2012 VOLVO XC90 heating

02 Instruments and controls
Hazard warning flashers
02
74
Hazard warning flashers
12
3
45
6
78
9 ABC
DEF
GHI
JKL
MNO
PQRS
TUVWXYZ
0
*
#
POWERVOLUMECDAM FM
G027096
The four-way flasher should be used to indi-
cate that the vehicle has become a traffic haz-
ard. To activate the flashers, press the triangu-
lar button in the center dash. Press the button
again to turn off the flashers.
NOTE
Regulations regarding the use of the hazard
warning flasher may vary, depending on
where you live.
Rear window and door mirror defrosterPress the switch to start heat-
ing the rear window and door
mirrors to remove ice or con-
densation. A light in the switch
will light up.
A timer automatically switches off the heating
after approximately 12 minutes. The LED will
go out correspondingly.

02 Instruments and controls
Mirrors
02
* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.85
For information about the optional folding mir-
ror function see page 64.
WARNING
The mirrors should always be adjusted prior
to driving. Objects seen in the passenger's
side wide-angle door mirror are closer than
they appear to be.
Mirror memory function (with the central
locking system)*
If you lock the vehicle and later unlock it with
the same remote key and open the driver's
door, the door mirrors (and the driver's seat)
will automatically move to the position they
were in when you left the vehicle. This feature
will work in the same way with all of the remote
key transmitters (up to 3) that you use with your
vehicle. This feature will not function if you lock
your vehicle with the key.
Water repellent glassThe side door mirrors can be treated
with a water repellent coating. The
symbol to the left indicates these windows
have this coating.
The coating improves vision by causing the
water to run off quickly.
For information on cleaning this type of glass,
see page 202.
CAUTION
Use the heating function to remove ice,
snow, or mist from the mirrors.

03 Climate
Air distribution
03
* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.97 Ventilated front seats*
G030244
Controls for ventilated front seats
The ventilation system consists of fans in the
seats and backrests that draw air through the
seat upholstery. The cooling effect increases
as the air in the passenger compartment
becomes cooler.
The level of ventilation is adjusted on the con-
trol panel on the side of the seat. The fans can
be set to three speeds.
To start seat ventilation:

Press briefly on
.
To gradually increase ventilation:

Press briefly on
.For maximum ventilation:

Hold down
for approximately 2 sec-
onds.
To gradually decrease ventilation:

Press briefly on
.
To switch off ventilation:

Hold down
for approximately 2 sec-
onds.
The ventilation can be used at the same time
as seat heating*, for example, to help dry damp
clothing.
NOTE
•Seat ventilation cannot be started if the
temperature in the passenger compart-
ment is below 41°F (5°C).
•Seat ventilation should be used with
caution by people who are sensitive to
drafts. A moderate ventilation level
should be set if the function is used for
extended periods.

03 Climate
Electronic climate control (ECC)
03

99
minated outside air, the air intake closes and
the air inside the passenger compartment is
recirculated, i.e. no outside air enters the vehi-
cle. The filter also cleans recirculated passen-
ger compartment air.
When the ECC system is in the AUTO mode,
the green LED will be on.
Recirculation
Press this switch to engage the recirculation
function (air in the passenger compartment
recirculates – no fresh air enters the compart-
ment). The LED in the switch will light up to
indicate that the function is engaged.
•Use this function if the outside air is con-
taminated with exhaust gases, smoke, etc
or to heat/cool the vehicle quickly.
•Recirculation should not be used for more
than 15 minutes. If your windows begin to
fog or mist, make sure that the recirculation
function is switched off.
•Selecting Defroster automatically
switches recirculation off.
•Timer mode activation: (Vehicles equipped
with the Interior Air Quality system have no
timer mode) Press and hold the recircula-
tion button for at least 3 seconds to acti-
vate a recirculation timer mode. The amber
LED in the recirculation button will flash 5
times to show that the timer mode is being
activated. In timer mode, each time therecirculation button is pressed, the climate
control system will recirculate the air in the
passenger compartment for
5 – 12 minutes, depending on the outside
air temperature, and then revert back to
fresh air.
•Timer mode deactivation: Press and hold
the recirculation button for 3 seconds. The
amber LED in the recirculation button will
illuminate steadily for 5 seconds to show a
return to "normal" mode.
•In normal mode, when the recirculation
button is pressed, the climate control sys-
tem will recirculate the air in the passenger
compartment until the recirculation button
is pressed again.
•Timer mode memory: If the vehicle is
turned off while timer mode is active, timer
mode will still be active when the vehicle is
restarted.
AUTO
This function automatically regulates the
Electronic Climate Control system so that
the selected temperatures are maintained.
The blower, heating, air distribution (air
flow), air conditioning, and optional air qual-
ity sensor are controlled. If you prefer to man-
ually set any of these functions, the remaining
functions will still be controlled automatically.
Pressing the AUTO button overrides any set-
tings that were previously made manually.
Air distribution
G027267
•Air flow to windows
•Air through panel vents
•Air through floor vents
Press AUTO to automatically regulate air flow
or press any combination of the controls
shown in the illustration to manually adjust air
flow. An LED in the switch will light up if an air
flow control has been pressed.
Passenger compartment temperature
sensor
Measures the temperature in the compart-
ment.
Defroster
This function defrosts/deices the windshield
and front side windows. The LED in the switch

03 Climate
Electronic climate control (ECC)
03
100* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.
will light up to indicate that the defrost function
is engaged.
•Blower speed increases automatically and
the air conditioning will switch on (if not
already on and if the passenger compart-
ment blower is not turned off) to dehumid-
ify the air in the passenger compartment.
•Recirculation will not function while defrost
is engaged.
The climate system will return to its previous
settings when the defroster function is
switched off.
Rear window and door mirror
defrosters
This function defrosts/deices the rear window
and door mirrors. The LED in the switch will
light up to indicate that the heating function is
engaged. For additional information on this
function see page 74.
Never use ice scrapers made of metal as they
can easily scratch the mirror surface.
Heated front seats*
1. Press the switch once for maximum seat
heating. Both LEDs in the switch will be lit.
2. Press the switch a second time for comfort
heating. One LED in the switch will be lit.3. Press the switch a third time to turn the
heating off completely. The LED will go off.
The seat heating for the passenger seat should
be switched off when the seat is not occupied.
Heated rear seats (XC90 Executive*)
G030976
Button for rear seat heating
Heating for the respective outboard rear seats
can be switched on or off with buttons on either
side of the center console (see the illustration).
To switch on rear seat heating:

Press the button.
> The symbol in the button will illuminate.To switch off rear seat heating:

Press the button.
> The symbol in the button will go out.
Temperature
These controls are used to individually set the
temperature for both sides of the passenger
compartment. Please note that the compart-
ment will not be heated or cooled faster by set-
ting the temperature higher or lower than nec-
essary.
Set the control to the temperature you prefer.
Blower control1
Turn the control clockwise to increase or coun-
terclockwise to decrease the blower speed.
Pressing the AUTO switch will automatically
regulate blower speed and override manual
adjustment.
Turning the blower control counterclockwise
until an orange LED comes on will turn both the
blower and the air conditioning off.
Blower control for rear climate
system*
Turn the control to increase or decrease blower
speed.
1See also see page 94.

06 Starting and driving
Starting the vehicle
06
140
NOTE
Your vehicle is equipped with a KEYLOCK
system. When the engine is switched off,
the gear selector must be in the P position
before the key can be removed from the
ignition switch.
When starting in cold weather, the trans-
mission may shift up at slightly higher
engine speeds than normal until the auto-
matic transmission fluid reaches normal
operating temperature.
NOTE
Do not race a cold engine immediately after
starting. Oil flow may not reach some lubri-
cation points fast enough to prevent engine
damage.
WARNING
Always place the gear selector in Park and
apply the parking brake before leaving the
vehicle. Never leave the vehicle unattended
with the engine running.
•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.
CAUTION
Automatic transmission
•The engine should be idling when you
move the gear selector. Never acceler-
ate until after you feel the transmission
engage! Accelerating immediately after
selecting a gear will cause harsh
engagement and premature transmis-
sion wear.
•Selecting P or N when idling at a stand-
still for prolonged periods of time will
help prevent overheating of the auto-
matic transmission fluid.

07 Wheels and tires
Vehicle loading
07
181
Properly loading your vehicle will provide maxi-
mum return of vehicle design performance.
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."
Permissible axle weightThe maximum allowable weight that can be
carried by a single axle (front or rear). Thesenumbers are shown on the Federal/Canadian
Motor 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.
A table listing important weight limits for your
vehicle, is in chapter "Dimension and weights".
For the location of the various labels in your
vehicle, see page 278
Steps for Determining Correct Load
Limit
•Locate the statement "the combined
weight of occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX pounds" on your vehi-
cle's placard.
•Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
•Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kilograms or
XXX pounds.
•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 five150 lb. passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lbs. (1400-750 (5 x
150) = 650 lbs.)
•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.
•If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load
from your trailer will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual
1 to determine
how this reduces the available cargo and
luggage load capacity of your vehicle.
WARNING
•Exceeding the permissible axle weight,
gross vehicle weight, or any other
weight rating limits can cause tire over-
heating resulting in permanent defor-
mation or catastrophic failure.
•Do not use replacement tires with lower
load carrying capacities than the tires
that were original equipment on the
vehicle because this will lower the vehi-
cle's GVW rating. Use only tires with the
correct load carrying capacity. Consult
your Volvo retailer for information.
1For "Towing a trailer" see page 159.

07 Wheels and tires
Tire Sealing System
07
188
CAUTION
The compressor should not be used for
more than 10 minutes at a time to avoid
overheating.
WARNING
If the pressure remains below 22 psi
(1.8 bar) after approximately seven minutes,
turn off the compressor. In this case, the
hole is too large to be sealed and the vehicle
should not be driven.
12. Switch off the compressor and disconnect
the electrical wire from the 12-volt socket.
13. Unscrew the hose from the tire’s inflation
valve and reinstall the valve cap.
14. Immediately drive the vehicle for approxi-
mately 2 miles (3 km) at a maximum speed
of 50 mph (80 km/h) to distribute the seal-
ing compound in the tire.
CAUTION
If your vehicle is equipped with the Tire
Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), the
use of the sealing compound may lead to
incorrect tire pressure readings or in rare
cases, damage to the tire pressure sensor.
Use the tire sealing system to check and
adjust the damaged tire's inflation pressure.
NOTE
•Safely stow the tire sealing system in a
convenient place as it will soon be used
again to check the tire’s inflation pres-
sure.
•The empty bottle of sealing compound
cannot be removed from the bottle
holder. Consult a trained and qualified
Volvo service technician to have the
bottle removed and properly disposed
of.
WARNING
If heavy vibrations, unsteady steering
behavior, or noises should occur while driv-
ing, reduce speed and park the vehicle in a
safe place. Recheck the tire for bumps,
cracks, or other visible damage, and
recheck its inflation pressure. If the pressure
is below 19 psi (1.3 bar), do not continue
driving. Have the vehicle towed to a trained
and qualified Volvo service technician.
Stage 2: Checking inflation pressure1. Connect the tire sealing system as descri-
bed in stage 1.
2. Refer to the inflation pressure tables for the
correct inflation pressure. If the tire needs
to be inflated, start the tire sealing system’s
compressor. If necessary, release air from
the tire by turning the air release knob
counterclockwise.
CAUTION
The compressor should not be used for
more than 10 minutes at a time to avoid
overheating.
WARNING
If you interrupt your trip for more than 1
hour, check the inflation pressure in the
damaged tire again before continuing.