2017 VOLVO XC90 TWIN ENGINE HYBRID check engine

STARTING AND DRIVING
* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.376
Starting and driving
The vehicle is equipped with an automatic trans-mission that also makes it possible to shift gearsmanually.
Certain functions can also be used when theengine is not running, depending on the ignitionmode being used.

Related information
•Starting the engine (p. 402)
•Ignition modes (p. 400)
•Automatic transmission (p. 424)
•Opening/closing the fuel filler door (p. 393)
•Parking brake (p. 382)
Brakes
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.
Brake system
If one of the brake circuits is not functioning,more pressure will be needed on the brake pedal(and the pedal will go down farther) for normalbraking effect.
If the brake pedal must be depressed fartherthan normal and requires greater foot pressure,the stopping distance will be longer.
Pressure on the brake pedal is enhanced by thepower braking function.

WARNING
If the vehicle does not have electrical currentand both the electric motor and gasolineengine are switched off, the brakes cannot beused to stop the vehicle.
When the Hill Start Assist function is being used,it will take slightly longer for the brake pedal toreturn to its normal position if the vehicle isparked on an incline or uneven surface.
When driving in very hilly areas or if the vehicle iscarrying a heavy load, using brake mode B toaugment the brakes or the Off Road* drive
mode can also be used on steep downgrades toincrease the engine braking effect at low speeds.
Anti-lock Braking System ABS
The ABS system helps to improve vehicle control(stopping and steering) during severe brakingconditions by limiting brake lockup.
When ABS is operating, there may be somevibration in the brake pedal, which is normal.
The system performs a brief self-diagnostic testwhen 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.

Function check when the engine is
started
A Plug-in Hybrid is equipped with a "brake bywire" brake system. A function check is per-formed each time the engine is started and thedriver depresses the brake pedal to move thegear selector from P.
In certain cases, a message may appear in theinstrument panel saying that pressure on thebrake pedal is too low. Press harder on the pedal.

Light braking charges the hybrid battery
When the brakes are applied lightly, the electricmotor's braking function is used, which converts

STARTING AND DRIVING
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* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.377
kinetic energy into electricity that is used tocharge the hybrid battery. This is indicated in theinstrument panel, see also the article "Generalinformation about the XC90 T8 Twin EnginePlug-in Hybrid".
Battery charging gauge in the instrument panel
This function is active at speeds from approx.90 mph (150 km/h) down to 3 mph (5 km/h).When braking at speeds outside of this range orduring harder braking, the hydraulic brake systemis used.

Cleaning the brake discs
Coatings of dirt and water on the brake discsmay result in delayed brake function. This delay isminimized by cleaning the brake linings.
Cleaning the brake pads is advisable in wetweather, prior to long-term parking, and after thevehicle has been washed. Do this by braking gen-tly for a short period while the vehicle is moving.
Driving on wet or salted roads
Prolonged driving on wet or salted roads canaffect brake function and increase stopping dis-tance. Be sure to keep a safe distance to thevehicle ahead when driving under these condi-tions.

Brake pad inspection
On vehicles equipped with a jack*, the conditionof the brake pads can be checked by raising thevehicle and performing a visual inspection of thebrake pads.

WARNING
•If the vehicle has been driven immediatelyprior 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 gearselector in the Park (P) position.
•Block the wheels standing on the ground,use rigid wooden blocks or large stones.
WARNING
•Use the jack intended for the vehiclewhen changing a tire. For any other job,use stands to support the vehicle.
•The jack should be kept well-greased andclean, and should not be damaged.
•Be sure the jack is on a firm, level, non-slippery surface.
•No objects should be placed between thebase of jack and the ground, or betweenthe jack and the attachment bar on thevehicle.
•The jack must correctly engage the jackattachment.
•Never allow any part of your body to beextended under a vehicle supported by ajack.

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STARTING AND DRIVING
* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.378

Instrument panel symbols
SymbolExplanation
A
B
Red symbol: Check the brake fluidlevel. If the level is low, top up andhave the system inspected todetermine the cause of the loss offluid.
Yellow symbol: there is a fault inthe brake pedal sensor.
A
B
Steady glow for more than2 seconds: there is a fault in theABS system. The normal brakesystem will still function but with-out ABS brake modulation.
If Brake pedalCharacteristicschanged Service required isdisplayed, the Brake-by-Wire sys-tem is not functioning properly.The brake pedal must be pressedfarther down and with more pres-sure for braking effect.
AUS modelsBCanadian models

WARNING
If both symbols illuminate at the same timeand the brake level is below the MIN mark inthe reservoir or if a brake system-related mes-sage is shown in the instrument panel: DONOT DRIVE. Have the vehicle towed to atrained and qualified Volvo service technicianand have the brake system inspected.
If both symbols illuminate at the same timeand the brake level is normal (not below theMIN mark in the reservoir) or if a brake sys-tem-related message is shown in the instru-ment panel: drive the vehicle carefully to anauthorized Volvo workshop and have thebrake system inspected by a trained andqualified Volvo service technician.

Related information
•Brake functions (p. 378)
•Brake assist system (p. 379)
•Emergency brake lights (p. 380)
•General information about the XC90 T8 TwinEngine Plug-in Hybrid (p. 16)
Brake functions
The vehicle's standard braking features are aug-mented by a number of auxiliary help functions.
In addition to the wheel brakes and the parkingbrake, the vehicle is equipped with several auto-matic brake assist functions. These systems helpthe driver by e.g., keeping the vehicle stationarywhen the brake pedal is not depressed (at a traf-fic light or intersection), when starting up a hill orwhen driving down a hill.
These systems include:
•Auto-hold brakes
•Hill Start Assist
•Braking assist after a collision
•Hill Descent Control*

Related information
•Brakes (p. 376)
•Parking brake (p. 382)
•Hill Descent Control (HDC) (p. 380)
•Auto-hold brake function (p. 379)

STARTING AND DRIVING
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385
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)

STARTING AND DRIVING
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387
Driving through standing water
The vehicle should be driven with extreme cau-tion if it is necessary to drive through standingwater.
The vehicle can be driven through water up to adepth approximately level with the floor at walk-ing speed to help prevent water from enteringthe differential and/or the transmission or dam-aging electrical components.
•If possible, check the depth of the waterbefore driving through it. Take particular carewhen driving through flowing water.
•Before driving through water, always selectthe Off Road drive mode to ensure that thegasoline engine is running and to maximizeground clearance.
•After driving through water, apply the brakesand check that they are functioning correctly.
•Clean the electrical connections for trailerwiring after driving in mud or water.
•When driving through water, maintain lowspeed and do not stop in the water.

CAUTION
•Damage may occur to the engine, trans-mission, electrical components, etc. if thevehicle is driven through water higherthan its floor level. Be aware that wavescreated by other vehicles could cause thelevel to temporarily be above the vehicle'sfloor level.
•Damage to any components due to waterabove the floor level, vapor lock or insuffi-cient oil is not covered under warranty.
•If the engine has been stopped while thevehicle is in water, do not attempt torestart it. Have the vehicle towed out ofthe water and inspected by a trained andqualified Volvo service technician.

WARNING
•Avoid driving through standing or rushingwater. Doing so can be dangerous and itmay also be difficult to determine theactual depth of the water.
•If water cannot be avoided, after drivingthrough the water, press lightly on thebrake pedal to ensure that the brakes arefunctioning normally. Water or mud canmake the brake linings slippery, resultingin delayed braking effect.

Related information
•Towing recommendations (p. 389)
Overheating the engine andtransmission
In demanding driving conditions, such as whentransporting heavy loads, driving in mountainousareas or in very hot weather there is a risk ofoverheating the engine or transmission.
•The engine's output may be slightly limited ifthere is a risk of overheating.
•Remove e.g., auxiliary lights mounted in frontof the grille in hot weather.
•If the temperature of the engine coolantbecomes too high, the warning symbol willilluminate and the message Enginetemperature/Stop safely will be displayed.Stop the vehicle as soon as possible in asafe place and let the engine idle for severalminutes.
•If the message Engine temperature/Hightemperature Turn off engine or Enginecoolant/Stop safely is displayed, stopsafely and turn off the engine.
•If the transmission begins to overheat, analternative gear shifting program will beselected. An integrated protective functionwill also by activated, the warning symbol willilluminate and the message TransmissionwarmHigh temperature Reduce speedor Transmission warmStop safely, waitfor cooling will be displayed in the instru-ment panel.

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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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389
Towing eyelet
When used, the towing eyelet should always besecurely attached in the openings on the rightside of the front and rear bumpers. There arecovers over these attachment points.

Using the towing eyelet
Take out the towing eyelet, which is storedunder the floor in the cargo compartment.
Remove the cover by pressing the mark witha finger and folding out the opposite side/corner with a coin, small screwdriver, etc.
>The cover turns along its center line andthen be removed.
3. Screw the towing eyelet into place, first byhand and then using the tire iron, etc. until ithas been screwed in as far as possible.
After use, the eyelet should be removed andreturned to its storage location.
Reinsert the cover into the bumper.

Related information
•Towing recommendations (p. 389)
Towing recommendations
Always check with state and local authoritiesbefore attempting to tow another vehiclebecause this type of towing is subject to regula-tions regarding maximum towing speed, lengthand type of towing device, lighting, etc.
Towing your vehicle behind another
vehicle
The XC90 T8 Twin Engine Plug-in Hybrid maynot be towed behind another vehicle. Doing sowould damage the electric motor and the three-way catalytic converter. If the vehicle cannot bedriven and must be moved, it must be lifted ontoa flat-bed tow truck.
If the XC90 T8 Twin Engine Plug-in Hybrid is totow (pull) another vehicle, select the AWD drivemode. This helps charge the hybrid battery andimproves the vehicle's road holding characteris-tics.