2012 VOLVO S80 Owner´s Manual

01 Safety
Whiplash Protection System – WHIPS01

33 General information
Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS) –
front seats only
The WHIPS system consists of specially
designed hinges and brackets on the front seat
backrests designed to help absorb some of the
energy generated in a collision from the rear
(when the vehicle is rear-ended).
In the event of a collision of this type, the hinges
and brackets of the front seat backrests are
designed to change position slightly to allow
the backrest/head restraint to help support the
occupant's head before moving slightly rear-
ward. This movement helps absorb some of
the forces that could result in whiplash.
WARNING
•The WHIPS system is designed to sup-
plement the other safety systems in
your vehicle. For this system to function
properly, the three-point seat belt must
be worn. Please be aware that no sys-
tem can prevent all possible injuries that
may occur in an accident.
•The WHIPS system is designed to func-
tion in certain collisions from the rear,
depending on the crash severity, angle
and speed.
WARNING
•Occupants in the front seats must never
sit out of position. The occupant's back
must be as upright as comfort allows
and be against the seat back with the
seat belt properly fastened.
•If your vehicle has been involved in a
rear-end collision, the front seat back-
rests must be inspected by a trained
and qualified Volvo service technician,
even if the seats appear to be undam-
aged. Certain components in the
WHIPS system may need to be
replaced.
•Do not attempt to service any compo-
nent in the WHIPS system yourself.

01 Safety
Whiplash Protection System – WHIPS 01
34
WARNING
•Boxes, suitcases, etc. wedged behind
the front seats could impede the func-
tion of the WHIPS system.
•If the rear seat backrests are folded
down, cargo must be secured to pre-
vent it from sliding forward against the
front seat backrests in the event of a
collision from the rear. This could inter-
fere with the action of the WHIPS sys-
tem.
WARNING
Any contact between the front seat back-
rests and the folded rear seat or a rear-fac-
ing child seat could impede the function of
the WHIPS system. If the rear seat is folded
down, the occupied front seats must be
adjusted forward so that they do not touch
the folded rear seat.

01 Safety
Crash mode01
35
Driving after a collisionIf the vehicle has been involved in a collision,
the text Safety mode See manual may
appear in the information display. This indi-
cates that the vehicle's functionality has been
reduced.
NOTE
This text can only be shown if the display is
undamaged and the vehicle's electrical sys-
tem is intact.
Safety mode is a feature that is triggered if one
or more of the safety systems (e.g. front or side
airbags, an inflatable curtain, or one or more of
the seat belt pretensioners) has deployed. The
collision may have damaged an importantfunction in the vehicle, such as the fuel lines,
sensors for one of the safety systems, the
brake system, etc.
WARNING
•Never attempt to repair the vehicle
yourself or to reset the electrical system
after the vehicle has displayed
Safety
mode See manual. This could result in
injury or improper system function.
•Restoring the vehicle to normal operat-
ing status should only be done by a
trained and qualified Volvo service tech-
nician.
•After Safety mode See manual has
been displayed, if you detect the odor
of fuel vapor, or see any signs of fuel
leakage, do not attempt to start the
vehicle. Leave the vehicle immediately.
Attempting to start the vehicleIf damage to the vehicle is minor and there is
no fuel leakage, you may attempt to start the
vehicle. To do so:
1. Remove the remote key from the ignition
slot and open the driver's door. If a mes-
sage is displayed that the ignition is on,
press the start button.2. Close the driver's door and reinsert the
remote key in the ignition slot.
3. Try to start the vehicle.
If the message
Safety mode See manual is
still displayed, the vehicle should not be driven
and must be towed. Concealed faults may
make the vehicle difficult to control.
Moving the vehicle
If the message Normal mode is displayed
when Safety mode See manual is no longer
displayed, the vehicle may be moved carefully
from its present position, if for example, it is
blocking traffic. It should, however, not be
moved farther than is absolutely necessary.
WARNING
Even if the vehicle appears to be drivable
after Safety mode has been set, it should
not be driven or towed (pulled by another
vehicle). There may be concealed damage
that could make it difficult or impossible to
control. The vehicle should be transported
on a flatbed tow truck to a trained and quali-
fied Volvo service technician for inspection/
repairs.

01 Safety
Child safety 01
36
Children should be seated safely
Volvo recommends the proper use of restraint
systems for all occupants including children.
Remember that, regardless of age and size, a
child should always be properly restrained in a
vehicle.
Your vehicle is also equipped with ISOFIX/
LATCH attachments, which make it more con-
venient to install child seats.
Some restraint systems for children are
designed to be secured in the vehicle by lap
belts or the lap portion of a lap-shoulder belt.
Such child restraint systems can help protect
children in vehicles in the event of an accident
only if they are used properly. However, chil-
dren could be endangered in a crash if the child
restraints are not properly secured in the vehi-
cle. Failure to follow the installation instructions
for your child restraint can result in your child
striking the vehicle's interior in a sudden stop.
Holding a child in your arms is NOT a suitable
substitute for a child restraint system. In an
accident, a child held in a person's arms can
be crushed between the vehicle's interior and
an unrestrained person. The child could also be
injured by striking the interior, or by being ejec-
ted from the vehicle during a sudden maneuver
or impact. The same can also happen if the
infant or child rides unrestrained on the seat.
Other occupants should also be properlyrestrained to help reduce the chance of injuring
or increasing the injury of a child.
All states and provinces have legislation gov-
erning how and where children should be car-
ried in a vehicle. Find out the regulations exist-
ing in your state or province. Recent accident
statistics have shown that children are safer in
rear seating positions than front seating posi-
tions when properly restrained. A child restraint
system can help protect a child in a vehicle.
Here's what to look for when selecting a child
restraint system:
It should have a label certifying that it meets
applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards (FMVSS 213) – or in Canada,
CMVSS 213.
Make sure the child restraint system is
approved for the child's height, weight and
development – the label required by the stand-
ard or regulation, or instructions for infant
restraints, typically provide this information.
In using any child restraint system, we urge you
to carefully look over the instructions that are
provided with the restraint. Be sure you under-
stand them and can use the device properly
and safely in this vehicle. A misused child
restraint system can result in increased injuries
for both the infant or child and other occupants
in the vehicle.When a child has outgrown the child safety
seat, you should use the rear seat with the
standard seat belt fastened. The best way to
help protect the child here is to place the child
on a cushion so that the seat belt is properly
located on the hips (see the illustration on page
45). Legislation in your state or province may
mandate the use of a child seat or cushion in
combination with the seat belt, depending on
the child's age and/or size. Please check local
regulations.
A specially designed and tested booster cush-
ion and backrest can be obtained from your
Volvo retailer.
USA: for children weighing 33 – 80 lbs.
(15 – 36 kg) and 38 – 54 inches (97 – 137 cm)
in height
Canada: for children weighing 40 – 80 lbs.
(18 – 36 kg) and 40 – 54 inches (102 – 137 cm)
in height

01 Safety
Child safety01

37
WARNING
•Do not use child safety seats or child
booster cushions/backrests in the front
passenger's seat. We also recommend
that children under 4 feet 7 inches
(140 cm) in height who have outgrown
these devices sit in the rear seat with the
seat belt fastened.
•Keep vehicle doors and trunk locked
and keep remote controls out of a
child’s reach. Unsupervised children
could lock themselves in an open trunk
and risk injury. Children should be
taught not to play in vehicles.
•On hot days, the temperature in the
vehicle interior can rise very quickly.
Exposure to these high temperatures
for even a short period of time can
cause heat-related injury or death.
Small children are particularly at risk.
Child seat should always be registered. See
page 38 for more information.
Automatic Locking Retractor/
Emergency Locking Retractor (ALR/
ELR)
To make child seat installation easier, each
seat belt (except for the driver's belt) is equip-
ped with a locking mechanism to help keep the
seat belt taut.
When attaching the seat belt to a child
seat:
1. Attach the seat belt to the child seat
according to the child seat manufacturer's
instructions.
2. Pull the seat belt out as far as possible.
3. Insert the seat belt latch plate into the
buckle (lock) in the usual way.
4. Release the seat belt and pull it taut around
the child seat.
A sound from the seat belt retractor will be
audible at this time and is normal. The belt will
now be locked in place. This function is auto-
matically disabled when the seat belt is
unlocked and the belt is fully retracted.
WARNING
Do not use child safety seats or child
booster cushions/backrests in the front
passenger's seat. We also recommend that
children who have outgrown these devices
sit in the rear seat with the seat belt properly
fastened.
Volvo's recommendations
Why does Volvo believe that no child should sit
in the front seat of a car? It's quite simple really.
A front airbag is a very powerful device
designed, by law, to help protect an adult.
Because of the size of the airbag and its speed
of inflation, a child should never be placed in
the front seat, even if he or she is properly bel-
ted or strapped into a child safety seat. Volvo
has been an innovator in safety for over sev-
enty-five years, and we'll continue to do our
part. But we need your help. Please remember
to put your children in the back seat, and
buckle them up.
Volvo has some very specific
recommendations:
•Always wear your seat belt.
•Airbags are a SUPPLEMENTAL safety
device which, when used with a three-
point seat belt can help reduce serious
injuries during certain types of accidents.

01 Safety
Child safety 01
38
Volvo recommends that you do not dis-
connect the airbag system in your vehicle.
•Volvo strongly recommends that everyone
in the vehicle be properly restrained.
•Volvo recommends that ALL occupants
(adults and children) shorter than 4 feet
7 inches (140 cm) be seated in the back
seat of any vehicle with a front passenger
side airbag.
•Drive safely!
Child restraint registration and recalls
Registering a child restraintChild restraints could be recalled for safety
reasons. You must register your child restraint
to be reached in a recall. To stay informed
about child safety seat recalls, be sure to fill out
and return the registration card that comes
with new child restraints.
Child restraint recall information is readily avail-
able in both the U.S. and Canada. For recall
information in the U.S., call the U.S. Govern-
ment's Auto Safety Hotline at 1-800-424-9393.
In Canada, visit Transport Canada's Child
Safety website at http://www.tc.gc.ca/
roadsafety/childsafety/menu.htm.

01 Safety
Child restraint systems01

39 Child restraints
G022840
Infant seat
There are three main types of child restraint
systems: infant seats, convertible seats, and
booster cushions. They are classified accord-
ing to the child's age and size.
The following section provides general infor-
mation on securing a child restraint using a
three-point seat belt. Refer to page 46–47
for information on securing a child restraint
using ISOFIX/LATCH lower anchors and/or top
tether anchorages.
G022847
Convertible seat
WARNING
A child seat should never be used in the
front passenger seat of any vehicle with a
front passenger airbag – not even if the
"Passenger airbag off" symbol near the
rear-view mirror is illuminated (on vehicles
equipped with Occupant Weight Sensor). If
the severity of an accident were to cause the
airbag to inflate, this could lead to serious
injury or death to a child seated in this posi-
tion.
G023269
Booster cushion
WARNING
Always refer to the child restraint manufac-
turer's instructions for detailed information
on securing the restraint.

01 Safety
Child restraint systems 01
40
WARNING
•When not in use, keep the child restraint
system secured or remove it from the
passenger compartment to help pre-
vent it from injuring passengers in the
event of a sudden stop or collision.
•A small child's head represents a con-
siderable part of its total weight and its
neck is still very weak. Volvo recom-
mends that children up to age 4 travel,
properly restrained, facing rearward. In
addition, Volvo recommends that chil-
dren should ride rearward facing, prop-
erly restrained, as long as possible.