2009 VOLVO V70 ABS

01 SafetyOccupant safety
0114
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 vehicles long before it was fashionable
or required by government regulation.
We will not compromize our commitment to
safety. We continue to seek out new safety
features and to refine those already in our vehi-
cles. You can help. We would appreciate hear-
ing your suggestions about improving automo-
bile safety. We also want to know if you ever
have a safety concern with your vehicle. 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 traffic envi-
ronment.
•
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.

01 SafetyWhiplash Protection System – WHIPS
0130
General information
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Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS) –
front seats onlyThe 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 rear-ended).
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 vehicle. 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 vehicle has been involved in a
rear-end collision, the front seat backr-
ests must be inspected by a trained and
qualified Volvo service technician, even
if the seats appear to be undamaged.
Certain components in the WHIPS sys-
tem may need to be replaced.
•
Do not attempt to service any compo-
nent in the WHIPS system yourself.
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01 SafetyCrash mode
0132
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Driving after a collisionIf the vehicle has been involved in a collision,
the text
SAFETY MODE SEE MANUAL
may
appear in the information display. This indi-
cates that the vehicle's functionality has been
reduced.
NOTE
This text can only be shown if the display is
undamaged and the vehicle's electrical sys-
tem is intact.Safety mode is a feature that is triggered if one
or more of the safety systems (e.g. front or side
airbags, an inflatable curtain, or one or more of
the seat belt pretensioners) has deployed. The
collision may have damaged an importantfunction in the vehicle, such as the fuel lines,
sensors for one of the safety systems, the
brake system, etc.
WARNING
•
Never attempt to repair the vehicle
yourself or to reset the electrical system
after the vehicle has displayed
SAFETY
MODE SEE MANUAL
. This could
result in injury or improper system func-
tion.
•
Restoring the vehicle to normal operat-
ing status should only be done by a
trained and qualified Volvo service tech-
nician.
•
After
SAFETY 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 remote control from the igni-
tion slot.2. Reinsert the remote in the ignition slot. The
vehicle will then attempt to reset Safety
mode to normal status.
3. Try to start the vehicle.
Moving the vehicleIf the electrical system is able to reset system
status to normal (
SAFETY MODE SEE
MANUAL
will no longer be shown in the dis-
play), the vehicle may be moved carefully from
its present 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 Safety 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.

03 Your driving environmentInstruments and controls
0372
Gauges
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Gauges in the instrument panel
SpeedometerFuel gauge. Please note that the fuel level
indicator in the gauge moves from right to
left as the amount of fuel in the tank
decreases. See also the section on refuel-
ing beginning on page 198. See page
152 for more information on fuel level and
consumption.The tachometer shows engine speed in
thousands of revolutions per minute (rpm).
Do not drive continuously with the needle
in the red area of the gauge. The engine
management system will automatically
prevent excessively high engines speeds.
This will be noticeable as a pronounced
unevenness in engine speed.
Indicator, information, and warning
symbols
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Indicator and warning symbols
Indicator and information symbolsIndicator and warning symbolsHigh beam and turn signal indicators
Function checkAll indicator and warning symbols light up in
ignition mode II or when the engine is started.
When the engine has started, all the symbols
should go out except the parking brake sym-
bol, which only goes out when the brake is
disengaged.
If the engine does not start or if the function
check is carried out in ignition mode II, all sym-
bols go out after 5 seconds except the symbolfor faults in the vehicle's emissions system and
the symbol for low oil pressure.
Certain symbols may not have their functions
illustrated, depending on the vehicle's equip-
ment.
Indicator and warning symbolsSymbol
DescriptionTrailer turn signal indicator
CHECK
ENGINE
Malfunction indicator lightAnti-lock brake system (ABS)Rear fog light onStability systemTire pressure monitoring sen-
sor (TPMS)Low fuel levelInformation symbol, see text
in information displayHigh beam indicator

03 Your driving environment
Instruments and controls
03``73
Symbol
DescriptionLeft turn signal indicatorRight turn signal indicator
Trailer turn signal indicator
If you are towing a trailer, this light will flash
simultaneously with the trailer's turn signals. If
the light does not flash, or if they flash faster
than usual when signaling a turn, the turn sig-
nals on the trailer or on the vehicle are not
functioning properly.CHECK
ENGINE
Malfunction Indicator Light
As you drive, a computer called On-Board
Diagnostics II (OBDII) monitors your vehicle's
engine, transmission, electrical and emission
systems.
The malfunction indicator (CHECK ENGINE)
light will illuminate if the computer senses a
condition that potentially may need correcting.
When this happens, please have your vehicle
checked by a trained and qualified Volvo serv-
ice technician as soon as possible.
A malfunction indicator (CHECK ENGINE) light
may have many causes. Sometimes, you may
not notice a change in your car's behavior.
Even so, an uncorrected condition could hurtfuel economy, emission controls, and drivabil-
ity. Extended driving without correcting the
cause could even damage other components
in your vehicle.
This light may illuminate if the fuel filler cap is
not closed tightly or if the engine was running
while the vehicle was refueled.
Canadian models are equipped with this sym-
bol:
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
warning light
If the warning light comes on, there may be a
malfunction in the ABS system (the standard
braking system will still function). Check the
system by:
1. Stopping in a safe place and switching off
the ignition.
2. Restart the engine.
3. If the warning light goes off, no further
action is required.
If the warning light remains on, the vehicle
should be driven to a trained and qualified
Volvo service technician for inspection, see
page 110 for additional information.
Canadian models are equipped with this sym-
bol:
Rear fog light
This symbol indicates that the rear fog light
(located in the driver's side tail light cluster) is
on.
Stability system
This indicator symbol flashes when the DSTC
(Dynamic Stability and Traction Control sys-
tem) is actively working to stabilize the vehicle,
see page 155 for more detailed information.
Tire pressure monitoring system
(TPMS) – option
This symbol illuminates to indicate that tire
pressure in one or more tires is low, see
page 259 for detailed information.
Low fuel level
When this light comes on, the vehicle should
be refueled as soon as possible.
Information symbol
The information symbol illuminates and a text
message is displayed if a fault is detected in
one of the vehicle's systems. The message can
be erased and the symbol can be turned off by
pressing the READ button (see page 121 for
information) or this will take place automati-
cally after a short time (the length of time varies,
depending on the function affected).

03 Your driving environment
Instruments and controls
03``75
Engine temperatureEngine overheating can result from low oil or
coolant levels, towing or hard driving at high
heat and altitude, or mechanical malfunction.
Engine overheating will be signaled with text
and a red warning triangle in the middle of the
instrument display. The exact text will depend
on the degree of overheating. It may range from
"HIGH ENGINE TEMP – SLOW DOWN
" to
"
HIGH ENGINE TEMP – STOP ENGINE
." If
appropriate, other messages, such as
"
COOLANT LEVEL LOW
" will also be dis-
played. If your engine does overheat so that
you must stop the engine, always allow the
engine to cool before attempting to check oil
and coolant levels.
Fault in brake system
If this symbol lights, the brake fluid level may
be too low. Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
check the level in the brake fluid reservoir, see
page 219. If the level in the reservoir is below
MIN, the vehicle should be transported to an
authorized Volvo workshop to have the brake
system checked.
Canadian models are equipped with this sym-
bol:If the
and
symbols come on at
the same time, there may be a fault in the brake
force distribution system.1. Stop the vehicle in a safe place and turn off
the engine.
2. Restart the engine.
•
If both symbols extinguish, continue driv-
ing.
•
If the symbols remain on, check the level in
the brake fluid reservoir, see page 219. If
the brake fluid level is normal but the sym-
bols are still lit, the vehicle can be driven,
with great care, to an authorized Volvo
workshop to have the brake system
checked.
•
If the level in the reservoir is below MIN, the
vehicle should be transported to an author-
ized Volvo workshop to have the brake
system checked.WARNING
•
If the fluid level is below the MIN mark
in the reservoir or if a warning message
is displayed in the text window:
DO
NOT DRIVE
. Have the vehicle towed to
a trained and qualified Volvo service
technician and have the brake system
inspected.
•
If the ABS and Brake system lights are
on at the same time, there is a risk of
reduced vehicle stability.
Warning symbol
The red warning symbol comes on when a fault
has been indicated which could affect the
safety and/or drivability of the vehicle. An
explanatory text is shown on the information
display at the same time. The symbol remains
visible until the fault has been rectified but the
text message can be cleared with the READ
button, see page 121. The warning symbol can
also come on in conjunction with other sym-
bols.
Action:
1. Stop in a safe place. Do not drive the vehi-
cle further.
2. Read the information on the information
display. Implement the action in accord-
ance with the message in the display. Clear
the message using READ.Reminder – doors not closedIf one of the doors, the hood or tailgate is not
closed properly, the information or warning
symbol comes on together with an explanatory
text message in the instrument panel. Stop the
vehicle in a safe place as soon as possible and
close the door, hood or tailgate.
If the vehicle is driven at a speed
lower than approximately 5 mph
(7 km/h), the information symbol comes on.

03 Your driving environmentLighting
0386
>
The symbol
illuminates in the
instrument panel to indicate that the
high beams are on.
Active Bi-Xenon LightsŸ (ABL)–option
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Headlight pattern with ABL deactivated (left) and
activated (right) respectivelyWhen the ABL function is activated, the head-
light beams adjust laterally to help light up a
curve according to movements of the steering
wheel (see the right-pointing beam in the illus-
tration).
This function is activated automatically when
the engine is started and can be deactivated/
reactivated by pressing the ABL button
in the center console. This buttonlights up when the ABL function is activated,
and will flash if there is a fault in the system.
NOTE
This function is only active in twilight or dark
conditions, and only when the vehicle is in
motion.Parking lights
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Headlight control in position for parking lightsThe front and rear parking lights can be turned
on even when the ignition is switched off.
Turn the headlight control to the center posi-
tion (the license plate lighting comes on at the
same time).The lighting also comes on when the tailgate is
opened in order to alert anyone traveling
behind your vehicle.
Brake lightsThe brake lights come on automatically when
the brakes are applied.Emergency brake lights (EBL)Emergency Brake Lights, EBL, activate in the
event of sudden braking or if the ABS system
is activated. This function causes an additional
taillight on each side of the vehicle to illuminate
to help alert vehicles traveling behind.
The EBL function activates if:•
The ABS system activates for more than
approximately a half second
•
In the event of sudden braking while the
vehicle is moving at speeds above approx-
imately 6 mph (10 km/h)
When the vehicle has come to a stop, the brake
lights and additional taillights remain on for as
long as the brake pedal is depressed or until
braking force on the vehicle is reduced.

03 Your driving environmentBrakes
03110
Brake systemThe brake system is a hydraulic system con-
sisting of two separate brake circuits. If a prob-
lem should occur in one of these circuits, it is
still possible to stop the vehicle with the other
brake circuit.
If the brake pedal must be depressed farther
than normal and requires greater foot pressure,
the stopping distance will be longer.
A warning light in the instrument panel will light
up to warn the driver that a fault has occurred.
If this light comes on while driving or braking,
stop immediately and check the brake fluid
level in the reservoir.
NOTE
Press the brake pedal hard and maintain
pressure on the pedal – do not pump the
brakes.
WARNING
If the fluid level is below the MIN mark in the
reservoir or if a brake system message is
shown in the information display:
DO NOT
DRIVE
. Have the vehicle towed to a trained
and qualified Volvo service technician and
have the brake system inspected.
Power brakes function only when the
engine is runningThe power brakes utilize vacuum pressure
which is only created when the engine is run-
ning. Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with the
engine switched off.
If the power brakes are not working, the brake
pedal must be pressed approximately five
times harder than usual to make up for the lack
of power assistance. This can happen for
example when towing your vehicle or if the
engine is switched off when the vehicle is roll-
ing. The brake pedal feels harder than usual.Water on brake discs and brake pads
affects brakingDriving in rain and slush or passing through an
automatic car wash can cause water to collect
on the brake discs and pads. This will cause a
delay in braking effect when the pedal is
depressed. To avoid such a delay when the
brakes are needed, depress the pedal occa-
sionally when driving through rain, slush, etc.
This will remove the water from the brakes.
Check that brake application feels normal. This
should also be done after washing or starting
in very damp or cold weather.Severe strain on the brake systemThe brakes will be subject to severe strain
when driving in mountains or hilly areas, or
when towing a trailer. Vehicle speed is usuallyslower, which means that the cooling of the
brakes is less efficient than when driving on
level roads. To reduce the strain on the brakes,
shift into a lower gear and let the engine help
with the braking. Do not forget that if you are
towing a trailer, the brakes will be subjected to
a greater than normal load.
Anti-lock braking systemThe Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) helps to
improve vehicle control (stopping and steering)
during severe braking conditions by limiting
brake lockup. When the system "senses"
impending lockup, braking pressure is auto-
matically modulated in order to help prevent
lockup that could lead to a skid.
The system performs a brief self-diagnostic
test when the engine has been started and
driver releases the brake pedal. Another auto-
matic test may be performed when the vehicle
first reaches a speed of approximately 25 mph
(40 km/h). The brake pedal will pulsate several
times and a sound may be audible from the
ABS control module. This is normal.Cleaning the brake discsCoatings of dirt and water on the brake discs
may result in delayed brake function. This delay
is minimized by cleaning the brake linings.
Cleaning the brake pads is advisable in wet
weather, prior to long-term parking, and after
the vehicle has been washed. Do this by brak-