2009 VOLVO S60 load capacity

06 Starting and drivingHandling and road holding
06128
Weight distribution affects handlingAt 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 curvature of a
bend.
This ensures good stability and reduces the
risk of rear wheel skid. Remember that these
properties can alter with the vehicle load.
The heavier the load in the trunk (max. 220 lbs,
100 kg), the less the tendency to understeer.Handling, roadholdingVehicle load, tire design and inflation pressure
all affect vehicle handling. Therefore, check
that the tires are inflated to the recommended
pressure according to the vehicle load. See
"Tire pressure" section.
Loads should be distributed so that capacity
weight or maximum permissible axle loads are
not exceeded.
Speed-sensitive power steering
(Option on certain models)With this feature, the steering is most respon-
sive at lower speeds to make parking, driving
in city traffic, etc., easier. The effect of the
power steering diminishes as you accelerate
for greater stability at highway speeds.Driving through waterThe vehicle can be driven through water up to
a depth of approximately 9 in. (25 cm), at a
maximum speed of 6 mph (10 km/h).
Take particular care when driving through flow-
ing water.
Clean the electrical connections for trailer wir-
ing after driving in mud or water.
When driving through water, maintain low
speed and do not stop in the water.
WARNING
After driving through water, press lightly on
the brake pedal to ensure that the brakes
are functioning normally. Water or mud can
make the brake linings slippery, resulting in
delayed braking effect.
CAUTION
•
Engine damage will occur if water is
drawn into the air cleaner.
•
If the vehicle is driven through water
deeper than 9 in (25 cm), water may
enter the differential and the transmis-
sion. This reduces the oil's lubricating
capacity and may shorten the service
life of these components.
•
Do not allow the vehicle to stand in
water up to the door sills longer than
absolutely necessary. This could result
in electrical malfunctions.
•
If the engine has been stopped while the
car is in water, do not attempt to restart
the engine. Have the car towed out of
the water.

06 Starting and drivingCold weather precautions
06148
If you wish to check your vehicle before the
approach of cold weather, the following advice
is worth noting:•
Make sure that the engine coolant contains
50 percent antifreeze. Any other 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 types of antifreeze must
not be mixed.
•
Volvo recommends using only genuine
Volvo antifreeze in your vehicle's radiator.
•
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.
•
The viscosity of the engine oil is important.
Oil with low viscosity (thinner oil) improves
cold-weather starting as well as decreas-
ing fuel consumption while the engine is
warming up. For winter use, 5W-30 oil, par-
ticularly the synthetic type
1, is recom-
mended. Be sure to use good quality oil but
do not use cold-weather oil for hard driving
or in warm weather. See section "Engine
oil" for more information.
•
The load placed on the battery is greater
during the winter since the windshield wip-ers, lighting, etc. are used more often.
Moreover, the capacity of the battery
decreases as the temperature drops. In
very cold weather, a poorly charged bat-
tery can freeze and be damaged. It is there-
fore advisable to check the state of charge
more frequently and spray an antirust oil on
the battery posts.
•
Volvo recommends the use of snow tires
on all four wheels for winter driving - see
section "Wheels and tires."
•
To prevent the washer fluid reservoir
from freezing, add washer solvents con-
taining antifreeze (see page 192 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 diluted as follows:
•
Use Volvo Teflon Lock Spray in the locks.NOTE
Avoid the use of de-icing sprays as they can
cause damage to the locks.
1Synthetic oil is not used when the oil is changed at the normal maintenance service intervals.

07 Wheels and tiresTire inflation
07156
G032513
Tire inflation placards on U.S. modelsCheck tire inflation pressure regularly.
Tables listing the recommended inflation pres-
sure for your vehicle can be found on pages
158 and 159. A tire inflation pressure placard
is also located on the driver's side B-pillar (the
structural member at the side of the vehicle, at
the rear of the driver's door opening). This plac-
ard indicates the designation of the factory-
mounted tires on your vehicle, as well as load
limits and inflation pressure.
G032520
Tire inflation placard on Canadian models
NOTE
The placards shown indicate inflation pres-
sure for the tires installed on the vehicle at
the factory only.•
Use a tire gauge to check the tire inflation
pressure, including the spare, at least once
a month and before long trips. You are
strongly urged to buy a reliable tire pres-
sure gauge, as automatic service station
gauges may be inaccurate.
•
Use the recommended cold inflation pres-
sure for optimum tire performance and
wear.
•
Under-inflation or over-inflation may cause
uneven treadwear patterns.WARNING
Under-inflation is the most common cause
of tire failure and may result in severe tire
cracking, tread separation, or "blowout,"
with unexpected loss of vehicle control and
increased risk of injury.
Under-inflated tires reduce the load carrying
capacity of your vehicle.When weather temperature changes occur, tire
inflation pressures also change. A 10-degree
temperature drop causes a corresponding
drop of 1 psi (7 kPa) in inflation pressure. Check
your tire pressures frequently and adjust them
to the proper pressure, which can be found on
the vehicle's tire information placard or certifi-
cation label.Checking tire pressureA certain amount of air seepage from the tires
occurs naturally and tire pressure fluctuates
with seasonal changes in temperature. Always
check tire pressure regularly.Cold tiresInflation pressure should be checked when the
tires are cold.

07 Wheels and tires
Vehicle loading
07``163
Properly loading your vehicle will provide maxi-
mum return of vehicle design performance.
Before loading your vehicle, familiarize yourself
with the following terms for deter-mining your
vehicle's weight ratings, with or without a
trailer, from the vehicle's Federal/Canadian
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS/
CMVSS) label, and the vehicle's tire informa-
tion placard:Curb weightThe weight of the vehicle including a full tank
of fuel and all standard equipment. It does not
include passengers, cargo, or optional equip-
ment.Capacity weightAll weight added to the curb weight, including
cargo and optional equipment. When towing,
trailer hitch tongue load is also part of cargo
weight.
NOTE
For trailer towing information, please refer to
the section "Towing a trailer" on page 143.
Permissible axle weightThe maximum allowable weight that can be
carried by a single axle (front or rear). These
numbers are shown on the Federal/Canadian
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS/
CMVSS) label. The total load on each axle must
never exceed its maximum permissible weight.Gross vehicle weight (GVW)The vehicle's curb weight + cargo + passen-
gers.
NOTE
•
The location of the various labels in your
vehicle can be found on page 234.
•
A table listing important weight limits for
your vehicle can be found on page
238.
Steps for Determining Correct Load
Limit1. Locate the statement "the combined
weight of occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX pounds" on your vehi-
cle's placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kilograms or
XXX pounds.
4. The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if the "XXX" amount
equals 1400 lbs. and there will be five
150 lb. passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lbs. (1400-750 (5
× 150) = 650 lbs.)
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely exceed the
available cargo and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load
from your trailer will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual
1to determine

07 Wheels and tiresVehicle loading
07164
how this reduces the available cargo and
luggage load capacity of your vehicle.WARNING
•
Exceeding the permissible axle weight,
gross vehicle weight, or any other
weight rating limits can cause tire over-
heating resulting in permanent defor-
mation or catastrophic failure.
•
Do not use replacement tires with lower
load carrying capacities than the tires
that were original equipment on the
vehicle because this will lower the vehi-
cle's GVW rating. Replacement tires
with a higher limit than the originals do
not increase the vehicle's GVW rating
limitations.
1See "Towing a trailer" see page 143.

11 Specifications
Weights
11
239
Max. loadsMax. roof load
220 lbs (100 kg)
Max. trailer weight:
– without brakes
– with brakes, 2” ball
A
– with brakes, 1 7/8” ball
1650 lbs (750 kg)
3300 lbs (1500 kg)
2000 lbs (900 kg)
Max. tongue weight:
165 lbs (75 kg)
Trailer weights below 2,650 lbs (1,200 kg)
110 lbs (50 kg)
Trailer weights above 2,650 lbs (1,200 kg)
165 lbs (75 kg)
AWhen driving for prolonged periods at temperatures above 86 °F (30 °C), the maximum recommended weight is 2000 lbs (900 kg).See also page 143 for additional information.
CAUTION
The maximum permissible axle loads and/
or the gross vehicle weight must not be
exceeded.
WARNING
When adding accessories, equipment, lug-
gage and other cargo to your vehicle, the
total capacity weight must not be exceeded.