Introduction
Environment
12
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 ®
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03 Your driving environment
Brakes
03
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* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.141
Brake system
The brake system is a hydraulic system con- sisting of two separate brake circuits. If aproblem should occur in one of these circuits,it is still possible to stop the vehicle with theother 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 system message is shown in the information display: DO
NOT DRIVE . Have the vehicle towed to a
trained and qualified Volvo service techni-cian and have the brake system inspected.
Brake pad inspectionOn vehicles equipped with a jack*, the condi- tion of the brake pads can be checked byraising the vehicle (see page 331 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.
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.
Brake lightsThe brake lights come on automatically when the brakes are applied.
Adaptive brake lightsThe adaptive brake lights activate in the event of sudden braking or if the ABS system isactivated. This function causes an additionaltaillight on each side of the vehicle to illumi-nate to help alert vehicles traveling behind.
03 Your driving environment
Brakes
03
142
The adaptive brake lights activate if: •The ABS system activates for more than approximately a half second
• In the event of sudden braking while thevehicle is moving at speeds aboveapproximately 6 mph (10 km/h)
When the vehicle has come to a stop, the brake lights and additional taillights remain onfor as long as the brake pedal is depressed oruntil braking force on the vehicle is reduced.
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 the pedal 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 braking system (ABS)The Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) helps toimprove vehicle control (stopping and steer-ing) during severe braking conditions by limit-ing brake lockup. When the system "senses"impending lockup, braking pressure is auto-matically modulated in order to help preventlockup that could lead to a skid. The system performs a brief self-diagnostic test when the engine has been started anddriver releases the brake pedal. Another auto-matic test may be performed when the vehi-
cle first reaches a speed of approximately6 mph (10 km/h). The brake pedal will pulsateseveral times and a sound may be audiblefrom the ABS control module, which is nor-mal.
Cleaning the brake discsCoatings of dirt and water on the brake discsmay result in delayed brake function. Thisdelay is minimized by cleaning the brake lin-ings. Cleaning the brake pads is advisable in wet weather, prior to long-term parking, and afterthe vehicle has been washed. Do this bybraking gently for a short period while thevehicle is moving.
Emergency Brake AssistanceEBA is designed to provide full brake effectimmediately in the event of sudden, hardbraking. The system is activated by the speedwith which the brake pedal is depressed. When the EBA system is activated, the brake pedal will go down and pressure in the brakesystem immediately increases to the maxi-mum level. Maintain full pressure on thebrake pedal in order to utilize the systemcompletely. EBA is automatically deactivatedwhen the brake pedal is released.