VOLVO XC90 2003 Owners Manual

2003 VOLVO XC90
2 0 0 3
VOLVO XC90
Wheels and tires

pg. 113 Wheels and tires
General information114
Tire pressure116
Tread wear indicators117
Uniform Tire Quality Grading118
Changing wheels119
pg. 114 Wheels and tires
General information
General information about wheels and tires
Your vehicle is equipped with tires according to the tire information la\
bel on the inside of the fuel filler
door. All tires have a dimension designation. The following is an example of a tire designation:
225/70R16.
225 section width (mm)
70 relationship between section height and width
R radial tire
16 wheel rim diameter (inches)
The tires have good road holding characteristics and offer good handling\
on dry and wet surfaces. It
should be noted however that the tires have been developed to give these\
features on snow/ice-free
surfaces.
Certain models are equipped with "all-season" tires, which provide a som\
ewhat higher degree of
road holding on slippery surfaces than tires without the "all-season" ra\
ting.
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2003 VOLVO XC90
However, for optimum road holding on icy or snow-covered roads, we recom\
mend suitable winter tires
on all four wheels. When replacing tires, be sure that the new tires are\
the same size designation, type
(radial) and preferably from the same manufacturer, on all four wheels\
. Otherwise there is a risk of
altering the vehicle's roadholding and handling characteristics.
NOTE: When storing wheel/tire assemblies (e.g. winter tires and wheels), eit\
her stand the assemblies
upright, or suspend them off the ground. Laying wheel/tire assemblies on\
their sides for prolonged
periods can cause wheel and/or tire damage.
New tires
Remember that tires are perishable goods. As of 2000, manufacturing year\
and week will be indicated
with 4 digits (e.g. 0015 means that the tire is manufactured year 2000,\
week 15).
Improving tire economy:
l Maintain correct tire pressure. See the tire pressure label on the insid\
e of the fuel filler door.
l Drive smoothly: avoid fast starts, hard braking and tire screeching.
l Tire wear increases with speed.
l Correct front wheel alignment is very important.
l Unbalanced wheels impair tire economy and driving comfort.
l If tires are rotated, they must be kept on the same side of the vehicle \
so that they revolve in the same
direction as before rotation.
l Hitting curbs or potholes can damage the tires and/or wheels permanently\
.
Flat spots
All tires become warm during use. After cooling, when the vehicle is par\
ked, the tires have a tendency to
distort slightly, forming flat spots. These flat spots can cause vibrati\
ons similar to the vibrations caused
by unbalanced wheels. They do, however, disappear when the tire warms up\
. The degree to which flat
spots form depends on the type of cord used in the tire. In cold weather\
, it takes longer for the tire to
warm up and consequently longer for the flat spot to disappear.
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2003 VOLVO XC90
CAUTION
The vehicle must not be driven with wheels of different dimensions or wi\
th a spare tire other than the
one that came with the vehicle. The use of different size wheels can ser\
iously damage your vehicle's
transmission.
pg. 115 Wheels and tires
Snow chains
Snow chains can be used on your Volvo with the following restrictions:
l Snow chains should be installed on front wheels only. Use only Volvo app\
roved snow chains.
l If accessory, aftermarket or "custom" tires and wheels are installed and\
are of a size different than the
original tires and wheels, chains in some cases CANNOT be used. Sufficie\
nt clearances between chains
and brakes, suspension and body components must be maintained.
l Some strap-on type chains will interfere with brake components and there\
fore CANNOT be used.
l All Wheel Drive models: Snow chains should only be installed on the front wheels. Only chains
adapted for AWD models should be used.
NOTE: Consult your Volvo retailer for additional snow chain information.
CAUTION
- Check local regulations regarding the use of snow chains before instal\
ling.
- Always follow the chain manufacturer's installation instructions caref\
ully. Install chains as tightly as
possible and retighten periodically.
- Never exceed the chain manufacturer's specified maximum speed limit. (\
Under no circumstances
should you exceed 31 mph 50 km/h)
- Avoid bumps, holes or sharp turns when driving with snow chains.
- The handling of the vehicle can be adversely affected when driving wit\
h chains. Avoid fast or sharp
turns as well as locked wheel braking.
Snow tires, studded tires*
Tires for winter use:
Owners who live in or regularly commute through areas with sustained per\
iods of snow or icy driving
conditions are strongly advised to fit suitable winter tires to help ret\
ain the highest degree of traction.
It is important to install winter tires on all four wheels to help retai\
n traction during cornering, braking,
and accelerating. Failure to do so could reduce traction to an unsafe le\
vel or adversely affect handling.
Do not mix tires of different design as this could also negatively affec\
t overall tire road grip.
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2003 VOLVO XC90
Volvo recommends 225/70 R16 (235/65 R17 on seven-seat models with the T\
6 turbo engine) winter
tires on all four wheels.
Winter tires wear more quickly on dry roads in warm weather. They should\
be removed when the winter
driving season has ended.
Studded tires should be run-in 300-600 miles (500 -1000 km) during whi\
ch the vehicle should be driven
as smoothly as possible to give the studs the opportunity to seat proper\
ly in the tires. The tires should
have the same rotational direction throughout their entire lifetime. In \
other words, if you wish to rotate
the wheels, make sure that the same wheels are always on the same side o\
f the vehicle.
NOTE: Please consult state or provincial regulations restricting the use of st\
udded winter tires before
installing such tires.
* Where permitted
pg. 116 Wheels and tires
Tire pressure
Tire pressure label
Checking and correcting tire pressure
The tire pressure label is located on the inside of the fuel filler door\
.
l Check the tire pressure regularly.
l The tire pressure should be corrected only when the tires are cold.
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2003 VOLVO XC90
l With warm tires, correct only when the pressure is too low. The tire tem\
perature rises after driving
just a few miles.
Vehicle loading
The tires on your Volvo will perform to specifications at all normal loa\
ds when inflated as
recommended on the tire information label located on the inside of the f\
uel filler door. This label lists
both tire and vehicle design limits. Do not load your vehicle beyond the\
load limits indicated.
WARNING!
Improperly inflated tires will reduce tire life, adversely affect vehicl\
e handling and can possibly lead
to failure resulting in loss of vehicle control without prior warning.
Temporary Spare
The spare tire in your vehicle is called a "Temporary Spare".
Recommended tire pressure (see decal on Fuel filler door) should be ma\
intained irrespective which
position on the vehicle the Temporary Spare tire is used on. In the even\
t of damage this tire, a new one
can be purchased from your Volvo retailer.
WARNING!
Current legislation prohibits the use of the Temporary Spare" tire other\
than as a temporary
replacement for a punctured tire. It must be replaced as soon as possibl\
e by a standard tire. Road
holding and handling may be affected with the "Temporary Spare" in use. \
Do not exceed 50 mph (80
km/h). Do not drive farther than 50 miles (80 km) on a temporary spar\
e tire.
CAUTION
The vehicle must not be driven with wheels of different dimensions or wi\
th a spare tire other than the
one that came with the vehicle. The use of different size wheels can ser\
iously damage your vehicle's
transmission.
The temporary spare tire is for temporary, low-speed, short-distance use\
only. Replace it with a full-
sized tire as soon as possible, in accordance with "Tire Rotation" in th\
e previous paragraph. Do not drive
on the temporary spare at speeds above 50 m.p.h. (80km/h) or for dista\
nces greater than 50 miles (80
km). Never install snow chains on a temporary spare.
NOTE: Certain models may be equipped with a full-size spare tire. When used, i\
t should be inflated to
the same pressure as the tire it is replacing.
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2003 VOLVO XC90
Tire Rotation
Volvo recommends rotating the tires every 7,500 miles (12,000 km). Tir\
es should be rotated front-to-
back/back-to-front only. Tires must maintain the same direction of rotat\
ion throughout their lifetime, and
should never be rotated from one side of the vehicle to the other.
pg. 117 Wheels and tires
Tire wear indicators
Tires have tread wear indicators
The tires have wear indicator strips running across or parallel to the t\
read. When approx. 1/16 inches
(1.6 mm) is left on the tread, these strips become visible and indicat\
e that the tire should be replaced.
Tires with less than 1/16" (1.6 mm) tread have a very poor grip in rai\
n or snow.
When replacing worn tires, it is recommended that the tire be identical \
in type (radial) and size as the
one being replaced. Using a tire of the same make (manufacturer) will \
prevent alteration of the driving
characteristics of the vehicle.
pg. 118 Wheels and tires
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
ALL PASSENGER VEHICLE TIRES MUST CONFORM TO FEDERAL SAFETY
REQUIREMENTS IN ADDITION TO THESE GRADES
Quality grades can be found, where applicable, on the tire sidewall betw\
een the tread shoulder
and maximum section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
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2003 VOLVO XC90
TREADWEAR
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of th\
e tire when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified government test course. For example\
, a tire graded 150 would wear
one and one half (1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a t\
ire graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends upon the actual conditions of their use, ho\
wever, and many depart
significantly from the norm due to variation in driving habits, maintena\
nce practices and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
TRACTION
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B, and C, as mea\
sured under controlled
conditions on specified government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete\
. A tire marked C may have
poor traction performance.
WARNING!
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on braking (straight-\
ahead) traction tests and is not a
measure of cornering (turning) traction.
TEMPERATURE
The temperature grades are AA (the highest), A, B, and C, representing\
the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under c\
ontrolled conditions on specified
indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the m\
aterial of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire \
failure. The grade C corresponds
to minimum level of performance that all passenger vehicle tires must me\
et under the Federal Motor
Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of perfo\
rmance on the laboratory test
wheel than the minimum required by law.
WARNING!
The temperature grade for this tire is established for a tire that is pr\
operly inflated and not overloaded.
Excessive speed, underinflation, or excessive loading, either separately\
or in combination, can cause
heat buildup and possible tire failure.
pg. 119 Wheels and tires
Changing wheels
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2003 VOLVO XC90

Lowering the spare wheel
Changing wheels - lowering the spare wheel
The spare wheel is located under the floor of the rear cargo compartment\
. It can be lowered using the
crank that is stored in the tool bag.
WARNING!
When raising or lowering the spare wheel, please keep in mind that compo\
nents in the exhaust system
may be very hot.
Lowering the spare wheel:
1. Fold down the lower section of the tailgate.
2. Fold up the rear section of the floor in the cargo compartment.
3. Take the two sections of the crank from the tool bag and connect them\
to each other.
4. Insert the hooked end of the crank in the spare wheel retaining attac\
hment (see the illustration above).
5. Lower the spare wheel under the vehicle by turning the crank counterc\
lockwise until it is not possible
to turn it further.
6. Pivot the toggle at the end of the cable 90 degrees to release it fro\
m the spare wheel.
7. Crank up the cable again by turning the crank clockwise.
8. Place the wheel with the flat tire in the vehicle's cargo compartment\
. There is a plastic storage bag for
this purpose in the tool bag. CAUTION
When the spare wheel is mounted on the vehicle, the retaining cable coul\
d damage the underside of
the vehicle if it is not retracted.
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2003 VOLVO XC90

Returning the spare wheel to its storage compartment
NOTE: The space under the vehicle is designed to hold the special spare wheel \
only. Other fullsize
wheels will not fit in this compartment.
Returning the spare wheel to the storage compartment
1. Use the crank (turn it counterclockwise) to lower the spare wheel's\
retaining cable.
2. Pass the toggle at the end of the cable through the center hole in th\
e spare wheel. Pivot the toggle 90
degrees so that when raised, the wheel will rest on the toggle.
3. Retract the retaining cable slightly by slowly turning the crank cloc\
kwise several times.
4. Position the wheel so that it is not obstructed by components in the \
exhaust system.
5. Continue to raise the wheel by turning the crank clockwise.Raise the \
wheel a little bit at a time and
guide it around the rear axle until it is securely seated in the storage\
area.
6. When it is no longer possible to turn the crank any further, check th\
at the spare wheel is securely in
position in the storage compartment.
pg. 120 Wheels and tires

Jack attachment points
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2003 VOLVO XC90
Changing a wheel
There are two attachment points for the jack on each side of the vehicle\
. These attachment points are
under the center of each door.The jack is located in the storage compart\
ment under the cargo area floor
(to the right in five-seat models and in the center in seven-seat model\
s), and the crank is stored in the
tool bag.
WARNING!
- There is an attachment point on each side of the vehicle located under\
the pillars between the front
and rear doors. This point is used during the production process only, a\
nd is NOT intended for
attaching the jack.
-The undersides of accessory running boards are not intended for attachi\
ng the jack.
To change a wheel:
1. Park the vehicle on a firm, level, nonslippery surface.
2. Engage the parking brake and put the gear selector in the Park positi\
on.
3. Loosen the wheel bolts by exerting downward pressure on the lug wrenc\
h.
4. Remove the wheel cap (where applicable) using the lug wrench in the\
tool kit.
5. With the wheels still on the ground, use the lug wrench to loosen the\
wheel bolts 1/2 - 1 turn. Turn the
bolts counterclockwise to loosen the bolts.
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