YOUR VOLVO
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Drive-E ‒ purer driving pleasure
Volvo is committed to the well-being of its customers. As a natural part of this commit-ment, we care about the environment inwhich we all live. Concern for the environ-ment means an everyday involvement inreducing our environmental impact.
Volvo's environmental activities are based on a holistic view, which means we consider theoverall environmental impact of a productthroughout its complete life cycle. In this con-text, design, production, product use, andrecycling are all important considerations. Inproduction, Volvo has partly or completelyphased out several chemicals including CFCs,lead chromates, asbestos, and cadmium; andreduced the number of chemicals used in ourplants 50% since 1991. Volvo was the first in the world to introduce into production a three-way catalytic converterwith a Lambda sond, now called the heatedoxygen sensor, in 1976. The current version ofthis highly efficient system reduces emissionsof harmful substances (CO, HC, NOx) from theexhaust pipe by approximately 95 - 99% andthe search to eliminate the remaining emis-sions continues. Volvo is the only automobilemanufacturer to offer CFC-free retrofit kits forthe air conditioning system of all models as farback as the 1975 model 240. Advanced elec-tronic engine controls and cleaner fuels arebringing us closer to our goal. In addition to continuous environmental refinement of con-ventional gasoline-powered internal combus-tion engines, Volvo is actively looking atadvanced technology alternative-fuel vehicles. When you drive a Volvo, you become our part- ner in the work to lessen the vehicle's impacton the environment. To reduce your vehicle'senvironmental impact, you can:
Maintain proper air pressure in your tires.Tests have shown decreased fuel econ-omy with improperly inflated tires.
Follow the recommended maintenanceschedule in your Warranty and ServiceRecords Information booklet.
Drive at a constant speed whenever possi-ble.
See a trained and qualified Volvo servicetechnician as soon as possible for inspec-tion if the check engine (malfunction indi-cator) light illuminates, or stays on afterthe vehicle has started.
Properly dispose of any vehicle-relatedwaste such as used motor oil, used batter-ies, brake pads, etc.
When cleaning your vehicle, please usegenuine Volvo car care products. All Volvocar care products are formulated to beenvironmentally friendly.
Twin Engine vehicles
If possible, precondition the vehicle withthe charging cable before driving.
If preconditioning is not possible in coldweather, use the seat and steering wheelheating primarily. Avoid heating the entirepassenger compartment, which reducesthe hybrid battery's charge level.
Choose the
Pure drive mode to help mini-
mize electric power consumption.
In hilly terrain, put the gear selector in mode
B to utilize the electric motor's
braking function when the acceleratorpedal is released. This helps charge thehybrid battery.
Related information
Economical driving (p. 429)
Starting and stopping preconditioning(p. 222)
The Owner's Manual and the environment(p. 23)
Air quality (p. 202)
STARTING AND DRIVING
408
Braking on salted roads
When driving on salted roads, a layer of salt may form on the brake discs and brake pads.
This could increase stopping distance. Main- tain an extra large safety distance to the vehi-cle ahead. Make sure to also:
Apply the brakes from time to time to helpremove salt. Make sure braking does notpose a risk to any other road users.
Gently apply the brakes when you havefinished driving and before driving again.
Related information
Brakes (p. 405)
Braking on wet roads (p. 407)
Maintenance of the brake system
Regularly check the brake system compo- nents for wear.
To keep the vehicle as safe and reliable as possible, follow the Volvo service schedulespecified in the Warranty and MaintenanceRecords Information booklet. After replacingbrake pads and brake discs, braking effect isnot adapted until they are "broken in" by driv-ing a few hundred kilometers (miles). Com-pensate for the reduced braking effect byapplying greater pressure to the brake pedal.Volvo recommends only using brake padsapproved for your Volvo.
CAUTION
The brake system's components should be regularly checked for wear. Contact a workshop for advice on how to do this or let a workshop perform theinspection - an authorized Volvo workshopis recommended.
Related information
Brakes (p. 405)
Parking brake
The parking brake helps keep the vehicle sta- tionary by mechanically locking two wheels.
The parking brake controls are located in the tunnel console between the seats.
When the electric parking brake is being applied, a faint sound can be heard from thebrake's electric motor. This sound can also beheard during the automatic function check ofthe parking brake. If the vehicle is stationary when the parking brake is activated, it will only be applied to therear wheels. If it is activated while the vehicleis moving, the normal brakes will be used onall four wheels. Braking will be transferred toonly the rear wheels when the vehicle isalmost stopped.
STARTING AND DRIVING
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411
Parking on a hillAlways use the parking brake when parking on a hill.
WARNING
Always apply the parking brake when park- ing on an incline. Selecting a gear or put-ting the automatic transmission in P may
not be sufficient to keep the vehicle sta-tionary in all situations.
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 pointingtoward
the curb.
Heavy load uphill
Heavy loads, such as a trailer, could cause the vehicle to roll backward when the parkingbrake is released automatically on steep uphillgradients. To help avoid this, pull the controlupward while you are driving away. Releasethe control when the vehicle gains traction.
Related information
Activating and deactivating the parkingbrake (p. 409)
Parking brake malfunction
If you are unable to deactivate or activate the parking brake after several attempts, contactan authorized Volvo workshop.
A audible warning signal will sound if the park- ing brake is activated while the vehicle isbeing driven. If the vehicle must be parked before the prob- lem is rectified, turn the wheels as when park-ing on an incline and put the gear selector inP .
Low battery charge levelIf the battery charge level is too low, it will notbe possible to activate or deactivate the park-ing brake. Connect an auxiliary battery to thevehicle if the battery is discharged.
Replacing brake padsDue to the design of the electric parkingbrake, the rear brake pads must be replacedby a workshop. An authorized Volvo workshopis recommended.
Symbols in the instrument panel
Symbol Meaning
A
B A flashing symbol indicates that a fault has been detected. Seethe message in the instrumentpanel.
A
BFault in the brake system. See the message in the instrumentpanel.
Information message in the instrument panel.
A
Canadian models.
B US models.