03 Your driving environment
HomeLink® Wireless Control System*
03
* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.111
NOTE
Some devices may require you to replace
this Programming Step 2 with procedures
noted in the “Gate Operator / Canadian Pro-
gramming” section. If the HomeLink indica-
tor light does not change to a rapidly blink-
ing light after performing these steps, con-
tact HomeLink at www.homelink.com or by
phoning the hotline at 1–800–355–3515.
3.
Firmly press, hold for five seconds and
release the programmed HomeLink but-
ton up to two separate times to activate the
door. If the door does not activate, press
and hold the just-trained HomeLink button
and observe the indicator light.
•If the indicator light stays on con-
stantly, programming is complete
and your device should activate when
the HomeLink button is pressed and
released.
•If the indicator light blinks rapidly for
two seconds and then turns to a con-
stant light continue with “Program-
ming” steps 4-6 to complete the pro-
gramming of a rolling code equipped
device (most commonly a garage door
opener).
4. At the garage door opener receiver (motor-
head unit) in the garage, locate the “learn”or “smart” button. This can usually be
found where the hanging antenna wire is
attached to the motor-head unit.
5. Firmly press and release the “learn” or
“smart” button. (The name and color of the
button may vary by manufacturer.) There
are 30 seconds to initiate step 6.
6. Return to the vehicle and firmly press, hold
for two seconds and release the pro-
grammed HomeLink button. Repeat the
“press/hold/release” sequence a second
time, and, depending on the brand of the
garage door opener (or other rolling code
equipped device), repeat this sequence a
third time to complete the programming
process.
HomeLink should now activate your rolling
code equipped device.
Gate Operator/Canadian ProgrammingCanadian radio-frequency laws require trans-
mitter signals to “time-out” (or quit) after sev-
eral seconds of transmission – which may not
be long enough for HomeLink to pick up the
signal during programming. Similar to this
Canadian law, some U.S. gate operators are
designed to “time-out” in the same manner.
If you live in Canada or you are having difficul-
ties programming a gate operator or garage
door opener by using the “Programming” pro-cedures, replace “Programming HomeLink”
step 2 with the following:
•Continue to press and hold the HomeLink
button while you press and release -
every two seconds (“cycle”) your hand-
held transmitter until the HomeLink indica-
tor light changes from a slow to a rapidly
blinking light. Now you may release both
the HomeLink and hand-held transmitter
buttons.
Proceed with “Programming” step 3 to com-
plete.
Using HomeLink
To operate, simply press and hold the pro-
grammed HomeLink button until the trained
device begins to operate (this may take several
seconds). Activation will now occur for the
trained device (i.e., garage door opener, gate
operator, security system, entry door lock,
home/office lighting, etc.). For convenience,
the hand-held transmitter of the device may
also be used at any time. In the event that there
are still programming difficulties or questions,
contact HomeLink at: www.homelink.com or
by phoning the hotline at 1–800–355–3515.
03 Your driving environment
Starting the engine
03
114
WARNING
•Always remove the remote key from the
ignition slot when leaving the vehicle
and ensure that the ignition in mode 0
(see page 83 for information about the
ignition modes), especially if there are
children in the vehicle.
•On vehicles with th optional keyless
drive, never remove the remote key
from the vehicle while it is being driven
or towed.
•Always place the gear selector in Park
and apply the parking brake before
leaving the vehicle. Never leave the
vehicle unattended with the engine run-
ning.
•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.
NOTE
•After a cold start, idle speed may be
noticeably higher than normal for a
short period. This is done to help bring
components in the emission control
system to their normal operating tem-
perature as quickly as possible, which
enables them to control emissions and
help reduce the vehicle's impact on the
environment
3.
CAUTION
•When starting in cold weather, the auto-
matic transmission may shift up at
slightly higher engine speeds than nor-
mal until the automatic transmission
fluid reaches normal operating tem-
perature.
•Do not race a cold engine immediately
after starting. Oil flow may not reach
some lubrication points fast enough to
prevent engine damage.
•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.
3If the gear selector is in the D or R positions and the car is not moving, engine speed (rpm) will be lower and it will take longer for the engine to reach normal operating temperature.
03 Your driving environment
Transmission
03
118
Automatic transmission
G021351
Shiftgate positions1
Depress the button on the front of the gear
selector knob to move the gear selector
between the R, N, D, and P positions.
The gear selector can be moved freely between
the Geartronic (manual shifting) and Drive (D)
positions while driving.
CAUTION
The transmission’s temperature is moni-
tored to help prevent damage to the trans-
mission or other drivetrain components. If
there is a risk of overheating, the warning
symbol on the instrument panel will illumi-
nate and a text message will be displayed.
Follow the instructions provided there.
Park position (P)Select the P position when starting or parking.
ShiftlockWhen P has been selected, the transmission is
mechanically blocked in this position. The
brake pedal must be depressed and the igni-
tion must be in at least mode II (see page 82)
before the gear lever can be moved from the
P position.
WARNING
Always apply the parking brake when the
vehicle is parked, particularly when parking
on a hill. The transmission's P mode may
not be able to keep the vehicle stationary if
it is parked on an incline.
Press the control to apply the parking brake,
see page 124.
CAUTION
The vehicle must be stationary when posi-
tion P is selected.
Reverse (R)The vehicle must be stationary when position
R is selected.
Neutral position (N)No gear is engaged and the engine can be
started with the gear selector in this position.
Apply the parking brake if the vehicle is sta-
tionary with the gear selector in position N.
Drive (D)D is the normal driving position. The car auto-
matically shifts between the various forward
1The information display (see page 75) shows the gear selector's position or the selected gear by displaying the following: P, R, N, D, S, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6.
03 Your driving environment
Transmission
03
119
gears, based on the level of acceleration and
speed. The car must be at a standstill when
shifting from position R to position D.
Geartronic–manual shiftingGeartronic allows you to manually shift among
your vehicle's six forward speeds. Geartronic
can be selected at any time.
•To access the manual shifting position
from Drive (D), move the gear selector to
the right (to the area marked M in the illus-
tration.
•To return to the D position from the manual
shifting position, move the gear selector to
the left.
While driving
•If you select the manual shifting position
while driving, the gear that was being used
in the Drive position will also initially be
selected in the manual shifting position.
•Move the gear selector forward (toward
"+") to shift to a higher gear or rearward
(toward "–") to shift to a lower gear.
•If you hold the gear selector toward "–", the
transmission will downshift one gear at a
time and will utilize the braking power of
the engine. If the current speed is too high
for using a lower gear, the downshift willnot occur until the speed has decreased
enough to allow the lower gear to be used.
•If you slow to a very low speed, the trans-
mission will automatically shift down.
Shiftlock – Neutral (N)If the gear selector is in the N position and the
vehicle has been stationary for at least 3 sec-
onds (irrespective of whether the engine is run-
ning) then the gear selector is locked.
To be able to move the gear selector from N to
another gear position, the brake pedal must be
depressed and the ignition must be in posi-
tion II, see page 82.
Geartronic–Sport mode (S)2
This transmission mode provides sportier shift-
ing characteristics and enables a more active
driving style by making it possible to drive at
higher rpm in each gear before shifting up. The
engine also responds faster when the throttle
pedal is pressed.
To access Sport mode from Drive (D), move the
gear selector to the right. The transmission will
not switch to manual shifting mode until the
gear selector is moved forward or rearward
toward + or –.
Sport mode can be selected any time.
NOTE
•On vehicles equipped with Sport mode,
the transmission symbol in the main
instrument panel will change from D to
S when the gear selector is moved to
the manual shifting mode. If the gear
selector is moved toward "+" or "-", the
number of the gear currently being used
will be displayed, see page 75).
•Please be aware that using Sport mode
may result in a slight decrease in fuel
economy. Driving in D can help improve
fuel economy.
Geartronic–starting on slippery surfacesSelecting 3rd gear in Geartronic’s manual shift-
ing mode can help provide better traction when
starting off on slippery surfaces. To do so:
1. Depress the brake pedal and move the
gear selector to the right from the D posi-
tion to the manual shifting position. The
text in the instrument panel display will
change from
D to 1.
2. Press the gear selector forward and
release it (this selects 2nd gear). Press the
selector forward again and release it to
select 3rd gear.
2Certain models only
03 Your driving environment
Transmission
03
120
3. Release the brake pedal and press gently
on the accelerator pedal.
Shiftlock override
If the vehicle cannot be driven, for example
because of a dead battery, the gear selector
must be moved from the P position before the
vehicle can be moved
3.
Lift away the rubber mat on the floor of the
storage compartment behind the center
console to expose the small opening for
overriding the shiftlock system.
Insert the key blade into the opening. Press
the key blade down as far as possible and
keep it held down.
Move the gear selector from the P position.
For information on the key blade, see
page 59.
All Wheel Drive – AWD4
Your Volvo can be equipped with permanent
All Wheel Drive, which means that power is
distributed automatically between the front
and rear wheels. Under normal driving condi-
tions, most of the engine's power is directed to
the front wheels. However, if there is any ten-
dency for the front wheels to spin, an electron-
ically controlled coupling distributes power to
the wheels that have the best traction.
NOTE
The message AWD disabled Service
required will be appear in the information
display if an electrical fault should occur in
the AWD system. A warning light will also
illuminate in the instrument panel. If this
occurs, have the system checked by a
trained and qualified Volvo service techni-
cian.
3If the battery is dead, the electric parking brake cannot be applied or released. Connect an auxiliary battery if the battery voltage is too low, see page 116.4Standard on certain models.
03 Your driving environment
Hill Descent Control (HDC)*
03
* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.127 Introduction
Normally, when the accelerator pedal is
released while driving down hills, the vehicle's
speed slows as the engine runs at lower rpm
(the normal engine braking effect). However, if
the downhill gradient becomes steeper and if
the vehicle is carrying a load, speed increases
despite the engine braking effect. In this situa-
tion, the brakes must be applied to reduce the
vehicle's speed.
HDC is a type of automatic engine brake and
makes it possible to increase or decrease the
vehicle's speed on downhill gradients using
only the accelerator pedal, without applying
the brakes. The brake system functions auto-
matically to maintain a low and steady speed.
HDC is particularly useful when driving down
steep hills with rough surfaces, and where the
road may have slippery patches.
WARNING
HDC does not function in all situations, and
is a supplementary braking aid. The driver
has full responsibility for driving in a safe
manner.
Function
•HDC can be switched on and off with the
button in the center console. An indicator
light in the button illuminates when HDC is
activated.
•The indicator light in the instrument
panel illuminates and a message is dis-
played when the system is controlling the
vehicle's speed.
•HDC only functions when first or reverse
gears are selected (1 will be shown in the
instrument panel display when first gear is
selected).
NOTE
HDC cannot be activated if the gear selector
is the D position.
Using HDC
HDC allows the car to roll forward at a maxi-
mum speed of 6 mph (10 km/h), and 4 mph
(7 km/h) in reverse. However, the accelerator
pedal can be used to select any speed that is
possible in first or reverse gears. When the
accelerator pedal is released, speed is quickly
reduced again to 6 mph (10 km/h) or 4 mph
(7 km/h), depending on the gear selected,
regardless of the hill's gradient. It is not nec-
essary to apply the brakes.
•The brake lights illuminate automatically
when HDC is controlling the vehicle's
speed.
•The driver can slow or stop the vehicle at
any time by applying the brakes.
HDC is deactivated when:
•The button on the center console is
pressed
•A gear higher than first gear is selected
•D is selected on vehicles with an automatic
transmission
HDC can be deactivated at any time. If this is
done while driving down a steep hill, the sys-
tem's braking effect will decrease gradually.
05 Comfort and driving pleasure
Active chassis system–Four C*
05
206* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.
Active chassis (Four C)
Active chassis, Four-C (Continuously Con-
trolled Chassis Concept), regulates the cha-
racteristics of the shock absorbers so that the
car's driving characteristics can be adjusted.
There are three settings: Comfort, Sport and
Advanced.
NOTE
This system is available on Canadian mod-
els only.
ComfortComfort mode offers a somewhat softer ride
and the transmission shifts gears at lower rpm.
This mode is particularly suitable for long-dis-
tance highway driving. The indicator light in the
button will be on when this mode is selected.
SportIn this mode, the vehicle's body sway is
reduced during cornering and steering
response is more immediate. The transmission
shifts up at higher rpm for sportier driving. The
indicator light in the button will be on to indi-
cate that Sport mode has been selected.
AdvancedIn this mode, body sway in curves is minimal
and steering response is very direct. Gear shift-ing is done at high rpm in each gear for
dynamic and active driving.
Operation
Chassis settings
Use the buttons in the center console to
change setting. The setting in use when the
engine is switched off is activated the next time
the engine is started.
Speed-dependent steering force*
Steering force increases with the speed of the
vehicle to give the driver enhanced sensitivity.
At low speed the vehicle is easy to steer in
order to facilitate parking, etc.
Steering force can be changed under MY CAR
Car settingsSteering wheel force.Select
Low, Medium or High. For a descrip-
tion of the menu system, see page 189.
NOTE
This steering force level menu function can-
not be accessed when the vehicle is in
motion.
07 During your trip
Driving recommendations
07
268
General information
Economical driving conserves natural
resources
Better driving economy may be obtained by
thinking ahead, avoiding rapid starts and stops
and adjusting the speed of your vehicle to
immediate traffic conditions.
Observe the following rules:
•Bring the engine to normal operating tem-
perature as soon as possible by driving
with a light foot on the accelerator pedal for
the first few minutes of operation. A cold
engine uses more fuel and is subject to
increased wear.
•Whenever possible, avoid using the vehicle
for driving short distances. This does not
allow the engine to reach normal operating
temperature.
•Drive carefully and avoid rapid acceleration
and hard braking.
•Use the transmission's Drive (D) position
as often as possible and avoid using kick-
down.
•Using the transmission's Sport mode1 may
increase fuel consumption somewhat. Use
the transmission's Drive (D) position as
often as possible. See page 119 for addi-
tional information about Sport mode.
•Do not exceed posted speed limits.
•Avoid carrying unnecessary items (extra
load) in the vehicle.
•Maintain correct tire pressure. Check tire
pressure regularly (when tires are cold).
•Remove snow tires when threat of snow or
ice has ended.
•Note that roof racks, ski racks, etc,
increase air resistance and also fuel con-
sumption.
•At highway driving speeds, fuel consump-
tion will be lower with the air conditioning
on and the windows closed than with the
air conditioning off and the windows open.
•Using the onboard trip computer's fuel
consumption modes can help you learn
how to drive more economically.
Other factors that decrease gas mileage
are:
•Dirty air cleaner
•Dirty engine oil and clogged oil filter
•Dragging brakes
•Incorrect front end alignment
Some of the above mentioned items and others
are checked at the standard maintenance
intervals.
WARNING
Driving with the tailgate open: Driving with
the tailgate open could lead to poisonous
exhaust gases entering the passenger com-
partment. If the tailgate must be kept open
for any reason, proceed as follows:
•Close the windows
•Set the ventilation system control to air
flow to floor, windshield and side win-
dows and the blower control to its high-
est setting.
Weight distribution affects handlingAt the specified curb weight your vehicle has a
tendency to understeer, which means that the
steering wheel has to be turned more than
might seem appropriate for the curvature of a
bend. This ensures good stability and reduces
the risk of rear wheel skid. Remember that
these properties can alter with the vehicle load.
The heavier the load in the cargo area, the less
the tendency to understeer.
Handling, roadholdingVehicle load, tire design and inflation pressure
all affect vehicle handling. Therefore, check
that the tires are inflated to the recommended
pressure according to the vehicle load. See the
"Tire pressure" section. Loads should be dis-
1Models with the T6 turbo engine only.