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Preparing for a long trip
It is important to have the vehicle's systems andequipment checked carefully before driving longdistances.
Check that:
the engine is running properly and that fuelconsumption is normal
there are no leaks (fuel, oil or other fluid)
the brake pedal is functioning optimally
all lights are working ‒ adjust the headlightheight if the vehicle is carrying a heavy load
tire tread depth and air pressure are at cor-rect levels. Change to snow tires when driv-ing in areas where there is a risk of snowy oricy roads
the start battery is sufficiently charged
the wiper blades are in good condition
Related information
Checking tire pressure (p. 563)
Filling washer fluid (p. 660)
Winter driving (p. 468)
Economical driving (p. 463)
Vehicle modem settings (p. 541)
Loading recommendations (p. 595)
Driving with a trailer (p. 479)
Pilot Assist (p. 310)
Speed limiter (p. 277)
Tire sealing system (p. 578)
Winter driving
It is important to check the vehicle before drivingin cold/snowy conditions to make sure it can bedriven safely.
Before the cold season arrives:
Make sure the engine coolant contains 50%antifreeze. This mixture helps protect theengine from frost erosion down toapprox. -35 °C (-31 °F). Do not mix differenttypes of antifreeze as this could pose ahealth risk.
Keep the fuel tank well filled to prevent con-densation from forming.
Check the viscosity of the engine oil. Oil withlow viscosity (thinner oil) improves cold-weather starting and reduces fuel consump-tion when driving with a cold engine.
CAUTION
Low-viscosity oil should not be used with harddriving or in hot weather.
Check the condition and charge level of thestart battery. Cold weather places greaterdemands on the start battery and reduces itscapacity.
Use washer fluid containing antifreeze tohelp prevent ice from forming in the washerfluid reservoir.
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Slippery driving conditions
For optimal traction and roadholding, Volvo rec-ommends using snow tires on all wheels when-ever there is a risk of snow or ice on the road.
NOTE
Certain countries require use of winter tiresby law. Not all countries permit the use ofstudded tires.
Practice driving on slippery surfaces under con-trolled conditions to learn how the vehicle reacts.
Related information
Snow tires (p. 577)
Snow chains (p. 577)
Braking on salted roads (p. 437)
Braking on wet roads (p. 437)
Filling washer fluid (p. 660)
Start battery (p. 625)
Replacing windshield wiper blades (p. 658)
Changing rear window wipers (p. 657)
Refilling coolant (p. 623)
Driving through standing water
Driving the vehicle through a deep pool of stand-ing water on a water-covered roadway is calledfording. This must be done with great caution.
To prevent damage to the vehicle when drivingthrough water (e.g. on flooded roads):
Do not drive in water higher than the floor ofthe vehicle. If possible, check the depth ofthe water at its deepest point before drivingthrough it. Be particularly careful when driv-ing through flowing water.
Always select the Off Road drive modebefore driving in water to ensure the gasolineengine is running.
Do not drive faster than walking speed.
Do not stop the vehicle in the water. Drivecarefully forward or back the vehicle out ofthe water.
Remember that waves created by passingvehicles could cause the water level to riseabove the vehicle's floor level.
Avoid driving through salt water to help avoidthe risk of corrosion.
CAUTION
Parts of the vehicle (e.g. engine, transmission,driveline, electrical components, etc.) can bedamaged if the vehicle is driven through waterhigher than its floor level. Damage to anycomponents caused by flooding, vapor lock orinsufficient oil is not covered under warranty.
If the engine stalls while the vehicle is inwater, do not attempt to restart it. Have thevehicle towed on the bed of a tow truck to aworkshop - an authorized Volvo workshop isrecommended.
CAUTION
Because it can be difficult to determine thewater depth, avoid driving through standing orrunning water.
When you have passed the water, press lightly onthe brake pedal and check that the brakes arefunctioning properly. Water, mud, slush, etc. canmake the brake linings slippery, resulting indelayed braking effect.
If the vehicle is equipped with a trailer couplingcontact, clean the contact after driving in water ormud.
Related information
Recovery (p. 485)
Low Speed Control (p. 460)
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Refueling
The fuel tank is equipped with a fuel filling sys-tem without a cover.
Refueling the vehicle at a service
station
Refueling is done as follows.
1.Turn off the engine and open the fuel fillerdoor.
NOTE
Refueling must be done within approximatelyseven minutes of opening the fuel filler door.After this time, the valve opened by pushingthe button for opening the fuel filler door willclose and it will no longer be possible torefuel without the pump's nozzle switching off.
If the valve is closed before refueling is com-plete - press the button again and wait untilthe driver display shows the message Fueltank Ready for refueling.
2. Select a fuel approved for use in the vehicle.For more information on approved fuels, seethe section on “Fuel”.
3.Insert the pump's nozzle into the fuel fillerpipe's opening. There are two flaps justinside the fuel filler pipe and the pump's noz-zle must push both of these flaps openbefore fuel can be added.
4. Avoid overfilling the tank. Do not press thehandle on the filler nozzle again after it hasinitially stopped pumping.
> The fuel tank is now filled.
NOTE
An over-full tank may overflow in hot weather.
CAUTION
Avoid spilling gasoline during refueling. Inaddition to causing damage to the environ-ment, gasolines containing alcohol can causedamage to painted surfaces, which may notbe covered under the New Vehicle LimitedWarranty.
Refueling from a fuel container
When filling from a fuel container, use the funnelprovided in a foam block under the floor hatch inthe cargo compartment.
1. Open the fuel filler door.
2. Insert the funnel into the fuel filler pipe'sopening. There are two flaps just inside thefuel filler pipe and the tube section of thefunnel must push both of these flaps openbefore fuel can be added.
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WARNING
California Proposition 65
Operating, servicing and maintaining a pas-senger vehicle can expose you to chemicalsincluding engine exhaust, carbon monoxide,phthalates, and lead, which are known to theState of California to cause cancer and birthdefects or other reproductive harm. To mini-mize exposure, avoid breathing exhaust, donot idle the engine except as necessary, serv-ice your vehicle in a well ventilated area andwear gloves or wash your hands frequentlywhen servicing your vehicle. For more infor-mation go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/passenger-vehicle.
Related information
Opening/closing the fuel filler door (p. 470)
Fuel (p. 472)
Fuel
Volvo recommends the use of detergent gaso-line to control engine deposits.
Deposit control gasoline (gasoline with
detergent additives)
Detergent gasoline is effective in keeping injec-tors and intake valves clean. Consistent use ofdeposit control gasolines will help ensure gooddriveability and fuel economy. If you are not surewhether the gasoline contains deposit controladditives, check with the service station operator.
NOTE
Volvo recommends not using external fuelinjector cleaning systems, e.g. do not adddetergent additives to gasoline before or afterrefueling.
Unleaded fuel
All Volvo vehicles have a three-way catalytic con-verter and must only use unleaded gasoline. USand Canadian regulations require that pumpsdelivering unleaded gasoline are labeled"UNLEADED". Only the nozzles of these pumpswill fit in your vehicle's fuel filler inlet. It is unlaw-ful to dispense leaded fuel into a vehicle labeled"unleaded gasoline only". Leaded gasoline dam-ages the three-way catalytic converter and theheated oxygen sensor system. Repeated use ofleaded gasoline will lessen the effectiveness of
the emission control system and could result inloss of emission warranty coverage. State andlocal vehicle inspection programs will makedetection of misfueling easier, possibly resultingin emission test failure for misfueled vehicles.
NOTE
Some U.S. and Canadian gasolines contain anoctane enhancing additive called methyl-cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl(MMT). If such fuels are used, your EmissionControl System performance may be affected,and the Check Engine Light (malfunctionindicator light) located on your instrumentpanel may light. If this occurs, please returnyour vehicle to a trained and qualified Volvoservice technician for service.
Gasoline containing alcohol and ethers,
"Oxygenated fuels"
Some fuel suppliers sell gasoline containing"oxygenates" which are usually alcohols orethers. In some areas, state or local laws requirethat the service pump be marked indicating useof alcohols or ethers. However, there are areas inwhich the pumps are unmarked. If you are notsure whether there is alcohol or ethers in thegasoline you buy, check with the service stationoperator. To meet seasonal air quality standards,some areas require the use of "oxygenated" fuel.
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Volvo permits the use of the following "oxygen-ated" fuels. However, the specified octane ratingsmust still be met.
Alcohol - Ethanol
Fuels containing up to 10% ethanol by volumemay be used. Ethanol may also be referred to asEthyl alcohol, or "Gasohol".
Ethers - MTBE/ETBE: Fuels containing up to22% MTBE/ETBE by volume may be used.
Methanol
Do not use gasolines containing methanol(methyl alcohol, wood alcohol). This practice canresult in vehicle performance deterioration andcan damage critical parts in the fuel system. Suchdamage may not be covered under the NewVehicle Limited Warranty.
Related information
Octane rating (p. 473)
Opening/closing the fuel filler door (p. 470)
Refueling (p. 471)
Emission controls (p. 475)
Octane rating
Volvo requires premium fuel (91 octane6 orhigher) for all T5, T6 and T8 engines, and rec-ommends AKI 93 for optimal performance andfuel economy. See decal examples in illustra-tions 1 and 2.
Minimum octane
Decals
Illustration 1: Sample fuel pump octane label6.
Illustration 2: Decal on the inside of the fuel filler flap onvehicles that require premium fuel7.
TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline
Volvo endorses the use of "TOP TIER DetergentGasoline" where available to help maintainengine performance and reliability. TOP TIERDetergent Gasoline meets a new standard jointlyestablished by leading automotive manufacturesto meet the needs of today's advanced engines.Qualifying gasoline retailers (stations) will, inmost cases, identify their gasoline as having metthe "TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline" standards.
NOTE
Information about TOP TIER Detergent Gaso-line is available at www.toptiergas.com.
6AKI (Anti Knock Index) is an average value of RON (Research Octane Number) and MON (Motor Octane Number) - (RON)+(MON)/27For supplementary information - see the car's Service and Warranty Booklet.
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NOTE
When switching to higher octane fuel orchanging gasoline brands, it may be neces-sary to fill the tank more than once before adifference in engine operation is noticeable.
Fuel Formulations
Do not use gasoline that contains lead or manga-nese as a knock inhibitor, and do not use leadadditives. Besides damaging the exhaust emis-sion control systems on your vehicle, lead hasbeen strongly linked to certain forms of cancer.
Many fuels contain benzene as a solvent.Unburned benzene has been strongly linked tocertain forms of cancer. If you live in an areawhere you must fill your own gas tank, take pre-cautions. These may include:
standing upwind away from the filler nozzlewhile refueling
refueling only at gas stations with vaporrecovery systems that fully seal the mouth ofthe filler neck during refueling
wearing neoprene gloves while handling afuel filler nozzle.
Use of Additives
With the exception of gas line antifreeze duringwinter months, do not add solvents, thickeners, or
other store-bought additives to your vehicle'sfuel, cooling, or lubricating systems. Overuse maydamage your engine, and some of these additivescontain organically volatile chemicals. Do notneedlessly expose yourself to these chemicals.
WARNING
Never carry a cell phone that is switched onwhile refueling your vehicle. If the phone rings,this may cause a spark that could ignite gaso-line fumes, resulting in fire and injury.
WARNING
Carbon monoxide is a poisonous, colorless,and odorless gas. It is present in all exhaustgases. If you ever smell exhaust fumes insidethe vehicle, make sure the passenger com-partment is ventilated, and immediately returnthe vehicle to a trained and qualified Volvoservice technician for correction.
Demanding driving
In demanding driving conditions, such as whentowing a trailer or driving in hot weather or forprolonged periods at high altitudes, it may be a
good idea to switch to a higher-octane fuel (AKI6
91 or higher) or to switch to another brand ofgasoline in order to fully utilize the vehicle'sengine capacity and optimize traction.
Related information
Fuel (p. 472)
Emission controls (p. 475)
6AKI (Anti Knock Index) is an average value of RON (Research Octane Number) and MON (Motor Octane Number) - (RON)+(MON)/2
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Emission controls
Three-way catalytic converter
Keep your engine properly tuned. Certainengine malfunctions, particularly involving theelectrical, fuel or distributor ignition systems,may cause unusually high three-way catalyticconverter temperatures. Do not continue tooperate your vehicle if you detect enginemisfire, noticeable loss of power or otherunusual operating conditions, such as engineoverheating or backfiring. A properly tunedengine will help avoid malfunctions thatcould damage the three-way catalytic con-verter.
Do not park your vehicle over combustiblematerials, such as grass or leaves, which cancome into contact with the hot exhaust sys-tem and cause such materials to ignite undercertain wind and weather conditions.
Excessive starter cranking (in excess of oneminute), or an intermittently firing or floodedengine can cause three-way catalytic con-verter or exhaust system overheating.
Remember that tampering or unauthorizedmodifications to the engine, the Engine Con-trol Module, or the vehicle may be illegal andcan cause three-way catalytic converter orexhaust system overheating. This includes:altering fuel injection settings or compo-nents, altering emission system components
or location or removing components, and/orrepeated use of leaded fuel.
NOTE
Unleaded fuel is required for vehicles withthree-way catalytic converters.
Heated oxygen sensors
The heated oxygen sensors monitor the oxygencontent of the exhaust gases. Readings are fedinto a control module that continuously monitorsengine functions and controls fuel injection. Theratio of fuel to air into the engine is continuouslyadjusted for efficient combustion to help reduceharmful emissions.
Related information
Octane rating (p. 473)
Fuel (p. 472)
Overheating of engine andtransmission
In demanding driving conditions, such as drivingin mountainous areas or hot weather, there is arisk of the engine or transmission overheating,especially when carrying heavy loads.
Engine power may be temporarily limited.
Remove any auxiliary lights mounted in frontof the grille when driving in hot weather.
If the temperature in the engine's coolingsystem becomes too high, a warning symbolwill appear in the instrument panel along withthe message Engine temperature Hightemperature Stop safely. Pull over to asafe location and let the engine idle for a fewminutes to cool down.
If the message Engine temperature Hightemperature Turn off engine or Enginecoolant Level low, turn off engine is dis-played, stop the vehicle and turn off theengine.
If the transmission begins to overheat, analternative gear shifting program will beselected. An integrated protective functionwill also be activated, the warning symbol willilluminate and the message Transmissionwarm Reduce speed to lowertemperature or Transmission hot Stopsafely, wait for cooling will be displayed inthe instrument panel. Follow the recommen-dations given by reducing speed or stopping
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the vehicle safely and letting the engine idlefor a few minutes to let the transmissioncool.
If the vehicle begins to overheat, the air con-ditioning may be temporarily switched off.
After a prolonged period of driving indemanding conditions, do not turn off theengine immediately after stopping.
NOTE
It is normal for the engine's cooling fan tooperate for a short time after the engine isswitched off.
Symbols in the instrument panel
SymbolMeaning
High engine temperature. Followthe recommendations provided.
Low coolant level. Follow the rec-ommendations provided.
Transmission hot/overheated/cool-ing. Follow the recommendationsprovided.
Related information
Refilling coolant (p. 623)
Driving with a trailer (p. 479)
Preparing for a long trip (p. 468)
Battery drain
The electrical functions in the vehicle drain thebattery to varying degrees. Avoid using ignitionmode II when the engine is switched off. Useignition mode I instead, as this uses less electri-cal current.
Note that certain accessories may also drainpower from the electrical system. Do not usefunctions that use a lot of electrical current whenthe engine is turned off. Examples of such func-tions are:
blower
headlights
windshield wipers
audio system (especially at high volume).
If the starter battery voltage is low, a message isshown in the driver display. The vehicle's energy-saving function will then turn off or reduce certainfunctions, such as the blower and/or the audiosystem.
–Charge the battery by starting the engineand let it run for at least 15 minutes (drivingcharges the battery faster than letting theengine idle).
Related information
Start battery (p. 625)
Ignition modes (p. 433)