2019 VOLVO XC90 TWIN ENGINE Owners Manual

STARTING AND DRIVING
}}
447
When shutting off
If the function is active and holding the
vehicle stationary using the normal
brakes (A symbol lit), the brake pedal
must be depressed while pressing the
button in order to deactivate Auto-hold.
The function will remain off until it is reactiva-
ted.
When Auto-hold is switched off, Hill Start
Assist (HSA) will remain active to help pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling backward when
starting up a hill.
Related information
Auto-hold brakes (p. 446) Hill Start Assist
The function for assisting when starting the vehi-
cle on inclines, Hill Start Assist (HSA), helps
prevent the vehicle from rolling backward when
starting on an uphill gradient. When backing up
a hill, HSA helps prevent the vehicle from rolling
forward.
The function retains pressure from the brake
pedal in the brake system for several seconds
after the brake pedal has been released.
This temporary braking effect is released after a
few seconds or when the driver begins driving.
Hill Start Assist is available even if the Auto-hold
brake function is switched off.
Related information
Auto-hold brakes (p. 446)
Brakes (p. 439) Braking assist after a collision
In a collision in which the activation level is
reached for the pyrotechnic seat belt tensioners
or airbags, or if a collision with a large animal is
detected, the vehicle's brakes will be automati-
cally activated. This function is intended to help
prevent or reduce the effects of any subsequent
collision.
After a serious collision, it may no longer be pos-
sible to control and steer the vehicle. In order to
avoid or mitigate a possible further collision with
a vehicle or an object in the vehicle's path, the
brake assist system is activated automatically to
help stop the vehicle safely.
The brake lights and hazard warning flashers are
activated during braking. When the vehicle has
stopped, the hazard warning flashers will con-
tinue to flash and the parking brake will be
applied.
If braking is not appropriate, e.g. if there is a risk
of being hit by passing traffic, the driver can over-
ride the system by depressing the accelerator
pedal.
This function assumes that the brake system is
intact after a collision.
Brake assist is part of the Rear Collision Warning
and Blind Spot Information safety systems.

||STARTING AND DRIVING
* Option/accessory.
448
Related information
Rear Collision Warning (p. 354)
BLIS* (p. 355)
Brake functions (p. 438) 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. 449)

STARTING AND DRIVING
}}
449
Gear selector positions for
automatic transmissions
In vehicles with an automatic transmission, the
system selects the optimal gear for the current
driving conditions. The transmission also has a
manual mode.
The instrument panel shows which gear is cur-
rently in use:
P
, R, N, D or B.
For manual shifting, the gear indicator in the
instrument panel displays the gear currently
being used (1-8).
Selecting gearsThe gear selector is a shift-by-wire selector,
where shifting is done electronically instead of
mechanically. This makes shifting easier and the
gear positions more distinct. Select gears by moving the spring-loaded, non-
locking gear selector forward or backward.
Gear selector positions
Park - P
Park is activated using the P button located next
to the gear selector. Select P when the vehicle is parked or when star-
ting the engine. The vehicle must be stationary
when Park is selected.
To move to another gear from Park, the brake
pedal must be depressed and the ignition in
mode II.
When parking – apply the parking brake before
shifting to Park.
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.
NOTE The gear selector must be in the P position
before the vehicle can be locked and the
alarm set.

||STARTING AND DRIVING
* Option/accessory.
450 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.
The system will not automatically shift to P if the
ignition is switched off while the gear selector is
in the neutral position (N). This is to make it pos-
sible to wash the vehicle in an automatic car
wash in which the vehicle is pulled forward on
rolling wheels.
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. 452)
Using the steering wheel paddles* to shift
(p. 451)
The kickdown function (p. 452)

STARTING AND DRIVING
* Option/accessory.451
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. 449)

STARTING AND DRIVING
452Shiftlock
The automatic transmission's shiftlock function
helps prevent inadvertently moving the gear
selector between different positions.
Automatic shiftlockThe automatic shiftlock has a separate safety
system.
From Park - P
To move to another gear from P (Park), the brake
pedal must be depressed and the ignition in
mode II.
From Neutral - N
If the gear selector is in N and the vehicle has
been stationary for at least 3 seconds (with or
without the engine running), the gear selector will
be locked in that position.
To move the gear selector from N to another
gear, the brake pedal must be depressed and the
ignition in mode II.
Messages in the instrument panelIf the gear selector is locked in position, a mes-
sage will appear in the instrument panel, e.g.
Gear lever Press brake pedal to activate
gear lever.
There is no mechanical shiftlock function.
Related information
Gear selector positions for automatic trans-
missions (p. 449) The kickdown function
Kickdown is used when maximum acceleration is
needed, e.g. when passing.
When the accelerator pedal is depressed all the
way to the floor (past the normal full accelerator
position), the transmission will automatically
engage kickdown, i.e. immediately shift down to a
lower gear.
If the accelerator pedal is released from the kick-
down position, the transmission will automatically
shift up again.
Safety function
The transmission control module is equipped with
a downshift protection feature to help prevent the
engine from overheating.
In some conditions, the transmission will prevent
downshifting/kickdown if this would lead to such
high engine speed (rpm) that the engine could
be damaged. If the driver still attempts downshift-
ing or kickdown at a high rpm, nothing will hap-
pen and the original gear will remain selected.
With kickdown, the vehicle can downshift one or
more steps at a time depending on the engine
speed. The vehicle upshifts when the engine rea-
ches its maximum rpm to prevent engine dam-
age.
Related information
Gear selector positions for automatic trans-
missions (p. 449) All Wheel Drive (AWD)
All-wheel drive, All Wheel Drive (AWD), also
called four-wheel drive, means that power is dis-
tributed to all four wheels, which improves trac-
tion.
The electric motor that powers the rear wheels
enables electronic all-wheel drive functionality.
All-wheel drive reacts differently depending on
which drive mode is selected.
Related information
Drive modes (p. 454)
Low Speed Control (p. 464)
Transmission (p. 448)

STARTING AND DRIVING
453
Drive systems
Volvo Twin Engine combines a combustion
engine for the front wheels and an electric motor
for the rear wheels.
Two drive systemsDepending on the selected drive mode and
power available in the electric motor, the drive
systems can either be used separately or in tan-
dem.
The electric motor gets its energy from a hybrid
battery located under the tunnel console. The
hybrid can be charged from a wall outlet or in a
special charging station. The combustion engine
can also charge the hybrid battery using a special
high-voltage generator.
Both the combustion engine and the electric
motor can generate power directly to the wheels.
An advanced control system coordinates both the
drive systems to help optimize driving economy. Hybrid battery - The hybrid battery's function
is to store electrical current. This energy is
provided by plugging the charging cable into
an electrical outlet, through regenerative
braking or from the high-voltage generator.
This provides current to power the electric
motor and to temporarily power the electrical
air conditioning to precondition the passen-
ger compartment.
Combustion engine - The combustion engine
starts when the charge level in the hybrid
battery is too low to provide the power output
requested by the driver.
High-voltage generator
2
- Charges the hybrid
battery. Starter for the combustion engine. Can provide the combustion engine with
extra electrical current. Electric motor - Powers the vehicle using
electricity. Can provide extra torque and
power during acceleration. Provides electrical
all-wheel drive functionality. Regenerates
braking energy into electrical current.
Related information

General information about Twin Engine
(p. 416)
Starting and stopping the combustion engine
in Twin Engine vehicles (p. 454)
Drive modes (p. 454)
Transmission (p. 448)
Factors affecting electric motor range
(p. 469) 2
CISG (Crank Integrated Starter Generator) - Combined high-voltage gene\
rator and starter.

STARTING AND DRIVING
* Option/accessory.
454 Starting and stopping the
combustion engine in Twin Engine
vehicles
An 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. When driving on only the electric
motor, the vehicle may automatically start the
combustion engine due to outside circumstan-
ces, e.g. low ambient temperatures. This is com-
pletely normal. The combustion engine will also
always start when the hybrid battery is nearly
fully discharged.
Climate settings at low temperaturesAt low ambient temperatures, the combustion
engine will sometimes start automatically to help
achieve the desired passenger compartment
temperature and air quality. The amount of time
the combustion engine is running can be affec-
ted by:
lowering the temperature
reducing blower speed
activating Pure drive mode.
Using the electric motor in hot or cold
weather
At very low or high ambient temperatures, the
electric motor's driving range and power may be
reduced and affect how often the combustion
engine automatically starts.
Emission control systemTo help ensure that the emission control system
functions optimally, the combustion engine will
run for several minutes after it is started. The
amount of time the combustion engine needs to
be used varies depending on the temperature of
the three-way catalytic converter.
WARNING California Proposition 65
Operating, servicing and maintaining a pas-
senger vehicle can expose you to chemicals
including engine exhaust, carbon monoxide,
phthalates, and lead, which are known to the
State of California to cause cancer and birth
defects or other reproductive harm. To mini-
mize exposure, avoid breathing exhaust, do
not idle the engine except as necessary, serv-
ice your vehicle in a well ventilated area and
wear gloves or wash your hands frequently
when servicing your vehicle. For more infor-
mation go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle.
Related information

Drive systems (p. 453)
Economical driving (p. 467)
Using the electric motor only (p. 469)
Drive modes (p. 454) 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.