02 Instruments and controls
Right-side steering wheel lever
02
72
Windshield wipers
0
0
A
CB
G025419
Windshield/headlight washers
Rain sensor – on/of, see page 72
Thumb wheel
Windshield wipers offThe windshield wipers are off when
the lever is in position 0.
Manual wiper functionFrom position 0, move the lever
upward. The windshield wipers will
sweep one stroke at a time for as
long as the lever is held up.
Intermittent wiper functionWith the lever in this position, you
can set the wiper interval by mov-
ing the thumb wheel (C) upward to
increase wiper speed or down-
ward to decrease the speed.
Continuous wiper functionThe wipers operate at "normal"
speed.
High speed wiper function.
– Windshield washers
Pull the lever toward the steering wheel and
release it. The wipers will make 2–3 sweeps
across the windshield after the lever has been
released.
CAUTION
•Use ample washer fluid when washing
the windshield. The windshield should
be thoroughly wet when the wipers are
in operation.
•Before using the wipers, ice and snow
should be removed from the wind-
shield/rear window. Be sure the wiper
blades are not frozen in place.
Headlight washers (certain models)
When the lever has been pulled, high pressure
jets mounted in the bumper will spray the head-
lights.
The following applies to conserve washer fluid,
see page 63 for information on the light switch
positions:
Low/high beam headlights onThe headlights will be washed the first time the
windshield 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 onOptional Active Bending Lights will be washed
once for every five times the windshield is
washed.
Normal halogen headlights will not be washed.
02 Instruments and controls
Right-side steering wheel lever
02
* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.73
– Rain sensor*
G031469
The rain sensor regulates windshield wiper
speed according to the amount of water on the
windshield. The sensitivity of the rain sensor is
adjusted by moving the thumb wheel (C in the
illustration on the previous page) up (the wipers
will sweep the windshield more frequently) or
down (the wipers will sweep the windshield
less frequently).
On/Off
Activating the rain sensor
1. Switch on the ignition.
2. Put the windshield wiper lever in posi-
tion 0.3. Press button B (see page 72). The rain sen-
sor symbol will appear in the lower display.
Manual deactivationThe rain sensor can be deactivated by:
Pressing button (B).
or
Moving the windshield wiper lever down.
NOTE
The rain sensor function will remain acti-
vated if the lever is briefly moved up to acti-
vate the "manual sweep" function.
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.
Automatic deactivationThe rain sensor is deactivated automatically in
the following situations:
•When the key is removed from the ignition.
•Five minutes after the ignition is switched
off if the key is left in the ignition.
– Thumb wheel
The thumb wheel is used to set the wiper inter-
val when intermittent wiping is selected, or the
sensitivity to the amount of rain on the wind-
shield when the rain sensor is selected. Move
the wheel upward or downward to increase/
decrease wiper speed when the intermittent
function is selected, or to increase/decrease
the optional rain sensor's sensitivity when the
this function is activated.
02 Instruments and controls
Steering wheel adjustment, Hazard warning flashers
02
74
Steering wheel adjustment
G027308
Both the height and the reach of the steering
wheel can be adjusted to a comfortable posi-
tion for the driver.
1. Pull down the lever on the steering column
to release the steering wheel.
2. Adjust the steering wheel to a suitable
position.
3. Press the lever back into place to lock the
steering wheel in the new position. If nec-
essary, press the steering wheel slightly
while pressing the lever into the locked
position.Check that the steering wheel is locked in the
new position.
WARNING
Never adjust the steering wheel while driv-
ing.
Hazard warning flashers
G020144
The four-way flasher should be used to indi-
cate that the vehicle has become a traffic haz-
ard.
1. Press the triangular button in the center
dash.2. Press the button again to turn off the flash-
ers.
NOTE
•Regulations regarding the use of the
hazard warning flasher may vary,
depending on where you live.
•The hazard warning flashers will be acti-
vated automatically if an airbag
deploys.
02 Instruments and controls
Parking brake
02
75 Parking brake (hand brake)
G026348
The parking brake lever is located between the
front seats.
NOTE
The indicator light will illuminate even if the
parking brake has only been partially
applied.
When applying the parking brake1. Press firmly on the brake pedal.
2. Pull the parking brake lever up firmly to its
full extent.
3. Release the brake pedal and ensure that
the vehicle is at a standstill.4. If the vehicle rolls, the parking brake lever
must be pulled more firmly.
5. When parking a vehicle always put the gear
selector in first gear (for manual transmis-
sion) or P (for automatic transmission).
Parking on a hill
•If the vehicle is pointing uphill, turn the front
wheels so that they point away from the
curb.
•If the vehicle is pointing downhill, turn the
front wheels so that they point toward the
curb.
Releasing the parking brake1. Press firmly on the brake pedal.
2. Pull the lever up slightly, press the button
at the end of the lever and lower the lever
completely.
WARNING
Pull up the parking brake lever up firmly to
its full extent.
02 Instruments and controls
Personal settings
02
84* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.
•Global (All doors) – unlocks all doors and
the trunk with one press on the remote key.
•Two Step (Two-stage unlocking) – This
alternative unlocks the driver's door with
one press on the remote key. A second
press unlocks the passenger's door and
the trunk
Automatically folding the door mirrorsThe setting makes it possible to automatically
fold the door mirrors in or out when the vehicle
is locked or unlocked. See page 79.
Operating side windowsThe following alternative can be selected for
opening all side windows at the same time by
pressing and holding the Unlock switch in
either of the front doors (see page 129 for
additional information)
1
NOTE
The ignition key must be in position I or
higher (see page 145) before all side win-
dows can be opened using the switches in
the front doors.
•Auto open all windows On/Off
Temporarily turning off the alarm
sensor(s)
The alarm sensors can be temporarily turned
off (if, for example, a person or a pet remains
in the vehicle when the doors are locked from
outside with the remote key). There are two
alternatives:
Activate once and Ask on exit,
see page 120 and 132.
Approach lightingThis alternative determines the length of time
for which the car's lights will remain on when
the Approach light button on the central lock-
ing system's remote key is pressed. Intervals
of 30/60/90 seconds may be selected, see the
section "Remote key functions" for more infor-
mation.
Home safe lightingThis alternative determines the length of time
for which the car's lights will remain on when
the high beam lever on the steering column is
pulled toward the wheel with the ignition
switched off. Intervals of 30/60/90 seconds
may be selected, see page 66 for information
on using this function.
Information
•VIN number – The VIN (Vehicle Identifica-
tion Number) is the car's unique identity
number.
•Number of Keys – the number of keys reg-
istered for the car is displayed here.
Climate functions
•Blower speed in AUTO mode – the blower
speed can be set to AUTO mode in models
equipped with ECC. Choose between
"Low", "Normal" and "High".
•Timer for recirculation – when the timer is
active, the air recirculates in the car for
3–12 minutes depending on the ambient
temperature. Select On/Off depending on
whether the recirculation timer is to be
active or not.
Keyless locking and unlocking*The following alternatives can be selected for
locking and unlocking the doors and trunk:
•All doors – all doors are locked or unlocked
at the same time.
•Doors on the same side – front and rear
doors on the same side are unlocked
together.
1This menu alternative also makes it possible to open all side windows by pressing and holding the Unlock button on the remote key for several seconds.
G020912
136* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.
General information............................................................................... 138
Fuel requirements................................................................................. 142
Ignition switch....................................................................................... 145
Starting the vehicle............................................................................... 146
Starting the vehicle with keyless drive*................................................. 148
Manual transmission, 5-speed*............................................................ 149
Manual transmission, 6-speed*............................................................ 150
Automatic transmission*....................................................................... 151
Shiftlock override.................................................................................. 153
All Wheel Drive*..................................................................................... 154
Brake system........................................................................................ 155
Stability system..................................................................................... 157
Towing.................................................................................................. 159
Jump starting........................................................................................ 161
Towing a trailer...................................................................................... 162
Detachable trailer hitch......................................................................... 164
Transporting loads................................................................................ 165
Blind Spot Information System (BLIS)*................................................. 166
Park assist*........................................................................................... 170
06 Starting and driving
General information
06
138
Economical driving conserves natural
resources
Better 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 trunk open: Driving with
the trunk open could lead to poisonous
exhaust gases entering the passenger com-
partment. If the trunk must be kept open for
any reason, proceed as follows:
1. Close the windows.
2. 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 handling
At 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.
06 Starting and driving
General information
06
140
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
the chapter "Wheels and tires."
•To prevent the washer fluid reservoir from
freezing, add washer solvents containing
antifreeze (see page 217 for the location of
the washer fluid reservoir). This is impor-
tant since dirt is often splashed on the
windshield during winter driving, requiring
the frequent use of the washers and wip-
ers. Volvo Washer Solvent should be dilu-
ted 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 sol-
vent and 3 parts water Down to 0 °F
(–18 °C): 1 part washer solvent and 2 parts
water Down to –18 °F (–28 °C): 1 part
washer solvent and 1 part water.
•Use Volvo Teflon Lock Spray in the locks.
NOTE
Avoid using de-icing sprays as they can
cause damage to the locks.
Conserving electrical current
Keep the following in mind to help minimize
battery drain:
•When the engine is not running, avoid turn-
ing the ignition key to position II. Many
electrical systems (the audio system, the
optional navigation system, power win-
dows, etc) will function with the ignition key
in position I. This position reduces drain on
the battery.
•Please keep in mind that using systems,
accessories, etc that consume a great deal
of current when the engine is not running
could result in the battery being completely
drained.
•The optional 12 volt socket in the trunk
(certain models only) provides electrical
current even with the ignition switched off,
which drains the battery.
NOTE
•If the ignition is switched on, a warning
message will be displayed in the text
window in the instrument panel when
the battery charge is low.
•An energy conserving function
designed into the vehicle's electrical
system will switch off certain functions
or reduce the load on the battery by,
e.g., reducing the audio system's vol-
ume.
Before a long distance trip
It is always worthwhile to have your vehicle
checked at a trained and qualified Volvo serv-
ice technician before driving long distances.
Your trained and qualified Volvo service tech-
nician 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 checked2.
•Check condition of drive belts.
2To prevent injury from contact with hot surfaces, do not inspect your vehicle's transmission fluid yourself. Have your vehicle's transmission fluid level inspected by a qualified Volvo service technician.