Page 150 of 308
06 Starting and driving
Difficult driving conditions
06
148
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.
Page 171 of 308

06 Starting and driving
Cold weather precautions
06
169
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.
Page 210 of 308

08 Car care
Washing and cleaning the vehicle
08
208
Washing
•The vehicle should be washed at regular intervals since dirt, dust, insects and tarspots adhere to the paint and may causedamage. It is particularly important towash the vehicle frequently in the winter-time to prevent corrosion, when salt hasbeen used on the roads.
• When washing the vehicle, do not exposeit to direct sunlight. Use lukewarm waterto soften the dirt before you wash with asponge, and plenty of water, to avoidscratching.
• Bird droppings: Remove from paintworkas soon as possible. Otherwise the finishmay be permanently damaged.
• A detergent can be used to facilitate thesoftening of dirt and oil.
CAUTION
Chromed wheels
: Clean chrome-plated
wheels using the same detergents used for the body of the vehicle. Aggressive wheelcleaning agents can permanently stainchrome-plated wheels.
• Dry the vehicle with a clean chamois and remember to clean the drain holes in thedoors and rocker panels.
• Tar spots can be removed with tarremover after the vehicle has beenwashed.
• A stiff-bristle brush and lukewarm soapywater can be used to clean the wiperblades. Frequent cleaning of the wind-shield and wiper blades improves visibilityconsiderably and also helps prolong theservice life of the wiper blades.
• Wash off the dirt from the underside(wheel housings, fenders, etc.).
• In areas of high industrial fallout, morefrequent washing is recommended.
Suitable detergentsSpecial vehicle washing detergents should be used. A suitable mixture is about 2.5 fl. oz.(8.5 cl) of detergent to 2.6 US gal. (10 liters) ofwarm water. After washing with a detergentthe vehicle should be well rinsed with cleanwater.
CAUTION
•Avoid waxing or polishing plastic or rubber components
• Polishing chromed strips can wearaway or damage the surface
• Polishes containing abrasive sub-stances should not be used
CAUTION
•Dirt, snow, etc., on the headlights can reduce lighting capacity considerably.Clean the headlights regularly, forexample when refueling.
• During high pressure washing, thespray mouthpiece must never becloser to the vehicle than 13 " (30 cm).Do not spray into the locks.
Special moonroof cautions:
• Always close the moonroof and sunshade before washing your vehicle.
• Never use abrasive cleaning agents onthe moonroof.
• Never use wax on the rubber sealsaround the moonroof.