
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.
16 01 Safety
Supplemental Restraint System
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
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 pretensioners, 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.
WARNING
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 a trained and qualified 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.
Automatic transmission:
Before attempting to tow the vehicle, use the following procedure to override the shiftlock system to move the gear
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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
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.
1See also the Occupant Weight Sensor information on page 21.
19 01 Safety
Front airbags
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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.
20 01 Safety
Front airbags
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 17
).
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.
21 01 Safety
Occupant Weight Sensor (OWS)
Disabling the passenger's side front airbag
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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 30
.
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 16) will come on and stay on.
The message PASS. AIRBAG OFF SERVICE URGENT will be displayed in the information display.
22 01 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 a trained and qualified Volvo
service technician 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).
1Volvo 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.
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.
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23 01 Safety
Occupant Weight Sensor (OWS)
Have the person sit upright in the seat, centered on the seat cushion, with the person's legs comfortably extended.
Restart the vehicle and have the person remain in this position for about two minutes. This will allow the system to
detect that person and enable the passenger's frontal airbag.
If the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp remains on even after this, the person should be advised to ride in
the rear seat.
This condition reflects limitations of the OWS classification capability. It does not indicate OWS malfunction.
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, LLC
Customer Care Center
P.O. Box 914 Rockleigh, New Jersey 07647-0914
1-800-458-1552
In Canada
Volvo Cars of Canada Corp.
National Customer Service
175 Gordon Baker Road
North York, Ontario M2H 2N7
1-800-663-8255
WARNING
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 weight, this extra weight could cause the OWS system to enable the
airbag, which might cause it to deploy in the event of a collision, thereby injuring the child.
The seat belt should never be wrapped around an object on the front passenger's seat. This could interfere with the
OWS system's function.
The front passenger's seat belt should never be used in a way that exerts more pressure on the passenger than
normal. This could increase the pressure exerted on the weight 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.
24 01 Safety
Occupant Weight Sensor (OWS)
WARNING
Keep the following points in mind with respect to the OWS system. Failure 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:
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 cushion, or by pressing against the backrest in a way that reduces pressure on the
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in a vehicle. Here's what to look for when selecting a child restraint system:
It should have a label certifying that it meets applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS 213) - or
in Canada, CMVSS 213.
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.
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 injuries 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 child on a cushion so that the seat belt is properly located on the
hips (see the illustrations on page 32
). Legislation in your state or province may mandate the use of a child seat or
cushion in combination with the seat belt, depending on the child's age and/or size. Please check local regulations.
A specially designed and tested booster cushion (not available in Canada) can be obtained from your Volvo retailer for
children weighing 33-80 lb. (15-36 kg) and 38-54 inches (97-137 cm) in height.
31 01 Safety
Child safety
WARNING
Do not use child safety seats or child booster cushions/backrests in the front passenger's seat. We also recommend
that children under 4 feet 7 inches (140 cm) in height who have outgrown these devices sit in the rear seat with the
seat belt fastened.
Keep vehicle doors and trunk locked and keep keys out of a child's reach. Unsupervised children could lock
themselves in an open trunk and risk injury. Children should be taught not to play in vehicles.
On hot days, the temperature in the vehicle interior can rise very quickly. Exposure to these high temperatures for
even a short period of time can cause heat-related injury or death. Small children are particularly at risk.
Automatic Locking Retractor/Emergency Locking Retractor (ALR/ELR)
To make child seat installation easier, each seat belt (except for the driver's belt) is equipped with a locking mechanism
to help keep the seat belt taut.
When attaching the seat belt to a child seat:
Attach the seat belt to the child seat according to the child seat manufacturer's instructions.
Pull the seat belt out as far as possible.
Insert the seat belt latch plate into the buckle (lock) in the usual way.
Release the seat belt and pull it taut around the child seat.
A sound from the seat belt retractor will be audible at this time and is normal.
The belt will now be locked in place.
This function is automatically disabled when the seat belt is unlocked and the belt is fully retracted.
WARNING
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.
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WARNING
A child seat should never be used in the front passenger seat of any vehicle with a front passenger airbag - not even if
the "Passenger airbag off" symbol near the rear-view mirror is illuminated (on vehicles equipped with Occupant
Weight Sensor). If the severity of an accident were to cause the airbag to inflate, this could lead to serious injury or
death to a child seated in this position.
WARNING
Always refer to the child restraint manufacturer's instructions for detailed information on securing the restraint.
33 01 Safety
Child restraint systems
WARNING
When not in use, keep the child restraint system secured or remove it from the passenger compartment to help
prevent it from injuring passengers in the event of a sudden stop or collision.
A small child's head represents a considerable part of its total weight and its neck is still very weak. Volvo
recommends that children up to age 4 travel, properly restrained, facing rearward. In addition, Volvo recommends that
children should ride rearward facing, properly restrained, as long as possible.
34 01 Safety
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