Cold conditions

When driving in cold conditions, there are many things to take into consideration. From energy consumption and battery health to a comfortable climate and different safety aspects. Be sure to familiarise yourself with what this way of driving entails, as well as which laws and regulations may apply.

Battery in cold temperatures

Your car's battery can be negatively affected by cold temperatures. When the car has a cold battery, a snowflake appears next to the battery percentage. This indicates that the battery’s charge capacity, performance and range are reduced compared to normal conditions. When the battery warms up, for example during preconditioning of the car or when driving, the snowflake disappears from the driver display.

Cold temperatures may lower your car's battery levels more quickly than you are used to, even when parked. Plan ahead when leaving your car for any length of time. When there is a risk of cold weather conditions, keep in mind how this could affect the car's batteries. Always take into consideration your distance to a charging point.

It is recommended that you check your car's battery level regularly during periods of low temperature and use battery preconditioning or a climate timer. Charge your car when parking for longer than 24 hours in extremely cold temperatures, such as below -30 °C (-22 °F).

Note

Sounds

In certain weather conditions, you may hear sounds from the car's power system while driving or charging. This can be due to the car regulating the temperature of its electronics.

Tip

Activating eco climate allows your car to make extra adjustments to increase your range.

If you feel like this makes the passenger compartment a bit too cold, you can use seat heating to keep warm, as this uses less energy.

Visibility

In cold conditions, ice and condensation can obstruct visibility. Your car is equipped with defrosters, a heated rear windscreen and heated wing mirrors to prevent that from happening.

Warning

Scraping the windscreen

The windscreen area in front of the front-facing camera has its own heating to defrost and remove any build-up of snow or ice. Do not use an ice scraper on this area as it can scratch the glass surface. Scratches or damage to the glass in front of the camera can interfere with or limit its detection capabilities.

Maintenance

Important

Cleaning in front of radars

If you find dirt, snow or ice, or if the car indicates that a radar is blocked, you should address it as soon as possible. Always clean and clear a large area around the radars to make their full field of view available.

Note

Frozen door handles

In rare cases, frost or ice may prevent the handles folding outwards. If this happens and the car is unlocked, you can still use the handles to open the car.

If ice buildup is preventing you from accessing the door handles, there are some steps you can try:

• Activate preconditioning in the Volvo app to heat the car.
• Carefully brush or tap the door handle to remove the ice manually.

Tyre pressure

As the temperature drops, the tyre pressure drops. Remember to check the tyre pressure regularly and adjust it as needed.