tires VOLVO XC90 2011 Owner´s Manual

06 Starting and driving
Before a long distance trip
06
164
It is always worthwhile to have your vehicle
checked by a trained and qualified Volvo serv-
ice technician before driving long distances.
Your retailer or service technician will also be
able to supply you with bulbs, fuses, spark
plugs and wiper blades for your use in the event
that problems occur.
As a minimum, the following items should be
checked before any long trip:
•Check that engine runs smoothly and that
fuel consumption is normal.
•Check for fuel, oil, and fluid leakage.
•Check transmission oil level1.
•Check condition of drive belts.
•Check state of the battery's charge.
•Examine tires carefully (the spare tire as
well), and replace those that are worn.
Check tire pressures.
•The brakes, front wheel alignment, and
steering gear should be checked by a
trained and qualified Volvo service techni-
cian only.
•Check all lights, including high beams.
•Reflective warning triangles are legally
required in some states/provinces.
•Have a word with your Volvo retailer if you
intend to drive in countries where it may be
difficult to obtain the correct fuel.
•Consider your destination. If you will be
driving through an area where snow or ice
are likely to occur, consider snow tires.
1To prevent injury from contact with hot surfaces, do not inspect your vehicle’s transmission fluid yourself. Have your vehicle’s transmission fluid level inspected by a qualified Volvo service technician.

170
General information............................................................................... 172
Tire inflation .......................................................................................... 175
Tire inflation pressure tables – U.S. models......................................... 177
Tire inflation pressure tables – Canadian models................................. 178
Tire designations................................................................................... 179
Glossary of tire terminology..................................................................181
Vehicle loading...................................................................................... 182
Uniform Tire Quality Grading................................................................ 183
Snow chains, snow tires, studded tires................................................ 184
Temporary spare................................................................................... 185
Tire Sealing System ............................................................................. 186
Changing wheels................................................................................... 191
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).............................................195

WHEELS AND TIRES

07 Wheels and tires
General information
07
172
Introduction
Your vehicle is equipped with tires according
to the vehicle's tire information placard on the
B-pillar (the structural member at the side of
the vehicle, at the rear of the driver's door
opening).
CAUTION
Some Volvo models are equipped with an
Ultra High Performance tire and wheel com-
bination designed to provide maximum dry
pavement performance with consideration
for hydroplaning resistance. They may be
more susceptible to road hazard damage
and, depending on driving conditions, may
achieve a tread life of less than 20,000 miles
(30,000 km). Even if this vehicle is equipped
with Volvo’s advanced AWD or DSTC sys-
tem, these tires are not designed for winter
driving, and should be replaced with winter
tires when weather conditions dictate.
The tires have good road holding characteris-
tics and offer good handling on dry and wet
surfaces. It should be noted however that the
tires have been developed to give these fea-
tures on snow/ice-free surfaces.
Most models are equipped with "all-season"
tires, which provide a somewhat higher degree
of road holding on slippery surfaces than tireswithout the "all-season" rating. However, for
optimum road holding on icy or snow-covered
roads, we recommend 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 car's roadholding and handling characte-
ristics.
New Tires
Remember that tires are perishable goods. As
of 2000, the manufacturing week and year
(Department of Transportation (DOT) stamp)
will be indicated with 4 digits (e.g., 1510 means
that the tire illustrated was manufactured dur-
ing week 15 of 2010).
Tire ageTires degrade over time, even when they are
not being used. It is recommended that tires
generally be replaced after 6 years of normal
service. Heat caused by hot climates, frequent
high loading conditions or Ultra Violet (U.V)
exposure can accelerate the aging process.
The temporary spare
1 should also be replaced
at 6-year intervals, even if it has never been
used.
A tire's age can be determined by the DOT
stamp on the sidewall (see the illustration).
A tire with e.g., visible cracks or discoloration
should be replaced immediately.
Improving tire economy
•Maintain correct tire pressure. For the tire
pressure tables, see pages 177 and 178.
•Drive smoothly: avoid fast starts, hard
braking and tire screeching.
•Tire wear increases with speed.
•Correct front wheel alignment is very
important.
•Unbalanced wheels impair tire economy
and driving comfort.
•Tires must maintain the same direction of
rotation throughout their lifetime.
1Option or accessory on some models

07 Wheels and tires
General information
07

173
•When replacing tires, the tires with the
most tread should be mounted on the rear
wheels to reduce the chance of oversteer
during hard braking.
•Hitting curbs or potholes can damage the
tires and/or wheels permanently.
Summer and winter tires
G020325
The arrows shows the direction of rotation of the
tire
•When switching between summer and
winter tires, mark the tires to indicate
where they were mounted on the car, e.g.,
LF = left front, RR = right rear
•Tires with tread designed to roll in only one
direction are marked with an arrow on the
sidewall.
•Incorrectly mounted tires impair the car's
braking properties and ability to force
aside rain, snow and slush.
•The tires with the most tread should always
be at the rear (to reduce the risk of skid-
ding).
•Contact a Volvo workshop if you are
unsure about the tread depth.
Storing wheels and tiresWhen storing complete wheels (tires mounted
on rims), they should be suspended off the
floor or placed on their sides on the floor.
Tires not mounted on rims should be stored on
their sides or standing upright, but should not
be suspended.
CAUTION
Tires should preferably be stored in a cool,
dry, dark place, and should never be stored
in close proximity to solvents, gasoline, oils,
etc.
WARNING
•The wheel and tire sizes for your Volvo
are specified to meet stringent stability
and handling requirements. Unap-
proved wheel/tire size combinations
can negatively affect your vehicle's sta-
bility and handling.
•Any damage caused by installation of
unapproved wheel/tire size combina-
tions will not be covered by your new
vehicle warranty. Volvo assumes no
responsibility for death, injury, or
expenses that may result from such
installations.
Tire wear
Tire rotationTire wear is affected by a number of factors
such as tire inflation, ambient temperature,
driving style, etc. Your vehicle is driven mainly
by the front tires, which will wear faster.
If the tires are rotated, they should only be
moved from front to back or vice versa. They
should never be rotated left to right/right to left.
However, tire rotation, done at the recom-
mended intervals, is one way of helping to keep
tread wear as even as possible and will help
you get maximum mileage from your tires.

07 Wheels and tires
General information
07
174
Ideally, tire rotation should be done the first
time after approximately 3,000 miles
(5, 000 km) and thereafter at 6,000 mile
(10,000 km) intervals.
Tire rotation should only be performed if front/
rear tire wear is fairly even and tread height is
above 1/16" (1.6 mm).
NOTE
Tire rotation is not included in regularly
scheduled maintenance and is performed
only at customer request, at additional
charge.
Your Volvo retailer can also provide guidance
based on your particular driving circumstan-
ces.
Tread wear indicator
G020323
The tires have wear indicator strips running
across or parallel to the tread. The letters TWI
are printed on the side of the tire. When
approximately 1/16" (1.6 mm) is left on the
tread, these strips become visible and indicate
that the tire should be replaced. Tires with less
than 1/16" (1.6 mm) tread offer very poor trac-
tion.
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 altera-
tion of the driving characteristics of the vehicle.

07 Wheels and tires
Tire inflation
07

175 Inflation placard
G032513
Tire inflation placard
Check tire inflation pressure regularly.
Tables listing the recommended inflation pres-
sure for your vehicle can be found on pages
177 and 178. A tire inflation pressure placard
is also located on the driver's side B-pillar (the
structural member at the side of the vehicle, at
the rear of the driver's door opening). This plac-
ard indicates the designation of the factory-
mounted tires on your vehicle, as well as load
limits and inflation pressure.
NOTE
The placards shown indicate inflation pres-
sure for the tires installed on the vehicle at
the factory only.
•Use a tire gauge to check the tire inflation
pressure, including the spare, at least once
a month and before long trips. You are
strongly urged to buy a reliable tire pres-
sure gauge, as automatic service station
gauges may be inaccurate.
•Use the recommended cold inflation pres-
sure for optimum tire performance and
wear.
•Under-inflation or over-inflation may cause
uneven treadwear patterns.
WARNING
•Under-inflation is the most common
cause of tire failure and may result in
severe tire cracking, tread separation,
or "blow-out," with unexpected loss of
vehicle control and increased risk of
injury.
•Under-inflated tires reduce the load car-
rying capacity of your vehicle.
When weather temperature changes occur, tire
inflation pressures also change. A 10-degreetemperature drop causes a corresponding
drop of 1 psi (7 kPa) in inflation pressure. Check
your tire pressures frequently and adjust them
to the proper pressure, which can be found on
the vehicle's tire information placard or certifi-
cation label.
Checking tire pressureA certain amount of air seepage from the tires
occurs naturally and tire pressure fluctuates
with seasonal changes in temperature. Always
check tire pressure regularly.
Cold tiresInflation pressure should be checked when the
tires are cold.
The tires are considered to be cold when
they have the same temperature as the sur-
rounding (ambient) air.
This temperature is normally reached after the
vehicle has been parked for at least 3 hours.
After driving a distance of approximately 1 mile
(1.6 km), the tires are considered to be hot. If
you have to drive farther than this distance to
pump your tire(s), check and record the tire
pressure first and add the appropriate air pres-
sure when you get to the pump.
If checking tire pressure when the tire is hot,
never "bleed" or reduce air pressure. The tires
are hot from driving and it is normal for pres-
sures to increase above recommended cold

07 Wheels and tires
Tire inflation
07
176
pressures. A hot tire at or below recommended
cold inflation pressure could be significantly
under-inflated.
To check inflation pressure:1. Remove the cap from the valve on one tire,
then firmly press the tire gauge onto the
valve.
2. Add air to reach the recommended air
pressure.
3. Replace the valve cap.
4. Repeat this procedure for each tire, includ-
ing the spare.
5. Visually inspect the tires to make sure there
are no nails or other objects embedded
that could puncture the tire and cause an
air leak.
6. Check the sidewalls to make sure there are
no gouges, cuts, bulges or other irregular-
ities.
NOTE
•If you overfill the tire, release air by
pushing on the metal stem in the center
of the valve. Then recheck the pressure
with your tire gauge.
•Some spare tires require higher inflation
pressure than the other tires. Consult
the tire inflation tables on pages 177
and 178 or see the inflation pressure
placard.
Speed ratingsThe speed ratings in the table translate as fol-
low:
Speed ratings
M81 mph (130 km/h)
Q100 mph (160 km/h)
T118 mph (190 km/h)
H130 mph (210 km/h)
V149 mph (240 km/h)
W168 mph (270 km/h)
Y186 mph (300 km/h)
Load ratingsSee page 179 for an explanation of the load
rating on the sidewall of the tire.

07 Wheels and tires
Tire inflation pressure tables – U.S. models
07
177
The following tire pressures are recommended
by Volvo for your vehicle. Refer to the tire infla-tion placard (see page 175 for its location) for
information specific to the tires installed on
your vehicle at the factory.
Cold tire pressures up to five persons
Tire sizeFront, psi (kPa)Rear, psi (kPa)
235/65 R17
235/60 R18
255/50 R19
255/45 R2036 (250)36 (250)
Temporary spare tire61 (420)61 (420)

07 Wheels and tires
Tire inflation pressure tables – Canadian models
07
178
The following tire pressures are recommended
by Volvo for your vehicle. Refer to the tire infla-tion placard (see page 175 for its location) for
information specific to the tires installed on
your vehicle at the factory.
Cold tire pressures up to five persons
Tire sizeCold tire pressures up to five persons psi (kPa)Optional pressure up to three persons psi (kPa)
FrontRearFrontRear
235/65 R17
235/60 R18
255/50 R19
255/45 R2039 (270)39 (270)35 (240)35 (240)
Temporary spare tire61 (420)61 (420)61 (420)61 (420)