Volvo S80 Owner's Manual page 169

05 During your trip
Driving recommendations
As a minimum, the following items should be
checked before any long trip:
• Check that engine runs smoothly and that
fuel consumption is normal.
• Check for fuel, oil, and fluid leakage
• Have the transmission oil level checked.
• Check condition of drive belts.
• Check state of the battery's charge.
• Examine tires carefully (the spare tire as
well), and replace those that are worn.
Check tire pressures.
• The brakes, front wheel alignment, and
steering gear should be checked by a
trained and qualified Volvo service techni-
05
cian only.
• Check all lights, including high beams.
• Reflective warning triangles are legally re-
quired in some states/provinces.
• Have a word with a trained and qualified
Volvo service technician if you intend to
drive in countries where it may be difficult
to obtain the correct fuel.
• Consider your destination. If you will be
driving through an area where snow or ice
are likely to occur, consider snow tires.
168
Cold weather precautions
If you wish to check your vehicle before the
approach of cold weather, the following
advice is worth noting:
• Make sure that the engine coolant con-
tains 50 percent antifreeze. Any other mix-
ture will reduce freeze protection. This
gives protection against freezing down to -
31°F (-35°C). The use of "recycled" anti-
freeze is not approved by Volvo. Different
types of antifreeze must not be mixed.
• Volvo recommends using only genuine
Volvo antifreeze in your vehicle's radiator.
• Try to keep the fuel tank well filled - this
helps prevent the formation of condensa-
tion in the tank. In addition, in extremely
cold weather conditions it is worthwhile to
add fuel line de-icer before refueling.
• The viscosity of the engine oil is important.
Oil with low viscosity (thinner oil) improves
cold-weather starting as well as decreas-
ing fuel consumption while the engine is
warming up. For winter use, 5W-30 oil,
particularly the synthetic type, is recom-
mended. Be sure to use good quality oil
but do not use cold-weather oil for hard
driving or in warm weather. See page 248
for more information on engine oil.
NOTE
Synthetic oil is not used when the oil is
changed at the normal maintenance inter-
vals except at owner request and at addi-
tional charge.
• The load placed on the battery is greater
during the winter since the windshield
wipers, lighting, etc. are used more often.
Moreover, the capacity of the battery de-
creases as the temperature drops. In very
cold weather, a poorly charged battery
can freeze and be damaged. It is therefore
advisable to check the state of charge
more frequently and spray an anti-rust oil
on the battery posts.
• Volvo recommends the use of snow tires
on all four wheels for winter driving. See
the information on page 227.
• To prevent the washer fluid reservoir from
freezing, add washer solvents containing
antifreeze. This is important since dirt is
often splashed on the windshield during
winter driving, requiring the frequent use
of the washers and wipers. Volvo Washer
Solvent should be diluted as follows:
Down to 14° F (-10° C): 1 part washer
solvent and 4 parts water Down to 5° F (-
15° C): 1 part washer solvent and 3 parts