Difficult Driving Conditions - Volvo XC90 Owner's Manual

Driving on rough/unpaved surfaces
The Volvo XC90 is designed primarily for on-
road driving, and it has excellent handling
characteristics on very rough or unpaved
roads.
When driving on poorly maintained or
unpaved roads, please keep the following in
mind:
•
Reduce speed on rough surfaces to mini-
mize possible damage to the vehicle's
underbody.
•
When driving on soft surfaces such as dry
sand or snow, try to avoid stopping if at
all possible.
WARNING
•
Avoid driving diagonally across steep
inclines as this could increase the risk
of a roll-over. Try to drive straight up
or down the slope.
•
If the road is very steep, avoid turning
the vehicle around to help avoid the
risk of rolling over. Back the vehicle up
or down the incline instead.
NOTE
Avoid driving on steep inclines if the fuel
tank is nearly empty. If the flow of fuel to
the engine is interrupted due to the vehi-
cle's angle of inclination, this could result
in damage to the three-way catalytic con-
verter. We recommend keeping the fuel
tank at least half full when driving on steep
inclines.
Driving through water
The vehicle can be driven through water up to
a depth of approximately 16 inches (40 cm),
at a maximum speed of 6 mph (10 km/h).
Take particular care when driving through
flowing water.
Clean the electrical connections for trailer wir-
ing after driving in mud or water.
When driving through water, maintain low
speed and do not stop in the water.
06 Starting and driving

Difficult driving conditions

WARNING
•
Avoid driving through standing or
rushing water. Doing so can be dan-
gerous and it may also be difficult to
determine the actual depth of the
water.
•
If water cannot be avoided, after driv-
ing through the water, press lightly on
the brake pedal to ensure that the
brakes are functioning normally. Water
or mud can make the brake linings
slippery, resulting in delayed braking
effect.
06
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