2009 Volvo XC90 Owner's Manual - Page 139

06 Starting and driving Automatic transmission NOTE The gear selector must be in the D (Drive) position for kickdown to function. While driving If you select the MAN position while driving, the gear that was being used in the D position will also initially be selected in MAN position. W - Winter/Wet driving mode - enhanced vehicle traction Manual shifting - Geartronic You can move the gear selector freely between the MAN (Manual) and D (Drive) positions to select forward gears while driving. Gears 3, 4, 5, and 6 have a "lock-up" function which reduces engine speed and helps save fuel. • Move the gear selector forward (toward "+") to shift to a higher gear or rearward (toward "- ") to shift to a lower gear. • If you hold the gear selector toward "-", the transmission will downshift one gear and will utilize the braking power of the engine. If the current speed is too high for using a lower gear, the downshift will not occur until the speed has decreased enough to allow the lower gear to be used. NOTE Reverse, Neutral, and Park cannot be selected in Geartronic mode. • If you slow down to a very low speed, the transmission will automatically shift down. • A "lock-up" feature1 reduces engine speed and help saves fuel. The currently selected gear will be displayed in the instrument panel (see page 54). • When starting in the MAN position, 3rd gear is the highest gear that may be selected. Press the W button at the base of the gear selector to engage/disengage this driving mode (see illustration). The W symbol will appear in the display (see page 54) when the function is activated. This mode may be selected for starting/moving off on slippery roads. The vehicle starts off in 3rd gear to help maintain traction. First and second gears will only be used during kickdown. G030859 06 • To access the MAN shifting position from D, move the gear selector to the left to MAN. • To return to the D positions from MAN, move the gear selector to the right. 1 Six-speed transmission: gears 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. 139