2015 VOLVO XC70 towing

04 Driver support
Park assist*
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* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.195
NOTE
• Rear park assist is deactivated auto- matically when towing a trailer if Volvogenuine trailer wiring is used. If a non-Volvo trailer hitch is being used, it maybe necessary to switch off the systemmanually, see page 193.
• The system will not detect highobjects, such as a loading dock, etc.
• Objects such as chains, thin shinypoles or low objects may temporarilynot be detected by the system. Thismay result in the pulsing tone unex-pectedly stopping instead of changingto a constant tone as the vehicleapproaches the object. In such cases,use caution when backing up or stopthe vehicle to help avoid damage.
Front park assist
G021424
The distance monitored in front of the vehicle is approximately 2.5 ft (0.8 m). The audiblesignal comes from the audio system's frontspeakers. It may not be possible to combine auxiliary headlights and front park assist since theselights could trigger the system's sensors.
NOTE
Front park assist is deactivated when the parking brake is applied and or when thegear selector is in the
P position.
Faults in the system
If the information symbol illuminates andPark assist syst Service required is shown
on the information display, this indicates that the system is not functioning properly andhas been disengaged. Consult a trained andqualified Volvo service 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.

04 Driver support
Blind Spot Information System (BLIS)*
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* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.201
When does BLIS function
The system functions when your vehicle is moving at speeds above 6 mph (10 km/h).
When you pass another vehicle:The system reacts when you pass another vehicle at a speed of up to 6 mph (10 km/h)faster than that vehicle.
When you are passed by another
vehicle:
The system reacts if your vehicle is passed by another vehicle at a speed of up to 43 mph(70 km/h) faster than your vehicle.
WARNING
• BLIS does not function in sharp curves.
• BLIS does not function when yourvehicle is backing up.
• If you are towing a wide trailer, thismay prevent the BLIS cameras fromdetecting other vehicles in adjacentlanes.
How BLIS functions in daylight and darkness
DaylightBLIS reacts to the
shape of surrounding vehi-
cles. The system is designed to help detect motor vehicles such as cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, etc.
DarknessBLIS reacts to the
headlights of surrounding
vehicles. In order to be detected by BLIS, a vehicle in the blind area must have its head-lights on. This means, for example, that thesystem will not detect a trailer without head-lights that is being towed behind a car ortruck.
WARNING
• BLIS does not react to cyclists or mopeds.
• BLIS does not react to vehicles thatare standing still.
• The BLIS cameras have the same limi-tation as the human eye. In otherwords, their "vision is impaired" byadverse weather conditions such asheavy snowfall, intense light directlyinto the camera, dense fog, etc.
LimitationsIn certain situations, the BLIS indicator light(s) may illuminate even when there are no othervehicles in the area monitored by the system.
NOTE
If the BLIS indicator lights illuminate occa- sionally even when there are no other vehi-cles in the blind area, this does not indi-cate a fault in the system. In the event of a fault,
Blind spot syst.
Service required will be displayed.
The following are several examples of situa- tions in which the BLIS indicator light(s) mayilluminate even when there are no other vehi-cles in the area monitored by the system.
Light reflected from a wet road surface

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Driving recommendations..................................................................... 284 Refueling............................................................................................... 288Loading................................................................................................. 293Cargo area ........................................................................................... 299Towing a trailer...................................................................................... 303
Emergency towing................................................................................ 306

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Refueling
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289
Octane rating
Minimum octane
G028920
Typical pump octane labelVolvo recommends premium fuel for best performance, but using 87 octane 1
or above
will not affect engine reliability.
NOTE
Vehicles equipped with the high perform- ance 4-cylinder engines (B4204T9 and B4204T10) require premium fuel 2
.
TOP TIER Detergent GasolineVolvo endorses the use of “TOP TIER Deter- gent Gasoline” where available to help main-tain engine performance and reliability. TOPTIER Detergent Gasoline meets a new stand-ard jointly established by leading automotivemanufactures to meet the needs of today’sadvanced engines. Qualifying gasoline retail-ers (stations) will, in most cases, identify theirgasoline as having met the “TOP TIER Deter-gent Gasoline” standards.
NOTE
Information about TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline is available atwww.toptiergas.com.
Demanding drivingIn demanding driving conditions, such as operating the vehicle in hot weather, towing atrailer, or driving for extended periods athigher altitudes than normal, it may be advis-able to switch to higher octane fuel (91 orhigher) or to change gasoline brands to fullyutilize your engine's capacity, and for thesmoothest possible operation.
NOTE
When switching to higher octane fuel or changing gasoline brands, it may be nec-essary to fill the tank more than oncebefore a difference in engine operation isnoticeable.
Fuel FormulationsDo not use gasoline that contains lead as a knock inhibitor, and do not use lead addi-tives. Besides damaging the exhaust emis-sion control systems on your vehicle, leadhas been strongly linked to certain forms ofcancer. Many fuels contain benzene as a solvent. Unburned benzene has been strongly linkedto certain forms of cancer. If you live in anarea where you must fill your own gas tank,take precautions. These may include:
• standing upwind away from the filler noz- zle while refueling
• refueling only at gas stations with vaporrecovery systems that fully seal themouth of the filler neck during refueling
• wearing neoprene gloves while handling afuel filler nozzle.
1
AKI (ANTI KNOCK INDEX) is an average of the Research Octane Number (RON) and the Motor Octane Number (MON), MON+RON/2.
2 Refer to your Warranty and Maintenance Records booklet for additional information.

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Towing a trailer
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Introduction
Volvo recommends the use of Volvo trailer hitches that are specially designed for thevehicle.
NOTE
See page 385 for the maximum trailer and tongue weights recommended by Volvo.
•Observe the legal requirements of the state/province in which the vehicles are
• All Volvo models are equipped withenergy-absorbing shock-mounted bump-ers. Trailer hitch installation should notinterfere with the proper operation of thisbumper system.
Trailer towing does not normally present any particular problems, but take into considera-tion: • Increase tire pressure to recommended full pressure. See the tire inflation tableon page 316.
• When your vehicle is new, avoid towingheavy trailers during the first 620 miles(1,000 km).
• Maximum speed when towing a trailer:50 mph (80 km/h).
• Engine and transmission are subject toincreased loads. Therefore, engine cool-ant temperature should be closely watched 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.
• Avoid overload and other abusive opera-tion.
• 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.
• More frequent vehicle maintenance isrequired.
• Remove the ball holder when the hitch isnot being used.
WARNING
• Bumper-attached trailer hitches must not be used on Volvos, nor shouldsafety chains be attached to thebumper.
• Trailer hitches attaching to the vehiclerear axle must not be used.
• Never connect a trailer's hydraulicbrake system directly to the vehiclebrake system, nor a trailer's lightingsystem directly to the vehicle lightingsystem. Consult your nearest author-ized Volvo retailer for correct installa-tion.
• When towing a trailer, the trailer'ssafety wire must be correctly fastenedto the hole or hook provided in thetrailer hitch on the vehicle. The safetywire should never be fastened to orwound around the drawbar ball.

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Towing a trailer
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NOTE
•When parking the vehicle with a trailer on a hill, apply the parking brakebefore putting the gear selector in
P.
Always follow the trailer manufactur-er's recommendations for wheelchocking.
• When starting on a hill, put the gearselector in
D before releasing the park-
ing brake.
• 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).
• The drawbar assembly/trailer hitchmay be rated for trailers heavier thanthe vehicle is designed to tow. Pleaseadhere to Volvo's recommended trailerweights.
• Avoid driving with a trailer on inclinesof more than 15%.
Trailer cableAn adapter is required if the vehicle's trailer hitch has a 13-pin connector and the trailerhas 7 pins. Use an adapter cable approvedby Volvo. Make sure the cable does not dragon the ground.
Detachable trailer hitch (accessory) 1
A
C
EDBG010496
Ball holder
Locking bolt
Cotter pin
Hitch assembly
Safety wire attachment
Installing the ball holder1. If necessary, remove the cotter pin from
the locking bolt and slide the locking bolt out of the hitch assembly.
2. Slide the ball holder into the hitch assem- bly. 3. Align the hole in the ball holder with the
one in the hitch assembly.
4. Slide the locking bolt through the hitch assembly/ball holder.
5. Insert the cotter pin in the hole at the end of the locking bolt.
Removing the ball holder1. Remove the cotter pin from the lockingbolt and slide the locking bolt out of theball holder/hitch assembly.
2. Pull the ball holder out of the hitch assembly.
NOTE
A cover for the hitch assembly is also included in the kit.
Trailer Stability Assist (TSA)
Trailer Stability Assist is a system designed to help stabilize a vehicle that is towing a trailerwhen the vehicle and trailer have begun tosway and is part of the Dynamic Stability andTraction Control system (DSTC). See page152 for information on DSTC.
1Check with your retailer for availability of the Volvo accessory trailer hitch

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Towing a trailer
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FunctionA vehicle towing a trailer may begin to sway for various reasons. Normally this only occursat high speeds but, for example, if the traileris overloaded or if the load is unevenly dis-tributed in the trailer, there is risk of swayingat speeds between approximately 45-55 mph(70-90 km/h). Swaying may be caused by factors such as: •The vehicle and trailer are hit by a sud- den, strong crosswind
• The vehicle and trailer are traveling on anuneven road surface or drive over a bump
• Sudden movements of the steering wheel
Facts about TSA
•
TSA intervenes at speeds above approxi-mately 40 mph (60 km/h)
• The DSTC symbol (
) in the instru-
ment panel will flash when TSA is working
• If the driver switches off the DSTC sys- tem's Spin Control function, TSA will alsobe switched off (but will be on again thenext time the engine is started)
• TSA may not intervene when the vehicleand trailer begin to sway if the driver triesto compensate for the swaying motion bymoving the steering wheel rapidly
How TSA worksOnce swaying has begun, it can be very diffi- cult to stop, which makes it difficult to controlthe vehicle and trailer. The TSA system continuously monitors the vehicle's movements, particularly lateralmovement. If the system detects a tendencyto sway, the brakes are applied individuallyon the front wheels, which has a stabilizingeffect on the vehicle and trailer. This is oftenenough to enable the driver to regain controlof the vehicle. If this is not adequate to stop the swaying motion, the brakes are applied to all of thewheels on the vehicle and on the trailer if it isequipped with brakes, and engine power istemporarily reduced. As the swaying motionbegins to decrease and the vehicle-trailerhave once again become stable, TSA will nowstop regulating the brakes/engine power andthe driver regains control of the vehicle.

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Emergency towing
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Towing eyelet
Attaching the towing eyelet
Attaching the towing eyeletThe towing eyelet is located under the floor of the cargo area, with the spare tire.This eyelet must be screwed into thepositions provided on the right sides ofeither the front or rear bumper (see illus-tration).
There are two different types of covers over the openings for the towing eyeletand they have to be opened differently.
• If the cover has a notch, insert a coin, etc., into the notch and pry open theedge of the cover. Open the covercompletely and remove it.
• If the cover has a mark along one edgeor in a corner, press the mark whileprying out the opposite side/cornerusing a coin, etc. Open the cover andremove it.
Screw the towing eyelet in place, first by hand and then using the tire iron until it issecurely in place. After the vehicle has been towed, the eyelet should be removed and returned to its stor-age location. Press the cover for the attachment point back into position.WARNING
• When the vehicle is being towed, the ignition should be in mode
II (in mode
I , all of the vehicle's airbags are deac-
tivated). See page 89 for more infor-mation about ignition modes.
• Never remove the remote key from theignition slot when the vehicle is beingtowed. For vehicles with keyless drive,the remote key must remain inside thevehicle.
• The power brakes and power steeringwill not function when the engine is notrunning. Approximately 5 times morepressure will be required on the brakepedal and the steering wheel will beconsiderably harder to turn.
• The towing eyelets must not be usedfor pulling the vehicle out of a ditch orfor any similar purpose involvingsevere strain.