2011 VOLVO XC60 tow

03 Your driving environment
Laminated panoramic roof*
03

* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.103 Introduction
The laminated panoramic roof is divided into
two sections.
•The rear glass section is fixed in place and
cannot be moved.
•The front glass section can be slid hori-
zontally to the open or closed positions or
its rear edge can be raised and lowered to
allow ventilation.
All references in this section to opening or clos-
ing the panoramic roof pertain to the front glass
section.
The laminated panoramic roof also has a sun
shade made of perforated fabric that is located
below the sections of glass. This shade can be
opened or closed, for example when driving in
bright sunlight.
Both the laminated panoramic roof and the sun
shade are operated by the controls in the ceil-
ing console, near the rear-view mirror. The
vehicle's ignition must be in mode I or II before
the laminated panoramic roof/sun shade can
be operated.
CAUTION
•Remove ice and snow before opening
the laminated panoramic roof.
•Do not operate the laminated panor-
amic roof if it is frozen closed.
•Never place heavy objects on the lami-
nated panoramic roof.
Operation
Auto open (arrow points toward the rear of
the vehicle)
Manual open
Manual close
Auto close

03 Your driving environment
Starting the engine
03

* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.109 Start
Ignition switch with remote key inserted ( see
page 81 for more information on ignition modes)
WARNING
Before starting the engine:
•Fasten the seat belt.
•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. Press the remote key into the ignition slot
as far as possible, with the metallic key
blade pointing outward (not inserted into
the slot)
1.
2.
Depress the brake pedal
2.
3.
Press and release the START/STOP
ENGINE button. The autostart function will
operate the starter motor until the engine
starts.
The starter motor operates for a maximum
of 10 seconds. If the engine has not
started, repeat the procedure.
NOTE
Keyless drive*
To start a vehicle equipped with the keyless
drive feature, one of the remote keys must
be in the passenger compartment. Follow
the instructions in step 3 to start the vehicle.
WARNING
An extra mat on the driver's floor can cause
the accelerator and/or brake pedal to catch.
Check that the movement of these pedals is
not impeded. Not more than one protective
floor covering may be used at one time.
WARNING
•Always remove the remote key from the
ignition slot when leaving the vehicle,
especially if there are children in the
vehicle.
•Never remove the remote key from the
ignition slot while driving or when the
vehicle is being towed. The steering
lock could otherwise be activated, mak-
ing it impossible to steer the vehicle. On
vehicles with the optional keyless drive,
never remove the remote key from the
vehicle while driving or during towing.
•Always place the gear selector in Park
and apply the parking brake before
leaving the vehicle. Never leave the
vehicle unattended with the engine run-
ning.
•Always open garage doors fully before
starting the engine inside a garage to
ensure adequate ventilation. The
exhaust gases contain carbon monox-
ide, which is invisible and odorless but
very poisonous.
1On vehicles with the optional keyless drive, it is only necessary to have a remote key in the passenger’s compartment.2If the vehicle is moving, it is only necessary to press the START/STOP ENGINE button to start the vehicle.

03 Your driving environment
Transmission
03
112
Automatic transmission
G021351
Shiftgate positions1
Depress the button on the front of the gear
selector knob to move the gear selector
between the R, N, D, and P positions.
The gear selector can be moved freely between
the Geartronic (manual shifting) and Drive (D)
positions while driving.
Park position (P)Select the P position when starting or parking.
ShiftlockWhen P has been selected, the transmission is
mechanically blocked in this position. The
brake pedal must be depressed and the igni-
tion must be in at least mode II (see page 81)before the gear lever can be moved from the
P position.
Always apply the parking brake when the vehi-
cle is parked. Press the control to apply the
brake, see page 118.
CAUTION
The vehicle must be stationary when posi-
tion P is selected.
Reverse ®)The vehicle must be stationary when position
R is selected.
Neutral position (N)No gear is engaged and the engine can be
started with the gear selector in this position.Apply the parking brake if the vehicle is sta-
tionary with the gear selector in position N.
Drive (D)D is the normal driving position. The car auto-
matically shifts between the various forward
gears, based on the level of acceleration and
speed. The car must be at a standstill when
shifting from position R to position D.
Geartronic–manual shiftingGeartronic allows you to manually shift among
your vehicle's six forward speeds. Geartronic
can be selected at any time.
•To access the manual shifting position
from Drive (D), move the gear selector to
the right (to the area marked M in the illus-
tration.
•To return to the D position from the manual
shifting position, move the gear selector to
the left.
While driving
•If you select the manual shifting position
while driving, the gear that was being used
in the Drive position will also initially be
selected in the manual shifting position.
•Move the gear selector forward (toward
"+") to shift to a higher gear or rearward
(toward "–") to shift to a lower gear.
1The information display (see page 75) shows the gear selector's position or the selected gear by displaying the following: P, R, N, D, S, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6.

03 Your driving environment
Transmission
03

113
•If you hold the gear selector toward "–", the
transmission will downshift one gear at a
time and will utilize the braking power of
the engine. If the current speed is too high
for using a lower gear, the downshift will
not occur until the speed has decreased
enough to allow the lower gear to be used.
•If you slow to a very low speed, the trans-
mission will automatically shift down.
Shiftlock – Neutral (N)If the gear selector is in the N position and the
vehicle has been stationary for at least 3 sec-
onds (irrespective of whether the engine is run-
ning) then the gear selector is locked.
To be able to move the gear selector from N to
another gear position, the brake pedal must be
depressed and the ignition must be in posi-
tion II, see page 81.
Geartronic–Sport mode (S)2
This transmission mode provides sportier shift-
ing characteristics and enables a more active
driving style by making it possible to drive at
higher rpm in each gear before shifting up. The
engine also responds faster when the throttle
pedal is pressed.
To access Sport mode from Drive (D), move the
gear selector to the right. The transmission willnot switch to manual shifting mode until the
gear selector is moved forward or rearward
toward + or -.
Sport mode can be selected any time.
NOTE
•When the transmission is in Sport
mode, the transmission symbol in the
main instrument panel will change from
D to S (see page 75).
•Please be aware that using Sport mode
may result in a slight decrease in fuel
economy. Driving in D can help improve
fuel economy.
Geartronic–starting on slippery surfacesSelecting 3rd gear in Geartronic’s manual shift-
ing mode can help provide better traction when
starting off on slippery surfaces. To do so:
1. Depress the brake pedal and move the
gear selector to the right from the D posi-
tion to the manual shifting position. The
text in the instrument panel display will
change from
D to 1.
2. Press the gear selector forward and
release it (this selects 2nd gear). Press theselector forward again and release it to
select 3rd gear.
3. Release the brake pedal and press gently
on the accelerator pedal.
Shiftlock override
If the vehicle cannot be driven, for example
because of a dead battery, the gear selector
must be moved from the P position before the
vehicle can be moved
3.
Lift away the rubber mat on the floor of the
storage compartment behind the center
console to expose the small opening for
overriding the shiftlock system.
2Only available on models with the T6 turbo engine.3If the battery is dead, the electric parking brake cannot be applied or released. Connect an auxiliary battery if the battery voltage is too low, see page 110.

03 Your driving environment
Brakes
03

* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.115 Brake system
The brake system is a hydraulic system con-
sisting of two separate brake circuits. If a prob-
lem should occur in one of these circuits, it is
still possible to stop the vehicle with the other
brake circuit.
If the brake pedal must be depressed farther
than normal and requires greater foot pressure,
the stopping distance will be longer.
A warning light in the instrument panel will light
up to warn the driver that a fault has occurred.
If this light comes on while driving or braking,
stop immediately and check the brake fluid
level in the reservoir.
NOTE
Press the brake pedal hard and maintain
pressure on the pedal – do not pump the
brakes.
WARNING
If the fluid level is below the MIN mark in the
reservoir or if a brake system message is
shown in the information display: DO NOT
DRIVE. Have the vehicle towed to a trained
and qualified Volvo service technician and
have the brake system inspected.
Brake pad inspection mirror
Brake pad inspection mirror
This mirror is used to inspect the brake pads
on vehicles that are not equipped with the a
jack* and lug wrench*.
This mirror is located with the other tools under
the floor of the cargo compartment (see
page 291).
Insert the mirror between the spokes in the
wheels to visually inspect the brake pads for
wear.
Brake lightsThe brake lights come on automatically when
the brakes are applied.
Adaptive brake lightsThe adaptive brake lights activate in the event
of sudden braking or if the ABS system is acti-vated. This function causes an additional tail-
light on each side of the vehicle to illuminate to
help alert vehicles traveling behind.
The adaptive brake lights activate if:
•The ABS system activates for more than
approximately a half second
•In the event of sudden braking while the
vehicle is moving at speeds above approx-
imately 6 mph (10 km/h)
When the vehicle has come to a stop, the brake
lights and additional taillights remain on for as
long as the brake pedal is depressed or until
braking force on the vehicle is reduced.
Power brakes function only when the
engine is running
The power brakes utilize vacuum pressure
which is only created when the engine is run-
ning. Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with the
engine switched off.
If the power brakes are not working, consider-
ably higher pressure will be required on the
brake pedal to compensate for the lack of
power assistance. This can happen for exam-
ple when towing your vehicle or if the engine is
switched off when the vehicle is rolling. The
brake pedal feels harder than usual.

03 Your driving environment
Brakes
03
116
Water on brake discs and brake pads
affects braking
Driving in rain and slush or passing through an
automatic car wash can cause water to collect
on the brake discs and pads. This will cause a
delay in braking effect when the pedal is
depressed. To avoid such a delay when the
brakes are needed, depress the pedal occa-
sionally when driving through rain, slush, etc.
This will remove the water from the brakes.
Check that brake application feels normal. This
should also be done after washing or starting
in very damp or cold weather.
Severe strain on the brake systemThe brakes will be subject to severe strain
when driving in mountains or hilly areas, or
when towing a trailer. Vehicle speed is usually
slower, which means that the cooling of the
brakes is less efficient than when driving on
level roads. To reduce the strain on the brakes,
shift into a lower gear and let the engine help
with the braking. Do not forget that if you are
towing a trailer, the brakes will be subjected to
a greater than normal load.
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)The Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) helps to
improve vehicle control (stopping and steering)
during severe braking conditions by limiting
brake lockup. When the system "senses"
impending lockup, braking pressure is auto-matically modulated in order to help prevent
lockup that could lead to a skid.
The system performs a brief self-diagnostic
test when the engine has been started and
driver releases the brake pedal. Another auto-
matic test may be performed when the vehicle
first reaches a speed of approximately 6 mph
(10 km/h). The brake pedal will pulsate several
times and a sound may be audible from the
ABS control module, which is normal.
Cleaning the brake discsCoatings of dirt and water on the brake discs
may result in delayed brake function. This delay
is minimized by cleaning the brake linings.
Cleaning the brake pads is advisable in wet
weather, prior to long-term parking, and after
the vehicle has been washed. Do this by brak-
ing gently for a short period while the vehicle is
moving.
Emergency Brake AssistanceEBA is designed to provide full brake effect
immediately in the event of sudden, hard brak-
ing. The system is activated by the speed with
which the brake pedal is depressed.
When the EBA system is activated, the brake
pedal will go down and pressure in the brake
system immediately increases to the maximum
level. Maintain full pressure on the brake pedalin order to utilize the system completely. EBA
is automatically deactivated when the brake
pedal is released.
NOTE
•When the EBA system is activated, the
brake pedal will go down and pressure
in the brake system immediately increa-
ses to the maximum level. You must
maintain full pressure on the brake
pedal in order to utilize the system com-
pletely. There will be no braking effect if
the pedal is released. EBA is automati-
cally deactivated when the brake pedal
is released.
•When the vehicle has been parked for
some time, the brake pedal may sink
more than usual when the engine is
started. This is normal and the pedal will
return to its usual position when it is
released.

03 Your driving environment
Brakes
03
117
Symbols in the instrument panel
SymbolSpecification
Steady glow – Check the brake
fluid level. If the level is low, fill
with brake fluid and check for
the cause of the brake fluid
loss.
Steady glow for two seconds
when the engine is started –
There was a fault in the brake
system's ABS function when
the engine was last running.
WARNING
If and come on at the same time
and the brake level is below the MIN mark
in the reservoir or if a brake system-related
message is shown in the information dis-
play: DO NOT DRIVE. Have the vehicle
towed to a trained and qualified Volvo serv-
ice technician and have the brake system
inspected.

03 Your driving environment
Parking brake
03
118
Electric parking brake
An electric parking brake has the same func-
tion as a manual parking brake.
NOTE
•A faint sound from the parking brake's
electric motor can be heard when the
parking brake is being applied. This
sound can also be heard during the
automatic function check of the parking
brake.
•The brake pedal will move slightly when
the electric parking brake is applied or
released.
Low battery voltageIf the battery voltage is too low, the parking
brake cannot be applied or released. Connect
an auxiliary battery if the battery voltage is too
low, see page 110.
Applying the electric parking brake
Parking brake control
1. Press firmly on the brake pedal.
2. Push the control.
3. Release the brake pedal and ensure that
the vehicle is at a standstill.
4. When the vehicle is parked, the gear selec-
tor must be in position P.
The
symbol in the instrument panel
flashes while the parking bake is being applied,
and glows steadily when the parking brake has
been fully applied.
NOTE
•In an emergency the parking brake can
be applied when the vehicle is moving
by holding in the control. Braking will be
interrupted when the accelerator pedal
is depressed or the control is released.
•An audible signal will sound during this
procedure if the vehicle is moving at
speeds above 6 mph (10 km/h).
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.
The parking brake should also be applied.