position II) and the brake pedal must be depressed. While keeping firm pressure on the brake pedal, release the parking
brake.
5. Select the desired gear. The gear engages after a very slight delay which is especially noticeable when selecting R.
NOTE:
Your car is equipped with a KEYLOCK system. When the engine is switched off, the gear selector must be in the
( P )ark position before the key can be removed from the ignition switch.
When starting in cold weather, the transmission may shift up at slightly higher engine speeds than normal until the
automatic transmission fluid reaches normal operating temperature.
* Your car is equipped with an electronic start inhibitor (immobilizer). The keys you received with your car are
specially coded. The code in the key is transmitted to an antenna in the ignition switch where it is compared to the
code stored in the start inhibitor module. The car can only be started if a properly coded key is used.
If two of the keys to your car are close together, e.g., on the same key ring, when you try to start the car, this could
cause interference in the immobilizer system and result in the car not starting. If this should occur, remove one of the
keys from the key ring before trying to start the car again.
pg. 92 Starting the engine
CAUTION:
The engine should be idling when you move the gear selector. Never accelerate until after you feel the transmission
engage! Accelerating immediately after selecting a gear will cause harsh engagement and premature transmission wear.
Selecting P or N when idling at a standstill for prolonged periods time will help prevent overheating of the automatic
transmission fluid.
Do not race a cold engine immediately after starting. Oil flow may not reach some lubrication points fast enough to
prevent engine damage.
WARNING!
Always place the gear selector in Park or in reverse on models with a manual transmission, and apply the parking
brake before leaving the vehicle. Never leave the car unattended with the engine running.
Always open garage doors fully before starting the engine inside a garage to ensure adequate ventilation. The
exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide, which is invisible and odorless but very poisonous.
An extra mat on the driver's floor can cause the accelerator pedal and the clutch to catch. Check that the movement
of the accelerator pedal and clutch is not impeded. Not more than one protective floor covering may be used at one
time.
pg. 93 Manual transmission
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5-speed manual transmission
Depress the clutch pedal completely when changing gears*.
Remove your foot from the clutch pedal while driving. The shift pattern should be followed.
Overdrive (5th gear) should be used as often as possible to help improve fuel economy. This gear should be engaged at
speeds above approx. 50 mph (80 km/h).
* Clutch interlock
The clutch must be fully depressed before you can start your car. If the clutch is not depressed, it will not be possible
to start the engine.
6-speed manual transmission (option on certain models)
Fifth and sixth gears should be used as often as possible to help improve fuel economy.WARNING!
An extra mat on the driver's floor can cause the accelerator pedal and/or the clutch pedal to catch. Check that the
movement of these pedals is not impeded. Not more than one protective floor covering may be used at one time.
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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. 101 Driving economy, Handling
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 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.
NOTE: Vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions should use (D)rive as often as possible and avoid using
"kick -down" to help improve fuel economy. Vehicles equipped with manual transmissions should use fifth gear at
highway speeds. At other times, choose the highest gear that still allows smooth acceleration.
Handling, roadholding
Vehicle load, tire design and inflation pressure all affect vehicle handling. Therefore, check that the tires are inflated to
the recommended pressure according to the vehicle load. See "Tire pressure" section. Loads should be distributed so
that capacity weight or maximum permissible axle loads are not exceeded.
Speed-sensitive power steering
(Option on certain models)
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With this feature, the steering is most responsive at lower speeds to make parking, driving in city traffic, etc., easier.
The effect of the power steering diminishes as you accelerate for greater stability at highway speeds.
Weight distribution affects handling
At the specified curb weight your car has a tendency to understeer, which means that the steering wheel has to be
turned more than might seem appropriate for the curvature of a bend. This ensures good stability and reduces the risk
of rear wheel skid. Remember that these properties can alter with the vehicle load. The heavier the load on the rear of
the vehicle (e.g., heavily loaded (max. 220 lbs, 100 kg) cargo area or when towing a trailer, the less the tendency to
understeer.
pg. 102 Points to remember
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 neutral.
Switch the heater to full (maximum) position. Increase the engine speed to approx. 2000 rpm (twice idling speed)
until the temperature begins to drop.
WARNING!
Do not remove coolant expansion tank cap. The coolant will be extremely hot.
If necessary, see page 154
for information on checking and topping-up the coolant level.
CAUTION: Drive slowly and carefully if going through standing water (i.e. flooded roadways, etc.). Damage to the
engine could result if excess water is drawn in through the air intake system. Never drive the vehicle in water deeper
than 1 foot (300 mm). See the flood warning on page 5
.
WARNING!
Driving with the tailgate open : Driving with the tailgate open could mean that poisonous exhaust gases enter the
passenger compartment.
If the tailgate must be kept open for any reason, proceed as follows:
- Close the windows.
- Set the ventilation system to air flow to floor, windshield and side windows and blower control to its highest
setting.
Floor mats : An extra mat on the driver's floor can cause the accelerator pedal to catch. Check that the movement
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of the accelerator pedal is not impeded. Not more than one protective floor covering may be used at one time.
Electrical system
When replacing the battery or when carrying out work involving the electrical system, the following should be
observed:
A battery connection to the wrong terminal will damage the electrical system. Be sure to connect the positive battery
cable to the positive battery terminal and the negative battery cable to the negative battery terminal.
If booster batteries are used for starting, they must be properly connected to minimize the risk of the electrical
system being damaged. For correct connection, see "Jump starting" section.
Never disconnect the battery circuit (for example, to replace the battery) while the engine is running, as this may
damage the generator. Always make sure that all the battery connections are properly cleaned and tightened.
If any electrical welding work is performed on the vehicle, the battery's ground lead (negative cable) and all the
connecting cables of the generator must be disconnected and the welder cables placed as near the welding points as
possible.
The radio must be turned off before the battery is disconnected.
Switch off the ignition for at least 10 minutes before disconnecting the battery.
pg. 103 Roof racks/Load carriers
Load carriers (accessory)
Load carriers are available as Volvo accessories. Observe the following points when in use:
To avoid damaging your car and to achieve maximum safety when driving, we recommend using the load carriers
that Volvo has developed especially for your car.
Volvo-approved removable roof racks are designed to carry the maximum allowable roof load for this vehicle: 220
lbs (100 kg). For Non-Volvo roof racks, check the manufacturer's weight limits for the rack.
Never exceed the rack manufacturer's weigh limits and never exceed the maximum rated roof load of 220 lbs (100
kg).
Avoid single-point loads. Distribute loads evenly.
Place heavier cargo at the bottom of the load.
Anchor the cargo correctly with appropriate tie-down equipment.
Check periodically that the load carriers and load are properly secured.
Remember that the car's center of gravity and handling change when you carry a load on the roof.
The car's wind resistance (and correspondingly, fuel consumption) will increase with the size of the load.
Drive smoothly. Avoid rapid starts, fast cornering and hard braking.
Load carrier attachment points
Attaching load carriers (models without rails)
The attachment brackets for the load carriers are located under the roof molding.
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the vehicle and others sharing the roadway. Avoiding distractions is part of that responsibility.
The following should be checked regularly: *
1 Washer fluid reservoir should be filled with water and solvent (wintertime: windshield washer anti-freeze). See
page 157.
2 Power steering - When cold, the level must not be above the COLD mark and when hot it must not be above the
HOT mark. Top up if the level drops to the ADD mark with ATF fluid. See page 161.
3 Coolant level should be between the expansion tank marks. Mixture: 50% anti-freeze and 50% water. See page 154.
4 Engine oil level should be between the dipstick marks. The distance between the marks represents approx.
1.6 US qts (1.5 liters). See page 159.
5 Brake fluid - check, without removing the cap, that the level is above the MIN mark. Use brake fluid DOT 4+. See
page 161.
* Engine oil should be checked each time the car is refuelled.
Octane rating, see page 88.
Tire pressure, see label located on the inside of the fuel tank cover.
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