2009 VOLVO V50 wheel

06 Starting and drivingTowing
06158
WARNING
•
Never allow a vehicle to be towed with-
out a driver behind the wheel of the
disabled vehicle.
•
Never remove the key from the ignition
while the vehicle is moving. The steering
wheel could lock, making it impossible
to steer the vehicle.
•
When the engine is not running, steering
resistance and the effort needed to
apply the brakes will be great.
•
Never attempt to tow a vehicle with a
dead battery at night.CAUTION
•
Check with state and local authorities
before attempting this type of towing,
as vehicles being towed are subject to
regulations regarding maximum towing
speed, length and type of towing
device, lighting, marker flags, etc.
•
Never attempt to push- or tow-start a
vehicle with a dead battery. This would
inject unburned fuel into the three-way
catalytic converter(s), causing over-
heating, backfiring, and damage, see
page 159 for instructions on jump star-
ting the vehicle.
Towing vehicles with front wheel driveVolvo recommends the use of flat bed equip-
ment for towing vehicles with front wheel drive.
If wheel lift equipment must be used, please
use extreme caution to help avoid damage to
the vehicle.
In this case, the vehicle should be towed with
the rear wheels on the ground if at all possible.
If it is absolutely necessary to tow the vehicle
with the front wheels on the ground, please
refer to the towing information on the previous
page.•
Sling-type equipment applied at the front
will damage radiator and air conditioning
lines.
•
It is equally important not to use sling-type
equipment at the rear or apply lifting equip-
ment inside the rear wheels; serious dam-
age to the rear axle may result.
•
If the vehicle is being towed on a flat bed
truck, the towing eyelets must not be used
to secure the vehicle on the flat bed. Con-
sult the tow truck operator.
WARNING
•
Remember that the power brakes and
power steering will not function when
engine is not running. The braking and
steering systems will function but the
brake pedal pressure required is
3 – 5 times above normal and greater
steering effort must be exerted.
•
The towing eyelets must not be used for
pulling the vehicle out of a ditch or for
any similar purpose involving severe
strain. Do not use the towing eyelets to
pull the vehicle up onto a flat bed tow
truck.

06 Starting and drivingTowing a trailer
06160
General information•
Volvo recommends the use of Volvo trailer
hitches that are specially designed for the
vehicle.CAUTION
Models equipped with the B5244S7 engine
(engine code 39 , which is the 6th and
7th digits from the left in your vehicle's VIN
number, see page 262 for the location of
the VIN plate), may not be used to tow trail-
ers or vehicles of any kind. This could cause
damage to the vehicle's emission control
systems.Maximum trailer weights recommended by
Volvo are:•
Trailers without brakes: 1,540 lbs
(700 kg).
•
Trailers with brakes: 2,000 lbs (900 kg)
Observe the legal requirements of the
state/province in which the vehicles are
registered.
•
The maximum recommended hitch
tongue load is 165 lbs (75 kg).
•
All Volvo models are equipped with
energy-absorbing shock-mounted bump-
ers. Trailer hitch installation should not
interfere with the proper operation of this
bumper system.Trailer towing does not normally present any
particular problems, but take into considera-
tion:
•
Increase tire pressure to recommended
full. See the chapter "Wheels and tires."
•
When your vehicle is new, avoid towing
heavy trailers during the first 620 miles
(1,000 km).
•
Maximum speed when towing a trailer:
50 mph (80 km/h).
•
Engine and transmission are subject to
increased loads. Therefore, engine coolant
temperature should be closely watched
when driving in hot climates or hilly terrain.
Use a lower gear and turn off the air con-
ditioner if the temperature gauge needle
enters the red range.
•
If the automatic transmission begins to
overheat, a message will be displayed in
the information display.
•
Avoid overload and other abusive opera-
tion.
•
Hauling a trailer affects handling, durabil-
ity, and economy.
•
It is necessary to balance trailer brakes
with the towing vehicle brakes to provide a
safe stop (check and observe state/local
regulations).
•
Do not connect the trailer's brake system
directly to the vehicle's brake system.
•
More frequent vehicle maintenance is
required.
•
Remove the ball and drawbar assembly
when the hitch is not being used.
•
Volvo recommends the use of synthetic
engine oil when towing a trailer over long
distances or in mountainous areas.WARNING
•
Bumper-attached trailer hitches must
not be used on Volvos, nor should
safety chains be attached to the
bumper.
•
Trailer hitches attaching to the vehicle's
rear axle must not be used.
•
Never connect a trailer's hydraulic
brake system directly to the vehicle
brake system, nor a trailer's lighting
system directly to the vehicle lighting
system. Consult your nearest trained
and qualified Volvo service technician
for correct installation.
•
When towing a trailer, the trailer's safety
wire must be correctly fastened to the
hole or hook provided in the trailer hitch
on the vehicle. The safety wire should
never be fastened to or wound around
the drawbar ball.

06 Starting and driving
Towing a trailer
06
161
NOTE
•
When parking the vehicle with a trailer
on a hill, apply the parking brake before
putting the gear selector in Park (P) or
in reverse on models with a manual
transmission. Always follow the trailer
manufacturer's recommendations for
wheel chocking.
•
If you use the manual (Geartronic) shift
positions while towing a trailer, or if the
vehicle is equipped with a manual trans-
mission, make sure the gear you select
does not put too much strain on the
engine (using too high a gear).
•
The drawbar assembly/trailer hitch may
be rated for trailers heavier than the
vehicle is designed to tow. Please
adhere to Volvo's recommended trailer
weights.
•
Avoid driving with a trailer on inclines
exceeding 15%.

06 Starting and driving
Transporting loads
06
163 Loading the vehicle
Your vehicle's load-carrying capacity is affec-
ted by factors such as:•
the number of passengers
•
tire inflation
•
the amount of optional or accessory equip-
ment installed
•
the amount of cargo.
See the chapter "Wheels and tires" for more
detailed information.
Before loading the car, turn off the engine, and
apply the parking brake when loading or
unloading long objects. The gear selector can
be inadvertently knocked out of position by
long cargo, causing the car to move.
Keep the following in mind when
loading the vehicle:•
Load objects in the cargo area against the
rear seat backrest.
•
Load heavy cargo as low as possible.
•
Center wide loads.
•
Secure all cargo with restraining straps
anchored to the load securing eyelets.
•
Cover sharp edges on the load.
•
Seats can be folded down and head
restraints removed to extend the cargo
compartment, see page 111.
WARNING
•
Remember that an object weighing
44 lbs (20 kg) produces a force of
2,200 lbs (1,000 kg) in a head-on colli-
sion at 30 mph (50 km/h)!
•
When the rear backrest(s) are folded
down, the vehicle should not be loaded
to a level higher than 2 in. (5 cm) below
the upper edge of the rear side win-
dows. Objects placed higher than this
level could impede the function of the
Volvo Inflatable Curtain.
Load carriers (accessory)Load carriers are available as Volvo accesso-
ries. Follow the installation instructions sup-
plied with the load carriers.
Observe the following points when using load
carriers:•
To avoid damaging your car and to achieve
maximum safety when driving, we recom-
mend using the load carriers that Volvo has
developed especially for your car.
•
Volvo-approved removable roof racks are
designed to carry the maximum allowable
roof load for this vehicle: 165 lbs (75 kg).
For Non-Volvo roof racks, check the man-
ufacturer's weight limits for the rack.
•
Never exceed the rack manufacturer's
weigh limits and never exceed the maxi-
mum rated roof load of 165 lbs (75 kg).
•
Avoid single-point loads. Distribute loads
evenly.
•
Place heavier cargo at the bottom of the
load.
•
Secure the cargo correctly with appropri-
ate tie-down equipment.
•
Check periodically that the load carriers
and load are properly secured.
•
Remember that the car's center of gravity
and handling change when you carry a
load on the roof.
•
The car's wind resistance and fuel con-
sumption will increase with the size of the
load.
•
Drive smoothly. Avoid rapid starts, fast
cornering and hard braking.

G020918
172
General information............................................................................... 174
Tire inflation........................................................................................... 176
Inflation pressure—U.S. models .......................................................... 178
Inflation pressure—Canadian models .................................................. 179
Tire designations................................................................................... 180
Glossary of tire terminology.................................................................. 182
Vehicle loading...................................................................................... 183
Uniform tire quality gradings................................................................. 185
Snow chains, snow tires, studded tires................................................ 186
Temporary spare................................................................................... 187
Wheel nuts............................................................................................ 188
Tire rotation........................................................................................... 189
Changing a wheel................................................................................. 190
Tire Sealing System ............................................................................. 192
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).............................................197

07
WHEELS AND TIRES

07 Wheels and tiresGeneral information
07174
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), or on the inside of the fuel filler door
on Canadian models.
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. As such, they
may be more susceptible to road hazard
damage and, depending on driving condi-
tions, may achieve a tread life of less than
20,000 miles (30,000 km). Even if this vehi-
cle is equipped with Volvo’s advanced AWD
or DSTC 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 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.
Certain models are equipped with "all-season"
tires, which provide a somewhat higher degree
of road holding on slippery surfaces than tires
without the "all-season" rating. However, foroptimum 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.
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. Approved tire sizes
are shown in the Tire inflation pressure
tables, see page 178.
•
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.

07 Wheels and tires
General information
07
175 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.
New Tires
Remember that tires are per-
ishable goods. As of 2000, the
manufacturing week and year
(Department of Transporta-
tion (DOT) stamp) will be indi-
cated with 4 digits (e.g. 1502
means that the tire illustrated
was manufactured during week 15 of 2002).
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.
You should replace the spare tire when you
replace the other road tires due to the aging of
the spare.
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 page 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.
•
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.