tow VOLVO V50 2009 Owner´s Manual

02 Instruments and controls
Personal settings
02``83
•
Global (All doors) – unlocks all doors and
the tailgate with one press on the remote
control.
•
Two Step (Two-stage unlocking) – This
alternative unlocks the driver's door with
one press on the remote control. A second
press unlocks the passenger's door and
the tailgate.
Automatically folding the door mirrorsThe setting makes it possible to automatically
fold the door mirrors in or out when the vehicle
is locked or unlocked. See page 78.Operating side windowsThe following alternative can be selected for
opening all side windows at the same time by
pressing and holding the Unlock switch in
either of the front doors (see page 127 for
additional information)
1
NOTE
The ignition key must be in position I or
higher (see page 143) before all side win-
dows can be opened using the switches in
the front doors.•
Auto open all windows On/Off
Temporarily turning off the alarm
sensor(s)The alarm sensors can be temporarily turned
off (if, for example, a person or a pet remains
in the vehicle when the doors are locked from
outside with the remote control). There are two
alternatives:
Activate once
and
Ask on exit
,
see page 118 and 130 .
Approach lightingThis alternative determines the length of time
for which the car's lights will remain on when
the Approach light button on the central lock-
ing system's remote control is pressed. Inter-
vals of 30/60/90 seconds may be selected, see
teh section "Remote control functions" for
more information.Home safe lightingThis alternative determines the length of time
for which the car's lights will remain on when
the high beam lever on the steering column is
pulled toward the wheel with the ignition
switched off. Intervals of 30/60/90 seconds
may be selected, see page 64 for information
on using this function.
Information•
VIN number – The VIN (Vehicle Identifica-
tion Number) is the car's unique identity
number.
•
Number of Keys – the number of keys reg-
istered for the car is displayed here.
Climate functions•
Blower speed in AUTO mode – the blower
speed can be set to AUTO mode in models
equipped with ECC. Choose between
"Low", "Normal" and "High".
•
Timer for recirculation – when the timer is
active, the air recirculates in the car for 3–
12 minutes depending on the ambient tem-
perature. Select On/Off depending on
whether the recirculation timer is to be
active or not.
Keyless locking and unlocking (option as
available)The following alternatives can be selected for
locking and unlocking the doors and tailgate:•
All doors – all doors are locked or unlocked
at the same time.
•
Doors on the same side – front and rear
doors on the same side are unlocked
together.
1This menu alternative also makes it possible to open all side windows by pressing and holding the Unlock button on the remote control for several seconds.

03 ClimateAir vents
0392
Air vents in the dashboard
G019942
OpenClosedHorizontal air flowVertical air flow
Direct the outer air vents toward the side win-
dows to defrost.

03 ClimateAir distribution
0399
Air distribution
Use:
Air distribution
Use:
Defroster.
Air is not recirculated in
this mode.
Air conditioning is always
engaged.
There is also a certain
amount of airflow to the
panel air vents.
Defrost/de-fog the wind-
shield and front side win-
dows.
Air to the floor and win-
dows.
There is also a certain
amount of airflow to the
dashboard air vents.
For comfortable condi-
tions and good defrosting
in cold weather.
Medium to high blower
speed.
Air to windshield and front
side windows.
There is also a certain
amount of airflow to the
dashboard air vents.
Prevents fogging in cold
or humid weather (blower
speed should be moder-
ate to high).
Air to the floor and from
the dashboard air vents.
For sunny weather with
cool ambient tempera-
tures.
Air to the windows and
from the dashboard air
vents.
For good comfort in
warm, dry weather.
Air to the floor.
There is a certain amount
of airflow to the dash-
board and window air
vents.
To warm the feet.
Airflow directed to the
head and chest from the
dashboard air vents.
To ensure efficient cooling
in a warm weather.
Airflow to the windows,
dashboard air vents, and
floor.
For cooler air toward the
feet, or for warmer air
toward the head and
chest.

05 Locks and alarmAlarm (option)
05130
The alarm systemThe alarm is automatically armed whenever the
car is locked with the remote control, or if a
front lock button is depressed.
When armed, the alarm continuously monitors
a number of points on the car. The following
conditions will trigger the alarm:•
The hood is forced open.
•
The tailgate is forced open.
•
A door is forced open.
•
The ignition switch is tampered with
•
An attempt is made to start the car with a
non-approved key (a key not coded to the
car's ignition).
•
If there is movement in the passenger com-
partment (if the car is equipped with the
optional movement sensor).
•
The car is lifted or towed (if the car is equip-
ped with the optional inclination sensor)
•
The battery is disconnected (while the
alarm is armed).
•
The siren is disconnected when the alarm
is disarmed.
The alarm indicator light
G020227
Alarm indicator lightThe status of the alarm system is indicated by
the indicator light on at the top of the dash-
board (see the illustration):•
Indicator light off – the alarm is not armed
•
The indicator light flashes every two sec-
onds – the alarm is armed
•
The indicator light flashes rapidly before
the ignition is switched on – the alarm has
been triggered. The message "
ALARM
TRIGGERED
,CHECK CAR
" will also be
displayed.
•
Fault in the alarm system: If a fault has
been detected in the alarm system, a mes-
sage will be shown in the information dis-
play. Contact your Volvo retailer to have
the alarm system inspected and repaired if
necessary.
Arming the alarmPress the LOCK button on the remote control,
or press the central lock button on one of the
front doors with the door open. One long flash
of the turn signals will confirm that the alarm is
armed.Disarming the alarmPress the UNLOCK button on the remote con-
trol or insert the key in the ignition
1 to disarm
the alarm. Two short flashes from the car's
direction indicators confirm that the alarm has
been deactivated and that all doors are
unlocked.
1On vehicles with the optional keyless drive, press in the start control in the ignition switch.

G020912
134
General information............................................................................... 136
Fuel requirements................................................................................. 140
Ignition switch....................................................................................... 143
Starting the vehicle............................................................................... 144
Starting the vehicle with keyless drive (option as available).................146
Manual transmission, 5-speed (certain markets only)..........................147
Manual transmission, 6-speed (certain markets only)..........................148
Automatic transmission (option)........................................................... 149
Shiftlock override.................................................................................. 151
All Wheel Drive (option)......................................................................... 152
Brake system........................................................................................ 153
Stability system..................................................................................... 155
Towing................................................................................................... 157
Jump starting........................................................................................ 159
Towing a trailer...................................................................................... 160
Detachable trailer hitch......................................................................... 162
Transporting loads................................................................................ 163
Blind Spot Information System (BLIS)–option......................................164
Park assist (Option/accessory)............................................................. 168

06 Starting and driving
General information
06``137 Handling, roadholding
Vehicle load, tire design and inflation pressure
all affect vehicle handling. Therefore, check
that the tires are inflated to the recommended
pressure according to the vehicle load. See the
"Tire pressure" section. Loads should be dis-
tributed so that capacity weight or maximum
permissible axle loads are not exceeded.Driving through waterThe vehicle can be driven through water up to
a depth of approximately 9 in. (25 cm), at a
maximum speed of 6 mph (10 km/h).•
Take particular care when driving through
flowing water.
•
Clean the electrical connections for trailer
wiring after driving in mud or water
•
When driving through water, maintain low
speed and do not stop in the water.WARNING
After driving through water, press lightly on
the brake pedal to ensure that the brakes
are functioning normally. Water or mud can
make the brake linings slippery, resulting in
delayed braking effect.
CAUTION
•
Engine damage will occur if water is
drawn into the air cleaner.
•
If the vehicle is driven through water
deeper than 9 in (25 cm), water may
enter the differential and the transmis-
sion. This reduces the oil's lubricating
capacity and may shorten the service
life of these components.
•
Do not allow the vehicle to stand in
water up to the door sills longer than
absolutely necessary. This could result
in electrical malfunctions.
•
If the engine has been stopped while the
car is in water, do not attempt to restart
the engine. Have the car towed out of
the water.
Cold weather precautionsIf you wish to check your vehicle before the
approach of cold weather, the following advice
is worth noting:•
Make sure that the engine coolant contains
50 percent antifreeze. Any other mixture
will reduce freeze protection. This gives
protection against freezing down to –31 °F
(–35 °C). See section "Coolant". The use of
"recycled" antifreeze is not approved byVolvo. Different types of antifreeze must
not be mixed.
•
Volvo recommends using only genuine
Volvo antifreeze in your vehicle's radiator.
Your Volvo retailer stocks plenty of Volvo
engine coolant to help protect your vehicle
during cold weather.
•
Try to keep the fuel tank well filled – this
prevents the formation of condensation in
the tank. In addition, in extremely cold
weather conditions it is worthwhile to add
fuel line de-icer before refueling.
•
The viscosity of the engine oil is important.
Oil with low viscosity (thinner oil) improves
cold-weather starting as well as decreas-
ing fuel consumption while the engine is
warming up. For winter use, 5W-30 oil, par-
ticularly the synthetic type
1, is recom-
mended. Be sure to use good quality oil but
do not use cold-weather oil for hard driving
or in warm weather, see page 269 for more
information.
•
The load placed on the battery is greater
during the winter since the windshield wip-
ers, lighting, etc. are used more often.
Moreover, the capacity of the battery
decreases as the temperature drops. In
very cold weather, a poorly charged bat-
tery can freeze and be damaged. It is there-
fore advisable to check the state of charge
1Synthetic oil is not used when the oil is changed at the normal maintenance intervals except at owner request and at additional charge. Please consult your Volvo retailer.

06 Starting and drivingFuel requirements
06140
Octane ratingMinimum octane
G028920
Typical pump octane labelVolvo recommends premium fuel for best per-
formance, but using 87 octane or above will not
affect engine reliability.
Volvo engines are designed to achieve rated
horsepower, torque, and fuel economy per-
formance using premium 91 octane fuel.Demanding drivingIn demanding driving conditions, such as oper-
ating the vehicle in hot weather, towing a trailer,
or driving for extended periods at higher alti-
tudes than normal, it may be advisable to
switch to higher octane fuel (91 or higher) or to
change gasoline brands to fully utilize yourengine's capacity, and for the smoothest pos-
sible operation.
NOTE
When switching to higher octane fuel or
changing gasoline brands, it may be neces-
sary to fill the tank more than once before a
difference in engine operation is noticeable.Fuel FormulationsDo not use gasoline that contains lead as a
knock inhibitor, and do not use lead additives.
Besides damaging the exhaust emission con-
trol systems on your vehicle, lead has been
strongly linked to certain forms of cancer.
Many fuels contain benzene as a solvent.
Unburned benzene has been strongly linked to
certain forms of cancer. If you live in an area
where you must fill your own gas tank, take
precautions. These may include:•
standing upwind away from the filler nozzle
while refueling
•
refueling only at gas stations with vapor
recovery systems that fully seal the mouth
of the filler neck during refueling
•
wearing neoprene gloves while handling a
fuel filler nozzle.
Use of AdditivesWith the exception of gas line antifreeze during
winter months, do not add solvents, thicken-
ers, or other store-bought additives to your
vehicle's fuel, cooling, or lubricating systems.
Overuse may damage your engine, and some
of these additives contain organically volatile
chemicals. Do not needlessly expose yourself
to these chemicals.
WARNING
Never carry a cell phone that is switched
on while refueling your vehicle. If the phone
rings, this may cause a spark that could
ignite gasoline fumes, resulting in fire and
injury.
WARNING
Carbon monoxide is a poisonous, colorless,
and odorless gas. It is present in all exhaust
gases. If you ever smell exhaust fumes
inside the vehicle, make sure the passenger
compartment is ventilated, and immediately
return the vehicle to a trained and qualified
Volvo service technician for correction.

06 Starting and driving
Ignition switch
06
143 Ignition switch positions
0 – Locked position
Remove the key to lock the
steering wheel
1. Never turn
the key to position 0 while
driving or when the vehicle is
being towed.
NOTE
A ticking sound may be audible if the key is
turned to a position between 0 and I. To
stop this sound, turn the key to position II
and back to position 0.I – Intermediate position
2
Certain accessories, radio,
etc. on, daytime running lights
off.
II – Drive position
The key's position when driv-
ing. The vehicle's entire elec-
trical system is activated.
III – Start position
Turn the key to this position
and release it immediately.
The key returns automatically
to the Drive position.
A chime will sound if the key
is left in the ignition and the
driver's door is opened (does not apply to vehi-
cles with the optional keyless drive).
1Automatic transmission: the gear selector must be in the Park position. The optional keyless drive start control does not need to be removed.2Please be aware that leaving the key in this positions I or II will increase battery drain.

06 Starting and drivingAutomatic transmission (option)
06150
based on the level of acceleration and speed.
The car must be at a standstill when shifting to
positionD from position R.Manual shifting – GeartronicThe manual shifting mode (Geartronic) can be
selected at any time to manually select forward
gears, including while the car is moving.
NOTE
Reverse, Neutral, and Park cannot be
selected in Geartronic mode.•
To access the Manual (M) shifting position
from Drive (D), move the gear selector to
the right to M.
•
To return to the Drive (D) position from M,
move the gear selector to the left.
While driving•
If you select the M position while driving,
the gear that was being used in the Drive
position will also initially be selected in the
M position.
•
Move the gear selector forward (toward
"+") to shift to a higher gear or rearward
(toward "–") to shift to a lower gear.
•
If you hold the gear selector toward "–", the
transmission will downshift one gear at a
time and will utilize the braking power ofthe engine. If the current speed is too high
for using a lower gear, the downshift will
not occur until the speed has decreased
enough to allow the lower gear to be used.
•
If you slow to a very low speed, the trans-
mission will automatically shift down.
Cold starts (turbo engines)When driving before the engine has reached its
normal operating temperature, the transmis-
sion will shift up at slightly higher engine
speeds to heat the three-way catalytic con-
verter as quickly as possible.KickdownAutomatic shift to a lower gear (kickdown) is
achieved by depressing the accelerator pedal
fully and briskly. An upshift will occur when
approaching the top speed for a particular gear
or by releasing the accelerator pedal slightly.
Kickdown can be used for maximum acceler-
ation or when passing at highway speeds.Safety functionTo help prevent excessive engine speeds (rpm)
that could lead to engine damage, the engine
management system includes a function that
prevents kickdown from taking place if the
engine speed is too high.Kickdown will not occur if the driver attempts
to use this function when engine speeds are
too high. The transmission will remain in the
currently selected gear.

06 Starting and driving
Brake system
06``153 Brake circuit malfunction
The brake system is a hydraulic system con-
sisting of two separate brake circuits. If a prob-
lem should occur in one of these circuits, it is
still possible to stop the vehicle with the other
brake circuit.
If the brake pedal must be depressed farther
than normal and requires greater foot pressure,
the stopping distance will be longer.
A warning light in the instrument panel will light
up to warn the driver that a fault has occurred.
If this light comes on while driving or braking,
stop immediately and check the brake fluid
level in the reservoir.
NOTE
Press the brake pedal hard and maintain
pressure on the pedal – do not pump the
brakes.
WARNING
If the fluid level is below the MIN mark in the
reservoir or if a brake system message is
shown in the information display, DO NOT
DRIVE. Have the vehicle towed to a Volvo
retailer and have the brake system inspec-
ted.
Power brakes function only when the
engine is runningThe power brakes utilize vacuum pressure
which is only created when the engine is run-
ning. Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with the
engine switched off.
If the power brakes are not working, the brake
pedal must be pressed approximately five
times harder than usual to make up for the lack
of power assistance. This can happen for
example when towing your vehicle or if the
engine is switched off when the vehicle is roll-
ing. The brake pedal feels harder than usual.Water on brake discs and brake pads
affects brakingDriving in rain and slush or passing through an
automatic car wash can cause water to collect
on the brake discs and pads. This will cause a
delay in braking effect when the pedal is
depressed. To avoid such a delay when the
brakes are needed, depress the pedal occa-
sionally when driving through rain, slush, etc.
This will remove the water from the brakes.
Check that brake application feels normal. This
should also be done after washing or starting
in very damp or cold weather.
Severe strain on the brake systemThe brakes will be subject to severe strain
when driving in mountains or hilly areas, or
when towing a trailer. Vehicle speed is usually
slower, which means that the cooling of the
brakes is less efficient than when driving on
level roads. To reduce the strain on the brakes,
shift into a lower gear and let the engine help
with the braking. Do not forget that if you are
towing a trailer, the brakes will be subjected to
a greater than normal load.Anti-lock brakes (ABS)The Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) helps to
improve vehicle control (stopping and steering)
during severe braking conditions by limiting
brake lockup. When the system "senses"
impending lockup, braking pressure is auto-
matically modulated in order to help prevent
lockup that could lead to a skid.
The system performs a self-diagnostic test
when the engine is started and when the
vehicle first reaches a speed of approxi-
mately 12 mph (20 km/h). The brake pedal will
pulsate several times and a sound may be
audible from the ABS control module. This is
normal.