
2006 VOLVO XC90
1-800-458-1552
http://www.volvocars.us
In Canada:
Volvo Cars of Canada Ltd.
National Customer Service
175 Gordon Baker Road
North York, Ontario M2H 2N7
1-800-663-8255
http://www.volvocanada.com
2005 © Volvo Cars of North America, LLC
General information
Shiftlock (automatic transmission)
When your vehicle is parked, the gear selector is locked in the (P)ark position. To release the selector from this
position, turn the ignition key to position II (or start the engine), \
depress the brake pedal, press the button on the
front side of the gear selector and move the selector from (P)ark.
Keylock (automatic transmission)
When you switch off the ignition, the gear selector must be in the (P)ark position before the key can be
removed from the ignition switch.
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
The ABS system in your vehicle performs a self-diagnostic test when the \
vehicle first reaches the speed of
approximately 12 mph (20 km/h). The brake pedal will pulsate several t\
imes and a sound may be audible from
the ABS control module. This is normal.
Fuel filler door
The fuel filler door, located on the right rear fender, is connected to \
your vehicle's central locking system.
Press the button on the light switch panel (see illustration on
page 29) when the vehicle is at a standstill to
unlock the fuel filler door. Please note that the fuel filler door will \
remain unlocked until the vehicle begins to
move forward. An audible click will be heard when the fuel filler door r\
elocks.
Fuel filler cap
After refueling, close the fuel filler cap by turning it clockwise until\
it clicks into place. If this cap is not closed
tightly or if the engine is running when the vehicle is refueled, the Ma\
lfunction Indicator Lamp ("Check
Engine" light) will illuminate.
Important information
Before you operate your vehicle for the first time, please familiarize y\
ourself with the new engine oil
consumption information on
page 86. You should also be familiar with the information in chapters one, two \
and eight of this manual.
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2006 VOLVO XC90
of harmful substances (CO, HC, NOx) from the exhaust pipe by approxima\
tely 95% and the search to eliminate
the remaining emissions continues. Volvo is the only automobile manufact\
urer to offer CFC-free retrofit kits
for the air conditioning system of all models as far back as the 1975 Vo\
lvo 240. Advanced electronic engine
controls, refined purification systems and cleaner fuels are bringing us\
closer to our goal.
After Volvo vehicles and parts have fulfilled their use, recycling is th\
e next critical step in completing the life
cycle. The metal content is about 75% of the total weight of a vehicle, \
which makes the vehicle among the most
recycled industrial products. In order to have efficient and well contro\
lled recycling, many Volvo variants have
printed dismantling manuals, indicating the weight and material of indiv\
idual components. For Volvo, all
homogeneous plastic parts weighing more than 1.7 oz. (50 grams) are ma\
rked with international symbols that
indicate how the component is to be sorted for recycling.
In addition to continuous environmental refinement of conventional gasol\
ine-powered internal combustion
engines, Volvo is actively looking at advanced technology alternative-fu\
el vehicles.
When you drive a Volvo, you become our partner in the work to lessen the\
vehicle's impact on the environment.
To reduce your vehicle's environmental impact, you can:
l Maintain proper air pressure in your tires. Tests have shown decreased f\
uel economy with improperly
inflated tires.
l Follow the recommended maintenance schedule in your Warranty and Service\
Records Information booklet.
l Drive at a constant speed.
l See an authorized Volvo retailer as soon as possible for inspection if t\
he check engine (malfunction
indicator) lamp illuminates, or stays on after the vehicle has started.\
l Properly dispose of any vehicle-related waste such as used motor oil, us\
ed batteries, brake pads, etc.
l When cleaning your vehicle, use Volvo's own vehicle care products, all o\
f which have systematically been
adapted to the environment.
For additional information regarding the environmental activities in whi\
ch Volvo Cars of North America, LLC
and Volvo Car Corporation are involved, visit our Internet home page at:\
http://www.volvocars.us
PremAir®
On the surface of the radiator in the engine compartment, there is a spe\
cial coating called PremAir®. PremAir®
works as a catalytic converter, converting most of the ground-level ozon\
e passing through the radiator into
oxygen, thereby reducing harmful ground-level ozone.
PremAir is a registered trademark of Engelhard Corporation.
Instruments, switches and controls
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2006 VOLVO XC90
Seat belt reminder
This symbol lights up to indicate that the driver has not fastened his/h\
er seat belt.
Tire pressure monitoring light
See
page 117 for more information on this function.
PARKING BRAKE
This light will be on when the parking brake is applied. The parking bra\
ke pedal is located on the left
side of the driver's footwell.
Canadian models are equipped with this symbol.
Rear fog light
This light indicates that the fog light is on.
Turn signal indicator - trailer (certain models)
If you are towing a trailer, this light will flash simultaneously with t\
he turn signals on the trailer. If the
light does not flash when signaling, neither the trailer's turn signals \
nor the vehicle's turn signals are
functioning.
Oil pressure warning light
If the light comes on while driving, stop the vehicle and then stop the \
engine immediately and
check the engine oil level See
page 149. If the light stays on after restart, have the vehicle towed to the
nearest authorized Volvo retailer. After hard driving, the light may com\
e on occasionally when the
engine is idling. This is normal, provided it goes off when the engine s\
peed is increased.
CHECK ENGINE Malfunction indicator light
On-Board Diagnostics II (OBDII): As you drive, a computer called "OBDI\
I" monitors your vehicle's
engine, transmission, electrical and emission systems. The CHECK ENGINE \
light will light up if the
computer senses a condition that potentially may need correcting. When t\
his happens, please have your
vehicle checked by a Volvo retailer as soon as possible.
A CHECK ENGINE light may have many causes. Sometimes, you may not notice\
a change in your
vehicle's behavior. Even so, an uncorrected condition could hurt fuel ec\
onomy, emission cleanliness, and
driveability. Extended driving without correcting the cause could even d\
amage other components in
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2006 VOLVO XC90
SERVICE URGENT: Take your car to a trained and qualified Volvo service technician
for inspection immediately.
SEE MANUAL: Refer to your owner's manual. For additional information, please
contact your Volvo retailer.
SERVICE REQUIRED: Take your car to an authorized Volvo retailer for inspection at
your convenience (but preferably before the next scheduled
maintenance service).
FIX NEXT SERVICE: Have the system affected inspected at the next scheduled
maintenance.
TIME FOR REGULAR SERVICE This message will be displayed at 7,500 mile (12,000 km)
intervals, after 750 hours of driving or after 12 months,
whichever occurs first, to remind the driver that the service
interval has been exceeded. The message will be displayed for 2
minutes each time the vehicle is started until reset by the
servicing retailer.
OIL LEVEL LOW - FILL OIL
a Check the oil level and top up if necessary. See page 149.
OIL LEVEL LOW - STOP
SAFELY
b Stop as soon as possible and switch off the engine, check the oil
level and top up if necessary. See page 149.
OIL LEVEL LOW - STOP
ENGINE
b Stop as soon as possible and switch off the engine, check the oil
level and top up if necessary. See page 149.
OIL LEVEL LOW - SEE
MANUAL
b Stop as soon as possible and switch off the engine, check the oil
level and top up if necessary.See page 149.
a. The yellow warning symbol also lights up (see
page 23)
b. The red warning symbol also lights up (see
page 23)
pg. 27 Instruments and controls
Switches in center console
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2006 VOLVO XC90
pg. 86 Starting and driving
Refueling
ENGINE OIL
Although some oil consumption occurs during normal engine operation, mor\
e oil is consumed when the
engine is new as the internal parts generate higher friction while weari\
ng-in to each other. From the time
the engine is new until the first maintenance is performed, the oil cons\
umption could be higher than
normal. For this reason, it is especially important to check the oil eve\
ry time you refuel your vehicle
during this period. See
page 149.
Fuel requirements
Octane rating
Volvo engines are designed for optimum performance on unleaded premium g\
asoline with an AKI
octane rating of 91 or above. AKI (ANTI KNOCK INDEX) is an average of \
the Research Octane
Number, RON, and the Motor Octane Number, MON. ((RON + MON)/2). The \
minimum octane
requirement is AKI 87 (RON 91).
Deposit control gasoline (detergent additives)
Volvo recommends the use of detergent gasoline to control engine deposit\
s. Detergent gasoline is
effective in keeping injectors and intake valves clean. Consistent use o\
f deposit control gasolines will
help ensure good driveability and fuel economy. If you are not sure whet\
her the gasoline contains
deposit control additives, check with the service station operator.
NOTE: Volvo does not recommend the use of external fuel injector cleaning syst\
ems.
Unleaded fuel
Each Volvo has a three-way catalytic converter and must use only unleade\
d gasoline. U.S. and Canadian
regulations require that pumps delivering unleaded gasoline be labelled \
"UNLEADED". Only these
pumps have nozzles which fit your vehicle's filler inlet. It is unlawful\
to dispense leaded fuel into a
vehicle labelled "unleaded gasoline only". Leaded gasoline damages the t\
hree-way catalytic converter
and the heated oxygen sensor system. Repeated use of leaded gasoline wil\
l lessen the effectiveness of
the emission control system and could result in loss of emission warrant\
y coverage. State and local
vehicle inspection programs will make detection of misfueling easier, po\
ssibly resulting in emission test
failure for misfueled vehicles.
NOTE: Some U.S. and Canadian gasolines contain an octane enhancing additive ca\
lled methyl-
cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT). If such fuels are used, \
your Emission Control System
performance may be affected, and the Check Engine Light (malfunction in\
dicator lamp) located on your
instrument panel may light. If this occurs, please return your vehicle t\
o an authorized Volvo retailer for
maintenance.
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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
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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2006 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. 108 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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