
06 During your journey
Recommendations during driving 
06
268
IMPORTANT
Low viscosity oil must not be used for hard
driving or in hot weather.
•The condition of the battery and charge
level must be inspected. Cold weather pla-
ces great demands on the battery and its
capacity is reduced by the cold.
•Use washer fluid to avoid ice forming in the
washer fluid reservoir.
To achieve optimum roadholding Volvo rec-
ommends using winter tyres on all four wheels
if there is a risk of snow or ice.
NOTE
The use of winter tyres is a legal requirement
in certain countries. Studded tyres are not
permitted in all countries.
Slippery driving conditionsPractise driving on slippery surfaces under
controlled conditions to learn how the car
reacts.
ProCarManuals.com 

07  Wheels and tyres
General  
07
288
Driving characteristics
Tyres greatly affect the car's driving characte-
ristics. The type of tyre, dimensions, tyre pres-
sure and speed rating are important for how the
car performs.
Direction of rotation
G021778
The arrow shows the tyre's direction of rotation.
Tyres with a tread pattern which are designed
to only turn in one direction have the direction
of rotation marked with an arrow. The tyre must
always rotate in the same direction throughout
its lifespan. Tyres should only be switched
between front and rear positions, never
between left and right-hand sides, or vice
versa. If the tyres are fitted incorrectly, the car's
braking characteristics and capacity to force
rain and slush out of the way are adversely
affected.Tyres with the greatest tread depth should
always be fitted to the rear of the car (to
decrease the risk of skidding).
NOTE
Ensure that tyres of the same type and
dimensions, and also the same make, are
fitted to all four wheels.
Follow the recommended tyre pressures
specified in the tyre pressure table, see
page 358.
Tyre care
Tyre ageAll tyres older than 6 years old should be
checked by an expert even if they seem
undamaged. Tyres age and decompose, even
if they are hardly ever or never used. The func-
tion can therefore be affected. This applies to
all tyres that are stored for future use. Exam-
ples of external signs which indicate that the
tyre is unsuitable for use are cracks or discol-
oration.
New tyres
Tyres are perishable. After a few years they
begin to harden at the same time as the friction
capacity/characteristics gradually deteriorate.
For this reason, aim to get as fresh tyres as
possible when you replace them. This is espe-
cially important with regard to winter tyres. The
last four digits in the sequence mean the week
and year of manufacture. This is the tyre's
DOT marking (Department of Transportation),
and this is stated with four digits, for example
1510. The tyre in the illustration was manufac-
tured in week 15 of 2010.
Summer and winter tyresWhen summer and winter wheels are changed
the wheels should be marked with which side
of the car they were mounted on, for example
L for left and R for right.
ProCarManuals.com 

07  Wheels and tyres
General  
07
290* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.
Tools - returning into placeThe tools and jack* must be returned to their
correct places after use. The jack needs to be
cranked together to the correct position in
order to have space.
IMPORTANT
The tools and jack* must be stored in the
intended location in the car's cargo area
when not in use.
Winter tyres
Volvo recommends winter tyres with particular
dimensions. Tyre dimensions are dependent
on engine variant. When driving on winter tyres,
the correct type of tyres must be fitted to all
four wheels.
NOTE
Volvo recommends that you consult a Volvo
dealer about which wheel rim and tyre types
are most suitable.
Studded tyresStudded winter tyres should be run in gently for
500-1000 km so the studs settle properly into
the tyres. This gives the tyre, and especially the
studs, a longer service life.
NOTE
The legal provisions for the use of studded
tyres vary from country to country.
Tread depthRoad conditions with ice, slush and low tem-
peratures place considerably higher demands
on tyres than summer conditions. Volvo there-
fore recommends not to drive on winter tyres
that have a tread depth of less than 4 millime-
tres.
Using snow chainsSnow chains may only be used on the front
wheels (also applies to all-wheel drive cars).
Never drive faster than 50 km/h with snow
chains. Avoid driving on bare ground as this
wears out both the snow chains and tyres.
WARNING
Use Volvo genuine snow chains or equiva-
lent chains designed for the car model, and
tyre and rim dimensions. In the event of
uncertainty Volvo recommends that you
consult an authorised Volvo workshop. The
wrong snow chains may cause serious
damage to your car and lead to an accident.
Specifications
The car has whole vehicle approval. This
means that certain combinations of wheels and
tyres are approved. For the permissible com-
binations, see page 357
Wheel (rim) dimensionsWheels (rims) have a designation of dimen-
sions, for example: 7Jx16x50.
7Rim width in inches
JRim flange profile
16Rim diameter in
inches
50Off-set in mm (dis-
tance from wheel
centre to wheel con-
tact surface against
the hub)
Tyre dimensionsThe dimensions are stated on all car tyres.
Example of designation: 215/55R16 97W.
215Tyre width (mm)
55Ratio between tyre wall height and
tyre width (%)
RRadial ply
ProCarManuals.com 

07  Wheels and tyres
 General
07
291
16Rim diameter in inches (")
97Codes for the maximum permitted
tyre load, tyre load index (LI)
WSpeed rating for maximum permitted
speed, speed rating (SS). (In this case
270 km/h).
Load indexEach tyre has a certain capacity to carry a load,
a load index (LI). The car's weight determines
the load capacity required of the tyres. Mini-
mum permitted index is specified in the table,
see page 357.
Speed ratingsEach tyre can withstand a certain maximum
speed, a speed rating (Speed Symbol; SS).
Tyre speed class must at least correspond with
the car's top speed. Minimum permitted speed
rating is specified in the table, see page 357.
The only exception to these conditions is win-
ter tyres (both those with metal studs and those
without), where a lower speed rating may be
used. If such a tyre is chosen, the car must not
be driven faster than the speed rating of the
tyre (for example, class Q can be driven at a
maximum of 160 km/h).Traffic regulations determine how fast a car
can be driven, not the speed rating of the tyres.
NOTE
It is the maximum permitted speed that is
stated in the table.
Q160 km/h (used only on winter tyres)
T190 km/h
H210 km/h
V240 km/h
W270 km/h
Y300 km/h
WARNING
The car must be fitted with tyres which have
the same or a higher load index (LI) and
speed rating (SS) than specified. If a tyre
with too low a load index or speed rating is
used, it may overheat.
ProCarManuals.com 

10 Alphabetical Index
10
385
Type approval, remote control key sys-
tem........................................................... 361
Type designation..................................... 344
Tyres
dimensions......................................... 357
direction of rotation............................288
driving characteristics......................... 288
maintenance....................................... 288
pressure......................................295, 357
puncture repair................................... 299
specifications..............................290, 357
speed ratings...................................... 291
tread wear indicators.......................... 289
tyre pressure monitoring..................... 297
winter tyres......................................... 290
U
Unlocking
from the inside...................................... 61
from the outside................................... 61
USB, connection...................................... 236
V
Vanity mirror......................................93, 213
Ventilation................................................ 150
Vibration damper..................................... 279
Voice control, mobile phone....................255
W
Warning lamp
adaptive cruise control.......................171
collision warning system.................... 189
stability and traction control system. . 164
Warning lamps
airbags SRS.......................................... 77
alternator not charging......................... 77
fault in brake system............................ 77
low oil pressure..................................... 77
parking brake applied........................... 77
seatbelt reminder.................................. 77
warning.................................................77
Warning sound
collision warning system.................... 189
Warning symbol, airbag system................ 21
Warning triangle....................................... 296Washer fluid, filling................................... 320
Washer nozzles, heated............................. 99
Washers
rear window.......................................... 99
washer fluid, filling.............................. 320
windscreen........................................... 99
Water and dirt-repellent coating.............. 101
Water-repellent surface, cleaning............ 337
Waxing..................................................... 337
Weights
kerb weight......................................... 347
Wheels
changing............................................. 292
installation........................................... 293
rims..................................................... 289
snow chains........................................ 290
spare wheel........................................ 293
Wheels and tyres..................................... 288
Whiplash injury, WHIPS............................. 29
WHIPS
child seat/booster cushion................... 29
whiplash injury...................................... 29
Windows, rearview and door mirrors....... 101
Windscreen washing.................................. 99
ProCarManuals.com 

10 Alphabetical Index
10
386
Windscreen wipers.................................... 98
rain sensor............................................ 98
Winter driving........................................... 267
Winter tyres.............................................. 290
Wiper blades............................................ 319
changing............................................. 319
cleaning.............................................. 320
service position................................... 319
Wipers and washing.................................. 98
ProCarManuals.com