Do not wedge boxes, suitcases, etc. behind front seats
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VOLVO
S80
Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS) - front seats only
The WHIPS system consists of specially designed hinges and
brackets on the front seat backrests and head restraints designed to help
absorb some of the energy generated in a collision from the rear ("rear-ended").
In the event of a collision of this type, the hinges and brackets of
the front seat backrests are designed to change position slightly to allow
the backrest/head restraint to help support the occupant's head
before moving slightly rearward. This movement helps absorb some of
the forces that could result in the whiplash effect.
Do not wedge boxes, suitcases, etc. behind front seats
WARNING! |
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 the cornerstone for Volvo. Our concern dates back to 1927 when the first Volvo rolled off the production line. Threepoint seat belts (a Volvo invention), safety cages, and energyabsorbing impact zones were designed into Volvo cars long before it was fashionable or 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 cars. You can help. We would appreciate hearing your suggestions about improving automobile safety. We also want to know if you ever have a safety concern with your car. Call us in the U.S. at: 8004581552 or in Canada at: 8006638255.
Occupant safety
How safely you drive doesn't depend on how old you are but rather on:
· How well you see.
· Your ability to concentrate.
· How quickly you make decisions under stress to avoid an accident.
The tips listed below are suggestions to help you cope with the ever changing
traffic environment.
Reporting Safety Defects in the U.S.
If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which could cause a crash or could
cause injury or death, you should immediately inform the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) in addition to notifying Volvo Cars of North America.
If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open an investigation, and if it finds that
a safety defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy
campaign. However, NHTSA cannot become involved in individual problems between you, your
retailer, or Volvo Cars of North America. To
contact NHTSA, you may either call the Auto Safety Hotline tollfree at 18004249393 (or
202-3660123 in Washington, D.C. area) or write to: NHTSA, U.S. Department
of Transportation, Washington D.C. 20590. You can also obtain other information about
motor vehicle safety from the Hotline.
Volvo strongly recommends that if your vehicle is covered under a service campaign, safety
or emission recall or similar action, it should
be completed as soon as possible. Please check with your local retailer or Volvo Cars of
North America, Inc. if your vehicle is covered
under these conditions.
· Never drink and drive.
· If you are taking any medication,
consult your physician about its potential effects on your driving abilities.
· Take a driverretraining course
· Have your eyes checked regularly
· Keep your windshield and headlights clean.
· Replace wiper blades when they start
to leave streaks.
· Take into account the traffic, road,
and weather conditions, particularly with regard to stopping distance.
Child restraint anchorages
Volvo cars are or can be fitted with child restraint top tether anchorages in the rear seat.
There are three predrilled anchorage points in the rear window shelf.
Installing the top tether
The predrilled holes for the child restraint anchorages are underneath
the rear window shelf. A slot must be cut in the fabric on the shelf to
install the anchorage bracket. This installation should be carried out by
an authorized Volvo retailer.
Refer to the child seat manufacturer's instructions for
information on securing the child seat.
Isofix fasteners and Seat guide
The Isofix fasteners are available as a retailer-installed
option in the rear seat on the outboard
positions. Consult your Volvo retailer for more
information on child safety accessories.
WARNING! Child Restraint Anchorages are designed to withstand only those
loads imposed by correctly fitted Child Restraints. Under no
circumstances are they to be used for adult seat belts or harnesses. The anchorages
are not able to withstand excessive forces on them in the event of
collision if full harness seat belts or adult seat belts are installed to them.
An adult who uses a belt anchored in a Child Restraint Anchorage runs
a great risk of suffering severe injuries should a collision occur. Do
not install rear speakers which would require the removal of the top
tether anchors or interfere with the proper use of the top tether strap. |
Integrated booster cushion (optional)
Volvo's own integrated booster cushion has been specially designed to help safeguard
a child seated in the center position of the rear seat. When using the integrated
booster cushion, the child must be secured with
the vehicle's threepoint seat belt. The booster cushion is approved for children
weighing between 33 and 80 lbs (15 and 36 kg) and between 38 and 54 in (97 and 137 cm)
in height.
The child should be properly seated on the booster cushion (see illustration in left column). It is essential that the head restraint be adjusted properly to help support the child's head (see page 3).
The hip section of the threepoint seat belt must fit snugly across the child's hips,
not across the stomach. The shoulder section of
the threepoint seat belt should be positioned across the chest and shoulder (see
illustration). The shoulder belt must never be placed
behind the child's back or under the arm.
WARNING! Failure to follow the instructions on this page will increase the risk of your
child being injured during a sudden stop or collision. In the event of a collision while
the integrated booster cushion was occupied, the entire booster cushion and center seat
belt must be replaced. The booster cushion should also be replaced if it is badly worn
or damaged in any way. This work should be performed by an authorized Volvo
retailer only. The booster cushion should be
cleaned while in place in the vehicle if possible.
If not, please consult your Volvo retailer. |
Storing the booster cushion
Fold the seat up - it will lock automatically to
the backrest.
NOTE: Please also refer to the instructions on
the integrated booster cushion.
Keeping child seats in place (ALR/ELR*)
To make child seat installation easier, each seat belt (except for the driver's belt) is equipped with a locking mechanism to help keep the seat belt taut.
When attaching the seat belt to a child seat:
· Attach the seat belt to the child seat according to the child
seat manufacturer's instructions.
· Pull the seat belt out as far as possible.
· Insert the seat belt latch plate into the buckle (lock) in the usual way.
· Release the seat belt and pull it taut around the child seat.
A sound from the seat belt retractor will be audible at this
time and is normal.
The belt will now be locked in place.
This function is automatically disabled when the seat belt
is unlocked and the belt is fully retracted.
WARNING! 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. |
Important!
Why Volvo believes no child should sit in the front seat of a car.
It's quite simple really. A front air bag is a very powerful device designed, by law, to help protect an adult. Because of the size of the air bag and its speed of inflation, a child should never be placed in the front seat, even if he or she is properly belted or strapped into a child safety seat. Volvo has been an innovator in safety for over fifty years, and we'll continue to do our part. 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:
· Always wear your seat belt.
· Air bags are a SUPPLEMENTAL safety device which, when used
with a three-point seat belt can help reduce serious injuries during
certain types of accidents. Volvo recommends that you do not
disconnect the air bag system in your vehicle.
· Volvo strongly recommends that ALL children sit in the rear seat
of any vehicle and that they be properly restrained.
· A child should NEVER sit in the front passenger seat of any
vehicle equipped with a front passenger side airbag.
· 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 side airbag.
Drive safely!
* Automatic Locking Retractor/Emergency Locking Retractor
Child safety
Volvo recommends the proper use of restraint systems for all occupants including children. Remember that, regardless of age and size, a child should always be properly restrained in a car.
Restraint systems for children are designed to be secured in the vehicle by lap belts or the lap portion of a lapshoulder belt. Such child restraint systems can help protect children in cars in the event of an accident only if they are used properly. However, children could be endangered in a crash if the child restraints are not properly secured in the vehicle. Failure to follow the installation instructions for your child restraint can result in your child striking the vehicle's interior in a sudden stop.
Holding a child in your arms is NOT a suitable substitute for a child restraint system. In an accident, a child held in a person's arms can be crushed between the vehicle's interior and an unrestrained person. The child could also be injured by striking the interior, or by being ejected from the vehicle during a sudden maneuver or impact. The same can also happen if the infant or child rides unrestrained on the seat. Other occupants should also be properly restrained to help reduce the chance of injuring or increasing the injury of a child.
All states and provinces have legislation governing how and where children should
be carried in a car. Find out the regulations existing in your state or province. Recent accident statistics have shown that children
are safer in rear seating positions than front
seating positions when properly restrained. A
child restraint system can help protect a child in
a vehicle. Here's what to look for when selecting a child restraint system:
· It should have a label certifying that
it meets applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS 213) or
in Canada, CMVSS 213.
· Make sure the child restraint system
is approved for the child's height, weight and development the label required by
the standard or regulation, or instructions for infant restraints, typically provide
this information.
· In using any child restraint system,
we urge you to look carefully over the instructions that are provided with
the restraint. Be sure you understand them and can use the device properly
and safely in this vehicle. A misused child restraint system can result in
increased injuries for both the infant or child
and other occupants in the vehicle.
· If your child restraint requires a top
tether strap, consult your authorized Volvo
retailer for top tether anchorage and installation information.
When a child has outgrown the child safety seat, you should use the rear seat with
the standard seat belt fastened. The best way to help protect the child here is to place the
child on a cushion so that the seat belt is
properly
located on the hips (see page 2).
A specially designed and tested booster cushion (not available in Canada ) for
children between the age of 3 and approximately 10 years, weighing 33 - 80 lbs (15 - 36 kg)
and 46 - 54" (117 - 137 cm) in height, can
be obtained from your Volvo retailer.
WARNING! Do not use child safety seats or child booster cushions/backrests in the front passenger's seat. We also recommend that children under 4 feet 7 inches (140 cm) in height who have outgrown these devices sit in the rear seat with the seat belt fastened. |
WARNING! Keep vehicle doors and trunk locked and keep keys out of a child's reach. Unsupervised children could lock themselves in an open trunk and risk injury. Children should be taught not to play in vehicles. |
WARNING! On hot days, the temperature in the trunk or vehicle interior can rise very quickly. Exposure of people to these high tempera-tures for even a short period of time can cause heat-related injury or death. Small children are particularly at risk. |
If one of the brake circuits should malfunction, the red warning
light will come on, the pedal stroke increases slightly, the pedal feels
softer and extra pressure is required for normal braking. If the light comes
on while driving or braking, stop immediately and check the brake
fluid level in the reservoir.
WARNING! If the fluid level is below the MIN mark in the reservoir: DO NOT DRIVE. Tow the car to a Volvo retailer and have the brake system checked and any leakage repaired. |
NOTE: When the car is at a standstill and the engine is idling, e.g. at a traffic light and the brake pedal is depressed, the pedal may go down slightly. This is a normal function of the power-assisted brake system.
If the brake powerassist does not function
The power assist to the brakes functions only when the engine is running. When the car is moving without the engine running, the brake pedal pressure required to stop the car is increased by 34 times and the brake pedal feels stiff.
Moisture on brake discs and brake pads affects braking
Driving in rain and slush or passing through an automatic car wash can cause water to collect on the brake discs and pads. This will cause a delay in braking effect when the pedal is depressed. To avoid such a delay when the brakes are needed, depress the pedal occasionally when driving through rain, slush etc. This will remove the water from the brakes. Check that brake application feels normal. This should also be done after washing or starting in very damp or cold weather.
Severe strain on the brake system
The brakes will be subject to severe strain when driving in mountains
or hilly areas or towing. The speed is usually low which means that
the cooling of the brakes is less efficient than when driving on level roads.
To reduce the strain on the brakes, it is advisable not to use the
brakes excessively. Instead, shift into a lower gear and let the engine help
with the braking. Do not forget that, if you are towing a trailer, the brakes
will be subjected to greater load than is normal.
The system performs a self-diagnostic test when the engine is started and when the vehicle first reaches a speed of approximately 12 mph (20 km/h). The brake pedal will pulsate several times and a sound may be audible from the ABS control module. This is normal.
To obtain optimal effect from the ABS system, constant pressure should be kept on the brake, keep constant pressure on the brake pedal. Do not pump the brake pedal.
The switching of the ABS modulator will be audible and the brake pedal will pulsate at this time. Please be aware that ABS does not increase the absolute braking potential of the vehicle. While control will be enhanced, ABS will not shorten stopping distances on slippery surfaces.
ABS with EBD (Electronic Brake Force Distribution)
EBD is an integrated part of the ABS system. EBD regulates the hydraulic pressure to the rear brakes to help provide optimal braking capacity.
If the BRAKE and ABS warning lights come on at the same time, this could indicate a fault in the brake system.
· Stop the car in a suitable place and switch off the engine.
· Restart the engine.
· If both warning lights go off, no further action is required.
· If both lights are still on after the engine has been restarted,
switch off the engine again and check the brake fluid level (see page
116 for the location of the brake fluid reservoir).
WARNING! If the fluid level is below the MIN mark in the reservoir, DO NOT DRIVE. Have the car towed to an authorized Volvo retailer and have the brake system inspected. |
· If the brake fluid level is above the MIN mark, drive carefully to
an authorized Volvo retailer and have the brake system inspected.
pg. 18 (Dynamic) Stability Traction Control (STC) (DSTC) - option |
Stability Traction Control (STC)
The STC system is designed to help reduce wheel spin by
limiting power to the drive wheels if they begin to lose traction. At speeds
over 25 mph (40 km/h), the STC system monitors and compares all
four wheels. If one of the drive (front) wheels shows any tendency to
slip, such as when driving on slippery roads, the difference in speed
is immediately detected. This triggers a signal to the engine
management system, which will reduce engine torque (by reducing fuel) until
the differential is corrected. This torque reduction is handled
in stages, and reaction time is extremely fast. The system can be switched on or off
by pressing the button on the center console for at least half a second (see page
27). The indicator light (
) in the instrument panel will be ON
when you have switched the system off. The STC system comes on each time you start your car.
The STC indicator light () will come on for approximately
2 seconds when the engine is started as the system performs a
self-diagnostic test.
This system should be switched off if you, for any reason, temporarily have to drive with tires of different dimensions (e.g., spare tire).
The symbol will flash when STC is actively regulating power
to the drive wheels. Normal power may be reduced at this time. This
is normal as power is momentarily reduced to help keep the drive
wheels from losing traction and spinning.
If the STC system has been switched on using the button in the
center console (the indicator light will normally go off) and the
indicator light remains on, there is a fault in the system. In this case:
· Stop the car in a suitable place and switch off the engine.
· Restart the engine.
· If the indicator light goes off, no further action is required.
· If the light remains on, have the STC system inspected by
an authorized Volvo retailer.
Dynamic Stability Traction Control (DSTC)
The DSTC system performs all of the functions of the STC system. In addition, DSTC also applies the brakes to one or more of the wheels to help maintain stability if a wheel begins to lose traction. The system functions at speeds above 12 mph (20 km/h) and works on all four wheels, on any road surface. When DSTC is active, brake pressure is regulated automatically and the brake pedal will move slightly. If you press the brake pedal while DSTC is automatically regulating brake pressure, it will feel stiffer than normal. A pulsating sound will be audible at this time, which is quite normal.
Switching off DSTC
DSTC comes on each time you start your car, and should be left on at all times. If for any reason the steering wheel position or the front wheels are not properly aligned, DSTC should be switched off since the system may receive incorrect signals.
When the LED in the button is on, this indicates that DSTC is switched on (the light will also come on if a fault has been detected in the system). To avoid inadvertently switching the system off, the button must be pressed for at least one second before DSTC is deactivated.
The symbol will come on to indicate that DSTC has been
switched off. The system is automatically switched on when the engine is restarted.
The DSTC indicator light () will flash when:
DSTC is actively functioning to help avoid loss of traction.
The DSTC indicator light () will stay on when:
The car is started (for approximately 2 seconds as DSTC performs a self-diagnostic test).
DSTC has been switched off by pressing the DSTC button in the middle console.
DSTC has been temporarily switched off due to high brake temperature. The system will automatically switch on again when the brakes have cooled.
If the system has been switched off due to a fault. An authorized Volvo retailer should check the system.
