VOLVO V70 2003 Repair Manual

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 acceleration or when passing at highway speeds.
Cold starts
When driving before the engine has reached its normal operating temperature, the transmission will shift up at slightly
higher engine speeds to heat the three-way catalytic converter as quickly as possible.
pg. 92 Automatic transmission (Geartronic)
P (Park)
Use this position when starting the engine or parking the car.
Never use P while the car is in motion. The parking brake should be set whenever the car 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.
WARNING!
Never leave the car unattended when the engine is running. If, by mistake, the gear selector is moved from P, the car
may start moving.
R (Reverse)
Never engage R while the car is moving forward.
N (Neutral)
Neutral - no gear engaged. Use the parking brake.
D (Drive)
D is the normal driving position and should be used as often as possible to help improve fuel economy. The car should
not be moving when shifting from R to the D position.
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Kickdown
Automatic 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 acceleration or when passing at highway speeds. Kickdown does not function
when the transmission is in the manual shift (geartronic) mode (see next page).
Automatic transmission - adaptive system
The automatic transmission is controlled by an adaptive control system that constantly monitors the way in which the
transmission functions. It senses and adapts each gear shift for optimal performance. The system also monitors your
particular driving style and adapts gear shifting accordingly.
Automatic transmission - shift gate positions
You can move the gear selector freely between the (MAN)ual and (D)rive positions while driving.
Depress the button on the front of the gear selector knob to move between the R, N, D, and P positions.
Please see the following page for information on using the Geartronic manual shift mode.
pg. 93 Automatic transmission (Geartronic)
Manual shifting - Geartronic
You can move the gear selector freely between the (MAN)ual and (D)rive positions while driving. Gears 2, 3, and 4
have a "lock -up" function which reduces engine speed and helps save fuel. The currently selected gear will be
displayed in the instrument panel (see page 27
).
To access the (MAN)ual shifting position from (D)rive, pull the gear selector back slightly from D and move it to
the left to MAN.
To return to the (D)rive position from MAN, move the gear selector to the right and push it forward to the (D)rive
position.
While driving
If you select the (MAN)ual position while driving, the gear that was being used in the (D)rive position will also
initially be selected in (MAN)ual position.
Move the gear selector forward (toward "+") to shift to a higher gear or rearward (toward "-") to shift to a lower
gear.
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If you hold the gear selector toward "-", the transmission will downshift, one gear at a time, 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 down to a very low speed, the transmission will automatically shift down.
When starting in the (MAN)ual position, 3rd gear is the highest gear that may be selected.
NOTE: Kickdown (see previous page) does not function when the transmission is in the manual shift (geartronic)
mode. The gear selector must be in the D (Drive) position.
W Winter/Wet driving mode - enhanced vehicle traction
Mode W will function only if the gear selector is in the (D)rive position.
Press the button at the base of the gear selector to engage/disengage this driving mode (see illustration).
An LED in the button will light up to indicate that W is engaged and this will also be displayed in the instrument
panel (see page 27
).
This mode may be selected for starting/moving off on slippery roads.
pg. 94 All Wheel Drive - option
All Wheel Drive (AWD) - general information
Your Volvo can be equipped with permanent All Wheel Drive, which means that power is distributed automatically
between the front and rear wheels. Under normal driving conditions, most of the engine's power is directed to the front
wheels. However, if there is any tendency for the front wheels to spin, an electronically controlled coupling distributes
power to the wheels that have the best traction.
Tire dimensions
Volvo recommends that you always drive on tires of the same brand, size, construction (radial), tread pattern, load-,
speed-, traction-, temperature-, and treadwear rating. Never drive on mixed tires, except for brief periods when the
temporary spare tire is in use.
Always use properly inflated tires of correct dimensions. Tire size and inflation pressures are shown on the tire
pressure label located inside the fuel filler door.
Tire Rotation
Volvo recommends rotating the tires every 7,500 miles (12,000 km). Tires should be rotated front -to-back/back-to-
front only. Tires must maintain the same direction of rotation throughout their lifetime, and should never be rotated
from one side of the vehicle to the other.
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Temporary Spare
The temporary spare tire is for temporary, low-speed, short-distance use only. Replace it with a full-sized tire as soon
as possible, in accordance with "Tire Rotation" above. Do not drive on the temporary spare at speeds above 50 m.p.h.
(80km/h) or for distances greater than 50 miles (80 km).
Never install snow chains on a temporary spare.
pg. 95 Driving economy
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 following rules:
Bring the engine to normal operating temperature 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 car for driving short distances. This does not allow the engine to reach normal
operating temperature.
Drive carefully and avoid rapid acceleration and hard braking.
Do not exceed posted speed limits.
Avoid carrying unnecessary items (extra load) in the car.
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 consumption.
Avoid using automatic transmission kickdown feature unless necessary.
Avoid using the air conditioning when it is not required. When engaged, the conditioner's compressor places an
additional load on the engine. However, at higher driving speeds, fuel consumption 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.
NOTE: Vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions should use (D)rive as often as possible and avoid using
"kick -down" to help improve fuel economy. Vehicles equipped with manual transmissions should use fifth gear at
highway speeds. At other times, choose the highest gear that still allows smooth acceleration.
Weight distribution affects handling
At the specified curb weight your car has a tendency to understeer, which means that the steering wheel has to be
turned more than might seem appropriate for the curvature of a bend. This ensures good stability and reduces the risk
of rear wheel skid. Remember that these properties can alter with the vehicle load. The heavier the load on the rear of
the vehicle (e.g., heavily loaded (max. 220 lbs, 100 kg) cargo area or when towing a trailer, the less the tendency to
understeer.
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Handling, roadholding
Vehicle load, tire design and inflation pressure all affect vehicle handling. Therefore, check that the tires are inflated to
the recommended pressure according to the vehicle load. See "Tire pressure" section. Loads should be distributed so
that capacity weight or maximum permissible axle loads are not exceeded.
pg. 96 Points to remember
Cooling system
The risk for engine overheating is greatest, especially in hot weather, when:
Towing a trailer up steep inclines for prolonged periods at wide open throttle and low engine rpm.
Stopping the engine suddenly after high speed driving (so-called "after-boiling" can occur).
To avoid overheating, the following rules should be followed: Do not drive for prolonged periods at engine speeds
above 4500 rpm if you are towing a trailer in hilly terrain.
Reduce speed when towing a trailer up long, steep inclines. The risk of overheating can be reduced by switching off
the air conditioning system for a short time.
Do not let the engine idle unnecessarily for prolonged periods.
Do not mount auxiliary lamps in front of the grill.
When the risk of overheating is imminent, or in the event of overheating (the temperature gauge goes repeatedly into,
or stays continually in, the red section), the following precautions should be taken:
Switch off the air conditioning system.
Pull off the road, away from traffic, stop the car and put the gear selector into neutral.
Switch the heater to full (maximum) position. Increase the engine speed to approx. 2000 rpm (twice idling speed)
until the temperature begins to drop.
WARNING!
Do not remove coolant expansion tank cap. The coolant will be extremely hot.
If necessary, see page 129
and 132 for information on checking and topping-up the coolant level.
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 system. Never drive the vehicle in water deeper
than 1 foot (300 mm). See the flood warning on page 7
.
WARNING!
Driving with the tailgate open : Driving with the tailgate open could mean that poisonous exhaust gases enter the
passenger compartment.
If the tailgate must be kept open for any reason, proceed as follows:
- Close the windows.
- Set the ventilation system control to air flow to floor, windshield and side windows and blower control to its
highest setting.
Floor mats : An extra mat on the driver's floor can cause the accelerator pedal to catch. Check that the movement
of the accelerator pedal is not impeded. Not more than one protective floor covering may be used at one time.
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Electrical system
When replacing the battery or when carrying out work involving the electrical system, the following should be
observed:
A battery connection to the wrong terminal will damage the electrical system. Be sure to connect the positive battery
cable to the positive battery terminal and the negative battery cable to the negative battery terminal.
If booster batteries are used for starting, they must be properly connected to minimize the risk of the electrical
system being damaged. For correct connection, see "Jump starting" section.
Never disconnect the battery circuit (for example, to replace the battery) while the engine is running, as this may
damage the generator. Always make sure that all the battery connections are properly cleaned and tightened.
If any electrical welding work is performed on the vehicle, the battery's ground lead (negative cable) and all the
connecting cables of the generator must be disconnected and the welder cables placed as near the welding points as
possible.
The radio must be turned off before the battery is disconnected.
Switch off the ignition for at least 10 minutes before disconnecting the battery.
pg. 97 Roof racks/Load carriers
Load carriers (accessory)
Load carriers are available as Volvo accessories. Observe the following points when in use:
To avoid damaging your car and to achieve maximum safety when driving, we recommend using the load carriers
that Volvo has developed especially for your car.
Volvo-approved removable roof racks are designed to carry the maximum allowable roof load for this vehicle: 220
lbs (100 kg). For Non-Volvo roof racks, check the manufacturer's weight limits for the rack.
Never exceed the rack manufacturer's weigh limits and never exceed the maximum rated roof load of 220 lbs (100
kg).
Avoid single-point loads. Distribute loads evenly.
Place heavier cargo at the bottom of the load.
Anchor the cargo correctly with appropriate tie-down equipment.
Check periodically that the load carriers and load are properly secured.
Remember that the car's center of gravity and handling change when you carry a load on the roof.
The car's wind resistance (and correspondingly, fuel consumption) will increase with the size of the load.
Drive smoothly. Avoid rapid starts, fast cornering and hard braking.
Load carrier attachment points
Attaching load carriers (models without rails)
The attachment brackets for the load carriers are located under the roof molding.
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1 Make sure that the load carriers are placed in the right direction. See the mark on the decal under the cover.
2 Press the guide lugs into the holes (1).
3 Carefully lower the opposite side of the load carrier to the roof.
4 Loosen the tightening wheel slightly. Slide the hook on the load carrier attachment into the attachment bracket under
the roof molding.
5 Turn the tightening wheel to secure the load carrier in the attachment bracket.
6 Repeat this procedure for the other load carrier attachments.
7 Check that the hooks on all four load carrier attachments are securely tightened in the respective attachment brackets
on the roof of the car.
8 Press down the covers.
Check periodically that the load carriers and load are properly secured.
Reducing wind noise and improving fuel economy
To maximize fuel efficiency and minimize wind noise, Volvo recommends that load carriers be removed when not in
use.
pg. 98 Load carriers (models with rails)
Position of load carriers
Make sure that the wing-shaped load carriers are installed on the roof rails with the rounded edge forward (see the
inset illustration above). The load carriers are identical and can be placed anywhere along the roof rails.
Reducing wind noise and improving fuel economy
To maximize fuel efficiency and minimize wind noise, Volvo recommends that load carriers be removed when not in
use.
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Fitting the load carriers (accessory)
Make sure that the load carrier is pressed firmly out against the roof rail. Screw the load carrier in place. Use the
supplied torque wrench and tighten to the mark on the wrench (corresponding to 6 Nm). See illustration.
Load carrier cover
The car's ignition key or the stud on the edge of the supplied torque wrench can be used to undo or tighten the cover.
Turn a quarter turn (90 degrees). See illustration.

Contents | Top of Page
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2 0 0 3
VOLVO V70
Chapter 7 - Wheels and tires
pg.107 Wheels and tires
General information, Wear indicator, Tire economy, Flat spots108
Snow chains, Snow tires/studded tires109
Inflation pressure, Vehicle loading, Spare tire110
Uniform tire quality grading111
Changing wheels112
pg. 108 Wheels and tires
General information
Your vehicle is equipped with tires according to the tire information label on the inside of the fuel filler door.
The following is an example of a tire designation code: 225/55 R16
225 = tire width in mm.
55 = tire profile. This is the relationship (in percent) between the section height and width of the tire.
R = radial tires.
16 = diameter in inches.
The tires have good road holding characteristics and offer good handling on dry and wet surfaces. It should be noted
however that the tires have been developed to give these features on snow/ice-free surfaces. Certain models are
equipped with "all-season" tires, which provide a somewhat higher degree of road holding on slippery surfaces
than tires without 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
dimensions, type (radial) and preferably from the same manufacturer, on all four wheels. Do not use bias ply tires.
Otherwise there is a risk of altering the car's roadholding and handling characteristics.
NOTE: When storing wheel/tire assemblies (e.g. snow tires and wheels), either stand the assemblies upright, or
suspend them off the ground. Laying wheel/tire assemblies on their sides for prolonged periods can cause wheel and/or
tire damage.
Wear indicator
The tires have wear indicator strips running across or parallel to the tread. When approx. 1/16" (1.6 mm) is left on the
tread, these strips become visible and indicate that the tire should be replaced.
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Tires with less than 1/16" (1.6 mm) tread have very poor grip in rain or snow.
To improve tire economy:
Maintain correct tire pressure. See the tire pressure label on the inside of the fuel filler door.
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.
Volvo does not recommend rotating the tires. However, if tires are rotated, they must be kept on the same side of the
car so that they revolve in the same direction as before rotation.
Hitting curbs or potholes can damage the tires and/or wheels permanently.
Flat spots
All tires become warm during use. After cooling, when the vehicle is parked, the tires have a tendency to distort
slightly, forming flat spots. These flat spots can cause vibrations similar to the vibrations caused by unbalanced wheels.
They do, however, disappear when the tire warms up. The degree to which flat spots form depends on the type of cord
used in the tire. Remember that, in cold weather, it takes longer for the tire to warm up and consequently longer for the
flat spot to disappear.
CAUTION: The car must not be driven with wheels of different dimensions/specifications or with a spare tire other
than the one that came with the car. The use of different size wheels can seriously damage your car's transmission or
driveline.
pg. 109 Wheels and tires
Snow chains
Snow chains can be used on your Volvo with the following restrictions:
Snow chains should be installed on front wheels only. Use only Volvo approved snow chains.
Special snow chains must be mounted on 215/55 R16. Consult your Volvo retailer.
If accessory, aftermarket or "custom" tires and wheels are installed and are of a size different than the original tires
and wheels, chains in some cases CANNOT be used. Sufficient clearances between chains and brakes, suspension and
body components must be maintained. Snow chains cannot be used on 17" wheels.
Some strap -on type chains will interfere with brake components and therefore CANNOT be used.
All Wheel Drive models: Snow chains should only be installed on the front wheels. Only chains adapted for AWD
models should be used.
Consult your Volvo retailer for additional snow chain information.
CAUTION:
Check local regulations regarding the use of snow chains before installing.
Always follow the chain manufacturer's installation instructions carefully. Install chains as tightly as possible and
retighten periodically.
Never exceed the chain manufacturer's specified maximum speed limit. In no case should you exceed 31 mph (50
km/h).
Avoid bumps, holes or sharp turns when driving with snow chains.
Vehicle handling can be adversely affected when driving with chains. Avoid fast maneuvering and hard braking.
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