2012 VOLVO V60 Owners Manual

06 During your journey
Driving with a trailer
06
287
G021494
Check that the towbar is secure by pulling
it up, down and back.
WARNING
If the towbar is not fitted correctly then it
must be detached and reattached in
accordance with the previous instructions.
IMPORTANT
Only grease in the ball for the towing hitch,
the remainder of the towbar should be clean
and dry.
G021495
Safety cable.
WARNING
Be sure to attach the trailer's safety cable to
the correct place.
Removing the towbar
Insert the key and turn it clockwise to the
unlocked position.
Push in the locking wheel and turn it
anticlockwise
until you hear a click.
Turn the locking wheel down fully, until it
comes to a stop. Hold it in this position
while pulling the towbar rearward and
upward.
WARNING
Secure the towbar safely if it is stored in the
car, see page 285.
ProCarManuals.com

06 During your journey
Driving with a trailer
06
288* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.
G018929
Push the protective cover until it snaps
tight.
Trailer Stability Assist - TSA*
The TSA system (Trailer Stability Assist) serves
to stabilise the car and trailer combination if it
begins to snake.
The TSA function is part of the DSTC system
(Dynamic Stability and Traction Control), see
page 168.
FunctionThe snaking phenomenon can occur with any
car/trailer combination. Normally, snaking
occurs at extremely high speeds. But, there is
a risk of it occurring at lower speeds
(70-90 km/h) if the trailer is overloaded or the
load is improperly distributed, e.g. too far back.
In order for snaking to occur, there must be a
triggering factor, e.g.:
•Car with trailer subjected to a sudden and
powerful side wind.
•Car with trailer drives on an uneven road
surface or in a pothole.
•Sweeping steering wheel movements.
OperationIf snaking has started, it could be difficult or
even impossible to suppress. This makes the
car/trailer combination difficult to control and
there is a risk that you could, for example, end
up in the wrong lane or leave the carriageway.
TSA system continually monitors car move-
ments, particularly lateral movements. If snak-
ing is detected, the front wheels are individually
braked. This serves to stabilise the car/trailer
combination. This is often enough to help the
driver regain control of the car.
If snaking is not eliminated the first time the
TSA system comes into action, the car/trailer
combination is braked with all wheels and
engine power is reduced. Once snaking has
been gradually suppressed and the car/trailer
combination is once again stable, the TSA sys-
tem stops regulating and the driver once again
has full control of the car.
MiscellaneousThe TSA system can engage within the speed
interval 60 to 160 km/h.
NOTE
TSA function is switched off if the driver
selects Sport mode, see page 168.
TSA may fail to engage if the driver uses severe
steering wheel movements to try to rectify the
snaking because in such a situation the TSA
system cannot determine whether it is the
trailer or the driver that is causing the snaking.
The DSTC symbol in the combined
instrument panel flashes when the
TSA is working.
ProCarManuals.com

06 During your journey
Towing and recovery
06
289 Towing
Find out the statutory maximum speed limit for
towing before towing begins.
1. Unlock the steering lock by inserting the
remote control key in the ignition switch
and giving a long press on the START/
STOP ENGINE button - key position II is
activated, see page 80 for more informa-
tion on key positions.
2. The remote control key must remain in the
ignition switch while the car is being towed.
3. Keep the towline taut when the towing
vehicle reduces speed by holding your foot
gently pressed on the brake pedal -
thereby avoiding unnecessary jerking.
4. Be prepared to brake to stop.
WARNING
•Check that the steering lock is unlocked
before towing.
•The remote control key must be in key
position II - in position I all airbags are
deactivated.
•Never remove the remote control key
from the ignition switch when the car is
being towed.
WARNING
The brake servo and power steering do not
work when the engine is switched off - the
brake pedal needs to be depressed
about 5 times more heavily and the steering
is considerably heavier than normal.
Manual gearboxPrior to towing:
–Move gear lever into neutral and release
the parking brake.
Automatic gearbox Geartronic
IMPORTANT
Note that the car must always be towed with
the wheels rolling forward.
•Cars with automatic gearbox must not
be towed at speeds above 80 km/h or
further than 80 km.
Prior to towing:
–
Move the gear selector to position N and
release the parking brake.
Automatic gearbox PowershiftThe model with Powershift transmission
should not be towed as it is dependent on the
engine running in order to receive sufficientlubrication. If towing still has to take place, the
route must be as short as possible and then
with very low speed.
In the event of uncertainty as to whether or not
the car is equipped with Powershift transmis-
sion, this can be verified by checking the des-
ignation on the decal number (5) under the
bonnet - see page 352. The designa-
tion ”MPS6” means that it is Powershift trans-
mission - otherwise it is Geartronic automatic
transmission.
IMPORTANT
Avoid towing.
•However, the car can be towed for a
short distance at low speed to move it
from a dangerous position - not further
than 10 km and not faster than
10 km/h. Note that the car must always
be towed with the wheels rolling for-
ward.
•In the event of moving a longer distance
than 10 km, the car must be transported
with the drive wheels raised from the
road - professional recovery is recom-
mended.
Prior to towing:
–
Move the gear selector to position N and
release the parking brake.
ProCarManuals.com

06 During your journey
Towing and recovery
06
290
Jump startingDo not tow the car to bump start the engine.
Use a donor battery if the battery is discharged
and the engine does not start, see page 116.
IMPORTANT
The catalytic converter may be damaged
during attempts to tow-start the engine.
Towing eye
The towing eye is screwed into a threaded
socket behind a cover on the right-hand side
of the bumper, front or rear.
Attaching the towing eye
Take out the towing eye that is located
under the floor hatch in the cargo area.
The cover for the towing eye's attachment
point is available in two variants which
must be opened in different ways:
•Open the variant with a recess using a
coin or similar inserted in the recess,
turning it outwards. Then turn out the
cover completely and remove it.
•The second variant has a marking along
one side or in a corner: Press the mark-
ing with a finger and fold out the oppo-
site side/corner at the same time using
a coin or similar - the cover turns around
its axis and can then be removed.Screw the towing eye right in up to its
flange. Turn in the towing eye firmly e.g.
using the wheel wrench.
After use, unscrew the towing eye and
return it to its place.
Finish by refitting the cover onto the
bumper.
IMPORTANT
The towing eye is only designed for towing
on roads - not for pulling the car unstuck or
out of a ditch. Call a recovery service for
recovery assistance.
NOTE
On certain cars with towbar fitted the towing
eye cannot be attached in the rear bracket.
Attach the towrope in the towbar.
For this reason it is advisable to store the
detachable towbar's towball in the car.
ProCarManuals.com

06 During your journey
Towing and recovery
06
291 Recovery
Call a recovery service for recovery assistance.
IMPORTANT
Note that the car must always be transpor-
ted with the wheels rolling forward.
•An All Wheel Drive car (AWD) with raised
front suspension must not be towed at
speeds above 70 km/h. It should not be
towed further than 50 km.
ProCarManuals.com

292* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.
General ................................................................................................. 294
Changing wheels .................................................................................. 298
Tyre pressure ....................................................................................... 301
Warning triangle and first-aid kit*.......................................................... 302
Tyre pressure monitoring (TPMS)*........................................................303
Emergency puncture repair (TMK) ....................................................... 305
ProCarManuals.com

WHEELS AND TYRES
ProCarManuals.com

07 Wheels and tyres
General
07
294
Driving characteristics
Tyres greatly affect the car's driving characte-
ristics. The type of tyre, dimensions, tyre pres-
sure and speed rating are important for how the
car performs.
Direction of rotation
G021778
The arrow shows the tyre's direction of rotation.
Tyres with a tread pattern which are designed
to only turn in one direction have the direction
of rotation marked with an arrow. The tyre must
always rotate in the same direction throughout
its lifespan. Tyres should only be switched
between front and rear positions, never
between left and right-hand sides, or vice
versa. If the tyres are fitted incorrectly, the car's
braking characteristics and capacity to force
rain and slush out of the way are adversely
affected.Tyres with the greatest tread depth should
always be fitted to the rear of the car (to
decrease the risk of skidding).
NOTE
Ensure that tyres of the same type and
dimensions, and also the same make, are
fitted to all four wheels.
Follow the recommended tyre pressures
specified in the tyre pressure table, see
page 366.
Tyre care
Tyre ageAll tyres older than 6 years old should be
checked by an expert even if they seem
undamaged. Tyres age and decompose, even
if they are hardly ever or never used. The func-
tion can therefore be affected. This applies to
all tyres that are stored for future use. Exam-
ples of external signs which indicate that the
tyre is unsuitable for use are cracks or discol-
oration.
New tyres
Tyres are perishable. After a few years they
begin to harden at the same time as the friction
capacity/characteristics gradually deteriorate.
For this reason, aim to get as fresh tyres as
possible when you replace them. This is espe-
cially important with regard to winter tyres. The
last four digits in the sequence mean the week
and year of manufacture. This is the tyre's
DOT marking (Department of Transportation),
and this is stated with four digits, for example
1510. The tyre in the illustration was manufac-
tured in week 15 of 2010.
Summer and winter tyresWhen summer and winter wheels are changed
the wheels should be marked with which side
of the car they were mounted on, for example
L for left and R for right.
ProCarManuals.com