2014 VOLVO XC90 brake

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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).

06 Starting and driving
Difficult driving conditions
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Driving on rough/unpaved surfaces
The Volvo XC90 is designed primarily for on- road driving, and it has excellent handlingcharacteristics on very rough or unpavedroads. When driving on poorly maintained or unpaved roads, please keep the following inmind:
• Reduce speed on rough surfaces to mini- mize possible damage to the vehicle'sunderbody.
• When driving on soft surfaces such as drysand or snow, try to avoid stopping if atall possible.
WARNING
•Avoid driving diagonally across steep inclines as this could increase the riskof a roll-over. Try to drive straight upor down the slope.
• If the road is very steep, avoid turningthe vehicle around to help avoid therisk of rolling over. Back the vehicle upor down the incline instead.
NOTE
Avoid driving on steep inclines if the fuel tank is nearly empty. If the flow of fuel tothe engine is interrupted due to the vehi-cle's angle of inclination, this could resultin damage to the three-way catalytic con-verter. We recommend keeping the fueltank at least half full when driving on steepinclines.
Driving through water
The vehicle can be driven through water up to a depth of approximately 16 inches (40 cm),at a maximum speed of 6 mph (10 km/h). Take particular care when driving through flowing water. Clean the electrical connections for trailer wir- ing after driving in mud or water. When driving through water, maintain low speed and do not stop in the water.
WARNING
• Avoid driving through standing or rushing water. Doing so can be dan-gerous and it may also be difficult todetermine the actual depth of thewater.
• If water cannot be avoided, after driv-ing through the water, press lightly onthe brake pedal to ensure that thebrakes are functioning normally. Wateror mud can make the brake liningsslippery, resulting in delayed brakingeffect.

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Automatic transmission
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P (Park)Use this position when starting the engine or parking the vehicle. Never use P while the vehicle is in motion.
The parking brake should also be set when- ever the vehicle is parked. The gear selector is mechanically locked in the P position (SHIFTLOCK). To release
the gear selector from this position, the engine must be running (or the ignition keymust be in position II) and the brake pedal
must be depressed.
N (Neutral)Neutral – no gear engaged. Use the parkingbrake.
WARNING
Never leave the vehicle unattended when the engine is running. If, by mistake, thegear selector is moved from P, the vehicle
may start moving.
R (Reverse)Never engage R while the vehicle is moving.
D (Drive)D is the normal driving position and should be used as often as possible to help improve fueleconomy. The vehicle should not be movingwhen shifting from R to the D position.
NOTE
The transmission has 6 forward speeds.
Automatic transmission – shift gate positions
G020237
Shift gate positions
Depress the button on the front of the gear selector knob to move between the R, N, D,
and P positions.
CAUTION
The transmission’s temperature is moni- tored to help prevent damage to the trans-mission or other drivetrain components. Ifthere is a risk of overheating, the warningsymbol on the instrument panel will illumi-nate and a text message will be displayed.Follow the instructions provided there.

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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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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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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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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.