Volvo Winter Driving Tips
Published: 29th January 2004
Volvo XC90
With severe and snowy weather forecast
to spread across the UK this week, Volvo is helping drivers to keep
safe by sharing some winter driving and car maintenance tips from
its experience of harsh Scandinavian winters.
Driving on snow and ice puts both the driver’s abilities and the car’s systems to the test. Volvo tests its cars to operate at -30ºC in a typical Swedish winter, so it’s no surprise that Volvo can offer plenty of experience of winter driving, and of designing cars to cope with a cold environment.
Looking after the car
Your car needs to be in the best condition possible to cope with the extra strain of starting and working smoothly in extra cold conditions.
- Make sure the engine has quality coolant that can cope with up to -35 degrees without freezing.
- Try to keep the fuel tank as full as possible to prevent condensation in the tank and provide the maximum range and running time for the engine if stuck in snow.
- Engine oil with lower viscosity (ie. thinner) makes cold starting easier and reduces fuel consumption. For winter use 5W/30 oil is recommended, particularly synthetic types.
- Check the state of the battery more frequently as the heater fan and all the electrical items being used put a greater strain on the battery – and a poorly charged battery can freeze and become useless.
- To prevent the windscreen washer fluid, hoses and nozzles from freezing, and to avoid damage to the washer pump, add washer solvents with plenty of anti-freeze.
- Avoid using de-icing sprays on door locks as they can impair the locking mechanism. Volvo recommends a Teflon lock spray instead, available from Volvo dealers.
- Volvo dealers offer motorists with any make or age of car the year-round convenience of a £15 ‘Clean and Check’1 13-point inspection of the essentials that drivers should (but usually don’t) check regularly to keep everything working smoothly. In addition, at this time of year Volvo also offers a more thorough 25-point ‘Winter Check’2 plus a wash and clean for £30.
Volvo XC90
Our Volvo XC90 Guide lists the full specification of the current UK XC90 range, including car prices, fuel consumption, dimensions and other vital data.
Price Range: £32,845 - £54,420
Body Style:
Fuel:
/ 
Models in the range: 13
We have road tested the Volvo XC90, to read our in-depth car reviews:
Volvo XC90 Review - Mar 2005
Volvo XC90 Review - Sep 2007
Our Car Buyer’s Guide covers all of the UK’s major new cars and includes CO2 ratings and car insurance groups. Data updated on the 6th July 2008
