2010 VOLVO V50 Owner´s Manual

07 Wheels and tires
Glossary of tire terminology
07
185 Terminology
•Tire information placard: A placard
showing the OE (Original Equipment) tire
sizes, recommended inflation pressure,
and the maximum weight the vehicle can
carry.
•Tire Identification Number (TIN): A num-
ber on the sidewall of each tire providing
information about the tire brand and man-
ufacturing plant, tire size and date of man-
ufacturer.
•Inflation pressure: A measure of the
amount of air in a tire.
•Standard load: A class of P-metric or Met-
ric tires designed to carry a maximum load
at 35 psi [37 psi (2.5 bar) for Metric tires].
Increasing the inflation pressure beyond
this pressure 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
tires load carrying capability.
•kPa: Kilopascal, a metric unit of air pres-
sure.
•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 perim-
eter 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 kilo-
grams that can be carried by the tire. This
rating is established by the tire manufac-
turer.
•Maximum permissible inflation pres-
sure: 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
inflation pressure is affected by the number
of occupants in the car, the amount of
cargo, and the speed at which the vehicle
will be driven for a prolonged period. This
information can be found on the tire infla-
tion placard(s) located on the driver's sideB-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-
perature is normally reached after the car
has been parked for at least 3 hours.
Properly loading your vehicle will provide maxi-
mum return of vehicle design performance.

07 Wheels and tires
Vehicle loading
07
186
Loading the vehicle
Before loading your vehicle, familiarize yourself
with the following terms for determining your
vehicle's weight ratings, with or without a
trailer, from the vehicle's Federal/Canadian
Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS/
CMVSS) label, and the vehicle's tire informa-
tion placard:
Curb weightThe weight of the vehicle including a full tank
of fuel and all standard equipment. It does not
include passengers, cargo, or optional equip-
ment.
Capacity weightAll weight added to the curb weight, including
cargo and optional equipment. When towing,
trailer hitch tongue load is also part of cargo
weight.
NOTE
For trailer towing information, please refer to
the section "Towing a trailer", see
page 162.
Permissible axle weightThe maximum allowable weight that can be
carried by a single axle (front or rear). These
numbers are shown on the Federal/CanadianMotor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS/
CMVSS) label. The total load on each axle must
never exceed its maximum permissible weight.
Gross vehicle weight (GVW)The vehicle's curb weight + cargo + passen-
gers.
NOTE
•The location of the various labels in your
vehicle can be found on page 268.
•A table listing important weight limits for
your vehicle can be found on page
271.
Steps for Determining Correct Load
Limit
1. Locate the statement "the combined
weight of occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX pounds" on your vehi-
cle's placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the
driver and passengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver
and passengers from XXX kilograms or
XXX pounds.
4. The resulting figure equals the available
amount of cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if the "XXX" amount
equals 1400 lbs. and there will be five
150 lbs. passengers in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lbs. (1400–750 (5×150)
= 650 lbs.)
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage
and cargo being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely exceed the
available cargo and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load
from your trailer will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual1 to determine
how this reduces the available cargo and
luggage load capacity of your vehicle.
1See "Towing a trailer"

07 Wheels and tires
Vehicle loading
07
187
WARNING
•Exceeding the permissible axle weight,
gross vehicle weight, or any other
weight rating limits can cause tire over-
heating resulting in permanent defor-
mation or catastrophic failure.
•Do not use replacement tires with lower
load carrying capacities than the tires
that were original equipment on the
vehicle because this will lower the vehi-
cle's GVW rating. Replacement tires
with a higher limit than the originals do
not increase the vehicle's GVW rating
limitations.

07 Wheels and tires
Uniform tire quality gradings
07
188
Uniform tire quality gradings
ALL PASSENGER VEHICLE TIRES MUST
CONFORM TO FEDERAL SAFETY
REQUIREMENTS IN ADDITION TO THESE
GRADES
Quality grades can be found, where appli-
cable, 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 gra-
ded 150 would wear one and one half (1 1/2)
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 signifi-
cantly from the norm due to variation in driving
habits, maintenance practices 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 sur-faces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction performance. The trac-
tion grade assigned to this tire is based on
braking (straight-ahead) traction tests and is
not a measure of cornering (turning) traction.
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.
TEMPERATUREThe temperature grades are AA (the highest),
A, B, and C, representing the tire's resistance
to the generation of heat and its ability to dis-
sipate heat when tested under controlled con-
ditions on a specified indoor laboratory test
wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause
the material of the tire to degenerate and
reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can
lead to sudden tire failure. The grade C corre-
sponds 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 per-
formance 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-
inflation, or excessive loading, either sepa-
rately or in combination, can cause heat
buildup and tire failure.

07 Wheels and tires
Snow chains, snow tires, studded tires
07
189 Snow chains
Snow chains can be used on your Volvo with
the following restrictions:
•Snow chains should be installed on front
wheels only. Use only Volvo approved
snow chains.
•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.
Sufficient clearances between chains and
brakes, suspension and body components
must be maintained.
•Some strap-on type chains will interfere
with brake components and therefore
CANNOT be used.
•All Wheel Drive models: Snow chains
should only be installed on the front
wheels.
Consult your Volvo retailer for additional snow
chain information.
CAUTION
•Check local regulations regarding the
use of snow chains before installing.
•Always follow the chain manufacturer's
installation instructions carefully. Install
chains as tightly as possible and
retighten periodically.
•Never exceed the chain manufacturer's
specified maximum speed limit. (Under
no circumstances should you exceed
31 mph (50 km/h).
•Avoid bumps, holes or sharp turns
when driving with snow chains.
•The handling of the vehicle can be
adversely affected when driving with
chains. Avoid fast or sharp turns as well
as locked wheel braking.
Snow tires, studded tires
Tires for winter use:
•Owners who live in or regularly commute
through areas with sustained periods of
snow or icy driving conditions are strongly
advised to fit suitable winter tires to help
retain 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. Fail-ure to do so could reduce traction to an
unsafe level or adversely affect handling.
•Do not mix tires of different design as this
could also negatively affect overall tire road
grip.
•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 should be driven as smoothly
as possible to give the studs the opportu-
nity to seat properly in the tires. The tires
should have the same rotational direction
throughout their entire lifetime.
NOTE
Please consult state or provincial regula-
tions restricting the use of studded winter
tires before installing such tires.

07 Wheels and tires
Temporary spare
07
190
Temporary spare
The spare tire in your vehicle1 is called a "Tem-
porary Spare".
Recommended tire pressure (see the placard
on the B-pillar or on the fuel filler door) should
be maintained irrespective of which position on
the car the temporary spare tire is used.
In the event of damage to 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 tem-
porary replacement for a punctured tire. It
must be replaced as soon as possible by a
standard tire. Road holding and handling
may be affected with the "Temporary
Spare" in use. Do not exceed a speed of
50 mph (80 km/h) with the "Temporary
Spare" in use.
CAUTION
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 seri-
ously damage your car's transmission.
1Not on models equipped with the Tire sealing system.

07 Wheels and tires
Wheel nuts
07
191 Wheel nuts
G020324
Low nut.
High nut.
There are two different types of wheel nut,
depending on whether the wheels are steel or
aluminum.
Steel rims – low nutSteel rims are normally secured using the low
type of nut, although steel rims may also use
the high type.
WARNING
Never use the short type of nut for alumi-
nium wheels. This could cause the wheel to
come loose.
Aluminum wheels – high nutOnly the high type of nut can be used for alu-
minum wheels. This is considerably different
from other types of nut because it has a rotat-
ing conical thrust washer.
NOTE
This nut can also be used on steel wheels.
Lockable wheel nutIf steel wheels with lockable wheel nuts are
used in combination with wheel covers, the
lockable wheel nut must be fitted to the stud
nearest the air valve. The wheel cover cannot
otherwise be installed on the wheel.

07 Wheels and tires
Changing a wheel
07
192
Changing a wheel
G020331
The spare tire, jack, and crank are located
under the carpet on the floor of the cargo area.
To change a tire:
1. Apply the parking brake.
2.
Put the gear selector in Park (P) or reverse
on models with a manual transmission.
3. Block the wheels that are on the ground
with wooden blocks or large stones.
4. Remove the wheel cover (where applica-
ble) using the lug wrench in the tool bag.
G020332
5. With the car still on the ground, use the lug
wrench to loosen the wheel nuts 1/2–1 turn
by exerting downward pressure. Turn the
nuts counterclockwise to loosen.
6. There are two jack attachment points on
each side of the car. Position the jack cor-
rectly in the attachment (see the illustration)
and crank while simultaneously guiding the
base of the jack to the ground. The base of
the jack must be flat on a level, firm, non-
slippery surface. Before raising the car,
check that the jack is still correctly posi-
tioned in the attachment.Jack attachment points
7. Raise the vehicle until the wheel to be
changed is lifted off the ground.
8. Unscrew the wheel nuts completely and
carefully remove the wheel so as not to
damage the threads on the studs.