INTRODUCTION
20
Volvo and the environment
Volvo is committed to the well-being of its cus-tomers. As a natural part of this commitment, wecare about the environment in which we all live.Concern for the environment means an everydayinvolvement in reducing our environmentalimpact.
Volvo's environmental activities are based on aholistic view, which means we consider the over-all environmental impact of a product throughoutits complete life cycle. In this context, design, pro-duction, product use, and recycling are all impor-tant considerations. In production, Volvo haspartly or completely phased out several chemicalsincluding CFCs, lead chromates, asbestos, andcadmium; and reduced the number of chemicalsused in our plants 50% since 1991.
Volvo was the first in the world to introduce intoproduction a three-way catalytic converter with aLambda sond, now called the heated oxygen sen-sor, in 1976. The current version of this highlyefficient system reduces emissions of harmfulsubstances (CO, HC, NOx) from the exhaust pipeby approximately 95 – 99% and the search toeliminate the remaining emissions continues.Volvo is the only automobile manufacturer tooffer CFC-free retrofit kits for the air conditioningsystem of all models as far back as the 1975model 240. Advanced electronic engine controlsand cleaner fuels are bringing us closer to ourgoal. In addition to continuous environmental
refinement of conventional gasoline-poweredinternal combustion engines, Volvo is activelylooking at advanced technology alternative-fuelvehicles.
When you drive a Volvo, you become our partnerin the work to lessen the car's impact on theenvironment. To reduce your vehicle's environ-mental impact, you can:
•Maintain proper air pressure in your tires.Tests have shown decreased fuel economywith improperly inflated tires.
•Follow the recommended maintenanceschedule in your Warranty and ServiceRecords Information booklet.
•Drive at a constant speed whenever possible.
•See a trained and qualified Volvo servicetechnician as soon as possible for inspectionif the check engine (malfunction indicator)light illuminates, or stays on after the vehiclehas started.
•Properly dispose of any vehicle-related wastesuch as used motor oil, used batteries, brakepads, etc.
•When cleaning your vehicle, please use gen-uine Volvo car care products. All Volvo carcare products are formulated to be environ-mentally friendly.
Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine Plug-in
Hybrid
•If possible, precondition the vehicle with thecharging cable before driving.
•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.
•Choose the Pure drive mode to help mini-mize electric power consumption.
•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.
Related information
•Driving economically (p. 385)
MAINTENANCE AND SERVICING
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* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.547
Refilling the windshield washer fluidreservoir
Washer fluid helps keep the windshield andheadlights clean.
The windshield and headlight washers* share acommon reservoir. Open the blue cap to refillwasher fluid (see the illustration for the locationof the reservoir).
During cold weather, the reservoir should be filledwith windshield washer solvent containing anti-freeze. Use Volvo Original Washer Fluid or theequivalent with a recommended pH valuebetween 6 and 8 in a 1:1 solution.
When there is approx. 1 qt (1 liter) of washerfluid remaining in the reservoir, a text message
and the symbol will be displayed in theinstrument panel.
Related information
•Opening and closing the hood (p. 539)
•Engine compartment overview (p. 540)
Cleaning the exterior
The vehicle should be washed at regular inter-vals since dirt, dust, insects and tar spotsadhere to the paint and may cause damage. Tohelp prevent corrosion, it is particularly importantto wash the car frequently in the wintertime.
Hand washing
The following points should be kept in mind whenwashing and cleaning the car:
CAUTION
Avoid using car washing detergents with a pHvalue lower than 3.5 or higher than 11.5.Doing so could result in discoloring of ano-dized aluminum surfaces on e.g., roof rails orthe frames around the side windows.
•Avoid washing your car in direct sunlight.Doing so may cause detergents and wax todry out and become abrasive. To avoidscratching, use lukewarm water to soften thedirt before you wash with a soft sponge, andplenty of sudsy water.
•Bird droppings: Remove from paintwork assoon as possible. Otherwise the finish maybe permanently damaged.
•A car washing detergent can be used tofacilitate the softening of dirt and oil.
MAINTENANCE AND SERVICING
* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.550
Cleaning the interior
Only use cleaning agents and car care productsrecommended by Volvo. Clean regularly and fol-low the instructions included with the car careproduct.
CAUTION
•Under no circumstances should gasoline,naphtha or similar cleaning agents beused on the plastic or the leather sincethese can cause damage.
•Take extra care when removing stainssuch as ink or lipstick since the coloringcan spread.
•Use solvents sparingly. Too much solventcan damage the seat padding.
•Start from the outside of the stain andwork toward the center.
•Sharp objects (e.g. pencils or pens in apocket) or Velcro fasteners on clothingmay damage the textile upholstery.
•Clothing that is not colorfast, such asnew jeans or suede garments, may stainthe upholstery.
Fabric upholstery and ceiling liner
Clean with soapy water or a detergent. For moredifficult spots caused by oil, ice cream, shoe pol-ish, grease, etc., use a clothing/fabric stainremover. Consult your Volvo retailer.
Leather * care
Volvo's leather upholstery is manufactured with aprotectant to repel soiling. Over time, sunlight,grease and dirt can break down the protection.Staining, cracking, scuffing, and fading can result.
Volvo offers an easy-to-use, non-greasy leathercare kit formulated to clean and beautify yourvehicle's leather, and to renew the protectivequalities of its finish. The cleaner removes dirtand oil buildup. The light cream protectantrestores a barrier against soil and sunlight.
Volvo also offers a special leather softener thatshould be applied after the cleaner and protec-tant. It leaves leather soft and smooth, andreduces friction between leather and other fin-ishes in the vehicle.
Volvo recommends cleaning, protecting and con-ditioning your vehicle's leather two to four times ayear. Ask your Volvo retailer about Leather CareKit 951 0251 and Leather Softener 943 7429.
Cleaning leather upholstery
1. Pour leather cleaner on a damp sponge andsqueeze it until the cleaner foams.
2. Apply the foam to the stain by moving thesponge with circular movements.
3. Dampen the stain thoroughly with thesponge. Let the sponge absorb the stain, donot rub.
4. Dry the stain with soft paper towels or atowel, and allow the leather to dry completely.
Protecting leather upholstery
1. Put a small amount of protectant cream on acloth and apply a thin coating of cream to theupholstery with light circular movements.
2. Allow the leather to dry for 20 minutes.
This will help the leather resist staining and pro-tect against sunlight's harmful UV rays.
Cleaning a leather-covered steering
wheel
•Remove soil, dust, etc., with a damp spongeand a neutral soap solution.
•Leather should be allowed to breath. Nevercover the steering wheel with a plastic pro-tector.
•Volvo recommends cleaning, protecting andconditioning the steering wheel with Volvo'sLeather Care Kit 951 0251 and LeatherSoftener 943 7429.
If there are stains on the steering wheel:
Type 1 (ink, wine, coffee, milk, sweat or blood)
–Use a soft cloth or sponge. Wipe the wheelwith a solution with 5% ammonia. For bloodstains, mix approx. 1 cup (2 dl) of water andone ounce (25g) of salt and wipe the stain.
Type 2 (fat, oil, sauces, or chocolate)
1.Same procedure as for type I stains.