Loading - Volvo V50 Owner's Manual

06 Starting and driving

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General
The load capacity is affected by extra acces-
sories mounted on the car, such as load carri-
ers, space box and towbar, as well as the load
on the towball.
The load capacity of the car is reduced by the
number of passengers and their weight. For
information on permitted weights, see
page 260.
WARNING
The car's driving characteristics change
depending on how heavily it is loaded and
how the load is distributed.
Loading the cargo area
Stop the engine and apply the parking brake
when loading or unloading long objects. The
06
gear lever or gear selector can be knocked out
of position by long loads, which could set the
car in motion.
To increase the size of the cargo area, the head
restraints can be removed and the seats folded
down, see page 106.
Place the load firmly against the backrest in
front.
*
168
Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.
•
The head rests can be removed so that
they are not damaged.
•
Put wide loads in the centre.
•
Heavy objects should be placed as low as
possible. Avoid placing heavy loads on a
lowered backrest.
•
Cover sharp edges with something soft to
avoid damaging the upholstery or the glass
surface of the tailgate.
•
Secure all loads to the load retaining eye-
lets with straps or web lashings.
WARNING
A loose object weighing 20 kg can, in a
frontal collision at a speed of 50 km/h, carry
the impact of an item weighing 1000 kg.
WARNING
Never load cargo above the backrest.
The protection provided by the inflatable
curtain in the headlining may be compro-
mised or eliminated by high loads.
Always secure the load. During heavy brak-
ing the load may otherwise shift, causing
injury to the car's occupants.
Load carriers*
To avoid damaging the car and for maximum
possible safety while driving, it is recom-
mended to use load carriers specially designed
for your car by Volvo.
Carefully follow the mounting instructions sup-
plied with the carriers.
•
Check periodically that the load carriers
and load are properly secured. Lash the
load securely with retaining straps.
•
Distribute the load evenly over the load
carriers. Put the heaviest objects at the
bottom.
•
The size of the area exposed to the wind,
and therefore fuel consumption, increase
with the load's size.
•
Drive gently. Avoid quick acceleration,
heavy braking and hard cornering.
WARNING
The car's centre of gravity and driving cha-
racteristics are altered by roof loads.