belt VOLVO S90 1998 User Guide

1998 Volvo S90

SIPS airbag decal*
SIPS airbag (front seats only)
As an enhancement to the structural Side
Impact Protection System built into your
car, your car is also equipped with Side
Impact Protection System (SIPS) airbags.
The SIPS airbag system consists of airbag
modules built into the sides of both front
seat backrests (1), cables (2) from these
modules to the mechanical sensor units (3)
and gas generators (4).
The SIPS airbag system is designed to help
increase occupant protection in the event of
certain side impact collisions. The SIPS
airbags are designed to deploy only during
certain side-impact collisions, depending on
the crash severity, angle, speed, and point of
impact. The airbags are not designed to
deploy in all side impact situations.
covers may be
used. The use of
non-approved
aftermarket seat
covers may impede
SIPS airbag
deployment.
l No objects,
accessory
equipment or
stickers may be
placed on, attached
to or installed near
the SIPS airbag
system or in the
area affected by
SIPS airbag
deployment (see
illustration to the
right above).
l Never try to open
or repair any
components of the
SIPS airbag system.
This should only be
done by an
authorized Volvo
service technician.
l For best protection
from the SIPS
airbag system, both
front seat occupants
should sit in an
upright position
with the seat belt
properly fastened.
NOTE: SIPS airbag
deployment (one airbag)
occurs only on the side of
the vehicle affected by the
impact.

WARNING!
l Never drive with the
airbags deployed. The
fact that they hang out
can impair the steering
of your car. Other
safety systems can
also be damaged. The
smoke and dust
formed when the
airbags are deployed
can cause skin and eye
irritation in the event
of prolonged
exposure.
l If your car has been
subjected to flood
conditions (e.g.
soaked carpeting/
standing water on the
floor of the vehicle) or
if your car has become
flood-damaged in any
way, do not attempt to
start the vehicle or put
the key in the ignition
before disconnecting
the battery. This may
cause airbag
deployment which
could result in
personal injury. Have
the car towed to an
authorized Volvo
retailer for repairs.
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1998 Volvo S90
Chapter 1 - (cont.)Child Safety
pg. 9
Child Restraint Anchorages

Volvo cars are fitted with Child
Restraint Top Tether Anchorages in the
rear seat. There are three anchorages
under the rear section of the car's rear
window shelf on sedans and on the back
rest on wagons. The backrest on wagons
must be folded down slightly to reach
the anchorages. When the car is
delivered, the holes for these anchorages
are covered by plastic covers. In cars
designated for Canada, one top tether
anchorage set will be in the glove box.
The top tether anchorage set includes the
top tether anchorage plate, an 5/16"
UNC bolt and a plastic trim cover. If
another set is needed, consult your
Volvo retailer. Installing the top tether

Remove the plastic cover on the
anchorage point you want to use. This
can be done with a suitable coin. The
cover is removed counter-clockwise.
Refer to the child seat manufacturer's
instructions for securing the seat.
WARNING! Child Restraint
Anchorages are designed to withstand
only those loads imposed by correctly
fitted Child Restraints. Under no
circumstances are they to be used for
adult seat belts or harnesses. The
anchorages are not able to withstand
excessive forces on them in the event of
collision if full harness seat belts or
adult seat belts are installed to them. An
adult who uses a belt anchored in a
Child Restraint Anchorage runs a great
risk of suffering severe injuries should
a collision occur. Do not install rear
speakers which would require the
removal of the top tether anchors or
interfere with the proper use of the top
tether strap.
Child Safety (cont.) pg. 10
Sedans/Wagons

With the child properly seated on
the booster cushion (see
illustration), adjust the head
restraint to support the child's head
(see page 3). The hip section of the
three-point seat belt must fit
snugly across the child's hips, not
across the stomach.
The shoulder section of the three-
point seat belt should be
positioned across the chest and
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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 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
Chapter 3 - Body and interior (cont.)
Concealed storage bins, Rear seat head restraints (wagon)
pg. 42

Opening the small storage bin


Concealed storage bins

There are three storage bins under the floor of the
cargo space; the largest bin can be locked with a
key.



The lid of the largest
bin is hinged in the
middle (not useable if
the auxiliary child seat is installed).


Folding rear seat; increasing the cargo
space

The center head restraint should be lowered
manually before folding down the rear seat
backrest. The outboard head restraints retract
automatically when the backrest is folded down.
The rear seat head restraints can be raised by
pulling straight up or lowered by grasping the
restraint, pulling it slightly forward and pushing
down.
Folding rear seat (wagon) pg. 43

Seat cushion strap

The rear seat is split 60/40 so that each
section can be folded independently.
Straighten front backrests if they are
tilted too far to the rear.
Pull the strap to lift the seat cushion and
Release lever - backrest


CAUTION: Check that latches under
seat cushions engage holes at top edge of
backrest.
Seat belts must be correctly positioned as
Latches fit into holes


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Loading in cargo space

Seat belts and airbags help give driver and passengers good
protection, especially in head-on collisions. However, there is
also a risk of injury from behind. When loading the car,
remember that objects not properly loaded and secured may
move forward in collisions or when braking suddenly, causing
injury.
Remember that a 44 lbs object weighs the equivalent of
2,200 lbs in a head-on collision at 30 mph.
Remember the following when loading the car:

l Load the cargo against the backrest.
l Load heavy cargo as low down as possible.
l Load wide cargo on either side of the rear seat split.
l Secure the cargo with cargo straps through the eyelets in the
cargo space.
l If nobody is sitting in the rear seat reinforce the backrest by
fastening the rear seat belts.
l Never load cargo above the backrest without a cargo barrier.
Cargo barrier (Wagon) pg. 47


Cargo barrier

Your car can be fitted with a cargo barrier as an optional extra.
The cargo barrier helps prevent cargo and animals from being
thrown forward if the vehicle stops suddenly, or is involved in
an accident. The cargo barrier can be folded up when not in
use.

Cargo barrier and the auxiliary child seat

WARNING! If your car is equipped with an auxiliary child
seat in the luggage compartment, the cargo barrier must be
removed before using the child seat. Otherwise, in the event
of a sudden stop or accident, the child could be injured and
the net could hinder rapid access to the luggage
compartment.


When removing the cargo barrier:
l Fold forward the rear seat backrest
l Lean the cargo barrier forwards
l Disconnect the two knobs on the cargo barrier and push
them towards the center
l Remove the cargo barrier
l When installing the cargo barrier, reverse this procedure




Contents | Top of Page
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1998 Volvo S90
(check when tires are cold). items and others are checked at
the standard Maintenance
Service intervals.

NOTE: Since using (D)rive
improves fuel economy, it
should be used as often as
possible.
Starting the engine pg. 57
Starting and stopping a
car equipped with
automatic transmission

1 Fasten the seat belt.
WARNING! Before
starting, check that the seat
is adjusted properly. Make
sure the brake pedal can be
depressed completely. Move
the seat closer if necessary.
Refer to section "Front
seats".

2 Apply the parking brake, if
not already set. The gear
selector is locked in the (P)ark
position (SHIFTLOCK).

3Without touching the
accelerator pedal ,turn the
ignition key to the starting
position. Allow the starter to
operate for 5-10 seconds.
Release the key as soon as the
engine starts. If the engine fails
to start, repeat step 3.

5 Select desired gear. The gear
engages after a slight delay,
especially noticeable when
selecting R.
CAUTION: Engine should
be idling; never accelerate
until after you feel the gear
engage! Too rapid
acceleration immediately
after selecting a gear will
cause harsh engagement and
premature transmission
wear.

NOTE:Your car is equipped
with a KEYLOCK system.
When the engine is switched
off, the gear selector must be in
the (P)ark position before the
key can be removed from the
ignition switch.

Engine warm-up - initial
driving procedure

Engines in vehicles driven short
distances are subject to
abnormally rapid wear because
the engine never reaches normal
operating temperature. It is
therefore beneficial to reach
normal operating temperature as
soon as possible. This is best
achieved by driving with a light
foot on the accelerator pedal for
a few minutes after starting,
rather than prolonged idling.

B6304 S Engine


This engine features hydraulic
valve lifters which means that
valve clearance is adjusted
automatically. It is possible that
the valve lifters will produce a
ticking sound for the first few
seconds after the engine is
started, while the oil pressure is
increasing.
If the car has not been used for a
long period of time, this ticking
sound may last for up to 15
minutes. This is entirely normal.
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1998 Volvo S90
cold-weather oil for hard driving or in warm
weather. See section "Engine oil" for more
information.
l The load placed on the battery is greater during
the winter since the heater, windshield wipers,
lighting etc. are used more often. Moreover, the
capacity of the battery decreases as the
temperature drops. In very cold weather, a poorly
charged battery can freeze and be damaged. It is
therefore advisable to check the state of charge
more frequently and spray an anti-rust oil on the
battery posts.
l Volvo recommends the use of snow tires on all
four wheels for winter driving - see section
"Wheels and tires".
l To prevent the washer reservoir from freezing,
add washer solvents containing antifreeze. This is
important since dirt is often splashed on the
windshield during winter driving, thus requiring
frequent use of the washers and wipers.
functions when the transmission is in reverse.
Also see "Winter/Wet" mode on page 59.

Winter/Wet mode

Enhanced Vehicle Traction
This mode may be selected for starting/moving
off on slippery roads or to lower downshift speeds
if the transmission is in "L".
Mode W
*In position D, the gearbox starts in third gear and
changes up to fourth gear.
*In position 3, second gear is locked and there is
no change up to third gear. In position L, first gear
is locked.

*These positions always offer the kick-down
feature.
Long distance trip pg. 70


Before a long distance trip

It is always worthwhile to have your car checked at a Volvo retailer
before driving long distances. Your retailer will also be able to supply\

you with bulbs, fuses, spark plugs and wiper blades for your use in the \
event that problems occur.

If you prefer to check the car yourself, please note the following:
l Check that the engine runs smoothly and that fuel consumption is
normal.
l Check engine oil, coolant levels, and for possible fuel leakage.
l Check transmission oil level and rear axle for leakage.
l Check condition of drive belts.
l Check state of charge of battery.
l Examine tires carefully (the spare tire as well), and replace those
that are worn. Check tire pressures.
l The brakes, front wheel alignment, and steering gear should be
checked by your Volvo retailer only.
l Check all lights, including high beams.

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