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Seat belt use during pregnancy
The seat belt should always be worn during pregnancy. But it is crucial that it be worn in the correct way. The diagonal
section should wrap over the shoulder then be routed between the breasts and to the side of the belly. The lap section
should lay flat over the thighs and as low as possible under the belly. It must never be allowed to ride upward. Remove
all slack from the belt and insure that it fits close to the body without any twists.
As a pregnancy progresses, pregnant drivers should adjust their seats and steering wheel such that they can easily
maintain control of the vehicle as they drive (which means they must be able to easily operate the foot pedals and
steering wheel). Within this context, they should strive to position the seat with as large a distance as possible between
their belly and the steering wheel.
Child seats
Please refer to page 31
for information on securing child seats with the seat belts.
Seat belt maintenance
Check periodically that the seat belts are in good condition. Use water and a mild detergent for cleaning. Check seat
belt mechanism function as follows: attach the seat belt and pull rapidly on the strap.
pg. 14 Safety
Seat belts
WARNING!
Never use a seat belt for more than one occupant.
Never wear the shoulder portion of the belt under the arm, behind the back or otherwise out of position. Such use
could cause injury in the event of an accident.
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Seat belts lose much of their strength when exposed to violent stretching and should be replaced after any
collision, even if they appear to be undamaged.
Never repair the belt yourself; have this work done by an authorized Volvo service technician only.
Any device used to induce slack into the shoulder belt portion of the three-point belt system will have a
detrimental effect on the amount of protection available to you in the event of a collision.
The seat back should not be tilted too far back. The shoulder belt must be taut in order to function properly.
Do not use child safety seats or child booster cushions/backrests in the front passenger's seat. We also recommend
that children who have outgrown these devices sit in the rear seat with the seat belt properly fastened.
pg. 15 Safety
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
Supplemental Restraint System
As an enhancement to the three-point seat belts, your Volvo is equipped with a Supplemental Restraint System (SRS).
Volvo's SRS consists of seat belt tensioners, front airbags, side impact airbags, the occupant weight sensor, and
inflatable curtains. All of these systems are monitored by the SRS control module. An SRS warning light in the
instrument panel (see the illustration above) illuminates when the ignition key is turned to position I, II, or III, and will
normally go out after approximately 7 seconds if no faults are detected in the system.
Where applicable, a text message will also be displayed when the SRS warning light illuminates. If this warning
symbol is not functioning properly, the general warning symbol
illuminates and a text message will be displayed.
WARNING!
If the SRS warning light stays on after the engine has started or if it illuminates while you are driving, have the
vehicle inspected by a trained and qualified Volvo service technician as soon as possible.
Never try to repair any component or part of the SRS yourself. Any interference in the system could cause
malfunction and serious injury. All work on these systems should be performed by an authorized Volvo service
technician.
WARNING!
If your vehicle has been subjected to flood conditions (e.g. soaked carpeting/standing water on the floor of the
vehicle) or if your vehicle has become flood-damaged in any way, do not attempt to start the vehicle or put the key
in the ignition before disconnecting the battery (see below). This may cause airbag deployment which could result in
personal injury. Have the vehicle towed to a trained and qualified Volvo service technician for repairs.
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Automatic transmission:
Before attempting to tow the vehicle, use the following procedure to override the shiftlock system to move the gear
selector to the neutral position:
Switch off the ignition for at least 10 minutes and disconnect the battery.
Wait at least one minute.
Insert the key in the ignition and turn it to position II.
Press firmly on the brake pedal.
Move the gear selector from (P)ark to the (N)eutral position.
pg. 16 Safety
Front airbags
The front airbag system
The front airbags supplement the three-point seat belts. For these airbags to provide the protection intended, seat belts
must be worn at all times.
The front airbag system includes gas generators and the airbags. A deceleration sensor activates the gas generators,
causing the airbags to be inflated with nitrogen gas.
As the movement of the seats' occupants compresses the airbags, some of the gas is expelled at a controlled rate to
provide better cushioning. Both seat belt tensioners also deploy, minimizing seat belt slack. The entire process,
including inflation and deflation of the airbags, takes approximately one fifth of a second.
The location of the front airbags is indicated by "SRS AIRBAG" embossed on the steering wheel pad and above the
glove compartment, and by decals on both sun visors and on the front and far right side of the dash.
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The driver's side front airbag is folded and located in the steering wheel hub.
The passenger's side front airbag is folded behind a panel located above the glove compartment.
WARNING!
The airbags in the vehicle are designed to be a SUPPLEMENT to-not a replacement for-the three-point seat belts.
For maximum protection, wear seat belts at all times. Be aware that no system can prevent all possible injuries that
may occur in an accident.
Never drive a vehicle with a steering wheel-mounted airbag with your hands on the steering wheel pad/airbag
housing.
The front airbags are designed to help prevent serious injury. Deployment occurs very quickly and with
considerable force. During normal deployment and depending on variables such as seating position, one may
experience abrasions, bruises, swellings, or other injuries as a result from deployment of one or both of the airbags.
When installing any accessory equipment, make sure that the front airbag system is not damaged. Any
interference in the system could cause malfunction.
pg. 17 Safety
Front airbags
Front airbag deployment
The front airbags are designed to deploy during certain frontal or front -angular collisions, impacts, or decelerations,
depending on the crash severity, angle, speed and object impacted. The airbags may also deploy in certain non-frontal
collisions where rapid deceleration occurs.
The SRS sensors, which trigger the front airbags, are designed to react to both the impact of the collision and the
inertial forces generated by it, and to determine if the intensity of the collision is sufficient for the seat belt tensioners
and/or airbags to be deployed.
However, not all frontal collisions activate the front airbags.
If the collision involves a nonrigid object (e.g., a snow drift or bush), or a rigid, fixed object at a low speed, the
front airbags will not necessarily deploy.
Front airbags do not normally deploy in a side impact collision, in a collision from the rear or in a rollover situation.
The amount of damage to the bodywork does not reliably indicate if the airbags should have deployed or not.
NOTE:
Deployment of front airbags occurs only one time during an accident. In a collision where deployment occurs, the
airbags and seat belt tensioners activate. Some noise occurs and a small amount of powder is released. The release of
the powder may appear as smoke-like matter. This is a normal characteristic and does not indicate fire.
Volvo's dual-threshold, dual-stage front airbags use special sensors that are integrated with the front seat buckles.
The point at which the airbag deploys is determined by whether or not the seat belt is being used, as well as the
severity of the collision.
Collisions can occur where only one of the airbags deploys. If the impact is less severe, but severe enough to
present a clear injury risk, the dual-stage airbags are triggered at 70% of their total capacity. If the impact is more
severe, the dual-stage airbags are triggered at full capacity. Should you have questions about any component in the
SRS system, please contact a trained and qualified Volvo service technician or Volvo Customer Support:
In the USA :
Volvo Cars of North America, LLC
Customer Care Center
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P.O. Box 914 Rockleigh, New Jersey 07647-0914
1-800-458-1552
www.volvocars.us
In Canada:
Volvo Cars of Canada Corp.
National Customer Service
175 Gordon Baker Road
North York, Ontario M2H 2N7
1-800-663-8255
www.volvocanada.com
pg. 18 Safety
Front airbags
WARNING!
Do not use child safety seats or child booster cushions/backrests in the front passenger's seat. We also recommend
that occupants under 4 feet 7 inches (140 cm) in height who have outgrown these devices sit in the rear seat with the
seat belt fastened
1.
Never drive with the airbags deployed. The fact that they hang out can impair the steering of your vehicle. Other
safety systems can also be damaged.
The smoke and dust formed when the airbags are deployed can cause skin and eye irritation in the event of
prolonged exposure.
1. See also the Occupant Weight Sensor information on page 20.
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pg. 19 Safety
Front airbags
WARNING!
Children must never be allowed in the front passenger's seat. Volvo recommends that ALL occupants (adults and
children) shorter than 4 feet 7 inches (140 cm) be seated in the back seat of any vehicle with a passenger -side front
airbag. See page 30
for guidelines.
Occupants in the front passenger's seat must never sit on the edge of the seat, sit leaning toward the instrument
panel or otherwise sit out of position.
The occupant's back must be as upright as comfort allows and be against the seat back with the seat belt properly
fastened.
Feet must be on the floor, e.g., not on the dash, seat or out of the window.
WARNING!
No objects or accessory equipment, e.g. dashboard covers, may be placed on, attached to, or installed near the air
bag hatch (the area above the glove compartment) or the area affected by airbag deployment (see the illustration on
page 16
).
There should be no loose articles, e.g. coffee cups, on the floor, seat, or dashboard area.
Never try to open the airbag cover on the steering wheel or the passenger's side dashboard. This should only be
done by a trained and qualified Volvo service technician.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in injury to the vehicle occupants.
pg. 20 Safety
Occupant Weight Sensor (OWS)
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Disabling the passenger's side front airbag
Volvo recommends that ALL occupants (adults and children) shorter than 4 feet 7 inches (140 cm) be seated in the rear
seat of any vehicle with a passenger's side front airbag, and be properly restrained. Children should always be seated
in child restraints appropriate for their size and weight. See also the child safety recommendations beginning on page
31.
The Occupant Weight Sensor (OWS) is designed to meet the regulatory requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard (FMVSS) 208 and is designed to disable (will not inflate) the passenger's side front airbag under certain
conditions.
The OWS works with sensors that are part of the front passenger's seat and seat belt. The sensors are designed to
detect the presence of a properly seated occupant and determine if the passenger's side front airbag should be enabled
(may inflate) or disabled (will not inflate).
The OWS will disable (will not inflate) the passenger's side front airbag when:
the front passenger's seat is unoccupied, or has small/medium objects in the front seat,
the system determines that an infant is present in a rear-facing infant seat that is installed according to the
manufacturer's instructions,
the system determines that a small child is present in a forward-facing child restraint that is installed according to
the manufacturer's instructions,
the system determines that a small child is present in a booster seat,
a front passenger takes his/her weight off of the seat for a period of time,
a child or a small person occupies the front passenger's seat.
The OWS uses a PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator light which will illuminate and stay on to remind you that the
passenger's side front airbag is disabled. The PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator light is located in the overhead
console, near the base of the rearview mirror.
NOTE: The PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp will illuminate for a short period of time when the ignition is
turned on to confirm it is functional. When the front passenger's seat is not occupied (empty seat) or in the event that
the passenger's side front airbag is enabled (may inflate), the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp will be off.
However, if a fault is detected in the system:
The PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator light will stay on.
The SRS warning light (see page 15) will come on and stay on. The message PASS. AIRBAG OFF SERVICE
URGENT will be displayed in the information display.
pg. 21 Safety
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Occupant Weight Sensor (OWS)
WARNING!
If a fault in the system is detected and indicated as explained on the previous page, be aware that the passenger's
side front airbag will not deploy in the event of a collision.
In this case, the safety systems and Occupant Weight Sensor should be inspected by an authorized Volvo retailer as
soon as possible.
WARNING!
Never try to open, remove, or repair any components in the OWS system. This could result in system
malfunction. Maintenance or repairs should only be carried out by an authorized Volvo service technician.
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.
The OWS is designed to disable (will not inflate) the passenger's side front airbag when a rear facing infant seat, a
forward-facing child restraint, or a booster seat is detected. The PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp will
illuminate and stay on to remind you that the passenger's side front airbag is disabled (see the following table).
The OWS is designed to enable (may inflate) the passenger's side front airbag anytime the system senses that a person
of adult size is sitting properly in the front passenger's seat. The PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp will be
off and remain off.
If a person of adult size is sitting in the front passenger's seat, but the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp is
on, it is possible that the person isn't sitting properly in the seat. If this happens:
Turn the vehicle off and ask the person to place the seatback in an upright position.
1. Volvo recommends that children always be properly restrained in appropriate child restraints in the rear seats. In rare situations when the seat
belt is not properly fastened, some child restraints may not be detected by the OWS because there is very little weight on the vehicle seat cushion.
In these cases the passenger's side front airbag may be disabled, but the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp will not be lit. Do not assume
that the passenger's side front airbag is disabled unless the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp is lit. Make sure the child restraint is
properly installed (turn the vehicle off, remove the child restraint from the vehicle and reinstall the restraint following the child restraint
manufacturer's instructions) and that the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp is on, or move the child restraint to the rear seat.
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