid more often. Consult your Volvo retailer. Always entrust brake fluid changing to a trained and
qualified Volvo service technician.
Power steering fluid reservoir
Power steering fluid
The fluid level should always be between the MIN and MAX marks.
Fluid type: Volvo power steering fluid or equivalent.
Replace: No fluid change required WARNING!
If a problem should occur in the power steering system or if the vehicle has no electrical current and must be towed,
it is still possible to steer the vehicle.
However, keep in mind that greater effort will be required to turn the steering wheel.
pg. 149 Wiper blades
Wiper blades
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Replacing windshield wiper blades
1. Fold out the wiper arm and fold out the wiper blade at a 90° angle to the wiper arm.
2. Pull off the wiper blade from the attachment, straight to the side.
3. Slide in a new wiper blade at a 90° angle to the wiper arm.
4. Fold in the wiper blade under the metal plate and fold the wiper arm down.
NOTE:
The wiper blades are different lengths. The blade on the driver's side is longer than the one on the passenger's side.
pg. 150 Battery
Battery maintenance
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Trunk, limiting access to85
Trunk, opening from the inside87
Turn signal bulb, replacing155
U
Uniform Tire Quality Grading128
Unlock (personal settings)56
Unlocking the fuel filler door41
V
Valet locking85
Vanity mirror74
Vanity mirror lighting, replacing157
Vehicle Event Data142
Vehicle Identification Number176
Vehicle loading127
Volvo and the environment3
Volvo Customer Care Center, contacting1, 16, 19
Volvo Inflatable Curtain22
Volvo maintenance142
Volvo On Call Roadside Assistance183
W
W Winter/Wet driving mode104
Warning flashers48
Warning symbol34, 35
Warranties142
Washer fluid147
Washing the car136
Waxing137
Weight distribution92
Weights177
Wheel nuts131
Wheels, removing133, 134
Wheels, storing120
Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS)23
Windshield washer fluid147
Windshield wiper blades149
Windshield wipers46
Winter/Wet driving mode104
Wiper blades149
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