Contents
4* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.
06
06 Starting and driving
General information................................138
Fuel requirements................................... 139
Refueling................................................. 141
Starting the vehicle................................. 143
Ignition switch and steering wheel lock. . 145
Economical driving.................................. 146
Difficult driving conditions...................... 147
Automatic transmission..........................148
Jump starting.......................................... 151
All Wheel Drive*....................................... 152
Brake system.......................................... 153
Parking brake.......................................... 156
Stability system....................................... 157
Front/rear park assist*............................. 159
Towing.................................................... 161
Towing a trailer....................................... 163
Detachable trailer hitch........................... 166
Load carriers (accessory)........................ 167
Cold weather precautions....................... 168
Before a long distance trip...................... 169
Blind Spot Information System*.............. 170
07
07 Wheels and tires
General information................................176
Tire inflation ............................................ 179
Tire inflation pressure table..................... 181
Tire designations..................................... 182
Glossary of tire terminology.................... 184
Vehicle loading........................................ 185
Uniform Tire Quality Grading.................. 186
Snow chains, snow tires, studded tires. . 187
Temporary spare..................................... 188
Tire Sealing System ............................... 189
Changing wheels....................................195
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) 200
08
08 Car care
Washing and cleaning the vehicle.......... 206
Paint touch up......................................... 210
Introduction
Environment
13 Volvo and the environment
Volvo is committed to the well being of its cus-
tomers. As a natural part of this commitment,
we care about the environment in which we all
live. Caring for the environment means an
everyday involvement in reducing our environ-
mental impact. Volvo's environmental activities
are based on a holistic view, which means we
consider the overall environmental impact of a
product throughout its complete life cycle. In
this context, design, production, product use,
and recycling are all important considerations.
In production, Volvo has partly or completely
phased out several chemicals including CFCs,
lead chromates, asbestos, and cadmium; and
reduced the number of chemicals used in our
plants 50% since 1991.
Volvo was the first in the world to introduce into
production a three-way catalytic converter with
a Lambda sond, now called the heated oxygen
sensor, in 1976. The current version of this
highly efficient system reduces emissions of
harmful substances (CO, HC, NOx) from the
exhaust pipe by approximately 95 – 99% and
the search to eliminate the remaining emis-
sions continues. Volvo is the only automobile
manufacturer to offer CFC-free retrofit kits for
the air conditioning system of all models as far
back as the 1975 model 240. Advanced elec-
tronic engine controls and cleaner fuels are
bringing us closer to our goal. In addition tocontinuous environmental refinement of con-
ventional gasoline-powered internal combus-
tion engines, Volvo is actively looking at
advanced technology alternative-fuel vehicles.
When you drive a Volvo, you become our part-
ner in the work to lessen the car's impact on
the environment. To reduce your vehicle's
environmental impact, you can:
•Maintain proper air pressure in your tires.
Tests have shown decreased fuel econ-
omy with improperly inflated tires.
•Follow the recommended maintenance
schedule in your Warranty and Service
Records Information booklet.
•Drive at a constant speed whenever pos-
sible.
•See a trained and qualified Volvo service
technician as soon as possible for inspec-
tion if the check engine (malfunction indi-
cator) light illuminates, or stays on after the
vehicle has started.
•Properly dispose of any vehicle-related
waste such as used motor oil, used batter-
ies, brake pads, etc.
•When cleaning your vehicle, please use
genuine Volvo car care products. All Volvo
car care products are formulated to be
environmentally friendly.
RecyclingAs part of Volvo’s commitment to the environ-
ment, it is essential for the vehicle to be recy-
cled in an environmentally sound way. Almost
the entire vehicle can be recycled and for that
reason, the vehicle’s final owner is requested
to contact a Volvo retailer for information about
approved and certified recycling facilities.
FSC Ÿ Ÿ
The FSC Ÿ (Forest Stewardship Council Ÿ) sym-
bol indicates that the wood pulp used in this
publication comes from FSC
Ÿ certified forests
and other responsible sources.
01 Safety
Front airbags 01
24
The front airbag system
G020111
The front airbags supplement the three-point
seat belts. For these airbags to provide the
protection intended, seat belts must be worn
at all times.
The front airbag system includes gas genera-
tors surrounded by the airbags, and decelera-
tion sensors that activate the gas generators,
causing the airbags to be inflated with nitrogen
gas.
G031006
Location of the passenger's side front airbag
As the movement of the seats' occupants com-
presses the airbags, some of the gas is expel-
led at a controlled rate to provide better cush-
ioning. Both seat belt pretensioners also
deploy, minimizing seat belt slack. The entire
process, including inflation and deflation of the
airbags, takes approximately one fifth of a sec-
ond.
The location of the front airbags is indicated by
SRS AIRBAG embossed on the steering wheel
pad and above the glove compartment, and by
decals on both sun visors and on the front and
far right side of the dash.
•The driver's side front airbag is folded and
located in the steering wheel hub.
•The passenger's side front airbag is folded
behind a panel located above the glove
compartment.
WARNING
•The airbags in the vehicle are designed
to be a SUPPLEMENT to–not a replace-
ment for–the three-point seat belts. For
maximum protection, wear seat belts at
all times. Be aware that no system can
prevent all possible injuries that may
occur in an accident.
•Never drive a vehicle with your hands on
the steering wheel pad/airbag housing.
•The front airbags are designed to help
prevent serious injury. Deployment
occurs very quickly and with consider-
able force. During normal deployment
and depending on variables such as
seating position, one may experience
abrasions, bruises, swellings, or other
injuries as a result from deployment of
one or both of the airbags.
•When installing any accessory equip-
ment, make sure that the front airbag
system is not damaged. Any interfer-
ence in the system could cause mal-
function.
04 Interior
Securing cargo
04
119
G027031
As a safety precaution, all cargo in your vehicle
should be securely anchored to keep it from
being thrown forward in the event of sudden
braking, etc. The vehicle is equipped with eye-
lets in the cargo space to which straps or other
cargo restraints can be attached.
WARNING
The eyelets are not to be used as passenger
restraints or as anchorages for child
restraints.
Consult your Volvo retailer about suitable
accessories for this purpose.Remember that an object weighing 44 lbs
(20 kg) produces a force of 2,200 lbs
(1,000 kg) in a head-on collision at 30 mph
(50 km/h)!
Keep the following in mind when loading the
vehicle:
•The load carrying capacity of your vehicle
is determined by factors such as the num-
ber of passengers, the amount of cargo,
the weight of any accessories that may be
installed, etc. See the section "Vehicle
loading" in the chapter "Wheel and tires"
for more detailed information.
•Load the cargo against the backrest.
•Load heavy cargo as low as possible.
•If no one is sitting in the outboard rear
seat(s), reinforce the backrest by fastening
the seat belts.
•Never load cargo above the backrest with-
out a cargo net.
WARNING
When the rear backrest(s) are folded down,
the vehicle should not be loaded to a level
higher than 2 in. (5 cm) below the upper
edge of the rear side windows. Objects
placed higher than this level could impede
the function of the inflatable curtain.
G027058
Attachment bracket
Nylon cargo net (accessory)The Volvo XC90 can be equipped with a cargo
net made of strong nylon fabric.
This net can be installed in two places:
•Behind the rear seat backrests (the second
row of seats)
•Behind the front seat backrests if the rear
seat backrests (the second row of seats)
have been folded down.
06 Starting and driving
Fuel requirements
06
140
Gasoline containing alcohol and ethers,
"Oxygenated fuels"
Some fuel suppliers sell gasoline containing
"oxygenates" which are usually alcohols or
ethers. In some areas, state or local laws
require that the service pump be marked indi-
cating use of alcohols or ethers. However,
there are areas in which the pumps are
unmarked. If you are not sure whether there is
alcohol or ethers in the gasoline you buy, check
with the service station operator. To meet sea-
sonal air quality standards, some areas require
the use of "oxygenated" fuel.
Volvo allows the use of the following "oxygen-
ated" fuels; however, the octane ratings listed
on page 139 must still be met.
Alcohol – EthanolFuels containing up to 10% ethanol by volume
may be used. Ethanol may also be referred to
as Ethyl alcohol, or "Gasohol".
Ethers – MTBE: Fuels containing up to
15% MTBE may be used.
MethanolDo not use gasolines containing methanol
(methyl alcohol, wood alcohol). This practice
can result in vehicle performance deterioration
and can damage critical parts in the fuel sys-
tem. Such damage may not be covered under
the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
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
"Tire pressure" section.
Loads should be distributed so that capacity
weight or maximum permissible axle loads are
not exceeded.
Conserving electrical currentKeep the following in mind to help minimize
battery drain:
•When the engine is not running, avoid turn-
ing the ignition key to position II (see
page 145). Many electrical systems (the
audio system, the optional infotainment/
navigation systems, power windows, etc)
will function with the ignition key in positionI. This position reduces drain on the bat-
tery.
•Please keep in mind that using systems,
accessories, etc that consume a great deal
of current when the engine is not running
could result in the battery being completely
drained. Driving or having the engine run-
ning for approximately 15 minutes will help
keep the battery charged.
NOTE
A warning message will be displayed in the
text window in the instrument panel when
the battery charge is low.
06 Starting and driving
All Wheel Drive*
06
152* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.
All Wheel Drive (AWD) – general
information
Your Volvo can be equipped with an electron-
ically controlled All Wheel Drive system*, which
means that power is distributed automatically
between the front and rear wheels. Under nor-
mal driving conditions, most of the engine's
power is directed to the front wheels. However,
if there is any tendency for the front wheels to
spin, an electronically controlled coupling dis-
tributes power to the wheels that have the best
traction.
Tire dimensionsVolvo recommends that you always drive on
tires of the same brand, size, construction
(radial), tread pattern, load-, speed-, traction-,
temperature-, and treadwear rating. Never
drive on mixed tires, except for brief periods
when the temporary spare tire is in use.
Always use properly inflated tires of correct
dimensions. Tire size and inflation pressures
are shown on the tire inflation pressure plac-
ards, located on the driver's side B-pillar (the
structural member at the side of the vehicle, at
the rear of the driver's door opening), or on the
inside of the fuel filler door on Canadian mod-
els.
Temporary SpareThe temporary spare tire is for temporary, low-
speed, short-distance use only. Replace it with
a full-sized tire as soon as possible. Do not
drive on the temporary spare at speeds above
50 m.p.h. (80 km/h).
NOTE
Never install snow chains on a temporary
spare.
06 Starting and driving
Towing
06
161
G027042
Positions for attaching towing eyelets
Emergency towingThe towing eyelet is located in the tool bag,
under the floor of the cargo area. This eyelet
must be screwed into the positions provided
on the right sides of either the front or rear
bumper (see illustrations).
To attach the towing eyelet:1. Use a coin to pry open the lower edge of
the cover (A)
2. Screw the towing eyelet (C) in place (B),
first by hand and then using the tire iron
until it is securely in place.After the vehicle has been towed, the eyelet
should be removed and returned to the tool
bag. Press the cover back into position.
WARNING
Do not use the towing eyelets to pull the
vehicle up onto a flat bed tow truck.
Precautions when the vehicle is in tow
•The steering wheel must be unlocked. Turn
the ignition key to position I or II.
•The gear selector must be in position N.
•Maximum speed: 50 mph (80 km/h). Do not
exceed the maximum allowable towing
speed.
•Maximum distance with front wheels on
ground: 50 miles (80 km).
•While the vehicle is being towed, try to
keep the tow rope taut at all times.
•The vehicle should only be towed in the
forward direction.
06 Starting and driving
Towing a trailer
06
164
Points to keep in mind when towing a
trailer
•When towing trailers without brakes, the
maximum permissible trailer weight is
1,700 lbs (750 kg).
•If necessary, redistribute the weight of any
cargo in the trailer to avoid excessive
weight on the trailer hitch.
•The maximum trailer weight listed in the
table for All Wheel Drive models, 5,000 lbs
(2250 kg) is only applicable when there are
not more than two occupants in the vehi-
cle, in the front seats, with a combined
weight of 300 lbs (135 kg), with no other
cargo in the vehicle.
•The maximum weight listed for Front
Wheel Drive models, 4,000 lbs (1800 kg) is
only applicable when there are not more
than four occupants in the vehicle, in the
front seats and second row of seats, with
a combined weight of 600 lbs (270 kg), with
no other cargo in the vehicle.
•Vehicles used for towing a trailer on a reg-
ular basis, or for long-distance highway
towing should be equipped with an auto-
matic transmission oil cooler and Volvo's
automatic self-leveling system for the rear
suspension. Consult your Volvo retailer.
•Volvo recommends the use of Volvo trailer
hitches that are specially designed for the
vehicle.
•All Volvo models are equipped with
energy-absorbing shock-mounted bump-
ers. Trailer hitch installation should not
interfere with the proper operation of this
bumper system.
•Increase tire pressure to recommended full
inflation pressure. See chapter "Wheels
and tires."
•When your vehicle is new, avoid towing
heavy trailers during the first 620 miles
(1,000 km).
•Engine and transmission are subject to
increased loads. Therefore, engine coolant
temperature should be closely watched
when driving in hot climates or hilly terrain.
Use a lower gear and turn off the air con-
ditioner if the temperature gauge needle
enters the red range.
•If the automatic transmission begins to
overheat, a message will be displayed in
the text window.
•Hauling a trailer affects handling, durabil-
ity, and economy.
•It is necessary to balance trailer brakes
with the towing vehicle brakes to provide a
safe stop (check and observe state/local
regulations).
•Do not connect the trailer's brake system
directly to the vehicle's brake system.
•Remove the ball and drawbar assembly
when the hitch is not being used.
•Volvo recommends the use of synthetic
engine oil when towing a trailer over long
distances or in mountainous areas.
NOTE
•When parking the vehicle with a trailer
on a hill, apply the parking brake before
putting the gear selector in P. When
starting on a hill, put the gear selector in
D before releasing the parking brake.
Always follow the trailer manufacturer's
recommendations for wheel chocking.
•If you use the manual (Geartronic) shift
positions while towing a trailer, make
sure the gear you select does not put
too much strain on the engine (using too
high a gear).