transmission VOLVO XC90 TWIN ENGINE 2020 User Guide

STARTING AND DRIVING
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423
Settings for automatically activating the parking brake Choose whether the parking brake should be activated automatically when the vehicle isswitched off.
To change this setting: 1.Tap
Settings in the center display's Top
view.
2. Tap
My CarParking Brake and
Suspension and select or deselect theAuto Activate Parking Brake function.
Related information
Activating and deactivating the parking brake (p. 421)
Parking brake (p. 421)
Parking on a hill
Always use the parking brake when parking on a hill.
WARNING
Always apply the parking brake when park- ing on an incline. Selecting a gear or put-ting the automatic transmission in P may
not be sufficient to keep the vehicle sta-tionary in all situations.
If the vehicle is pointing uphill:
Turn the front wheels so they are pointing away from
the curb.
If the vehicle is pointing downhill:
Turn the front wheels so they are pointingtoward
the curb.
Heavy load uphill
Heavy loads, such as a trailer, could cause the vehicle to roll backward when the parkingbrake is released automatically on steep uphillgradients. To help avoid this, pull the controlupward while you are driving away. Releasethe control when the vehicle gains traction.
Related information
Activating and deactivating the parkingbrake (p. 421)
Parking brake malfunction
If you are unable to deactivate or activate the parking brake after several attempts, contactan authorized Volvo workshop.
A audible warning signal will sound if the park- ing brake is activated while the vehicle isbeing driven. If the vehicle must be parked before the prob- lem is rectified, turn the wheels as when park-ing on an incline and put the gear selector inP .
Low battery charge levelIf the battery charge level is too low, it will notbe possible to activate or deactivate the park-ing brake. Connect an auxiliary battery to thevehicle if the battery is discharged.
Replacing brake padsDue to the design of the electric parkingbrake, the rear brake pads must be replacedby a workshop. An authorized Volvo workshopis recommended.

STARTING AND DRIVING
* Option/accessory.
426
Hill Start Assist
The function for assisting when starting the vehicle on inclines (HSA 4
) helps prevent the
vehicle from rolling backward when starting on an uphill gradient. When backing up a hill,HSA helps prevent the vehicle from rollingforward.
The function retains pressure from the brake pedal in the brake system for several secondsafter the brake pedal has been released. This temporary braking effect is released after a few seconds or when the driver begins driv-ing. Hill Start Assist is available even when the Auto-hold brake function is switched off.
Related information
Auto-hold brakes (p. 424)
Brakes (p. 417)
Braking assist after a collision
In a collision in which the activation level is reached for the pyrotechnic seat belt tension-ers or airbags, or if a collision with a large ani-mal is detected, the vehicle's brakes will beautomatically activated. This function isintended to help prevent or reduce the effectsof any subsequent collision.
After a serious collision, it may no longer be possible to control and steer the vehicle. Inorder to avoid or mitigate a possible furthercollision with a vehicle or an object in the vehi-cle's path, the brake assist system is activatedautomatically to help stop the vehicle safely. If braking is not appropriate, e.g. if there is a risk of being hit by passing traffic, the drivercan override the system by depressing theaccelerator pedal. This function assumes that the brake system is intact after a collision.
Related information
Rear Collision Warning
* (p. 341)
BLIS
* (p. 342)
Brake functions (p. 417)
Transmission
The transmission is part of the vehicle's drive- line (power transmission) between the engineand the drive wheels. The function of thetransmission is to change gears dependingon speed and power needs.
The vehicle has an 8-speed automatic trans- mission and an electric motor for rear-wheeldrive. The number of gears allows the engine'storque and power band to be effectively uti-lized. Two of the gears are overdrive gears thatsave fuel when driving at a constant enginespeed. Manual shifting is also possible. Theinstrument panel shows the gear currently inuse.
Related information
Automatic transmission (p. 427)
4
Hill Start Assist

STARTING AND DRIVING
* Option/accessory.427
Automatic transmission
In vehicles with an automatic transmission, the system selects the gear so that drivingwill be as energy-efficient as possible. Thetransmission also has a manual mode.
Overview of gear selector and gear shift pattern in the instrument panel
The instrument panel shows which gear is cur- rently in use: R , N , D or B. P position is electric.
For manual shifting, the gear indicator in the instrument panel displays the gear currentlybeing used.
CAUTION
Check the operating temperature of the transmission to help avoid damage to anyof the drive system components. If there isa risk of overheating, a warning symbol willappear in the instrument panel and a textmessage will be displayed. Follow the rec-ommendations given.
Symbols in the instrument panelIf a problem should occur with the transmis- sion, a symbol and a message will appear inthe instrument panel.
Symbol Meaning
Information and messages rela- ted to the transmission. Followthe recommendations provided.
Hot or overheated transmission. Follow the recommendationsprovided.
Reduced performance/Accel-
eration performance reduced
In the event of a temporary fault in the driveline, the vehicle maygo into a "limp home" mode withreduced power output to helpavoid damage to the driveline.
Related information
Gear selector positions for automatic transmissions (p. 428)
Using the steering wheel paddles
* to shift
(p. 429)
Shiftlock (p. 430)
The kickdown function (p. 431)

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Gear selector positions for automatic transmissions
With an automatic transmission, a suitable gear is selected automatically according tocurrent speed and power requirements.
Selecting gearsThe gear selector is a shift-by-wire selector, where shifting is done electronically instead ofmechanically. This makes shifting easier andthe gear positions more distinct.
Gear selector and gear selector positions overview.
Change gear position by pushing the spring- loaded gear selector forward or rearward, or tothe side for manual shifting.
Gear selector positions
Park - P
Gear selector and P position overview
Park is activated using the P button located
next to the gear selector. In P mode, the transmission is mechanically
locked.Select P when the vehicle is parked or when
starting the engine. The vehicle must be sta- tionary when Park is selected. To move to another gear from Park, the brake pedal must be depressed and the ignition inmode II.
When parking – apply the parking brake before shifting to Park.
WARNING
Always apply the parking brake when park- ing on an incline. Selecting a gear or put-ting the automatic transmission in P may
not be sufficient to keep the vehicle sta-tionary in all situations.
NOTE
The gear selector must be in position P in
order to lock the vehicle and set the alarm.
Help functions The system will automatically shift to P
if the ignition is switched off while
D or R
is selected.
if the driver unbuckles the seat belt and opens the driver's door while the vehicle isrunning with the gear selector in a gearother than
P.
To park a vehicle with an unbuckled seat beltand open door – end P mode by shifting to R
or D again.
The system will not automatically shift to P if
the ignition is switched off while the gearselector is in the neutral position (N). This is tomake it possible to wash the vehicle in anautomatic car wash in which the vehicle ispulled forward on rolling wheels.

STARTING AND DRIVING
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* Option/accessory.429
Reverse - R
Select R when backing up. The vehicle must
be stationary when Reverse is selected.
Neutral - N
No gear is selected and the engine can be started. Apply the parking brake if the vehicleis stationary with the gear selector in N.
To move the gear selector from N to another
gear, the brake pedal must be depressed andthe ignition in mode II.
D drive mode
D is the normal driving gear position. The
transmission shifts up or down automatically depending on acceleration and speed. The vehicle must be stationary when the gear selector is moved from R to D.
Brake - B
Brake position in instrument panel overview.
From the B position, it is possible to shift
manually. B can be selected at any time while
driving. When the accelerator pedal is released, the electric motor brakes the vehicleand the hybrid battery is recharged at thesame time. This offers additional opportunitiesto recharge the hybrid battery, since the bat-tery is charged even when the brake pedal isnot depressed. Select brake by moving the gear selector rear- ward from the D position. The currently
selected gear will be displayed in the instru-ment panel.
Push the gear selector to the right toward"
+ " (plus) and release to shift up one gear.
Push the gear selector to the left toward"
– " (minus) and release to shift down one
gear.
Push the gear selector rearward to returnto
D mode.
For smooth shifting and engine performance,the transmission will shift down automaticallyif the vehicle's speed becomes too low for theselected gear.
Related information
Automatic transmission (p. 427)
Shiftlock (p. 430)
Using the steering wheel paddles
* to shift
(p. 429)
The kickdown function (p. 431)
Using the steering wheel paddles
*
to shift
The steering wheel paddles are a supplement to the gear selector and make it possible toshift manually without removing your handsfrom the steering wheel.
" -": Shift down one gear.
" + ": Shift up one gear.
Activating the steering wheel paddlesIn order to shift gears using the paddles, they must first be activated:
–Pull one of the paddles toward the steer- ing wheel.
> A number in the instrument panel indi-
cates the current gear being used.

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Instrument panel when the paddles are activated for shifting.
Instrument panel when the paddles are activated for shifting in manual mode.
ChangeTo shift one gear:
–Pull one of the paddles toward the steer- ing wheel and then release.As long as the engine speed (rpm) is withinthe permissible range for the selected gear, agear shift will take place each time a paddle ispulled. After each gear shift, a number indicat-ing the current gear will be displayed in theinstrument panel.
Turning off Start/Stop
Manual deactivation in gear
D and B
–Deactivate the paddles by pulling the right paddle ( +) toward the steering wheel and
holding it until the number of the currentgear is no longer displayed in the instru-ment panel.
> The transmission will revert to gear D
or B depending on which gear was
selected before the paddles were acti- vated.
Automatic deactivation
In gear position D, the steering wheel paddles
are deactivated after a short period of time if they are not used. The number of the currentgear will no longer be displayed in the instru-ment panel. In gear position B, the paddles will not acti-
vate automatically.
Related information
Automatic transmission (p. 427)
Gear selector positions for automatic transmissions (p. 428)
Shiftlock The automatic transmission's shiftlock func- tion helps prevent inadvertently moving thegear selector between different positions.
Automatic shiftlockThe automatic shiftlock has a separate safety system.
From Park -
P
To move the gear selector from P to another
gear, the brake pedal must be depressed and the ignition in mode II.
From Neutral - N
If the gear selector is in N and the vehicle has
been stationary for at least 3 seconds (with or without the engine running), the gear selectorwill be locked in that position. To move the gear selector from N to another
gear, the brake pedal must be depressed and the ignition in mode II.
Messages in the instrument panelIf the gear selector is locked in position, amessage will appear in the instrument panel, e.g.
Gear lever Press brake pedal to
activate gear lever.
There is no mechanical shiftlock function.

STARTING AND DRIVING
431
Related information
Automatic transmission (p. 427)
Gear selector positions for automatic transmissions (p. 428)
The kickdown function Kickdown can be used when maximum acceleration is needed, e.g. when passing.
When the accelerator pedal is depressed all the way to the floor (past the normal full accel-erator position), the transmission will auto-matically engage kickdown, i.e. immediatelyshift down to a lower gear. If the accelerator pedal is released from the kickdown position, the transmission will auto-matically shift up again.
Safety function
The transmission control module is equipped with a downshift protection feature to helpprevent the engine from overheating. In some conditions, the transmission will pre- vent downshifting/kickdown if this would leadto such high engine speed (rpm) that theengine could be damaged. If the driver stillattempts downshifting or kickdown at a highrpm, nothing will happen and the original gearwill remain selected. With kickdown, the vehicle can downshift one or more steps at a time depending on theengine speed. The vehicle upshifts when theengine reaches its maximum rpm to preventengine damage.
Related information
Automatic transmission (p. 427)
All Wheel Drive (AWD)
All-wheel drive (AWD 5
), also called four-
wheel drive, means that power is distributed to all four wheels, which improves traction.
The electric motor that powers the rear wheels enables electronic all-wheel drive functionality.All-wheel drive reacts differently depending onwhich drive mode is selected.
Related information
Drive modes (p. 433)
Low Speed Control (p. 443)
Transmission (p. 426)
5
All Wheel Drive

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432
Drive systemsVolvo Twin Engine combines a combustion engine for the front wheels and an electricmotor for the rear wheels.
Two drive systemsDepending on the selected drive mode and power available in the electric motor, the drivesystems can either be used separately or intandem. The electric motor gets its energy from a hybrid battery located under the tunnel con-sole. The hybrid can be charged from a walloutlet or in a special charging station. Thecombustion engine can also charge the hybridbattery using a special high-voltage generator. Both the combustion engine and the electric motor can generate power directly to thewheels. An advanced control system coordi-nates both the drive systems to help optimizedriving economy.
Hybrid battery - The hybrid battery's func- tion is to store electrical current. Thisenergy is provided by plugging the charg-ing cable into an electrical outlet, throughregenerative braking or from the high-volt-age generator. This provides current topower the electric motor and to temporar-ily power the electrical air conditioning toprecondition the passenger compartment.
Combustion engine - The combustion engine starts when the charge level in thehybrid battery is too low to provide thepower output requested by the driver.
High-voltage generator 6
- Charges the
hybrid battery. Starter for the combustion engine. Can provide the combustion engine with extra electrical current.
Electric motor - Powers the vehicle using electricity. Can provide extra torque andpower during acceleration. Provides elec-trical all-wheel drive functionality. Regen-erates braking energy into electrical cur-rent.
Related information

General information about Twin Engine(p. 394)
Starting and stopping the combustionengine in Twin Engine vehicles (p. 433)
Drive modes (p. 433)
Transmission (p. 426)
Factors affecting electric motor range(p. 448)
6
CISG (Crank Integrated Starter Generator) – combined high-voltage generator and starter.

STARTING AND DRIVING
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* Option/accessory.433
Starting and stopping the combustion engine in Twin Enginevehicles An advanced control system determines the distance that the vehicle can be driven on thecombustion engine, electric motor, or both atthe same time. When driving on only theelectric motor, the vehicle may automaticallystart the combustion engine due to outsidecircumstances, e.g. low ambient tempera-tures. This is completely normal. The com-bustion engine will also always start whenthe hybrid battery is nearly fully discharged.
Climate settings at low temperaturesAt low ambient temperatures, the combustion engine will sometimes start automatically tohelp achieve the desired passenger compart-ment temperature and air quality. The amountof time the combustion engine is running canbe affected by lowering the temperature
reducing blower speed
activating
Pure drive mode.
Using the electric motor in hot or cold
weather
At very low or high ambient temperatures, the electric motor's driving range and power maybe reduced and affect how often the combus-tion engine automatically starts.
Emission control systemTo help ensure that the emission control sys-tem is as energy-efficient as possible, thecombustion engine will run for several minutesafter it is started. The amount of time the com-bustion engine needs to be used variesdepending on the temperature of the three-way catalytic converter.
WARNING
California Proposition 65 Operating, servicing and maintaining a pas- senger vehicle can expose you to chemi-cals including engine exhaust, carbon mon-oxide, phthalates, and lead, which areknown to the State of California to causecancer and birth defects or other reproduc-tive harm. To minimize exposure, avoidbreathing exhaust, do not idle the engineexcept as necessary, service your vehicle ina well ventilated area and wear gloves orwash your hands frequently when servicingyour vehicle. For more information go towww.P65Warnings.ca.gov/passenger-vehicle.
Related information
Drive systems (p. 432)
Economical driving (p. 446)
Drive modes (p. 433)
Drive modes
Drive modes affect the vehicle's driving cha- racteristics in different ways to enhance andsimplify the driving experience in certaintypes of situations.
Drive modes enable easy access to the vehi- cle's many functions and settings in differentdriving situations. Each drive mode is adaptedto help optimize driving characteristics. Steering
Engine/transmission/all-wheel drive
Brakes
Pneumatic suspension
* and shock absorb-
ers
Instrument panel
Climate control settings
Select the drive mode that is adapted to the current driving conditions. Keep in mind thatnot all drive modes are available in all situa-tions.

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STARTING AND DRIVING
* Option/accessory.
436 This drive mode is adapted for optimal control when driving at low speeds on very poor roads or difficult terrain. It raises the chassis
7
,
reduces driveline throttle response, and locks the vehicle in all-wheel drive. The Hill DescentControl function facilitates controlled drivingon steep downgrades.
NOTE
This drive mode is not designed to be used for normal street driving.
NOTE
Due to the increased ground clearance, if the Off Road mode was selected when
the engine was switched off, the suspen- sion will lower when the engine is restar-ted.
CAUTION
Do not use the Off Road drive mode when
towing a trailer without an electrical con- nection. This could result in damage to thepneumatic suspension system's bellows.
Constant AWD
Improves the vehicle's traction and han- dling by increasing all-wheel drive. This drive mode locks the vehicle in all-wheeldrive. An adapted distribution between frontand rear axle torque provides effective control,stability and traction, e.g. on slippery roads orwhen towing a heavy trailer or another vehicle. The
Constant AWD drive mode is always
available regardless of the hybrid battery's charge status. Both the combustion engine and the electric motor are engaged to enable all-wheel drive,which results in higher fuel consumption. In the other drive modes, the vehicle automati- cally adapts the need for all-wheel driveaccording to the road surface, and can acti-vate the electric motor or start the combustionengine as needed.
Power
The vehicle gets sportier driving characte- ristics and a faster acceleration response.
This drive mode adapts the combined powerfrom the combustion engine and the electricmotor by providing power to both the frontand rear wheels. Gear shifting will be fasterand more distinct and the transmission willprioritize gears with a higher traction force.Steering response is faster, suspension is stiffer and ground clearance is lower 7
to help
reduce body roll when cornering. Both the combustion engine and the electric motor are engaged to enable all-wheel drive,which results in higher fuel consumption. This drive mode is adapted for optimal per- formance and response during acceleration. Itchanges the throttle response, gear shiftingprogram and turbo boost system. Chassis set-tings and steering and brake response are also optimized. The
Power drive mode is always
available regardless of the hybrid battery's charge status.
Power mode is also available in a Polestar
Engineered* version.
7
For vehicles with pneumatic suspension.