warning VOLVO S90 1998 User Guide

1998 Volvo S90
shoulder (see illustration). The
shoulder belt must never be placed
behind the child's back or under the
arm. To fold down the booster
cushion:
l Pull the upper edge of the
cushion down
l Fold up the backrest

To fold up the booster
cushion:
l Fold down the booster
cushion backrest
l Fold up the entire booster
cushion unit
Integrated booster cushion (optional)

Volvo's own integrated booster cushion has
been specially designed to help safeguard a
child seated in the center position of the rear
seat. When using the integrated booster
cushion, the child must be secured with the
vehicle's three-point seat belt. The booster
cushion is approved for children weighing
between 22.7 and 36 kg (50 and 80 lbs) and
between 117 and 137 cm (46 and 54 in ) in
height. It is not intended for children under
3 years of age. WARNING! Failure to follow
the instructions on this page will
increase the risk of your child
being injured during a sudden
stop or collision.
In the event of a collision while
the integrated booster cushion
was occupied, the entire booster
cushion and center seat belt must
be replaced. The booster cushion
should also be replaced if it is
badly worn or damaged in any
way. This work should be
performed by an authorized
Volvo retailer only. The booster
cushion should be cleaned while
in place in the vehicle if
possible. If not, please consult
your Volvo retailer. Auxiliary seat (optional)

If all the seats are occupied, a rear-facing
auxiliary seat in the cargo area of the
wagon models can be used. This seat is
designed for two children, each weighing
between 23 - 40 kg (50 - 88 lbs.) and up
to 150 cm (59 inches) in height.


WARNING! Both rear seat backrests
must be up when the auxiliary seat is
being used.
Do not use a booster cushion or child
seat in conjunction with the auxiliary
seat.
Child Safety (cont.) pg. 11
The lap section of the seat belt cannot
be loosened as long as the red lock
button is in the right position.
The lap section of the seat belt can be
adjusted when the lock button is in the
left position (see illustration B).
NOTE: Before exiting the car, check
that the seat belt retracts fully after
being unbuckled. If necessary, guide
the belt back into the retractor slot.
When not in use, the child restraint Important!
Why Volvo believes no child should
sit in the front seat of a car.
It's quite simple really. A front air bag
is a very powerful device designed, by
law, to help protect an adult. Because of
the size of the air bag and its speed of
inflation, a child should never be placed
in the front seat, even if he or she is
properly belted or strapped into a child
safety seat. Volvo has been an
innovator in safety for over fifty years,
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1998 Volvo S90


Keeping child seats in place (spool-
out)

To make child restraint installation easier,
each seat belt buckle (except for the driver's
belt) is equipped with a locking mechanism
to help keep the lap section of the seat belt
taut.
When attaching the seat belt to a child
restraint:
l Make sure the red lock button is
moved to the right (see illustration
A). A coin, etc. can be used to move
the button.
l Attach the seat belt to the child
restraint according to the child
restraint manufacturer's instructions.
l Pull the lap section of the seat belt
taut.
should be secured with the seat belt to
help prevent movement during a
sudden stop.
WARNING! Do not use child
safety seats or child booster
cushions/backrests in the front
passenger's seat. We also
recommend that children who have
outgrown these devices sit in the
rear seat with the seat belt properly
fastened. and we'll continue to do our part. But
we need your help. Please remember to
put your children in the back seat, and
buckle them up.
Volvo has some very specific
recommendations:
l Always wear your seat belt.
l Air bags are a
SUPPLEMENTAL safety device
which when used in conjunction
with a three-point seat belt can
help reduce serious injuries
during certain types of severe
accidents. Please do not
disconnect the air bag system in
your vehicle.
l Volvo strongly recommends that
ALL children sit in the rear seat
of any vehicle and that they be
properly restrained.
l A child should NEVER sit in the
front passenger sit of any vehicle
equipped with a front passenger
side air bag.
l Volvo recommends that ALL
occupants (adults and children)
shorter than four feet seven
inches (140 cm) be seated in the
back seat of any vehicle with a
front passenger side air bag.

Drive safely!
Child Safety (cont.) pg. 12
Child safety

Volvo recommends the proper use of
restraint systems for all occupants
including children. Remember that,
regardless of age and size, a child should
always be properly restrained in a car.
Restraint systems for children are
designed to be secured in the vehicle by
lap belts or the lap portion of a lap-
shoulder belt. Such child restraint
systems can help protect children in cars
in the event of an accident only if they
Recent accident statistics have shown
that children are safer in rear seating
positions than front seating positions
when properly restrained. A child
restraint system can help protect a child
in a vehicle. Here's what to look for
when selecting a child restraint system:
l It should have a label certifying
that it meets applicable Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
(FMVSS 213-80) - or in Canada,
CMVSS 213.
When a child has outgrown the child
safety seat, you should use the rear seat
with the standard seat belt fastened. The
best way to help protect the child here is
to place the child on a cushion (not
available in Canada) so that the seat belt
is properly located on the hips (see page
10).
A specially designed and tested booster
cushion for children between 22.7 - 36 kg
(50 - 80 lbs) and 117 - 137 cm (46 - 54")
can be obtained from your Volvo retailer.
If necessary, an auxiliary seat for children
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1998 Volvo S90
are used properly. However, children
could be endangered in a crash if the
child restraints are not properly secured
in the vehicle. Failure to follow the
installation instructions for your child
restraint can result in your child striking
the vehicle's interior in a sudden stop.
Holding a child in your arms is NOT a
suitable substitute for a child restraint
system. In an accident, a child held in a
person's arms can be crushed between
the vehicle's interior and an unrestrained
person. The child could also be injured
by striking the interior, or by being
ejected from the vehicle during a sudden
maneuver or impact. The same can also
happen if the infant or child rides
unrestrained on the seat. Other
occupants should also be properly
restrained to help reduce the chance of
injuring or increasing the injury of a
child. All states and provinces have
legislation governing how and where
children should be carried in a car. Find
out the regulations existing in your state
or province. l Make sure the child restraint
system is approved for the child's
height, weight and development -
the label required by the standard
or regulation, or instructions for
infant restraints, typically provide
this information.
l In using any child restraint
system, we urge you to look
carefully over the instructions
that are provided with the
restraint. Be sure you
understand them and can use
the device properly and safely
in this vehicle. A misused child
restraint system can result in
increased injuries for both the
infant or child and other
occupants in the vehicle.
l If your child restraint requires a
top tether strap, consult your
authorized Volvo retailer for top
tether anchorage and installation
information.
is available for use in the luggage
compartment of station wagon models.
This seat is designed for two children,
each weighing between 23 - 40 kg (50 -
88 lbs.) and up to 150 cm (59 inches) in
height.
WARNING!
l When using the auxiliary seat
for children, both sections of
the rear seat backrest must be
secured in the upright position
l Do not use a booster cushion or
child seat in conjunction with
the auxiliary seat.
Occupant Safety pg. 13
Seat belt maintenance

Check periodically that the anchor bolts
are secure and that the belts are in good
condition. Use water and a mild
detergent for cleaning. Check seat belt
mechanism function as follows: Attach
the seat belt and pull rapidly on the strap.
Volvo Concern for Safety

Safety is the cornerstone for Volvo. Our
concern dates back to 1927 when the
first Volvo rolled off the production line.
Three-point seat belts (a Volvo
invention), safety cages, and energy-
absorbing impact zones were designed
into Volvo cars long before it was
fashionable or required by government
regulation. We will not compromise our
commitment to safety. We continue to
seek out new safety features and to refine
those already in our cars. You can help.
We would appreciate hearing your
suggestions about improving automobile
Occupant safety

How safely you drive doesn't depend on
how old you are but rather on:
l how well you see
l your ability to concentrate
l how quickly you make decisions
under stress to avoid an accident.
The tips listed below are
suggestions to help you cope with
the ever changing traffic
environment.
l Never drink and drive.
l If you are taking any medication,
consult your physician about its
potential effects on your driving
abilities.
l Take a driver-retraining course
l Have your eyes checked regularly
l Keep your windshield and
headlamps clean.
l Replace wiper blades when they
start to leave streaks.
l Take into account the traffic,
Reporting Safety Defects in
the U.S.


If you believe that your vehicle has a
defect which could cause a crash or
could cause injury or death, you
should immediately inform the
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) in
addition to notifying Volvo Cars of
North America. If NHTSA receives
similar complaints, it may open an
investigation, and if it finds that a
safety defect exists in a group of
vehicles, it may order a recall and
remedy campaign. However,
NHTSA cannot become involved in
individual problems between you,
your retailer, or Volvo Cars of North
America. To contact NHTSA, you
may either call the Auto Safety
Hotline toll-free at 1-800-424-9393
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1998 Volvo S90
Chapter 2 - Instruments, switches and controlsInstruments, switches and controls
pg. 14

Instruments, switches and controls pg. 15
Shiftlock

When your car is parked, the gear selector is
locked in the (P)ark position. To release the
selector from this position, turn the ignition key
to position II (or start the engine), depress the
brake pedal, press the button on the front side of
the gear selector and move the selector from (P)
ark.
If it is necessary to manually override the
Shiftlock system:
l Turn the starting (ignition) key to position
I
l Press firmly on the OVERRIDE" button
located near the base of the gear selector.
l While holding the override button down,
move the gear selector from the (P)ark
position.

Keylock
Some of the items below are available on certain
models only.


1
Air vent...pg. 25
2
Headlights, parking lights...pg. 20
3
Rear fog light...pg. 22
4
Front fog lights...pg. 22
5 Space for additional equipment
6
Power antenna (sedans only)...pg. 22
7
Instruments...pg. 15-17
8
Electrically operated sun roof...pg. 23,
Electrically operated sun roof...pg. 49
9
Heated rear window/side door mirrors...pg. 23
10
Hazard warning flasher...pg. 23
11
Central lock switch...pg. 23
12
Air vents...pg. 25
13
Heating and ventilation...pg. 25-27
14
Passenger's side SRS (air bag)...pg. 6
15
Audio system...pg. 131
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1998 Volvo S90
NOTE: Canadian model
speedometers/odometers
indicate kilometers only.

1 Ambient temperature
indicator (certain models)

Indicates the temperature
slightly above the surface of the
road. An amber warning lamp
lights up when the temperature
is in the range of 23-36° F (-5 -
+ 2° C). At low speeds or when
the car is not moving, the
temperature readings may be
slightly higher than the actual
ambient temperature due to heat
generated by the engine.

2 Fuel gauge

The total fuel tank capacity is
approx. 21.1 US gal. (80 liters).
The "usable" capacity is 20.3
US gal. (77 liters). When the
warning light comes on, there
are approximately 1.6 US gal. (6
liters) of fuel remaining in the
tank. See "Refueling" for further
information.3 Quartz crystal clock/
clock set button

Press the button and turn to set
the clock.

4 Speedometer

5 Odometer

6 Trip odometer/reset
button

Used for measuring shorter
distances. The last digit
indicates 1/10 mile/kilometer.

7 Tachometer

Reads thousands of engine rpm.
Engine should not be operated
in red range.
8 Temperature gauge

Do not drive the car with the
pointer in the red range. The
pointer should be approximately
midway on the gauge face when
driving. If the pointer approaches
the red range repeatedly, check
coolant level. See page 118.
WARNING! Allow engine to
cool before adding coolant.




Contents | Top of Page
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1998 Volvo S90
Chapter 2 - Instruments, switches and controls (cont.)Indicator and warning lights
pg. 17


1 Turn signal, left

2 Turn signal, right

3 Malfunction indicator
lamp

4 Direction indicator,
trailer

5 Service reminder
indicator

6 Low washer fluid level


If the lamp glows continuously
when the engine is running,
there is only about 1/2 - 1 US
qts. remaining in the washer
fluid reservoir.


7 Rear fog light

8 Bulb failure

9 Generator not charging

10 Low engine oil pressure

11 High beams

12 Brake failure

13 Parking brake applied

14 ABS-system

15 Low coolant level

16 (Not in use)

17 "Winter" mode engaged/
transmission fault

18 Fasten seat belts

19 SRS

20 (Not in use)

21 (Not in use)
Warning lights
pg. 18
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1998 Volvo S90
The warning lights described on pages 18 and 19 should never stay on whe\
n driving

When the ignition key is turned on, and before the engine starts, all of\
the warning lights should be on
to test the function of the bulbs. Should a light not go off after the e\
ngine has started, the system
indicated should be inspected. However, the parking brake reminder light\
will not go off until the
parking brake is fully released.
Generator warning
light

If the light comes on while the
engine is running, have the
charging system checked.

Malfunction
indicator lamp

If the lamp comes on (or stays
on after the vehicle has started),
the engine diagnostic system
has detected a possible fault in
the emission control system.
Although driveability may not
be affected, see an authorized
Volvo retailer as soon as
possible for inspection.

NOTE:If the fuel filler cap is
not closed tightly or if the
engine is running when the car
is refueled, the Malfunction
Indicator Lamp may indicate a
fault. Use only Volvo original
or approved fuel filler caps.
Oil pressure warning
light

If the light comes on while
driving, stop the car and then s
If the light stays on after restart,
have the car towed to the
nearest authorized Volvo
retailer. After hard driving, the
light may come on occasionally
when the engine is idling. This
is normal, provided it goes off
when the engine speed is
increased.

Parking brake
reminder light

This light will be on when the
parking brake (hand brake) is
applied. The parking brake
lever is situated between the
front seats. Canadian models
are equipped with this warning
light:

Brake failure
warning light

If the light comes on while
driving or braking, stop
immediately, open the hood and
check the brake fluid level in the
reservoir. See page 114 for
reservoir position.
Canadian models are equipped
with this warning light:


WARNING!
If the level is below the MIN
mark in either section of the
reservoir: DO NOT DRIVE.
Tow the car to a Volvo
retailer and have the brake
system checked and any
leakage repaired.
Warning lights (cont.) pg. 19
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1998 Volvo S90
Anti-lock Brake
System (ABS)

If the warning lamp lights up
there is a malfunction of the
ABS system (the standard
braking system will however
function). The vehicle should be
driven to a Volvo retailer for
inspection.
See page 67 for additional
information.
Canadian models are equipped
with this warning light:


Mode "W" engaged

The lamp will light up when the
Winter/Wet mode is engaged.
If the warning lamp begins to
flash,this means that there is a
fault in the automatic gearbox.
Contact your Volvo retailer.
Supplemental
Restraint System

If the light comes on (or stays
on after the vehicle has started),
the SRS diagnostic system has
detected a fault. Drive to an
authorized Volvo retailer for an
inspection of the system. See
the SRS section for more
information.

Service reminder
indicator

This light will come on at
10,000 mile (16,000 km)
intervals. It is a reminder to the
driver that the 10,000 mile
(16,000 km) service interval has
been exceeded. The light will
stay on 2 minutes after start
until reset by the servicing
retailer.

Coolant level sensor

If the light comes on while
driving, the coolant level is low.
The coolant level in the
expansion tank should be
checked immediately and
topped off if necessary. The
cooling system should be
inspected by an authorized
Volvo retailer.
Turn signal indicators-
trailer (certain models)

When towing a trailer, this light
will flash simultaneously with
the turn signals on the trailer. If
the light does not flash when
signaling, neither the trailer's turn
signals nor the car's turn signals
are functioning.

Bulb failure warning
light

The light will come on if any of
the following bulbs are defective:
one of the low beam headlights
one of the tail lights
one of the brake lights when the
brake pedal is depressed.
Check the fuse and bulb.
See sections titled "Replacing
bulbs" and "Fuses".
Lighting, Turn signals pg. 20
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1998 Volvo S90
position and switch A is in this position.
All lights off (daytime running light function
disabled)
Winshield wipers/washers, Ignition switch pg. 21


Windshield wipers/washers

1 Intermittent wiper.
With switch in this position, the wipers will
sweep approximately every seventh second.
2 "Single sweep" position.
Switch returns automatically when released
3 Wipers, low speed.
4 Wipers, high speed
5 Windshield wiper/washer, headlight
wiper/washer (certain models)
The wiper will make 2-3 complete sweeps
across the windshield and headlights after
lever is released.
Starting
(ignition)
switch/
steering
wheel lock

The steering
wheel lock
might be under
tension when
the car is
parked. Turn
the steering
wheel slightly
to free the ignition key.
In order to reduce car
theft, make sure the
steering wheel lock is
engaged before leaving
the car.
Achime will sound if the
starting key is left in the
ignition lock and the
front door on the driver's
side is opened. 0 Locked position:
remove the key to lock the
steering wheel.

WARNING:
Never turn the key to
position 0 while driving or
when the car is being
towed.

I Intermediate position:
Certain accessories/radio,
etc. on, daytime running
lights off.

II Drive position:
Key position when engine is
running.

III Starting position:
Release the key when the
engine start.
The key returns
automatically to the Drive
position.
*The gear selector must be
in the (P)ark position before
the key can be removed
from the ignition switch.
Fog lights, Instruments illumination, Steering wheel adjustment, Power antenna
pg. 22
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1998 Volvo S90
A - Rear fog light*

The indicator light in the
instrument panel will light
up when the rear fog light
is on. This fog light is
considerably brighter than
the normal tail light and
should be used only when
the atmospheric
conditions, such as fog,
rain, snow, smoke or dust
reduce the daytime or
nighttime visibility of
other vehicles to less than
500 ft (150 meters).

*By design, there is one
rear fog light only, located
in the driver's side tail light
cluster.

B- Instrument
illumination

To increase the brightness,
rotate the switch upward.
To decrease the brightness,
rotate the switch
downward.

C- Front fog lights

The indicator light in the
switch will light up when
the front fog lights are on.
The front fog lights will
only function when the low
beam headlights are on.

NOTE:Local regulations
governing the use of fog
lights may vary.
D- Power antenna (sedans only)

This button can be used to lower the antenna
when, for example, you are listening to a tape or
CD, or when you are driving into a low-roof
garage or car wash. CAUTION: The antenna must be lowered
before washing the car in an automatic car wash. E- Steering
wheel adjustment

The steering wheel
can be adjusted to 3
different positions.
Move the control on
the left side of the
steering column
downward and hold
it in place. Adjust
the steering wheel
to the position
desired. Release the
control and check
that the steering
wheel is locked in
position.

WARNING!Do
not adjust the
steering wheel
while driving.

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