2009 VOLVO XC60 warning

01 SafetyVolvo Inflatable Curtain (VIC) 01
28 General information
This system consists of inflatable curtains
located along the sides of the roof liners,
stretching from the center of both front side
windows to the rear edge of the rear side door
windows. It is designed to help protect the
heads of the occupants of the front seats and
the occupant of the outboard rear seating posi-
tions in certain side impact collisions.
In certain side impacts, both the Inflatable Cur-
tain (VIC) and the Side Impact Airbag System
(SIPS airbag) will deploy. The VIC and the SIPS
airbag deploy simultaneously.
NOTE
If the inflatable curtain deploys, it remains
inflated for approximately 3 seconds.
WARNING \b
The VIC system is a supplement to the
Side Impact Protection System. It is not
designed to deploy during collisions
from the front or rear of the vehicle or in
rollover situations.
\b Never try to open or repair any compo-
nents of the VIC system. This should be
done only by a trained and qualified
Volvo service technician.
\b Never hang heavy items from the ceiling
handles. This could impede deployment
of the Inflatable Curtain.
\b The cargo area and rear seat should not
be loaded to a level higher than 2 in.
(5 cm) below the upper edge of the rear
side windows. Objects placed higher
than this level could impede the func-
tion of the Volvo Inflatable Curtain.WARNING In order for the VIC to provide its best pro-
tection, both front seat occupants and both
outboard rear seat occupants should sit in
an upright position with the seat belt prop-
erly fastened; adults using the seat belt and
children using the proper child restraint sys-
tem. Only adults should sit in the front seats.
Children must never be allowed in the front
passenger seat, see page 34 for guide-
lines. Failure to follow these instructions can
result in injury to the vehicle occupants in an
accident. G032025

01 Safety
Whiplash Protection System – WHIPS01
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29
General information
Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS) –
front seats only
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 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\fs head before moving slightly rear-
ward. This movement helps absorb some of
the forces that could result in whiplash.
WARNING
\b
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.
\b The WHIPS system is designed to func-
tion in certain collisions from the rear,
depending on the crash severity, angle
and speed.
WARNING \b
Occupants in the front seats must never
sit out of position. The occupant\fs back
must be as upright as comfort allows
and be against the seat back with the
seat belt properly fastened.
\b 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.
\b Do not attempt to service any compo-
nent in the WHIPS system yourself. G02101
8 G021842

01 SafetyWhiplash Protection System – WHIPS 01
30
WARNING \b
Boxes, suitcases, etc. wedged behind
the front seats could impede the func-
tion of the WHIPS system.
\b If the rear seat backrests are folded
down, cargo must be secured to pre-
vent it from sliding forward against the
front seat backrests in the event of a
collision from the rear. This could inter-
fere with the action of the WHIPS sys-
tem.WARNING Any contact between the front seat backr-
ests and the folded rear seat or a rear-facing
child seat could impede the function of the
WHIPS system. If the rear seat is folded
down, the occupied front seats must be
adjusted forward so that they do not touch
the folded rear seat. G018567

01 Safety
Rollover Protection System (ROPS)01
31
Volvo’s Rollover Protection System utilizes the
Roll Stability Control (RSC) function, which is
designed to help minimize the risk of a rollover
in emergency maneuvers or if a skid should
occur.
RSC uses a gyroscopic sensor that registers
the amount of change in the lateral angle at
which the vehicle is leaning. Using this infor-
mation, RSC calculates the likelihood of a roll-
over. If there is an imminent risk of a rollover,
the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control sys-
tem (DSTC) is activated, power to the engine is
cut and the brakes are applied to one or more
of the wheels until the vehicle regains stability.
For additional information on DSTC,

see
page 155.
WARNING The vehicle’s stability systems, including
ROPS and RSC, do not replace the driver’s
responsibility for operating the vehicle in a
safe manner. Speed and driving style
should always be adapted to the current
road, traffic and weather conditions. Posted
speed limits should always be respected.

01 SafetyCrash mode 01
32
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\fs functionality has been
reduced.
NOTE This text can only be shown if the display is
undamaged and the vehicle\fs 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 important function in the vehicle, such as the fuel lines,
sensors for one of the safety systems, the
brake system, etc.
WARNING \b
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.
\b Restoring the vehicle to normal operat-
ing status should only be done by a
trained and qualified Volvo service tech-
nician.
\b 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. G022831

01 SafetyChild safety 01
34
WARNING \b
Do not use child safety seats or child
booster cushions/backrests in the front
passenger\fs 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.
\b 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\fs belt) is equip-
ped with a locking mechanism to help keep the
seat belt taut.
When attaching the seat belt to a child
seat:
1. Attach the seat belt to the child seat
according to the child seat manufacturer\fs
instructions.
2. Pull the seat belt out as far as possible. 3. Insert the seat belt latch plate into the
buckle (lock) in the usual way.
4. 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 auto-
matically 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\fs seat. We also recommend that
children who have outgrown these devices
sit in the rear seat with the seat belt properly
fastened.
Volvo\fs recommendationsWhy does Volvo believe that no child should sit
in the front seat of a vehicle? It\fs quite simple
really. A front airbag is a very powerful device
designed, by law, to help protect an adult.
Because of the size of the airbag and its speed
of inflation, a child should never be placed in
the front seat, even if he or she is properly bel-
ted or strapped into a child safety seat. Volvo
has been an innovator in safety for over sev-
enty-five years, and we\fll continue to do our
part. But we need your help. Please rememberto put your children in the back seat, and
buckle them up.
Volvo has some very specific
recommendations:
\b
Always wear your seat belt.
\b Airbags are a SUPPLEMENTAL safety
device which, when used with a three-
point seat belt can help reduce serious
injuries during certain types of accidents.
Volvo recommends that you do not dis-
connect the airbag system in your vehicle.
\b Volvo strongly recommends that everyone
in the vehicle be properly restrained.
\b 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 front passenger
side airbag.
Drive safely!

01 Safety
Child restraint systems01
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35
Child restraints
Infant seat
There are three main types of child restraint
systems: infant seats, convertible seats, and
booster cushions. They are classified accord-
ing to the child\fs age and size.
The following section provides
general infor-
mation on securing a child restraint using a
three-point seat belt. Refer to pages 42 and
43 for information on securing a child restraint
using ISOFIX lower anchors and/or top tether
anchorages. Convertible seat
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 posi-
tion. Booster cushionWARNING
Always refer to the child restraint manufac-
turer\fs instructions for detailed information
on securing the restraint. G022840 G022847 G023269

01 SafetyChild restraint systems 01
36
WARNING \b
When not in use, keep the child restraint
system secured or remove it from the
passenger compartment to help pre-
vent it from injuring passengers in the
event of a sudden stop or collision.
\b A small child\fs head represents a con-
siderable part of its total weight and its
neck is still very weak. Volvo recom-
mends that children up to age 4 travel,
properly restrained, facing rearward. In
addition, Volvo recommends that chil-
dren should ride rearward facing, prop-
erly restrained, as long as possible.