2014 VOLVO XC90 Owner´s Manual

06 Starting and driving
Automatic transmission
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151
starts off in 3rd gear to help maintain traction. First and second gears will only be used dur-ing kickdown.
NOTE
Mode
W can be chosen regardless of the
postion of the gear selector but will only function when the gear selector is in the D
(drive) position.

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Jump starting
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G030860
Follow these instructions to jump start your vehicle's dead battery or to jump startanother vehicle's dead battery using yourvehicle. Although your vehicle's battery islocated under the floor of the cargo area,jumper cables should be connected in theengine compartment, to the points shown in
the illustrations. If the 12-volt auxiliary battery to be used is in another vehicle, check that the vehicles arenot touching to prevent premature comple-tion of a circuit. Be sure to follow jump star-ting instructions provided for the other vehi-cle.
To jump start your vehicle:1. Switch off the ignition.
2. First connect the auxiliary battery positive (+) terminal (1) to the positive (+) terminal in your vehicle's engine compartment (2),located under a small black plastic coverattached to the fuse box cover, markedwith a "+" sign. Remove the cover on themain fuse box if necessary to access thisterminal. Then connect the auxiliary bat-tery's negative (–) terminal (3) to theground point in your vehicle's enginecompartment (4).
3. Start the engine in the assisting vehicle, then start the engine in the vehicle withdead battery.
4. After the engine has started, first remove the negative (–) terminal jumper cable.Then remove the positive (+) terminaljumper cable.
WARNING
PROPOSITION 65 WARNING! Battery posts, terminals, and related accessories contain lead and lead com-pounds, chemicals known to the state ofCalifornia to cause cancer and reproduc-tive harm. Wash hands after handling.
WARNING
•Do not connect the jumper cable to any part of the fuel system or to anymoving parts. Avoid touching hotmanifolds.
• Never expose the battery to openflame or electric spark.
• Do not smoke near the battery.
• Batteries generate hydrogen gas,which is flammable and explosive.
• Battery fluid contains sulfuric acid. Donot allow battery fluid to contact eyes,skin, fabrics or painted surfaces. Ifcontact occurs, flush the affected areaimmediately with water. Obtain medi-cal help immediately if eyes are affec-ted.
• Failure to follow the instructions forjump starting can lead to personalinjury.

06 Starting and driving
All Wheel Drive*
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* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.153
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 auto-matically between the front and rear wheels.Under normal driving conditions, most of theengine's power is directed to the frontwheels. However, if there is any tendency forthe front wheels to spin, an electronicallycontrolled coupling distributes power to thewheels that have the best traction.
Tire dimensionsVolvo recommends that you always drive ontires of the same brand, size, construction(radial), tread pattern, load-, speed-, traction-,temperature-, and treadwear rating. Neverdrive on mixed tires, except for brief periodswhen the temporary spare tire is in use. Always use properly inflated tires of correct dimensions. Tire size and inflation pressuresare shown on the tire inflation pressure plac-ards, located on the driver's side B-pillar (thestructural member at the side of the vehicle,at the rear of the driver's door opening), or onthe inside of the fuel filler door on Canadianmodels.
Temporary SpareThe temporary spare tire is for temporary,low-speed, short-distance use only. Replaceit with a full-sized tire as soon as possible. Donot drive on the temporary spare at speedsabove 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h).
NOTE
Never install snow chains on a temporary spare.

06 Starting and driving
Brake system
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154* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.
BRAKE Brake circuit malfunction
The brake system is a hydraulic system con- sisting of two master cylinders and two sepa-rate brake circuits. If a problem should occurin one of these circuits, it is still possible tostop the vehicle with the other brake circuit. If the brake pedal must be depressed farther than normal and requires greater foot pres-sure, the stopping distance will be longer. A warning light in the instrument panel will light up to warn the driver that a fault hasoccurred. If this light comes on while driving or braking, stop immediately and check the brake fluidlevel in the reservoir.
NOTE
Press the brake pedal hard and maintain pressure on the pedal – do not pump thebrakes.
WARNING
If the fluid level is below the MIN mark in
the reservoir or if a BRAKE FAILURE
STOP SAFELY message is displayed in
the text window: DO NOT DRIVE. Have
the vehicle towed to a trained and qualified Volvo service technician and have thebrake system inspected.
NOTE
When the vehicle is at a standstill and the engine is idling, e.g. at a traffic light andthe brake pedal is depressed, the pedalmay go down slightly. This is a normalfunction of the power-assisted brake sys-tem.
Brake pad inspectionOn vehicles equipped with a jack*, the condi- tion of the brake pads can be checked byraising the vehicle (see page 198 for informa-tion about using the jack and removing awheel) and performing a visual inspection ofthe brake pads.
WARNING
• If the vehicle has been driven immedi- ately prior to a brake pad inspection,the wheel hub, brake components,etc., will be very hot. Allow time forthese components to cool before car-rying out the inspection.
• Apply the parking brake and put thegear selector in the Park (
P) position.
• Block the wheels standing on theground, use rigid wooden blocks orlarge stones.

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Brake system
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155
WARNING
•Use the jack intended for the vehicle when changing a tire. For any otherjob, use stands to support the vehicle.
• The jack should be kept well-greasedand clean, and should not be dam-aged.
• Be sure the jack is on a firm, level,non-slippery surface.
• No objects should be placed betweenthe base of jack and the ground, orbetween the jack and the attachmentbar on the vehicle.
• The jack must correctly engage thejack attachment.
• Never allow any part of your body tobe extended under a vehicle suppor-ted by a jack.
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 withthe engine switched off. If the power brakes are not working, consid- erably higher pressure will be required on thebrake pedal to compensate for the lack ofpower assistance. This can happen for exam- ple when towing your vehicle or if the engineis switched off when the vehicle is rolling. Thebrake pedal feels harder than usual.
Water on brake discs and brake pads
affects braking
Driving in rain and slush or passing throughan automatic car wash can cause water tocollect on the brake discs and pads. This willcause a delay in braking effect when thepedal is depressed. To avoid such a delaywhen the brakes are needed, depress thepedal occasionally when driving through rain,slush etc. This will remove the water from thebrakes. Check that brake application feelsnormal. This should also be done after wash-ing or starting in very damp or cold weather.
Severe strain on the brake systemThe brakes will be subject to severe strainwhen driving in mountains or hilly areas, orwhen towing a trailer. Vehicle speed is usuallyslower, which means that the cooling of thebrakes is less efficient than when driving onlevel roads. To reduce the strain on thebrakes, shift into a lower gear and let theengine help with the braking. Do not forgetthat, if you are towing a trailer, the brakes willbe subjected to a greater than normal load.
Anti-lock brakes (ABS)If the ABS warning lamp lights up there is a
malfunction in the ABS system (the standardbraking system will however function) and thevehicle should be driven cautiously to atrained and qualified Volvo service technicianfor inspection. The Anti-lock Braking System(ABS) helps to improve vehicle control (stop-ping and steering) during severe braking con-ditions by limiting brake lockup. When thesystem "senses" impending lockup, brakingpressure is automatically modulated in orderto help prevent lockup, which could lead to askid. The system performs a self-diagnostic test when the engine is started and when thevehicle first reaches a speed of approxi- mately 12 mph (20 km/h). The brake pedal
will pulsate several times and a sound may be audible from the ABS control module. This isnormal. To obtain optimal effect from the ABS sys- tem, constant pressure should be kept on thebrake pedal. Do not pump the brake pedal. The switching of the ABS modulator will be audible and the brake pedal will pulsate dur-ing braking. Please be aware that ABS doesnot increase the absolute braking potential ofthe vehicle. While control will be enhanced,ABS will not shorten stopping distances onslippery surfaces.

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Brake system
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156
ABS with EBD (Electronic Brake Force
Distribution)
EBD is an integrated part of the ABS system. EBD regulates the hydraulic pressure to therear brakes to help provide optimal brakingcapacity. The brake pedal will pulsate duringbraking, which is normal. If the BRAKE and ABS warning lights come on at the same time, this could indicate afault in the brake system.
1. Stop the vehicle in a suitable place and switch off the engine.
2. Restart the engine.
• If both warning lights go off, no further action is required.
• If both lights are still on after the enginehas been restarted, switch off the engineagain and check the brake fluid level (seepage 225 for the location of the brakefluid reservoir).
WARNING
If the fluid level is below the
MIN mark in
the reservoir or if a Brake failure –
Service urgent message is displayed in
the text window: DO NOT DRIVE. Have the vehicle towed to a trained and qualifiedVolvo service technician and have thebrake system inspected.
• If the brake fluid level is above the
MIN
mark, drive carefully to a trained and qualified Volvo service technician andhave the brake system inspected.
Emergency Brake Assistance (EBA)The EBA function is designed to provide full brake effect immediately in the event of sud-den, hard braking. The system is activated bythe speed with which you depress the brakepedal.
NOTE
• When the EBA system is activated, the brake pedal will go down and pressurein the brake system immediatelyincreases to the maximum level. Youmust maintain full pressure on thebrake pedal in order to utilize the sys-tem completely. There will be no brak-ing effect if the pedal is released. EBAis automatically deactivated when thebrake pedal is released.
• When the vehicle has been parked forsome time, the brake pedal may sinkmore than usual when the engine isstarted. This is normal and the pedalwill return to its usual position when itis released.

06 Starting and driving
Parking brake
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G026992
Parking brake pedal
Handle for releasing the parking brake
The parking brake pedal is located under the dashboard, to the left of the brake pedal.
NOTE
The indicator light will light up even if the parking brake has only been partiallyap-plied.
When applying the parking brake
1. Press firmly on the brake pedal. 2. Press down pedal (1) firmly to its full
extent.
3. Release the brake pedal and ensure that the vehicle is at a standstill.
4. If the vehicle rolls, the parking brake pedal must be pushed down more firmly.
5. When parking a vehicle always put the gear selector in P.
Parking on a hill • If the vehicle is pointing uphill, turn the front wheels so that they point away fromthe curb.
• If the vehicle is pointing downhill, turn thefront wheels so that they point toward thecurb.
Releasing the parking brake
1. Press firmly on the brake pedal.
2. Pull handle (2).
NOTE
If you inadvertently pull the plastic cover, it can be pressed back into place.
WARNING
Press down the parking brake pedal firmly to its full extent.

06 Starting and driving
Stability system
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Dynamic Stability Traction Control (DSTC)
The stability system consists of a number of functions designed help reduce wheel spin,counteract skidding, and to generally helpimprove directional stability.
NOTE
A pulsating sound will be audible when the system is actively operating and is normal.
Traction control (TC)This function is designed to help reduce wheel spin by transferring power from a drivewheel that begins to lose traction to thewheel on the opposite side of the vehicle (onthe same axle). TC is most active at low speeds.This is one of DSTC's permanent functions and cannot be switched off.
Spin control (SC)The spin control function is designed to helpprevent the drive wheels from spinning whilethe vehicle is accelerating. Under certain circumstances, such as when driving with snow chains, or driving in deepsnow or loose sand, it may be advisable totemporarily switch off this function for maxi-mum tractive force.
Temporarily switching off Spin control1. Turn the thumbwheel (1) on the left-side
steering wheel lever until the DSTC menu
is displayed.
2. Hold down the RESET button (2) to tog-
gle between
DSTC ON or DSTC SPIN
CONTROL OFF.
NOTE
• The message DSTC SPIN CONTROL
OFF indicates that the stability sys-
tem's spin control function has tempo- rarily been switched off.
• The stability control indicator light willilluminate and remain on until spincontrol has been reactivated.
• The spin control function is automati-cally enabled each time the engine isstarted.
•
DSTC ON indicates that all system
functions are active.
Active Yaw Control (AYC)This function helps maintain directional stabil- ity, for example when cornering, by brakingone or more of the wheels if the vehicleshows a tendency to skid or slide laterally. This is one of DSTC's permanent functions
and cannot be switched off.
WARNING
The car's handling and stability characte- ristics will be altered if the DSTC systemfunctions have been disabled.