
07 During your journey
Loading
07
292
General information on loading
Payload depends on the car's kerb weight. The
total of the weight of the passengers and all
accessories reduces the car's payload by a
corresponding weight. For more detailed infor-
mation on weights, see page 373.
The tailgate is opened via a button on
the lighting panel or the remote con-
trol key, see page 59.
WARNING
The car's driving characteristics change
depending on the weight and distribution of
the load.
To bear in mind when loading
•Position the load firmly against the rear
seat's backrest.
Note that objects must not prevent the function
of the WHIPS system for the front seats if any
of the rear seat's backrests is folded down,see
page 27.
•Centre the load.
•Heavy objects should be placed as low as
possible. Avoid placing heavy loads on
lowered backrests.
•Cover sharp edges with something soft to
avoid damaging the upholstery.
•Secure all loads to the load retaining eye-
lets with straps or web lashings.
WARNING
A loose object weighing 20 kg can, in a
frontal collision at a speed of 50 km/h, carry
the impact of an item weighing 1000 kg.
WARNING
The protection provided by the inflatable
curtain in the headlining may be compro-
mised or eliminated by high loads.
•Never load cargo above the backrest.
WARNING
Always secure the load. During heavy brak-
ing the load may otherwise shift, causing
injury to the car's occupants.
Cover sharp edges and sharp corners with
something soft.
Switch off the engine and apply the parking
brake when loading/unloading long items.
Otherwise you may accidentally knock the
gear lever or gear selector with the load into
a drive position - and the car could then
move off.
Front seat
The passenger seat backrest can also be
folded for an extra long load, see page 80.
Roof load
Using load carriersTo avoid damaging the car and for maximum
possible safety while driving, the load carriers
designed by Volvo are recommended.
Carefully follow the installation instructions
supplied with the carriers.
•Check periodically that the load carriers
and load are properly secured. Lash the
load securely with retaining straps.
•Distribute the load evenly over the load
carriers. Put the heaviest objects at the
bottom.
•The size of the area exposed to the wind,
and therefore fuel consumption, increase
with the size of the load.
•Drive gently. Avoid quick acceleration,
heavy braking and hard cornering.
WARNING
The car's centre of gravity and driving cha-
racteristics are altered by roof loads. For
information on maximum permitted roof
load, including load carriers and any space
box, see page 373.
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07 During your journey
Loading
07
* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.293 Lowering the rear seat backrest
To simplify loading in the cargo area, the rear
seat backrest can be folded down, see
page 82.
Load retaining eyelets
The folding load retaining eyelets are used to
fasten straps in order to anchor items in the
cargo area.
WARNING
Hard, sharp and/or heavy objects that are
loose or protrude could cause injury during
heavy braking.
Always secure large and heavy objects with
a seatbelt or cargo retaining straps.
Bag holder*
Bag holder under folding hatch in the floor.
The bag holder keeps carrier bags in place and
prevents them from overturning and spreading
their contents across the cargo area.
1. Fold up the holder, which is part of the floor
hatch.
2. Fasten the bags with strap and secure the
carrying handle in the hooks.
12 V electrical socket*
Lower the cover to access the electrical
socket.
•The socket also provides voltage when the
remote control key is not in the ignition
switch.
IMPORTANT
Max. power takeoff is 10 A (120 W).
NOTE
Remember that using the electrical socket
with the engine switched off involves the
risk of discharging the car's battery.
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07 During your journey
Cargo area
07
296* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.
WARNING
Loads in the cargo area must be firmly
secured, even if the safety net is correctly
fitted.
Safety net combined with cargo cover
Puller-straps for raising the net.
The safety net can also be raised from the rear
seat when the cargo cover is extended.
Follow the procedure in the section entitled
"Using the safety net". The straps for raising
are located by the arrows.
Safety grille*
A safety grille prevents loads or pets from
being thrown forward in the passenger com-
partment in the event of sudden braking.
Folding upTake hold of the bottom of the safety grille and
pull back/up.
IMPORTANT
The safety grille cannot be folded up or
down when a cargo cover is fitted.
Fitting/removalThe safety grille is normally permanently instal-
led in the car because it can easily be foldedup in the roof and so be out of the way if a
longer cargo area is required. However, if
desired, the safety grille can be dismantled and
removed from the car.
For information about the tools required and
methods for fitting/removal, see the installation
instructions
1 that were included with the initial
purchase.
For safety reasons, the safety grille must
always be correctly fastened and secured
when being refitted.
Cargo cover*
Pull the cargo cover over the load and hook it
into the recesses at the cargo area's rear posts.
1Installation instructions no. 30756681.
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07 During your journey
Driving with a trailer
07
298* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.
General
Payload depends on the car's kerb weight. The
total of the weight of the passengers and all
accessories, e.g. towbar, reduces the car's
payload by a corresponding weight. For more
detailed information on weights, see
page 373.
If the towing bracket is mounted by Volvo, then
the car is delivered with the necessary equip-
ment for driving with a trailer.
•The car's towing bracket must be of an
approved type.
•If the towbar is retrofitted, check with your
Volvo dealer that the car is fully equipped
for driving with a trailer.
•Distribute the load on the trailer so that the
weight on the towing bracket complies
with the specified maximum towball load.
•Increase the tyre pressure to the recom-
mended pressure for a full load. For tyre
pressure label location, see page 317.
•The engine is loaded more heavily than
usual when driving with a trailer.
•Do not tow a heavy trailer when the car is
brand new. Wait until it has been driven at
least 1000 km.
•The brakes are loaded much more than
usual on long and steep downhill slopes.
Downshift to a lower gear and adjust your
speed.
•For safety reasons, the maximum permit-
ted speed for the car when coupled with a
trailer should not be exceeded. Follow the
regulations in force for the permitted
speeds and weights.
•Maintain a low speed when driving with a
trailer up long, steep ascents.
•Avoid driving with a trailer on inclines of
more than 12%.
Trailer cableAn adapter is required if the car's towing
bracket has 13 pin electrics and the trailer has
7 pin electrics. Use an adapter cable approved
by Volvo. Make sure the cable does not drag
on the ground.
Direction indicators and brake lights on
the trailer
If any of the trailer's lamps for direction indica-
tors are broken, then the combined instrument
panel's symbol for direction indicators flashes
faster than normal and the display shows the
text
Bulb fail - Ind. signal trailer.
If any of the trailer's lamps for the brake light
are broken then the
Bulb fail - Stop lamp
trailer text is shown.
Level control*The rear shock absorbers maintain a constant
height irrespective of the car's load (up to the
maximum permissible weight). When the car isstationary the rear of the car lowers slightly,
which is normal.
Trailer weightsFor information on Volvo's permitted trailer
weights, see page 374.
NOTE
The stated maximum permitted trailer
weights are those permitted by Volvo.
National vehicle regulations can further limit
trailer weights and speeds. Towbars can be
certified for higher towing weights than the
car can actually tow.
WARNING
Follow the stated recommendations for
trailer weights. Otherwise, the car and trailer
may be difficult to control in the event of
sudden movement and braking.
Manual gearbox
OverheatingWhen driving with a trailer in hilly terrain in a hot
climate there may be a risk of overheating.
•Do not run the engine at higher revolutions
than 4500 rpm (diesel engines: 3500 rpm)
- otherwise the oil temperature may
become too high.
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07 During your journey
Driving with a trailer
07
299
Diesel engine 5-cyl
•In the event of a risk of overheating the
optimal speed for the engine is 2300-3000
rpm for optimal circulation of the coolant.
Automatic gearbox
OverheatingWhen driving with a trailer in hilly terrain in a hot
climate there may be a risk of overheating.
•An automatic gearbox selects the optimum
gear related to load and engine speed.
•In the event of overheating a warning sym-
bol illuminates on the instrument panel
combined with a text message - follow the
recommendation given.
Steep inclines
•Do not lock the automatic transmission in
a higher gear than the engine "can cope
with" - it is not always a good idea to drive
at a high gear with low engine revolutions.
IMPORTANT
See also the specific information on slow
driving with trailer for cars with the
Powershift automatic transmission on page
125.
Parking on a hill1. Depress the foot brake.2. Activate the parking brake.
3.
Move the gear selector to position P.
4. Release the foot brake.
•Move the gear selector to park position P
when parking an automatic car with a
hitched trailer. Always use the parking
brake.
•Block the wheels with chocks when park-
ing a car with hitched trailer on a hill.
Starting on a hill1. Depress the foot brake.
2. Move the gear selector to driving posi-
tion D.
3. Release the parking brake.
4. Release the foot brake and start driving off.
Towing bracket
If the car is equipped with a detachable towbar,
the installation instructions for the loose sec-
tion must be followed carefully, see page 301.
WARNING
If the car is fitted with a Volvo detachable
towbar:
•Follow the installation instructions care-
fully.
•The detachable section must be locked
with the key before setting off.
•Check that the indicator window shows
green.
Important checks
•The towbar's towball must be cleaned and
greased regularly.
NOTE
If a towball hitch with vibration damper is
used, it is not necessary to grease the tow-
ball.
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07 During your journey
Driving with a trailer
07
302
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 300.
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07 During your journey
Towing and recovery
07
304
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 78 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 transmission's label under the
bonnet - see page 370. 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.
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308* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.
General ................................................................................................. 310
Changing wheels .................................................................................. 314
Tyre pressure ....................................................................................... 317
Warning triangle and first-aid kit*.......................................................... 318
Tyre pressure monitoring (TPMS)*........................................................319
Emergency puncture repair (TMK) ....................................................... 321
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