Newbie questions

13656 Views 16 Replies 9 Participants Last post by radarcontact, May 4, 2021

[email protected]

Discussion Starter · Jan 13, 2019

Hi,

I have had my XC40 a few months, but just discovered this forum. I hope it is okay if I ask a variety of questions.

1- I am disappointed to see everyone's comments about not being able to adjust the car temperature when using the remote start. Given the amount of electronics, this seems to be a glaring mis-step. I try to remember to leave the temperature set high when I get out of the car. When I use the remote start, I don't find the car to be warm when I get in. I have increased the running time from 9 minutes to 12 minutes, but still don't feel it really warms until I get in and "start" the car manually. I do find the steering wheel is warmed, but do not believe the blower is warming the air very well.

Can someone tell me if there is something I should be doing differently or does it need to be checked by the dealership?

2- I have set my Individual Drive Mode to run on Eco (I also have the "A" set to hold the brake while stopped, which seems to also help the car shut-down the engine when I'm stopped). I am hoping this will help my fuel efficiency.

Are these the best settings to increase fuel efficiency?

3- Although the manual says to use premium gas, the dealer said we could use regular gas.

Can people please tell me if it is best to use premium or regular gas? I certainly prefer to use regular.

4- I have not been able to figure out why the car turns off automatically sometimes, but other times I must shut it manually.

Can someone explain to me why this happens? I assume it is related to my drive mode configuration (maybe the engine cycles on to run the A/C or heat, and that can't be predicted?).

Thank you for your help. I have not found the dealership to be that knowledgeable about this vehicle.

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1 - 17 of 17 Posts

Watson58

· #2 · Jan 14, 2019

I am a newbie myself and agrees with you on number 1. I usually just leave the car ensuring to set the temperature to my comfort level that way autostart will heat or cool the car appropriately. But yes, 10 minutes does not seem sufficient to heat the car from below freezing.

2. I would assume "Eco" mode is the best.

3. As a pilot, I would never dare to not follow the manufacturer recommendation, The user guide on page 420 said "requires" which is not the same as "recommends" --it is very clear it requires a minimum of 91 octane.

4. My car turns off automatically when I open the door (which is objectionable to me).

[email protected]

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 14, 2019

Watson58, I guess I will switch to premium gas. As I said earlier, I didn't find the dealership to be very knowledgeable about the vehicle. In terms of the car shutting off automatically, I wouldn't mind if it didn't do this (in fact, it is quite annoying when I use a drive-through window), but I also have not figured out why it does it sometimes but not all of the time. I just find some of the features "buggy".

Thanks for the help.

laptop8888

· #4 · Jan 15, 2019

4: Are you referring to the engine Stop/Start function? If so then the possible explanation is that the engine stops when the car is stopped; except when the secondary battery cannot handles the load and the engine will remain running. I live in Las Vegas. In the summer time the stop/start function will not kick in because the AC has to be running. This is just guessing on my part.

bdalameda

· #5 · Feb 4, 2019

Watson58 said:
I am a newbie myself and agrees with you on number 1. I usually just leave the car ensuring to set the temperature to my comfort level that way autostart will heat or cool the car appropriately. But yes, 10 minutes does not seem sufficient to heat the car from below freezing.

2. I would assume "Eco" mode is the best.

3. As a pilot, I would never dare to not follow the manufacturer recommendation, The user guide on page 420 said "requires" which is not the same as "recommends" --it is very clear it requires a minimum of 91 octane.

4. My car turns off automatically when I open the door (which is objectionable to me).

My new XC40 R Design purchased in California - states in the owners manual - 91 octane recommended but a minimum of 87 octane can be used without any harm though it may reduce performance slightly. I've been using 87 octane and it is running fine. Our fuel in California is different than in most other states however.

Watson58

· #6 · Feb 10, 2019

re: Octane

bdalameda said:
My new XC40 R Design purchased in California - states in the owners manual - 91 octane recommended but a minimum of 87 octane can be used without any harm though it may reduce performance slightly. I've been using 87 octane and it is running fine. Our fuel in California is different than in most other states however.

What does the decal inside your fuel-flap say? Mine looks like this. My understanding is if you have a T4 engine, 87 is an alternative. Of course in California, the land of the high compression and performance engines like BMW, Mercedez, etc. it would be advantageous if a dealer would say use 87... but as far as I know, there is only one manual from the official Volvo site at
https://volvornt.harte-hanks.com/manuals/2019/XC40_OwnersManual_MY19_en-US_TP25542.pdf

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Reactions: 1

eVolved

· #7 · Feb 14, 2019

always stick to manufacture recommendations, they're the ones with engineering information and input to back up whats being said unlike people at the dealer

Reactions: 1

bdalameda

· #8 · Feb 15, 2019

Octane rating is very misunderstood. Octane levels are indicative of the fuels ability to resist self ignition under compression (detonation), that's it. Modern engines are computer controlled with knock sensors (senses detonation) oxygen sensors, variable timing etc. Running a lower octane fuel will not harm your modern engine. The engines ECU will back off ignition timing change mixture etc. to compensate for lower octane fuels. The only difference will be your engine will not put out the maximum horsepower with the lower octane fuel but it will run fine. Older carbureted and fuel injected engines, like with aircraft air cooled piston engine it is more critical as these are 1940 engine designs that can be damaged by run away detonation if too low of octane fuel is used. Very high throttle settings with these air cooled engines are maintained at maximum load for extended periods of time make fuel requirements very critical - automotive modern engines are completely different. In addition - oxygenated fuels using ethanol greatly reduce the risk of detonation to a point where it is almost eliminated.
The biggest issue especially with direct injected turbo-charged engines as the T5 Volvo engine is - would be cleanliness of the fuel burn. Dirty fuels can cause carbon buildup on valves, cylinder heads, pistons and cause fuel injector fouling on direct injection engines. The tight cylinder to piston clearances and piston ring fit on modern engines also makes it important to keep internal components free of carbon. There are some cases of running poor quality fuel causing rings to stick in the piston lands and cause low compression and oil burning due to the inability of the ring to seal properly. Engine oil is critical on modern engines for the same reason. Some higher octane fuel brands have higher detergent levels in the fuel to help keep injectors and engines clean. Fuels were tested for cleanliness and a standard was developed for this and it was called the Tiered standard. If you run a Top Tier or Tier III fuel it will meet this standard necessary for your Volvo direct Injected engine. I am not sure how many fuel suppliers publish this rating anymore but I noticed a label on the fuel pump at the local station I use that says - Top Tier Fuel. Most major fuel brands will meet these standards - some local branded fuels will not. The detergent and fuel additives are actually added after the fuel is refined and put into the fuel while it is being pumped into the fuel tank truck on the way to delivery. Many brands of fuel come from the same refineries regardless of the name on the gas station and the fuel additives are added before delivery of the particular brand of fuel being sold. Most branded fuel companies have their own proprietary blend of additives that they use.

I hope this helps.

Dan

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Watson58

· #9 · Mar 17, 2019

Engine shutoff and MAX defrost

I apologize for this stupid questions but after over a month there are still two things I can't figure out:

1. I can't figure out what makes my Volvo shut off. Sometimes when I open the door and the car is in "Park", the engine stays on, other times it shuts off. How do I open the door and step out but keep the engine on?

2. When I turned on the defroster, it seems that the setting is MAX. It is always MAX defroster. I'd like to drive around in the rain or snow with the defroster on but I don't want it to be in MAX mode. How do I set the fan speed and temperature of the defroster?

Thanks for any feedback!

eVolved

· #10 · Mar 18, 2019

I suggest anyone skeptical about this octane talk to watch some videos online from reputable sources like Engineering Explained and Scott Kilmer. Along with whatever else is out there. Also check out the comments section to make your own judgement. Odds are it'll come down to what's recommended from factory

martinbrown2382

· #11 · Jun 26, 2019

in short i would suggest "Eco" mode is the best. wel i am not a professional i am a towing truck driver at 24 Hours Roadside Assistance In Newyork.

David1

· #12 · Jun 27, 2019

ECO mode sucks. I drive in dynamic mode most of the time and have start/stop permanently off as I do in my BMWs.

U4ic

· #13 · Jun 27, 2019

I would assume ECO mode is for constant speed cruising on the highway or something. On daily driving it would be very sluggish. Others have suggested ECO mode is ideal for driving in loose snow, to avoid tires from spinning.

David1

· #14 · Jun 27, 2019

U4ic said:
I would assume ECO mode is for constant speed cruising on the highway or something. On daily driving it would be very sluggish. Others have suggested ECO mode is ideal for driving in loose snow, to avoid tires from spinning.

That's all nonsense to, You start the T5 in 3rd gear and traction control will do the rest. Throttle response and shift time on the transmission in ECO mode is downright dangerous.

U4ic

· #15 · Jun 27, 2019

David1 said:
That's all nonsense to, You start the T5 in 3rd gear and traction control will do the rest. Throttle response and shift time on the transmission in ECO mode is downright dangerous.

I didnt pay attention in my test drives if all XC40 trims offered manual shifting. Do they?

David1

· #16 · Jun 28, 2019

U4ic said:
I didnt pay attention in my test drives if all XC40 trims offered manual shifting. Do they?

The R Line has paddles on the steering wheel for manual shifting or you can use the stubby selector on the console.

radarcontact

· #17 · May 4, 2021 (Edited)

Does TOP TIER imply that the detergents are in all the octanes the particular station offers?

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