2011 VOLVO V50 fuel tank capacity

06 Starting and driving
General information
06

139 Handling, roadholding
Vehicle 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.
Driving through water
The vehicle can be driven through water up to
a depth of approximately 9 in. (25 cm), at a
maximum speed of 6 mph (10 km/h).
•Take particular care when driving through
flowing water.
•Clean the electrical connections for trailer
wiring after driving in mud or water
•When driving through water, maintain low
speed and do not stop in the water.
WARNING
After driving through water, press lightly on
the brake pedal to ensure that the brakes
are functioning normally. Water or mud can
make the brake linings slippery, resulting in
delayed braking effect.
CAUTION
•Engine damage will occur if water is
drawn into the air cleaner.
•If the vehicle is driven through water
deeper than 9 in. (25 cm), water may
enter the differential and the transmis-
sion. This reduces the oil's lubricating
capacity and may shorten the service
life of these components.
•Do not allow the vehicle to stand in
water up to the door sills longer than
absolutely necessary. This could result
in electrical malfunctions.
•If the engine has been stopped while the
car is in water, do not attempt to restart
the engine. Have the car towed out of
the water.
Cold weather precautions
If 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). See section "Coolant". The use of
"recycled" antifreeze is not approved byVolvo. Different types of antifreeze must
not be mixed.
•Volvo recommends using only genuine
Volvo antifreeze in your vehicle's radiator.
Your Volvo retailer stocks plenty of Volvo
engine coolant to help protect your vehicle
during cold weather.
•Try to keep the fuel tank well filled – this
prevents the formation of condensation 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
1, 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.
•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
1Synthetic oil is not used when the oil is changed at the normal maintenance intervals except at owner request and at additional charge. Please consult your Volvo retailer.

06 Starting and driving
Fuel requirements
06
142
Octane rating
Minimum octane
G028920
Typical pump octane label
Volvo recommends premium fuel for best per-
formance, but using 87 octane1 or above will
not affect engine reliability.
Volvo engines are designed to achieve rated
horsepower, torque, and fuel economy per-
formance using premium 91 octane fuel.
Demanding drivingIn demanding driving conditions, such as oper-
ating the vehicle in hot weather, towing a trailer,
or driving for extended periods at higher alti-
tudes than normal, it may be advisable to
switch to higher octane fuel (91 or higher) or tochange gasoline brands to fully utilize your
engine's capacity, and for the smoothest pos-
sible operation.
NOTE
When switching to higher octane fuel or
changing gasoline brands, it may be neces-
sary to fill the tank more than once before a
difference in engine operation is noticeable.
Fuel FormulationsDo not use gasoline that contains lead as a
knock inhibitor, and do not use lead additives.
Besides damaging the exhaust emission con-
trol systems on your vehicle, lead has been
strongly linked to certain forms of cancer.
Many fuels contain benzene as a solvent.
Unburned benzene has been strongly linked to
certain forms of cancer. If you live in an area
where you must fill your own gas tank, take
precautions. These may include:
•standing upwind away from the filler nozzle
while refueling
•refueling only at gas stations with vapor
recovery systems that fully seal the mouth
of the filler neck during refueling
•wearing neoprene gloves while handling a
fuel filler nozzle.
Use of AdditivesWith the exception of gas line antifreeze during
winter months, do not add solvents, thicken-
ers, or other store-bought additives to your
vehicle's fuel, cooling, or lubricating systems.
Overuse may damage your engine, and some
of these additives contain organically volatile
chemicals. Do not needlessly expose yourself
to these chemicals.
WARNING
Never carry a cell phone that is switched
on while refueling your vehicle. If the phone
rings, this may cause a spark that could
ignite gasoline fumes, resulting in fire and
injury.
WARNING
Carbon monoxide is a poisonous, colorless,
and odorless gas. It is present in all exhaust
gases. If you ever smell exhaust fumes
inside the vehicle, make sure the passenger
compartment is ventilated, and immediately
return the vehicle to a trained and qualified
Volvo service technician for correction.
1AKI (ANTI KNOCK INDEX) is an average of the Research Octane Number (RON) and the Motor Octane Number (MON), MON+RON/2.

06 Starting and driving
Fuel requirements
06
144
You can also keep the vehicle locked if you
remain inside it during refueling. The central
locking button does not lock the fuel filler door.
Be sure the fuel filler door is not obstructed and
is completely closed after refueling. Open the
fuel filler cap slowly during hot weather.
Refueling
The fuel tank is designed to accommodate
possible expansion of the fuel in hot weather,
see page 271 for fuel tank volume. Be aware
that the "usable" tank capacity will be some-
what less than the specified maximum. When
the fuel level is low, such factors as ambient
temperature, the fuel's "Reid vapor pressure"
characteristics, and terrain can affect the fuel
pump's ability to supply the engine with an
adequate supply of fuel. Therefore, it is advis-
able to refuel as soon as possible when the
needle nears the red zone, or when the fuel
warning light comes on.
CAUTION
•Do not refuel with the engine running2.
Turn the ignition off or to position I. If the
ignition is on, an incorrect reading could
occur in the fuel gauge
•After refueling, close the fuel filler cap
by turning it clockwise until it clicks into
place.
•Avoid overfilling the fuel tank. Do not
press the handle on the filler nozzle
more than one extra time. Too much fuel
in the tank in hot weather conditions can
cause the fuel to overflow. Overfilling
could also cause damage to the emis-
sion control systems.
•Avoid spilling gasoline during refueling.
In addition to causing damage to the
environment, gasolines containing
alcohol can cause damage to painted
surfaces, which may not be covered
under the New Vehicle Limited War-
ranty.
•Do not use gasolines containing meth-
anol (methyl alcohol, wood alcohol).
This practice can result in vehicle per-
formance deterioration and can dam-
age critical parts in the fuel system.
Such damage may not be covered
under the New Vehicle Limited War-
ranty.
2If the fuel filler cap is not closed tightly or if the engine is running when the vehicle is refueled, the Check Engine Light (malfunction indicator lamp) may indicate a fault. However, your vehicle’s
performance will not be affected. Use only Volvo original or approved fuel filler caps.

07 Wheels and tires
Vehicle loading
07
184
Loading the vehicle
Before loading your vehicle, familiarize yourself
with the following terms for determining your
vehicle's weight ratings, with or without a
trailer, from the vehicle's Federal/Canadian
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS/
CMVSS) label, and the vehicle's tire informa-
tion placard:
Curb weightThe weight of the vehicle including a full tank
of fuel and all standard equipment. It does not
include passengers, cargo, or optional equip-
ment.
Capacity weightAll weight added to the curb weight, including
cargo and optional equipment. When towing,
trailer hitch tongue load is also part of cargo
weight.
NOTE
For trailer towing information, please refer to
the section "Towing a trailer", see
page 161.
Permissible axle weightThe maximum allowable weight that can be
carried by a single axle (front or rear). These
numbers are shown on the Federal/CanadianMotor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS/
CMVSS) label. The total load on each axle must
never exceed its maximum permissible weight.
Gross vehicle weight (GVW)The vehicle's curb weight + cargo + passen-
gers.
NOTE
•The location of the various labels in your
vehicle can be found on page 266.
•A table listing important weight limits for
your vehicle can be found on page
269.
Steps for Determining Correct Load
Limit
1. Locate the statement "the combined
weight of occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX pounds" on your vehi-
cle's placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kilograms or
XXX pounds.
4. The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if the "XXX" amount
equals 1400 lbs. and there will be five
150 lbs. passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lbs. (1400–750 (5×150)
= 650 lbs.)
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely exceed the
available cargo and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load
from your trailer will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual1 to determine
how this reduces the available cargo and
luggage load capacity of your vehicle.
1See "Towing a trailer"

11 Specifications
Fuel, oils, and fluids
11

271 Specifications and capacities
CategorySpecificationCapacity
Fuel tankOctane rating: unleaded gasoline, minimum
octane requirement AKI 87, recommended rat-
ing AKI 91 or above.15.9 US gallons (60 liters)
Engine oil (with filter replacement)See page 272 for information on engine oil
specifications.6.1 US quarts (5.8 liters)
Automatic transmission oilJWS 33098.14 US quarts (7.7 liters)
CoolantVolvo original coolant/antifreeze (50/50 mix-
ture of water and anti-freeze)10.5 US quarts (10 liters) – models with automatic
transmission
Brake fluidDOT 4+ boiling point >536 °F (280 °C), P/N
94374330.63 US quarts (0.6 liters)
Power steering fluidWSS M2C204-A or equivalent1.3 US quarts (1.2 liters) – system and reservoir com-
bined
Washer fluid reservoirUse washer fluid solvent in cold weather con-
ditions.4.2 US qts (4 liters)
Air conditioning systemRefrigerant – R134a1.2 lbs. (530 grams)