01 Safety
Occupant Weight Sensor (OWS)01
29 Disabling the passenger's side front
airbag
G018346
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. See also the child safety rec-
ommendations on page 39.
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
When the ignition is switched on, the OWS
indicator light will go on for up to 10 seconds
while the system performs a self-diagnostic
test.
However, if a fault is detected in the system:
•The OWS indicator light will stay on
•The SRS warning light (see page 24) will
come on and stay on
The message
PASS. AIRBAG OFF SERVICE
URGENT will be displayed in the information
display.
01 Safety
Occupant Weight Sensor (OWS) 01
30
WARNING
If a fault in the system is detected and indi-
cated as explained on the preceding page,
be aware that the passenger's side front air-
bag will not deploy in the event of a collision.
In this case, the SRS system and Occupant
Weight Sensor should be inspected by a
trained and qualified Volvo service techni-
cian as soon as possible.
WARNING
•Never try to open, remove, or repair any
components in the OWS system. This
could result in system malfunction.
Maintenance or repairs should only be
carried out by an a trained and qualified
Volvo service technician.
•The front passenger's seat should not
be modified in any way. This could
reduce pressure on the seat cushion,
which might interfere with the OWS sys-
tem's function.
The OWS is designed to disable (will not inflate)
the passenger's side front airbag when a rear
facing infant seat, a forward-facing child
restraint, or a booster seat is detected. The
PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp will
illuminate and stay on to remind you that thepassenger's side front airbag is disabled (see
the following table).
Passenger's
seat occu-
pancy statusOWS indica-
tor light sta-
tusPassenger's
side front
airbag sta-
tus
Seat unoc-
cupiedOWS indica-
tor light
lights
up
Passenger's
side front
airbag disa-
bled
Seat occu-
pied by low
weight
occupant/
object
A
OWS indica-
tor light
lights
up
Passenger's
side front
airbag disa-
bled
Seat occu-
pied by
heavy occu-
pant/objectOWS indica-
tor light
is not
lit
Passenger's
side front
airbag ena-
bled
AVolvo recommends that children always be properly
restrained in appropriate child restraints in the rear seats. Do
not assume that the passenger's side front airbag is disabled
unless the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp is lit.
Make sure the child restraint is properly installed. If there is
any doubt as to the status of the passenger's side front air-
bag, move the child restraint to the rear seat.
The OWS is designed to enable (may inflate)
the passenger's side front airbag in the event
of a collision anytime the system senses that aperson of adult size is sitting properly in the
front passenger's seat. The PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp will be off and
remain off.
If a person of adult size is sitting in the front
passenger's seat, but the PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp is on, it is possible
that the person isn't sitting properly in the seat.
If this happens:
1. Turn the vehicle off and ask the person to
place the seatback in an upright position.
2. Have the person sit upright in the seat,
centered on the seat cushion, with the per-
son's legs comfortably extended.
3. Restart the vehicle and have the person
remain in this position for about two
minutes. This will allow the system to
detect that person and enable the pas-
senger's frontal airbag.
4.
If the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator
lamp remains on even after this, the person
should be advised to ride in the rear seat.
This condition reflects limitations of the OWS
classification capability. It does not indicate
OWS malfunction.ModificationsIf you are considering modifying your vehicle in
any way to accommodate a disability, for
01 Safety
Occupant Weight Sensor (OWS)01
31
example by altering or adapting the driver's or
front passenger's seat(s) and/or airbag sys-
tems, please contact Volvo at:
In the USA
Volvo Cars of North America, LLC
Customer Care Center
1 Volvo Drive
P.O. Box 914
Rockleigh, New Jersey 07647
1-800-458-1552
In Canada
Volvo Cars of Canada Corp.
National Customer Service
175 Gordon Baker Road North York, Ontario
M2H 2N7
1-800-663-8255WARNING
•No objects that add to the total weight
on the seat should be placed on the
front passenger's seat. If a child is
seated in the front passenger's seat
with any additional weight, this extra
weight could cause the OWS system to
enable the airbag, which might cause it
to deploy in the event of a collision,
thereby injuring the child.
•The seat belt should never be wrapped
around an object on the front passeng-
er's seat. This could interfere with the
OWS system's function.
•The front passenger's seat belt should
never be used in a way that exerts more
pressure on the passenger than normal.
This could increase the pressure exer-
ted on the weight sensor by a child, and
could result in the airbag being enabled,
which might cause it to deploy in the
event of a collision, thereby injuring the
child.
WARNING
Keep the following points in mind with
respect to the OWS system. Failure to follow
these instructions could adversely affect the
system's function and result in serious injury
to the occupant of the front passenger's
seat:
•The full weight of the front seat passen-
ger should always be on the seat cush-
ion. The passenger should never lift
him/herself off the seat cushion using
the armrest in the door or the center
console, by pressing the feet on the
floor, by sitting on the edge of the seat
cushion, or by pressing against the
backrest in a way that reduces pressure
on the seat cushion. This could cause
OWS to disable the passenger's side
front airbag.
•Do not place any type of object on the
front passenger's seat in such a way
that jamming, pressing, or squeezing
occurs between the object and the front
seat, other than as a direct result of the
correct use of the Automatic Locking
Retractor/Emergency Locking Retrac-
tor (ALR/ELR) seat belt, see page 40.
•No objects should be placed under the
front passenger's seat. This could inter-
fere with the OWS system's function.
01 Safety
Roll-over Protection system (ROPS)01
37 Introduction
G020797
Deployed ROPS roll bars
The ROPS system consists of two roll bars
located behind the rear seat head restraints,
and a sensor that monitors the roll or pitch
angle of the vehicle.
If the vehicle rolls or pitches beyond a preset
angle, or in the event of a rear-end collision of
sufficient force, the roll bars are automatically
deployed (raised).
The ROPS system is designed to function
regardless of whether the power retractable
hard top is up or down. By design, the tops of
the roll bars are equipped with a point in order
to pierce the rear window if the top is up.
NOTE
If ROPS has deployed, the system should
be inspected by a trained and qualified
Volvo service technician.
WARNING
•The rear seat of the Volvo C70 is
intended for two occupants, and only
two rear seat belts are provided. The
center section of the seat should never
be used to seat a passenger.
•No objects should be placed over the
roll bars or behind the rear seat head
restraints.
•All repairs or maintenance to the ROPS
system should only be performed by a
trained and qualified Volvo service tech-
nician.
01 Safety
Crash mode 01
38
Driving after a collision
G026363
If the vehicle has been involved in a collision,
the text CRASH MODE SEE MANUAL may
appear in the information display. This indi-
cates that the vehicle's functionality has been
reduced.
This text can only be shown if the display is
undamaged and the vehicle's electrical system
is intact.
CRASH MODE is a feature that is triggered if
one or more of the safety systems (for example,
front or side airbags, an inflatable curtain, or
one or more of the seat belt pretensioners) has
deployed. The collision may have damaged an
important function in the vehicle, such as thefuel lines, sensors for one of the safety sys-
tems, the brake system, etc.
WARNING
•Never attempt to repair the vehicle
yourself or to reset the electrical system
after the vehicle has displayed
CRASH
MODE SEE MANUAL. This could
result in injury or improper system func-
tion.
•Restoring the vehicle to normal operat-
ing mode should only be done by a
trained and qualified Volvo service tech-
nician.
•After CRASH MODE SEE MANUALhas 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 ignition key or optional keyless
drive start control, see page 149.
2. Reinsert the key or start control in the igni-
tion switch. The vehicle will then attempt to
reset CRASH MODE to normal mode.3. Try to start the vehicle.
Moving the vehicleIf the electrical system is able to reset system
status to normal (CRASH MODE SEE
MANUAL will no longer be displayed), the
vehicle may be moved carefully from its pres-
ent 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 CRASH 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 restraint systems01
41 Child restraints
G008170
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 48 for
information on securing a child restraint using
ISOFIX/LATCH lower anchors.
G026518
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 equip-
ped 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.
G026513
Booster cushion
WARNING
Always refer to the child restraint manufac-
turer's instructions for detailed information
on securing the restraint.
01 Safety
Infant seats01
43 Securing an infant seat with a seat belt
G026417
Do not place the infant seat in the front passeng-
er's seat
NOTE
Refer to page 48 for information on secur-
ing a child restraint using ISOFIX/LATCH
lower anchors.
WARNING
•An infant seat must be in the rear-facing
position only.
•The infant seat should not be positioned
behind the driver's seat unless there is
adequate space for safe installation.
1. Place the infant seat in the rear seat of the
vehicle.
G026526
Positioning the seat belt through the infant seat
2. Attach the seat belt to the infant seat
according to the manufacturer's instruc-
tions.
G026523
Fasten the seat belt
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.
3. Fasten the seat belt by inserting the latch
plate into the buckle (lock) until a distinct
click is audible.
01 Safety
Booster cushions01
47 Securing a booster cushion
G026517
Position the child correctly on the booster cushion
and fasten the seat belt
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 equip-
ped 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.
Booster cushions are recommended for chil-
dren who have outgrown convertible seats.
1. Place the booster cushion in the rear seat
of the vehicle.
2. With the child properly seated on the
booster cushion, attach the seat belt to or
around the cushion according to the man-
ufacturer's instructions.
3. Fasten the seat belt by inserting the latch
plate into the buckle (lock) until a distinct
click is audible.
4. Ensure that the seat belt is pulled taut and
fits snugly around the child.
WARNING
•The hip section of the three-point seat
belt must fit snugly across the child's
hips, not across the stomach.
•The shoulder section of the three-point
seat belt should be positioned across
the chest and shoulder.
•The shoulder belt must never be placed
behind the child's back or under the
arm.