2009 VOLVO V50 ABS

IntroductionGeneral information
10
Shiftlock (automatic transmission)When your car is parked, the gear selector is
locked in the Park (P) position. To release the
selector from this position, turn the ignition key
to position II (or start the engine), depress the
brake pedal, press the button on the front side
of the gear selector and move the selector from
Park (P).Keylock (automatic transmission)When the ignition is switched off, the gear
selector must be in the Park (P) position before
the key can be removed from the ignition
switch.Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)The ABS system in your car performs a self-
diagnostic test when the vehicle first reaches
the speed of approximately 12 mph
(20 km/h). The brake pedal will pulsate several
times and a sound may be audible from the
ABS control module. This is normal.Fuel filler doorPress the button on the light switch panel when
the car is at a standstill to open the fuel filler
door.Fuel filler capAfter refueling, close the fuel filler cap by turn-
ing it clockwise until it clicks into place. If this
cap is not closed tightly or if the engine is run-
ning when the car is refueled, the MalfunctionIndicator Lamp ("Check Engine" light) may
indicate a fault.
About this manual•
Before you operate your vehicle for the first
time, please familiarize yourself with the
new-engine oil consumption information,
see page 216. You should also be familiar
with the information found in the chapters
"Instruments and controls", and "Starting
and driving".
•
Information contained in the balance of the
manual is extremely useful and should be
read after operating the vehicle for the first
time.
•
The manual is structured so that it can be
used for reference. For this reason, it
should be kept in the vehicle for ready
access.
NOTE
•
Optional or accessory equipment
described in this manual may not be
available in all countries or markets.
Please note that some vehicles may be
equipped differently, depending on
special legal requirements.
•
All information, illustrations and specifi-
cations contained in this manual are
based on the latest product information
available at the time of publication.
•
Volvo reserves the right to make model
changes at any time, or to change spec-
ifications or design without notice and
without incurring obligation.
•
Do not export your Volvo to another
country before investigating that coun-
try's applicable safety and emission
control requirements. In some cases it
may be difficult or impossible to comply
with these requirements. Modifications
to the emission control system(s) may
render your Volvo not certifiable for
legal operation in the U.S., Canada and
other countries.

01 SafetyOccupant safety
0116
Volvo's concern for safetySafety is Volvo's cornerstone. Our concern
dates back to 1927 when the first Volvo rolled
off the production line. Three-point seat belts
(a Volvo invention), safety cages, and energy-
absorbing impact zones were designed into
Volvo cars long before it was fashionable or
required by government regulation.
We will not compromise our commitment to
safety. We continue to seek out new safety
features and to refine those already in our cars.
You can help. We would appreciate hearing
your suggestions about improving automobile
safety. We also want to know if you ever have
a safety concern with your car. Call us in the
U.S. at: 1-800-458-1552 or in Canada at:
1-800-663-8255.Occupant safety remindersHow safely you drive doesn't depend on how
old you are but rather on:•
How well you see.
•
Your ability to concentrate.
•
How quickly you make decisions under
stress to avoid an accident.
The following suggestions are intended to help
you cope with the ever changing trafficenvir-
onment.
•
Never drink and drive.
•
If you are taking any medication, consult
your physician about its potential effects
on your driving abilities.
•
Take a driver-retraining course.
•
Have your eyes checked regularly.
•
Keep your windshield and headlights
clean.
•
Replace wiper blades when they start to
leave streaks.
•
Take into account the traffic, road, and
weather conditions, particularly with
regard to stopping distance.
Reporting safety defects in the U.S.If you believe that your vehicle has a
defect which could cause a crash or
could cause injury or death, you
should immediately inform the
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) in addition to
notifying Volvo Cars of North Amer-
ica, LLC. If NHTSA receives similar
complaints, it may open an investiga-
tion, and if it finds that a safety defect
exists in a group of vehicles, it may
order a recall and remedy campaign.However, NHTSA cannot become
involved in individual problems
between you, your retailer, or Volvo
Cars of North America, LLC.
To contact NHTSA, you may either
call the Auto Safety Hotline toll-free at
1-888-327-4236
(TTY: 1-800-424-9153) or write to:
NHTSA, U.S. Department of Trans-
portation, Washington D.C. 20590.
You can also obtain other information
about motor vehicle safety from:
http://www.safercar.gov
Volvo strongly recommends that if your vehicle
is covered under a service campaign, safety or
emission recall or similar action, it should be
completed as soon as possible. Please check
with your local retailer or Volvo Cars of North
America, LLC if your vehicle is covered under
these conditions.
NHTSA can be reached at:
Internet:
http://www.nhtsa.gov
Telephone:

01 Safety
Whiplash Protection System
01``31 Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS) – front seats only
G020347
The WHIPS system consists of specially
designed hinges and brackets on the front seat
backrests designed to help absorb some of the
energy generated in a collision from the rear
(when the vehicle is "rearended").
In the event of a collision of this type, the hinges
and brackets of the front seat backrests are
designed to change position slightly to allow
the backrest/head restraint to help support the
occupant's head before moving slightly rear-
ward. This movement helps absorb some of
the forces that could result in whiplash.
WARNING
•
The WHIPS system is designed to sup-
plement the other safety systems in
your car. For this system to function
properly, the three-point seat belt must
be worn. Please be aware that no sys-
tem can prevent all possible injuries that
may occur in an accident.
•
The WHIPS system is designed to func-
tion in certain collisions from the rear,
depending on the crash severity, angle
and speed.
WARNING
•
Occupants in the front seats must never
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.
•
If your car has been involved in a rear-
end collision, the front seat backrests
must be inspected by a trained and
qualified Volvo service technician, even
if the seats appear to be undamaged.

01 SafetyCrash mode
0133 Driving after a collision
G026363
If the vehicle has been involved in a collision,
the text
CRASH MODE SEE MANUAL
may
appear in the information display. This indi-
cates that the vehicle's functionality has been
reduced.
This text can only be shown if the display is
undamaged and the vehicle's electrical system
is intact.
CRASH MODE is a feature that is triggered if
one or more of the safety systems (for example,
front or side airbags, an inflatable curtain, or
one or more of the seat belt pretensioners) has
deployed. The collision may have damaged an
important function in the vehicle, such as thefuel lines, sensors for one of the safety sys-
tems, the brake system, etc.
WARNING
•
Never attempt to repair the vehicle
yourself or to reset the electrical system
after the vehicle has displayed
CRASH
MODE SEE MANUAL
. This could
result in injury or improper system func-
tion.
•
Restoring the vehicle to normal operat-
ing mode should only be done by a
trained and qualified Volvo service tech-
nician.
•
After
CRASH MODE SEE MANUAL
has been displayed, if you detect the
odor of fuel vapor, or see any signs of
fuel leakage, do not attempt to start the
vehicle. Leave the vehicle immediately.
Attempting to start the vehicleIf damage to the vehicle is minor and there is
no fuel leakage, you may attempt to start the
vehicle. To do so:
1. Remove the ignition key or optional keyless
drive start control, see page 146.
2. Reinsert the key or start control in the igni-
tion switch. The vehicle will then attempt to
reset CRASH MODE to normal mode.3. Try to start the vehicle.
Moving the vehicleIf the electrical system is able to reset system
status to normal (
CRASH MODE SEE
MANUAL
will no longer be displayed), the
vehicle may be moved carefully from its pres-
ent position, if for example, it is blocking traffic.
It should, however, not be moved farther than
is absolutely necessary.
WARNING
Even if the vehicle appears to be drivable
after CRASH MODE has been set, it should
not be driven or towed (pulled by another
vehicle). There may be concealed damage
that could make it difficult or impossible to
control. The vehicle should be transported
on a flatbed tow truck to a trained and quali-
fied Volvo service technician for inspection/
repairs.

02 Instruments and controls
Symbols – instrument panel
02``55 Symbols – left side
G026439
1. Malfunction indicator light
As you drive, a computer called
On-Board Diagnostics II (OBDII)
monitors your car's engine, trans-
mission, electrical and emission
systems.
TheCHECK ENGINE light will light
up if the computer senses a condition that
potentially may need correcting. When this
happens, please have your car checked by a
trained and qualified Volvo service technician
as soon as possible.
CHECK
ENGINEACHECK ENGINE light may have many cau-
ses. Sometimes, you may not notice a changein your car's behavior. Even so, an uncorrected
condition could hurt fuel economy, emission
controls, and drivability. Extended driving with-
out correcting the cause could even damage
other components in your car.
NOTE
Canadian models are equipped with the
second symbol.2. Anti-lock Brake system (ABS)
If the warning light comes on, there
is a malfunction of the ABS system
(the standard braking system will
still function).
The vehicle should be driven to a trained and
qualified Volvo service technician for inspec-
tion, see page 153 for additional information.
NOTE
Canadian models are equipped with the
second symbol.3. Rear fog light
This symbol indicates that the rear
fog light (located in the driver's
side taillight cluster) is on.
4. Stability system STC or DSTC
This indicator symbol flashes when
the STC (Stability and Traction
control system) or the DSTC
(Dynamic Stability and Traction
control system) is actively working
to stabilize the car, see page 155 for more
detailed information.
5. Tire Pressure Monitoring System
This system monitors inflation
pressure in the tires. See page
197 for more information.
6. Fuel level warning light
When this light comes on, the vehi-
cle should be refueled as soon as
possible.

02 Instruments and controls
Symbols – instrument panel
0257
7. Brake failure warning light
If this light comes on while driving
or braking, stop the car as quickly
as possible in a safe place, open
the hood, and check the brake fluid
level in the reservoir, see
page 215 for the location of the reservoir.
NOTE
Canadian models are equipped with the
second symbol.
WARNING
If the fluid level is below the MIN mark in the
reservoir or if a
Brake failure – Service
urgent
message is displayed in the infor-
mation display: DO NOT DRIVE. Have the
car towed to a trained and qualified Volvo
service technician and have the brake sys-
tem inspected.
If the BRAKES and ABS warning lights come
on at the same time, this could indicate a fault
in the brake system.In this case:
1. Stop the car in a suitable place and switch
off the engine.
2. Restart the engine.
3. If both warning lights go off, no further
action is required and the car can be
driven.
4. If both lights remain on after the engine has
been restarted, switch off the engine again
and check the brake fluid level, see
page 215 for the location of the reservoir.
Door open warningThe driver will be alerted if one of the doors, the
hood or the tailgate are open or ajar.At low speeds
If the car is moving at a speed of
less than approximately 3 mph
(5 km/h), the Information symbol in
the instrument panel will light up
and a message will be shown in the
information display indicating which door(s),
etc is not completely closed.
At higher speeds
If the car is moving at a speed
above approximately 6 mph
(10 km/h), the Warning symbol in
the instrument panel will light up
and a message will be shown in the
information display indicating which door(s),
etc is not completely closed.
Hood and tailgate
If the hood and/or tailgate is not
completely closed, the Information
symbol in the instrument panel will
light up and a message will be dis-
played, regardless of the vehicle's
speed.

04 Interior
Storage compartments
04``109 Storage under the front, center armrest
G018371
There are two storage compartments under the
front, center armrest.•
Press the smaller button on the front edge
of the armrest and lift the armrest cover to
access a shallow storage compartment.
•
Press the larger button and lift the entire
armrest to access a deeper compartment.
CD storage
G026704
The deep storage compartment has room for
10 CD jewel cases. These cases must be
inserted with their spines upward in order to
allow space for 10 cases in the storage com-
partment
Cup holders in the center console
G018372
Two cup holders are located under the sliding
cover in the center console.
The cup holders can be lifted out if necessary.
To do so, grasp the indentation on the rear
edge of the cup holder and lift.
To put the cup holder back in place:
1. Slide the two locating tabs in the front side
of the cup holder into the two correspond-
ing recesses in the center console storage
space.
2. Press down the rear edge of the cup
holder.
To close the sliding cover, grasp the underside
of the front edge and pull.

06 Starting and driving
General information
06``137 Handling, roadholding
Vehicle 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 the
"Tire pressure" section. Loads should be dis-
tributed so that capacity weight or maximum
permissible axle loads are not exceeded.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
flowing water.
•
Clean the electrical connections for trailer
wiring 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.
Cold weather precautionsIf 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 byVolvo. Different types of antifreeze must
not be mixed.
•
Volvo recommends using only genuine
Volvo antifreeze in your vehicle's radiator.
Your Volvo retailer stocks plenty of Volvo
engine coolant to help protect your vehicle
during cold weather.
•
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 page 269 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
1Synthetic oil is not used when the oil is changed at the normal maintenance intervals except at owner request and at additional charge. Please consult your Volvo retailer.