VOLVO XC90 TWIN ENGINE 2018 Owners Manual

W H E E L S A N D T I R E S

WHEELS AND TIRES
550Tires
The function of the tires is to carry loads, provide
traction on road surfaces, reduce vibrations and
protect the wheels from wear. The tires significantly influence the vehicle's driv-
ing characteristics. The type, dimensions, tire
pressure and speed rating have a considerable
impact on how the vehicle performs.
Your vehicle is equipped with tires according to
the vehicle's tire information placard on the B-pil-
lar (the structural member at the side of the vehi-
cle, at the rear of the driver's door opening).
WARNING A damaged tire could cause the driver to lose
control of the vehicle.
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 30,000 km (20,000
miles). Even if this vehicle is equipped with
Volvo's advanced AWD or stability system,
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 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.
Most models are equipped with "all-season" tires,
which provide a somewhat higher degree of road-
holding on slippery road surfaces than tires with-
out the "all-season" rating. However, for optimal
roadholding on icy or snow-covered roads, we
recommend snow 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 allfour wheels. Otherwise there is a risk of altering
the vehicle's roadholding and handling characte-
ristics.
Recommended tiresOn delivery, the car is equipped with Volvo origi-
nal tires that have the VOL
1
marking on the side
of the tires. These tires have been designed spe-
cifically for your vehicle. It is therefore important
when replacing tires that the new tires have this
same marking to help maintain the vehicle's driv-
ing characteristics, comfort and fuel consumption.
New tires Tires are perishable goods. After a few years,
they will begin to harden and their friction proper-
ties will gradually deteriorate. Always replace tires
with the freshest tires possible. This is particularly
important for snow tires. A series of numbers is
1
This may vary for certain tire dimensions.

WHEELS AND TIRES
}}
551
imprinted on the sidewall of the tire. The last four
digits in the series is the Department of
Transportation (DOT) stamp and indicates the
week and year the tire was manufactured. The
tire in the illustration has 0717 as the last four
digits, which means it was manufactured week 7
of 2017.
Tire ageTires degrade over time, even when they are not
being used. It is recommended that tires gener-
ally be replaced after 6 years of normal service.
Heat caused by hot climates, frequent high load-
ing conditions or Ultra Violet (U.V.) exposure can
accelerate the aging process. The temporary
spare
2
should also be replaced at 6-year inter-
vals, even if it has never been used. A tire with
e.g., visible cracks or discoloration should be
replaced immediately.
Tire economy
• Maintain correct tire pressure.
• Avoid fast starts, hard braking and tire
screeching.
• Tire wear increases with speed.
• Correct front wheel alignment is very impor-
tant.
• Unbalanced wheels impair tire economy and
driving comfort. •
Tires must maintain the same direction of
rotation throughout their lifetime.
• 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.
Tire rotationYour vehicle has no required tire rotation. Driving
style, tire pressure, climate and road conditions
affect how quickly the tires age and exhibit signs
of wear. Maintaining the correct tire pressure
helps keep tread wear evenly distributed.
To help prevent differences in tread depth and
wear patterns forming on the tires, the front and
rear wheels should be rotated, i.e. the front tires
moved to the rear and the rear tires moved to the
front. Ideally, tire rotation should be done the first
time after approximately 5000 km (ca
3100 miles) and thereafter at 10,000 km
(approx. 6200 miles) intervals.
If you have any questions regarding tread depth,
Volvo recommends consulting an authorized
Volvo workshop. If significant differences in wear
(> 1 mm difference in tread depth) between the
tires have already occurred, the least worn tires
should always be mounted on the rear wheels. A
front-wheel skid (understeer) is usually easier to control than a rear-wheel skid (oversteer). If the
front wheels skid, the vehicle will continue in a
straight line instead of the rear wheels skidding
to the side, which could cause you to completely
lose control of the vehicle. It is therefore impor-
tant that the rear wheels never lose grip before
the front wheels.
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.
2
Not available on all models.

||WHEELS AND TIRES
* Option/accessory.
552
WARNING •
The wheel and tire sizes for your Volvo
are specified to meet stringent stability
and handling requirements. Unapproved
wheel/tire size combinations can nega-
tively affect your vehicle's stability and
handling.
• Any damage caused by installation of
unapproved wheel/tire size combinations
will not be covered by your new vehicle
warranty. Volvo assumes no responsibility
for death, injury, or expenses that may
result from such installations.
Related information
•Checking tire pressure (p. 557)
• Tire direction of rotation (p. 552)
• Tread wear indicator (p. 553)
• Tire pressure monitoring system* (p. 559)
• Tire sealing system (p. 572)
• Uniform Tire Quality Grading (p. 556)
• Tire terminology (p. 553)
• Tire sidewall designations (p. 554)
• Loading recommendations (p. 586) Tire direction of rotation
Tires with tread designed to roll in only one
direction are marked with an arrow on the side-
wall. The arrow shows the tire's direction of rotation.
• The tire should maintain the same direction
of rotation throughout its service life.
• Tires should only be moved between the
front and back, never from right to left or vice
versa.
• Incorrectly mounted tires impair the vehicle's
braking properties and ability to force aside
rain, snow and slush.
• The tires with the most tread should always
be mounted on the rear wheels to help
reduce the risk of skidding.
NOTE Use tires of the same type, dimensions and
make (manufacturer) on each axle.
Related information
•
Tires (p. 550)

WHEELS AND TIRES
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553
Tread wear indicator
The tread wear indicator shows the status of the
tire's tread. The tread wear indicator is a narrow elevated
strip running across the tire's longitudinal tread
grooves. The letters TWI (Tread Wear Indicator)
are visible on the side of the tire. When approxi-
mately 1.6 mm (1/16 inch) is left on the tread,
the tread will be at the same height as the tread
wear indicator. Replace the tire as soon as possi-
ble. Tires with low tread offer very poor traction in
rain or snow.
Related information
•
Tires (p. 550) Tire terminology
The following is a glossary of tire-related terms.
The tire suppliers may have additional markings,
notes or warnings such as standard load, radial
tubeless, etc.
• Tire information placard: A placard show-
ing the OE (Original Equipment) tire sizes,
recommended inflation pressure, and the
maximum weight the vehicle can carry.
• Tire Identification Number (TIN): A number
on the sidewall of each tire providing infor-
mation about the tire brand and manufactur-
ing plant, tire size and date of manufacture.
• Inflation pressure: A measure of the
amount of air in a tire.
• Standard load: A class of P-metric or Metric
tires designed to carry a maximum load at 35
psi [37 psi (2.5 bar) for Metric tires]. Increas-
ing the inflation pressure beyond this pres-
sure will not increase the tires load carrying
capability.
• Extra load: A class of P-metric or Metric
tires designed to carry a heavier maximum
load at 41 psi [43 psi (2.9 bar) for Metric
tires]. Increasing the inflation pressure
beyond this pressure will not increase the
tire's load carrying capability.
• kPa: Kilopascal, a metric unit of air pressure.
• PSI: Pounds per square inch, a standard unit
of air pressure. •
B-pillar: The structural member at the side
of the vehicle behind the front door.
• Bead area of the tire: Area of the tire next
to the rim.
• Sidewall of the tire: Area between the bead
area and the tread.
• Tread area of the tire: Area of the perime-
ter of the tire that contacts the road when
mounted on the vehicle.
• Rim: The metal support (wheel) for a tire or a
tire and tube assembly upon which the tire
beads are seated.
• Maximum load rating: a figure indicating
the maximum load in pounds and kilograms
that can be carried by the tire. This rating is
established by the tire manufacturer.
• Maximum permissible inflation pressure:
the greatest amount of air pressure that
should ever be put in the tire. This limit is set
by the tire manufacturer.
• Recommended tire inflation pressure:
inflation pressure, established by Volvo,
which is based on the type of tires that are
mounted on a vehicle at the factory. This
information can be found on the tire inflation
placard(s) located on the driver's side B-pillar
and in the tire inflation table in this chapter.
• Cold tires: The tires are considered to be
cold when they have the same temperature
as the surrounding (ambient) air. This tem-

||WHEELS AND TIRES
554
perature is normally reached after the vehicle
has been parked for at least 3 hours.
Related information
•
Tires (p. 550) Tire sidewall designations
The following information can be found on a
tire's sidewall. Federal law mandates that tire manufacturers
place standardized information on the sidewall of
all tires (see the illustration).
The vehicle has been certified with certain combi-
nations of wheels and tires.
The following information is listed on the tire
sidewall:
The tire designation:
NOTE Please be aware that the following tire desig-
nation is an example only and that this par-
ticular tire may not be available on your vehi-
cle.
1.
215: the width of the tire (in millimeters)
from sidewall edge to sidewall edge. The
larger the number, the wider the tire.
2. 65: The ratio of the tire's height to its width
in percent.
3. R: Radial tire (the designation RF and the symbol indicate that the vehicle is
equipped with optional self-supporting run
flat tires 3
.
4. 15: The diameter of the wheel rim (in
inches).
5. 95: The tire's load index. In this example, a
load index of 95 equals a maximum load of
1521 lbs (690 kg).
6. H: The tire's speed rating, or the maximum
speed at which the tire is designed to be
driven for extended periods of time, carrying
a permissible load for the vehicle, and with
correct inflation pressure. For example, H
indicates a speed rating of 210 km/h
(130 mph). 3
Self-supporting run flat tires may not be available on all models.

WHEELS AND TIRES
555
NOTEThe tire's load index and speed rating may
not appear on the sidewall because they are
not required by law.
7.
M+S or M/S = Mud and Snow, AT = All Ter-
rain, AS = All Season
8. U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number
(TIN): This begins with the letters "DOT" and
indicates that the tire meets all federal
standards. The next two numbers are the
factory code where the tire was manufac-
tured, the next two are the tire size code and
the last four numbers represent the week
and year the tire was made. For example,
0717 means that the tire was manufactured
during week 7 of 2017. The numbers in
between are marketing codes used at the
manufacturer's discretion. This information
helps a tire manufacturer identify a tire for
safety recall purposes.
9. Tire Ply Composition and Material Used:
Indicates the number of plies indicates or the
number of layers of rubber-coated fabric in
the tire tread and sidewall. Tire manufactur-
ers also must indicate the ply materials in the
tire and the sidewall, which include steel,
nylon, polyester, and others.
10. Maximum Load: Indicates the maximum
load in pounds and kilograms that can be
carried by the tire. Refer to the vehicle's tire information placard located on the B-Pillar
for the correct tire pressure for your vehicle.
11. Treadwear, Traction, and Temperature
grades.
12. Maximum permissible inflation pressure:
the greatest amount of air pressure that
should ever be put in the tire. This limit is set
by the tire manufacturer.
Speed SymbolA tire's Speed Symbol (SS) indicates the maxi-
mum speed for which the tire has been certified
and should be at least equivalent to the vehicle's
top speed.
Winter tires, with or without studs, are exceptions
and may use a lower SS. When winter tires are
installed, the vehicle may not be driven faster
than the tires' SS.
The vehicle's speed should always be determined
by the posted speed limit and traffic and road
conditions, not the tire's SS.
The following table indicates the maximum per-
missible speed for each SS. M 130 km/h (81 mph)
Q

160 km/h (100 mph)
T 190 km/h (118 mph)
H 210 km/h (130 mph) V 240 km/h (149 mph)
W

270 km/h (168 mph)
Y 300 km/h (186 mph)
WARNING •
The wheel and tire sizes for your Volvo
are specified to meet stringent stability
and handling requirements. Unapproved
wheel/tire size combinations can nega-
tively affect your vehicle's stability and
handling.
• Any damage caused by installation of
unapproved wheel/tire size combinations
will not be covered by your new vehicle
warranty. Volvo assumes no responsibility
for death, injury, or expenses that may
result from such installations.
Related information
•Tires (p. 550)

WHEELS AND TIRES
556Uniform Tire Quality Grading
ALL PASSENGER VEHICLE TIRES MUST
CONFORM TO FEDERAL SAFETY REQUIRE-
MENTS IN ADDITION TO THESE GRADES.
Quality grades can be found, where applica-
ble, on the tire sidewall between the tread
shoulder and maximum section width. For
example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
TREADWEARThe treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified gov-
ernment test course. For example, a tire graded
150 would wear one and one half (1 ½) times as
well on the government course as a tire graded
100. The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use, however,
and many depart significantly from the norm due
to variation in driving habits, maintenance practi-
ces and differences in road characteristics and
climate.
TRACTIONThe traction grades, from highest to lowest, are
AA, A, B, and C, as measured 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 (turn-
ing) traction.
TEMPERATUREThe temperature grades are A (the highest), B,
and C, representing the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions on a
specified indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the material of the
tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and exces-
sive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure.
The grade C corresponds to a minimum level of
performance that all passenger vehicle tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels
of performance on the laboratory test wheel than
the minimum required by law.
WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is estab-
lished for a tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed, under-infla-
tion, or excessive loading, either separately or
in combination, can cause heat buildup and
tire failure.
Related information
•
Tires (p. 550)
• Tire sidewall designations (p. 554)

WHEELS AND TIRES
* Option/accessory.557
Checking tire pressure
Correct inflation pressure helps improve driving
stability, save fuel and increase the service life of
the tires.
Tire pressure decreases over time, which is nor-
mal. Tire pressure also varies depending on the
ambient temperature. Driving on under-inflated
tires could cause the vehicle to overheat and lead
to damage. Tire pressure affects traveling com-
fort, road noise and driving characteristics.
Check the pressure in the tires every month. Use
the recommended inflation pressure for cold tires
for optimal tire performance and wear. Under-
inflated or over-inflated tires could cause uneven
tread wear.
Use an air pressure gauge and check the infla-
tion pressure on all the tires, including the spare
tire 4
, at least once a month and before long trips.
Volvo strongly recommends buying a reliable air
pressure gauge, as the automatic gauges provi-
ded at service stations may be inaccurate.
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 vehi-
cle control and increased risk of injury.
• Under-inflated tires reduce the load car-
rying capacity of your vehicle.
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 surrounding
(ambient) air.
This temperature is normally reached after the
vehicle has been parked for at least 3 hours.
After driving for approximately 1.6 km (1 mile),
the tires are considered to be warm. If you need
to drive longer than that to inflate the tires, check
and record the inflation pressure of the tires first
and inflate accordingly when you arrive at the
pump.
When the ambient temperature changes, so does
the inflation pressure. A 10-degree temperature
drop causes a corresponding drop in inflation
pressure of 1 psi (7 kPa). Check the inflation
pressure of the tires regularly and adjust to the correct pressure, which can be found on the vehi-
cle's tire information placard or certification label.
If you check inflation pressure when the tires are
warm, you should never release air. The tires
become warm after driving and it is normal for
warm tires to have an inflation pressure above
the recommended pressure for cold tires. A warm
tire with an inflation pressure equal to or under
the recommended pressure for cold tires could
be significantly under-inflated.Related information
•
Adjusting tire pressure (p. 558)
• Recommended tire pressure (p. 559)
• Tire pressure monitoring system* (p. 559)
• Tires (p. 550) 4
Not available in all models.

WHEELS AND TIRES
558Adjusting tire pressure
Tire pressure decreases over time, which is nor-
mal. The tire pressure must therefore be
adjusted to maintain the recommended tire pres-
sure.
Use the recommended inflation pressure for cold
tires for optimal tire performance and wear.
NOTE To help prevent incorrect inflation pressure,
pressure should be checked when the tires
are cold. The tires are considered to be cold
when they have reached the same tempera-
ture as the ambient temperature (about 3
hours after the vehicle was last driven). After
driving for a few kilometers, the tires will warm
up and the pressure will increase.
1. Remove the valve cap from the tire and press
the air pressure gauge firmly onto the valve.
2.

Inflate to the recommended inflation pres-
sure. 3. Screw the valve cap back on.
NOTE •
After inflating a tire, always replace the
valve cap to help prevent valve damage
caused by gravel, dirt, etc.
• Use plastic valve caps only. Metal caps
could corrode and become difficult to
remove. 4. Visually inspect the tire to make sure there
are no nails or other embedded objects that
could puncture the tire and cause air leak-
age.
5.

Check the sidewalls to make sure there are
no gouges, cuts, bulges or other irregulari-
ties.
6. Repeat this procedure for each tire, including the spare tire 5
.
NOTE If you have overfilled the tire, release air by
pushing on the metal stem in the center of
the valve. Then recheck the pressure with
your tire gauge.
Related information
•
Recommended tire pressure (p. 559)
• Checking tire pressure (p. 557)
• Inflate tires with the compressor included in
the tire sealing system (p. 577)
• Approved tire pressure (p. 665) 5
Not available on all models.