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.......................... 149
Jump starting.......................................... 152
All Wheel Drive*....................................... 153
Brake system.......................................... 154
Parking brake.......................................... 157
Stability system....................................... 158
Front/rear park assist*............................. 160
Towing.................................................... 162
Towing a trailer....................................... 164
Detachable trailer hitch........................... 167
Load carriers (accessory)........................ 168
Cold weather precautions....................... 169
Before a long distance trip...................... 170
Blind Spot Information System*.............. 171
07
07 Wheels and tires
General information................................ 178
Tire inflation ............................................ 181
Tire inflation pressure table..................... 183
Tire designations..................................... 184
Glossary of tire terminology.................... 186
Vehicle loading........................................ 187
Uniform Tire Quality Grading.................. 189
Snow chains, snow tires, studded tires.. 190
Temporary spare..................................... 191
Tire Sealing System ............................... 192
Changing wheels.................................... 198
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) 203
08
08 Car care
Washing and cleaning the vehicle.......... 208
Paint touch up......................................... 213
Introduction
Environment
13
Volvo and the environment
Volvo is committed to the well being of its customers. As a natural part of this commit-ment, we care about the environment inwhich we all live. Caring for the environmentmeans an everyday involvement in reducingour environmental impact. Volvo's environ-mental activities are based on a holistic view,which means we consider the overall environ-mental impact of a product throughout itscomplete life cycle. In this context, design,production, product use, and recycling are allimportant considerations. In production,Volvo has partly or completely phased outseveral chemicals including CFCs, lead chro-mates, asbestos, and cadmium; and reducedthe number of chemicals used in ourplants 50% since 1991. Volvo was the first in the world to introduce into production a three-way catalytic con-verter with a Lambda sond, now called theheated oxygen sensor, in 1976. The currentversion of this highly efficient system reducesemissions of harmful substances (CO, HC,NOx) from the exhaust pipe by approximately95 – 99% and the search to eliminate theremaining emissions continues. Volvo is theonly automobile manufacturer to offer CFC-free retrofit kits for the air conditioning systemof all models as far back as the 1975model 240. Advanced electronic engine con-trols and cleaner fuels are bringing us closerto our goal. In addition to continuous environ-mental refinement of conventional gasoline-powered internal combustion engines, Volvois actively looking at advanced technologyalternative-fuel vehicles. When you drive a Volvo, you become our partner in the work to lessen the car's impacton the environment. To reduce your vehicle'senvironmental impact, you can: •
Maintain proper air pressure in your tires. Tests have shown decreased fuel econ-omy with improperly inflated tires.
• Follow the recommended maintenanceschedule in your Warranty and ServiceRecords Information booklet.
• Drive at a constant speed whenever pos-sible.
• See a trained and qualified Volvo servicetechnician as soon as possible forinspection if the check engine (malfunc-tion indicator) light illuminates, or stayson after the vehicle has started.
• Properly dispose of any vehicle-relatedwaste such as used motor oil, used bat-teries, brake pads, etc.
• When cleaning your vehicle, please usegenuine Volvo car care products. AllVolvo car care products are formulated tobe environmentally friendly.
FSC®
The FSC ®
(Forest Stewardship Council ®
)
symbol indicates that the wood pulp used in this publication comes from FSC ®
certified
forests and other responsible sources.
02 Instruments and controls
Trip computer
02
77
6. Current speed in miles per hour (Canadian models only)
This function provides the driver with an instantaneous conversion of the vehicle's cur-rent speed from km/h to mph.
NOTE
Trip computer readings may vary slightly depending on the circumference of thetires on the vehicle and driving style.
04 Interior
Securing cargo
04
119
G027031
As a safety precaution, all cargo in your vehi- cle should be securely anchored to keep itfrom being thrown forward in the event ofsudden braking, etc. The vehicle is equippedwith eyelets in the cargo space to whichstraps or other cargo restraints can beattached.
WARNING
The eyelets are not to be used as passen- ger restraints or as anchorages for childrestraints.
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 thenumber of passengers, the amount ofcargo, the weight of any accessories thatmay be installed, etc. See the section"Vehicle loading" in the chapter "Wheeland 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 rearseat(s), reinforce the backrest by fasten-ing the seat belts.
• Never load cargo above the backrestwithout a cargo net.
WARNING
When the rear backrest(s) are folded down, the vehicle should not be loaded toa level higher than 2 in. (5 cm) below theupper edge of the rear side windows.Objects placed higher than this level couldimpede the function of the inflatable cur-tain.
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 sec- ond row of seats)
• Behind the front seat backrests if the rearseat backrests (the second row of seats)have been folded down.
06 Starting and driving
Fuel requirements
06
140
WARNING
Driving with the tailgate open: Driving
with the tailgate open could lead to poi- sonous exhaust gases entering the pas-senger compartment.
• If the tailgate must be kept open for any reason, proceed as follows:
• Close the windows
• Set the ventilation system control to airflow to floor, windshield and side win-dows and blower control to its highestsetting.
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 – EthanolFuels containing up to 10% ethanol by vol- ume may be used. Ethanol may also be refer-red 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 practicecan result in vehicle performance deteriora-tion and can damage critical parts in the fuelsystem. Such damage may not be coveredunder the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Weight distribution affects handlingAt the specified curb weight your vehicle hasa tendency to understeer, which means thatthe steering wheel has to be turned morethan might seem appropriate for the curva-ture of a bend. This ensures good stability and reduces the risk of rear wheel skid. Remember that theseproperties 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 pres-sure all affect vehicle handling. Therefore,check that the tires are inflated to the recom- mended pressure according to the vehicleload. See "Tire pressure" section. Loads should be distributed so that capacity weight or maximum permissible axle loadsare not exceeded.
Conserving electrical currentKeep the following in mind to help minimizebattery drain:
• When the engine is not running, avoid turning the ignition key to position
II (see
page 145). Many electrical systems (theaudio system, the optional infotainment/navigation systems, power windows, etc)will function with the ignition key in posi-tion I. This position reduces drain on the
battery.
• Please keep in mind that using systems,accessories, etc that consume a greatdeal of current when the engine is notrunning could result in the battery beingcompletely drained. Driving or having theengine running for approximately15 minutes will help keep the batterycharged.
NOTE
A warning message will be displayed in the text window in the instrument panel whenthe battery charge is low.
06 Starting and driving
Economical driving
06
146
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
All Wheel Drive*
06
* 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
Front/rear park assist*
06
* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.161
NOTE
• Front park assist is disengaged auto- matically when the parking brake isapplied.
• If the vehicle is equipped with frontand rear park assist, both systems willbe deactivated by pressing the button.
Audible signals from the park assist system
The Park Assist system uses an intermittent tone that pulses faster as you come close toan object, and becomes constant when youare within approximately 1 ft (30 cm) of anobject in front of or behind the vehicle. If thevolume of another source from the audio sys-tem is high, this will be automatically lowered. If there are objects within this distance both behind and in front of the vehicle, the signalalternates between front and rear speakers.
Faults in the system
If the yellow warning symbol illu- minates and PARK ASSIST
SERVICE REQUIRED is shown
on the information display, this indicates that the system is not
functioning properly and has been disen-gaged. Consult a trained and qualified Volvoservice technician.
CAUTION
In certain circumstances, the park assist system may give unexpected warning sig-nals that can be caused by external soundsources that use the same ultrasound fre-quencies as the system. This may includesuch things as the horns of other vehicles,wet tires on asphalt, pneumatic brakes,motorcycle exhaust pipes, etc. This doesnot indicate a fault in the system.
Cleaning the sensors
G026946
Park assist sensors The sensors must be cleaned regularly to ensure that they work properly. Clean themwith water and a suitable car washing deter-gent. Ice and snow covering the sensors may cause incorrect warning signals.
NOTE
If the sensors are obstructed by e.g., dirt, snow, or ice, this could result in falsewarning signals from the park assist sys-tem.