STARTING AND DRIVING
battery and its capacity is reduced by the
cold.
Winter driving
For winter driving it is important to perform cer-
tain checks of the car in order to ensure that it
can be driven safely.
Fuel filler flap - Opening/closing
The fuel filler flap can be opened/closed as fol-
lows:
Use washer fluid (p. 363) to avoid ice form-
ing in the washer fluid reservoir.
•
Opening/closing the fuel filler flap
Check the following in particular before the cold
season:
Slippery driving conditions
To achieve optimum roadholding Volvo recom-
mends using winter tyres on all wheels if there is
a risk of snow or ice.
The engine coolant (p. 398) must contain
50% glycol. This mixture protects the engine
against frost erosion down to
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approximately –35 °C. To avoid health risks,
different types of glycol must not be mixed.
NOTE
The use of winter tyres is a legal requirement
in certain countries. Studded tyres are not
permitted in all countries.
The fuel tank must be kept filled to prevent
condensation.
•
•
Engine oil viscosity is important. Oils with
lower viscosity (thinner oils) facilitate starting
in cold weather and also reduce fuel con-
sumption while the engine is cold. For more
information on suitable oils, see Engine oil -
adverse driving conditions (p. 395).
Practise driving on slippery surfaces under con-
trolled conditions to learn how the car reacts.
Open the fuel filler flap by slightly pressing in
the rear part of the hatch.
Related information
Winter tyres (p. 326)
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Take out the flap.
Close the flap after fuelling.
IMPORTANT
For a description of locking and unlocking the
fuel filler flap, see Locking/unlocking - fuel filler
flap (p. 174). The fuel filler flap's lock logic also
follows the locking or unlocking of the keyless
system and the central locking system.
Low viscosity oil must not be used for hard
driving or in hot weather.
The condition of the starter battery and
charge level must be inspected. Cold
weather places great demands on the starter
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Related information
Filling up with fuel (p. 298)
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