Load Carriers - Volvo V50 Owner's Manual

Loading
General
The load capacity is affected by extra acces-
sories mounted on the car, such as a towbar,
the load on the towball (75 kg with trailer
hitched), load carriers and roof box, as well as
the passengers' combined weight. The car's
load carrying capacity is reduced by the
number of passengers and their weight.
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
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 rests can be removed
and the seats folded down, see page 84.
Place the load firmly against the backrest in
front.
• 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.
• Secure all loads to the load retaining
eyelets with straps or web lashings.
WARNING!
A loose object weighing 20 kg can, in a
front-on 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
braking the load may otherwise shift,
causing personal injury.
Starting and driving

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
supplied 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 accelerations,
heavy braking and taking curves hard.
WARNING!
Load no more than 75 kg on the roof,
inclusive of the load carriers and any roof
box.
The car's centre of gravity and driving
characteristics are altered by roof loads.
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