air condition VOLVO XC90 2003 Owners Manual

2003 VOLVO XC90
environmental impact.
Volvo's environmental activities are based on a holistic view, which mea\
ns we consider the overall
environmental impact of a product throughout its complete life cycle. In\
this context, design, production,
product use, and recycling are all important considerations.
In production, Volvo has partly or completely phased out several chemica\
ls including chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs), lead chromates, naphtanates, asbestos, mercury and cadmium; an\
d reduced the amount of chemicals
used in our plants 50% since 1991.
Volvo was the first in the world to introduce into production a three-wa\
y catalytic converter with Lambda
Sond, now called oxygen sensor, in 1976. The current version of this hig\
hly efficient system reduces emissions
of harmful substances (CO, HC, NOx) from the exhaust pipe by approxima\
tely 95% and the search to eliminate
the remaining emissions continues. Volvo is the only automobile manufact\
urer to offer CFC-free retrofit kits
for the air conditioning system of all models as far back as the 1975 Vo\
lvo 240. Advanced electronic engine
controls, refined purification systems and cleaner fuels are bringing us\
closer to our goal.
After Volvo vehicles and parts have fulfilled their use, recycling is th\
e next critical step in completing the life
cycle. The metal content is about 75% of the total weight of a vehicle, \
which makes the vehicle among the most
recycled industrial products. In order to have efficient and well contro\
lled recycling, many Volvo variants have
printed dismantling manuals, indicating the weight and material of indiv\
idual components. For Volvo, all
homogeneous plastic parts weighing more than 1.7 oz. (50 grams) are ma\
rked with international symbols that
indicate how the component is to be sorted for recycling.
In addition to continuous environmental refinement of conventional gasol\
ine-powered internal combustion
engines, Volvo is actively looking at advanced technology alternative-fu\
el vehicles.
When you drive a Volvo, you become our partner in the work to lessen the\
car's impact on the environment.
To reduce your vehicle's environmental impact, you can:
l Maintain proper air pressure in your tires. Tests have shown decreased f\
uel economy with improperly
inflated tires.
l Follow the recommended maintenance schedule in your Warranty and Service\
Records Information booklet.
l Drive at a constant speed.
l See an authorized Volvo retailer as soon as possible for inspection if t\
he check engine (malfunction
indicator) lamp illuminates, or stays on after the vehicle has started.\

l Properly dispose of any vehicle-related waste such as used motor oil, us\
ed batteries, brake pads, etc.
l When cleaning your car, use Volvo's own car care products, all of which \
have systematically been adapted to
the environment.
For additional information regarding the environmental activities in whi\
ch Volvo Cars of North America, LLC.
and Volvo Car Corporation are involved, visit our Internet Home Page at:\

http://www.volvocars.com
file:///K|/ownersdocs/2003/2003_XC90/03xc90_00.htm (4 of 7)12/30/2006 \
4:18:48 PM

2003 VOLVO XC90
pg. 8 Safety
Airbags (Supplemental Restraint System) (contd)
WARNING!
If your vehicle has been subjected to flood conditions (e.g. soaked car\
peting/standing water on the
floor of the vehicle) or if your vehicle has become flood-damaged in an\
y way, do not attempt to start
the vehicle or put the key in the ignition before disconnecting the batt\
ery (see below). This may cause
airbag deployment which could result in personal injury. Have the vehicle towed to an authorized
Volvo retailer for repairs.
Automatic transmission:
Before attempting to tow the vehicle, use the following procedure to ove\
rride the shiftlock system to
move the gear selector to the neutral position.
l Switch off the ignition for at least 10 minutes and disconnect the batte\
ry
l Wait at least one minute
l Insert the key in the ignition and turn it to position II
l Press firmly on the brake pedal.
l Move the gear selector from (P)ark to the (N)eutral position.
There is no maintenance to perform on the SRS yourself. The month and ye\
ar shown on the decal on the
door pillar indicate when you should contact your Volvo retailer for spe\
cific servicing or replacement of
airbags and seat belt pretensioners. This maintenance must be performed \
by an authorized Volvo
retailer. Should you have any questions about the SRS system, please con\
tact your authorized Volvo
retailer or Volvo Customer Support: In the U.S.A In Canada:
Volvo Cars of North America Volvo Cars of Canada Ltd.
Customer Relations 175 Gordon Baker Road
P.O. Box 914 North York, Ontario M2H 2N7
Rockleigh, New Jersey 07647-0914 800-663-8255
800-458-1552
pg. 9 Safety
file:///K|/ownersdocs/2003/2003_XC90/03xc90_01a.htm (10 of 12)12/30/20\
06 4:18:49 PM

2003 VOLVO XC90
Why Volvo believes no child should sit in the front seat of a vehicle
It's quite simple really. A front airbag is a very powerful device desig\
ned, by law, to help protect an
adult. Because of the size of the airbag and its speed of inflation, a c\
hild should never be placed in the
front seat, even if he or she is properly belted or strapped into a chil\
d safety seat. Volvo has been an
innovator in safety for over fifty years, and we'll continue to do our p\
art. 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 Airbags are a SUPPLEMENTAL safety device which, when used with a three-p\
oint seat belt can help
reduce serious injuries during certain types of accidents. Volvo recomme\
nds that you do not disconnect
the airbag 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 seat of any vehicle equi\
pped with a passenger-side
front airbag.
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 si\
de airbag.
Drive safely!
* Automatic Locking Retractor/Emergency Locking Retractor
pg. 21 Safety
Occupant safety, Reporting safety defects
Seat belt maintenance
Check periodically that the seat 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 Volvo's cornerstone. Our concern dates back to 1927 when the f\
irst Volvo rolled off the
production line. Three-point seat belts (a Volvo invention), safety ca\
ges, and energy-absorbing impact
zones were designed into Volvo vehicles long before it was fashionable o\
r 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 vehicles. You can help. We w\
ould appreciate hearing your
suggestions about improving automobile safety. We also want to know if y\
ou ever have a safety concern
with your vehicle. Call us in the U.S. at: 800-458-1552 or in Canada at:\
800-663-8255.
Occupant safety
file:///K|/ownersdocs/2003/2003_XC90/03xc90_01b.htm (13 of 15)12/30/20\
06 4:18:50 PM

2003 VOLVO XC90
This button controls the optional rear seat air conditioning system on s\
even-seat models. See page 48 for
more information.
6. Temporarily disconnecting the alarm sensors (option)
See
page 81 for more details.
7. Not in use
8. 12 volt socket
This 12 volt socket can be used to plug in certain accessories such as c\
ellular telephones, etc. The
ignition key must be in position 1 (or higher) for the auxiliary socke\
t to function.
NOTE: The auxiliary sockets can also be used for cigarette lighters, which are\
available as accessories
at your Volvo retailer.
pg. 30 Instruments and controls
Steering wheel adjustment
Steering wheel adjustment
Both the height and the reach of the steering wheel can be adjusted to a\
comfortable position for the
driver. Pull down the lever on the left of the steering column. Adjust t\
he steering wheel to a suitable
position and press the lever back into place to lock the steering wheel \
in the new position. Check that the
steering wheel is locked in the new position.
file:///K|/ownersdocs/2003/2003_XC90/03xc90_02a.htm (10 of 16)12/30/20\
06 4:18:52 PM

2003 VOLVO XC90
2 0 0 3
VOLVO XC90
Climate control

pg. 45 Climate control
Climate control system-general information46
Air distribution47
Electronic Climate Control (ECC)48
pg. 46 Climate control
Climate control system-general information
Condensation on the inside of the windows
Keeping the insides of the windows clean will help reduce the amount of \
condensation that forms on the windows. Use a
commercial window cleaning agent to clean the windows.
Ice and snow
Always keep the air intake grille at the base of the windshield free of \
snow.
Cabin air filter
Replace the cabin air filter with a new one at intervals shown in your W\
arranty and Service Records Information booklet.
The filter should be replaced more often when driving under dirty and du\
sty conditions. The filter cannot be cleaned and
therefore should always be replaced with a new one.
Sensors
The sunlight sensor on the dashboard and passenger compartment temperatu\
re sensor in the ECC control panel should not
be covered in any way as this could cause incorrect information to be se\
nt to the ECC system.
Parking the vehicle in warm weather
If your vehicle has been parked in the sun in warm weather, opening the \
windows and moonroof (option) for several
minutes before driving will help release the warm air from the passenger\
compartment. When the engine is running, close
the windows and moonroof and use the recirculation function for several \
minutes to enable the air conditioning to cool the
compartment as quickly as possible.
Windows and optional moonroof
The ECC system will function best if the windows and optional moonroof a\
re closed. If you drive with the moonroof open,
we recommend that you manually adjust the temperature and blower control\
(the LED in the AUTO switch should be off).
file:///K|/ownersdocs/2003/2003_XC90/03xc90_03.htm (1 of 7)12/30/2006 \
4:18:54 PM

2003 VOLVO XC90
Acceleration
The air conditioning is momentarily disengaged during full-throttle acce\
leration.
Climate control maintenance
All maintenance on the climate control systems should be carried out by \
an authorized Volvo service technician only.
Refrigerant
Volvo cares about the environment. The air conditioning system in your v\
ehicle contains a CFC-free refrigerant - R134a.
This substance will not deplete the ozone layer. The system contains 2.2\
lbs (1000 g) R134a and uses PAG oil.
Passenger compartment blower
Approximately 50 minutes after the ignition is turned off, the blower ma\
y come on automatically, and run for seven
minutes, to remove condensation in the A/C evaporator.
Blower function to reduce battery drain
The climate system's blower functions normally while the engine is runni\
ng.
However, when the engine is switched off (even if the ignition is switc\
hed to positions I or II), the blower control will be
automatically switched off to avoid unnecessary battery drain. The follo\
wing points pertain if the ignition key is on but the
engine is not running:
l To restart the blower, turn the control knob to the setting of your choi\
ce.
l After approximately 2 minutes, the blower speed will be reduced to avoid\
battery drain.
You can reset the blower speed at any time. Please be aware that the sys\
tem has been designed to reduce the blower's speed
again after 2 minutes, until the engine is started. If the battery becom\
es drained:
l LOW BATTERY, FAN IS REDUCED will be displayed in the text window in the \
instrument panel.
l The yellow warning light in the instrument panel (see page 25) will also light up.
pg. 47 Climate control
Air distribution
Air distribution
The incoming air is distributed through the ventilation points in the pa\
ssenger compartment shown above.
file:///K|/ownersdocs/2003/2003_XC90/03xc90_03.htm (2 of 7)12/30/2006 \
4:18:54 PM

2003 VOLVO XC90
Set the control to the temperature you prefer.
Defroster
This function defrosts/de-ices the windshield and front side windows. Th\
e LED in the switch will light up to indicate that
the defrost function is engaged. Blower speed increases automatically an\
d the air in the passenger compartment is
dehumidified. Recirculation will not function while defrost is engaged. \
Blower control*
Turn the control clockwise to increase or counterclockwise to decrease t\
he blower speed. Pressing the AUTO switch will
automatically regulate blower speed and override manual adjustment.
NOTE: Turning the blower control counterclockwise until an orange LED comes on\
will turn both the blower and the air
conditioning off.
* See also
page 46.
pg. 50 Climate control
Electronic Climate Control (ECC) (contd)
Air distribution

Press AUTO to automatically regulate air flow or press any combination of the cont\
rols shown in the illustration to
manually adjust air flow. An LED in the switch will light up if an air f\
low control has been pressed.
Heated front seats (option)
l Press the switch once for maximum seat heating. Both LEDs in the switch \
will be lit.
l Press the switch a second time for comfort heating. One LED in the switc\
h will be lit.
l Press the switch a third time to turn the heating off completely. The LE\
D will go off.
The seat heating for the passenger seat should be switched off when the \
seat is not occupied.
file:///K|/ownersdocs/2003/2003_XC90/03xc90_03.htm (5 of 7)12/30/2006 \
4:18:54 PM

2003 VOLVO XC90
A/C - ON/OFF
Press the switch to turn the air conditioning on or off. The "ON" or "OF\
F" LED will light up to indicate if the system is
switched on or off. Other functions will still be regulated automaticall\
y (if the AUTO switch is on).
l The air conditioning functions only at temperatures above 32° F (0°\
C).
l While the Defroster function is selected, the air conditioning is tempor\
arily activated to dehumidify the air, even if you
have manually switched the air conditioning off. This will only function\
if the blower is not switched off.
Recirculation
Press this switch to engage the recirculation function (air in the pass\
enger compartment recirculates - no fresh air enters the
compartment). The LED in the switch will light up to indicate that the \
function is engaged.
l Use this function if the outside air is contaminated with exhaust gases,\
smoke, etc or to heat/cool the vehicle quickly.
l Recirculation should not be used for more than 15 minutes. If your windows begin to fog or mist, make sure that the
recirculation function is switched off.
l Selecting Defroster automatically switches recirculation off.
l Timer mode activation: (Vehicles equipped with the Interior Air Quality System have no timer m\
ode) Press and hold
the recirculation button for at least 3 seconds to activate a recirculat\
ion timer mode. The amber LED in the recirculation
button will flash 5 times to show that the timer mode is being activated\
. In timer mode, each time the recirculation button is
pressed, the climate control system will recirculate the air in the pass\
enger compartment for 5-12 minutes, depending on the
outside air temperature, and then revert back to fresh air.
l Timer mode deactivation: Press and hold the recirculation button for 3 s\
econds. The amber LED in the recirculation
button will illuminate steadily for 5 seconds to show a return to "norma\
l" mode.
pg. 51 Climate control

l In normal mode, when the recirculation button is pressed, the climate co\
ntrol system will recirculate the air in the
passenger compartment until the recirculation button is pressed again.
l Timer mode memory: If the vehicle is turned off while timer mode is acti\
ve, timer mode will still be active when the
vehicle is restarted.
Interior Air Quality sensor (option)
Some vehicles are equipped with a multifilter and Air Quality sensor. Th\
e filter separates gases and particles, thereby
reducing the amounts of odors and contaminants entering the vehicle. The\
Air Quality sensor detects increased levels of
contaminants in the outside air. When the Air Quality sensor detects con\
taminated outside air, the air intake closes and the
air inside the passenger compartment is recirculated, i.e. no outside ai\
r enters the vehicle. The filter also cleans recirculated
passenger compartment air. When the ECC system is in the AUTO mode, the \
green LED will be on
.
file:///K|/ownersdocs/2003/2003_XC90/03xc90_03.htm (6 of 7)12/30/2006 \
4:18:54 PM

2003 VOLVO XC90
WARNING!
Never switch off the ignition (turn the ignition key to position 0) or\
remove the key from the ignition
switch while the vehicle is in motion. This could cause the steering whe\
el to lock, which would make
the vehicle impossible to steer.
* The gear selector must be in the (P)ark position (automatic transmission).
** Please be aware that leaving the key in this position will increase b\
attery drain.
pg. 89 Starting and driving
General information
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. Obs\
erve the following rules:
l 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 eng\
ine uses more fuel and is subject
to increased wear.
l Whenever possible, avoid using the vehicle for driving short distances. \
This does not allow the engine
to reach normal operating temperature.
l Drive carefully and avoid rapid acceleration and hard braking.
l Use the transmission's (D)rive position as often as possible and avoid using "kickdown" to help
improve fuel economy.
l Do not exceed posted speed limits.
l Avoid carrying unnecessary items (extra load) in the vehicle.
l Maintain correct tire pressure. Check tire pressure regularly (when tir\
es are cold).
l Remove snow tires when threat of snow or ice has ended.
l Note that roof racks, ski racks, etc, increase air resistance and also f\
uel consumption.
l At highway driving speeds, fuel consumption will be lower with the air c\
onditioning on and the
windows closed than with the air conditioning off and the windows open. \
l Using the onboard trip computer's fuel consumption modes can help you le\
arn how to drive more
economically.
Other factors that decrease gas mileage are:
l Dirty air cleaner
l Dirty engine oil and clogged oil filter
l Dragging brakes
l Incorrect front end alignment
Some of the above mentioned items and others are checked at the standard\
Maintenance intervals.
file:///K|/ownersdocs/2003/2003_XC90/03xc90_06a.htm (8 of 15)12/30/200\
6 4:18:58 PM

2003 VOLVO XC90
pg. 103 Starting and driving
Towing a trailer
Volvo recommends the use of Volvo trailer hitches that are specially des\
igned for the vehicle.
l Maximum trailer weights recommended by Volvo are:
All models - trailers without brakes: 1,650 lbs (750 kg)
Models with all wheel drive - trailers with brakes: 4,960 lbs (2250 kg)\

Models with front wheel drive - trailers with brakes: 3,970 lbs (1800 k\
g)
Observe the legal requirements of the state/province in which the vehicl\
es are registered.
l All Volvo models are equipped with energy-absorbing shock-mounted bumper\
s. Trailer hitch
installation should not interfere with the proper operation of this bump\
er system.
Trailer towing does not normally present any particular problems, but ta\
ke into consideration:
l Increase tire pressure to recommended full. See section "Wheels and tire\
s."
l When your vehicle is new, avoid towing heavy trailers during the first 6\
20 miles (1,000 km).
l Recommended hitch tongue load is: Trailer weights below 2,650 lbs (1,200 kg) - 110 lbs (50 kg)
Trailer weights above 2,650 lbs (1,200 kg) - 198 lbs (90 kg)
l Maximum speed when towing a trailer: 50 mph (80 km/h).
l Engine and transmission are subject to increased loads. Therefore, engin\
e coolant temperature should
be closely watched when driving in hot climates or hilly terrain. Use a \
lower gear and turn off the air
conditioner if the temperature gauge needle enters the red range.
l If the automatic transmission begins to overheat, a message will be disp\
layed in the text window.
l Avoid overload and other abusive operation.
l Hauling a trailer affects handling, durability, and economy.
l It is necessary to balance trailer brakes with the towing vehicle brakes\
to provide a safe stop (check
and observe state/local regulations).
l Do not connect the trailer's brake system directly to the vehicle's brak\
e system.
l More frequent vehicle maintenance is required.
l Remove the ball and drawbar assembly when the hitch is not being used.
l Volvo recommends the use of synthetic engine oil when towing a trailer o\
ver long distances or in
mountainous areas.
file:///K|/ownersdocs/2003/2003_XC90/03xc90_06b.htm (11 of 17)12/30/20\
06 4:18:59 PM