2 0 0 1
VOLVO
S80
Speed-sensitive power steering (turbo models)
(Optional on models equipped with the 2.9 liter normally-aspirated engine) With this feature, the steering is most respon-sive at lower speeds to make parking, driving in city traffic, etc., easier. The effect of the power steering diminishes as you accelerate for greater stability at highway speeds.
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 in the trunk (max. 220 lbs, 100 kg), the less the tendency to understeer.
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.
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! - Close the windows. - Set the ventilation system control to
air flow to floor, windshield and side windows and blower control to
its highest setting.
|
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.

Attaching carriers (models without rails)
The attachment brackets for the load carriers
are located under the roof molding.
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 attach-ment
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.
Load carriers(accessory)
Load carriers are available as Volvo accesso-ries.
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.
· The maximum weight that may be loaded
on the roof is 220 lbs (100 kg), including
load carriers.
· Avoid single-point loads. Distribute loads
evenly.
· Place heavier cargo at the bottom of the
load.
· Secure the cargo correctly with appropriate
tie-down equipment.
· Check periodically that the load carriers 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 fuel
consumption will increase with the size of
the load.
· Drive smoothly. Avoid rapid starts, fast
cornering and hard braking.

Emergency towing
The towing eyelet is located in the tool bag, under the floor of the trunk, with the spare
tire. This eyelet must be screwed into the
positions provided on the right sides of either the
front or rear bumper (see illustration). To attach
the towing eyelet:
· Use a coin to pry open the lower edge
of the cover (A).
· Screw the towing eyelet in place, first
by hand and then using the tire iron (B) until it is securely in place.
After the car has been towed, the eyelet should be removed and returned to the tool bag.
Press the cover back into position.

Precautions when the car is in tow
· The steering wheel must be unlocked. Turn
the ignition key to position I or II.
· The gear selector must be in position N.
· Maximum speed: AW5 and GM: 50 mph (80km/h)
· Maximum speed: 50 mph (80 km/h)
· While the car is being towed, try to
keep the tow rope taut at all times.
· The cars should only be towed in forward
direction.
WARNING! |
Towing cars with front wheel drive
Volvo recommends the use of flat bed equipment.
If wheel lift equipment must be used, please use extreme caution to help avoid damage to the car. In this case, the car should be towed with the rear wheels on the ground if at all possible.
If it is absolutely necessary to tow the vehicle with the front wheels on the ground, please refer to the towing information on the previous page.

| · Do not use the towing eyelets to pull the car up onto a flat bed tow truck. |
When preparing for trailer towing, observe the following:
Volvo recommends the use of Volvo trailer hitches which are
specially designed for the car.
· Maximum trailer weight recommended by Volvo is:
Trailers without brakes: 1100 lbs (500 kg)
Trailers with brakes: 2" (50 mm) ball - 3300 lbs (1,500 kg), 1 7/8" (47 mm) ball - 2000 lbs (908 kg).
Observe the legal requirements of the state/province in which
the vehicles are registered.
· All Volvo models are equipped with energy-absorbing
shock-mounted bumpers. Trailer hitch installation should not interfere
with the proper operation of this bumper system.
Trailer towing does not normally present any particular problems,
but take into consideration:
· Increase tire pressure to recommended full. See section "Wheels
and tires".
· When your car is new, avoid towing heavy trailers during the
first 620 miles (1000 km).
· 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) - 165 lbs (75 kg)
· Maximum speed when towing a trailer: 50 mph (80 km/h).
· Engine and transmission are subject to increased loads.
Therefore, engine 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 pointer enters the red range.
· If the automatic transmission begins to overheat, a message will
be displayed in the text window.
· Avoid overload and other abusive operation.
· Hauling a trailer affects handling, durability, and economy.
· It is necessary to balance trailer brakes with the towing
vehicle brakes to provide a safe stop (check and observe
state/local regulations).
· Do not connect the trailer's brake system directly to the
vehicle's brake system.
· More frequent vehicle maintenance is required.
· Remove the ball and drawbar assembly when the hitch is not
being used.
· Volvo recommends the use of synthetic engine oil when towing
a trailer over long distances or in mountainous areas.
WARNING! |
NOTE:
· When parking the car with a trailer on a hill, apply the parking
brake before putting the gear selector in (P)ark. When starting on a
hill, put the gear selector in (D)rive
before releasing the parking brake.
· If you use the manual (Geartronic) shift positions while towing
a trailer, make sure the gear you select does not put too much strain
on the engine (using too high gears).
· The drawbar assembly/trailer hitch may be rated for trailers heavier
than the car is designed to tow. Please adhere to Volvo's recom-mended
trailer weights.





Jump starting
Follow these instructions to jump start your car's dead battery or to jump
start another car's dead battery using your car. Although your car's
battery is located under the floor of the cargo area, jumper cables should
be connected in the engine compartment , to the points shown in the
illustrations.
If the 12-volt auxiliary battery to be used is in another car, check that the
cars are not touching to prevent premature completion of a circuit. Be
sure to follow jump starting instructions provided for the other vehicle.
To jump start your car:
· Switch off the ignition.
· First connect the auxiliary battery's positive (+) terminal (1) to the
positive (+) terminal in your car's engine compartment (2).
· Then connect the auxiliary battery's negative (-) terminal (3) to the
ground point in your car's engine compartment (4).
Start the engine in the assisting car, then start the engine in the car
with dead battery.
· After the engine has started, first remove the negative (-) terminal
jumper cable. Then remove the positive (+) terminal jumper cable.
Improper hookup of jumper cables or use of other than 12-volt batteries will result in damage to equipment and/or the battery..
WARNING! Failure to follow the instructions for jump starting can lead to personal injury. |
NOTE: Refer to pages 117-118 for information on properly maintaining the battery.
PROPOSITION 65WARNING! |
Cold weather precautions
If you wish to check your car before the approach of cold weather, the following advice is worth noting:
· Make sure that the engine
coolant contains 50 percent antifreeze. This gives protection against freezing down to -31°F
(-35°C). See section "Coolant".
The use of "recycled" antifreeze is not approved by Volvo. Different types of antifreeze may
not be mixed.
· Volvo recommends using only genuine Volvo antifreeze in your
car's radiator. Your Volvo retailer stocks plenty of Volvo engine
coolant to protect your car during cold weather.
· Try to keep the fuel tank well filled - this prevents the formation
of condensation in the tank. In addition, in extremely cold
weather conditions it is worthwhile to add fuel line de-icer before refueling.
· The viscosity of the engine oil is important. Oil with low
viscosity (thinner oil) improves cold-weather starting as well as
decreasing fuel consumption while the engine is warming up. For winter
use, 5W-30 oil, particularly the synthetic type *, is recommended.
Be sure to use good quality oil but do not use this cold-weather oil
for hard driving or in warm weather. See section
"Engine oil" for more information.
· The load placed on the
battery is greater during the winter since the windshield wipers, lighting, etc. are used more often. Moreover,
the capacity of the battery decreases as the temperature drops. In
very cold weather, a poorly charged battery can freeze and be damaged.
It is therefore advisable to check the state of charge more
frequently and spray an anti-rust oil on the battery posts.
· Volvo recommends the use of snow
tires on all four wheels for winter driving - see section "Wheels and tires".
· To prevent the washer fluid
reservoir from freezing, add washer solvents containing antifreeze (see page 112 for the location of
the washer fluid reservoir). This is important since dirt is often
splashed on the windshield during winter driving, requiring the frequent use
of the washers and wipers. The Volvo Washer Solvent should be
diluted as follows:
Down to 14° F (-10° C): 1 part washer solvent and 4 parts water
Down to 5° F (-15° C): 1 part washer solvent and 3 parts water
Down to 0° F (-18° C): 1 part washer solvent and 2 parts water
Down to -18° F (-28° C): 1 part washer solvent and 1 part water
· Use Volvo Teflon Lock Spray in the locks.
NOTE: Avoid the use of de-icing sprays as they can cause damage to the locks.
W Winter/Wet driving mode - enhanced vehicle traction
· Mode W will only function 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 23).
· This mode may be selected for starting/moving off on slippery roads.
* Synthetic oil is not used when the oil is changed at the
normal maintenance service intervals.
Before a long distance trip
It is always worthwhile to have your car checked at a Volvo retailer before driving long distances. Your retailer will also be able to supply you with bulbs, fuses, spark plugs and wiper blades for your use in the event that problems occur.
As a minimum, the following items should be checked before any long trip:
· Check that engine runs smoothly and that fuel consumption
is normal.
· Check engine oil, coolant levels, and for possible fuel leakage.
· Check transmission oil level.
· Check condition of drive belts.
· Check state of the battery's charge.
· Examine tires carefully (the spare tire as well), and replace
those that are worn. Check tire pressures.
· The brakes, front wheel alignment, and steering gear should
be checked by your Volvo retailer only.
· Check all lights, including high beams.
· Reflective warning triangles are legal requirement in some
countries.
· Have a word with your Volvo retailer if you intend to drive
in countries where it may be difficult to obtain the correct fuel.
· Consider your destination. If you will be driving through an
area where snow or ice are likely to occur, consider snow tires.
* To prevent injury from contact with hot surfaces, do not inspect your car's transmission fluid yourself. Have your car's transmission fluid level inspected by a qualified Volvo service technician according to the maintenance schedule on see page 107.

Three-way catalytic converter cautions
· Keep your engine properly tuned. Certain engine
malfunctions, particularly involving the electrical, fuel or distributor
ignition systems, may cause unusually high three-way catalytic
converter temperatures. Do not continue to operate your vehicle if
you detect engine misfire, noticeable loss of power or other
unusual operating conditions, such as engine overheating or
backfiring. A properly tuned engine will help avoid malfunctions that
could damage the three-way catalytic converters.
· Do not park your car over combustible materials, such as grass
or leaves, which can come into contact with the hot exhaust system
and cause such materials to ignite under certain wind and
weather conditions.
· Excessive starter cranking (in excess of one minute), with
an intermittently firing or flooded engine, can cause three-way
catalytic converter or exhaust system overheating.
· Remember that tampering or unauthorized modifications to
the engine or the vehicle may be illegal and can cause
three-way catalytic converter or exhaust system overheating. This includes:
- Altering fuel injection setting or components.
- Altering emission system components or location or
removing components.
- Repeated use of leaded fuel.
NOTE: Unleaded fuel is required for cars with three-way catalytic converters