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Occupant safety Safety is Volvo's cornerstone.
Volvo's concern for safetyOur concern for safety dates back to 1927 when the first Volvo rolled off the production line.Three-point seat belts (a Volvo invention), safetycages, and energy-absorbing impact zones weredesigned into Volvo vehicles long before it wasfashionable or required by government regulation. We will not compromise our commitment to safety. We continue to seek out new safety fea-tures and to refine those already in our vehicles.You can help. We would appreciate hearing yoursuggestions about improving automobile safety.We also want to know if you ever have a safetyconcern with your vehicle. Call us in the U.S. at:1-800-458-1552 or in Canada at:1-800-663-8255.
Occupant safety reminders
How safely you drive doesn't depend on how old you are but rather on:
• How well you see.
• Your ability to concentrate.
• How quickly you make decisions understress to avoid an accident.
The following suggestions are intended to helpyou cope with the ever changing traffic environ-ment. •
Never drink and drive.
• If you are taking any medication, consult yourphysician about its potential effects on yourdriving abilities.
• Take a driver-retraining course.
• Have your eyes checked regularly.
• Keep your windshield and headlights clean.
• Replace wiper blades when they start toleave streaks.
• Take into account the traffic, road, andweather conditions, particularly with regard tostopping distance.
• Never send text messages while driving.
• Refrain from using or minimize the use of acell phone while driving.
Related information
• Recall information (p. 28)
• Reporting safety defects (p. 29)
Recall information Information regarding recalls or other service campaigns is available on our website atwww.volvocars.com/us/.
On our website, select the tab YOUR VOLVO and the heading RECALL INFORMATION will be dis-played at the lower left side of the screen. Enteryour Vehicle Identification Number for your vehi-cle (found at the base of the windshield). If yourvehicle has any open Recalls, they will be dis-played on this page.
Volvo customers in Canada
For any questions regarding open recalls for your vehicle, please contact your authorized Volvoretailer. If your retailer is unable to answer yourquestions, please contact Volvo Customer Rela-tions at 905 695-9626, Monday through Friday,8:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. EST or by e-mail [email protected]. You may also write us at: Volvo Cars of CanadaNational Customer Service9130 Leslie Street, Suite 101Richmond Hill, Ontario L4B 0B9
Related information
•Occupant safety (p. 28)
• Reporting safety defects (p. 29)

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Reporting safety defects
The following information will help you report any perceived safety-related defects in your vehicle.
Reporting safety defects in the U.S.
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which could cause a crash orcould cause injury or death, you shouldimmediately inform the National High-way Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA) in addition to notifying VolvoCars of North America, LLC. If NHTSAreceives similar complaints, it may openan investigation, and if it finds that asafety defect exists in a group of vehi-cles, it may order a recall and remedycampaign. However, NHTSA cannotbecome involved in individual problemsbetween you, your retailer, or VolvoCars of North America, LLC. To contactNHTSA, you may either call the AutoSafety Hotline toll-free at 1-888-327-4236(TTY: 1-800-424-9153) or write to: NHTSA, U.S. Department of Transpor-tation, Washington D.C. 20590. You can also obtain other informationabout motor vehicle safety from http://www.safercar.gov, where you can alsoenter your vehicle's VIN (Vehicle Identi-fication Number) to see if it has anyopen recalls. Volvo strongly recommends that if your vehicle is covered under a service cam-paign, safety or emission recall or simi-lar action, it should be completed assoon as possible. Please check withyour local retailer or Volvo Cars ofNorth America, LLC if your vehicle iscovered under these conditions. NHTSA can be reached at:Internet:http://www.nhtsa.govTelephone:1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).
Reporting safety defects in CanadaIf you believe your vehicle has a defect that could cause a crash or could cause injury or death, youshould immediately inform Transport Canada inaddition to notifying Volvo Cars of Canada Corp.
Transport Canada can be contacted at:
1-800-333-0510 Teletypewriter (TTY): 613 990-4500Fax: 1-819-994-3372Mailing Address: Transport Canada - Road Safety, 80 rue Noël, Gatineau, (Quebec) J8Z 0A1
Related information
•
Occupant safety (p. 28)
• Recall information (p. 28)

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Seat belts – general
Seat belts should always be worn by all occu- pants of your vehicle. Children should be prop-erly restrained, using an infant, car, or boosterseat determined by age, weight and height. Volvo also believes no child should sit in the front seat of a vehicle.
Adjusting the seat belt
Most states and provinces make it mandatory for occupants of a vehicle to use seat belts.
Seat belt pretensionersAll seat belts are equipped with pretensionersthat reduce slack in the belts. These pretension-ers are triggered in situations where the front orside impact airbags deploy, and in certain impactsfrom the rear. The front seat belts also include atension reducing device which, in the event of a collision, limits the peak forces exerted by theseat belt on the occupant.
Seat belt maintenanceCheck periodically that the seat belts are in goodcondition. Use water and a mild detergent forcleaning. Check seat belt mechanism function asfollows: attach the seat belt and pull rapidly onthe strap.
WARNING
Never use a seat belt for more than one occupant. Never wear the shoulder portion ofthe belt under the arm, behind the back orotherwise out of position. Such use couldcause injury in the event of an accident. Asseat belts lose much of their strength whenexposed to violent stretching, they should bereplaced after any collision, even if theyappear to be undamaged.
WARNING
•
Never repair the belt yourself; have this work done by a trained and qualifiedVolvo service technician only.
• Any device used to induce slack into theshoulder belt portion of the three-pointbelt system will have a detrimental effecton the amount of protection available toyou in the event of a collision.
• The seat back should not be tilted too farback. The shoulder belt must be taut inorder to function properly.
• Do not use child safety seats or childbooster cushions/backrests in the frontpassenger's seat. We also recommendthat children who have outgrown thesedevices sit in the rear seat with the seatbelt properly fastened.
Related information
• Seat belts – buckling/unbuckling (p. 31)
• Seat belt reminder (p. 32)
• Seat belts – pregnancy (p. 32)

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WARNING
•If the SRS warning light stays on after the engine has started or if it illuminateswhile you are driving, have the vehicleinspected by a trained and qualified Volvoservice technician as soon as possible.
• Never try to repair any component or partof the SRS yourself. Any interference inthe system could cause malfunction andserious injury. All work on these systemsshould be performed by a trained andqualified Volvo service technician.
WARNING
If your vehicle has become flood-damaged in any way (e.g., soaked carpeting/standingwater on the floor of the vehicle), do notattempt to start the vehicle or insert theremote key into the ignition slot before dis-connecting the battery (see below). This maycause airbag deployment which could result inserious injury. Have the vehicle towed to atrained and qualified Volvo service technicianfor repairs. Before attempting to tow the vehicle:
1. Switch off the ignition for at least
10 minutes and disconnect the battery.
2. Follow the instructions for manually over- riding the shiftlock system Transmission – shiftlock override (p. 257).
Related information
•Crash mode – general information (p. 45)
Front airbags
The front airbags supplement the three-point seat belts (p. 30). For these airbags to providethe protection intended, seat belts must be wornat all times.
G018665
The front airbag systemThe front airbag system includes gas generators surrounded by the airbags, and deceleration sen-sors that activate the gas generators, causing theairbags to be inflated with nitrogen gas.

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WARNING
•Do not use child safety seats or child booster cushions/backrests in the frontpassenger's seat. We also recommendthat occupants under 4 feet 7 inches(140 cm) in height who have outgrownthese devices sit in the rear seat with the seat belt fastened 1
.
• Never drive with the airbags deployed. The fact that they hang out can impair thesteering of your vehicle. Other safety sys-tems can also be damaged.
• The smoke and dust formed when theairbags are deployed can cause skin andeye irritation in the event of prolongedexposure.
Should you have questions about any component in the SRS system, please contact a trained andqualified Volvo service technician or Volvo cus-tomer support: In the USA Volvo Cars of North America, LLC Customer Care Center1 Volvo Drive P.O. Box 914Rockleigh, New Jersey 076471-800-458-1552 www.volvocars.com/us In Canada Volvo Cars of Canada Corp. National Customer Service9130 Leslie Street, Suite 101Richmond Hill, Ontario L4B 0B91-800-663-8255www.volvocars.com/ca
NOTE
•
Deployment of front airbags occurs only one time during an accident. In a collisionwhere deployment occurs, the airbagsand seat belt pretensioners activate.Some noise occurs and a small amountof powder is released. The release of thepowder may appear as smoke-like matter.This is a normal characteristic and doesnot indicate fire.
• Volvo's front airbags use special sensorsthat are integrated with the front seatbuckles. The point at which the airbagdeploys is determined by whether or notthe seat belt is being used, as well as theseverity of the collision.
• Collisions can occur where only one ofthe airbags deploys. If the impact is lesssevere, but severe enough to present aclear injury risk, the airbags are triggeredat partial capacity. If the impact is moresevere, the airbags are triggered at fullcapacity.
1
See also the Occupant Weight Sensor information, (p. 38).

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Airbag decals
Airbag decal on the outside of both sun visors
Passenger's side airbag decal
WARNING
•Children must never be allowed in the front passenger's seat.
• Occupants in the front passenger's seatmust never sit on the edge of the seat, sitleaning toward the instrument panel orotherwise sit out of position.
• The occupant's back must be as uprightas comfort allows and be against the seatback with the seat belt properly fastened.
• Feet must be on the floor, e.g., not on thedash, seat or out of the window.
WARNING
•No objects or accessory equipment, e.g. dashboard covers, may be placed on,attached to, or installed near the air baghatch (the area above the glove compart-ment) or the area affected by airbagdeployment.
• There should be no loose articles, suchas coffee cups on the floor, seat, or dash-board area.
• Never try to open the airbag cover on thesteering wheel or the passenger's sidedashboard. This should only be done by atrained and qualified Volvo service techni-cian.
• Failure to follow these instructions canresult in injury to the vehicle occupants.
Related information
• Occupant Weight Sensor (p. 38)
• Side impact protection (SIPS) airbags (p. 41)
• Inflatable Curtain (IC) (p. 42)
• Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)(p. 33)

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Occupant Weight SensorThe Occupant Weight Sensor (OWS) is designed to meet the regulatory requirements ofFederal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS)208 and is designed to disable (will not inflate)the passenger's side front airbag under certainconditions.
2
2
G017724
Occupant Weight Sensor (OWS) indicator light
Disabling the passenger's side frontairbag
Volvo recommends that ALL occupants (adults and children) shorter than 4 feet 7 inches(140 cm) be seated in the back seat of any vehi-cle with a front passenger side airbag (p. 34), andbe properly restrained for their size and weight.For child safety recommendations, see Childsafety (p. 47). The OWS works with sensors that are part of thefront passenger's seat and seat belt (p. 30). Thesensors are designed to detect the presence of aproperly seated occupant and determine if thepassenger's side front airbag should be enabled(may inflate) or disabled (will not inflate). The OWS will disable (will not inflate) the pas- senger's side front airbag when:
• the front passenger's seat is unoccupied, orhas small/medium objects in the front seat,
• the system determines that an infant is pres-ent in a rear-facing infant seat that is instal-led according to the manufacturer's instruc-tions,
• the system determines that a small child ispresent in a forward-facing child restraintthat is installed according to the manufactur-er's instructions,
• the system determines that a small child ispresent in a booster seat,
• a front passenger takes his/her weight off ofthe seat for a period of time,
• a child or a small person occupies the frontpassenger's seat.
The OWS uses a PASSENGER AIRBAG OFFindicator lamp which will illuminate and stay on toremind you that the passenger's side front airbagis disabled. The PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indi-cator lamp is located in the overhead console,near the base of the rearview mirror.
NOTE
When the ignition is switched on, the OWS indicator light will illuminate for several sec-onds while the system performs a self-diag-nostic test.
However, if a fault is detected in the system:
• The OWS indicator light will stay on
• The SRS warning light (p. 33) will come on and stay on
• The message
Pass. Airbag OFF Service
urgent will be displayed in the information
display.
WARNING
If a fault in the system is detected and indi- cated as described, be aware that the pas-senger's side front airbag will not deploy inthe event of a collision. In this case, the SRSsystem and Occupant Weight Sensor shouldbe inspected by a trained and qualified Volvoservice technician as soon as possible.

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WARNING
•Never try to open, remove, or repair any components in the OWS system. Thiscould result in system malfunction. Main-tenance or repairs should only be carriedout by an a trained and qualified Volvoservice technician.
• The front passenger's seat should not bemodified in any way. This could reducepressure on the seat cushion, whichmight interfere with the OWS system'sfunction.
Passenger's seat occu-pancy statusOWS indi- cator lightstatusPassenger's side front air-bag status
Seat unoccu- piedOWS indi- cator lightlights up.Passenger's side front air-bag disabled
Seat occu- pied by lowweight occu- pant/object AOWS indi- cator lightlights upPassenger's side front air-bag disabled
Seat occu- pied by heavyoccupant/objectOWS indi- cator light is not
litPassenger's side front air-bag enabled
A
Volvo recommends that children always be properly restrained in appropriate child restraints in the rear seats. Do not assumethat the passenger's side front airbag is disabled unless the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicator lamp is lit. Make sure thechild restraint is properly installed. If there is any doubt as to thestatus of the passenger's side front airbag, move the childrestraint to the rear seat.
The OWS is designed to enable (may inflate) the passenger's side front airbag in the event of acollision anytime the system senses that a per-son of adult size is sitting properly in the frontpassenger's seat. The PASSENGER AIRBAGOFF indicator lamp will be off and remain off. If a person of adult size is sitting in the front pas- senger's seat, but the PASSENGER AIRBAGOFF indicator lamp is on, it is possible that theperson isn't sitting properly in the seat. If thishappens:
• Turn the vehicle off and ask the person toplace the seatback in an upright position.
• Have the person sit upright in the seat, cen-tered on the seat cushion, with the person'slegs comfortably extended.
• Restart the vehicle and have the personremain in this position for about two minutes.This will allow the system to detect that per-son and enable the passenger's frontal air-bag.
• If the PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF indicatorlamp remains on even after this, the personshould be advised to ride in the rear seat.
This condition reflects limitations of the OWSclassification capability. It does not indicate OWSmalfunction.
ModificationsIf you are considering modifying your vehicle inany way to accommodate a disability, for exampleby altering or adapting the driver's or front pas-senger's seat(s) and/or airbag systems, pleasecontact Volvo at: In the USA Volvo Cars of North America, LLC Customer Care Center1 Volvo DriveP.O. Box 914Rockleigh, New Jersey 076471-800-458-1552 In Canada Volvo Cars of Canada Corp. National Customer Service9130 Leslie Street, Suite 101Richmond Hill, Ontario L4B 0B91-800-663-8255