2018 VOLVO XC90 TWIN ENGINE steering

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428
Mode
Functions
II •The headlights illuminate.
• Warning/indicator lights illumi-
nate for 5 seconds.
• A number of other systems are
activated. However, seat and rear
window heating can only be acti-
vated when the engine is running.
This ignition mode uses a lot of
current from the battery and
should be avoided whenever pos-
sible! A
Also activated when the door is opened.
Related information
• Starting the vehicle (p. 424)
• Adjusting the steering wheel (p. 199)
• Jump starting using another battery (p. 469)
• Selecting ignition mode (p. 428) Selecting ignition mode
The vehicle's ignition can be put in various
modes (levels) to make different functions availa-
ble.
Selecting an ignition mode Start knob in the tunnel console.
•
Ignition mode 0 - Unlock the vehicle and
keep the remote key in the passenger com-
partment.
NOTE To set level I or II without engine start – do
not depress the brake pedal (or clutch pedal
for vehicles with manual transmission) when
selecting this ignition mode. •
Ignition mode I - Turn the start knob clock-
wise and release it. The control will automati-
cally return to the original position.
• Ignition mode II - Turn the start knob clock-
wise and hold it there for approx. 5 seconds.
Release the knob, which will automatically
return to its original position.
• Back to ignition mode 0 - To return to igni-
tion mode 0 from mode I and II, turn the start
knob clockwise and release it. The control
will automatically return to the original posi-
tion.
Related information
• Starting the vehicle (p. 424)
• Switching off the vehicle (p. 426)
• Ignition modes (p. 427)
• Adjusting the steering wheel (p. 199)
• Jump starting using another battery (p. 469)

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429
Brake functions
The vehicle's brakes are used to reduce speed
or prevent the vehicle from rolling.
In addition to the wheel brakes and parking
brakes, the vehicle is also equipped with a num-
ber of automatic brake assist functions. These
systems help the driver by e.g. keeping the vehi-
cle stationary when the brake pedal is not
depressed (e.g. at a traffic light or intersection),
when starting up a hill or when driving down a hill.
Depending on how the vehicle is equipped, the
following brake assist functions may be included:
• Auto-hold brakes (Auto Hold)
• Hill Start Assist (Hill Start Assist)
• Braking assist after a collision
• City Safety
• Hill Descent Control (Hill Descent Control)
Related information
•Brakes (p. 429)
• Parking brake (p. 432)
• Auto-hold brakes (p. 436)
• Braking assist after a collision (p. 437)
• Hill Start Assist (p. 437)
• City Safety™ (p. 335)
• Hill Descent Control (p. 454) Brakes
The brake pedal is used to apply the vehicle's
regular brakes, which are part of the brake sys-
tem.
The vehicle is equipped with two brake circuits. If
one brake circuit is damaged, the brake pedal will
go down further when depressed. More pressure
will then be required from the driver for normal
braking effect.
WARNING
If the vehicle does not have electrical current
and both the electric motor and the gasoline
engine are switched off, the brakes cannot be
used to stop the vehicle.
In very hilly areas or when driving with a heavy
load, gear position B can be used to augment the
brakes with engine braking.
Use the Off Road drive mode to increase the
engine braking effect when driving on steep
downgrades at low speeds.
Anti-lock brakesThe vehicle is equipped with an Anti-lock Braking
System (ABS), which can help prevent the
wheels from locking and help maintain steering
control when braking. Vibrations may be felt from
the brake pedal when ABS is operating, which is
normal.
After the vehicle is started, a brief test of the
ABS system is automatically performed when the driver releases the brake pedal. An additional
automatic test of the system may be performed
when the vehicle is traveling at a low speed. Dur-
ing the test, the brake pedal may feel as though it
is pulsating.
Light braking charges the hybrid batteryWhen the brakes are applied lightly, the electric
motor braking function is used. This converts the
vehicle's kinetic energy into electrical energy,
which is used to charge the hybrid battery. When
the battery is being charged with the electric
motor braking function, this will be indicated in
the instrument panel.
When the battery is being charged with the electric
motor braking function, this will be indicated in the
instrument panel.
This function is active at speeds in the range of
150-5 km/h (93-3 mph). When braking at
speeds outside of this range, or during harder
braking, the hydraulic braking system is used to

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* Option/accessory.
438
Related information
• Rear Collision Warning (p. 347)
• BLIS* (p. 348)
• Brake functions (p. 429) Transmission
The transmission is part of the vehicle's driveline
(power transmission) between the engine and
the drive wheels. The function of the transmis-
sion is to change gears depending on speed
and power needs.
The vehicle has an 8-speed automatic transmis-
sion and an electric motor for rear-wheel drive.
The number of gears allows the engine's torque
and power band to be effectively utilized. Two of
the gears are overdrive gears that save fuel when
driving at a constant engine speed. The steering
wheel paddles* can be used to shift up or down
manually. The instrument panel shows the gear
currently in use.
CAUTION Check the operating temperature of the
transmission to help avoid damage to any of
the drive system components. If there is a risk
of overheating, a warning symbol will appear
in the instrument panel and a text message
will be displayed. Follow the recommenda-
tions given.
Symbols in the instrument panelIf a problem should occur with the transmission, a
symbol and a message will appear in the instru-
ment panel. Symbol
Meaning Information and messages related
to the transmission. Follow the rec-
ommendations provided.
Hot or overheated transmission.
Follow the recommendations provi-
ded.
Reduced performance/Acceler-
ation performance reduced
In the event of a temporary fault in
the driveline, the vehicle may go
into a "limp home" mode with
reduced power output to help avoid
damage to the driveline.
Related information
• Gear selector positions for automatic trans-
missions (p. 439)
• Gear indicator* (p. 442)

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* Option/accessory.
440 Help functions
The system will automatically shift to P:
• if the ignition is switched off while D or R is
selected.
• if the driver unbuckles the seat belt and
opens the driver's door while the vehicle is
running with the gear selector in a gear other
than P.
To park a vehicle with an unbuckled seat belt and
open door – end P mode by shifting to R or D
again.
Reverse - R
Select R when backing up. The vehicle must be
stationary when Reverse is selected.
Neutral - N
No gear is selected and the engine can be
started. Apply the parking brake if the vehicle is
stationary with the gear selector in N.
To move the gear selector from Neutral to
another gear, the brake pedal must be depressed
and the ignition in mode II.
D drive mode
D is the normal driving gear position. The trans-
mission shifts up or down automatically depend-
ing on acceleration and speed. The vehicle must
be stationary when the gear selector is moved
from R to D.
Brake - B
B can be selected at any time during a drive. In B
mode, the engine braking function is activated
when the accelerator pedal is released, which
helps charge the hybrid battery. This offers addi-
tional opportunities to recharge the hybrid bat-
tery, since the battery is charged even when the
brake pedal is not depressed. B mode in the instrument panel.
From B mode, it is possible to manually shift to
lower gears. The currently selected gear (1-8) will
be displayed in the instrument panel.
• Pull the gear selector backward once to shift
down one gear.
• Pull the gear selector backward again to shift
down to lower gears.
To shift manually to a higher gear, the vehicle
must be equipped with steering wheel paddles*. •
Push the gear selector forward to return to D
mode.
For smooth shifting and engine performance, the
transmission will shift down automatically if the
vehicle's speed becomes too low for the selected
gear.
Related information
• Shiftlock (p. 442)
• Using the steering wheel paddles* to shift
(p. 441)
• The kickdown function (p. 442)
• Gear indicator* (p. 442)

STARTING AND DRIVING
* Option/accessory.441
Using the steering wheel paddles*
to shift
The steering wheel paddles are a supplement to
the gear selector and make it possible to shift
manually without removing your hands from the
steering wheel.
Activating the steering wheel paddlesIn order to shift gears using the paddles, they
must first be activated:
– Pull one of the paddles toward the steering
wheel.
>

A number in the instrument panel indi-
cates the current gear being used. Instrument panel when the paddles are activated for
shifting.
ChangeTo shift one gear: –
Pull one of the paddles toward the steering
wheel and then release. "-": Shift down one gear.
"+": Shift up one gear.
As long as the engine speed (rpm) is within the
permissible range for the selected gear, a gear
shift will take place each time a paddle is pulled.
After each gear shift, a number indicating the
current gear will be displayed in the instrument
panel.
Turning off Start/Stop
Manual deactivation in gear D and B
– Deactivate the paddles by pulling the right
paddle (+) toward the steering wheel and
holding it until the number of the current
gear is no longer displayed in the instrument
panel.
> The transmission will revert to gear D or B
depending on which gear was selected
before the paddles were activated.
Automatic deactivation
In gear position D, the steering wheel paddles
are deactivated after a short period of time if they
are not used. The number of the current gear will
no longer be displayed in the instrument panel.
In gear position B, the paddles will not activate
automatically.
Related information
• Gear selector positions for automatic trans-
missions (p. 439)
• Gear indicator* (p. 442)

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* 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.

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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.

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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.