2009 VOLVO XC70 fuel consumption

03 Your driving environmentInstruments and controls
0372
Gauges
G010605
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
G010604
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

04 Comfort and driving pleasureTrip computer
04152
Introduction
G022909
Information display and controls
READ–press to acknowledge/confirm/
erase a message)Thumb wheel (used to scroll among the trip
computer menus)RESET–resets certain functions
To scroll through trip computer information,
move the thumb wheel up or down. Continue
turning to return to the starting point.
Functions
NOTE
If a warning message appears while you are
using the trip computer, this message must
be acknowledged in order to return to the
trip computer function. Acknowledge a
message by pressing READ.To change the unit of measure specified for
distance and speed, contact an authorized
Volvo workshop.Average speedThe system calculates the average speed from
the last resetting. Reset using RESET.Current speed in mph (Canadian models
only)This function provides the driver with an instan-
taneous conversion of the car's current speed
from km/h to mph.Current speed in km/h (U.S. models only)This function provides the driver with an instan-
taneous conversion of the car's current speed
from mph to km/h.Current fuel consumption
(Instantaneous)Current fuel consumption is calculated every
second. The information on the display isupdated every few seconds. When the vehicle
is stationary, "
----
" appears on the display.
Average fuel consumptionThe average fuel consumption since the last
reset. Reset using RESET.Driving distance on current fuel reserveThis function shows the approximate distance
that can be driven on the fuel remaining in the
tank. The calculation is based on average fuel
consumption during the last 20 miles (30 km)
of driving and the amount of fuel remaining in
the tank when the reading was taken. When the
message
---- miles to empty tank
appears in
the display, refuel as soon as possible.
NOTE
The actual distance that can be driven on
the usable fuel remaining in the tank may be
influenced by a change in driving style.Resetting1.
Select
Average speed
or
Average fuel
consumption
.
2.
Press and hold RESET for approx. 1 sec-
ond to reset the selected function. If
RESET is kept depressed for at 3 three
seconds, Average speed and Average fuel
consumption are reset simultaneously.

05 During your tripDriving recommendations
05194
General informationEconomical driving conserves natural
resourcesBetter driving economy may be obtained by
thinking ahead, avoiding rapid starts and stops
and adjusting the speed of your vehicle to
immediate traffic conditions.
Observe the following rules:•
Bring the engine to normal operating tem-
perature as soon as possible by driving
with a light foot on the accelerator pedal for
the first few minutes of operation. A cold
engine uses more fuel and is subject to
increased wear.
•
Whenever possible, avoid using the vehicle
for driving short distances. This does not
allow the engine to reach normal operating
temperature.
•
Drive carefully and avoid rapid acceleration
and hard braking.
•
Use the transmission's Drive (D) position
as often as possible and avoid using kick-
down.
•
Do not exceed posted speed limits.
•
Avoid carrying unnecessary items (extra
load) in the vehicle.
•
Maintain correct tire pressure. Check tire
pressure regularly (when tires are cold).
•
Remove snow tires when threat of snow or
ice has ended.
•
Note that roof racks, ski racks, etc,
increase air resistance and also fuel con-
sumption.
•
At highway driving speeds, fuel consump-
tion will be lower with the air conditioning
on and the windows closed than with the
air conditioning off and the windows open.
•
Using the onboard trip computer's fuel
consumption modes can help you learn
how to drive more economically.
Other factors that decrease gas mileage
are:
•
Dirty air cleaner
•
Dirty engine oil and clogged oil filter
•
Dragging brakes
•
Incorrect front end alignment
Some of the above mentioned items and others
are checked at the standard maintenance
intervals.
WARNING
Driving with the tailgate open: Driving with
the tailgate open could lead to poisonous
exhaust gases entering the passenger com-
partment. If the tailgate must be kept open
for any reason, proceed as follows:•
Close the windows
•
Set the ventilation system control to air
flow to floor, windshield and side win-
dows and the blower control to its high-
est setting.
Weight distribution affects handlingAt the specified curb weight your vehicle has a
tendency to understeer, which means that the
steering wheel has to be turned more than
might seem appropriate for the curvature of a
bend. This ensures good stability and reduces
the risk of rear wheel skid. Remember that
these properties can alter with the vehicle load.
The heavier the load in the cargo area, the less
the tendency to understeer.Handling, roadholdingVehicle 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.

05 During your tripDriving recommendations
05196
Before a long distance tripIt is always worthwhile to have your vehicle
checked by a trained and qualified Volvo serv-
ice technician before driving long distances.
Your retailer will also be able to supply you with
bulbs, fuses, spark plugs and wiper blades for
your use in the event that problems occur.
As a minimum, the following items should be
checked before any long trip:•
Check that engine runs smoothly and that
fuel consumption is normal.
•
Check for fuel, oil, and fluid leakage
•
Have the transmission oil level checked.
•
Check condition of drive belts.
•
Check state of the battery's charge.
•
Examine tires carefully (the spare tire as
well), and replace those that are worn.
Check tire pressures.
•
The brakes, front wheel alignment, and
steering gear should be checked by a
trained and qualified Volvo service techni-
cian only.
•
Check all lights, including high beams.
•
Reflective warning triangles are legally
required in some states/provinces.
•
Have a word with a trained and qualified
Volvo service technician if you intend to
drive in countries where it may be difficult
to obtain the correct fuel.
•
Consider your destination. If you will be
driving through an area where snow or ice
are likely to occur, consider snow tires.
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). The use of "recycled" anti-
freeze is not approved by Volvo. Different
types of antifreeze must not be mixed.
•
Volvo recommends using only genuine
Volvo antifreeze in your vehicle's radiator.
•
Try to keep the fuel tank well filled – this
helps prevent the formation of condensa-
tion 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, 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 272 for more
information on engine oil.
NOTE
Synthetic oil is not used when the oil is
changed at the normal maintenance inter-
vals except at owner request and at addi-
tional charge.•
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
more frequently and spray an anti-rust oil
on the battery posts.
•
Volvo recommends the use of snow tires
on all four wheels for winter driving, see
page 253.
•
To prevent the washer fluid reservoir from
freezing, add washer solvents containing
antifreeze. This is important since dirt is
often splashed on the windshield during
winter driving, requiring the frequent use of
the washers and wipers. Volvo Washer
Solvent should be diluted as follows: Down
to 14 °F (–10 °C): 1 part washer solvent and
4 parts water Down to 5 °F (–15 °C): 1 part
washer solvent and 3 parts water Down to
0 °F (–18 °C): 1 part washer solvent and