Volvo XC90 Owner's Manual page 142

06 Starting and driving
Fuel requirements
WARNING
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:
•
Close the windows
•
Set the ventilation system control to air
flow to floor, windshield and side win-
dows and blower control to its highest
setting.
Gasoline containing alcohol and ethers,
"Oxygenated fuels"
Some fuel suppliers sell gasoline containing
"oxygenates" which are usually alcohols or
ethers. In some areas, state or local laws
06
require that the service pump be marked indi-
cating use of alcohols or ethers. However,
there are areas in which the pumps are
unmarked. If you are not sure whether there is
alcohol or ethers in the gasoline you buy,
check with the service station operator. To
meet seasonal air quality standards, some
areas require the use of "oxygenated" fuel.
Volvo allows the use of the following "oxy-
genated" fuels; however, the octane ratings
listed on page 139 must still be met.
140
Alcohol – Ethanol
Fuels containing up to 10% ethanol by vol-
ume may be used. Ethanol may also be refer-
red to as Ethyl alcohol, or "Gasohol".
Ethers – MTBE: Fuels containing up to
15% MTBE may be used.
Methanol
Do not use gasolines containing methanol
(methyl alcohol, wood alcohol). This practice
can result in vehicle performance deteriora-
tion and can damage critical parts in the fuel
system. Such damage may not be covered
under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
Weight distribution affects handling
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 with the vehicle load.
The heavier the load in the cargo area, the
less the tendency to understeer.
Handling, roadholding
Vehicle load, tire design and inflation pres-
sure all affect vehicle handling. Therefore,
check that the tires are inflated to the recom-
mended pressure according to the vehicle
load. See "Tire pressure" section.
Loads should be distributed so that capacity
weight or maximum permissible axle loads
are not exceeded.
Conserving electrical current
Keep the following in mind to help minimize
battery drain:
•
When the engine is not running, avoid
turning the ignition key to position II (see
page 145). Many electrical systems (the
audio system, the optional infotainment/
navigation systems, power windows, etc)
will function with the ignition key in posi-
tion I. This position reduces drain on the
battery.
•
Please keep in mind that using systems,
accessories, etc that consume a great
deal of current when the engine is not
running could result in the battery being
completely drained. Driving or having the
engine running for approximately
15 minutes will help keep the battery
charged.
NOTE
A warning message will be displayed in the
text window in the instrument panel when
the battery charge is low.