
2006 VOLVO XC90
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
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.
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.
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l A "lock-up" feature 1 reduces engine speed and help saves fuel.
The currently selected gear will be displayed in the instrument panel (\
see
page 22).
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.
l If you hold the gear selector toward "-", the transmission will downshif\
t one gear and will utilize the
braking power of the engine. If the current speed is too high for using \
a lower gear, the downshift will
not occur until the speed has decreased enough to allow the lower gear t\
o be used.
l If you slow down to a very low speed, the transmission will automaticall\
y shift down.
l When starting in the (MAN)ual position, 3rd gear is the highest gear that may be selected.
1 Five-speed transmission: gears 3, 4, and 5
Six-speed transmission: gears 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.
5-cylinder turbo and V8 models
W - Winter/Wet driving mode - enhanced vehicle traction
l Mode W will only function if the gear selector is in the (D)rive position.
l Press the button at the base of the gear selector to engage/disengage th\
is driving mode (see
illustration).
l When the W driving mode is engaged, this is displayed in the instrument \
panel (see page 22).
This mode may be selected for starting/moving off on slippery roads.
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pg. 96 Starting and driving
Brake system
BRAKE Brake circuit malfunction
The brake system is a hydraulic system consisting of two master cylinder\
s and two separate brake
circuits. If a problem should occur in one of these circuits, it is stil\
l possible to stop the vehicle with the
other brake circuit.
If the brake pedal must be depressed farther than normal and requires gr\
eater foot pressure, the stopping
distance will be longer.
A warning light in the instrument panel will light up to warn the driver\
that a fault has occurred.
If this light comes on while driving or braking, stop immediately and ch\
eck the brake fluid level in the
reservoir.
NOTE: Press the brake pedal hard and maintain pressure on the pedal - do not p\
ump the brakes.
WARNING!
If the fluid level is below the MIN mark in the reservoir or if a "Brake\
failure - Service urgent"
message is displayed in the text window: DO NOT DRIVE. Have the vehicle \
towed to a Volvo
retailer and have the brake system inspected.
NOTE: When the vehicle is at a standstill and the engine is idling, e.g. at a \
traffic light and the brake
pedal is depressed, the pedal may go down slightly. This is a normal fun\
ction of the power-assisted
brake system.
Power brakes function only when the engine is running
The power brakes utilize vacuum pressure which is only created when the \
engine is running. Never let
the vehicle roll to a stop with the engine switched off.
If the power brakes are not working, the brake pedal must be pressed app\
roximately four times harder
than usual to make up for the lack of power assistance. This can happen \
for example when towing your
vehicle or if the engine is switched off when the vehicle is rolling. Th\
e brake pedal feels harder than
usual.
Water on brake discs and brake pads affects braking
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If the BRAKE and ABS warning lights come on at the same time, this could\
indicate a fault in the brake
system.
l Stop the vehicle in a suitable place and switch off the engine.
l Restart the engine.
l If both warning lights go off, no further action is required.
l If both lights are still on after the engine has been restarted, switch \
off the engine again and check the
brake fluid level (see
page 147 for the location of the brake fluid reservoir).
l If the brake fluid level is above the MIN mark, drive carefully to an au\
thorized Volvo retailer and
have the brake system inspected.
WARNING!
If the fluid level is below the MIN mark in the reservoir or if a "Brake\
failure - Service urgent"
message is displayed in the text window: DO NOT DRIVE. Have the vehicle \
towed to a Volvo
retailer and have the brake system inspected.
Emergency Brake Assistance (EBA)
EBA is designed to provide full brake effect immediately in the event of\
sudden, hard braking. The
system is activated by the speed with which you depress the brake pedal.\
NOTE:
l When the EBA system is activated, the brake pedal will go down and press\
ure in the brake system
immediately increases to the maximum level. You must maintain full press\
ure on the brake pedal in
order to utilize the system completely. EBA is automatically deactivated\
when the brake pedal is
released.
l When the vehicle has been parked for some time, the brake pedal may sink\
more than usual when the
engine is started. This is normal and the pedal will return to its usual\
position when it is released.
pg. 98 Starting and driving
Dynamic Stability Traction Control (DSTC)
The DSTC system on the Volvo XC90 consists of a number of functions:
1. Traction control (TC)
This function is designed to help reduce wheel spin by transferring powe\
r from a drive wheel that begins
to lose traction to the wheel on the opposite side of the vehicle (on t\
he same axle). TC monitors and
compares the rotational speed of the drive wheels. If one of the drive w\
heels shows a tendency to spin,
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2006 VOLVO XC90
the difference in speed is immediately detected. This triggers the Anti-\
lock Brake System, which brakes
the spinning wheel until the difference in rotational speed is corrected\
.
TC is most active at low speeds, and a pulsating sound will be audible w\
hen the system is regulating
wheel spin. This is quite normal.
This is one of the DSTC system's permanent functions and is not affected\
when the DSTC button on the
center control panel is pressed.
2. Spin control (SC)
The spin control function is designed to help prevent the drive wheels f\
rom spinning while the vehicle is
accelerating. This is done by temporarily reducing engine torque to the \
drive wheels, which helps
improve tractive force.
Under certain circumstances, such as when driving with snow chains, or d\
riving in deep snow or loose
sand, it may be advisable to temporarily switch off this function for ma\
ximum tractive force. This is
done by pressing the DSTC button on the center control panel for at leas\
t a half a second.
When the SC function has been switched off:
l The text window will briefly display "DSTC SPIN CONTROL OFF"
l The LED in the DSTC button will be off.
3. Active Yaw Control (AYC)
This function helps maintain directional stability, for example when cor\
nering, by braking one or more
of the wheels if the vehicle shows a tendency to skid or slide laterally\
. This is done by activating the
Anti-lock Braking System. A pulsating sound will be audible when the fun\
ction is active, which is quite
normal. If you apply the brakes while this function is active, the brake\
pedal will feel stiffer than usual.
This is also one of the DSTC system's permanent functions and is not aff\
ected when the DSTC button on
the center control panel is pressed.
4. Roll Stability Control (RSC)
RSC utilizes a gyro-sensor to monitor the vehicle's angle of inclination\
, and the rate at which this angle
changes. If necessary, RSC activates the Anti-lock Brake System to brake\
one or more of the wheels to
help maintain stability. A pulsating sound will be audible when the func\
tion is active, which is quite
normal. If you apply the brakes while this function is active, the brake\
pedal will feel stiffer than usual.
This is one of the DSTC system's permanent functions and is not affected\
when the DSTC button on the
center control panel is pressed.
The DSTC button
The DSTC button in the center control panel is used to switch the Spin C\
ontrol (SC) function on or off.
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The button must be pressed for at least a half second to prevent SC from\
being switched off
inadvertently.
When the system has been switched off, the green indicator lamp in the b\
utton will go out and "DSTC
SPIN CONTROL OFF" will be displayed in the text window.
All DSTC functions are (re)activated each time the engine is started.
pg. 99 Starting and driving
Dynamic Stability Traction Control (DSTC) (contd)
The Stability Control indicator light
The Stability Control indicator light will come on for approximately 2 s\
econds when the ignition is
switched on as the system performs a self-diagnostic test.
The Stability Control indicator light will flash when:
l Traction Control is actively functioning to help avoid drive-wheel spin.\
l Spin Control is actively functioning to help avoid loss of traction duri\
ng acceleration.
l Active Yaw Control is actively functioning to help avoid skids or latera\
l slides.
l Roll Stability Control is actively functioning to help avoid a roll-over\
situation.
The warning symbol in the instrument panel
A steady yellow glow indicates:
l That the system has been automatically disengaged due to a fault. "ANTI \
SKID SERVICE
REQUIRED" will be displayed in the text window. If this occurs, stop the\
vehicle in a suitable place,
switch off and restart the engine. If the light remains on, an authorize\
d Volvo retailer should check the
system.
l In the event of high brake temperature, "TRACTION CONTROL TEMPORARILY OF\
F" will be
displayed in the text window.
The system will automatically switch on again when the brakes have coole\
d.
pg. 100 Starting and driving
Park assist
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2006 VOLVO XC90
the button.
NOTE: It may be necessary to deactivate one or both of the park assist system\
s in certain cases.
l Rear park assist: towing a trailer, carrying bicycles in a rear-mounted carrier, etc, co\
uld trigger the
rear park assist system's sensors.
l Front park assist: it may not be possible to combine auxiliary headlights and front park \
assist since
these lights could trigger the system's sensors.
Faults in the system
If a fault should occur in the system, the LED in the button will be swi\
tched 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 rea\
r bumpers should be kept clean.
They can be cleaned with car washing detergent and a sponge.
WARNING!
This system is designed to be a supplementary aid when the vehicle is ba\
cking up. It is not, however,
intended to replace the driver's attention and judgement.
pg. 101 Starting and driving
Towing
Positions for attaching towing eyelets
Emergency towing
The towing eyelet is located in the tool bag, under the floor of the car\
go area. This eyelet must be
screwed into the positions provided on the right sides of either the fro\
nt or rear bumper (see illustrations).
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2006 VOLVO XC90
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 antirust oil on the battery\
posts.
l Volvo recommends the use of snow tires on all four wheels for winter driving - see section "Wheels
and tires."
l To prevent the washer fluid reservoir from freezing, add washer solvents containing antifreeze (see
page 147 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 d\
iluted 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 \
l Use Volvo Teflon Lock Spray in the locks.
NOTE: Avoid the use of de-icing sprays as they can cause damage to the locks.
W Winter/Wet driving mode-enhanced vehicle traction
l Mode W will only function if the gear selector is in the (D)rive position.
l Press the button at the base of the gear selector to engage/disengage th\
is driving mode.
l An LED in the button will light up to indicate that W is engaged and thi\
s will also be displayed in the
instrument panel (see
page 22).
l This mode may be selected for starting/moving off on slippery roads.
* Synthetic oil is not used when the oil is changed at the normal mainte\
nance intervals except at owner request and at additional
charge. Please consult your Volvo retailer.
pg. 109 Starting and driving
Before a long distance trip
It is always worthwhile to have your vehicle checked at a Volvo retailer\
before driving long distances.
Your retailer will also be able to supply you with bulbs, fuses, spark p\
lugs 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\
:
l Check that engine runs smoothly and that fuel consumption is normal.
l Check for fuel, oil, and fluid leakage
l Check transmission oil level*.
l Check condition of drive belts.
l Check state of the battery's charge.
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