Get Starting and driving -> Economical driving Guide for Volvo XC60 SUV First Generation (2008-2017)

08 Starting and driving

or removing components, and/or repea-

ted use of leaded fuel.

Emission controls

Economical driving

Better driving economy may be obtained by

thinking ahead, avoiding rapid starts and

stops and adjusting the speed of your vehicle

to immediate traffic conditions.

Three-way catalytic converter

Keep your engine properly tuned. Certain

•

NOTE

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 con-

ditions, such as engine overheating or

backfiring. A properly tuned engine will

help avoid malfunctions that could dam-

age the three-way catalytic converter.

Unleaded fuel is required for vehicles with

three-way catalytic converters.

Economical driving conserves natural

resources

Observe the following rules:

Heated oxygen sensors

The heated oxygen sensors monitor the oxy-

gen content of the exhaust gases. Readings

are fed into a control module that continu-

ously monitors engine functions and controls

fuel injection. The ratio of fuel to air into the

engine is continuously adjusted for efficient

combustion to help reduce harmful emis-

sions.

Bring the engine to normal operating tem-

•

perature as soon as possible by driving

with a light foot on the accelerator pedal

for the first few minutes of operation. A

cold engine uses more fuel and is subject

to increased wear.

Do not park your vehicle over combusti-

ble 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.

•

Whenever possible, avoid using the vehi-

•

cle for driving short distances. This does

not allow the engine to reach normal

operating temperature.

Related information

•

Information displays – warning symbols

(p. 74)

Drive carefully and avoid rapid accelera-

tion and hard braking.

•

Engine and cooling system (p. 274)

Excessive starter cranking (in excess of

one minute), or an intermittently firing or

flooded engine can cause three-way cat-

alytic converter or exhaust system over-

heating.

•

Use the transmission's Drive (D) position

as often as possible and avoid using kick-

down.

•

Remember that tampering or unauthor-

ized modifications to the engine, the

Engine Control Module, or the vehicle

may be illegal and can cause three-way

catalytic converter or exhaust system

overheating. This includes: altering fuel

injection settings or components, altering

emission system components or location

280

08 Starting and driving

Using the engine's optional Eco func-

tion²⁰can help improve fuel economy. For

additional information, see ECO* (p. 262).

Dirty air cleaner

with the vehicle load. The heavier the load in

the cargo area, the less the tendency to

understeer.

•

Dirty engine oil and clogged oil filter

Dragging brakes

Using the transmission's Sport mode²¹

may increase fuel consumption some-

what. Use the transmission's Drive (D)

position as often as possible. For addi-

tional information about Sport mode, see

Transmission – Geartronic (p. 254).

Vehicle load, tire design and inflation

•

Incorrect front end alignment

pressure all affect vehicle handling.

Therefore, check that the tires are inflated

to the recommended pressure according

to the vehicle load. Loads should be dis-

tributed so that capacity weight or maxi-

mum permissible axle loads are not

exceeded.

Some of the above mentioned items and oth-

ers are checked at the standard maintenance

intervals.

WARNING

Do not exceed posted speed limits.

•

Avoid carrying unnecessary items (extra

load) in the vehicle.

Driving with the tailgate open: Driving

with the tailgate open could lead to poi-

sonous exhaust gases entering the pas-

senger compartment. If the tailgate must

be kept open for any reason, proceed as

follows:

At the specified curb weight your vehicle

•

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 proper-

ties can alter with the vehicle load. The

heavier the load in the cargo compart-

ment, the less the tendency to under-

steer.

Maintain correct tire pressure. Check tire

pressure regularly (when tires are cold).

•

Remove snow tires when threat of snow

or ice has ended.

Close the windows

•

Note that roof racks, ski racks, etc,

increase air resistance and also fuel con-

sumption.

Set the ventilation system control to air

flow to floor, windshield and side win-

dows and the blower control to its

highest setting.

At highway driving speeds, fuel consump-

tion will be lower with the air conditioning

on and the windows closed than with the

air conditioning off and the windows

open.

•

Related information

Climate – general information (p. 125)

Handling and roadholding

•

At the specified curb weight your vehicle has

a tendency to understeer, which means that

the steering wheel has to be turned more

than might seem appropriate for the curva-

ture of a bend. This ensures good stability

and reduces the risk of rear wheel skid.

Remember that these properties can alter

Using the onboard trip computer's fuel

consumption modes can help you learn

how to drive more economically.

Other factors that decrease gas mileage

are:

Available on certain 4-cyl. engines

Models with the T6 turbo engine only.

281

* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.

Starting and driving -> Economical driving for Your Volvo XC60 SUV First Generation (2008-2017)

Related Topics

Popular Owner Manuals

Latest Owner Manuals