2009 VOLVO XC70 tow

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 environmentInstruments and controls
0374
The information symbol may also illuminate
together with other symbols.
High beam indicator
This symbol illuminates when the high beam
headlights are on, or if the high beam flash
function is used.
Left turn signal indicator Right turn signal indicatorNOTE
•
Both turn signal indicators will flash
when the hazard warning flashers are
used.
•
If either of these indicators flash faster
than normal, the direction indicators are
not functioning properly.
Indicator and warning symbolsSymbol
DescriptionLow oil pressureParking brake appliedSRS airbags
Symbol
DescriptionSeat belt reminderGenerator not chargingFault in the brake systemWarning symbol
Low oil pressure
If the light comes on while driving, stop the
vehicle, stop the engine immediately, and
check the engine oil level. If the oil level is nor-
mal and the light stays on after restart, have the
vehicle towed to the nearest trained and quali-
fied Volvo service technician. This is normal,
provided it goes off when the engine speed is
increased.
Parking brake applied
This symbol illuminates when the parking
brake is applied. On models equipped with the
electric parking brake, this symbol flashes
while the brake is being applied and then glows
steadily.
A flashing symbol means that a fault has been
detected. See the message in the information
display.Canadian models are equipped with this sym-
bol:
NOTE
This symbol also comes on when the
mechanical parking brake is only slightly
applied.
Airbags – SRS
If this light comes on while the vehicle is being
driven, or remains on for longer than approxi-
mately 10 seconds after the vehicle has been
started, the SRS system's diagnostic functions
have detected a fault in a seat belt lock or pre-
tensioner, a front airbag, side impact airbag,
and/or an inflatable curtain. Have the system(s)
inspected by a trained and qualified Volvo
service technician as soon as possible.
Seat belt reminder
This symbol comes on for approximately 6 sec-
onds if the driver has not fastened his or her
seat belt.
Generator not charging
This symbol comes on during driving if a fault
has occurred in the electrical system. Contact
an authorized Volvo workshop.

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 environmentSteering wheel
0384
Adjusting
G021138
Adjusting the steering wheel
Lever for releasing/locking the steering
wheelPossible positions
The steering wheel can be adjusted for both
height and reach:
1. Pull the lever toward you to release the
steering wheel.
2. Adjust the steering wheel to the position
that suits you.
3. Push back the lever to lock the steering
wheel in place. If the lever is difficult to
push into place, press the steering wheel
lightly at the same time as you push the
lever.
WARNING
Never adjust the steering wheel while driv-
ing.With speed-dependent power steering (option)
the level of steering force can be adjusted, see
page 157.Keypads
G021139
Keypads in the steering wheel
Cruise control, see page 158. Adaptive
cruise control (option), see page 166.Audio controls, see page 131.
Horn
G021140
Horn±
Press the steering wheel hub to sound the
horn.

03 Your driving environment
Lighting
03``85 Lighting panel
G022854
Overview, light switches
Thumb wheel for adjusting display and
instrument lightingRear fog lightFront fog lightsHeadlights/parking lights
Instrument lightingIllumination of the display and instrument lights
will vary, depending on ignition mode.
The display lighting is automatically subdued
in darkness and the sensitivity is set with the
thumb wheel.
The intensity of the instrument lighting is
adjusted with the thumb wheel.
High/low beam headlights
21
G022855
Headlight switch and lever
Daytime running lights/no
high beamsParking lightsLow beams
Low beamsWhen the engine is started, the low beams are
activated automatically (daytime running lights)
if the headlight control is in position 0 or
.Daytime running lights can be deactivated by
a trained and qualified Volvo service techni-
cian.
NOTE
•
The use of daytime running lights is
mandatory in Canada.
•
Continuous high beams cannot be acti-
vated when the headlight switch is in
position
or
. High beam
flash will function in these positions.
High beam flash±
Move the lever toward the steering wheel
to position
. The high beams come on
until the lever is released.
High/low beam headlights
Continuous high beams1.
Set the ignition to mode II.
2.
With the light switch in position
,
pull the turn signal lever toward the steer-
ing wheel to position
to toggle between
high and low beams (this also applies on
models equipped with the optional Active
Bi-XenonŸ headlights).

03 Your driving environment
Lighting
03``89 Interior lighting, rear
G021150
Rear reading lightsThe lights are switched on or off by pressing
each respective button.Courtesy lights/door step lighting
(option)The courtesy lights/door step lighting switch
on/off automatically when one of the front
doors is opened/closed.Glove compartment lightingThe glove compartment lighting switches on/
off automatically when the lid is opened/
closed.
Overhead courtesy lightingThe passenger compartment lighting is
switched on and off automatically when button
(3) is in the neutral position.
The lighting comes on and remains on for
30 seconds if:•
the vehicle is unlocked from the outside
with the key or remote control
•
the engine is switched off and the ignition
is in mode 0.
The lighting switches off when:
•
the engine is started
•
the vehicle is locked from the outside.
The lighting comes on and remains on for two
minutes if one of the doors is open.
The passenger compartment lighting can be
switched on and off manually within 30 minutes
after the vehicle has been unlocked.
If the lighting is switched on manually and the
vehicle is locked, the courtesy lighting will
switch off automatically after one minute.
Home safe lightingWhen you leave your vehicle at night, you can
make use of the home safe lighting function to
illuminate the area in front of the vehicle.
1. Remove the key from the ignition slot.
2. Pull the direction indicator lever as far as
possible towards the steering wheel and
release it.
3. Exit the vehicle and lock the doors.
The headlights, parking lights, turn signals,
lights in the door mirrors, license plate lights,
and footwell lighting will illuminate and remain
on for 30
1, 60 or 90 seconds. The time interval
can be set under Car settings
Light
settings
Home safe lighting. For a
description of the menu system, see
page 120.
Approach lightingApproach lighting is activated by pressing the
approach light button on the remote key (see
the illustration on page 54).
When the function has been activated, the
parking lights, indicator lights, door mirror
lights, license plate lighting, dome lighting and
door step lighting come on.
1Factory setting

03 Your driving environmentWipers and washers
0392
CAUTION
The rain sensor should be deactivated when
washing the car in an automatic car wash,
etc. If the rain sensor function is left on, the
wipers will start inadvertently in the car
wash and could be damaged.Windshield washing
G019401
Washing functionMove the lever toward the steering wheel to
start the windshield and headlight washers.
After the lever is released the wipers make sev-
eral extra sweeps.
Heated washer nozzles (option)The washer nozzles are heated automatically
in cold weather to help prevent the washer fluid
from freezing.High-pressure headlight washing
(option)High-pressure headlight washing consumes a
large quantity of washer fluid. To save fluid, the
headlights are washed using two alternatives:•
Low/high beam headlights on. The head-
lights will be washed the first time the wind-
shield is washed. Thereafter, the head-
lights will only be washed once for every
five times the windshield is washed within
a 10-minute period.
•
Parking lights on. Optional Active Bi-
XenonŸ headlights will be washed once for
every five times the windshield is washed.
Normal halogen headlights will not be
washed.CAUTION
Use ample washer fluid when washing the
windshield. The windshield should be thor-
oughly wet when the wipers are in opera-
tion.
NOTE
One headlight is washed at a time.Tailgate wiper/washer
G017632
1. Intermittent wiping
2. Normal (continuous) wiping
Move the lever forward (see the arrow in the
illustration) to start the tailgate washer.Tailgate wiper and reverse gearIf the windshield wipers are on and the trans-
mission is put into reverse gear, the tailgate
wiper will go into intermittent wiping function
1.
1Consult your Volvo retailer if you would like to have this function deactivated.

03 Your driving environmentStarting the engine
03104
WARNING
•
Always remove the remote key from the
ignition slot when leaving the vehicle,
especially if there are children in the
vehicle.
•
Never remove the remote key from the
ignition slot while driving or when the
vehicle is being towed. The steering
lock could otherwise be activated, mak-
ing it impossible to steer the vehicle.
Never remove the remote key with key-
less drive function (option) from the
vehicle while driving or during towing.
•
Always place the gear selector in Park
and apply the parking brake before
leaving the vehicle. Never leave the
vehicle unattended with the engine run-
ning.
•
Always open garage doors fully before
starting the engine inside a garage to
ensure adequate ventilation. The
exhaust gases contain carbon monox-
ide, which is invisible and odorless but
very poisonous.
NOTE
•
The idling speed can be noticeably
higher than normal during cold starts.
This is to enable emission control sys-
tem can reach normal operating tem-
perature as quickly as possible, which
helps reduce exhaust emissions
3.
•
Keylock: Your vehicle is equipped with
a keylock system. When the engine is
switched off, the gear selector must be
in the Park position before the key can
be removed
4 from the ignition slot.
CAUTION
•
When starting in cold weather, the auto-
matic transmission may shift up at
slightly higher engine speeds than nor-
mal until the automatic transmission
fluid reaches normal operating tem-
perature.
•
Do not race a cold engine immediately
after starting. Oil flow may not reach
some lubrication points fast enough to
prevent engine damage.
•
The engine should be idling when you
move the gear selector. Never acceler-
ate until after you feel the transmission
engage. Accelerating immediately after
selecting a gear will cause harsh
engagement and premature transmis-
sion wear.
•
SelectingP or N when idling at a stand-
still for prolonged periods of time will
help prevent overheating of the auto-
matic transmission fluid.
Keyless drive (option)Follow steps 3 – 4 for starting the engine.
3If the gear selector is in the D or R positions and the car is not moving, engine speed (rpm) will be lower and it will take longer for the engine to reach normal operating temperature.4Does not apply to vehicles with the optional keyless drive.