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VOLVO
S80
| Chapter 1 - Safety |
Not wearing a seat belt is like believing "It'll
never happen to me!" Volvo, the inventor of the
three-point seat belt, urges you and all adult
occupants of your car to wear seat belts and
ensure that children are properly restrained,
using an infant, car or booster seat determined
by age, weight and height. Volvo also believes
no child should sit in the front seat of a car.
Fact: In every state and province, some type of
child-restraint legislation has been passed.
Additionally, most states and provinces have
already made it mandatory for occupants of a
car to use seat belts.
So, urging you to "buckle up" is not just our
recommendation - legislation in your state or
province may mandate seat belt usage. The few
seconds it takes to buckle up may one day
allow you to say, "It's a good thing I was
wearing my seat belt."
Seat belts
Always fasten the seat belts before you drive or
ride. A chime will sound several times if the driver has not fastened his seat belt.
To buckle:
Pull the belt out far enough to insert the
latch plate into the receptacle until a distinct click
is heard. The seat belt retractor is normally "unlocked" and you can move freely,
provided that the shoulder belt is not pulled out too
far. The retractor will lock up as follows:
· if the belt is pulled out rapidly
· during braking and acceleration
· if the vehicle is leaning excessively
· when driving in turns
For the seat belt to provide maximum protection in the event of an accident, it must
be worn correctly. When wearing the seat belt remember:
· The belt should not be twisted or turned.
· The lap belt must be positioned low on
the hips (not pressing against the abdomen).
Make sure that the shoulder belt is rolled up into its retractor and that the shoulder and lap belts are taut.
Before exiting the car, check that the seat
belt retracts fully after being unbuckled.
If necessary, guide the belt back into the retractor slot.
NOTE: Legislation in your state or
province may mandate seat belt usage.
Adjusting shoulder belt

Lap portion of the belt should sit low
Child seats: Please refer to page 14 for information on securing child seats with
the seat belts.

During pregnancy Pregnant women should always wear seat belts. Remember that the belt should always be positioned in such a way as to avoid any possible pressure on the abdomen. The lap portion of the belt should be located low, as shown in the above illustration.
WARNING! · Never use a seat belt for more than one occupant. · Never wear the shoulder portion of the belt under the arm, behind the back or otherwise out of position. Such use could cause injury in the event of an accident. · As the seat belts lose much of their strength when exposed to violent stretching, they should be replaced after any collision, even if they appear to be undamaged. · Never repair the belt on your own; have this work done by an authorized Volvo retailer only. · Any device used to induce slack into the shoulder belt portion of the three-point belt system will have a detrimental effect on the amount of protection available to you in the event of a collision. · The seat back should not be tilted too far back. The shoulder belt must be taut in order to function properly. · 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. |

Center head restraint
The center head restraint can be adjusted according to the passenger's height. The restraint should be carefully adjusted to support the occupant's head.
The head restraint can be raised by pulling straight up or
lowered by pressing the catch at the base of the left head restraint support
and pushing down.

As an enhancement to the three-point seat belt system, your Volvo is equipped with a Supplemental Restraint System (SRS). The Volvo SRS consists of an airbag (2) on both the driver's and passenger's sides and seat belt tensioners in both front door pillars (4). The system is designed to supplement the protection provided by the three-point seat belt system. All three rear seat belts are also equipped with tensioners.
The SRS system is indicated by the "SRS" embossed on the steering wheel pad and above the glove compartment, and by decals on both sun visors and on the far right side of the dash.
The airbags are folded and located in the steering wheel hub and above the glove compartment. They are designed to deploy during certain frontal or front-angular collisions, impacts, or decelerations, depending on the crash severity, angle, speed and object impacted. The airbags may also deploy in certain non-frontal collisions where rapid deceleration occurs.
The airbag system includes gas generators (1) surrounded by the
airbags (2) and front seat belt tensioners for both of the front seats (4).
To deploy the system, the sensor (3) activates the gas generators
causing the airbags to be inflated with nitrogen gas. As the movement of
the seats' occupants compresses the airbags, some of the gas is expelled at
a controlled rate to provide better cushioning. Both seat belt
tensioners also deploy, minimizing any seat belt slack.

The entire process, including inflation and deflation of the airbags, takes approximately two-tenths of a second.
WARNING! · As its name implies, SRS is designed to be a SUPPLEMENT to - not a replacement for - the three-point belt system. For maximum protection, wear seat belts at all times. Be aware that no system can prevent all possible injuries that may occur in an accident. · When installing any optional equipment, make sure that the SRS system is not damaged. Do not attempt to service any component of the SRS yourself. Attempting to do so may result in serious personal injury. If a problem arises, take your car to the nearest authorized Volvo retailer for inspection as soon as possible. |

The following items are monitored by the self-diagnostic system:
· Sensor unit
· SRS wiring
· Inflators
WARNING! |

There is no maintenance to perform on the SRS yourself. The month and year shown on the decal on the door pillar indicate when you should contact your Volvo retailer for specific servicing or replacement of airbags and seatbelt tensioners. This service must be performed by an authorized Volvo retailer.
Should you have any questions about the SRS system, please contact
your authorized Volvo retailer or Volvo Customer Support:
| In the USA: | In Canada: |
| Volvo Cars of North America | Volvo Cars of Canada Ltd. |
| Customer Relations | 175 Gordon Baker Road |
| P.O. Box 914 | Willowdale, Ontario M2H 2N7 |
| Rockleigh, New Jersey 07647-0914 | 1-800-663-8255 |
| 800-458-1552 |


WARNING! |
NOTE: Deployment of SRS components occurs only one time during an accident. In a collision where deployment occurs, the air bags and seat belt tensioners activate. Some noise occurs and a small amount of powder is released. The release of the powder may appear as smoke-like matter. This is a normal characteristic and does not indicate fire.
NOTE: Volvo's dual-threshold air
bags use special sensors that are integrated with
the front seat buckles. The point at which the air bag deploys is determined by whether or
not the seat belt is being used, as well as, the severity of the collision. Collisions can
occur where only one of the airbags deploys.
NOTE: Volvo's dual-stage airbags: If the
impact is less severe, but severe enough to
present a clear injury risk, the dual-stage
airbags are triggered at just 70% of its total
capacity. If the impact is more severe, the dual-stage
airbags are triggered with full capacity.
WARNING! |
NOTE: The information on this page does not pertain to the Side Impact Protection System airbags.
When are the airbags deployed?
The SRS system is designed to deploy during certain frontal or frontangular collisions, impacts, or decelerations, depending on the crash severity, angle, speed and object impacted. The SRS sensor is designed to react to both the impact of the collision and the inertial forces generated by it and to determine if the intensity of the collision is sufficient for the airbags to be deployed.
WARNING! The SRS is designed to help prevent serious injury. Deployment occurs very quickly and with considerable force. During normal deployment and depending on variables such as seating position, one may experience abrasions, bruises, swellings, or other injuries as a result of airbag(s) deployment. |
If the airbags have been deployed, we recommend the following:
· Have the car towed to an authorized Volvo retailer. Never drive
with the airbags deployed.
· Have an authorized Volvo retailer replace the SRS system
components.
· Use only new, Genuine Volvo Parts when replacing SRS components
(airbags, seat belts, tensioners, etc.).
When are the airbags NOT deployed? Not all frontal collisions activate the SRS system. If the collision involves a nonrigid object (e.g., a snow drift or bush), or a rigid, fixed object at a low speed, the SRS system will not necessarily deploy. Front airbags do not normally deploy in a side impact collision, in a collision from the rear or in a rollover situation. The amount of damage to the bodywork does not reliably indicate if the airbags should have deployed or not.
Seat belts the heart of the Volvo safety system The heart of the Volvo safety system is the threepoint seat belt (a Volvo invention)! In order for the SRS system to provide the protection intended, seat belts must be worn at all times by everyone in the car. The SRS system is a supplement to the seat belts.
WARNING! 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 flooddamaged in any way, do not attempt to start the vehicle or put the key in the ignition before disconnecting the battery (see below). This may cause airbag deployment which could result in personal injury. Have the car towed to an authorized Volvo retailer for repairs. Automatic transmission: Before attempting to tow the car, use the following procedure
to override the shiftlock system to move the gear selector to the
neutral position.
|
WARNING! 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. |

SIPS airbag (front seats only)
As an enhancement to the structural Side Impact Protection System built into your car, the 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), wires (2) and gas generators/sensor units (3).
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 sideimpact collisions, depending on the crash severity, angle, speed and point of impact. The airbags are not designed to deploy in all side impact situations.
NOTE: SIPS airbag deployment (one
airbag) occurs only on the side of the vehicle
affected by the impact.
WARNING! |
WARNING! |
*A SIPS airbag warning decal is also located at the end of the instrument panel on
the driver's side of the car.

Volvo Inflatable curtain (VIC) This system consists of inflatable curtains located along the sides of the roof liners, stretching from the center of both front side windows to the rear edge of the rear side windows. It is designed to help protect the heads of the occupant of the front seat and the occupant of the outboard rear seat position in certain side impact collisions.
NOTE: IC system deployment occurs only on the side of the vehicle affected by the impact.
In certain side impacts, BOTH the Inflatable Curtain (IC) and the Side Impact Airbag System (SIPS-bag) will deploy, whereas, in some cases, ONLY the Inflatable Curtain (IC) will deploy. In cases where BOTH the IC and the SIPS-bag deploy, deployment will occur simultaneously.
If the inflatable curtain deploys, it remains inflated for approximately
3 seconds.

WARNING! |