2017 VOLVO XC90 TWIN ENGINE HYBRID automatic transmission

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STARTING AND DRIVING
Starting and driving376
Brakes376
Brake functions378
Auto-hold brake function379
Brake assist system379
Braking effect after a collision380
Emergency brake lights380
Hill Descent Control (HDC)380
Hill Start Assist381
Parking brake382
Using the parking brake382
Parking brake malfunctions384
Before a long distance trip385
Driving economically385
Driving through standing water387
Overheating the engine and transmission387
Winter driving388
Towing eyelet389
Towing recommendations389
Fuel391
Octane rating392
Opening/closing the fuel filler door393
Emission controls394
Jump starting395

Driving with a trailer397
Detachable trailer hitch398
Trailer Stability Assist (TSA)399
Ignition modes400
Battery drain402
Starting the engine402
Turning the engine off404
Driving systems405
Hybrid battery charging cable405
Hybrid charging cable circuit breaker407
Hybrid-related symbols and messages408
Preparations for charging the hybridbattery410
Stopping hybrid battery charging411
Initiating hybrid battery charging412
Charging the hybrid battery413
Hybrid battery charge status415
Charger status indicators417
Hybrid battery charging current417
Long-term storage of a vehicle witha hybrid battery418
Using the electric motor in city driving419
Maintaining/increasing the hybridbattery's charge while driving420
Drive modes420

Automatic transmission424
Shiftlock424
Gear shift indicator425
Gear selector positions425
Steering wheel paddles*427
Low Speed Control (LSC)428
All Wheel Drive (AWD)429
Suspension and leveling control*429

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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397
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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STARTING AND DRIVING
404

NOTE
After a cold start, idle speed may be noticea-bly higher than normal for a short period. Thisis done to help bring components in theemission control system to their normal oper-ating temperature as quickly as possible,which enables them to control emissions andhelp reduce the vehicle's impact on the envi-ronment.

CAUTION
•When starting in cold weather, the auto-matic transmission may shift up at slightlyhigher engine speeds than normal untilthe automatic transmission fluid reachesnormal operating temperature.
•Do not race a cold engine immediatelyafter starting. Oil flow may not reachsome lubrication points fast enough toprevent engine damage.
•The engine should be idling when youmove the gear selector. Never accelerateuntil after you feel the transmissionengage. Accelerating immediately afterselecting a gear will cause harsh engage-ment and premature transmission wear.
•Selecting P or N when idling at a stand-still for prolonged periods of time will helpprevent overheating of the automatictransmission fluid.
Related information
•Ignition modes (p. 400)
•Turning the engine off (p. 404)
•Changing the remote key's battery (p. 235)
•Jump starting (p. 395)
Turning the engine off
The engine can be turned off using the startknob on the tunnel console.
Start knob in the tunnel console between the front seats
To turn off the engine:
–Turn the start knob toward STOP andrelease it to switch the engine off.
If the gear selector is in P or if the vehicle is mov-ing:
–Hold the knob in the STOP position until theengine stops.

Related information
•Starting the engine (p. 402)
•Ignition modes (p. 400)

STARTING AND DRIVING
* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.420
Maintaining/increasing the hybridbattery's charge while driving
In certain situations, it can be useful to controlthe hybrid battery's charge level while the vehicleis being driven. The hybrid battery functionsHold and Charge while driving are available inall drive modes.

The "Hold" and "Charge" function
buttons
These functions are activated from the centerdisplay's Function view.

Hold
Battery level sustained forlater use.
This function saves the hybridbattery's charge for use at alater time such as when drivingin an urban area or residentialneighborhood. Hold is available regardless of thehybrid battery's charge level.
The vehicle will function as in normal hybrid driv-ing and will use energy from e.g., regenerativebraking to support the gasoline engine.

Charge
Engine charges hybridbattery.
This function is only available when the hybridbattery's charge level is low and can recharge thebattery up to 33%, after which the Hold functionwill be activated automatically.
Symbol in the instrument panel
The symbol will appear in the instrumentpanel when either of these functions is activated.See also the article "Hybrid-related symbols andmessages" for additional information.

Related information
•Hybrid-related symbols and messages(p. 408)
•Drive modes (p. 420)
•Using the electric motor in city driving(p. 419)
•Driving economically (p. 385)
Drive modes
Selecting a drive mode affects the vehicle's driv-ing characteristics to help make driving moreenjoyable or easier in certain types of situations.
The following systems are adapted to help pro-vide the best vehicle performance in the respec-tive drive modes:
•Steering
•Engine/transmission/All Wheel Drive*
•Brakes
•Suspension control
•Instrument panel
•Climate system settings
Select the drive mode best suited to the currentdriving conditions.
Please be aware that not all modes can beselected in all driving situations. The selectedmode will be displayed in the instrument panel.

STARTING AND DRIVING
* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.424
Automatic transmission
The automatic transmission has 8 forward gearsand an electric motor that powers the rearwheels. Steering wheel paddles* make it possi-ble to shift manually. The gear indicator in theinstrument panel shows the gear currently beingused or gear shift mode.

CAUTION
The transmission

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STARTING AND DRIVING
426

Park – P
Park is activated using a switch located next tothe gear selector.
Select P when the vehicle is parked or when thestarting the engine. The vehicle must be station-ary when P is selected.
To select another gear, the ignition must be inmode II and the brake pedal must be depressed.
Help functions:
The system will automatically shift to P:
•If the ignition is switched off while D or R isselected.
•If the driver unbuckles the seat belt andopens the door while the engine is running ifP has not already been selected.
In position P, the transmission is mechanicallylocked. Always apply the parking brake when thevehicle is parked.

NOTE
The gear selector must be in the P positionbefore the vehicle can be locked and thealarm set.

WARNING
Always apply the parking brake when thevehicle is parked, particularly when parking ona hill. The transmission's P mode may not beable to keep the vehicle stationary if it isparked on an incline.

Reverse – R
The vehicle must be stationary before R can beselected.

Neutral – N
No gear is selected and the engine can bestarted. Always apply the parking brake if thevehicle is not moving and the gear selector is inthe N position.
The ignition must be in mode II and the brakepedal must be depressed before the gear selec-tor can be moved from N.
Drive – D
D is the normal driving position and gear shiftingis fully automatic. The vehicle must be stationarywhen the gear selector is moved from R to D.

STARTING AND DRIVING
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* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.427

Brake – B
B can be selected at any time during a drive. Inthis mode, the engine braking function is acti-vated when the accelerator pedal is released,which helps charge the hybrid battery. Thismeans that the hybrid battery is charged even ifthe brake pedal is not depressed.
B mode in the instrument panel
With B selected, manual shifting to lower gearsis possible. The gear indicator in the instrumentpanel shows the gear currently being used (1–8).
Each time the gear selector is pulled rearward,the transmission will shift down one gear.
In order to manually shift to higher gears, thevehicle must be equipped with steering wheelpaddles*.
•Press the gear selector forward to return toD mode.
For smooth shifting and engine performance, thetransmission will shift down automatically if thevehicle's speed becomes too low for the selectedgear.

Safety function
To help avoid excessive rpm that might causeengine damage, the transmission control modulehas a down-shift protection feature that in somesituations may prevent a down-shift or kickdown.
During kickdown, the transmission may shiftdown one or more gears, depending on theengine's rpm and will shift up again when max.rpm is reached for a specific gear.

Related information
•Steering wheel paddles* (p. 427)
•Shiftlock (p. 424)
•Gear shift indicator (p. 425)
Steering wheel paddles*
In addition to the manual gearshift function usingthe gear selector, the paddles make it possibleto manually shift gears from the steering wheel.
Activating the paddles
In order to shift gears with the paddles, they haveto first be activated. To do so:
–Pull either paddle toward the steering wheeland release it.
>A number in the instrument panel will indi-cate the current gear being used.
Instrument panel when the paddles are activated

Shifting
To shift one gear:
–Pull either paddle toward the steering wheeland release it.