Page 127 of 254

06 Starting and driving
Economical driving
06
127 Economical driving conserves natural
resources
Better driving economy may be obtained by
thinking ahead, avoiding rapid starts and stops
and adjusting the speed of your vehicle to
immediate traffic conditions. Observe the fol-
lowing rules:•
Bring the engine to normal operating tem-
perature as soon as possible by driving
with a light foot on the accelerator pedal for
the first few minutes of operation. A cold
engine uses more fuel and is subject to
increased wear.
•
Whenever possible, avoid using the vehicle
for driving short distances. This does not
allow the engine to reach normal operating
temperature.
•
Drive carefully and avoid rapid acceleration
and hard braking.
•
Do not exceed posted speed limits.
•
Avoid carrying unnecessary items (extra
load) in the vehicle.
•
Maintain correct tire pressure. Check tire
pressure regularly (when tires are cold).
•
Remove snow tires when threat of snow or
ice has ended.
•
Note that roof racks, ski racks, etc,
increase air resistance and also fuel con-
sumption.
•
Avoid using automatic transmission kick-
down feature unless necessary.
•
However, at higher driving speeds, fuel
consumption will be lower with the air con-
ditioning on and the windows closed than
with the air conditioning off and the win-
dows open.
•
Using the onboard trip computer's fuel
consumption modes can help you learn
how to drive more economically.
Other factors that decrease gas mileage are:
•
Dirty air cleaner
•
Dirty engine oil and clogged oil filter
•
Dragging brakes
•
Incorrect front end alignment.
Some of the above mentioned items and others
are checked at the standard Maintenance
Service intervals.NOTE
Vehicles equipped with automatic transmis-
sions should use (D)rive as often as possible
and avoid using "kickdown" to help improve
fuel economy.
CAUTION
Drive slowly and carefully if going through
standing water (i.e. flooded roadways, etc.).
Damage to the engine could result if excess
water is drawn in through the air intake sys-
tem. Never drive the vehicle in water deeper
than 1 foot (300 mm).
Page 146 of 254

06 Starting and drivingLoad carriers (accessory)
06146
G027340
Load carrierLoad carriers are available as Volvo accesso-
ries. Observe the following points when in use:•
To avoid damaging your vehicle and to
achieve maximum safety when driving, we
recommend using the load carriers that
Volvo has developed especially for your
vehicle.
•
Volvo-approved removable roof racks are
designed to carry the maximum allowable
roof load for this vehicle: 220 lbs (100 kg).
For Non-Volvo roof racks, check the man-
ufacturer's weight limits for the rack.
•
Never exceed the rack manufacturer's
weigh limits and never exceed the maxi-
mum rated roof load of 220 lbs (100 kg).
•
Avoid single-point loads. Distribute loads
evenly.
•
Place heavier cargo at the bottom of the
load.
•
Secure the cargo correctly with appropri-
ate tie-down equipment.
•
Check periodically that the load carriers
and load are properly secured.
•
Remember that the vehicle's center of
gravity and handling change when you
carry a load on the roof.
•
The vehicle's wind resistance and fuel con-
sumption will increase with the size of the
load.
•
Drive smoothly. Avoid rapid starts, fast
cornering and hard braking.
Attaching load carriers
G027347
The attachment brackets for the load carriers
are located under the roof molding.
1. Make sure that the load carriers are placed
in the right direction. See the mark on the
decal under the cover.
2. Press the guide lugs into the holes (1).
3. Carefully lower the opposite side of the
load carrier to the roof.
4. Loosen the tightening wheel slightly. Slide
the hook on the load carrier attachment
into the attachment bracket under the roof
molding.
Page 147 of 254
06 Starting and driving
Load carriers (accessory)
06
147
5. Turn the tightening wheel to secure the
load carrier in the attachment bracket.
6. Repeat this procedure for the other load
carrier attachments.
7. Check that the hooks on all four load carrier
attachments are securely tightened in the
respective attachment brackets on the roof
of the vehicle.
8. Press down the covers.
Check periodically that the load carriers and
load are properly secured.
Page 251 of 254

12 Index
12
251
Roof racks (load carriers)......................... 146
Rotating tires........................................... 168SSafety defects, reporting
Canada................................................. 17
USA....................................................... 16
Seat belt..................................................... 18
Service.....................................................184
Service key.............................................. 108
Shiftlock...................................................124
Side impact protection (SIPS) airbags....... 28
Ski hatch.................................................. 103
Snow chains............................................ 166
Snow tires................................................ 166
Spare wheel............................................. 105
Stability systems...................................... 138
Starting the car........................................ 124
Steering wheel lock.................................125
Stone chips, touching up......................... 180
Storage compartments..............99, 100, 101
Studded tires........................................... 166Suspension.............................................. 246
TTemperature control.................................. 89
Three-way catalytic converter................. 245
Tire designations.....................................160
Tire economy, improving......................... 155
Tire inflation............................................. 156
Tire inflation pressure, checking.............. 157
Tire inflation pressure table
Canadian models................................ 159
US models.......................................... 158
Tire Pressure Monitoring System............ 172
Tires
rotation............................................... 168
Towing - cars with All Wheel Drive.......... 141
Towing the car......................................... 140
Trailer hitch - detachable......................... 145
Transmission - automatic........................130
Tread wear indicator................................ 155
Trunk
opening from the inside...................... 113
unlocking/locking................................ 112
UUniform Tire Quality Grading................... 165
Unlocking the car..................................... 112
Unlocking the trunk.................................. 112
Upholstery, cleaning................................ 177VValet key.................................................. 108
Vanity mirror............................................... 98
Vehicle dimensions.................................. 236
Vehicle Event Data................................... 184
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)......... 235
Vehicle loading......................................... 163
Volvo Inflatable Curtain.............................. 29
Volvo On Call Roadside Assistance........ 247WWarranties................................................ 184
Washer fluid reservoir......................189, 192
Washing the car....................................... 176