08 Starting and driving
starter battery and its capacity is reduced
by the cold.
Before a long journey
Before a long journey, it makes good sense to
go through the following points:
Winter driving
For winter driving it is important to perform
certain checks in order to ensure that the car
can be driven safely.
Use washer fluid (p. 368) to avoid ice
forming in the washer fluid reservoir.
•
Check that the engine is working normally
and that fuel consumption (p. 416) is nor-
mal.
•
To achieve optimum roadholding Volvo rec-
ommends using winter tyres on all wheels if
there is a risk of snow or ice.
Check the following in particular before the
cold season:
Make sure that there are no leaks (fuel, oil
or other fluid).
•
The engine coolant (p. 357) must contain
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50% glycol. This mixture protects the
engine against frost erosion down to
approximately –35 °C. To avoid health
risks, different types of glycol must not be
mixed.
NOTE
Check all bulbs and tyre tread depths.
•
The use of winter tyres is a legal require-
ment in certain countries. Studded tyres
are not permitted in all countries.
Carrying a warning triangle (p. 333) is a
legal requirement in certain countries.
•
Related information
Engine oil - checking and filling (p. 354)
The fuel tank must be kept filled to pre-
vent condensation.
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Slippery driving conditions
Practise driving on slippery surfaces under
controlled conditions to learn how the car
reacts.
•
Changing wheels - removing wheels
(p. 330)
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Engine oil viscosity is important. Oils with
•
lower viscosity (thinner oils) facilitate star-
ting in cold weather and also reduce fuel
consumption while the engine is cold. For
more information on suitable oils, see
Engine oil - adverse driving conditions
(p. 407).
Lamp replacement - general (p. 360)
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Related information
Winter driving (p. 303)
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IMPORTANT
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
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