2012 VOLVO XC90 ignition

Contents
6* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.
06
06 Starting and driving
General information................................134
Fuel requirements................................... 135
Refueling................................................. 137
Starting the vehicle................................. 139
Ignition switch and steering wheel lock. . 141
Economical driving.................................. 142
Difficult driving conditions...................... 143
Automatic transmission..........................144
Jump starting.......................................... 147
All Wheel Drive*....................................... 148
Brake system.......................................... 149
Parking brake.......................................... 152
Stability system....................................... 153
Front/rear park assist*............................. 155
Towing.................................................... 157
Towing a trailer....................................... 159
Detachable trailer hitch........................... 162
Load carriers (accessory)........................ 163
Cold weather precautions....................... 164
Before a long distance trip...................... 165
Blind Spot Information System*.............. 166
07
07 Wheels and tires
General information................................172
Tire inflation ............................................ 175
Tire inflation pressure table..................... 177
Tire designations..................................... 178
Glossary of tire terminology.................... 180
Vehicle loading........................................ 181
Uniform Tire Quality Grading.................. 182
Snow chains, snow tires, studded tires. . 183
Temporary spare..................................... 184
Tire Sealing System ............................... 185
Changing wheels....................................190
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) 194
08
08 Car care
Washing and cleaning the vehicle.......... 200
Paint touch up......................................... 204

Introduction
Important information
13
ShiftlockWhen your vehicle is parked, the gear selector
is locked in the P (Park) position. To release the
selector from this position, turn the ignition key
to position II (or start the engine), depress the
brake pedal, press the button on the front side
of the gear selector and move the selector from
P (Park).
KeylockWhen you switch off the ignition, the gear
selector must be in the P (Park) position before
the key can be removed from the ignition
switch.
Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)The ABS system in your vehicle performs a
self-diagnostic test when the vehicle first rea-
ches the speed of approximately 12 mph
(20 km/h). The brake pedal will pulsate several
times and a sound may be audible from the
ABS control module. This is normal.
Fuel filler doorPress the button on the light switch panel (see
the illustration on page 67) when the vehicle
is at a standstill to unlock the fuel filler door.
Please note that the fuel filler door will remain
unlocked until the vehicle begins to move for-
ward. An audible click will be heard when the
fuel filler door relocks.
Fuel filler capThe fuel filler door, located on the right rear
quarter panel, is connected to your vehicle's
central locking system.
Points to keep in mind
•Do not export your Volvo to another coun-
try before investigating that country's
applicable safety and exhaust emission
requirements. In some cases it may be dif-
ficult or impossible to comply with these
requirements. Modifications to the emis-
sion control system(s) may render your
Volvo not certifiable for legal operation in
the U.S., Canada and other countries.
•All information, illustrations and specifica-
tions contained in this manual are based on
the latest product information available at
the time of publication. Please note that
some vehicles may be equipped differ-
ently, depending on special legal require-
ments. Optional equipment described in
this manual may not be available in all mar-
kets.
•Volvo reserves the right to make model
changes at any time, or to change specifi-
cations or design without notice and with-
out incurring obligation.
Vehicle event data (Black box)
Your vehicle's driving and safety systems
employ computers that monitor, and share
with each other, information about your vehi-
cle's operation. One or more of these comput-
ers may store what they monitor, either during
normal vehicle operation or in a crash or near-
crash event. Stored information may be read
and used by:
•Volvo Car Corporation
•service and repair facilities
•law enforcement or government agencies
•others who may assert a legal right to
know, or who obtain your consent to know
such information.

01 Safety
Supplemental Restraint System01
23 Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
G027284
SRS warning light
As an enhancement to the three-point seat
belts, your Volvo is equipped with a Supple-
mental Restraint System (SRS). Volvo's SRS
consists of seat belt pretensioners, front air-
bags, side impact airbags, the occupant
weight sensor, and inflatable curtains. All of
these systems are monitored by the SRS con-
trol module. An SRS warning light in the instru-
ment panel (see the illustration) illuminates
when the ignition key is turned to position I, II,
or III, and will normally go out after approxi-
mately 7 seconds if no faults are detected in
the system.Where applicable, a text message
will also be displayed when the
SRS warning light illuminates. If
this warning symbol is not func-
tioning properly, the general warn-
ing symbol illuminates and a text message will
be displayed.
WARNING
•If the SRS warning light stays on after
the engine has started or if it illuminates
while you are driving, have the vehicle
inspected by a trained and qualified
Volvo service technician as soon as
possible.
•Never try to repair any component or
part of the SRS yourself. Any interfer-
ence in the system could cause mal-
function and serious injury. All work on
these systems should be performed by
an authorized Volvo service technician.
WARNING
If your vehicle has been subjected to flood
conditions (e.g. soaked carpeting/standing
water on the floor of the vehicle) or if your
vehicle has become flood-damaged in any
way, do not attempt to start the vehicle or
put the key in the ignition before discon-
necting the battery (see below). This may
cause airbag deployment which could result
in personal injury. Have the vehicle towed to
a trained and qualified Volvo service tech-
nician for repairs.
Automatic transmission:
Before attempting to tow the vehicle, use
the following procedure to override the
shiftlock system to move the gear selector
to the neutral position:
1. Switch off the ignition for at least
10 minutes and disconnect the battery.
2. Wait at least one minute.
3. Insert the key in the ignition and turn it
to position II
4. Press firmly on the brake pedal.
5.
Move the gear selector from P (Park) to
the N(Neutral) position.

01 Safety
Occupant Weight Sensor 01
28
Disabling the passenger's side front
airbag
G027050
Occupant Weight Sensor (OWS) indicator light
Volvo recommends that ALL occupants (adults
and children) shorter than 4 feet 7 inches
(140 cm) be seated in the rear seat of any vehi-
cle with a passenger's side front airbag, and be
properly restrained. Children should always be
seated in child restraints appropriate for their
size and weight. For child safety recommen-
dations, see page 37.
The Occupant Weight Sensor (OWS) is
designed to meet the regulatory requirements
of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
(FMVSS) 208 and is designed to disable (willnot inflate) the passenger's side front airbag
under certain conditions.
The OWS works with sensors that are part of
the front passenger's seat and seat belt. The
sensors are designed to detect the presence of
a properly seated occupant and determine if
the passenger's side front airbag should be
enabled (may inflate) or disabled (will not
inflate).
The OWS will disable (will not inflate) the pas-
senger's side front airbag when:
•the front passenger's seat is unoccupied,
or has small/medium objects in the front
seat,
•the system determines that an infant is
present in a rear-facing infant seat that is
installed according to the manufacturer's
instructions,
•the system determines that a small child is
present in a forward-facing child restraint
that is installed according to the manufac-
turer's instructions,
•the system determines that a small child is
present in a booster seat,
•a front passenger takes his/her weight off
of the seat for a period of time,
•a child or a small person occupies the front
passenger's seat.The OWS uses a PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF
indicator lamp which will illuminate and stay on
to remind you that the passenger's side front
airbag is disabled. The PASSENGER AIRBAG
OFF indicator lamp is located in the overhead
console, near the base of the rearview mirror.
NOTE
The PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator
lamp will illuminate for a short period of time
when the ignition is turned on to confirm it
is functional. When the front passenger's
seat is not occupied (empty seat) or in the
event that the passenger's side front airbag
is enabled (may inflate), the PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp will be off.
However, if a fault is detected in the system:
•The OWS indicator light will stay on
•The SRS warning light (see page 23) will
come on and stay on
•The message PASS. AIRBAG OFF
SERVICE URGENT will be displayed in the
information display.

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
Center console buttons
02
* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.65
NOTE
If the door mirrors have been inadvertently
pushed out of position (in a car wash, park-
ing lot, etc.) manually return them to normal
position. If mirror adjustment does not seem
to operate after manual folding, reset the
folding mirrors as follows:
•Turn the ignition key to position II.
•Manually fold the mirror(s) to the normal
position.
•Press the button to fold both mirrors in.
•Press the button again to fold the mir-
rors out to their normal position.
Park Assist*This system provides an audi-
ble warning when the vehicle is
being parked or if it is driven
close to a person or object. For
more information see
page 155.
NOTE
The system activates automatically when
the engine is started, and can be deacti-
vated by pressing this button (e.g. when
towing a trailer) or reactivated if necessary.
Auxiliary lightsThis button is used to switch on
auxiliary lights (if installed). A
light in the button will light up to
indicate that the auxiliary lights
are illuminated.
12-volt socketsThe 12-volt sockets can be
used to plug in certain acces-
sories such as cell phones, etc.
The ignition key must be in
position I (or higher) for the aux-
iliary socket to function.
The maximum current consumption is 10A
(120W) if only one of the 12-volt sockets is in
use. If both the front and rear sockets are used
at the same time, the maximum current con-
sumption per socket is 7.5A (90W).
NOTE
The auxiliary sockets can also be used for
cigarette lighters, which are available as
accessories at your Volvo retailer.
Power child locks*For more information on this
function, see page 130.

02 Instruments and controls
Lighting panel
02

* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.67
Headlight/parking light switch
Front fog lights
Rear fog light
Instrument panel lighting
Fuel filler door unlock button
Parking lights
The front and rear parking lights can be turned
on even when the ignition is switched off.

Turn switch (1) to position
.
The license plate lights also illuminate when the
parking lights are switched on.
Headlights
1.
Turn the ignition key to position II.
2. The low beam headlights (daytime running
lights) illuminate automatically, except
when the light switch (1) is in position
1.
For information on switching between high and
low beams, see page 70.
NOTE
Active Bending Lights*: Turn the headlight
switch to position 0 to activate a daylight
sensor, which automatically switches the
low beams on or off, depending on ambient
light conditions. When driving in daylight,
the headlights will switch off and the day-
time running lights will come on. In dark-
ness, the daytime running lights will switch
off and the Active Bending Lights will switch
on.
G020789
Headlight pattern with the Active Bending Light
function deactivated (left) and activated (right)
1On Canadian models, the daytime running lights will remain on with the light switch in this position.

02 Instruments and controls
Lighting panel
02
68* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.
Active Bending Lights (ABL)*
When this function is activated, the headlight
beams adjust laterally to help light up a curve
according to movements of the steering wheel
(see the right-pointing beam in the illustration).
The ABL function is activated automatically
when the engine is started and can be deacti-
vated/reactivated by pressing the button in the
center console (see page 64.
Fog lights
Front fog lights*The front fog lights can be used in combination
with either the headlights or the parking lights.
1.
Turn the ignition key to position II.
2. Press button (2) to turn on the front fog
lights.
An indicator light in the button illuminates when
the front fog lights are on.
Rear fog lightThe single rear fog light is located in the driver's
side of the vehicle.
The rear fog light will only function in combi-
nation with the high/low beam headlights or the
optional front fog lights.
1.
Turn the ignition key to position II.2. Press button (3) to turn on the rear fog light.
An indicator light in the button illuminates when
the rear fog light is on.
NOTE
The rear fog light is considerably brighter
than the normal tail lights and should be
used only when conditions such as fog, rain,
snow, smoke or dust reduce visibility for
other vehicles to less than 500 ft.
(150 meters).
Instrument panel lighting
The instrument panel lighting illuminates when
the ignition key is in position II and the light
switch (1) is in either position
or .

Move the thumb wheel (4) up to increase
brightness or down to decrease bright-
ness.
Unlocking the fuel filler door
Press button (5) when the vehicle is at a stand-
still to unlock the fuel filler door. Please note
that the fuel filler door will remain unlocked until
the vehicle begins to move forward. An audible
click will be heard when the fuel filler door
relocks.
NOTE
If the fuel filler door does not unlock after the
button has been pressed, drive the vehicle
at a speed of at least 5 mph (8 km/h), stop
the vehicle, and press the button again.
For information on unlocking the fuel filler door
manually, see page 69.