2013 VOLVO XC70 engine

03 Your driving environment
Starting the engine
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WARNING
PROPOSITION 65 WARNING!
Battery posts, terminals, and related acces-
sories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the state of California
to cause cancer and reproductive harm.
Wash hands after handling.
CAUTION
Connect the jumper cables carefully to
avoid short circuits with other components
in the engine compartment.
WARNING
•Do not connect the jumper cable to any
part of the fuel system or to any moving
parts. Avoid touching hot manifolds.
•Batteries generate hydrogen gas, which
is flammable and explosive.
•Battery fluid contains sulfuric acid. Do
not allow battery fluid to contact eyes,
skin, fabrics or painted surfaces. If con-
tact occurs, flush the affected area
immediately with water. Obtain medical
help immediately if eyes are affected.
•Never expose the battery to open flame
or electric spark.
•Do not smoke near the battery.
•Failure to follow the instructions for
jump starting can lead to injury.

03 Your driving environment
Transmission
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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
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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
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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
Brakes
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•The ABS system activates for more than
approximately a half second
•In the event of sudden braking while the
vehicle is moving at speeds above approx-
imately 6 mph (10 km/h)
When the vehicle has come to a stop, the brake
lights and additional taillights remain on for as
long as the brake pedal is depressed or until
braking force on the vehicle is reduced.
Power brakes function only when the
engine is running
The power brakes utilize vacuum pressure
which is only created when the engine is run-
ning. Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with the
engine switched off.
If the power brakes are not working, consider-
ably higher pressure will be required on the
brake pedal to compensate for the lack of
power assistance. This can happen for exam-
ple when towing your vehicle or if the engine is
switched off when the vehicle is rolling. The
brake pedal feels harder than usual.
Water on brake discs and brake pads
affects braking
Driving in rain and slush or passing through an
automatic car wash can cause water to collect
on the brake discs and pads. This will cause a
delay in braking effect when the pedal is
depressed. To avoid such a delay when thebrakes are needed, depress the pedal occa-
sionally when driving through rain, slush, etc.
This will remove the water from the brakes.
Check that brake application feels normal. This
should also be done after washing or starting
in very damp or cold weather.
Severe strain on the brake systemThe brakes will be subject to severe strain
when driving in mountains or hilly areas, or
when towing a trailer. Vehicle speed is usually
slower, which means that the cooling of the
brakes is less efficient than when driving on
level roads. To reduce the strain on the brakes,
shift into a lower gear and let the engine help
with the braking. Do not forget that if you are
towing a trailer, the brakes will be subjected to
a greater than normal load.
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)The Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) helps to
improve vehicle control (stopping and steering)
during severe braking conditions by limiting
brake lockup. When the system "senses"
impending lockup, braking pressure is auto-
matically modulated in order to help prevent
lockup that could lead to a skid.
The system performs a brief self-diagnostic
test when the engine has been started and
driver releases the brake pedal. Another auto-
matic test may be performed when the vehicle
first reaches a speed of approximately 6 mph(10 km/h). The brake pedal will pulsate several
times and a sound may be audible from the
ABS control module, which is normal.
Cleaning the brake discsCoatings of dirt and water on the brake discs
may result in delayed brake function. This delay
is minimized by cleaning the brake linings.
Cleaning the brake pads is advisable in wet
weather, prior to long-term parking, and after
the vehicle has been washed. Do this by brak-
ing gently for a short period while the vehicle is
moving.
Emergency Brake AssistanceEBA is designed to provide full brake effect
immediately in the event of sudden, hard brak-
ing. The system is activated by the speed with
which the brake pedal is depressed.
When the EBA system is activated, the brake
pedal will go down and pressure in the brake
system immediately increases to the maximum
level. Maintain full pressure on the brake pedal
in order to utilize the system completely. EBA
is automatically deactivated when the brake
pedal is released.

03 Your driving environment
Brakes
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123
NOTE
•When the EBA system is activated, the
brake pedal will go down and pressure
in the brake system immediately increa-
ses to the maximum level. You must
maintain full pressure on the brake
pedal in order to utilize the system com-
pletely. There will be no braking effect if
the pedal is released. EBA is automati-
cally deactivated when the brake pedal
is released.
•When the vehicle has been parked for
some time, the brake pedal may sink
more than usual when the engine is
started. This is normal and the pedal will
return to its usual position when it is
released.
Symbols in the instrument panel
SymbolSpecification
Steady glow – Check the brake
fluid level. If the level is low, fill
with brake fluid and check for
the cause of the brake fluid
loss.
Steady glow for two seconds
when the engine is started –
There was a fault in the brake
system's ABS function when
the engine was last running.
WARNING
If and come on at the same time
and the brake level is below the MIN mark
in the reservoir or if a brake system-related
message is shown in the information dis-
play: DO NOT DRIVE. Have the vehicle
towed to a trained and qualified Volvo serv-
ice technician and have the brake system
inspected.

03 Your driving environment
Parking brake
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Releasing the electric parking brake
Parking brake control
Manual release1. Fasten the seat belt.
2. Insert the remote key in the ignition slot and
press the START/STOP ENGINE button
(or press the START/STOP ENGINE but-
ton with a valid remote key in the passen-
ger compartment on vehicles with the
optional keyless drive).
3. Press firmly on the brake pedal.
4. Pull the parking brake control.
Automatic release1. Start the engine.
NOTE
•For safety reasons, the parking brake is
only released automatically if the engine
is running and the driver is wearing a seat
belt.
•The electric parking brake will be
released immediately when the acceler-
ator pedal is pressed and the gear selec-
tor is in position D or R.
2. Fasten the seat belt.
3.
Move the gear selector to position D or R
and press the accelerator pedal. The park-
ing brake will release when the vehicle
begins to move.
Heavy load uphillA heavy load, such as a trailer, can cause the
vehicle to roll backward when the parking
brake is released automatically on a steep
incline. To help avoid this:
1. Keep the electric parking brake lever
pushed in with the left hand while shifting
into Drive with the right.
2. While pressing the throttle pedal to pull
away, release the parking brake lever only
after the vehicle begins to move.
Symbols
SymbolSpecification
Read the message in the infor-
mation display
A flashing symbol indicates that
the parking brake is being
applied. If the symbol flashes in
any other situation then this
means that a fault has arisen.
Read the message on the infor-
mation display.
Messages
Park brake not fully released – A fault is pre-
venting the parking brake from being released.
Try to apply the parking brake and release it
several times. If the problem persists, contact

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.