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All Wheel Drive (AWD)Your Volvo can be equipped with permanent All Wheel Drive, which means that power is distrib-uted automatically between the front and rearwheels.
Under normal driving conditions, most of the engine's power is directed to the front wheels.However, if there is any tendency for the frontwheels to spin, an electronically controlled cou-pling distributes power to the wheels that havethe best traction.
NOTE
The message AWD disabled Service
required will be appear in the information
display if an electrical fault should occur in the AWD system. A warning light will also illu-minate in the instrument panel. If this occurs,have the system checked by a trained andqualified Volvo service technician.
Related information
• Transmission – general information (p. 262)
Hill Descent Control (HDC) 11
–
introduction
HDC is a type of automatic engine brake and makes it possible to increase or decrease thevehicle's speed on downhill gradients using onlythe accelerator pedal, without applying thebrakes. The brake system functions automaticallyto maintain a low and steady speed.
IntroductionNormally, when the accelerator pedal is released while driving down hills, the vehicle's speed slowsas the engine runs at lower rpm (the normalengine braking effect). However, if the downhillgradient becomes steeper and if the vehicle iscarrying a load, speed increases despite theengine braking effect. In this situation, the brakesmust be applied to reduce the vehicle's speed. HDC is particularly useful when driving down steep hills with rough surfaces, and where theroad may have slippery patches.
WARNING
HDC does not function in all situations, and is a supplementary braking aid. The driver hasfull responsibility for driving in a safe manner.
11 Available on the V60 Cross Country in combination with certain engines only.
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* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.277
NOTE
Engine response to pressure on the accelera- tor pedal may be slightly slower than normalwhen HDC is activated.
Related information
•Hill Descent Control (HDC) – introduction (p. 275)
• Brakes – general (p. 277)
Brakes – general The brake system is a hydraulic system consist- ing of two separate brake circuits. If a problemshould occur in one of these circuits, it is stillpossible to stop the vehicle with the other brakecircuit.
If the brake pedal must be depressed farther than normal and requires greater foot pressure,the stopping distance will be longer. A warning light in the instrument panel will light up to warn the driver that a fault has occurred. If this light comes on while driving or braking, stop immediately and check the brake fluid levelin 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 technician and have the brake system inspected.
Brake pad inspection
On vehicles equipped with a jack *, the condition
of the brake pads can be checked by raising the vehicle (see Changing a wheel – removing wheel(p. 303) for information about using the jack andremoving a wheel) and performing a visualinspection of the brake pads.
WARNING
• If the vehicle has been driven immediately prior to a brake pad inspection, the wheelhub, brake components, etc., will be veryhot. Allow time for these components tocool before carrying out the inspection.
• Apply the parking brake and put the gear selector in the Park (
P) position.
• Block the wheels standing on the ground, use rigid wooden blocks or large stones.
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Brakes – symbols
Symbols in the instrument panel
SymbolSpecification
Steady glow – Check the brake fluid level. If the level is low, fill withbrake fluid and check for the causeof the brake fluid loss.
Automatic function check: steady glow for two seconds when theengine is started.
WARNING
If and come on at the same
time and the brake level is below the MIN
mark in the reservoir or if a brake system-rela- ted message is shown in the information dis- play: DO NOT DRIVE . Have the vehicle towed
to a trained and qualified Volvo service techni- cian and have the brake system inspected.
Related information
• Brakes – general (p. 277)
• Parking brake – general information (p. 280)
Anti-lock braking system (ABS) The ABS system helps to improve vehicle con- trol (stopping and steering) during severe brak-ing conditions by limiting brake lockup.
When the system "senses" impending lockup, braking pressure is automatically modulated inorder to help prevent lockup that could lead to askid. The system performs a brief self-diagnostic test when the engine has been started and driverreleases the brake pedal. Another automatic testmay be performed when the vehicle first reachesa speed of approximately 6 mph (10 km/h). Thebrake pedal will pulsate several times and asound may be audible from the ABS controlmodule, which is normal.
Related information
• Parking brake – general information (p. 280)
• Emergency Brake Assistance (EBA) (p. 280)
• Brakes – general (p. 277)
Brake lights The brake lights come on automatically when the brakes are applied.
Adaptive brake lights
The adaptive brake lights activate in the event of sudden braking or if the ABS system is activated.This function causes an additional taillight oneach side of the vehicle to illuminate to help alertvehicles traveling behind. 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 above approxi-mately 6 mph (10 km/h).
When the vehicle has come to a stop, the brakelights and additional taillights remain on for aslong as the brake pedal is depressed or untilbraking force on the vehicle is reduced.
Related information
• Brakes – general (p. 277)
• Parking brake – general information (p. 280)
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Emergency Brake Assistance (EBA)
EBA is designed to provide full brake effect immediately in the event of sudden, hard brak-ing.
Emergency Brake AssistanceThe EBA system is activated by the speed with which the brake pedal is depressed. When the EBA system is activated, the brake pedal will go down and pressure in the brake sys-tem immediately increases to the maximum level.Maintain full pressure on the brake pedal in orderto utilize the system completely. EBA is automati-cally deactivated when the brake pedal isreleased.
NOTE
• When the EBA system is activated, the brake pedal will go down and pressure inthe brake system immediately increasesto the maximum level. You must maintainfull pressure on the brake pedal in orderto utilize the system completely. Therewill be no braking effect if the pedal isreleased. EBA is automatically deacti-vated when the brake 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 pedal willreturn to its usual position when it isreleased.
Related information
• Parking brake – general information (p. 280)
• Brakes – general (p. 277)
• Anti-lock braking system (ABS) (p. 279)
Parking brake – general information The electric parking brake helps to keep the vehicle stationary when it is parked.
Electric parking brake
Parking brake control
NOTE
•
A faint sound from the parking brake's electric motor can be heard when theparking brake is being applied. Thissound can also be heard during the auto-matic function check of the parkingbrake.
• The brake pedal will move slightly whenthe electric parking brake is applied orreleased.
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Conserving electrical current
Keep the following in mind to help minimize bat- tery drain:
• When the engine is not running, avoid using ignition mode
II. Many electrical systems (the
audio system, the optional navigation system, power windows, etc) will function in ignition modes 0 and I. These modes reduce drain
on the battery.
• Please keep in mind that using systems, accessories, etc., that consume a great dealof current when the engine is not runningcould result in the battery being completelydrained. Driving or having the engine runningfor approximately 15 minutes will help keepthe battery charged.
• The optional 12-volt socket in the cargoarea (p. 143) area provides electrical currenteven with the ignition switched off, whichdrains the battery.
Before a long distance trip
It is always worthwhile to have your vehicle checked by a trained and qualified Volvo servicetechnician before driving long distances. Yourretailer will also be able to supply you with bulbs,fuses, spark plugs and wiper blades for your usein the event that problems occur.
As a minimum, the following items should be checked before any long trip:
• Check that engine runs smoothly and thatfuel consumption is normal.
• Check for fuel, oil, and fluid leakage.
• Have the transmission oil level checked.
• Check condition of drive belts.
• Check state of the battery's charge.
• Examine tires carefully (the spare tire aswell), and replace those that areworn (p. 302). Check tire pressure (p. 309).
• The brakes, front wheel alignment, and steer-ing gear should be checked by a trained andqualified Volvo service technician only.
• Check all lights, including high beams.
• Reflective warning triangles are legallyrequired in some states/provinces.
• Have a word with a trained and qualifiedVolvo service technician if you intend to drivein countries where it may be difficult toobtain the correct fuel. •
Consider your destination. If you will be driv-ing through an area where snow or ice arelikely to occur, consider snow tires (p. 316).
Related information
•
Changing a wheel – removing wheel (p. 303)
• Bulbs – introduction (p. 344)
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Driving in cold weather
Check your vehicle before the approach of cold weather.
The following advice is worth noting:
• Make sure that the engine coolant (p. 341) contains 50 percent antifreeze. Any othermixture will reduce freeze protection. Thisgives protection against freezing down to–31 °F (–35 °C). The use of "recycled" anti-freeze is not approved by Volvo. Differenttypes of antifreeze must not be mixed.
• Volvo recommends using only genuine Volvoantifreeze in your vehicle's radiator.
• Try to keep the fuel tank well filled – thishelps prevent the formation of condensationin the tank. In addition, in extremely coldweather conditions it is worthwhile to addfuel line de-icer before refueling.
• The viscosity of the engine oil is important.Oil with low viscosity (thinner oil) improvescold-weather starting as well as decreasingfuel consumption while the engine is warm-ing up. Full synthetic 0W-30 oil is recom-mended for driving in areas with sustainedlow temperatures.
• The load placed on the battery is greater dur-ing the winter since the windshield wipers,lighting, etc., are used more often. Moreover,the capacity of the battery decreases as thetemperature drops. In very cold weather, apoorly charged battery can freeze and be damaged. It is therefore advisable to checkthe state of charge more frequently andspray an anti-rust oil on the battery posts.
• Volvo recommends the use of snow tires onall four wheels for winter driving, see Snowtires/studded tires (p. 316).
• To prevent the washer fluid (p. 354)reservoirfrom freezing, add washer solvents contain-ing antifreeze. This is important since dirt isoften splashed on the windshield during win-ter driving, requiring the frequent use of thewashers and wipers. Volvo Washer Solventshould be diluted as follows: Down to 14 °F(–10 °C): 1 part washer solvent and 4 partswater Down to 5 °F (–15 °C): 1 part washersolvent and 3 parts water Down to 0 °F(–18 °C): 1 part washer solvent and 2 partswater Down to –18 °F (–28 °C): 1 partwasher solvent and 1 part water.
• Use Volvo Teflon Lock Spray in the locks.
• Avoid using de-icing sprays as they cancause damage to the locks.
Refueling – fuel requirements
Volvo recommends the use of detergent gaso- line to control engine deposits.
Deposit control gasoline (detergent
additives)
Detergent gasoline is effective in keeping injec- tors and intake valves clean. Consistent use ofdeposit control gasolines will help ensure gooddrivability and fuel economy. If you are not surewhether the gasoline contains deposit controladditives, check with the service station operator.
NOTE
Volvo does not recommend the use of exter- nal fuel injector cleaning systems.
Unleaded fuelEach Volvo has a three-way catalytic converter and must use only unleaded gasoline. U.S. andCanadian regulations require that pumps deliver-ing unleaded gasoline be labeled "UNLEADED".Only these pumps have nozzles which fit yourvehicle's filler inlet. It is unlawful to dispense lea-ded fuel into a vehicle labeled "unleaded gaso-line only". Leaded gasoline damages the three-way catalytic converter and the heated oxygensensor system. Repeated use of leaded gasolinewill lessen the effectiveness of the emission con-trol system (p. 290) and could result in loss ofemission warranty coverage. State and local vehi-
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287
cle inspection programs will make detection of misfueling easier, possibly resulting in emissiontest failure for misfueled vehicles.
NOTE
Some U.S. and Canadian gasolines contain an octane enhancing additive called methyl-cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl(MMT). If such fuels are used, your EmissionControl System performance may be affected,and the Check Engine Light (malfunctionindicator light) located on your instrumentpanel may light. If this occurs, please returnyour vehicle to a trained and qualified Volvoservice technician for service.
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 laws requirethat the service pump be marked indicating useof alcohols or ethers. However, there are areas inwhich the pumps are unmarked. If you are notsure whether there is alcohol or ethers in thegasoline you buy, check with the service stationoperator. To meet seasonal air quality standards,some areas require the use of "oxygenated" fuel. Volvo allows the use of the following "oxygen- ated" fuels; however, the octane ratings (p. 287)listed must still be met.
Alcohol – Ethanol
Fuels containing up to 10% ethanol by volume may be used. Ethanol may also be referred to asEthyl 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 practice canresult in vehicle performance deterioration andcan damage critical parts in the fuel system. Suchdamage may not be covered under the NewVehicle Limited Warranty.
Refueling – octane rating Volvo recommends premium fuel for best per- formance, but using 87 octane
15
or above will
not affect engine reliability.
Minimum octane
G028920
Typical pump octane label
NOTE
Vehicles equipped with high performance 4- cylinder engines require premium fuel. Con-sult your Volvo retailer if you are unsure aboutthe fuel requirements for your vehicle.
TOP TIER Detergent GasolineVolvo endorses the use of “TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline” where available to help maintain engineperformance and reliability. TOP TIER DetergentGasoline meets a new standard jointly estab-
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Refueling – opening/closing fuel capIf necessary, the fuel filler door can be opened
manually.
Opening/closing the fuel cap
Fuel vapor expands in hot weather. Open the filler cap slowly. After refueling, close the fuel filler cap by turning it clockwise until it clicks into place.
CAUTION
• Do not refuel with the engine running 16
.
Turn the ignition off or to position I. If the
ignition is on, an incorrect reading could occur in the fuel gauge.
• Avoid overfilling the fuel tank. Do notpress the handle on the filler nozzle morethan one extra time. Too much fuel in thetank in hot weather conditions can causethe fuel to overflow. Overfilling could alsocause damage to the emission controlsystems.
Related information
•Refueling – fuel requirements (p. 286)
• Refueling – octane rating (p. 287)
Emission controls
Three-way catalytic converter
•Keep your engine properly tuned. Certain engine malfunctions, particularly involving theelectrical, fuel or distributor ignition systems,may cause unusually high three-way catalyticconverter temperatures. Do not continue tooperate your vehicle if you detect enginemisfire, noticeable loss of power or otherunusual operating conditions, such as engineoverheating or backfiring. A properly tunedengine will help avoid malfunctions thatcould damage the three-way catalytic con-verter.
• Do not park your vehicle over combustiblematerials, such as grass or leaves, which cancome into contact with the hot exhaust sys-tem and cause such materials to ignite undercertain wind and weather conditions.
• Excessive starter cranking (in excess of oneminute), or an intermittently firing or floodedengine can cause three-way catalytic con-verter or exhaust system overheating.
• Remember that tampering or unauthorizedmodifications to the engine, the Engine Con-trol Module, or the vehicle may be illegal andcan cause three-way catalytic converter orexhaust system overheating. This includes:altering fuel injection settings or compo-
16
If the fuel filler cap is not closed tightly or if the engine is running when the vehicle is refueled, the Check Engine Light (malfunction indicator lamp) may indicate a fault. However, your vehicle's performance will not be affected. Use only Volvo original or approved fuel filler caps.