2014 VOLVO XC90 oil

06 Starting and driving
General information
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138
Engine oil
Although some oil consumption occurs dur- ing normal engine operation, more oil is con-sumed when the engine is new as the internalparts generate higher friction while wearing-into each other. From the time the engine isnew until the first maintenance is performed,the oil consumption could be higher than nor-mal. For this reason, it is especially importantto check the oil regularly during this period,see page 222.
Fuel requirements
Deposit control gasoline (detergent additives)
Volvo recommends the use of detergent gas- oline to control engine deposits. Detergentgasoline is effective in keeping injectors andintake valves clean. Consistent use of depositcontrol gasolines will help ensure good driva-bility and fuel economy. If you are not surewhether the gasoline contains deposit controladditives, check with the service station oper-ator.
NOTE
Volvo does not recommend the use of external fuel injector cleaning systems.
Unleaded fuelEach Volvo has a three-way catalytic con- verter and must use only unleaded gasoline.U.S. and Canadian regulations require thatpumps delivering unleaded gasoline be label-led "UNLEADED". Only these pumps havenozzles which fit your vehicle's filler inlet. It isunlawful to dispense leaded fuel into a vehiclelabelled "unleaded gasoline only". Leadedgasoline damages the three-way catalyticconverter and the heated oxygen sensor sys-tem. Repeated use of leaded gasoline willlessen the effectiveness of the emission con-trol system and could result in loss of emis-sion warranty coverage. State and local vehi-cle inspection programs will make detectionof misfueling easier, possibly resulting inemission test failure for misfueled vehicles.
NOTE
Some U.S. and Canadian gasolines con- tain an octane enhancing additive calledmethyl-cyclopentadienyl manganese tri-carbonyl (MMT). If such fuels are used,your Emission Control System perform-ance may be affected, and the CheckEngine Light (malfunction indicator lamp)located on your instrument panel maylight. If this occurs, please return yourvehicle to a trained and qualified Volvoservice technician for maintenance.
Gasoline containing alcohol and ethers"Oxygenated fuels" Some fuel suppliers sell gasoline containing "oxygenates" which are usually alcohols orethers. In some areas, state or local lawsrequire that the service pump be marked indi-cating use of alcohols or ethers. However,there are areas in which the pumps areunmarked. If you are not sure whether there isalcohol or ethers in the gasoline you buy,check with the service station operator. Tomeet seasonal air quality standards, someareas require the use of "oxygenated" fuel. Volvo allows the use of the following "oxy- genated" fuels; however, the octane ratingslisted on page 139 must still be met. Alcohol – Ethanol: Fuels containing up to 10% ethanol by volume may be used. Ethanolmay also be referred to as Ethyl alcohol, or"Gasohol". Ethers – MTBE: Fuels containing up to 15% MTBE may be used.

06 Starting and driving
Starting the vehicle
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NOTE
Your vehicle is equipped with a KEYLOCK
system. When the engine is switched off, the gear selector must be in the P position
before the key can be removed from theignition switch. When starting in cold weather, the trans- mission may shift up at slightly higherengine speeds than normal until the auto-matic transmission fluid reaches normaloperating temperature.
NOTE
Do not race a cold engine immediately after starting. Oil flow may not reach somelubrication points fast enough to preventengine damage.
WARNING
Always place the gear selector in Park and apply the parking brake before leaving thevehicle. Never leave the vehicle unatten-ded with the engine running.
• Always open garage doors fully before starting the engine inside a garage toensure adequate ventilation. Theexhaust gases contain carbon monox-ide, which is invisible and odorless butvery poisonous.
CAUTION
Automatic transmission
• The engine should be idling when you move the gear selector. Never acceler-ate until after you feel the transmissionengage! Accelerating immediately afterselecting a gear will cause harshengagement and premature transmis-sion wear.
• Selecting
P or N when idling at a
standstill for prolonged periods of timewill help prevent overheating of theautomatic transmission fluid.

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Economical driving
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Economical driving conserves natural resources
Better driving economy may be obtained by thinking ahead, avoiding rapid starts andstops and adjusting the speed of your vehicleto immediate traffic conditions. Observe thefollowing rules:
• Bring the engine to normal operating tem- perature as soon as possible by drivingwith a light foot on the accelerator pedalfor the first few minutes of operation. Acold engine uses more fuel and is subjectto increased wear.
• Whenever possible, avoid using the vehi-cle for driving short distances. This doesnot allow the engine to reach normaloperating temperature.
• Drive carefully and avoid rapid accelera-tion and hard braking.
• Use the transmission's
D (Drive) position
as often as possible and avoid using"kickdown" to help improve fuel econ-omy.
• Do not exceed posted speed limits.
• Avoid carrying unnecessary items (extraload) in the vehicle.
• Maintain correct tire pressure. Check tirepressure regularly (when tires are cold).
• Remove snow tires when threat of snowor 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 conditioningon and the windows closed than with theair conditioning off and the windowsopen.
• Using the onboard trip computer's fuelconsumption modes can help you learnhow 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 oth- ers are checked at the standard MaintenanceService intervals.
CAUTION
Drive slowly and carefully if going through standing water (i.e. flooded roadways,etc.). Damage to the engine could result ifexcess water is drawn in through the airintake system. Never drive the vehicle inwater deeper than 18 inches (48 cm).

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Difficult driving conditions
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CAUTION
•Engine damage will occur if water is drawn into the air cleaner.
• If the vehicle is driven through waterdeeper than 18 in (48 cm), water mayenter the differential and the transmis-sion. This reduces the oil's lubricatingcapacity and may shorten the servicelife of these components.
• Do not allow the vehicle to stand inwater up to the door sills longer thanabsolutely necessary. This could resultin electrical malfunctions.
• If the engine has been stopped whilethe car is in water, do not attempt torestart the engine. Have the car towedout of the water.

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Towing a trailer
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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 ofany cargo in the trailer to avoid excessiveweight on the trailer hitch.
• The maximum trailer weight listed in thetable for All Wheel Drive models,5,000 lbs (2250 kg) is only applicablewhen there are not more than two occu-pants in the vehicle, in the front seats,with a combined weight of 300 lbs(135 kg), with no other cargo in the vehi-cle.
• The maximum weight listed for FrontWheel Drive models, 4,000 lbs (1800 kg)is only applicable when there are notmore than four occupants in the vehicle,in the front seats and second row ofseats, with a combined weight of 600 lbs(270 kg), with no other cargo in the vehi-cle.
• Vehicles used for towing a trailer on aregular basis, or for long-distance high-way towing should be equipped with anautomatic transmission oil cooler andVolvo's automatic self-leveling system forthe rear suspension. Consult your Volvoretailer. •
Volvo recommends the use of Volvotrailer hitches that are specially designedfor the vehicle.
• All Volvo models are equipped withenergy-absorbing shock-mounted bump-ers. Trailer hitch installation should notinterfere with the proper operation of thisbumper system.
• Increase tire pressure to recommendedfull inflation pressure. See chapter"Wheels and tires."
• When your vehicle is new, avoid towingheavy trailers during the first 620 miles(1,000 km).
• Engine and transmission are subject toincreased loads. Therefore, engine cool-ant temperature should be closelywatched when driving in hot climates orhilly terrain. Use a lower gear and turn offthe air conditioner if the temperaturegauge needle enters the red range.
• If the automatic transmission begins tooverheat, a message will be displayed inthe text window.
• Hauling a trailer affects handling, durabil-ity, and economy.
• It is necessary to balance trailer brakeswith the towing vehicle brakes to providea safe stop (check and observe state/local regulations). •
Do not connect the trailer's brake systemdirectly to the vehicle's brake system.
• Remove the ball and drawbar assemblywhen the hitch is not being used.
• Volvo recommends the use of syntheticengine oil when towing a trailer over longdistances or in mountainous areas.
NOTE
•When parking the vehicle with a trailer on a hill, apply the parking brakebefore putting the gear selector in
P.
When starting on a hill, put the gearselector in D before releasing the park-
ing brake. Always follow the trailermanufacturer's recommendations forwheel chocking.
• If you use the manual (Geartronic) shiftpositions while towing a trailer, makesure the gear you select does not puttoo much strain on the engine (usingtoo high a gear).

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Cold weather precautions
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If you wish to check your vehicle before the approach of cold weather, the followingadvice is worth noting:
• Make sure that the engine coolant con- tains 50 percent antifreeze. Any othermixture will reduce freeze protection. Thisgives protection against freezing down to–31 °F (–35 °C). See section "Coolant".
• The use of "recycled" antifreeze is notapproved by Volvo. Different types ofantifreeze must not be mixed.
• Volvo recommends using only genuineVolvo antifreeze in your vehicle's radiator.Your Volvo retailer stocks plenty of Volvoengine coolant to protect your vehicleduring cold weather.
• Try to keep the
fuel tank well filled – this
prevents the formation of condensation inthe tank. In addition, in extremely coldweather conditions it is worthwhile to addfuel line de-icer before refueling.
• The viscosity of the engine oil is impor-tant. Oil with low viscosity (thinner oil)improves cold-weather starting as well asdecreasing fuel consumption while theengine is warming up. Full synthetic0W-30 oil is recommended for driving inareas with sustained low temperatures.
• The load placed on the
battery is greater
during the winter since the windshieldwipers, lighting, etc. are used more often. Moreover, the capacity of the batterydecreases as the temperature drops. Invery cold weather, a poorly charged bat-tery can freeze and be damaged. It istherefore advisable to check the state ofcharge more frequently and spray an anti-rust oil on the battery posts.
• Volvo recommends the use of
snow tires
on all four wheels for winter driving – seesection "Wheels and tires."
• To prevent the
washer fluid reservoir
from freezing, add washer solvents con-taining antifreeze (see page 224 for thelocation of the washer fluid reservoir).This is important since dirt is oftensplashed on the windshield during winterdriving, requiring the frequent use of thewashers and wipers. Volvo Washer Sol-vent should be diluted as follows:
• Down to 14 ° F (–10 ° C):
1 part washer
solvent and 4 parts water
• Down to 5 ° F (–15 ° C):
1 part washer
solvent and 3 parts water
• Down to 0 ° F (–18 ° C):
1 part washer
solvent and 2 parts water
• Down to –18 ° F (–28 ° C):
1 part washer
solvent and 1 part water
• Use Volvo Teflon Lock Spray in the locks.
NOTE
Avoid the use of de-icing sprays as they can cause damage to the locks.
W – Winter/Wet driving mode – enhanced vehicle traction
•Mode W will only function if the gear selector is in the (
D)rive position.
• Press the button at the base of the gearselector to engage/disengage this drivingmode.
• An LED in the button will light up to indi-cate that W is engaged and this will alsobe displayed in the instrument panel (seepage 58).
• This mode may be selected for starting/moving off on slippery roads.

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Before a long distance trip
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It is always worthwhile to have your vehicle checked by a trained and qualified Volvoservice technician before driving long dis-tances. Your retailer or service technician willalso be able to supply you with bulbs, fuses,spark plugs and wiper blades for your use inthe event that problems occur. As a minimum, the following items should be checked before any long trip:• Check that engine runs smoothly and that fuel consumption is normal.
• Check for fuel, oil, and fluid leakage.
• Check transmission oil level 1
.
• Check condition of drive belts.
• Check state of the battery's charge.
• Examine tires carefully (the spare tire aswell), and replace those that are worn.Check tire pressures.
• The brakes, front wheel alignment, andsteering gear should be checked by atrained and qualified Volvo service techni-cian only.
• Check all lights, including high beams.
• Reflective warning triangles are legallyrequired in some states/provinces. •
Have a word with your Volvo retailer ifyou intend to drive in countries where itmay be difficult to obtain the correct fuel.
• Consider your destination. If you will bedriving through an area where snow or iceare likely to occur, consider snow tires.
1
To prevent injury from contact with hot surfaces, do not inspect your vehicle’s transmission fluid yourself. Have your vehicle’s transmission fluid level inspected by a qualified Volvo service techni- cian.

07 Wheels and tires
General information
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•Incorrectly mounted tires impair the car's braking properties and ability to forceaside rain, snow and slush.
• The tires with the most tread shouldalways be at the rear (to reduce the risk ofskidding).
• Contact a Volvo workshop if you areunsure about the tread depth.
Storing wheels and tiresWhen storing complete wheels (tires mounted on rims), they should be suspended off thefloor or placed on their sides on the floor. Tires not mounted on rims should be stored on their sides or standing upright, but shouldnot be suspended.
CAUTION
Tires should preferably be stored in a cool, dry, dark place, and should never bestored in close proximity to solvents, gaso-line, oils, etc.
WARNING
•The wheel and tire sizes for your Volvo are specified to meet stringent stabilityand handling requirements. Unap-proved wheel/tire size combinationscan negatively affect your vehicle'sstability and handling.
• Any damage caused by installation ofunapproved wheel/tire size combina-tions will not be covered by your newvehicle warranty. Volvo assumes noresponsibility for death, injury, orexpenses that may result from suchinstallations.