tow VOLVO XC70 2009 Owner´s Manual

03 Your driving environment
Instruments and controls
03``75
Engine temperatureEngine overheating can result from low oil or
coolant levels, towing or hard driving at high
heat and altitude, or mechanical malfunction.
Engine overheating will be signaled with text
and a red warning triangle in the middle of the
instrument display. The exact text will depend
on the degree of overheating. It may range from
"HIGH ENGINE TEMP – SLOW DOWN
" to
"
HIGH ENGINE TEMP – STOP ENGINE
." If
appropriate, other messages, such as
"
COOLANT LEVEL LOW
" will also be dis-
played. If your engine does overheat so that
you must stop the engine, always allow the
engine to cool before attempting to check oil
and coolant levels.
Fault in brake system
If this symbol lights, the brake fluid level may
be too low. Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
check the level in the brake fluid reservoir, see
page 219. If the level in the reservoir is below
MIN, the vehicle should be transported to an
authorized Volvo workshop to have the brake
system checked.
Canadian models are equipped with this sym-
bol:If the
and
symbols come on at
the same time, there may be a fault in the brake
force distribution system.1. Stop the vehicle in a safe place and turn off
the engine.
2. Restart the engine.
•
If both symbols extinguish, continue driv-
ing.
•
If the symbols remain on, check the level in
the brake fluid reservoir, see page 219. If
the brake fluid level is normal but the sym-
bols are still lit, the vehicle can be driven,
with great care, to an authorized Volvo
workshop to have the brake system
checked.
•
If the level in the reservoir is below MIN, the
vehicle should be transported to an author-
ized Volvo workshop to have the brake
system checked.WARNING
•
If the fluid level is below the MIN mark
in the reservoir or if a warning message
is displayed in the text window:
DO
NOT DRIVE
. Have the vehicle towed to
a trained and qualified Volvo service
technician and have the brake system
inspected.
•
If the ABS and Brake system lights are
on at the same time, there is a risk of
reduced vehicle stability.
Warning symbol
The red warning symbol comes on when a fault
has been indicated which could affect the
safety and/or drivability of the vehicle. An
explanatory text is shown on the information
display at the same time. The symbol remains
visible until the fault has been rectified but the
text message can be cleared with the READ
button, see page 121. The warning symbol can
also come on in conjunction with other sym-
bols.
Action:
1. Stop in a safe place. Do not drive the vehi-
cle further.
2. Read the information on the information
display. Implement the action in accord-
ance with the message in the display. Clear
the message using READ.Reminder – doors not closedIf one of the doors, the hood or tailgate is not
closed properly, the information or warning
symbol comes on together with an explanatory
text message in the instrument panel. Stop the
vehicle in a safe place as soon as possible and
close the door, hood or tailgate.
If the vehicle is driven at a speed
lower than approximately 5 mph
(7 km/h), the information symbol comes on.

03 Your driving environmentSteering wheel
0384
Adjusting
G021138
Adjusting the steering wheel
Lever for releasing/locking the steering
wheelPossible positions
The steering wheel can be adjusted for both
height and reach:
1. Pull the lever toward you to release the
steering wheel.
2. Adjust the steering wheel to the position
that suits you.
3. Push back the lever to lock the steering
wheel in place. If the lever is difficult to
push into place, press the steering wheel
lightly at the same time as you push the
lever.
WARNING
Never adjust the steering wheel while driv-
ing.With speed-dependent power steering (option)
the level of steering force can be adjusted, see
page 157.Keypads
G021139
Keypads in the steering wheel
Cruise control, see page 158. Adaptive
cruise control (option), see page 166.Audio controls, see page 131.
Horn
G021140
Horn±
Press the steering wheel hub to sound the
horn.

03 Your driving environment
Lighting
03``85 Lighting panel
G022854
Overview, light switches
Thumb wheel for adjusting display and
instrument lightingRear fog lightFront fog lightsHeadlights/parking lights
Instrument lightingIllumination of the display and instrument lights
will vary, depending on ignition mode.
The display lighting is automatically subdued
in darkness and the sensitivity is set with the
thumb wheel.
The intensity of the instrument lighting is
adjusted with the thumb wheel.
High/low beam headlights
21
G022855
Headlight switch and lever
Daytime running lights/no
high beamsParking lightsLow beams
Low beamsWhen the engine is started, the low beams are
activated automatically (daytime running lights)
if the headlight control is in position 0 or
.Daytime running lights can be deactivated by
a trained and qualified Volvo service techni-
cian.
NOTE
•
The use of daytime running lights is
mandatory in Canada.
•
Continuous high beams cannot be acti-
vated when the headlight switch is in
position
or
. High beam
flash will function in these positions.
High beam flash±
Move the lever toward the steering wheel
to position
. The high beams come on
until the lever is released.
High/low beam headlights
Continuous high beams1.
Set the ignition to mode II.
2.
With the light switch in position
,
pull the turn signal lever toward the steer-
ing wheel to position
to toggle between
high and low beams (this also applies on
models equipped with the optional Active
Bi-XenonŸ headlights).

03 Your driving environment
Lighting
03``89 Interior lighting, rear
G021150
Rear reading lightsThe lights are switched on or off by pressing
each respective button.Courtesy lights/door step lighting
(option)The courtesy lights/door step lighting switch
on/off automatically when one of the front
doors is opened/closed.Glove compartment lightingThe glove compartment lighting switches on/
off automatically when the lid is opened/
closed.
Overhead courtesy lightingThe passenger compartment lighting is
switched on and off automatically when button
(3) is in the neutral position.
The lighting comes on and remains on for
30 seconds if:•
the vehicle is unlocked from the outside
with the key or remote control
•
the engine is switched off and the ignition
is in mode 0.
The lighting switches off when:
•
the engine is started
•
the vehicle is locked from the outside.
The lighting comes on and remains on for two
minutes if one of the doors is open.
The passenger compartment lighting can be
switched on and off manually within 30 minutes
after the vehicle has been unlocked.
If the lighting is switched on manually and the
vehicle is locked, the courtesy lighting will
switch off automatically after one minute.
Home safe lightingWhen you leave your vehicle at night, you can
make use of the home safe lighting function to
illuminate the area in front of the vehicle.
1. Remove the key from the ignition slot.
2. Pull the direction indicator lever as far as
possible towards the steering wheel and
release it.
3. Exit the vehicle and lock the doors.
The headlights, parking lights, turn signals,
lights in the door mirrors, license plate lights,
and footwell lighting will illuminate and remain
on for 30
1, 60 or 90 seconds. The time interval
can be set under Car settings
Light
settings
Home safe lighting. For a
description of the menu system, see
page 120.
Approach lightingApproach lighting is activated by pressing the
approach light button on the remote key (see
the illustration on page 54).
When the function has been activated, the
parking lights, indicator lights, door mirror
lights, license plate lighting, dome lighting and
door step lighting come on.
1Factory setting

03 Your driving environmentWipers and washers
0392
CAUTION
The rain sensor should be deactivated when
washing the car in an automatic car wash,
etc. If the rain sensor function is left on, the
wipers will start inadvertently in the car
wash and could be damaged.Windshield washing
G019401
Washing functionMove the lever toward the steering wheel to
start the windshield and headlight washers.
After the lever is released the wipers make sev-
eral extra sweeps.
Heated washer nozzles (option)The washer nozzles are heated automatically
in cold weather to help prevent the washer fluid
from freezing.High-pressure headlight washing
(option)High-pressure headlight washing consumes a
large quantity of washer fluid. To save fluid, the
headlights are washed using two alternatives:•
Low/high beam headlights on. The head-
lights will be washed the first time the wind-
shield is washed. Thereafter, the head-
lights will only be washed once for every
five times the windshield is washed within
a 10-minute period.
•
Parking lights on. Optional Active Bi-
XenonŸ headlights will be washed once for
every five times the windshield is washed.
Normal halogen headlights will not be
washed.CAUTION
Use ample washer fluid when washing the
windshield. The windshield should be thor-
oughly wet when the wipers are in opera-
tion.
NOTE
One headlight is washed at a time.Tailgate wiper/washer
G017632
1. Intermittent wiping
2. Normal (continuous) wiping
Move the lever forward (see the arrow in the
illustration) to start the tailgate washer.Tailgate wiper and reverse gearIf the windshield wipers are on and the trans-
mission is put into reverse gear, the tailgate
wiper will go into intermittent wiping function
1.
1Consult your Volvo retailer if you would like to have this function deactivated.

03 Your driving environmentStarting the engine
03104
WARNING
•
Always remove the remote key from the
ignition slot when leaving the vehicle,
especially if there are children in the
vehicle.
•
Never remove the remote key from the
ignition slot while driving or when the
vehicle is being towed. The steering
lock could otherwise be activated, mak-
ing it impossible to steer the vehicle.
Never remove the remote key with key-
less drive function (option) from the
vehicle while driving or during towing.
•
Always place the gear selector in Park
and apply the parking brake before
leaving the vehicle. Never leave the
vehicle unattended with the engine run-
ning.
•
Always open garage doors fully before
starting the engine inside a garage to
ensure adequate ventilation. The
exhaust gases contain carbon monox-
ide, which is invisible and odorless but
very poisonous.
NOTE
•
The idling speed can be noticeably
higher than normal during cold starts.
This is to enable emission control sys-
tem can reach normal operating tem-
perature as quickly as possible, which
helps reduce exhaust emissions
3.
•
Keylock: Your vehicle is equipped with
a keylock system. When the engine is
switched off, the gear selector must be
in the Park position before the key can
be removed
4 from the ignition slot.
CAUTION
•
When starting in cold weather, the auto-
matic transmission may shift up at
slightly higher engine speeds than nor-
mal until the automatic transmission
fluid reaches normal operating tem-
perature.
•
Do not race a cold engine immediately
after starting. Oil flow may not reach
some lubrication points fast enough to
prevent engine damage.
•
The engine should be idling when you
move the gear selector. Never acceler-
ate until after you feel the transmission
engage. Accelerating immediately after
selecting a gear will cause harsh
engagement and premature transmis-
sion wear.
•
SelectingP or N when idling at a stand-
still for prolonged periods of time will
help prevent overheating of the auto-
matic transmission fluid.
Keyless drive (option)Follow steps 3 – 4 for starting the engine.
3If the gear selector is in the D or R positions and the car is not moving, engine speed (rpm) will be lower and it will take longer for the engine to reach normal operating temperature.4Does not apply to vehicles with the optional keyless drive.

03 Your driving environmentTransmission
03108
Geartronic–manual shiftingGeartronic allows you to manually shift among
your vehicle's six forward speeds. Geartronic
can be selected at any time.•
To access the manual (M) shifting position
from Drive (D), move the gear selector to
the right to M (or to S on models equipped
with Sport mode).NOTE
On models equipped with Sport mode, the
transmission will not switch to manual shift-
ing mode until the gear selector is moved
forward or rearward. The selected gear will
then be shown in the information display
(see page 71).•
To return to the D position from M or S,
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 atime and will utilize the braking power of
the 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.
Shiftlock – Neutral (N)If the gear selector is in the N position and the
vehicle has been stationary for at least 3 sec-
onds (irrespective of whether the engine is run-
ning) then the gear selector is locked.
To be able to move the gear selector from N to
another gear position, the brake pedal must be
depressed and the ignition must be in posi-
tionII, see page 77.Geartronic–starting on slippery surfacesSelecting 3rd gear in Geartronic’s manual shift-
ing mode can help provide better traction when
starting off on slippery surfaces. To do so:
1. Depress the brake pedal and move the
gear selector to the right from the D posi-
tion to M. The text in the instrument panel
display will change from
D to
1.
2. Press the gear selector forward and
release it (this selects 2nd gear). Press the
selector forward again and release it to
select 3rd gear.3. Release the brake pedal and press gently
on the accelerator pedal.
Shiftlock override
G021352
If the vehicle cannot be driven, for example
because of a dead battery, the gear selector
must be moved from the P position so that the
vehicle can be moved
3.
Lift away the rubber mat on the floor of the
storage compartment behind the center
console and open the hatch.Insert the key blade into the opening as far
as possible. Press the key blade down and
keep it held down. Move the gear selector
from the P position. For information on the
key blade, see page 52.
3If the battery is dead, the optional electric parking brake cannot be applied or released. Connect an auxiliary battery if the battery voltage is too low, see page 105.

03 Your driving environmentBrakes
03110
Brake systemThe 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 trained
and qualified Volvo service technician and
have the brake system inspected.
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 usuallyslower, 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 braking systemThe 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 brief self-diagnostic
test when the engine has been started and
driver releases the brake pedal. Another auto-
matic test may be performed when the vehicle
first reaches a speed of approximately 25 mph
(40 km/h). The brake pedal will pulsate several
times and a sound may be audible from the
ABS control module. This is normal.Cleaning the brake discsCoatings of dirt and water on the brake discs
may result in delayed brake function. This delay
is minimized by cleaning the brake linings.
Cleaning the brake pads is advisable in wet
weather, prior to long-term parking, and after
the vehicle has been washed. Do this by brak-

03 Your driving environment
Brakes
03
111
ing gently for a short period while the vehicle is
moving.Emergency Brake AssistanceEBA is designed to provide full brake effect
immediately in the event of sudden, hard brak-
ing. The system is activated by the speed with
which the brake pedal is depressed.
When the EBA system is activated, the brake
pedal will go down and pressure in the brake
system immediately increases to the maximum
level. Maintain full pressure on the brake pedal
in order to utilize the system completely. EBA
is automatically deactivated when the brake
pedal is released.
NOTE
•
When the EBA system is activated, the
brake pedal will go down and pressure
in the brake system immediately increa-
ses to the maximum level. You must
maintain full pressure on the brake
pedal in order to utilize the system com-
pletely. There will be no braking effect if
the pedal is released. EBA is automati-
cally deactivated when the brake pedal
is released.
•
When the vehicle has been parked for
some time, the brake pedal may sink
more than usual when the engine is
started. This is normal and the pedal will
return to its usual position when it is
released.
Symbols in the instrument panelSymbol
SpecificationSteady glow – Check the brake
fluid level. If the level is low, fill
with brake fluid and check for
the cause of the brake fluid
loss.Steady glow for two seconds
when the engine is started –
There was a fault in the brake
system's ABS function when
the engine was last running.
WARNING
If
and
come on at the same
time and the brake level is below the MIN
mark in the reservoir or if a brake system-
related message is shown in the information
display:
DO NOT DRIVE
. Have the vehicle
towed to a trained and qualified Volvo serv-
ice technician and have the brake system
inspected.

03 Your driving environmentParking brake
03114
Electric parking brakeAn electric parking brake has the same func-
tion as a manual parking brake.
NOTE
•
A faint sound from the parking brake's
electric motor can be heard when the
parking brake is being applied. This
sound can also be heard during the
automatic function check of the parking
brake.
•
The brake pedal will move slightly when
the electric parking brake is applied or
released.
Low battery voltageIf the battery voltage is too low, the parking
brake cannot be applied or released. Connect
an auxiliary battery if the battery voltage is too
low, see page 105.
Applying the electric parking brake
G021354
Parking brake control1. Press firmly on the brake pedal.
2. Push the control.
3. Release the brake pedal and ensure that
the vehicle is at a standstill.
4. When the vehicle is parked, the gear selec-
tor must be in position P.
The
symbol in the instrument panel
flashes while the parking bake is being applied,
and glows steadily when the parking brake has
been fully applied.
NOTE
•
In an emergency the parking brake can
be applied when the vehicle is moving
by holding in the control. Braking will be
interrupted when the accelerator pedal
is depressed or the control is released.
•
An audible signal will sound during this
procedure if the vehicle is moving at
speeds above 6 mph (10 km/h).
Parking on a hill•
If the vehicle is pointing uphill, turn the front
wheels so that they point away from the
curb.
•
If the vehicle is pointing downhill, turn the
front wheels so that they point toward the
curb.