05 During your trip
Refueling05
}}
207
Octane rating
Minimum octane
Typical pump octane label
Volvo engines are designed to run on unleaded
gasoline with an octane rating of 87
1
or above.
Please be aware that the engine specifications
for horsepower and torque listed on page
283 are based on the use of premium fuel.
Demanding drivingIn demanding driving conditions, such as oper-
ating the vehicle in hot weather, towing a trailer,
or driving for extended periods at higher alti-
tudes than normal, it may be advisable to
switch to higher octane fuel (91 or higher) or to
change gasoline brands to fully utilize your engine\fs capacity, and for the smoothest pos-
sible operation.
NOTE When switching to higher octane fuel or
changing gasoline brands, it may be neces-
sary to fill the tank more than once before a
difference in engine operation is noticeable.
Fuel FormulationsDo not use gasoline that contains lead as a
knock inhibitor, and do not use lead additives.
Besides damaging the exhaust emission con-
trol systems on your vehicle, lead has been
strongly linked to certain forms of cancer.
Many fuels contain benzene as a solvent.
Unburned benzene has been strongly linked to
certain forms of cancer. If you live in an area
where you must fill your own gas tank, take
precautions. These may include:
\b
standing upwind away from the filler nozzle
while refueling
\b refueling only at gas stations with vapor
recovery systems that fully seal the mouth
of the filler neck during refueling
\b wearing neoprene gloves while handling a
fuel filler nozzle.
Use of AdditivesWith the exception of gas line antifreeze during
winter months, do not add solvents, thicken-
ers, or other store-bought additives to your
vehicle\fs fuel, cooling, or lubricating systems.
Overuse may damage your engine, and some
of these additives contain organically volatile
chemicals. Do not needlessly expose yourself
to these chemicals.
WARNING Never carry a cell phone that is
switched
on while refueling your vehicle. If the phone
rings, this may cause a spark that could
ignite gasoline fumes, resulting in fire and
injury.
WARNING Carbon monoxide is a poisonous, colorless,
and odorless gas. It is present in all exhaust
gases. If you ever smell exhaust fumes
inside the vehicle, make sure the passenger
compartment is ventilated, and immediately
return the vehicle to a trained and qualified
Volvo service technician for correction.
1
AKI (ANTI KNOCK INDEX) is an average of the Research Octane Number (R\
ON) and the Motor Octane Number (MON), MON+RON/2.
G028920
06 Maintenance and specifications
Wheels and tires06
}}
261
Vehicle loading
Properly loading your vehicle will provide maxi-
mum return of vehicle design performance.
Before loading your vehicle, familiarize yourself
with the following terms for determining your
vehicle\fs weight ratings, with or without a
trailer, from the vehicle\fs Federal/Canadian
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS/
CMVSS) label, and the vehicle\fs 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 217.
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\fs curb weight + cargo + passen-
gers.
NOTE \b
The location of the various labels in your
vehicle can be found on page 279
.
\b A table listing important weight limits for
your vehicle can be found on page
282.
Steps for Determining Correct Load
Limit
1. Locate the statement "the combined
weight of occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX pounds" on your vehi-
cle\fs 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 1
to determine
how this reduces the available cargo and
luggage load capacity of your vehicle. 1
See the section "Trailer Towing on page
217.
