2012 VOLVO XC90 check engine light

Introduction
Environment
14
Volvo and the environment
Volvo is committed to the well being of its cus-
tomers. As a natural part of this commitment,
we care about the environment in which we all
live. Caring for the environment means an
everyday involvement in reducing our environ-
mental impact. Volvo's environmental activities
are based on a holistic view, which means we
consider the overall environmental impact of a
product throughout its complete life cycle. In
this context, design, production, product use,
and recycling are all important considerations.
In production, Volvo has partly or completely
phased out several chemicals including CFCs,
lead chromates, asbestos, and cadmium; and
reduced the number of chemicals used in our
plants 50% since 1991.
Volvo was the first in the world to introduce into
production a three-way catalytic converter with
a Lambda sond, now called the heated oxygen
sensor, in 1976. The current version of this
highly efficient system reduces emissions of
harmful substances (CO, HC, NOx) from the
exhaust pipe by approximately 95 – 99% and
the search to eliminate the remaining emis-
sions continues. Volvo is the only automobile
manufacturer to offer CFC-free retrofit kits for
the air conditioning system of all models as far
back as the 1975 model 240. Advanced elec-
tronic engine controls and cleaner fuels are
bringing us closer to our goal. In addition tocontinuous environmental refinement of con-
ventional gasoline-powered internal combus-
tion engines, Volvo is actively looking at
advanced technology alternative-fuel vehicles.
When you drive a Volvo, you become our part-
ner in the work to lessen the car's impact on
the environment. To reduce your vehicle's
environmental impact, you can:
•Maintain proper air pressure in your tires.
Tests have shown decreased fuel econ-
omy with improperly inflated tires.
•Follow the recommended maintenance
schedule in your Warranty and Service
Records Information booklet.
•Drive at a constant speed whenever pos-
sible.
•See a trained and qualified Volvo service
technician as soon as possible for inspec-
tion if the check engine (malfunction indi-
cator) light illuminates, or stays on after the
vehicle has started.
•Properly dispose of any vehicle-related
waste such as used motor oil, used batter-
ies, brake pads, etc.
•When cleaning your vehicle, please use
genuine Volvo car care products. All Volvo
car care products are formulated to be
environmentally friendly.
RecyclingAs part of Volvo’s commitment to the environ-
ment, it is essential for the vehicle to be recy-
cled in an environmentally sound way. Almost
the entire vehicle can be recycled and for that
reason, the vehicle’s final owner is requested
to contact a Volvo retailer for information about
approved and certified recycling facilities.

02 Instruments and controls
Instrument panel
02
58
Instrument panel
G027133
Turn signal indicators – right/left
Text window – The text window displays
information and warning messages.
Temperature gauge – The pointer should
be approximately midway on the gauge
when driving. Do not drive the vehicle if
the warning light is on. The text window
will provide you with additional informa-
tion. If the engine temperature remains
high, check coolant level – see page 217.
Trip odometer – The trip odometers are
used for measuring shorter distances. The
right-hand digit gives tenth of a mile/kilo-
meter. Press the button for more than
2 seconds to reset. Change between tripodometers 1 and 2 using one short press
on the button. – The display presents infor-
mation and warning messages, the ambi-
ent temperature, and the clock, etc. When
the ambient temperature is between 23°
and 36 °F (–5° and +2 °C), a snowflake
symbol is shown in the display. This sym-
bol serves as a warning for possible slip-
pery road surfaces. Please note that this
symbol does not indicate a fault with your
car. At low speeds, or when the car is not
moving, the temperature readings may be
slightly higher than the actual ambient tem-
perature.
Odometer
Speedometer
Warning symbol
High beam indicator
Tachometer – The tachometer shows
engine speed in thousands of revolutions
per minute (rpm). Do not drive continuously
with the needle in the red area of the dial,
which indicates maximum allowable
engine rpm range. Instead, shift to a higher
gear or slow the vehicle down. The engine
management system will automatically
prevent excessively high engines speeds.
This will be noticeable as a pronounced
unevenness in engine speed.

02 Instruments and controls
Instrument panel
02

59
Gear and driving mode indicator – The cur-
rently selected driving mode is displayed
here. If you use the Geartronic function on
the automatic transmission, the currently
selected gear will be displayed.
Ambient temperature gauge – This display
indicates the air temperature outside your
vehicle. A "snowflake" symbol in the text
window is displayed when the temperature
is in the range of 23 – 36 °F (–5 – +2 °C).
Please note that this symbol does not indi-
cate a fault with your vehicle. At low
speeds or when the vehicle is not moving,
the temperature readings may be slightly
higher than the actual ambient tempera-
ture.
Clock/set button – Turn the button to set
the clock.
Fuel gauge – see page 284 for fuel tank
volume. When the warning light in the
gauge comes on, the vehicle should be
refueled as soon as possible. The trip com-
puter section (see page 75) provides
more information on fuel level and con-
sumption.
Indicator and warning symbols – The indi-
cator and warning symbols1light up when
you turn the ignition key to the driving posi-
tion (position II) before starting.
G027134
This shows that the symbols are functioning.
When the engine starts, all symbols go out. If
the engine is not started within 5 seconds, all
symbols except CHECK ENGINE and
go out. Certain symbols may not have their
functions illustrated, depending on the vehi-
cle's equipment. The symbol for the parking
brake goes out when the parking brake is
released.
Warning/information symbol in center of
the instrument panel
This symbol shines as a red or yel-
low light depending on the nature
of the information displayed.
Red symbol – Stop the vehicle as soon as
possible in a suitable location and read the
message shown in the text window. The sym-
bol and accompanying text will remain on until
the fault has been corrected.
Yellow symbol – Follow the instructions
shown in the text window. The text can be
erased by pressing the READ button (see
page 62), or will disappear automatically after
two minutes.
NOTE
When the message TIME FOR REGULAR
SERVICE is displayed, the text can be
erased and the yellow symbol light can be
turned off by pressing the READ button.
The text will disappear and the symbol light
will go out automatically after two minutes.
1On certain engines, the symbol for low oil pressure is not used. Instead, a text warning is provided in the information display, see page 215.

02 Instruments and controls
Instrument panel
02
60
Seat belt reminderThis symbol lights up to indicate
that the driver has not fastened his/
her seat belt.
Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)If this light comes on while the
vehicle is being driven, or remains
on for longer than approximately
10 seconds after the vehicle has
been started, the SRS system's
diagnostic functions have detected a fault in a
seat belt lock or pretensioner, a front airbag,
side impact airbag, and/or an inflatable curtain.
Have the system(s) inspected by a trained and
qualified Volvo service technician as soon as
possible.
BRAKE – Brake failure warning lightIf the light comes on while driving or braking,
stop immediately, open the hood and check
the brake fluid level in the reservoir. see
page 218.
Canadian models are equipped
with this warning light.
If the BRAKE and ABS warning lights come
on at the same time, this could indicate a
fault in the brake system.
•Stop the vehicle in a suitable place and
switch off the engine.
•Restart the engine.
•If both warning lights go off, no further
action is required.
•If both lights are still on after the engine has
been restarted, switch off the engine again
and check the brake fluid level (see
page 218 for the location of the brake fluid
reservoir).
If the brake fluid level is above the MIN mark,
drive carefully to a trained and qualified Volvo
service technician and have the brake system
inspected.
WARNING
If the fluid level is below the MIN mark in the
reservoir or if a Brake failure – Service
urgent message is displayed in the text
window: DO NOT DRIVE. Have the vehicle
towed to a trained and qualified Volvo serv-
ice technician and have the brake system
inspected.
PARK BRAKE Parking brake appliedThis light will be on when the parking brake
(hand brake) is applied. The parking brake
pedal is located on the left side of the driver's
footwell, see page 79 for more information.
Canadian models are equipped
with this symbol.
Oil pressure warning light2
If the light comes on while driv-
ing, stop the vehicle and then
stop the engine immediately and
check the engine oil level, see
page 62. If the light stays on after
restart, have the vehicle towed to the nearest
trained and qualified Volvo service technician.
After hard driving, the light may come on occa-
sionally when the engine is idling. This is nor-
mal, provided it goes off when the engine
speed is increased.
Generator warning lightIf the light comes on while the
engine is running, have the charg-
ing system checked.
2On certain engines, the symbol for low oil pressure is not used. Instead, a text warning is provided in the information display, see page 62.

02 Instruments and controls
Instrument panel
02
61
Rear fog lightThis light indicates that the fog
light is on.
CHECK ENGINE Malfunction indicator
light
On-Board Diagnostics II (OBDII): As you drive,
a computer called "OBDII" monitors your vehi-
cle's engine, transmission, electrical and emis-
sion systems. The CHECK ENGINE light will
light up if the computer senses a condition that
potentially may need correcting. When this
happens, please have your vehicle checked by
a trained and qualified Volvo service technician
as soon as possible.
A CHECK ENGINE light may have many cau-
ses. Sometimes, you may not notice a change
in your vehicle's behavior. Even so, an uncor-
rected condition could hurt fuel economy,
emission cleanliness, and driveability.
Extended driving without correcting the cause
could even damage other components in your
vehicle.
Canadian models are equipped
with this warning light.
ABS (Anti-lock brake system)If the warning light comes on, there
is a malfunction of the ABS system
(the standard braking system will
still function). The vehicle should
be driven to a trained and qualified
Volvo service technician for inspection. See
page 149 for additional information.
DSTC systemThe Dynamic Stability and Traction
Control system (DSTC) is
explained in greater detail on page
153.
Tire pressure monitoring lightSee page 194 for more informa-
tion on this function.
Turn signal indicator – trailer (certain
models)
If you are towing a trailer, this light
will flash simultaneously with the
turn signals on the trailer. If the
light does not flash when signaling,
neither the trailer's turn signals nor
the vehicle's turn signals are functioning.

02 Instruments and controls
Information display
02
63
MessageMeaning
TIME FOR REGULAR SERVICEThis message will be displayed at 7,500 mile (12,000 km) intervals, after 750 hours of driving or after
12 months, whichever occurs first, to remind the driver that the service interval has been exceeded. The
message will be displayed for 2 minutes each time the vehicle is started until reset by a trained and qualified
Volvo service technician.
OIL LEVEL LOW – FILL OILACheck the oil level and top up if necessary, see page 215.
OIL LEVEL LOW – STOP SAFELYBStop as soon as possible and switch off the engine, check the oil level and top up if necessary, see
page 215.
OIL LEVEL LOW – STOP ENGINEBStop as soon as possible and switch off the engine, check the oil level and top up if necessary, see
page 215.
OIL LEVEL LOW – SEE MANUALBStop as soon as possible and switch off the engine, check the oil level and top up if necessary, see
page 215.
DSTC SPIN CONTROL OFFThe stability system's spin control function has been turned off, see page 153 for details.
AThe yellow warning symbol also lights up (see page 58).BThe red warning symbol also lights up (see page 58).

02 Instruments and controls
Hood/tailgate
02
80
Opening/closing the hood
G026995
Opening the hood
1. Pull the lever located under the left side of
the dashboard to release the hood lock.
2. Lift the hood slightly.
3. Press up the release control located under
the front edge of the hood and lift.
To close the hood, place your hand on it and
press down until the hood locks in the closed
position.
WARNING
•Do not grasp the ribs in the grille when
closing the hood. If your fingers pro-
trude through the grille, they could be
injured on components in the engine
compartment as the grille closes. We
recommend pressing down on the hood
to close it.
•Check that the hood locks properly
when closed!
Opening the tailgate
G027005
To open the upper section of the tailgate, pull
the handle downward.To fold down the lower section of the tailgate,
pull handle upward.

06 Starting and driving
General information
06
134
Engine oil
Although some oil consumption occurs during
normal engine operation, more oil is consumed
when the engine is new as the internal parts
generate higher friction while wearing-in to
each other. From the time the engine is new
until the first maintenance is performed, the oil
consumption could be higher than normal. For
this reason, it is especially important to check
the oil regularly during this period, see
page 215.
Fuel requirements
Deposit control gasoline (detergent
additives)
Volvo recommends the use of detergent gas-
oline to control engine deposits. Detergent
gasoline is effective in keeping injectors and
intake valves clean. Consistent use of deposit
control gasolines will help ensure good driva-
bility and fuel economy. If you are not sure
whether the gasoline contains deposit control
additives, check with the service station oper-
ator.
NOTE
Volvo does not recommend the use of exter-
nal fuel injector cleaning systems.
Unleaded fuelEach Volvo has a three-way catalytic converter
and must use only unleaded gasoline. U.S. and
Canadian regulations require that pumps deliv-
ering unleaded gasoline be labelled "UNLEA-
DED". Only these pumps have nozzles which
fit your vehicle's filler inlet. It is unlawful to dis-
pense leaded fuel into a vehicle labelled
"unleaded gasoline only". Leaded gasoline
damages the three-way catalytic converter and
the heated oxygen sensor system. Repeated
use of leaded gasoline will lessen the effective-
ness of the emission control system and could
result in loss of emission warranty coverage.
State and local vehicle inspection programs
will make detection of misfueling easier, pos-
sibly resulting in emission test failure for mis-
fueled vehicles.
NOTE
Some U.S. and Canadian gasolines contain
an octane enhancing additive called methyl-
cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT). If such fuels are used, your Emission
Control System performance may be affec-
ted, and the Check Engine Light (malfunc-
tion indicator lamp) located on your instru-
ment panel may light. If this occurs, please
return your vehicle to a trained and qualified
Volvo service technician for maintenance.
Gasoline containing alcohol and ethers"Oxygenated fuels"
Some fuel suppliers sell gasoline containing
"oxygenates" which are usually alcohols or
ethers. In some areas, state or local laws
require that the service pump be marked indi-
cating use of alcohols or ethers. However,
there are areas in which the pumps are
unmarked. If you are not sure whether there is
alcohol or ethers in the gasoline you buy, check
with the service station operator. To meet sea-
sonal air quality standards, some areas require
the use of "oxygenated" fuel.
Volvo allows the use of the following "oxygen-
ated" fuels; however, the octane ratings listed
on page 135 must still be met.
Alcohol – Ethanol: Fuels containing up to 10%
ethanol by volume may be used. Ethanol may
also be referred to as Ethyl alcohol, or "Gaso-
hol".
Ethers – MTBE: Fuels containing up to 15%
MTBE may be used.