pg. 12 Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS)





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!

  • Any contact between the front seat backrests and the folded rear seat could impede the function of the WHIPS system. If the rear seat is folded down, the occupied front seats must be adjusted forward so that they do not touch the folded rear seat.
  • Boxes, suitcases, etc. wedged behind the front seats (see illustration above) could impede the function of the WHIPS system.
  • The WHIPS system is designed to supplement the other safety systems in your car. For this system to function properly, the three-point seat belt must be worn. Please be aware that no system can prevent all possible injuries that may occur in an accident.
  • If your car has been involved in a collision, the front seat backrests must be inspected by an authorized Volvo retailer even if the seats appear to be undamaged. Certain components in the WHIPS system may need to be replaced. Do not attempt to service any component in the WHIPS system yourself.
  • If the rear seat backrests are folded down, cargo must be secured to prevent it from sliding forward against the front seat backrests in the event of a collision from the rear. This could interfere with the action of the WHIPS system.
  • The WHIPS system is designed to function in certain collisions from the rear, depending on the crash severity, angle and speed.
  • Occupants in the front seats must never sit out of position. The occupant's back must be as upright as comfort allows and be against the seat back with the seat belt properly fastened.

    • pg. 13 Occupant safety

    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 Volvo cornerstone. Our concern dates back to 1927 when the first Volvo rolled off the production line. three-point seat belts (a Volvo invention), safety cages, and energy-absorbing 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: 800-458-1552 or in Canada at: 800-663-8255.

    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.

  • Never drink and drive.
  • If you are taking any medication, consult your physician about its potential effects on your driving abilities.
  • Take a driver-retraining 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.

    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 toll free at 1-800-424-9393 (or 202-366-0123 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, LLC. if your vehicle is covered under these conditions.

    NHTSA can be reached at:
    Internet : http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov

    Telephone:
    1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236) (toll free)
    1-800-424-9393 (toll free)
    1-202-366-0123 (in Washington DC area)

    pg. 14 Child safety




    Child Restraint Anchorages

    Volvo cars are fitted with child restraint top tether anchorages in the rear seat.

    Refer to the child seat manufacturer's instruction for information on securing the child seat.



    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.




    ISOFIX/LATCH anchors

    Lower anchors for ISOFIX-equipped child seats are located in the rear, outboard seats, hidden below the backrest cushions. Symbols on the seat back upholstery mark the anchor positions as shown.

    To access the anchors, kneel on the seat cushion and locate the anchors by feel.

    Always follow your child seat manufacturer's installation instructions, and use both ISOFIX lower anchors and top tethers whenever possible.

    pg. 15 Child safety




    Integrated booster cushion

    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 three-point seat belt.

    Use this booster cushion only with children who weigh between 33 and 80 lbs (15 and 36 kg) and whose height is between 38 and 54 in (97 and 137 cm).

    The child should be properly seated on the booster cushion (see illustration above). 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 three-point seat belt must fit snugly across the child's hips, not across the stomach. The shoulder section of the three-point 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!

    - DEATH or SERIOUS INJURY can occur.

    - Follow all instructions on the booster cushion and in the vehicle's owner's manual.

    - MAKE SURE THE BOOSTER CUSHION IS SECURELY LOCKED BEFORE THE CHILD IS SEATED.

    - Use this booster cushion only with children who weigh between 33 and 80 lbs (15 and 36 kg) and whose height is between 38 and 54 in (97 and 137 cm).

    - In the event of a collision while the integrated booster cushion was occupied, the entire booster cushion and 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: Canada only: This cushion may be referred to as a built-in booster cushion.

    pg. 16 Child safety

    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.

    * Automatic Locking Retractor/Emergency Locking Retractor

    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 airbag 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 passenger-side front 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!

    pg. 17 Child safety

    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.

    Your car is also equipped with ISOFIX attachments, which make it more convenient to install child seats (see page 14).

    Restraint systems for children are designed to be secured in the vehicle by lap belts or the lap portion of a lap-shoulder 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.

    A child who has outgrown the child safety seat 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). Legislation in your state or province may mandate the use of a child seat or cushion in combination with the seat belt, depending on the child's age and/or size. Please check local regulations.

    A specially designed and tested booster cushion (not available in Canada) can be obtained from your Volvo retailer for children weighing 33 - 80 lb (15 - 36 kg) and 38 - 54 inches (97 - 137 cm) in height.

    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.
  • 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.
  • On hot days, the temperature in the trunk or vehicle interior can rise very quickly. Exposure of people to these high temperatures for even a short period of time can cause heat-related injury or death. Small children are particularly at risk.


    • pg. 18 Brake system



    Brake circuit malfunction

    The brake system is a hydraulic system consisting of two master cylinders and two separate brake circuits. If a problem should occur in one of these circuits, it is still possible to stop the car with the other brake circuit.

    If the brake pedal must be depressed farther than normal and requires greater foot pressure, the stopping distance will be longer.

    A warning light in the instrument panel will light up to warn the driver that a fault has occurred.

    If this light comes on while driving or braking, stop immediately and check the brake fluid level in the reservoir.

    NOTE: Press the brake pedal hard and maintain pressure on the pedal - do not pump the brakes.

    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 inspected.

    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.

    Power brakes function only when the engine is running

    The power brakes utilize vacuum pressure which is only created when the engine is running. Never let the vehicle roll to a stop with the engine switched off.

    If the power brakes are not working, the brake pedal must be pressed approximately four times harder than usual to make up for the lack of power assistance. This can happen for example when towing your vehicle or if the engine is switched off when the vehicle is rolling. The brake pedal feels harder than usual.

    Water 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. Vehicle speed is usually slower, which means that the cooling of the brakes is less efficient than when driving on level roads. To reduce the strain on the brakes, 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 a greater than normal load.

    pg. 19 Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)



    ANTI-lock Brake System (ABS)
    If the warning lamp lights up there is a malfunction of the ABS system (the standard braking system will however function) and the vehicle should be driven cautiously to a Volvo retailer for inspection. The Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) helps to improve vehicle control (stopping and steering) during severe braking conditions by limiting brake lockup. When the system "senses" impending lockup, braking pressure is automatically modulated in order to help prevent lockup, which could lead to a skid.
    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 pedal. Do not pump the brake pedal.
    The switching of the ABS modulator will be audible and the brake pedal will pulsate during braking. 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. The brake pedal will pulsate during braking, which is normal.

    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 138 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. 20 STC/DSTC



    Stability Traction Control (STC)*/ Dynamic Stability Traction Control (DSTC)**

    The stability systems consist of a number of functions:

    The following two functions are common to both STC/DSTC

    1. Traction control (TC)
    This function is designed to help reduce wheel spin by transferring power from a drive wheel that begins to lose traction to the wheel on the opposite side of the car (on the same axle). TC monitors and compares the rotational speed of the drive wheels. If one of the drive wheels shows a tendency to spin, the difference in speed is immediately detected. This triggers the Anti-lock Brake System, which brakes the spinning wheel until the difference in rotational speed is corrected.
    TC is most active at low speeds, and a pulsating sound will be audible when the system is regulating wheel spin. This is quite normal.
    This is one of the STC/DSTC's permanent functions and is not affected when the button on the center control panel is pressed.

    2. Spin control (SC)
    The spin control function is designed to help prevent the drive wheels from spinning while the car is accelerating. This is done by temporarily reducing engine torque to the drive wheels, which helps improve stability and tractive force.

    Under certain circumstances, such as when driving with snow chains, or driving in deep snow or loose sand, it may be advisable to temporarily switch off this function for maximum tractive force. This is done by pressing the STC/DSTC button on the center control panel for at least a half a second.

    When the SC function has been switched off:

  • The text window will briefly display "SPIN CONTROL OFF"
  • The LED in the STC/DSTC button will be off.

    The following two functions are only available with DSTC:

    3. Active Yaw Control (AYC)

    This function helps maintain directional stability, for example when cornering, by braking one or more of the wheels if the car shows a tendency to skid or slide laterally. This is done by activating the Anti-lock Braking System. A pulsating sound will be audible when the function is active, which is quite normal. If you apply the brakes while this function is active, the brake pedal will feel stiffer than usual.

    This is also one of the DSTC system's permanent functions and is not affected when the DSTC button on the center control panel is pressed.

    4. Emergency Brake Assistance (EBA)

    The EBA function is an integrated part of the DSTC system. EBA is designed to provide full brake effect immediately in the event of sudden, hard braking. The system is activated by the speed with which you depress the brake pedal.

    When the EBA system is activated, the brake pedal will go down and pressure in the brake system immediately increases to the maximum level. Maintain full pressure on the brake pedal in order to utilize the system completely. EBA is automatically deactivated when the brake pedal is released.

    When the car has been parked for some time, the brake pedal may sink more than usual when the engine is started. This is normal and the pedal will return to its usual position when it is released.

    * Standard on certain models

    ** Option

    pg. 21 STC/DSTC



    The STC/DSTC button
    The STC/DSTC button in the center control panel (see page 31) is used to switch the Spin Control (SC) function on or off.

    NOTE: AYC (on models equipped with this function) will also be reduced, but not switched off, if SC is switched off.

    The button must be pressed for at least a half second to prevent SC from being switched off inadvertently.

    When the function has been switched off, the green indicator lamp in the button will go out and "STC/DSTC SPIN CONTROL OFF" will be displayed in the text window.

    All STC/DSTC functions are (re)activated each time the engine is started.

    The Stability Control indicator light
    The Stability control indicator light will come on for approximately 2 seconds when the ignition is switched on as the system performs a self-diagnostic test.

    The Stability Control indicator light will flash when:

  • Traction Control is actively functioning to help avoid drive-wheel spin.
  • Spin Control is actively functioning to help avoid loss of traction during acceleration.
  • Active Yaw Control is actively functioning to help avoid skids or lateral slides.

    The warning symbol in the instrument panel

    A steady yellow glow indicates:

  • That the system has been automatically disengaged due to a fault. "ANTI SKID SERVICE REQUIRED" be displayed in the text window. An authorized Volvo retailer should check the system.
  • The system has been temporarily switched off due to high brake temperature. "TRACTION CONTROL TEMPORARILY OFF" will be displayed.

    NOTE: The system will automatically switch on again when the brakes have cooled.

    pg. 22


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