
06 Starting and driving
General information
06
142
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 218 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. Driving or having the engine run-
ning for approximately 15 minutes will help
keep the battery charged.
•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.

06 Starting and driving
Starting the vehicle
06
148
To start the engine
WARNING
Before starting, check that the seat, steering
wheel and mirrors are adjusted properly.
Make sure the brake pedal can be
depressed completely. Adjust the seat if
necessary.
1. Fasten the seat belt.
2. Apply the parking brake if not already set.
The gear selector should be locked in the
Park (P) position (Shiftlock). See also page
153.
NOTE
After a cold start, idle speed may be notice-
ably higher than normal for a short period.
This is done to help bring components in the
emission control system to their normal
operating temperature as quickly as possi-
ble, which enables them to control emis-
sions and help reduce the vehicle's impact
on the environment.
3. The vehicle is equipped with an autostart
feature. Without touching the throttle
pedal, turn the key to position III and
release it. The starter motor will then oper-ate automatically (for up to ten seconds)
until the engine starts. If the engine fails to
start, repeat this step.
4. To release the gear selector from the Park
(P) position, the engine must be running (or
the ignition key must be in position II) and
the brake pedal must be depressed.
5. Select the desired gear. The gear engages
after a very slight delay, which is especially
noticeable when selecting R.
NOTE
•Immobilizer: If two of the keys to your
vehicle are close together, e.g., on the
same key ring when you try to start the
vehicle, this could cause interference in
the immobilizer system and result in the
vehicle not starting. If this should occur,
remove one of the keys from the key
ring before trying to start the vehicle
again.
•Keylock: The automatic transmission
has a keylock system. When the engine
is switched off, the gear selector must
be in the Park (P) position before the key
can be removed from the ignition
switch
1.
•When starting in cold weather, an 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.
1The optional keyless drive start control does not need to be removed from the ignition switch.

12 Index
12
290
inflation............................................... 179
inflation pressure, checking................ 179
inflation pressure table, Canadian mod-
els.......................................................182
inflation pressure table, US models.... 181
load ratings......................................... 180
rotation............................................... 177
snow...................................................189
spare................................................... 190
spare tire (location)............................. 192
speed ratings...................................... 180
storing................................................. 177
studded............................................... 189
tire pressure monitoring system......... 200
tire sealing system.............................. 193
tread wear indicator............................ 178
uniform tire quality grading................. 188
winter driving...................................... 189
Tire sealing system.................................. 193
Top tether anchors (child restraint sys-
tems).......................................................... 49
Towing a trailer........................................ 163
trailer hitch.......................................... 165
Towing the vehicle................................... 160
Trailer hitch - detachable......................... 165
Trailer towing........................................... 163Transmission
Geartronic........................................... 152
shiftlock override................................ 153
Tread wear indicator................................ 178
Treble....................................................... 246
Trip computer............................................ 71
Trips, long distance................................. 142
Trunk
opening from the inside...................... 131
Turn signals............................................... 69
indicator lights...................................... 56
U
Uniform Tire Quality Grading...................188
V
Valet locking............................................ 126
Vehicle dimensions.................................. 270
Vehicle Event Data..................................... 13
Vehicle loading........................................ 186
roof loads............................................ 166Vehicle maintenance................................ 214
performed by the owner.....................215
Vehicle towing.........................................160
Vehicle weights........................................ 271
VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)......... 269
Volvo and the environment........................ 14
Volvo maintenance.................................. 214
Volvo On Call Roadside Assistance........ 282
W
Warning flashers, hazard........................... 77
Warning symbol......................................... 58
Warranties................................................ 214
Washer fluid..................................... 221, 273
Washer fluid reservoir......................218, 221
Water, driving through............................. 141
Weights.................................................... 271
Wheel nuts............................................... 191
Wheels.....................................................176
changing............................................. 198
storing................................................. 177
Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS)....... 35