service VOLVO XC90 2011 Owner´s Manual

06 Starting and driving
Brake system
06
150
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.
To obtain optimal effect from the ABS system,
constant pressure should be kept on the brake
pedal. Do not pump the brake pedal.
The switching of the ABS modulator will be
audible and the brake pedal will pulsate during
braking. Please be aware that ABS does not
increase the absolute braking potential of the
vehicle. While control will be enhanced, ABS
will not shorten stopping distances on slippery
surfaces.
ABS with EBD (Electronic Brake Force
Distribution)
EBD is an integrated part of the ABS system.
EBD regulates the hydraulic pressure to the
rear brakes to help provide optimal braking
capacity. The brake pedal will pulsate during
braking, which is normal.
If the BRAKE and ABS warning lights come on
at the same time, this could indicate a fault in
the brake system.
1. Stop the vehicle in a suitable place and
switch off the engine.
2. Restart the engine.
•If both warning lights go off, no further
action is required.
•If both lights are still on after the engine has
been restarted, switch off the engine again
and check the brake fluid level (see
page 218 for the location of the brake fluid
reservoir).
WARNING
If the fluid level is below the MIN mark in the
reservoir or if a Brake failure – Service
urgent message is displayed in the text
window: DO NOT DRIVE. Have the vehicle
towed to a trained and qualified Volvo serv-
ice technician and have the brake system
inspected.
•If the brake fluid level is above the MIN
mark, drive carefully to a trained and quali-
fied Volvo service technician and have the
brake system inspected.
Emergency Brake Assistance (EBA)The EBA function is designed to provide full
brake effect immediately in the event of sud-
den, hard braking. The system is activated by
the speed with which you depress the brake
pedal.
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.

06 Starting and driving
Stability system
06
153
DSTC-related messages in the text
window
•TRACTION CONTROL TEMPORARILY
OFF – The system has been temporarily
switched off due to high brake temperature
and will automatically switch on again
when the brakes have cooled.
•"ANTI SKID SERVICE REQUIRED" – the
system has been automatically disen-
gaged due to a fault. A trained and qualified
Volvo service technician should check the
system.
Symbols in the instrument panel
The Stability Control indicator lightThis light indicates different condi-
tions, depending on how it illumi-
nates.
The Stability Control indicator light
illuminates for approximately 2 seconds
This indicates that the system is performing a
self-diagnostic test when the ignition is
switched on.
The Stability Control indicator light
flashes
This indicates that the stability system is
actively functioning to help counteract wheel
spin and/or a skid.
The Stability Control indicator light
glows steadily
ANTI SKID SERVICE REQUIRED will be dis-
played in the text window at the same time.
A fault is indicated in the stability system.
•Stop the vehicle in a safe place and switch
off the engine.
•Restart the engine.
•If the indicator light goes out, the fault was
temporary and no further action is
required.
•If the indicator light remains on, drive to an
authorized Volvo workshop as soon as
possible to have the system checked.
The Stability Control indicator light
glows steadily
If DSTC SPIN CONTROL OFF is displayed in
the text window at the same time, this is a
reminder that spin control has been disabled
by the driver.
The warning symbolThe warning symbol glows
steadily yellow
The system has been temporarily switched off
due to high brake temperature. "TRACTIONCONTROL TEMPORARILY OFF
" will be dis-
played. The system will automatically switch
on again when the brakes have cooled.
WARNING
The stability system is intended to help
improve driving safety. It supplements, but
can never replace, the driver's judgement
and responsibility when operating the vehi-
cle. Speed and driving style should always
be adapted to traffic and road conditions.

06 Starting and driving
Front/rear park assist*
06
* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.155
NOTE
•Front park assist is disengaged auto-
matically when the parking brake is
applied.
•If the vehicle is equipped with front and
rear park assist, both systems will be
deactivated by pressing the button.
Audible signals from the park assist
system
The Park Assist system uses an intermittent
tone that pulses faster as you come close to an
object, and becomes constant when you are
within approximately 1 ft (30 cm) of an object
in front of or behind the vehicle. If the volume
of another source from the audio system is
high, this will be automatically lowered.
If there are objects within this distance both
behind and in front of the vehicle, the signal
alternates between front and rear speakers.
Faults in the system
If the yellow warning symbol illu-
minates and PARK ASSIST
SERVICE REQUIRED is shown
on the information display, this
indicates that the system is not
functioning properly and has been disengaged.
Consult a trained and qualified Volvo service
technician.
CAUTION
In certain circumstances, the park assist
system may give unexpected warning sig-
nals that can be caused by external sound
sources that use the same ultrasound fre-
quencies as the system. This may include
such things as the horns of other vehicles,
wet tires on asphalt, pneumatic brakes,
motorcycle exhaust pipes, etc. This does
not indicate a fault in the system.
Cleaning the sensors
G026946
Park assist sensors
The sensors must be cleaned regularly to
ensure that they work properly. Clean them
with water and a suitable car washing deter-
gent.
Ice and snow covering the sensors may cause
incorrect warning signals.
NOTE
If the sensors are obstructed by e.g., dirt,
snow, or ice, this could result in false warn-
ing signals from the park assist system.

06 Starting and driving
Towing a trailer
06
160
WARNING
•Bumper-attached trailer hitches must
not be used on Volvos, nor should
safety chains be attached to the
bumper.
•Trailer hitches attaching to the vehicle
rear axle must not be used.
•Never connect a trailer's hydraulic
brake system directly to the vehicle
brake system, nor a trailer's lighting
system directly to the vehicle lighting
system. Consult a trained and qualified
Volvo service technician for correct
installation.
•When towing a trailer, the trailer's safety
wire must be correctly fastened to the
hole or hook provided in the trailer hitch
on the vehicle. The safety wire should
never be fastened to or wound around
the drawbar ball.
Smoother starts with a trailerModels equipped with the V8-engine and the
6-speed automatic transmission have a built-
in function that reduces acceleration slightly in
first gear when the vehicle is towing a trailer.
This is done to help avoid wheel spin and to
make starting off smoother.
•This function is activated when the trailer's
electrical connector is plugged into theelectrical socket mounted near the trailer
hitch.
•The function is automatically deactivated
when the trailer's wiring is disconnected
from the socket. The vehicle will then
accelerate normally.
NOTE
Since this function is activated when a con-
nector is plugged into the electrical socket
near the trailer hitch, it will be activated by
any electrical equipment (e.g. bicycle racks
with lighting, etc) that is plugged in, and will
remain active until the equipment is unplug-
ged from the socket.
LevelingIf your vehicle is equipped with automatic lev-
eling, the rear suspension always retains the
correct ride height regardless of the load.
•The system adjusts the rear suspension to
the correct level after the vehicle has been
driven a short distance.
•When the vehicle is stationary, the rear
suspension lowers, which is normal.

06 Starting and driving
Cold weather precautions
06
163
If 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 by Volvo. 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 protect your vehicle dur-
ing 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 drivingor in warm weather. See section "Engine
oil" 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
more frequently and spray an antirust oil on
the battery posts.
•Volvo recommends the use of snow tires
on all four wheels for winter driving – see
section "Wheels and tires."
•To prevent the washer fluid reservoir
from freezing, add washer solvents con-
taining antifreeze (see page 217 for the
location of the washer fluid reservoir). This
is important since dirt is often splashed on
the windshield during winter driving,
requiring the frequent use of the washers
and wipers. Volvo Washer Solvent should
be diluted as follows:
•Down to 14 ° F (–10 ° C): 1 part washer
solvent and 4 parts water
•Down to 5 ° F (–15 ° C): 1 part washer sol-
vent and 3 parts water
•Down to 0 ° F (–18 ° C):1 part washer sol-
vent and 2 parts water
•Down to –18 ° F (–28 ° C): 1 part washer
solvent and 1 part water
•Use Volvo Teflon Lock Spray in the locks.
NOTE
Avoid the use of de-icing sprays as they can
cause damage to the locks.
W – Winter/Wet driving mode – enhanced
vehicle traction
•Mode W will only function if the gear selec-
tor is in the (D)rive position.
•Press the button at the base of the gear
selector to engage/disengage this driving
mode.
•An LED in the button will light up to indicate
that W is engaged and this will also be dis-
played in the instrument panel (see
page 58).
•This mode may be selected for starting/
moving off on slippery roads.
1Synthetic oil is not used when the oil is changed at the normal maintenance service intervals except at owner request and at additional charge. Please consult your Volvo retailer.

06 Starting and driving
Before a long distance trip
06
164
It is always worthwhile to have your vehicle
checked by a trained and qualified Volvo serv-
ice technician before driving long distances.
Your retailer or service technician will also be
able to supply you with bulbs, fuses, spark
plugs and wiper blades for your use in the event
that problems occur.
As a minimum, the following items should be
checked before any long trip:
•Check that engine runs smoothly and that
fuel consumption is normal.
•Check for fuel, oil, and fluid leakage.
•Check transmission oil level1.
•Check condition of drive belts.
•Check state of the battery's charge.
•Examine tires carefully (the spare tire as
well), and replace those that are worn.
Check tire pressures.
•The brakes, front wheel alignment, and
steering gear should be checked by a
trained and qualified Volvo service techni-
cian only.
•Check all lights, including high beams.
•Reflective warning triangles are legally
required in some states/provinces.
•Have a word with your Volvo retailer if you
intend to drive in countries where it may be
difficult to obtain the correct fuel.
•Consider your destination. If you will be
driving through an area where snow or ice
are likely to occur, consider snow tires.
1To prevent injury from contact with hot surfaces, do not inspect your vehicle’s transmission fluid yourself. Have your vehicle’s transmission fluid level inspected by a qualified Volvo service technician.

06 Starting and driving
Blind Spot Information System*
06
166* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.
When you pass another vehicle:
The system reacts when you pass another
vehicle at a speed of up to 6 mph (10 km/h)
faster than that vehicle.
When you are passed by another vehicle:
The system reacts if your vehicle is passed by
another vehicle at a speed of up to 43 mph
(70 km/h) faster than your vehicle.
WARNING
•BLIS does not function in sharp curves.
•BLIS does not function when your vehi-
cle is backing up.
•If you are towing a wide trailer, this may
prevent the BLIS cameras from detect-
ing other vehicles in adjacent lanes.
How BLIS functions in daylight and
darkness
Daylight
BLIS reacts to the shape of surrounding vehi-
cles. The system is designed to help detect
motor vehicles such as cars, trucks, buses,
motorcycles, etc.
Darkness
BLIS reacts to the headlights of surrounding
vehicles. In order to be detected by BLIS, avehicle in the blind area must have its head-
lights on. This means, for example, that the
system will not detect a trailer without head-
lights that is being towed behind a car or truck.
WARNING
•BLIS does not react to cyclists or
mopeds.
•BLIS does not react to vehicles that are
standing still.
•The BLIS cameras have the same limi-
tation as the human eye. In other words,
their "vision is impaired" by adverse
weather conditions such as heavy
snowfall, intense light directly into the
camera, dense fog, etc.
Cleaning the BLIS camera lensesIn order to function optimally, the BLIS camera
lenses must be kept clean. They can be wiped
clean with a soft cloth or wet sponge.
CAUTION
•Clean the lenses carefully to avoid
scratching.
•The lenses are electrically heated to
help melt ice or snow. If necessary, gen-
tly brush away snow from the lenses.
LimitationsIn certain situations, the BLIS indicator light(s)
may illuminate even when there are no other
vehicles in the area monitored by the system.
NOTE
If the BLIS indicator lights illuminate occa-
sionally even when there are no other vehi-
cles in the blind area, this does not indicate
a fault in the system.
In the event of a fault,
Blind spot syst.
service required will be displayed.
The following are several examples of situa-
tions in which the BLIS indicator light(s) may
illuminate even when there are no other vehi-
cles in the area monitored by the system.
Light reflected from a wet road surface

06 Starting and driving
Blind Spot Information System*
06

* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.167
G018177
The vehicle's own shadow against a large, light,
smooth surface such as barriers between lanes on
a highway
Sunlight directly in the camera when the sun is low
on the horizon
G026955
Switching BLIS on and offBLIS is automatically activated when the igni-
tion is switched on. The indicator lights will
provide confirmation by flashing 3 times.
•The system can be switched off by press-
ing the BLIS button in the center console
(see the illustration). The indicator light in
the button goes out when the system is
switched off, and a text message is dis-
played.
•BLIS can be switched on again by pressing
the button. The indicator light in the button
will illuminate and a new text message will
be displayed. Press the READ button (see
page 62) to erase the message.
System statusText in the dis-
play
BLIND-SPOT
SYST SERVICE
REQUIREDBLIS not functioning
properly. Contact an
authorized Volvo
service technician.
BLIND-SPOT
SYST R CAMERA
BLOCKEDThe right side BLIS
camera is obscured.
Clean the lenses.
BLIND-SPOT
SYST L CAMERA
BLOCKEDThe left side BLIS
camera is obscured.
Clean the lenses.
BLIND-SPOT
SYST CAMERAS
BLOCKEDBLIS camera
obscured. Clean the
lenses.
BLIND-SPOT INFO
SYSTEM OFFBLIS system off

07 Wheels and tires
General information
07
172
Introduction
Your vehicle is equipped with tires according
to the vehicle's tire information placard on the
B-pillar (the structural member at the side of
the vehicle, at the rear of the driver's door
opening).
CAUTION
Some Volvo models are equipped with an
Ultra High Performance tire and wheel com-
bination designed to provide maximum dry
pavement performance with consideration
for hydroplaning resistance. They may be
more susceptible to road hazard damage
and, depending on driving conditions, may
achieve a tread life of less than 20,000 miles
(30,000 km). Even if this vehicle is equipped
with Volvo’s advanced AWD or DSTC sys-
tem, these tires are not designed for winter
driving, and should be replaced with winter
tires when weather conditions dictate.
The tires have good road holding characteris-
tics and offer good handling on dry and wet
surfaces. It should be noted however that the
tires have been developed to give these fea-
tures on snow/ice-free surfaces.
Most models are equipped with "all-season"
tires, which provide a somewhat higher degree
of road holding on slippery surfaces than tireswithout the "all-season" rating. However, for
optimum road holding on icy or snow-covered
roads, we recommend suitable winter tires on
all four wheels.
When replacing tires, be sure that the new tires
are the same size designation, type (radial) and
preferably from the same manufacturer, on all
four wheels. Otherwise there is a risk of altering
the car's roadholding and handling characte-
ristics.
New Tires
Remember that tires are perishable goods. As
of 2000, the manufacturing week and year
(Department of Transportation (DOT) stamp)
will be indicated with 4 digits (e.g., 1510 means
that the tire illustrated was manufactured dur-
ing week 15 of 2010).
Tire ageTires degrade over time, even when they are
not being used. It is recommended that tires
generally be replaced after 6 years of normal
service. Heat caused by hot climates, frequent
high loading conditions or Ultra Violet (U.V)
exposure can accelerate the aging process.
The temporary spare
1 should also be replaced
at 6-year intervals, even if it has never been
used.
A tire's age can be determined by the DOT
stamp on the sidewall (see the illustration).
A tire with e.g., visible cracks or discoloration
should be replaced immediately.
Improving tire economy
•Maintain correct tire pressure. For the tire
pressure tables, see pages 177 and 178.
•Drive smoothly: avoid fast starts, hard
braking and tire screeching.
•Tire wear increases with speed.
•Correct front wheel alignment is very
important.
•Unbalanced wheels impair tire economy
and driving comfort.
•Tires must maintain the same direction of
rotation throughout their lifetime.
1Option or accessory on some models

07 Wheels and tires
Tire inflation
07

175 Inflation placard
G032513
Tire inflation placard
Check tire inflation pressure regularly.
Tables listing the recommended inflation pres-
sure for your vehicle can be found on pages
177 and 178. A tire inflation pressure placard
is also located on the driver's side B-pillar (the
structural member at the side of the vehicle, at
the rear of the driver's door opening). This plac-
ard indicates the designation of the factory-
mounted tires on your vehicle, as well as load
limits and inflation pressure.
NOTE
The placards shown indicate inflation pres-
sure for the tires installed on the vehicle at
the factory only.
•Use a tire gauge to check the tire inflation
pressure, including the spare, at least once
a month and before long trips. You are
strongly urged to buy a reliable tire pres-
sure gauge, as automatic service station
gauges may be inaccurate.
•Use the recommended cold inflation pres-
sure for optimum tire performance and
wear.
•Under-inflation or over-inflation may cause
uneven treadwear patterns.
WARNING
•Under-inflation is the most common
cause of tire failure and may result in
severe tire cracking, tread separation,
or "blow-out," with unexpected loss of
vehicle control and increased risk of
injury.
•Under-inflated tires reduce the load car-
rying capacity of your vehicle.
When weather temperature changes occur, tire
inflation pressures also change. A 10-degreetemperature drop causes a corresponding
drop of 1 psi (7 kPa) in inflation pressure. Check
your tire pressures frequently and adjust them
to the proper pressure, which can be found on
the vehicle's tire information placard or certifi-
cation label.
Checking tire pressureA certain amount of air seepage from the tires
occurs naturally and tire pressure fluctuates
with seasonal changes in temperature. Always
check tire pressure regularly.
Cold tiresInflation pressure should be checked when the
tires are cold.
The tires are considered to be cold when
they have the same temperature as the sur-
rounding (ambient) air.
This temperature is normally reached after the
vehicle has been parked for at least 3 hours.
After driving a distance of approximately 1 mile
(1.6 km), the tires are considered to be hot. If
you have to drive farther than this distance to
pump your tire(s), check and record the tire
pressure first and add the appropriate air pres-
sure when you get to the pump.
If checking tire pressure when the tire is hot,
never "bleed" or reduce air pressure. The tires
are hot from driving and it is normal for pres-
sures to increase above recommended cold