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Before a long distance trip
It is always worthwhile to have your vehiclechecked 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 bechecked before any long trip:
•Check that engine runs smoothly and thatfuel consumption and the oil level are normal.
•Before leaving on a trip, fill the fuel tank andmake sure the hybrid battery is fully charged.During the trip, make a habit of refueling reg-ularly.
•Check for fuel, oil, and fluid leakage.
•Check condition of drive belts.
•Check state of the battery's charge.
•Examine tires carefully and replace thosethat are worn. Also, check tire inflation pres-sure.
•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 drive
in 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 using snow tires.
Driving economically
Better driving economy can be obtained bythinking ahead, avoiding rapid starts and stopsand adjusting the speed of your vehicle to imme-diate traffic conditions.
Driving economically with the XC90 T8
Twin Engine Plug-in Hybrid
Plan your driving in order to utilize the electricmotor as much as possible.
An energy-conserving driving style lowers currentconsumption from the hybrid battery and helpsincrease electric driving range.
Charging
•Charge the hybrid battery regularly using thecharging cable. Whenever possible, begin adrive with a fully charged battery.
•Check the location of charging points.
•Where possible, choose parking spaces withcharging points.
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Preconditioning
•If possible, precondition the vehicle with thecharging cable before driving.
•Avoid parking the vehicle so that the passen-ger compartment becomes too hot or cold.Park, if possible, in a climate controlled park-ing garage.
•For short drives after using the precondition-ing function, turn off the climate systemblower if possible.
•If preconditioning is not possible in coldweather, use the seat and steering wheelheating primarily. Avoid heating the entirepassenger compartment, which reduces thehybrid battery's charge level.
Driving
•Choose the Pure drive mode to help mini-mize electric power consumption.
•Maintain a constant speed and an adequatedistance to the vehicle ahead to minimizeuse of the brakes.
•Brake as gently as possible; doing socharges the hybrid battery using the inte-grated regenerative braking function.
•Balance energy requirements using theaccelerator pedal and utilize the gauge onthe instrument panel to see the amount ofpower available from the electric motor. Thishelps avoid starting the gasoline engineunnecessarily. The electric motor is more
energy-efficient than the gasoline engine,especially at lower speeds.
•In hilly terrain, put the gear selector in modeB to utilize the electric motor's braking func-tion when the accelerator pedal is released.This helps charge the hybrid battery.
•Higher speeds increase energy consumptionand the vehicle's wind resistance increasesalong with speed. Do not exceed postedspeed limits.
•Avoid carrying unnecessary items (extra load)in the vehicle.
•Maintain correct tire pressure. Check tirepressure regularly (when the tires are cold).
•Remove snow tires when threat of snow orice has ended.
•Note that roof racks, ski racks, etc, increaseair resistance and also energy consumption.
•Avoid driving with open windows.
Handling and roadholding
•Vehicle load, tire design and inflation pres-sure all affect vehicle handling. Therefore,check that the tires are inflated to the rec-ommended pressure according to the vehicleload. Loads should be distributed so thatcapacity weight or maximum permissible axleloads are not exceeded.
•At the specified curb weight your vehicle hasa tendency to understeer, which means thatthe steering wheel has to be turned more
than might seem appropriate for the curva-ture of a bend. This ensures good stabilityand reduces the risk of rear wheel skid.Remember that these properties can alterwith the vehicle load. The heavier the load inthe cargo compartment, the less the ten-dency to understeer.
Related information
•Hybrid-related information in the instrumentpanel (p. 134)
•Parking climate (preconditioning) (p. 189)
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•The air conditioning may be switched offtemporarily.
•After a prolonged period of driving, do notturn off the engine immediately after stop-ping.
•The engine cooling fan commonly continuesto run for several minutes after the enginehas been turned off.
WARNING
The cooling fan (located at the front of theengine compartment, behind the radiator) maystart or continue to operate (for up to6 minutes) after the engine has beenswitched off.
Related information
•Driving with a trailer (p. 397)
•Before a long distance trip (p. 385)
Winter driving
Check your vehicle before the approach of coldweather.
The following advice is worth noting:
•Make sure that the engine coolant contains50 percent antifreeze. Any other mixture willreduce freeze protection. This gives protec-tion against freezing down to –31 °F(–35 °C). The use of "recycled" antifreeze isnot approved by Volvo. Different types ofantifreeze 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.
•To prevent the washer fluid reservoir fromfreezing, add washer solvents containingantifreeze. This is important since dirt is oftensplashed on the windshield during winterdriving, 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.
Related information
•Snow tires and chains (p. 485)
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Driving with a trailer
When towing a trailer, always observe the legalrequirements of the state/province.
•All Volvo models are equipped with energy-absorbing shock-mounted bumpers. Trailerhitch installation should not interfere with theproper operation of this bumper system.
Trailer towing does not normally present any par-ticular problems, but take into consideration:
•Increase tire pressure to recommended fullpressure.
•When your vehicle is new, avoid towing heavytrailers 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 coolanttemperature should be closely watched whendriving in hot climates or hilly terrain. Use alower gear and turn off the air conditioner ifthe temperature gauge needle enters the redrange.
•If the automatic transmission begins to over-heat, a message will be displayed in the textwindow.
•Avoid overload and other abusive operation.
•Hauling a trailer affects handling, durability,and economy.
•It is necessary to balance trailer brakes withthe towing vehicle brakes to provide a safestop (check and observe state/local regula-tions).
•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 is notbeing used.
NOTE
•When parking the vehicle with a trailer ona hill, apply the parking brake before put-ting the gear selector in P. Always followthe trailer manufacturer's recommenda-tions for wheel chocking.
•When starting on a hill, put the gearselector in D before releasing the parkingbrake.
•If you use the manual (Geartronic) shiftpositions while towing a trailer, make surethe gear you select does not put toomuch strain on the engine (using toohigh a gear).
•The drawbar assembly/trailer hitch maybe rated for trailers heavier than the vehi-cle is designed to tow. Please adhere toVolvo's recommended trailer weights.
•Avoid driving with a trailer on inclines ofmore than 15%.
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3.Align the hole in the ball holder with the onein the hitch assembly.
4. Slide the locking bolt through the hitchassembly/ball holder.
5. Insert the cotter pin in the hole at the end ofthe locking bolt.
Removing the ball holder
1. Remove the cotter pin from the locking boltand slide the locking bolt out of the ballholder/hitch assembly.
2. Pull the ball holder out of the hitch assembly.
NOTE
A cover for the hitch assembly is alsoincluded in the kit.
Stowing the ball holder
Compartment for the detachable trailer hitch
WARNING
When not in use, the detachable trailer hitchshould always be kept in its compartment inthe foam block under the cargo compartmentfloor (see the illustration).
Related information
•Driving with a trailer (p. 397)
•Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) (p. 399)
Trailer Stability Assist (TSA)
Trailer Stability Assist is a system designed tohelp stabilize a vehicle that is towing a trailerwhen the vehicle and trailer have begun to swayand is part of the Electronic Stability Control sys-tem.
Function
A vehicle towing a trailer may begin to sway forvarious reasons. Normally this only occurs at highspeeds but, for example, if the trailer is overloa-ded or if the load is unevenly distributed in thetrailer, there is risk of swaying.
Swaying may be caused by factors such as:
•The vehicle and trailer are hit by a sudden,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
•The stability system symbol in the instrumentpanel will flash when TSA is working
•If the driver switches off the stability system'sSpin Control function, TSA will also beswitched off (but will be on again the nexttime the engine is started)
•TSA may not intervene when the vehicle andtrailer begin to sway if the driver tries to com-pensate for the swaying motion by movingthe steering wheel rapidly
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How TSA works
Once swaying has begun, it can be very difficultto stop, which makes it difficult to control thevehicle and trailer.
The TSA system continuously monitors the vehi-cle's movements, particularly lateral movement. Ifthe system detects a tendency to sway, thebrakes are applied individually on the frontwheels, which has a stabilizing effect on the vehi-cle and trailer. This is often enough to enable thedriver to regain control of the vehicle.
If this is not adequate to stop the swaying motion,the brakes are applied to all of the wheels on thevehicle and on the trailer if it is equipped withbrakes, and engine power is temporarily reduced.As the swaying motion begins to decrease andthe vehicle-trailer have once again become sta-ble, TSA will now stop regulating the brakes/engine power and the driver regains control ofthe vehicle.
TSA is deactivated if the driver deactivates ESCin the center display's menu system.
When the ESC symbol in theinstrument panel flashes, TSAis active.
Related information
•Detachable trailer hitch (p. 398)
•Driving with a trailer (p. 397)
•Electronic Stability Control (ESC) (p. 263)
Ignition modes
The vehicle's ignition can be put in variousmodes (levels) to make different functions availa-ble.
The vehicle's ignition has 3 modes: 0, I, and IIthat can be used to operate various functionswithout starting the engine. The following tableshows examples of which functions are availablein the respective modes.
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Battery drain
Your vehicle's electrical functions drain the bat-tery to varying extents.
Avoid using ignition mode II as much as posssi-ble, or electrical functions that require a greatdeal of electrical current when the engine is notrunning.
Using ignition mode I whenever possible con-sumes less electrical current.
Functions that require a great deal of electricalcurrent include:
•the climate system blower
•headlights
•wipers
•infotainment system (especially at high vol-ume).
If the battery's charge level is low, a text messagewill appear in the instrument panel. The vehicle'senergy-saving function will then turn off orreduce certain functions that are currently con-suming electrical current.
If the battery needs to be recharged, start theengine and let it idle for at least 15 minutes ordrive the vehicle (driving charges the batteryfaster than letting the engine idle).
Related information
•Ignition modes (p. 400)
Starting the engine
The engine can be started using the start knobon the tunnel console if there is a remote key inthe passenger compartment.
Start knob in the tunnel console between the front seats
WARNING
Before starting the engine:
•Fasten the seat belt.
•Check that the seat, steering wheel andmirrors are adjusted properly.
•Make sure the brake pedal can bedepressed completely. Adjust the seat ifnecessary.
To start the engine.
1.A remote key must be in the passenger com-partment. On models with the standardPassive Start, the key has to be in the frontsection of the passenger compartment. If thevehicle is equipped the optional PassiveEntry system (keyless locking/unlocking) thekey can be anywhere in the vehicle.
2.Press firmly on the brake pedal2.
3.Turn the start knob toward START andrelease it to start the engine.
> The starter motor will crank until theengine starts or its overheating protectionis triggered.
2If the vehicle is moving, it is only necessary to turn the start knob toward START to start the engine.
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Driving systems
The XC90 T8 Twin Engine Plug-in Hybrid is aparallel hybrid, which means that it has two sep-arate drive systems: an electric motor and a gas-oline engine. Depending on the drive modeselected and the amount of electric power avail-able in the hybrid battery, the two systems canbe used in tandem or separately.
Two drive systems
A control system coordinates both of the drivesystems to help optimize driving economy.
Hybrid battery
Gasoline engine
High voltage generator3
Electric motor
The gasoline engine and electric motor both gen-erate power directly to the wheels. The gasolineengine can also charge the hybrid battery using aspecial high-voltage generator.
Related information
•Drive modes (p. 420)
•Charging the hybrid battery (p. 413)
•General information about the XC90 T8 TwinEngine Plug-in Hybrid (p. 16)
•Parking climate (preconditioning) (p. 189)
Hybrid battery charging cable
The charging cable is used to recharge yourvehicle's hybrid battery. Only use the cable provi-ded with your vehicle or one purchased from aVolvo retailer.
The charging cable is stowed in a storage compartmentunder the cargo area floor
WARNING
Only use the charging cable provided withyour vehicle or a replacement cable pur-chased from a Volvo retailer.
3Combined generator and starter motor (Crank Integrated Starter Generator).