Introduction
Environment
11 Volvo and the environment
Volvo is committed to the well being of its cus-
tomers. As a natural part of this commitment,
we care about the environment in which we all
live. Caring for the environment means an
everyday involvement in reducing our environ-
mental impact. Volvo's environmental activities
are based on a holistic view, which means we
consider the overall environmental impact of a
product throughout its complete life cycle. In
this context, design, production, product use,
and recycling are all important considerations.
In production, Volvo has partly or completely
phased out several chemicals including CFCs,
lead chromates, asbestos, and cadmium; and
reduced the number of chemicals used in our
plants 50% since 1991.
Volvo was the first in the world to introduce into
production a three-way catalytic converter with
a Lambda sond, now called the heated oxygen
sensor, in 1976. The current version of this
highly efficient system reduces emissions of
harmful substances (CO, HC, NOx) from the
exhaust pipe by approximately 95 – 99% and
the search to eliminate the remaining emis-
sions continues. Volvo is the only automobile
manufacturer to offer CFC-free retrofit kits for
the air conditioning system of all models as far
back as the 1975 model 240. Advanced elec-
tronic engine controls and cleaner fuels are
bringing us closer to our goal. After Volvo vehi-cles and parts have fulfilled their use, recycling
is the next critical step in completing the life
cycle. The metal content is about 75% of the
total weight of a vehicle, which makes the vehi-
cle among the most recycled industrial prod-
ucts. In order to have efficient and well-con-
trolled recycling, dismantling information is
available for all Volvo models. For Volvo, all
homogeneous plastic parts weighing more
than 3.4 oz. (100 grams) are marked with inter-
national symbols that indicate how the com-
ponent is to be sorted for recycling. In addition
to continuous environmental refinement of
conventional gasoline-powered internal com-
bustion engines, Volvo is actively looking at
advanced technology alternative-fuel vehicles.
When you drive a Volvo, you become our part-
ner in the work to lessen the car's impact on
the environment. To reduce your vehicle's
environmental impact, you can:
•Maintain proper air pressure in your tires.
Tests have shown decreased fuel econ-
omy with improperly inflated tires.
•Follow the recommended maintenance
schedule in your Warranty and Service
Records Information booklet.
•Drive at a constant speed whenever pos-
sible.
•See a trained and qualified Volvo service
technician as soon as possible for inspec-
tion if the check engine (malfunction indi-cator) light illuminates, or stays on after the
vehicle has started.
•Properly dispose of any vehicle-related
waste such as used motor oil, used batter-
ies, brake pads, etc.
•When cleaning your vehicle, please use
genuine Volvo car care products. All Volvo
car care products are formulated to be
environmentally friendly.
WARNING
PROPOSITION 65 WARNING!
Engine exhaust, some of its constituents,
and certain vehicle components contain or
emit chemicals known to the state of Cali-
fornia to cause cancer, and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. In addition, certain
fluids contained in vehicles and certain
products of component wear contain or
emit chemicals known to the State of Cali-
fornia to cause cancer, and birth defects or
other reproductive harm.
01 Safety
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) 01
20
Front airbags
G018665
The front airbag systemThe front airbags supplement the three-point
seat belts. For these airbags to provide the
protection intended, seat belts must be worn
at all times.
The front airbag system includes gas genera-
tors surrounded by the airbags, and decelera-
tion sensors that activate the gas generators,
causing the airbags to be inflated with nitrogen
gas.
Location of the passenger's side front airbag
As the movement of the seats' occupants com-
presses the airbags, some of the gas is expel-
led at a controlled rate to provide better cush-
ioning. Both seat belt pretensioners also
deploy, minimizing seat belt slack. The entire
process, including inflation and deflation of the
airbags, takes approximately one fifth of a sec-
ond.
The location of the front airbags is indicated by
SRS AIRBAG embossed on the steering wheel
pad and above the glove compartment, and by
decals on both sun visors and on the front and
far right side of the dash.
The driver's side front airbag is folded and
located in the steering wheel hub.The passenger's side front airbag is folded
behind a panel located above the glove com-
partment.
WARNING
•The airbags in the vehicle are designed
to be a SUPPLEMENT to–not a replace-
ment for–the three-point seat belts. For
maximum protection, wear seat belts at
all times. Be aware that no system can
prevent all possible injuries that may
occur in an accident.
•Never drive a vehicle with a steering
wheel-mounted airbag with your hands
on the steering wheel pad/airbag hous-
ing.
•The front airbags are designed to help
prevent serious injury. Deployment
occurs very quickly and with consider-
able force. During normal deployment
and depending on variables such as
seating position, one may experience
abrasions, bruises, swellings, or other
injuries as a result from deployment of
one or both of the airbags.
•When installing any accessory equip-
ment, make sure that the front airbag
system is not damaged. Any interfer-
ence in the system could cause mal-
function.
05 During your trip
Driving recommendations
05
192
General information
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 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 trip
Towing a trailer
05
208
Introduction
Volvo recommends the use of Volvo trailer
hitches that are specially designed for the vehi-
cle.
NOTE
See page 273 for the maximum trailer and
tongue weights recommended by Volvo.
•Observe the legal requirements of the
state/province in which the vehicles are
•All Volvo models are equipped with
energy-absorbing shock-mounted bump-
ers. Trailer hitch installation should not
interfere with the proper operation of this
bumper system.
Trailer towing does not normally present any
particular problems, but take into considera-
tion:
•Increase tire pressure to recommended
full. See the tire inflation tables on pages
247 and 247.
•When your vehicle is new, avoid towing
heavy trailers during the first 620 miles
(1,000 km).
•Maximum speed when towing a trailer:
50 mph (80 km/h).
•Engine and transmission are subject to
increased loads. Therefore, engine coolant
temperature should be closely watchedwhen driving in hot climates or hilly terrain.
Use a lower gear and turn off the air con-
ditioner if the temperature gauge needle
enters the red range.
•If the automatic transmission begins to
overheat, a message will be displayed in
the text window.
•Avoid overload and other abusive opera-
tion.
•Hauling a trailer affects handling, durabil-
ity, and economy.
•It is necessary to balance trailer brakes
with the towing vehicle brakes to provide a
safe stop (check and observe state/local
regulations).
•Do not connect the trailer's brake system
directly to the vehicle's brake system.
•More frequent vehicle maintenance is
required.
•Remove the ball and drawbar assembly
when the hitch is not being used.
•Volvo recommends the use of synthetic
engine oil when towing a trailer over long
distances or in mountainous areas.
WARNING
•Bumper-attached trailer hitches must
not be used on Volvos, nor should
safety chains be attached to the
bumper.
•Trailer hitches attaching to the vehicle
rear axle must not be used.
•Never connect a trailer's hydraulic
brake system directly to the vehicle
brake system, nor a trailer's lighting
system directly to the vehicle lighting
system. Consult your nearest author-
ized Volvo retailer for correct installa-
tion.
•When towing a trailer, the trailer's safety
wire must be correctly fastened to the
hole or hook provided in the trailer hitch
on the vehicle. The safety wire should
never be fastened to or wound around
the drawbar ball.
05 During your trip
Emergency towing
05
210
Towing eyelet
G017464
Location of the towing eyelet
G021501
Attaching the towing eyelet
The towing eyelet is located under the floor of
the cargo area, with the spare tire. This eyelet
must be screwed into the positions providedon the right sides of either the front or rear
bumper (see illustration).
CAUTION
If the vehicle is being towed on a flat bed
truck, the towing eyelets must not be used
to pull the vehicle up onto the flat bed.
NOTE
On certain models equipped with a trailer
hitch, the towing eyelet cannot be screwed
into the hole in the rear bumper. The towing
rope should be attached to the trailer hitch
instead. For this reason, the detachable
section of the trailer hitch should be safely
stowed in the vehicle at all times.
Attaching the towing eyelet
V70
Press the marked edge of the cover in the
bumper and release it.
Fold away the cover and screw the towing
eyelet in place, first by hand and then using
the tire iron until it is securely in place.
XC70Use a coin to pry open the lower edge of
the cover.
Screw the towing eyelet in place, first by
hand and then using the tire iron until it is
securely in place.
After the vehicle has been towed, the eyelet
should be removed and returned to its storage
location.
Press the cover for the attachment point back
into position.
WARNING
•Remember that the power brakes and
power steering will not function when
engine is not running. The braking and
steering systems will function but con-
siderably higher pressure will be
required on the brake pedal and greater
steering effort must be exerted.
•The towing eyelets must not be used for
pulling the vehicle out of a ditch or for
any similar purpose involving severe
strain. Do not use the towing eyelets to
pull the vehicle up onto a flat bed tow
truck.
06 Maintenance and specifications
Wheels and tires
06
243
wheels to reduce the chance of oversteer
during hard braking.
•Hitting curbs or potholes can damage the
tires and/or wheels permanently.
Summer and winter tires
G021778
The arrows shows the direction of rotation of the
tire
•When switching between summer and
winter tires, mark the tires to indicate
where they were mounted on the car, e.g.,
LF = left front, RR = right rear
•Tires with tread designed to roll in only one
direction are marked with an arrow on the
sidewall.
•Incorrectly mounted tires impair the car's
braking properties and ability to force
aside rain, snow and slush.
•The tires with the most tread should always
be at the rear (to reduce the risk of skid-
ding).
•Contact a Volvo workshop if you are
unsure about the tread depth.
Storing wheels and tiresWhen storing complete wheels (tires mounted
on rims), they should be suspended off the
floor or placed on their sides on the floor.
Tires not mounted on rims should be stored on
their sides or standing upright, but should not
be suspended.
CAUTION
Tires should preferably be stored in a cool,
dry, dark place, and should never be stored
in close proximity to solvents, gasoline, oils,
etc.
WARNING
•The wheel and tire sizes for your Volvo
are specified to meet stringent stability
and handling requirements. Unap-
proved wheel/tire size combinations
can negatively affect your vehicle's sta-
bility and handling. Approved tire sizes
are shown in the tire inflation pressure
tables on pages 247 and 247.
•Any damage caused by installation of
unapproved wheel/tire size combina-
tions will not be covered by your new
vehicle warranty. Volvo assumes no
responsibility for death, injury, or
expenses that may result from such
installations.
Tire wear
Tire rotationTire wear is affected by a number of factors
such as tire inflation, ambient temperature,
driving style, etc. Your vehicle is driven mainly
by the front tires, which will wear faster.
If the tires are rotated, they should only be
moved from front to back or vice versa. They
should never be rotated left to right/right to left.
However, tire rotation, done at the recom-
mended intervals, is one way of helping to keep
06 Maintenance and specifications
Wheels and tires
06
244
tread wear as even as possible and will help
you get maximum mileage from your tires.
Ideally, tire rotation should be done the first
time after approximately 3,000 miles
(5, 000 km) and thereafter at 6,000 mile
(10,000 km) intervals.
Tire rotation should only be performed if front/
rear tire wear is fairly even and tread height is
above 1/16" (1.6 mm).
NOTE
Tire rotation is not included in regularly
scheduled maintenance and is performed
only at customer request, at additional
charge.
Your Volvo retailer can also provide guidance
based on your particular driving circumstan-
ces.
Tread wear indicator
G021829
The tires have wear indicator strips running
across or parallel to the tread. The letters TWI
are printed on the side of the tire. When
approximately 1/16" (1.6 mm) is left on the
tread, these strips become visible and indicate
that the tire should be replaced. Tires with less
than 1/16" (1.6 mm) tread offer very poor trac-
tion.
When replacing worn tires, it is recommended
that the tire be identical in type (radial) and size
as the one being replaced. Using a tire of the
same make (manufacturer) will prevent altera-
tion of the driving characteristics of the vehicle.
Tire inflation
G032521
Tire inflation placard on U.S. models
Tire inflationCheck tire inflation pressure regularly.
Tables listing the recommended inflation pres-
sure for your vehicle can be found on pages
247 and 247. A tire inflation pressure placard
is also located on the driver's side B-pillar (the
structural member at the side of the vehicle, at
the rear of the driver's door opening). This plac-
ard indicates the designation of the factory-
mounted tires on your vehicle, as well as load
limits and inflation pressure.
06 Maintenance and specifications
Wheels and tires
06
245
NOTE
•The placards shown indicate inflation
pressure for the tires installed on the
vehicle at the factory only.
•A certain amount of air seepage from
the tires occurs naturally and tire pres-
sure fluctuates with seasonal changes
in temperature. Always check tire pres-
sure regularly.
•Use a tire gauge to check the tire inflation
pressure, including the spare, at least once
a month and before long trips. You are
strongly urged to buy a reliable tire pres-
sure gauge, as automatic service station
gauges may be inaccurate.
•Use the recommended cold inflation pres-
sure for optimum tire performance and
wear.
•Under-inflation or over-inflation may cause
uneven treadwear patterns.
NOTE
A certain amount of air seepage from the
tires occurs naturally and tire pressure fluc-
tuates with seasonal changes in tempera-
ture. Always check tire pressure regularly.
WARNING
•Under-inflation is the most common
cause of tire failure and may result in
severe tire cracking, tread separation,
or "blow-out," with unexpected loss of
vehicle control and increased risk of
injury.
•Under-inflated tires reduce the load car-
rying capacity of your vehicle.
G032522
Tire inflation placard on Canadian models
When weather temperature changes occur, tire
inflation pressures also change. A 10-degree
temperature drop causes a corresponding
drop of 1 psi (7 kPa) in inflation pressure. Check
your tire pressures frequently and adjust them
to the proper pressure, which can be found onthe vehicle's tire information placard or certifi-
cation label.
Checking tire pressure
Cold tires
Inflation pressure should be checked when the
tires are cold.
The tires are considered to be cold when
they have the same temperature as the sur-
rounding (ambient) air.
This temperature is normally reached after the
vehicle has been parked for at least 3 hours.
After driving a distance of approximately
1 mile (1.6 km), the tires are considered to be
hot. If you have to drive farther than this dis-
tance to pump your tire(s), check and record
the tire pressure first and add the appropriate
air pressure when you get to the pump.
If checking tire pressure when the tire is hot,
never "bleed" or reduce air pressure. The tires
are hot from driving and it is normal for pres-
sures to increase above recommended cold
pressures. A hot tire at or below recommended
cold inflation pressure could be significantly
under-inflated.