2006 VOLVO XC90 Owners Manual

2006 VOLVO XC90
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 four wheels.
When replacing tires, be sure that the new tires are the same size desig\
nation, type (radial) and
preferably from the same manufacturer, on all four wheels. Otherwise the\
re is a risk of altering the car's
roadholding and handling characteristics.
Storing wheels and tires
When storing complete wheels (tires mounted on rims), they should be s\
uspended off the floor or placed
on their sides on the floor.
Tires not mounted on rims should be stored on their sides or standing up\
right, but should not be
suspended.

Tread wear indicator
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.
Tread wear indicator
The tires have wear indicator strips running across or parallel to the t\
read. 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
traction.
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.
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2006 VOLVO XC90
WARNING!
- The wheel and tire sizes for your Volvo are specified to meet stringen\
t stability and handling
requirements. Unapproved wheel/ tire size combinations can negatively af\
fect your vehicle's stability
and handling. Approved tire sizes are shown in the Tire inflation pressu\
re tables on
page 116.
- Any damage caused by installation of unapproved wheel/tire size combin\
ations will not be covered
by your new vehicle warranty. Volvo assumes no responsibility for death,\
injury, or expenses that
may result from such installations.
pg. 113 Wheels and tires
New tires
Remember that tires are perishable goods. As of 2000, the manufacturing \
week and year will be
indicated with 4 digits (e.g. 1502 means that the tire illustrated was \
manufactured during week 15 of
2002).
Tire age
Tires degrade over time, even when they are not being used, which can af\
fect their reliability and
roadholding characteristics. Therefore, all tires older than 6 years (i\
ncluding the spare tire and winter
tires) should be inspected by a qualified technician, regardless of app\
earance or mileage. Heat caused by
hot climates or frequent high loading conditions can accelerate the agin\
g process.
A tire's age can be determined by the DOT stamp on the sidewall (see th\
e illustration above).
A tire with e.g., visible cracks or discoloration should be replaced imm\
ediately.
Improving tire economy:
l Maintain correct tire pressure. See the tire pressure table on page 116.
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.
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2006 VOLVO XC90
l Unbalanced wheels impair tire economy and driving comfort.
l Tires must maintain the same direction of rotation throughout their life\
time.
l 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 d\
amage the tires and/or wheels
permanently.
pg. 114 Wheels and tires

Tire inflation placards on U.S. models
Tire inflation
Check tire inflation pressure regularly. A table listing the recommended\
inflation pressure for your
vehicle can be found on
page 116. Tire inflation pressure placards are also located on the driver's side\
B-
pillar (the structural member at the side of the vehicle, at the rear o\
f the driver's door opening), or on the
inside of the fuel filler door on Canadian models. These placards indica\
te the designation of the factory-
mounted tires on your vehicle, as well as load limits and inflation pres\
sure.
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2006 VOLVO XC90

Tire inflation placard on Canadian models
NOTE: The placards shown indicate inflation pressure for the tires installed \
on the car at the factory
only.
l Use a tire gauge to check the tire inflation pressure, including the spa\
re, at least once a month and
before long trips. You are strongly urged to buy a reliable tire pressur\
e gauge, as automatic service
station gauges may be inaccurate.
l Use the recommended cold inflation pressure for optimum tire performance\
and wear.
l Under-inflation or over-inflation may cause uneven treadwear patterns.
WARNING!
- Under-inflation is the most common cause of tire failure and may resul\
t in severe tire cracking, tread
separation, or "blowout," with unexpected loss of vehicle control and in\
creased risk of injury.
- Under-inflated tires reduce the load carrying capacity of your vehicle\
.
When weather temperature changes occur, tire inflation pressures also ch\
ange. A 10-degree temperature
drop causes a corresponding drop of 1 psi (7 kPa) in inflation pressur\
e. Check your tire pressures
frequently and adjust them to the proper pressure, which can be found on\
the vehicle's tire information
placard or certification label.
Checking tire pressure
Cold tires
Inflation 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 car has been parked for a\
t least 3 hours.
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2006 VOLVO XC90
pg. 115 Wheels and tires
After driving a distance of approximately 1 mile (1.6 km), the tires a\
re considered to be hot. If you have
to drive farther than this distance to pump your tire(s), check and re\
cord the tire pressure first and add
the appropriate air pressure 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 pressures to increase above recommended col\
d pressures. A hot tire at or
below recommended cold inflation pressure could be significantly under-i\
nflated.
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, including the spare.
5. Visually inspect the tires to make sure there are no nails or other o\
bjects 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 irregularities.
NOTE:
l If you overfill the tire, release air by pushing on the metal stem in th\
e center of the valve. Then
recheck the pressure with your tire gauge.
l Some spare tires require higher inflation pressure than the other tires.\
Consult the tire inflation table
on
page 116 or see the inflation pressure placard.
pg. 116 Wheels and tires
Tire inflation pressure tables
Tire pressures recommended by Volvo for your vehicle. Refer to the tire \
inflation placard for
information specific to the tires installed on your vehicle at the facto\
ry. Cold tire pressure for vehicle loads up to 1160 lbs (525 kg)a
Tire size Front, psi (kPa) Rear, psi (kPa)
XC90
225/70R16
235/65R17
235/60R18
255/50R19 39 (270)
39 (270)
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2006 VOLVO XC90
Temporary spare tire
T155/85R18 61 (420)
61 (420)
a. These weights include the weight of all occupants of the car plus car\
go.
Optional tire pressure. These inflation pressures may only be used when \
the vehicle is not fully loaded. Optional cold tire pressure that may only be used for vehicle loads up t\
o 495 lbs (225 kg).
Tire size Front, psi (kPa) Rear, psi (kPa)
XC90
225/70R16
235/65R17
235/60R18
255/50R19 32 (220)
32 (220)
Temporary spare tire
T155/85R18 61 (420)
61 (420)
NOTE: The optional tire pressure shown in the table above may not be used on \
XC90s equipped with
the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (option as available). Vehicles wi\
th this system must use the
standard tire pressure listed in the table in the left column (39 psi/2\
70 kPa).
pg. 117 Wheels and tires
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) - option on certain U.S. models\
only
The tire pressure monitoring system uses sensors mounted in the tire val\
ves to check inflation pressure
levels. When the vehicle is moving at a speed of 20 mph (30 km/h) or f\
aster, these sensors transmit
inflation pressure data to a receiver located in the vehicle.
USA - FCC ID: MRXTG315AM04
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject\
to the following conditions: (1)
This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device mu\
st accept any interference
received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
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2006 VOLVO XC90
WARNING!
The TPMS system uses a radio frequency of 315 MHz. Accessory electrical \
equipment using the
same frequency could interfere with TPMS and should not be installed in \
the vehicle. Please consult
your Volvo retailer, a qualified Volvo service technician, or the access\
ory equipment's supplier for
further information.
When low inflation pressure is detected, TPMS will light up the tire pre\
ssure warning light (
) (also
referred to as a telltale) in the instrument panel, and will display a \
message in the text window. The
wording of this message is determined by the degree of inflation pressur\
e loss.
NOTE: If a fault occurs in TPMS, the tire pressure warning light will flash fo\
r approximately 1 minute
and TIRE PRESS SYST SERVICE REQUIRED will be displayed.
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked monthl\
y when cold and inflated to the
inflation pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicl\
e placard or tire inflation
pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different size than the\
size indicated on the vehicle placard
or tire inflation pressure label, you should consult the appropriate sec\
tion of this owner's manual to
determine the proper tire inflation pressure.) When the low tire pressu\
re telltale is illuminated, one or
more of your tires is significantly underinflated. You should stop and c\
heck your tires as soon as
possible, and inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving on a signific\
antly underinflated tire causes the
tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also redu\
ces fuel efficiency and tire tread
life, and may affect the vehicle's handling and stopping ability. Your v\
ehicle has also been equipped
with a TPMS malfunction telltale to indicate when the system is not oper\
ating properly. When the
malfunction telltale is illuminated, the system may not be able to detec\
t or signal low tire pressure as
intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety of reasons, includin\
g the installation of
incompatible replacement tires on the vehicle. Always check the TPMS mal\
function telltale after
replacing one or more tires on your vehicle to ensure that the replaceme\
nt tires are compatible with the
TPMS.
NOTE: TPMS indicates low tire pressure but does not replace normal tire maint\
enance. For information
on correct tire pressure, please refer to the table on
page 116, or consult your Volvo retailer.
Erasing warning messages
When a low tire pressure warning message has been displayed, and the tir\
e pressure warning light has
come on:
1. Use a tire pressure gauge to check the inflation pressure of all four\
tires.
2. Re-inflate the tire(s) to the correct pressure (consult the tire p\
ressure placard or the table on
page 116).
3. Drive the car for at least one minute at a speed of 20 mph (30 km/h)\
or faster.
This will erase the warning text and the warning light will go out.
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2006 VOLVO XC90
(contd. on following page)
pg. 118 Wheels and tires
Changing tires
Please note the following when changing or replacing the factory install\
ed TPMS wheels/tires on the
vehicle:
l Only the factory-mounted wheels are equipped with TPMS sensors in the va\
lves.
l If the vehicle is equipped with a temporary spare tire, this tire does n\
ot have a TPMS sensor.
l If winter wheels without TPMS sensors are mounted on the vehicle, TIRE P\
RESS SYST SERVICE
REQUIRED will be displayed each time the vehicle is driven above 25 mph \
(40 km/h) for 10 minutes or
more.
l Once TPMS sensors are properly installed, the warning message should not\
reappear.
l Volvo recommends that TPMS sensors be fitted on all wheels used on the v\
ehicle. Volvo does not
recommend moving sensors back and forth between sets of wheels.
CAUTION
When inflating tires with TPMS valves, press the pump's mouthpiece strai\
ght onto the valve to help
avoid bending or otherwise damaging the valve.
WARNING!
Incorrect inflation pressure could lead to tire failure, resulting in a \
loss of control of the
vehicle.
pg. 119 Wheels and tires
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