V50 w646.book - ESD - Volvo

06 Starting and driving
Loading
General
The load capacity is affected by extra accessories
mounted on the car, such as a towbar,
load carriers, space box, the passengers’
combined weight etc. as well as the load on
the towball. The load capacity of the car is
reduced by the number of passengers and
their weight. For information on permitted
weights, see page 233.
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 could 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 restraints can be removed and the
seats folded down, see page 90.
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 or the
large glass surface of the tailgate.
• Secure all loads to the load retaining eyelets
with straps or web lashings.
WARNING
A loose object weighing 20 kg can, in a
frontal 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 compromised
or eliminated by high loads.
Always secure the load. During heavy braking
the load may otherwise shift, causing
personal injury.
Load carriers
To avoid damaging the car and for maximum
possible safety while driving, it is recommended
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
The car’s centre of gravity and driving characteristics
are altered by roof loads.
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