2009 Volvo XC90 Owner's Manual - Page 153

06 Starting and driving Towing a trailer NOTE NOTE WARNING • • • If the automatic transmission begins to overheat, a message will be displayed in the text window. Hauling a trailer affects handling, durability, and economy. It is necessary to balance trailer brakes with the towing vehicle brakes to provide a safe stop (check and observe state/local regulations). Do not connect the trailer's brake system directly to the vehicle's brake system. Remove the ball and drawbar assembly when the hitch is not being used. Volvo recommends the use of synthetic engine oil when towing a trailer over long distances or in mountainous areas. • When parking the vehicle with a trailer on a hill, apply the parking brake before putting the gear selector in P. When starting on a hill, put the gear selector in D before releasing the parking brake. Always follow the trailer manufacturer's recommendations for wheel chocking. If you use the manual (Geartronic) shift positions while towing a trailer, make sure the gear you select does not put too much strain on the engine (using too high a gear). • Bumper-attached trailer hitches must not be used on Volvos, nor should safety chains be attached to the bumper. Trailer hitches attaching to the vehicle rear axle must not be used. Never connect a trailer's hydraulic brake system directly to the vehicle brake system, nor a trailer's lighting system directly to the vehicle lighting system. Consult a trained and qualified Volvo service technician for correct installation. When towing a trailer, the trailer's safety wire must be correctly fastened to the hole or hook provided in the trailer hitch on the vehicle. The safety wire should never be fastened to or wound around the drawbar ball. • • • • • • • 06 Smoother starts with a trailer Models equipped with the V8-engine and the 6-speed automatic transmission have a builtin function that reduces acceleration slightly in first gear when the vehicle is towing a trailer. This is done to help avoid wheel spin and to make starting off smoother. • This function is activated when the trailer's electrical connector is plugged into the 153