2003 VOLVO XC70 winter tires

2003 VOLVO XC70
downshift will not occur until the speed has decreased enough to allow t\
he lower gear to be used.
l If you slow down to a very low speed, the transmission will automaticall\
y shift down.
l When starting in the (MAN)ual position, 3rd gear is the highest gear t\
hat may be selected.
NOTE: Kickdown (see previous page) does not function when the transmission is in the manual shift
(geartronic) mode. The gear selector must be in the D (Drive) positi\
on.
W Winter/Wet driving mode - enhanced vehicle traction
l Mode W will function only if the gear selector is in the (D)rive posit\
ion.
l Press the button at the base of the gear selector to engage/disengage th\
is driving mode (see
illustration).
l An LED in the button will light up to indicate that W is engaged and this will also be displayed in the
instrument panel (see
page 27).
l This mode may be selected for starting/moving off on slippery roads.

pg. 94 All Wheel Drive - option
All Wheel Drive (AWD) - general information
Your Volvo can be equipped with permanent All Wheel Drive, which means t\
hat power is distributed
automatically between the front and rear wheels. Under normal driving co\
nditions, most of the engine's
power is directed to the front wheels. However, if there is any tendency\
for the front wheels to spin, an
electronically controlled coupling distributes power to the wheels that \
have the best traction.
Tire dimensions
Volvo recommends that you always drive on tires of the same brand, size,\
construction (radial), tread
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2003 VOLVO XC70
Cold weather precautions
If you wish to check your car before the approach of cold weather, the f\
ollowing advice is worth noting:
l Make sure that the engine coolant contains 50 percent antifreeze. Any ot\
her mixture will reduce
freeze protection. This gives protection against freezing down to -31°\
F (-35°C). See section "Coolant".
The use of "recycled" antifreeze is not approved by Volvo. Different typ\
es of antifreeze must not
be mixed.
l Volvo recommends using only genuine Volvo antifreeze in your car's radia\
tor. Your local Volvo
retailer stocks plenty of Volvo engine coolant to protect your car durin\
g cold weather.
l Try to keep the fuel tank well filled - this prevents the formation of condensation in the tank. \
In
addition, in extremely cold weather conditions it is worthwhile to add f\
uel line de-icer before refueling.
l The viscosity of the engine oil is important. Oil with low viscosity (thinner oil) improves cold-
weather starting as well as decreasing fuel consumption while the engine\
is warming up. For winter use,
5W-30 oil, particularly the synthetic type *, is recommended. Be sure to\
use good quality oil but do not
use this cold-weather oil for hard driving or in warm weather. See section "Engine oil" for more
information.
l The load placed on the battery is greater during the winter since the windshield wipers, lighting, etc\
.
are used more often. Moreover, the capacity of the battery decreases as \
the temperature drops. In very
cold weather, a poorly charged battery can freeze and be damaged. It is \
therefore advisable to check the
state of charge more frequently and spray an anti-rust oil on the batter\
y posts.
l Volvo recommends the use of snow tires on all four wheels for winter dri\
ving - see section "Wheels
and tires".
l To prevent the washer fluid reservoir from freezing, add washer solvents\
containing antifreeze (see
page 130 for the location of the washer fluid reservoir). This is important sin\
ce dirt is often splashed on
the windshield during winter driving, requiring the frequent use of the \
washers and wipers. The Volvo
Washer Solvent should be diluted as follows:
Down to 14° F (-10° C): 1 part washer solvent and 4 parts water \
Down to 5° F (-15° C): 1 part washer solvent and 3 parts water
Down to 0° F (-18° C): 1 part washer solvent and 2 parts water
Down to -18° F (-28° C): 1 part washer solvent and 1 part water \
l Use Volvo Teflon Lock Spray in the locks.
NOTE: Avoid the use of de-icing sprays as they can cause damage to the locks.
W Winter/Wet driving mode - enhanced vehicle traction
l Mode W will only function if the gear selector is in the (D)rive posit\
ion.
l Press the button at the base of the gear selector to engage/disengage th\
is driving mode (see
illustration).
l An LED in the button will light up to indicate that W is engaged and this will also be displayed in the
instrument panel (see
page 27).
l This mode may be selected for starting/moving off on slippery roads.
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2003 VOLVO XC70
2 0 0 3
VOLVO XC70
Chapter 7 - Wheels and tires


pg.107 Wheels and tires

General information, Wear indicator, Tire economy, Flat
spots 108
Snow chains, Snow tires/studded tires 109
Inflation pressure, Vehicle loading, Spare tire 110
Uniform tire quality grading 111
Changing wheels 112

pg. 108 Wheels and tires
General information
Your vehicle is equipped with tires according to the tire information la\
bel on the inside of the fuel
filler door.
The following is an example of a tire designation code: 225/55 R16
225 = tire width in mm.
55 = tire profile. This is the relationship (in percent) between the sect\
ion height and width of the tire.
R = radial tires.
16 = diameter in 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" rating. However,
for optimum road holding on icy or snow covered roads - we recommend suitable winter tires on all
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2003 VOLVO XC70
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 Special snow chains must be mounted on 215/55 R16. Consult your Volvo re\
tailer.
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. Snow chai\
ns cannot be used on 17"
wheels.
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.
Consult your Volvo retailer for additional snow chain information.
CAUTION:
l Check local regulations regarding the use of snow chains before installi\
ng.
l Always follow the chain manufacturer's installation instructions careful\
ly. Install chains as tightly as
possible and retighten periodically.
l Never exceed the chain manufacturer's specified maximum speed limit. In \
no case should you exceed
31 mph (50 km/h).
l Avoid bumps, holes or sharp turns when driving with snow chains.
l Vehicle handling can be adversely affected when driving with chains. Avo\
id fast maneuvering and
hard braking. Never allow the wheels to lock up during braking.
Snow tires, studded tires *
Tires for winter use:
Owners who live in or regularly travel through areas with sustained peri\
ods 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 retain traction during cornering,
braking, and accelerating. Failure to do so could reduce traction to an \
unsafe level or adversely affect
handling. Volvo does not recommend tire rotation. However, as with any o\
ther radial tires, if rotated, the
tires must be kept on the same side of the car so that they revolve in t\
he same direction as before
rotation.
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2003 VOLVO XC70
Volvo recommends 195/65 R15 snow tires on non-turbo models. Turbo models\
should be equipped
with 205/55 R16 snow tires on all four wheels (215/65 R16 tires should \
be used on the XC70).
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 which the car shou\
ld be driven as
smoothly as possible to give the studs the opportunity to seat properly \
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 of th\
e car.
NOTE: Please consult state or provincial regulations restricting the use of st\
udded winter tires before
installing such tires.
* Where permitted.

pg. 110 Wheels and tires


Tire pressure label
Checking and correcting tire pressure
l Check the tire pressure regularly.
l The tire pressure should be corrected only when the tires are cold.
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
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2003 VOLVO XC70

Attaching the jack
NOTE: To avoid excessive wear and the necessity of rebalancing, mark and reins\
tall wheels in the same
location and position as before removal. To lessen the chance of imbalan\
ce, each wheel hub is equipped
with a guide stud to ensure that a removed wheel can be reinstalled in i\
ts original position (as when
changing over to winter tires/wheels).
NOTE: Refer to
page 133 for hoisting the vehicle on a garage lift.

Jack for AWD models
CAUTION:
l The car must not be driven with wheels of different dimensions or with a\
spare tire other than the one
that came with the car. The use of different size wheels can seriously d\
amage your car's transmission.
l Correct tightening torque on wheel bolts must be observed. The wheel bol\
ts should never be greased
or lubricated. The extended, chromed wheel bolts must not be used with s\
teel rims, as they make it
impossible to fit the hub caps.
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2003 VOLVO XC70
Washing the car 127, 128
Waxing
128
Weight distribution
95
Wheels - changing
112, 113
Wheels and tires
108-113
Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS)
10
Windows - electrically operated
40
Windshield washer solvent
104
Windshield wiper blades - replacing
140
Windshield wipers/washers
37
Winter driving
104
Winter tires
109
Winter/Wet driving mode
91, 93, 104
Wiper blades - replacing
140



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