2006 VOLVO XC90
WARNING!
If a fault in the system is detected and indicated as explained on the p\
revious page, be aware that the
passenger's side front airbag will not deploy in the event of a collisio\
n.
In this case, the safety systems and Occupant Weight Sensor should be in\
spected by an authorized
Volvo retailer as soon as possible.
Modifications
If you are considering modifying your vehicle in any way to accommodate \
a disability, for example by
altering or adapting the driver's or front passenger's seat(s) and/or \
airbag systems, please contact Volvo
at:
In the USA:
Volvo Cars of North America
Customer Care Center
P.O. Box 914
Rockleigh, New Jersey 07647-0914
1-800-458-1552
In Canada:
Volvo Cars of Canada Ltd.
National Customer Service
175 Gordon Baker Road
North York, Ontario M2H 2N7
1-800-663-8255
WARNING!
l No objects that add to the total weight on the seat should be placed on \
the front passenger's seat. If
a child is seated in the front passenger's seat with any additional weig\
ht, this extra weight could cause
the OWS system to enable the airbag, which might cause it to deploy in t\
he event of a collision,
thereby injuring the child.
l The seat belt should never be wrapped around an object on the front pass\
enger's seat. This could
interfere with the OWS system's function.
l The front passenger's seat belt should never be used in a way that exert\
s more pressure on the
passenger than normal. This could increase the pressure exerted on the w\
eight sensor by a child, and
could result in the airbag being enabled, which might cause it to deploy\
in the event of a collision,
thereby injuring the child.
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2006 VOLVO XC90
WARNING!
l 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 authorized Volvo
service technician.
l 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.
pg. 11 Safety
Occupant Weight Sensor (OWS) (contd)
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:
l 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.
l 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 19).
l No objects should be placed under the front passenger's seat. This could\
interfere with the OWS
system's function.
pg. 12 Safety
Side impact (SIPS) airbag
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2006 VOLVO XC90
Some restraint systems for children are designed to be secured in the ve\
hicle by lap belts or the lap
portion of a lap-shoulder belt. Such child restraint systems can help pr\
otect children in cars in the event
of an accident only if they are used properly. However, children could b\
e endangered in a crash if the
child restraints are not properly secured in the vehicle. Failure to fol\
low the installation instructions for
your child restraint can result in your child striking the vehicle's int\
erior in a sudden stop.
Holding a child in your arms is NOT a suitable substitute for a child re\
straint system. In an accident, a
child held in a person's arms can be crushed between the vehicle's inter\
ior and an unrestrained person.
The child could also be injured by striking the interior, or by being ej\
ected from the vehicle during a
sudden maneuver or impact. The same can also happen if the infant or chi\
ld rides unrestrained on the
seat. Other occupants should also be properly restrained to help reduce \
the chance of injuring or
increasing the injury of a child.
All states and provinces have legislation governing how and where childr\
en should be carried in a car.
Find out the regulations existing in your state or province. Recent acci\
dent statistics have shown that
children are safer in rear seating positions than front seating position\
s when properly restrained. A child
restraint system can help protect a child in a vehicle. Here's what to l\
ook for when selecting a child
restraint system:
l It should have a label certifying that it meets applicable Federal Motor\
Vehicle Safety Standards
(FMVSS 213) - or in Canada, CMVSS 213.
l Make sure the child restraint system is approved for the child's height,\
weight and development - the
label required by the standard or regulation, or instructions for infant\
restraints, typically provide this
information.
l In using any child restraint system, we urge you to carefully look over \
the instructions that are
provided with the restraint. Be sure you understand them and can use the\
device properly and safely in
this vehicle. A misused child restraint system can result in increased i\
njuries for both the infant or child
and other occupants in the vehicle.
When a child has outgrown the child safety seat, you should use the rear\
seat with the standard seat belt
fastened. The best way to help protect the child here is to place the ch\
ild on a cushion so that the seat
belt is properly located on the hips (see the illustration on
page 18). Legislation in your state or province
may mandate the use of a child seat or cushion in combination with the s\
eat belt, depending on the
child's age and/or size. Please check local regulations.
A specially designed and tested booster cushion (not available in Canad\
a) can be obtained from your
Volvo retailer for children weighing 33 - 80 lb. (15 - 36 kg) and 38-5\
4 inches (97 - 137 cm) in height.
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2006 VOLVO XC90
pg. 71 Interior
Securing cargo
Securing cargo
As a safety precaution, all cargo in your vehicle should be securely anc\
hored to keep it from being thrown forward in the
event of sudden braking, etc. The vehicle is equipped with eyelets in th\
e cargo space to which straps or other cargo
restraints can be attached.
WARNING!
The eyelets are not to be used as passenger restraints or as anchorages \
for child
restraints.
Consult your Volvo retailer about suitable accessories for this purpose.\
Remember that an object weighing 44 lbs (20 kg) produces a force of 2,\
200 lbs (1,000 kg) in a head-on collision at 30
mph (50 km/h)!
Keep the following in mind when loading the vehicle:
l The load carrying capacity of your vehicle is determined by factors such\
as the number of passengers, the amount of
cargo, the weight of any accessories that may be installed, etc. See the\
section "Vehicle loading" in the chapter "Wheel and
tires" for more detailed information.
l Load the cargo against the backrest.
l Load heavy cargo as low as possible.
l If no one is sitting in the outboard rear seat(s), reinforce the backr\
est by fastening the seat belts.
l Never load cargo above the backrest without a cargo net.
WARNING!
When the rear backrest(s) are folded down, the vehicle should not be l\
oaded to a level higher than 2 in. (5 cm) below the
upper edge of the rear side windows. Objects placed higher than this lev\
el could impede the function of the Inflatable
Curtain.
pg. 72 Interior
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2006 VOLVO XC90
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.
WARNING!
Driving with the tailgate open: Driving with the tailgate open could lead to poisonous exhaust gases
entering the passenger compartment. If the tailgate must be kept open fo\
r any reason, proceed as
follows
- Close the windows
- Set the ventilation system control to air flow to floor, windshield an\
d side windows and blower
control to its highest setting.
CAUTION
Drive slowly and carefully if going through standing water (i.e. floode\
d roadways, etc.). Damage to
the engine could result if excess water is drawn in through the air inta\
ke system. Never drive the
vehicle in water deeper than 18 inches (48 cm).
pg. 92 Starting and driving
General information (contd)
Handling, roadholding
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2006 VOLVO XC90
Vehicle load, tire design and inflation pressure all affect vehicle hand\
ling. 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 permissib\
le axle loads are not exceeded.
Driving on rough/unpaved surfaces
The Volvo XC90 is designed primarily for onroad driving, and it has exce\
llent handling characteristics
on very rough or unpaved roads.
When driving on poorly maintained or unpaved roads, please keep the foll\
owing in mind:
l Reduce speed on rough surfaces to minimize possible damage to the vehicl\
e's underbody.
l When driving on soft surfaces such as dry sand or snow, try to avoid sto\
pping if at all possible.
WARNING!
Avoid driving diagonally across steep inclines as this could increase th\
e risk of a roll-over. Try to
drive straight up or down the slope.
If the road is very steep, avoid turning the vehicle around to help avoi\
d the risk of rolling over. Back
the vehicle up or down the incline instead.
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.
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2006 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. 104 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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2006 VOLVO XC90
Max. trailer
hitch tongue
load400 lbs
(180 kg)
400 lbs
(180 kg)400 lbs
(180 kg)400 lbs
(180 kg)370 lbs
(165 kg)250 lbs (115
kg)
140 lbs (65 kg)
NOTE:
l Recommended hitch tongue load: not more than 10% of the trailer's weight\
.
The trailer load should be positioned so that it does not shift and the \
tongue load should be 10% of the
trailer's weight. However, the tongue load should not exceed the maximum\
permissible weights
indicated in the table above.
l When towing trailers without brakes, the maximum permissible trailer wei\
ght is 1,700 lbs (750 kg).
l If necessary, redistribute the weight of any cargo in the trailer to avo\
id excessive weight on the trailer
hitch.
l The maximum trailer weight listed in the table for All Wheel Drive model\
s, 5,000 lbs (2250 kg) is
only applicable when there are not more than two occupants in the vehicl\
e, in the front seats, with a
combined weight of 300 lbs (135 kg), with no other cargo in the vehicl\
e.
pg. 105 Starting and driving
Towing a trailer (contd)
l The maximum weight listed for Front Wheel Drive models, 4,000 lbs (1800\
kg) is only applicable
when there are not more than four occupants in the vehicle, in the front\
seats and second row of seats,
with a combined weight of 600 lbs (270 kg), with no other cargo in the\
vehicle.
l Please be aware that the load on the trailer hitch is part of the vehicl\
e's total load carrying capacity.
The amount of cargo in the vehicle and the trailer must be limited so th\
at the gross vehicle weight and
maximum permissible rear axle weight
(see page 173) are not exceeded.
l Vehicles used for towing a trailer on a regular basis, or for long-dista\
nce highway towing should be
equipped with an automatic transmission oil cooler and Volvo's automatic\
self-leveling system for the
rear suspension. Consult your Volvo retailer.
l Volvo recommends the use of Volvo trailer hitches that are specially des\
igned for the vehicle.
l All Volvo models are equipped with energy-absorbing shock-mounted bumper\
s. Trailer hitch
installation should not interfere with the proper operation of this bump\
er system.
l Increase tire pressure to recommended full inflation pressure. See chapt\
er "Wheels and tires."
l When your vehicle is new, avoid towing heavy trailers during the first 6\
20 miles (1,000 km).
l Engine and transmission are subject to increased loads. Therefore, engin\
e coolant temperature should
be closely watched when driving in hot climates or hilly terrain. Use a \
lower gear and turn off the air
conditioner if the temperature gauge needle enters the red range.
l If the automatic transmission begins to overheat, a message will be disp\
layed in the text window.
l Hauling a trailer affects handling, durability, and economy.
l It is necessary to balance trailer brakes with the towing vehicle brakes\
to provide a safe stop (check
and observe state/local regulations).
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