2007 VOLVO XC90 Owners Manual

2007 Volvo XC90
WARNING!
l Remember that the power brakes and power steering will not function when\
engine is not running. The braking and
steering systems will function but the brake pedal pressure required is \
3 - 4 times above normal and greater steering
effort must be exerted.
l The towing eyelets must not be used for pulling another vehicle out of a\
ditch or for any similar purpose involving
severe strain.
l Do not use the towing eyelets to pull the vehicle up onto a flat bed tow\
truck.
Towing vehicles with front wheel drive/All Wheel Drive
Volvo recommends the use of flat bed equipment.
If wheel lift equipment must be used, please use extreme caution to help\
avoid damage to the vehicle. In this case, the
vehicle should be towed with the rear wheels on the ground if at all pos\
sible.
If it is absolutely necessary to tow the vehicle with the front wheels o\
n the ground, please refer to the towing information
on the previous page.
CAUTION!
Sling-type equipment applied at the front will damage radiator and air c\
onditioning lines.
It is equally important not to use sling-type equipment at the rear or a\
pply lifting equipment inside the rear wheels;
serious damage to the rear axle may result.
If the vehicle is being towed on a flat bed truck, the towing eyelets mu\
st not be used to secure the vehicle on the flat
bed. Consult the tow truck operator.
WARNING!
Do not use the towing eyelets to pull the vehicle up onto a flat bed tow\

truck.
pg. 136 Starting and driving
Jump starting
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2007 Volvo XC90
Jump starting
Follow these instructions to jump start your vehicle's dead battery or t\
o jump start another vehicle's dead battery using your
vehicle. Although your vehicle's battery is located under the floor of t\
he cargo area, jumper cables should be connected in
the engine compartment, to the points shown in the illustrations.
If the 12-volt auxiliary battery to be used is in another vehicle, check\
that the vehicles are not touching to prevent
premature completion of a circuit. Be sure to follow jump starting instr\
uctions provided for the other vehicle.
To jump start your vehicle:
- Switch off the ignition.
- First connect the auxiliary battery positive (+) terminal (1) to t\
he positive (+) terminal in your vehicle's engine
compartment (2), located under a small black plastic cover attached to\
the fuse box cover, marked with a "+" sign. Remove
the cover on the main fuse box if necessary to access this terminal. The\
n connect the auxiliary battery's negative (-)
terminal (3) to the ground point in your vehicle's engine compartment \
(4).
- Start the engine in the assisting vehicle, then start the engine in th\
e vehicle with dead battery.
- After the engine has started, first remove the negative (-) terminal\
jumper cable. Then remove the positive (+) terminal
jumper cable.
WARNING!
PROPOSITION 65 WARNING!
Battery posts, terminals, and related accessories contain lead and lead \
compounds, chemicals known to the state of
California to cause cancer and reproductive harm. Wash hands after handl\
ing.
WARNING!
l Do not connect the jumper cable to any part of the fuel system or to any\
moving parts. Avoid touching hot manifolds.
l Never expose the battery to open flame or electric spark.
l Do not smoke near the battery.
l Batteries generate hydrogen gas, which is flammable and explosive.
l Battery fluid contains sulfuric acid. Do not allow battery fluid to cont\
act eyes, skin, fabrics or painted surfaces. If
contact occurs, flush the affected area immediately with water. Obtain m\
edical help immediately if eyes are affected.
l Failure to follow the instructions for jump starting can lead to persona\
l injury.
pg. 137 Starting and driving
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2007 Volvo XC90
Towing a trailer
The maximum weights recommended by Volvo for trailers with brakes are shown in the table below.
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 trail\
er'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 weight 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 vehicle, in the front seats\
, with a combined weight of 300 lbs (135 kg), with
no other cargo in the vehicle.
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 r\
ow of seats, with a combined weight of 600 lbs (270
kg), with no other cargo in the vehicle.
pg. 138 Starting and driving
Towing a trailer
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 that the gross vehicle\
weight and maximum permissible rear axle weight
(see
page 209) 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 sy\
stem 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 bumper 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
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2007 Volvo XC90
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).
l Do not connect the trailer's brake system directly to the vehicle's brak\
e system.
l Remove the ball and drawbar assembly when the hitch is not being used.
l Volvo recommends the use of synthetic engine oil when towing a trailer o\
ver long distances or in mountainous areas.
NOTE:
l When parking the vehicle with a trailer on a hill, apply the parking bra\
ke before putting the gear selector in (P)ark.
When starting on a hill, put the gear selector in (D)rive before relea\
sing the parking brake. Always follow the trailer
manufacturer's recommendations for wheel chocking.
l If you use the manual (Geartronic) shift positions while towing a trai\
ler, make sure the gear you select does not put too
much strain on the engine (using too high a gear).
WARNING!
l Bumper-attached trailer hitches must not be used on Volvos, nor should s\
afety chains be attached to the bumper.
l Trailer hitches attaching to the vehicle rear axle must not be used.
l Never connect a trailer's hydraulic brake system directly to the vehicle\
brake system, nor a trailer's lighting system
directly to the vehicle lighting system. Consult your nearest authorized\
Volvo retailer for correct installation.
l When towing a trailer, the trailer's safety wire must be correctly faste\
ned to the hole or hook provided in the trailer
hitch on the vehicle. The safety wire should never be fastened to or wou\
nd around the drawbar ball.
pg. 139 Starting and driving
Towing a trailer
Smoother starts with a trailer
Models equipped with the V8-engine and the 6-speed automatic transmissio\
n have a built-in function that reduces
acceleration slightly in first gear when the vehicle is towing a trailer\
. This is done to help avoid wheel spin and to make
starting off smoother.
l This function is activated when the trailer's electrical connector is pl\
ugged into the electrical socket mounted near the
trailer hitch.
l The function is automatically deactivated when the trailer's wiring is d\
isconnected from the socket. The vehicle will
then accelerate normally.
NOTE: Since this function is activated when a connector is plugged into the e\
lectrical socket near the trailer hitch, it will
be activated by any electrical equipment (e.g. bicycle racks with light\
ing, etc) that is plugged in, and will remain active
until the equipment is unplugged from the socket.
Leveling
If your vehicle is equipped with automatic leveling, the rear suspension\
always retains the correct ride height regardless of
the load.
l The system adjusts the rear suspension to the correct level after the ve\
hicle has been driven a short distance.
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2007 Volvo XC90
l When the vehicle is stationary, the rear suspension lowers, which is nor\
mal.
pg. 140 Starting and driving
Detachable trailer hitch
A. Ball holder
B. Locking bolt
C. Safety wire attachment
D. Hitch assembly
E. Cotter pin
Installing the ball holder
- If necessary, remove the cotter pin from the locking bolt and slide th\
e locking bolt out of the hitch assembly.
- Slide the ball holder into the hitch assembly.
- Align the hole in the ball holder with the one in the hitch assembly. \
- Slide the locking bolt through the hitch assembly/ball holder.
- Insert the cotter pin in the hole at the end of the locking bolt.
Removing the ball holder
- Remove the cotter pin from the locking bolt and slide the locking bolt\
out of the ball holder/hitch assembly.
- Pull the ball holder out of the hitch assembly.
A cover for the hitch assembly can be purchased from your Volvo retailer\
.
pg. 141 Starting and driving
Load carriers (accessory)
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2007 Volvo XC90
Positioning the load carriers
Make sure that the wing-shaped load carriers are installed on the roof r\
ails with the rounded edge forward (see the inset
illustration above). The load carriers are identical and can be placed \
anywhere along the roof rails.
When not in use, we recommend that the front load carrier be placed appr\
oximately 2 inches (5 cm) in front of the center
roof rail anchorage point and the rear load carrier approximately 1.5 in\
ches (3.5 cm) in front of the rear rail anchorage.
This will help to reduce wind noise.
NOTE: Volvo accessories mounted on these load carriers will require T-track m\
ounting hardware for correct installation.
Please consult your Volvo retailer.
Installing the load carriers
Make sure that the load carrier is pressed firmly out against the roof r\
ail. Screw the load carrier in place. Use the supplied
torque wrench and tighten to the mark on the wrench (corresponding to 6\
Nm). See illustration.
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.). Excess\
ive loads on the roof can adversely affect the
handling and roadholding characteristics of the vehicle.
pg. 142 Starting and driving
Load carriers (accessory)
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2007 Volvo XC90
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. 143 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 sec\
tion "Coolant". The use of "recycled" antifreeze is not
approved by Volvo. Different types 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 protect your vehicle 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 fuel line de-icer before\
refueling.
l The viscosity of the engine oil is important. Oil with low viscosity (thinner oil) improves cold-weat\
her starting as well
as decreasing fuel consumption while the engine is warming up. For winte\
r use, 5W-30 oil, particularly the synthetic type
1,
is recommended. Be sure to use good quality oil but do not use cold-weat\
her oil for hard driving or in warm weather. See
section "Engine oil" for more information.
l The load placed on the battery is greater during the winter since the windshield wipers, lighting, etc\
. are used more
often. Moreover, the capacity of the battery decreases as the temperatur\
e drops. In very cold weather, a poorly charged
battery can freeze and be damaged. It is therefore advisable to check th\
e 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 188 for the
location of the washer fluid reservoir). This is important since dirt i\
s often splashed on the windshield during winter
driving, requiring the frequent use of the washers and wipers. Volvo Was\
her Solvent should be diluted 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.
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2007 Volvo XC90
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 46).
l This mode may be selected for starting/ moving off on slippery roads.
1. Synthetic oil is not used when the oil is changed at the normal maint\
enance service intervals except at owner request and at
additional charge. Please consult your Volvo retailer.
pg. 144 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 plugs and wiper blad\
es 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 level1.
l Check condition of drive belts.
l Check state of the battery's charge.
l Examine tires carefully (the spare tire as well), and replace those th\
at are worn. Check tire pressures.
l The brakes, front wheel alignment, and steering gear should be checked b\
y your Volvo retailer only.
l Check all lights, including high beams.
l Reflective warning triangles are legally required in some states/provinc\
es.
l Have a word with your Volvo retailer if you intend to drive in countries\
where it may be difficult to obtain the correct
fuel.
l Consider your destination. If you will be driving through an area where \
snow or ice are likely to occur, consider snow
tires.
1. To prevent injury from contact with hot surfaces, do not inspect your\
vehicle's transmission fluid yourself. Have your vehicle's
transmission fluid level inspected by a qualified Volvo service technici\
an.
pg. 145 Starting and driving
Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) - option
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