brake VOLVO XC90 2012 Owner´s Manual

04 Interior
Front seats
04
104* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.
Manually adjusted front seats
G027214
Front-rear adjustment: lift the bar and
move the seat to the position of your
choice.
Raise/lower the front edge of the seat
cushion*: use the control to pump the front
edge of the cushion up or down.
Raise/lower seat height: pump the seat up
or down.
Lumbar support: turn the control for firmer
or softer lumbar support.
Backrest tilt: turn the control to adjust the
angle of the backrest.
Control panel for optional power seat (see
page 105 for more information).
WARNING
•Do not adjust the seat while driving. The
seat should be adjusted so that the
brake pedal can be depressed fully. In
addition, position the seat as far rear-
ward as comfort and control allow.
•Check that the seat is securely locked
into position after adjusting.
Folding the backrests in the front seat
G014805
The front passenger seat backrest can be
folded to a horizontal position to make room for
a long load. Fold the backrest as follows:1. Move the seat as far back as possible.
2. Adjust the backrest to the upright position.
3. Lift the catches on the rear of the backrest.
4. Without releasing the catches, push the
backrest forward.
5. Move the seat as far forward as possible
so that the head restraint slides under the
glove compartment.
WARNING
•When transporting long objects, cover
sharp edges on the load to help prevent
injury to occupants. Secure the load to
help prevent shifting during sudden
stops.
•When the seat's backrest is returned to
the upright position, push and pull it to
be sure that it is securely locked in this
position.

04 Interior
Front seats
04
106
1. Unlock the driver's door with the same
remote key (the one used to lock the doors)
2. Open the driver's door within 2 minutes.
The driver's seat will automatically move to the
position in which you left it.
NOTE
•The seat will move to this position even
if someone else has moved it to a dif-
ferent seating position and locked the
vehicle with a different remote key.
•This feature will work in the same way
with all of the remote key transmitters
(up to 3 ) that you use with your vehicle.
•This feature will not function if you lock
your vehicle with the key.
WARNING
•Because the driver's seat can be
adjusted with the ignition off, children
should never be left unattended in the
vehicle.
•Movement of the seat can be STOPPED
at any time by pressing any button on
the power seat control panel.
•Do not adjust the seat while driving.
•The seat should be adjusted so that the
brake pedal can be depressed fully. In
addition, position the seat as far rear-
ward as comfort and control allow.
•The seat rails on the floor must not be
obstructed in any way when the seat is
in motion.
G027037
Programming the memoryThree different seating and door mirror posi-
tions can be stored in the driver seat's memory.
The following example explains how button 1
can be programmed. Buttons 2 and 3 can be
programmed in the same way.
To program (store) a seat position in button 1:
1. Move the seat to the desired position using
the seat adjustment controls (see
page 104).
2.
Press and hold down the MEM (memory)
button.

04 Interior
Rear seats
04
110
3. Pull the handle (1) outward to release the
backrest. The backrests are designed to
lock at a 45 degree angle. Pull the handle
again to continue pressing it down until it
locks in the horizontal position.
To return the backrests to the upright position,
pull handle 1 and pull the backrest up.
G027016
Folding the backrests—third row of
seats
Folding down the backrest
If necessary, fold in the load anchorage eyelets
before folding down the backrests.1. Move the seats in the second row as far
forward as possible, see page 108.
2. Pull up the handle, illustration 1 above.
3. Push the seat cushion firmly rearward,
under the backrest.
4.
Fold down the backrests
2 (the head
restraints fold down automatically) to the
horizontal position.
WARNING
The seats in the third row are not equipped
with top tether anchors or ISOFIX/LATCH
lower child seat anchors. Child restraint sys-
tems should never be used on these seats.
Returning the backrest to the upright
position
1. Fold up the backrest to the upright posi-
tion.
2. Grasp the strap (see illustration 3 above)
and pull the seat cushion out until it locks
in place. This also locks the backrest in the
upright position.
WARNING
•When one or more sections of the back-
rest is returned to the upright position,
check that it is properly locked in place
by pushing and pulling it. The red indi-
cators should also not be visible.
•Return the outboard head restraints to
the upright position.
•Long loads should always be securely
anchored to help avoid injury in the
event of a sudden stop.
•Always turn the engine off and apply the
parking brake when loading/unloading
the vehicle.
•Place the transmission in the Park (P)
position to help prevent inadvertent
movement of the gear selector.
•On hot days, the temperature in the
vehicle interior can rise very quickly.
Exposure of people to these high tem-
peratures for even a short period of time
can cause heat-related injury or death.
Small children are particularly at risk.
2Please note that the head restraints in this row cannot be vertically adjusted.

132* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.
General information............................................................................... 134
Fuel requirements................................................................................. 135
Refueling............................................................................................... 137
Starting the vehicle............................................................................... 139
Ignition switch and steering wheel lock................................................ 141
Economical driving................................................................................ 142
Difficult driving conditions..................................................................... 143
Automatic transmission........................................................................ 144
Jump starting........................................................................................ 147
All Wheel Drive*..................................................................................... 148
Brake system........................................................................................ 149
Parking brake........................................................................................ 152
Stability system..................................................................................... 153
Front/rear park assist*........................................................................... 155
Towing.................................................................................................. 157
Towing a trailer...................................................................................... 159
Detachable trailer hitch......................................................................... 162
Load carriers (accessory)...................................................................... 163
Cold weather precautions..................................................................... 164
Before a long distance trip.................................................................... 165
Blind Spot Information System*............................................................ 166

06 Starting and driving
Starting the vehicle
06

139 Starting the engine
WARNING
Before starting, check that the seat, steering
wheel and mirrors are adjusted properly.
Make sure the brake pedal can be
depressed completely. Adjust the seat if
necessary, see page 104.
1. Fasten the seat belt.
2. Apply the parking brake (hand brake) if not
already set. The gear selector is locked in
the P position (SHIFTLOCK).
3. Without touching the accelerator pedal,
turn the ignition key
1 to the starting posi-
tion. Allow the starter to operate for up to
10 seconds. Release the key as soon as
the engine starts
2. If the engine fails to
start, repeat this step.
WARNING
•Never use more the one floor mat at one
time on the driver's floor. An extra mat
on the driver's floor can cause the
accelerator and/or brake pedal to
catch. Check that the movement of
these pedals is not impeded.
•Volvo's floor mats are specially manu-
factured for your car. They must be
firmly secured in the clips on the floor so
that they cannot slide and become trap-
ped under the pedals on the driver's
side.
NOTE
•If the key blade section of the remote is
not fully folded out when starting the
vehicle, the immobilizer function may
make it impossible to start the engine.
•After a cold start, idle speed may be
noticeably higher than normal for a
short period. This is done to help bring
components in the emission control
system to their normal operating tem-
perature as quickly as possible, which
enables them to control emissions and
help reduce the vehicle's impact on the
environment.
•To release the gear selector from the P
(Park) position, the engine must be run-
ning (or the ignition key must be in posi-
tion II) and the brake pedal must be
depressed.
•Select the desired gear. The gear
engages after a very slight delay which
is especially noticeable when selecting
R.
1If two of the keys to your vehicle are close together, e.g. on the same key ring when you try to start the vehicle, this could cause interference in the immobilizer system and result in the vehicle not
starting. If this should occur, remove one of the keys from the key ring before trying to start the vehicle again.
2On vehicles equipped with the autostart feature, release the key immediately. See also page 141.

06 Starting and driving
Starting the vehicle
06
140
NOTE
Your vehicle is equipped with a KEYLOCK
system. When the engine is switched off,
the gear selector must be in the P position
before the key can be removed from the
ignition switch.
When starting in cold weather, the trans-
mission may shift up at slightly higher
engine speeds than normal until the auto-
matic transmission fluid reaches normal
operating temperature.
NOTE
Do not race a cold engine immediately after
starting. Oil flow may not reach some lubri-
cation points fast enough to prevent engine
damage.
WARNING
Always place the gear selector in Park and
apply the parking brake before leaving the
vehicle. Never leave the vehicle unattended
with the engine running.
•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.
CAUTION
Automatic transmission
•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.
•Selecting P or N when idling at a stand-
still for prolonged periods of time will
help prevent overheating of the auto-
matic transmission fluid.

06 Starting and driving
Economical driving
06
142
Economical driving conserves natural
resources
Better driving economy may be obtained by
thinking ahead, avoiding rapid starts and stops
and adjusting the speed of your vehicle to
immediate traffic conditions. Observe the fol-
lowing rules:
•Bring the engine to normal operating tem-
perature as soon as possible by driving
with a light foot on the accelerator pedal for
the first few minutes of operation. A cold
engine uses more fuel and is subject to
increased wear.
•Whenever possible, avoid using the vehicle
for driving short distances. This does not
allow the engine to reach normal operating
temperature.
•Drive carefully and avoid rapid acceleration
and hard braking.
•Use the transmission's D (Drive) position
as often as possible and avoid using "kick-
down" to help improve fuel economy.
•Do not exceed posted speed limits.
•Avoid carrying unnecessary items (extra
load) in the vehicle.
•Maintain correct tire pressure. Check tire
pressure regularly (when tires are cold).
•Remove snow tires when threat of snow or
ice has ended.
•Note that roof racks, ski racks, etc,
increase air resistance and also fuel con-
sumption.
•At highway driving speeds, fuel consump-
tion will be lower with the air conditioning
on and the windows closed than with the
air conditioning off and the windows open.
•Using the onboard trip computer's fuel
consumption modes can help you learn
how to drive more economically.
Other factors that decrease gas mileage
are:
•Dirty air cleaner
•Dirty engine oil and clogged oil filter
•Dragging brakes
•Incorrect front end alignment.
Some of the above mentioned items and others
are checked at the standard Maintenance
Service intervals.
CAUTION
Drive slowly and carefully if going through
standing water (i.e. flooded roadways, etc.).
Damage to the engine could result if excess
water is drawn in through the air intake sys-
tem. Never drive the vehicle in water deeper
than 18 inches (48 cm).

06 Starting and driving
Difficult driving conditions
06
143 Driving on rough/unpaved surfaces
The Volvo XC90 is designed primarily for on-
road driving, and it has excellent handling cha-
racteristics on very rough or unpaved roads.
When driving on poorly maintained or unpaved
roads, please keep the following in mind:
•Reduce speed on rough surfaces to mini-
mize possible damage to the vehicle's
underbody.
•When driving on soft surfaces such as dry
sand or snow, try to avoid stopping if at all
possible.
WARNING
•Avoid driving diagonally across steep
inclines as this could increase the risk of
a roll-over. Try to drive straight up or
down the slope.
•If the road is very steep, avoid turning
the vehicle around to help avoid the risk
of rolling over. Back the vehicle up or
down the incline instead.
NOTE
Avoid driving on steep inclines if the fuel
tank is nearly empty. If the flow of fuel to the
engine is interrupted due to the vehicle's
angle of inclination, this could result in dam-
age to the three-way catalytic converter. We
recommend keeping the fuel tank at least
half full when driving on steep inclines.
Driving through water
The vehicle can be driven through water up to
a depth of approximately 16 inches (40 cm), at
a maximum speed of 6 mph (10 km/h).
Take particular care when driving through flow-
ing water.
Clean the electrical connections for trailer wir-
ing 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 18 in (48 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.

06 Starting and driving
Automatic transmission
06
144
G026990
P (Park)Use this position when starting the engine or
parking the vehicle.
Never use P while the vehicle is in motion.
The parking brake should also be set whenever
the vehicle is parked.
The gear selector is mechanically locked in
the P position (SHIFTLOCK). To release the
gear selector from this position, the engine
must be running (or the ignition key must be in
position II) and the brake pedal must be
depressed.
N (Neutral)Neutral – no gear engaged. Use the parking
brake.
WARNING
Never leave the vehicle unattended when
the engine is running. If, by mistake, the gear
selector is moved from P, the vehicle may
start moving.
R (Reverse)Never engage R while the vehicle is moving.
D (Drive)D is the normal driving position and should be
used as often as possible to help improve fuel
economy. The vehicle should not be moving
when shifting from R to the D position.
NOTE
The transmission has 6 forward speeds.
Automatic transmission – shift gate
positions
G020237
Shift gate positions
Depress the button on the front of the gear
selector knob to move between the R, N, D,
and P positions.
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.

06 Starting and driving
Brake system
06

* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.149 BRAKE Brake circuit malfunction
The brake system is a hydraulic system con-
sisting of two master cylinders and two sepa-
rate brake circuits. If a problem 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 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.
NOTE
When the vehicle is at a standstill and the
engine is idling, e.g. at a traffic light and the
brake pedal is depressed, the pedal may go
down slightly. This is a normal function of
the power-assisted brake system.
Brake pad inspectionOn vehicles equipped with a jack*, the condi-
tion of the brake pads can be checked by rais-
ing the vehicle (see page 190 for information
about using the jack and removing a wheel)
and performing a visual inspection of the brake
pads.
WARNING
•If the vehicle has been driven immedi-
ately prior to a brake pad inspection, the
wheel hub, brake components, etc., will
be very hot. Allow time for these com-
ponents to cool before carrying out the
inspection.
•Apply the parking brake and put the
gear selector in the Park (P) position.
•Block the wheels standing on the
ground, use rigid wooden blocks or
large stones.
WARNING
•Use the jack intended for the vehicle
when changing a tire. For any other job,
use stands to support the vehicle.
•The jack should be kept well-greased
and clean, and should not be damaged.
•Be sure the jack is on a firm, level, non-
slippery surface.
•No objects should be placed between
the base of jack and the ground, or
between the jack and the attachment
bar on the vehicle.
•The jack must correctly engage the jack
attachment.
•Never allow any part of your body to be
extended under a vehicle supported by
a jack.
Power brakes function only when the
engine is running
The 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, consider-
ably higher pressure will be required on the
brake pedal to compensate for the lack of
power assistance. This can happen for exam-
ple when towing your vehicle or if the engine is