tow VOLVO V50 2009 Owner´s Manual

Contents
6
06
06 Starting and drivingGeneral 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
07
07 Wheels and tiresGeneral information................................174
Tire inflation............................................. 176
Inflation pressure—U.S. models ............ 178
Inflation pressure—Canadian models .... 179
Tire designations..................................... 180
Glossary of tire terminology.................... 182
Vehicle loading........................................ 183
Uniform tire quality gradings................... 185
Snow chains, snow tires, studded tires. . 186
Temporary spare..................................... 187
Wheel nuts.............................................. 188
Tire rotation............................................. 189
Changing a wheel................................... 190
Tire Sealing System ............................... 192
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) 197
08
08 Car careWashing and cleaning the car................. 202
Paint touch up......................................... 206

01 Safety
Supplemental Restraint System
01``21 Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)
G026330
SRS warning lightAs an enhancement to the three-point seat
belts, your Volvo is equipped with a Supple-
mental Restraint System (SRS). Volvo's SRS
consists of seat belt pretensioners, front air-
bags, side impact airbags, the occupant
weight sensor, and inflatable curtains. All of
these systems are monitored by the SRS con-
trol module. An SRS warning light in the instru-
ment panel (see the illustration) illuminates
when the ignition key is turned to position I,II,
orIII, and will normally go out after approxi-
mately 7 seconds if no faults are detected in
the system.Where applicable, a text message will also be
displayed when the SRS warning light illumi-
nates. If this warning symbol is not functioning
properly, the general warning symbol
illuminates and either
SRS AIRBAG
SERVICE URGENT
or
SRS AIRBAG
SERVICE REQUIRED will be displayed.
WARNING
•
If the SRS warning light stays on after
the engine has started or if it illuminates
while you are driving, have the vehicle
inspected by a trained and qualified
Volvo service technician as soon as
possible.
•
Never try to repair any component or
part of the SRS yourself. Any interfer-
ence in the system could cause mal-
function and serious injury. All work on
these systems should be performed by
a trained and qualified Volvo service
technician.
WARNING
If your vehicle has been subjected to flood
conditions (e.g. soaked carpeting/standing
water on the floor of the vehicle) or if your
vehicle has become flood-damaged in any
way, do not attempt to start the vehicle or
put the key in the ignition before discon-
necting the battery (see below). This may
cause airbag deployment which could result
in personal injury. Have the vehicle towed to
a trained and qualified Volvo service tech-
nician for repairs.
Automatic transmission
Before attempting to tow the vehicle, use
the following procedure to override the
shiftlock system to move the gear selector
to the neutral position:
1. Switch off the ignition for at least
10 minutes and disconnect the battery.
2. Wait at least one minute.
3. Insert the key in the ignition and turn it
to position II.
4. Press firmly on the brake pedal.
5.
Move the gear selector from Park (P) to
the Neutral (N) position, see page 151,
for information on manually overriding
the shiftlock system.

01 Safety
Supplemental Restraint System
0125
G032525
Airbag decal on passenger's side dashboard
G032934
Airbag decal on the outside of both sun visors
WARNING
•
Children must never be allowed in the
front passenger's seat. Volvo recom-
mends that ALL occupants (adults and
children) shorter than 4 feet 7 inches
(140 cm) be seated in the back seat of
any vehicle with a passenger-side front
airbag. See page 35 for guidelines.
•
Occupants in the front passenger's seat
must never sit on the edge of the seat,
sit leaning toward the instrument panel
or otherwise sit out of position.
•
The occupant's back must be as upright
as comfort allows and be against the
seat back with the seat belt properly
fastened.
•
Feet must be on the floor, e.g., not on
the dash, seat or out of the window.
WARNING
•
No objects or accessory equipment,
e.g. dashboard covers, may be placed
on, attached to, or installed near the air
bag hatch (the area above the glove
compartment) or the area affected by
airbag deployment.
•
There should be no loose articles, e.g.
coffee cups, on the floor, seat, or dash-
board area.
•
Never try to open the airbag cover on
the steering wheel or the passenger's
side dashboard. This should only be
done by a trained and qualified Volvo
service technician.
•
Failure to follow these instructions can
result in injury to the vehicle occupants.

01 SafetyCrash mode
0133 Driving after a collision
G026363
If the vehicle has been involved in a collision,
the text
CRASH MODE SEE MANUAL
may
appear in the information display. This indi-
cates that the vehicle's functionality has been
reduced.
This text can only be shown if the display is
undamaged and the vehicle's electrical system
is intact.
CRASH MODE is a feature that is triggered if
one or more of the safety systems (for example,
front or side airbags, an inflatable curtain, or
one or more of the seat belt pretensioners) has
deployed. The collision may have damaged an
important function in the vehicle, such as thefuel lines, sensors for one of the safety sys-
tems, the brake system, etc.
WARNING
•
Never attempt to repair the vehicle
yourself or to reset the electrical system
after the vehicle has displayed
CRASH
MODE SEE MANUAL
. This could
result in injury or improper system func-
tion.
•
Restoring the vehicle to normal operat-
ing mode should only be done by a
trained and qualified Volvo service tech-
nician.
•
After
CRASH MODE SEE MANUAL
has been displayed, if you detect the
odor of fuel vapor, or see any signs of
fuel leakage, do not attempt to start the
vehicle. Leave the vehicle immediately.
Attempting to start the vehicleIf damage to the vehicle is minor and there is
no fuel leakage, you may attempt to start the
vehicle. To do so:
1. Remove the ignition key or optional keyless
drive start control, see page 146.
2. Reinsert the key or start control in the igni-
tion switch. The vehicle will then attempt to
reset CRASH MODE to normal mode.3. Try to start the vehicle.
Moving the vehicleIf the electrical system is able to reset system
status to normal (
CRASH MODE SEE
MANUAL
will no longer be displayed), the
vehicle may be moved carefully from its pres-
ent position, if for example, it is blocking traffic.
It should, however, not be moved farther than
is absolutely necessary.
WARNING
Even if the vehicle appears to be drivable
after CRASH MODE has been set, it should
not be driven or towed (pulled by another
vehicle). There may be concealed damage
that could make it difficult or impossible to
control. The vehicle should be transported
on a flatbed tow truck to a trained and quali-
fied Volvo service technician for inspection/
repairs.

02 Instruments and controlsSymbols – instrument panel
0256
Symbols – right side
G026438
1. Turn signal indicator for trailer (certain
markets only)
If you are towing a trailer, this light
will flash simultaneously with the
turn signals on the trailer. If the
light does not flash when signaling,
one of the turn signals on the trailer
or on the car are not functioning properly.
2. Parking brake applied
This light is on when the parking
brake (hand brake) is applied. The
parking brake lever is situated
between the front seats, see
page 74 for more information.
NOTE
Canadian models are equipped with the
second symbol.3. SRS system warning light
If this light comes on while the car
is being driven, or remains on for
longer than approximately 10 sec-
onds after the car has been
started, the SRS system's diag-
nostic functions have detected a fault in a seat
belt lock or pretensioner, a front airbag, side
impact airbag, and/or an inflatable curtain.
Have the system(s) inspected by a trained and
qualified Volvo service technician as soon as
possible.
4. Oil pressure warning light
1
If the light comes on while driving,
the car, stop the engine immedi-
ately, and check the engine oil
level. If the oil level is normal and
the light stays on after restart, have
the car towed to the nearest trained and quali-
fied Volvo service technician. After hard driv-
ing, the light may come on occasionally when
the engine is idling. This is normal, provided it
goes off when the engine speed is increased.
5. Seat belt reminder
This symbol (and the seat belt
reminder light above the rear view
mirror) will light up if either front
seat occupant has not buckled his/
her seat belt. If the car is not mov-
ing, the symbols will go out after approximately
6 seconds.
6. Generator warning light
If the light comes on while the
engine is running, have the charg-
ing system checked by an author-
ized Volvo workshop.
1On certain engines, this symbol is not used to indicate low oil pressure. Instead, a text warning is provided in the information display, see also page 216.

02 Instruments and controls
Symbols – instrument panel
0257
7. Brake failure warning light
If this light comes on while driving
or braking, stop the car as quickly
as possible in a safe place, open
the hood, and check the brake fluid
level in the reservoir, see
page 215 for the location of the reservoir.
NOTE
Canadian models are equipped with the
second symbol.
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 infor-
mation display: DO NOT DRIVE. Have the
car towed to a trained and qualified Volvo
service technician and have the brake sys-
tem inspected.
If the BRAKES and ABS warning lights come
on at the same time, this could indicate a fault
in the brake system.In this case:
1. Stop the car in a suitable place and switch
off the engine.
2. Restart the engine.
3. If both warning lights go off, no further
action is required and the car can be
driven.
4. If both lights remain on after the engine has
been restarted, switch off the engine again
and check the brake fluid level, see
page 215 for the location of the reservoir.
Door open warningThe driver will be alerted if one of the doors, the
hood or the tailgate are open or ajar.At low speeds
If the car is moving at a speed of
less than approximately 3 mph
(5 km/h), the Information symbol in
the instrument panel will light up
and a message will be shown in the
information display indicating which door(s),
etc is not completely closed.
At higher speeds
If the car is moving at a speed
above approximately 6 mph
(10 km/h), the Warning symbol in
the instrument panel will light up
and a message will be shown in the
information display indicating which door(s),
etc is not completely closed.
Hood and tailgate
If the hood and/or tailgate is not
completely closed, the Information
symbol in the instrument panel will
light up and a message will be dis-
played, regardless of the vehicle's
speed.

02 Instruments and controlsLeft-side steering wheel lever
0264
Lever positions
G026954
Turn signals, lane change positionTurn signals, position for normal turnsHigh beam flashToggle between high and low beams,
Home Safe lighting
Turn signalsWhen turning±
Move the lever as far up or down as pos-
sible (to position 2) to start the turn signals.
The turn signals will be cancelled automatically
by the movement of the steering wheel, or the
lever can be returned to its initial position by
hand.When changing lanesThe driver can automatically flash the turn sig-
nals 3 times by:•
Moving the turn signal lever up or down to
position 1 and releasing it.
•
Moving the lever up or down to position 2
and immediately back to its original posi-
tion.NOTE
•
This automatic flashing sequence can
be interrupted by immediately moving
the lever in the opposite direction.
•
If the turn signal indicator flashes faster
than normal, check for a burned-out
turn signal bulb.
High/low beam headlightsContinuous high beams1.
Turn the ignition key to position II.
2.
With the light switch (1) in position
,
see page 61, pull the turn signal lever
toward the steering wheel (position 4) to
toggle between high and low beams.
High beam flash1.
Turn the ignition key to position II.
2. Pull the turn signal lever to position 3. The
high beams will remain on until the lever is
released.Home safe lightingWhen you leave your car at night, you can
make use of the home safe lighting function to
illuminate the area in front of the car.
1. Remove the key from the ignition switch.
2. Pull the direction indicator lever as far as
possible towards the steering wheel (to
position 4) and release it.
3. Exit the car and lock the doors.
The headlights and parking lights will illuminate
and remain on for 30
1, 60 or 90 seconds. The
time interval can be changed according to your
1Factory setting

02 Instruments and controlsRight-side steering wheel lever
0270
Windshield wipers
00
A
C
D
B
G025411
Windshield/headlight washersRain sensor (option) – on/of, see page 70Thumb wheelTailgate wiper/washer
Windshield wipers off
The windshield wipers are off when
the lever is in position 0.
Manual wiper function
From position 0, move the lever
upward. The windshield wipers will
sweep one stroke at a time for as
long as the lever is held up.
Intermittent wiper function
With the lever in this position, you
can set the wiper interval by mov-
ing the thumb wheel (C) upward to
increase wiper speed or down-
ward to decrease the speed.
Continuous wiper function
The wipers operate at "normal"
speed.
High speed wiper function.
A–Windshield washersPull the lever toward the steering wheel and
release it. The wipers will make 2–3 sweeps
across the windshield after the lever has been
released.
CAUTION
•
Use ample washer fluid when washing
the windshield. The windshield should
be thoroughly wet when the wipers are
in operation.
•
Before using the wipers, ice and snow
should be removed from the wind-
shield/rear window. Be sure the wiper
blades are not frozen in place.
Headlight washers (certain models)When the lever has been pulled, high pressure
jets mounted in the bumper will spray the head-
lights.
The following applies to conserve washer fluid,
see page 61 for information on the light switch
positions:Low/high beam headlights onThe headlights will be washed the first time the
windshield 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 onOptional Bi-Xenon
Ÿ headlights will be washed
once for every five times the windshield is
washed.
Normal halogen headlights will not be washed.

02 Instruments and controlsParking brake
0274
Parking brake (hand brake)
G026348
The parking brake lever is located between the
front seats.
NOTE
The indicator light will illuminate even if the
parking brake has only been partially
applied.When applying the parking brake1. Press firmly on the brake pedal.
2. Pull the parking brake lever up firmly to its
full extent.
3. Release the brake pedal and ensure that
the vehicle is at a standstill.4. If the vehicle rolls, the parking brake lever
must be pulled more firmly.
5. When parking a vehicle always put the gear
selector in first gear (for manual transmis-
sion) or P (for automatic transmission).
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.
Releasing the parking brake1. Press firmly on the brake pedal.
2. Pull the lever up slightly, press the button
at the end of the lever and lower the lever
completely.
WARNING
Pull up the parking brake lever up firmly to
its full extent.

02 Instruments and controls
Mirrors
02``77 Rearview mirror
G020146
Day/night controlNormal positionNight position, reduces glare from follow-
ing traffic
Night positionTo reduce glare from the headlights of follow-
ing vehicles, use control (1) to switch between
the normal and night-driving positions.Auto-dim function (option)An optional integrated sensor reacts to head-
lights from following traffic and automatically
reduces glare.
Rearview mirror with compass (option)
G029930
The upper right-hand corner of the rearview
mirror has an integrated display that shows the
compass direction toward which the car is
pointing. Eight different directions can be dis-
played:
N,NE
,E,SE
,S,SW
,W and
NW
. The
display shows your car's orientation with
respect to true north.
Calibrating the compass
G031045
The earth is divided into 15 magnetic zones.
The compass is initially set for the zone to
which the car was delivered, and should
always be adjusted if the car is driven to a new
magnetic zone. A "
C" will be displayed if cali-
bration becomes necessary.
To calibrate the compass:
1. Stop the car in a large, open area, away
from traffic.
2. Using a pen or similar object, hold the but-
ton (1) depressed for at least 6 seconds.
"
C" will be displayed.