2018 VOLVO XC90 TWIN ENGINE suspension

10
STARTING AND DRIVING
Starting the vehicle424
Switching off the vehicle426
Ignition modes427
Selecting ignition mode428
Brake functions429
Brakes429
Brake Assist System431
Braking on wet roads431
Braking on salted roads431
Maintenance of the brake system432
Parking brake432
Activating and deactivating the park-ing brake433
Settings for automatically activatingthe parking brake434
Parking on a hill434
Parking brake malfunction435
Auto-hold brakes436
Activating and deactivating Auto-hold at a standstill436
Hill Start Assist437
Braking assist after a collision437
Transmission438
Gear selector positions for automatictransmissions439

Using the steering wheel paddles* toshift441
Shiftlock442
The kickdown function442
Gear indicator*442
All Wheel Drive (AWD)443
Drive systems443
Starting and stopping the combus-tion engine in Twin Engine vehicles444
Drive modes445
Changing drive mode449
Leveling control* and suspension450
Leveling control settings*453
Low Speed Control453
Activating and deactivating LowSpeed Control using the function button454
Hill Descent Control454
Activating and deactivating HillDescent Control using the functionbutton
455
Economical driving456
Using the electric motor only457
Factors affecting electric motor range458
"Hold" and "Charge" functions459
Preparing for a long trip460
Winter driving461

Driving through standing water462
Opening/closing the fuel filler door462
Refueling463
Fuel464
Octane rating465
Emission controls467
Overheating of engine and transmission468
Battery drain469
Jump starting using another battery469
Detachable towbar*471
Driving with a trailer472
Trailer Stability Assist*474
Checking trailer lights475
Towing using a towline476
Attaching and removing the towing eyelet476
Recovery477
HomeLink®*478
Programming HomeLink®*479
Using HomeLink480
Type approval for HomeLink®*481
Compass481
Activating and deactivating the compass482
Calibrating the compass482

||DISPLAYS AND VOICE CONTROL
* Option/accessory.
136 Type of
setting
Description
Slider

Select a level for a function by
pressing and dragging the slider
control, e.g. to set volume level.
Informa-
tion dis-
play This is not an actual setting, but
instead displays information such
as the vehicle's VIN number.
Related information
•
Center display overview (p. 109) Table of settings in the center
display
The center display's Settings menu has a num-
ber of main categories and sub-categories that
contain settings and information for many of the
vehicle's features and functions.
There are seven main categories:
My Car,
Sound, Navigation, Media, Communication,
Climate and System.
Each category, in turn, contains a number of sub-
categories and possible settings. The table below
shows the first level of sub-categories. The possi-
ble settings for a function or an area are descri-
bed in more detail in their respective sections of
the Owner's Manual.
Some settings are personal, which means that
they can be saved to a Driver Profiles. Others
are global, which means that they are not linked
to a driver profile.
My Car Sub-categories
Displays
IntelliSafe
Drive Preferences/Individual Drive Mode*
Lights and Lighting
Mirrors and Convenience Sub-categories
Locking
Parking Brake and Suspension
Wipers
Sound
Sub-categories
Tone
Balance
System Volumes
Navigation
Sub-categories
Map
Route and Guidance
Traffic
Media
Sub-categories
AM/FM Radio
SiriusXM
SiriusXM Travel Link

||STARTING AND DRIVING
434
Deactivating automatically
1. Fasten your seat belt.
2. Depress the brake pedal firmly.
3. Start the vehicle.
4.
Move the gear selector to D or R and press
the accelerator pedal.
> The parking brake will release and the symbol in the instrument panel will go out.
NOTE When the vehicle is initially started, the park-
ing brake could disengage automatically even
if the driver's seat belt is not buckled.
Related information
•
Settings for automatically activating the park-
ing brake (p. 434)
• Parking brake malfunction (p. 435)
• Parking brake (p. 432)
• Parking on a hill (p. 434) Settings for automatically activating
the parking brake
Choose whether the parking brake should be
activated automatically when the vehicle is
switched off.
This selection is made in the Settings menu in
the center display.
1. Tap Settings in the Top view.
2.

Tap My Car Parking Brake and
Suspension and select or deselect the
Auto Activate Parking Brake function.
Related information
• Activating and deactivating the parking brake
(p. 433)
• Parking brake (p. 432) Parking on a hill
Always use the parking brake when parking on a
hill.
WARNING Always apply the parking brake when parking
on an incline. Selecting a gear or putting the
automatic transmission in P may not be suffi-
cient to keep the vehicle stationary in all sit-
uations.
If the vehicle is pointing uphill: • Turn the front wheels so they are pointing
away from the curb.
If the vehicle is pointing downhill:
• Turn the front wheels so they are pointing
toward the curb.
Heavy load uphill
Heavy loads, such as a trailer, could cause the
vehicle to roll backward when the parking brake
is released automatically on steep uphill gradi-
ents. To help avoid this, pull the control upward
while you are driving away. Release the control
when the vehicle gains traction.
Related information
• Activating and deactivating the parking brake
(p. 433)

STARTING AND DRIVING
}}
* Option/accessory. 445
Drive modes
Drive modes affect the vehicle's driving charac-
teristics in different ways to enhance and sim-
plify the driving experience in certain types of sit-
uations. Drive modes enable easy access to the vehicle's
many functions and settings in different driving
situations. The following systems are adapted to
help optimize driving characteristics in each drive
mode:
• Steering
• Engine/transmission/all-wheel drive
• Brakes
• Pneumatic suspension* and shock absorbers
• Instrument panel
• Climate control settings
Select the drive mode that is best suited to the
current driving conditions. Keep in mind that not
all drive modes are available in all situations.
Available drive modes
WARNING Keep in mind that the vehicle does not emit
any engine noise when using the electric
motor and may therefore be difficult to detect
for children, pedestrians, cyclists or animals.
This is particularly true at low speeds, e.g. in
parking lots.
WARNING
Do not leave the vehicle in an unventilated
area with a drive mode activated and the com-
bustion engine switched off. The engine will
start automatically if the charge level in the
hybrid battery is low and the resulting exhaust
gases can be very harmful to people and ani-
mals.
HYBRID
•
This is the default mode in which the electric
motor and combustion engine work together.
The vehicle starts in Hybrid mode. The control
system uses both the electric motor and the gas-
oline engine - separately or in tandem - and cal-
culates optimal utilization with regard to perform-
ance, fuel consumption and comfort. At high
speeds, ground clearance is automatically low-
ered 4
to reduce air resistance. Driving capacity on
the electric motor alone is determined by factors such as the hybrid battery's charge level, the
need for heat/cooling in the passenger compart-
ment, etc.
If there is sufficient charge in the battery, it is
possible to drive solely on electric power. When
the accelerator pedal is pressed, only the electric
motor will be activated until the battery reaches a
certain charge level. Above this level, the current
in the battery cannot supply the power requested
by the accelerator pedal and the combustion
engine will start.
When the hybrid battery's charge level is low, the
combustion engine will start more frequently to
save the remaining current in the battery. Charge
the hybrid battery from a 120-240 volt outlet
using a charging cable, or activate
Charge in
Function view to reset the option of only using
the electric motor.
This drive mode is designed for low energy con-
sumption with an optimized mix between the
electric motor and gasoline engine, without com-
promising on climate comfort or driving experi-
ence. When faster acceleration is requested by
the driver, the electric driveline will be utilized to
help provide maximum additional power. The
vehicle also monitors the driving conditions and
automatically engages all-wheel drive if neces-
sary. All-wheel drive and extra electric power are
always available regardless of the battery's
charging status. 4
For vehicles with pneumatic suspension.

||STARTING AND DRIVING
446
Information in the instrument panel
When driving in Hybrid mode, a hybrid gauge will
be displayed in the instrument panel. The gauge
will indicate the amount of electrical current
required when the driver depresses the accelera-
tor pedal. The marker between the lightning and
the drop shows how much current is available.
The instrument panel gauge when both the electric
motor and the combustion engine are being used.
The instrument panel also shows how
much current is being restored to the
battery (regenerated) during light brak-
ing.
PURE
•Uses the electric motor only, with the lowest
possible energy consumption and carbon
dioxide emissions. This drive mode maximizes the use of the hybrid
battery. Ground clearance is lowered
4
to reduce
air resistance and certain climate system func-
tions are reduced to provide the longest possible
driving distance using only electricity.
Pure mode is available when the hybrid battery is
sufficiently charged. Even in Pure mode, the com-
bustion engine will start if the charge level in the
battery gets too low. The combustion engine will
also start
• if the vehicle's speed goes above 125 km/h
(78 mph)
• if the driver requests more power than the
electric motor can provide
• if factors such as cold weather affect the
system or components.
This drive mode is optimized for maximum driving
distance with electric propulsion and is primarily
intended for use in city driving. Pure helps pro-
vide the lowest possible consumption even when
the hybrid battery is fully discharged. ECO climate
is activated to control the climate in the passen-
ger compartment, and in slippery road conditions
slightly more wheel spin may be permitted before
all-wheel drive is automatically activated.
ECO Climate
In Pure mode, ECO climate is automatically acti-
vated in the passenger compartment to help
reduce energy consumption.
NOTE When the
Pure drive mode is activated, set-
tings for certain climate system and electricity
consuming functions are reduced. Some of
these settings can be reset manually, but full
functionality will only be restored by leaving
Pure mode or adapting the Individual drive
mode to full climate system functionality. If condensation forms on the windows, tap the
max defroster button, which will function normally.
4
For vehicles with pneumatic suspension.

STARTING AND DRIVING
}}
447
OFF ROAD
• Maximizes the vehicle's ability to traverse dif-
ficult terrain or poor roads.
In this mode, ground clearance 4
is high, steering
is light, and all-wheel drive and Hill Descent
Control are activated.
This drive mode is only available at low speeds,
up to 40 km/h (25 mph). If this speed is excee-
ded, Off road mode will be cancelled and AWD
mode will be activated instead.
All-wheel drive requires both the combustion and
electric motor to be in continuous operation,
which results in higher fuel consumption.
In Off road mode, a compass will be displayed
between the speedometer and the tachometer in
the instrument panel. The permissible speed
range will be shown in the speedometer.
This drive mode is optimized for maximum control
when driving at low speeds on very poor roads or
difficult terrain. It raises the chassis 4
, reduces
driveline throttle response, and locks the vehicle
in all-wheel drive. The Hill Descent Control func-
tion facilitates controlled driving on steep down-
grades.NOTE This drive mode is not designed to be used
for normal street driving.
NOTE
Due to the increased ground clearance, if the
OFF ROAD mode was selected when the
engine was switched off, the suspension will
lower when the engine is restarted.
CAUTION
Do not use the OFF ROAD drive mode when
towing a trailer without an electrical connec-
tion. This could result in damage to the pneu-
matic suspension system's bellows.
AWD
•
Improves the vehicle's traction and handling
by increasing all-wheel drive.
This drive mode locks the vehicle in all-wheel
drive. An optimal distribution between front and
rear axle torque helps provide the best possible
control, stability and traction, e.g. on slippery
roads or when towing a heavy trailer or another
vehicle. The AWD drive mode is always available
regardless of the hybrid battery's charge status. Both the combustion engine and the electric
motor are engaged to enable all-wheel drive,
which results in higher fuel consumption.
In the other drive modes, the vehicle automati-
cally adapts the need for all-wheel drive accord-
ing to the road surface, and can activate the elec-
tric motor or start the combustion engine as nee-
ded.
POWER
•
Power mode is designed to provide sportier
driving characteristics and a faster accelera-
tion response.
This drive mode maximizes the combined power
from the combustion engine and the electric
motor by providing power to both the front and
rear wheels. Gear shifting will be faster and more
distinct and the transmission will prioritize gears
with a higher traction force. Steering response is
faster, suspension is stiffer and ground clearance
is lower 4
to help reduce body roll when cornering.
Both the combustion engine and the electric
motor are engaged to enable all-wheel drive,
which results in higher fuel consumption.
This drive mode is optimized for maximum per-
formance and throttle response. It changes the
throttle response, gear shifting program and
turbo boost system. Chassis settings and steer-
ing and brake response are also optimized. The
Power drive mode is always available regardless
of the hybrid battery's charge status. 4
For vehicles with pneumatic suspension.

||STARTING AND DRIVING
448
INDIVIDUAL
•
Customizes drive mode to personal preferen-
ces.
Select one of the drive modes as a basis and
adjust the settings to achieve your preferred driv-
ing characteristics. These settings will be stored
in your driver profile.
Individual drive mode is only available if it has
been activated in the center display. Settings view
5
for Individual drive mode.
1. Tap Settings in the Top view.
2.

Tap My Car Individual Drive Mode
and
select Individual Drive Mode. 3.
Under Presets, select one of the following
drive modes as a basis: Pure, Hybrid or Power.
The following settings can be modified:
• Driver Display
• Steering force
• Powertrain Characteristics
• Brake Characteristics
• Suspension Control
• ECO Climate.
Using the combustion engineAn advanced control system determines the dis-
tance that the vehicle can be driven on the com-
bustion engine, electric motor, or both at the
same time.
Its primary function is to use the motor/engine
and the current available in the hybrid battery as
efficiently as possible based on the characteris-
tics of the various drive modes and the power
output requested by the driver by pressing the
accelerator pedal.
In certain cases, temporary limitations in the sys-
tem or mandatory functions to help maintain a
low overall emissions level may result in greater
use of the combustion engine. 5
The image is schematic and the details may vary depending on vehicle mod\
el or software update.

STARTING AND DRIVING
* Option/accessory.
450 Leveling control* and suspension
The vehicle's leveling control system adjusts the
suspension and shock absorbers automatically
to help provide good comfort and control while
driving. Leveling can also be controlled manually
to facilitate loading or getting in and out of the
vehicle.
Pneumatic suspension and shock
absorbers
The system is adapted to the selected drive
mode and vehicle speed. The pneumatic suspen-
sion reduces the vehicle's ground clearance at
higher speeds to reduce air resistance and
increase stability. The shock absorbers are nor-
mally set to provide the best possible comfort and are adjusted continuously according to the
road surface and the vehicle's acceleration, brak-
ing and cornering.
The instrument panel indicates
when the suspension level is
being adjusted. The level cannot be adjusted when any of the
side doors or the tailgate is open.
ParkingWhen parking, make sure that there is adequate
space above and below the vehicle since ground
clearance may vary depending on e.g. ambient
temperature, how the vehicle is loaded, if loading
mode is used, which drive mode is selected after
the engine is started, etc.
The level may also be adjusted a period after the
vehicle is parked. This is to compensate for any
height changes that may occur due to tempera-
ture changes in the air springs when the vehicle
cools.
TransportingWhen transporting the vehicle on a ferry, train or
truck, only secure (lash) the vehicle around the
tires, not using any other parts of the chassis.
Changes in the pneumatic suspension may occur
during transport, which could adversely affect the
lashing and result in damage.