2003 VOLVO XC90 Owners Manual

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.
file:///K|/ownersdocs/2003/2003_XC90/03xc90_08.htm (5 of 12)12/30/2006\
4:19:01 PM

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
file:///K|/ownersdocs/2003/2003_XC90/03xc90_08.htm (6 of 12)12/30/2006\
4:19:01 PM

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
file:///K|/ownersdocs/2003/2003_XC90/03xc90_08.htm (7 of 12)12/30/2006\
4:19:01 PM

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.
file:///K|/ownersdocs/2003/2003_XC90/03xc90_08.htm (8 of 12)12/30/2006\
4:19:01 PM

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
file:///K|/ownersdocs/2003/2003_XC90/03xc90_08.htm (9 of 12)12/30/2006\
4:19:01 PM

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.
file:///K|/ownersdocs/2003/2003_XC90/03xc90_08.htm (10 of 12)12/30/200\
6 4:19:01 PM

2003 VOLVO XC90
CAUTION
- The vehicle must not be driven with wheels of different dimensions or \
with a spare tire other than
the one that came with the vehicle. The use of different size wheels can\
seriously damage your
vehicle's transmission.
- Correct tightening torque on wheel bolts must be observed.
- The wheel bolts should never be greased or lubricated.
- Extended, chromed wheel bolts must not be used with steel rims, as the\
y make it impossible to fit
the hub caps.
pg. 121 Wheels and tires

Attaching the jack
l Position the jack correctly on the bar in the attachment (see illustrat\
ion above) and crank while
simultaneously guiding the base of the jack to the ground. The base of t\
he jack must be flat on a level,
firm, non-slippery surface. Before raising the vehicle, check that the j\
ack is still correctly positioned in
the attachment.
l Raise the vehicle until the wheel to be changed is lifted off the ground\
.
l Unscrew the wheel bolts completely and carefully remove the wheel so as \
not to damage the threads
on the studs.
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).
Installing the wheel
l Clean the contact surfaces on the wheel and hub.
file:///K|/ownersdocs/2003/2003_XC90/03xc90_08.htm (11 of 12)12/30/200\
6 4:19:01 PM

2003 VOLVO XC90
l Lift the wheel and place it on the hub.
l Install the wheel bolts and tighten handtight. Using the lug wrench, tig\
hten crosswise until all bolts
are snug.
l Lower the vehicle to the ground and alternately tighten the bolts crossw\
ise to 102 ft. lbs. (140 Nm).
l Install the wheel cap (where applicable).
WARNING!
- The jack must correctly engage the bar in the jack attachment. The veh\
icle's weight must not rest on
the jack attachment. See illustration "Attaching the jack" above. Be sure the jack is on a firm, level,
non-slippery surface.
- Never allow any part of your body to be extended under a vehicle suppo\
rted by a jack.
- Use the jack intended for the vehicle when replacing a wheel. For any \
other job, use stands to
support the side of the vehicle being worked on.
- Apply the parking brake and put the gear selector in the (P)ark position (or reverse on manual
transmissions).
- Block the wheels standing on the ground, use rigid wooden blocks or la\
rge stones. The jack should
be kept well-greased.
pg. 122 Wheels and tires
This page intentionally left blank




Contents | Top of Page
file:///K|/ownersdocs/2003/2003_XC90/03xc90_08.htm (12 of 12)12/30/200\
6 4:19:01 PM