2010 VOLVO XC90 spare tire

Contents
6* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.
06
06 Starting and driving
General information................................130
Fuel requirements................................... 131
Refueling................................................. 133
Starting the vehicle................................. 135
Ignition switch and steering wheel lock. . 137
Economical driving.................................. 138
Difficult driving conditions...................... 139
Automatic transmission..........................140
Jump starting.......................................... 143
All Wheel Drive*....................................... 144
Brake system.......................................... 145
Stability system....................................... 147
Front/rear park assist*............................. 149
Towing.................................................... 151
Towing a trailer....................................... 153
Detachable trailer hitch........................... 156
Load carriers (accessory)........................ 157
Cold weather precautions....................... 158
Before a long distance trip...................... 159
Blind Spot Information System...............160
07
07 Wheels and tires
General information................................166
Tire inflation ............................................ 169
Tire inflation pressure tables – U.S. mod-
els............................................................ 171
Tire inflation pressure tables – Canadian
models.................................................... 172
Tire designations..................................... 173
Glossary of tire terminology.................... 175
Vehicle loading........................................ 176
Uniform Tire Quality Grading.................. 177
Snow chains, snow tires, studded tires. . 178
Temporary spare..................................... 179
Changing wheels....................................180
Tire Sealing System ............................... 184
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) –
U.S. models only..................................... 189
08
08 Car care
Washing and cleaning the vehicle.......... 194
Paint touch up......................................... 198

06 Starting and driving
All Wheel Drive*
06
144* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.
All Wheel Drive (AWD) – general
information
Your Volvo can be equipped with an electron-
ically controlled All Wheel Drive system*, which
means that power is distributed automatically
between the front and rear wheels. Under nor-
mal driving conditions, 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 dis-
tributes power to the wheels that have the best
traction.
Tire dimensionsVolvo recommends that you always drive on
tires of the same brand, size, construction
(radial), tread pattern, load-, speed-, traction-,
temperature-, and treadwear rating. Never
drive on mixed tires, except for brief periods
when the temporary spare tire is in use.
Always use properly inflated tires of correct
dimensions. Tire size and inflation pressures
are shown on the tire inflation pressure plac-
ards, located on the driver's side 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 mod-
els.
Temporary SpareThe temporary spare tire is for temporary, low-
speed, short-distance use only. Replace it with
a full-sized tire as soon as possible. Do not
drive on the temporary spare at speeds above
50 m.p.h. (80 km/h).
NOTE
Never install snow chains on a temporary
spare.

06 Starting and driving
Before a long distance trip
06
159
It is always worthwhile to have your vehicle
checked by a trained and qualified Volvo serv-
ice technician before driving long distances.
Your retailer or service technician will also be
able to supply you with bulbs, fuses, spark
plugs and wiper blades for your use in the event
that problems occur.
As a minimum, the following items should be
checked before any long trip:
•Check that engine runs smoothly and that
fuel consumption is normal.
•Check for fuel, oil, and fluid leakage.
•Check transmission oil level1.
•Check condition of drive belts.
•Check state of the battery's charge.
•Examine tires carefully (the spare tire as
well), and replace those that are worn.
Check tire pressures.
•The brakes, front wheel alignment, and
steering gear should be checked by a
trained and qualified Volvo service techni-
cian only.
•Check all lights, including high beams.
•Reflective warning triangles are legally
required in some states/provinces.
•Have a word with your Volvo retailer if you
intend to drive in countries where it may be
difficult to obtain the correct fuel.
•Consider your destination. If you will be
driving through an area where snow or ice
are likely to occur, consider snow tires.
1To prevent injury from contact with hot surfaces, do not inspect your vehicle’s transmission fluid yourself. Have your vehicle’s transmission fluid level inspected by a qualified Volvo service technician.

G020918
164
General information............................................................................... 166
Tire inflation .......................................................................................... 169
Tire inflation pressure tables – U.S. models......................................... 171
Tire inflation pressure tables – Canadian models................................. 172
Tire designations................................................................................... 173
Glossary of tire terminology..................................................................175
Vehicle loading...................................................................................... 176
Uniform Tire Quality Grading................................................................ 177
Snow chains, snow tires, studded tires................................................ 178
Temporary spare................................................................................... 179
Changing wheels................................................................................... 180
Tire Sealing System ............................................................................. 184
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) – U.S. models only.............. 189

07 Wheels and tires
General information
07
166
Introduction
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 degreeof 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 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.
New TiresRemember 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 pages 171 and 172.
•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.

07 Wheels and tires
Tire inflation
07

169
G032513
Tire inflation placards on U.S. models
Check tire inflation pressure regularly.
Tables listing the recommended inflation pres-
sure for your vehicle can be found on pages
171 and 172. A tire inflation pressure placard
is also located on the driver's side B-pillar (the
structural member at the side of the vehicle, at
the rear of the driver's door opening). This plac-
ard indicates the designation of the factory-
mounted tires on your vehicle, as well as load
limits and inflation pressure.
G032520
Tire inflation placard on Canadian models
NOTE
The placards shown indicate inflation pres-
sure for the tires installed on the vehicle at
the factory only.
•Use a tire gauge to check the tire inflation
pressure, including the spare, at least once
a month and before long trips. You are
strongly urged to buy a reliable tire pres-
sure gauge, as automatic service station
gauges may be inaccurate.
•Use the recommended cold inflation pres-
sure for optimum tire performance and
wear.
•Under-inflation or over-inflation may cause
uneven treadwear patterns.
WARNING
•Under-inflation is the most common
cause of tire failure and may result in
severe tire cracking, tread separation,
or "blow-out," with unexpected loss of
vehicle control and increased risk of
injury.
•Under-inflated tires reduce the load car-
rying capacity of your vehicle.
When weather temperature changes occur, tire
inflation pressures also change. A 10-degree
temperature drop causes a corresponding
drop of 1 psi (7 kPa) in inflation pressure. Check
your tire pressures frequently and adjust them
to the proper pressure, which can be found on
the vehicle's tire information placard or certifi-
cation label.
Checking tire pressureA certain amount of air seepage from the tires
occurs naturally and tire pressure fluctuates
with seasonal changes in temperature. Always
check tire pressure regularly.
Cold tiresInflation pressure should be checked when the
tires are cold.

07 Wheels and tires
Tire inflation
07
170
The tires are considered to be cold when
they have the same temperature as the sur-
rounding (ambient) air.
This temperature is normally reached after the
vehicle has been parked for at least 3 hours.
After driving a distance of approximately 1 mile
(1.6 km), the tires are considered to be hot. If
you have to drive farther than this distance to
pump your tire(s), check and record the tire
pressure first and add the appropriate air pres-
sure 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 pres-
sures to increase above recommended cold
pressures. A hot tire at or below recommended
cold inflation pressure could be significantly
under-inflated.
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, includ-
ing the spare.5. Visually inspect the tires to make sure there
are no nails or other objects 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 irregular-
ities.
NOTE
•If you overfill the tire, release air by
pushing on the metal stem in the center
of the valve. Then recheck the pressure
with your tire gauge.
•Some spare tires require higher inflation
pressure than the other tires. Consult
the tire inflation tables on pages 171
and 172 or see the inflation pressure
placard.

07 Wheels and tires
Tire inflation pressure tables – U.S. models
07
171
The following tire pressures are recommended
by Volvo for your vehicle. Refer to the tire infla-
tion placard for information specific to the tires
installed on your vehicle at the factory.
Cold tire pressures up to five per-
sons
Tire sizeFront, psi
(kPa)Rear, psi
(kPa)
XC90
225/70R16
235/65R17
235/60R18
255/50R19
255/45R2036 (250)36 (250)
Temporary
spare tire
T155/85R1861 (420)61 (420)
Load ratingsThe load ratings on the tire's sidewall translate
as follows, for example:
102 = 1874 lbs (850 kg)
104 = 1984 lbs (900 kg)
107 = 2150 lbs (975 kg)
Speed ratingsThe speed ratings on the tire's sidewall trans-
late as follows, for example:
M = 81 mph (130 km/h)
H = 130 mph (210 km/h)
V = 149 mph (240 km/h)
Y = 186 mph (300 km/h)
See also page 173 for an explanation of the
designations on the sidewall of the tire.