2013 VOLVO XC90 spare tire

Contents
4* Option/accessory, for more information, see Introduction.
06
06 Starting and driving
General information................................138
Fuel requirements................................... 139
Refueling................................................. 141
Starting the vehicle................................. 143
Ignition switch and steering wheel lock. . 145
Economical driving.................................. 146
Difficult driving conditions...................... 147
Automatic transmission..........................148
Jump starting.......................................... 151
All Wheel Drive*....................................... 152
Brake system.......................................... 153
Parking brake.......................................... 156
Stability system....................................... 157
Front/rear park assist*............................. 159
Towing.................................................... 161
Towing a trailer....................................... 163
Detachable trailer hitch........................... 166
Load carriers (accessory)........................ 167
Cold weather precautions....................... 168
Before a long distance trip...................... 169
Blind Spot Information System*.............. 170
07
07 Wheels and tires
General information................................176
Tire inflation ............................................ 179
Tire inflation pressure table..................... 181
Tire designations..................................... 182
Glossary of tire terminology.................... 184
Vehicle loading........................................ 185
Uniform Tire Quality Grading.................. 186
Snow chains, snow tires, studded tires. . 187
Temporary spare..................................... 188
Tire Sealing System ............................... 189
Changing wheels....................................195
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) 200
08
08 Car care
Washing and cleaning the vehicle.......... 206
Paint touch up......................................... 210

06 Starting and driving
All Wheel Drive*
06
152* 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
169
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.

174
General information............................................................................... 176
Tire inflation .......................................................................................... 179
Tire inflation pressure table................................................................... 181
Tire designations................................................................................... 182
Glossary of tire terminology..................................................................184
Vehicle loading...................................................................................... 185
Uniform Tire Quality Grading................................................................ 186
Snow chains, snow tires, studded tires................................................ 187
Temporary spare................................................................................... 188
Tire Sealing System ............................................................................. 189
Changing wheels................................................................................... 195
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).............................................200

07 Wheels and tires
General information
07

177
exposure can accelerate the aging process.
The temporary spare1 should also be replaced
at 6-year intervals, even if it has never been
used.
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.
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 thetread, 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.
Improving tire economy
•Maintain correct tire pressure (see the
inflation pressure table on page 181).
•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.
Summer and winter tires
G020325
The arrows shows the direction of rotation of the
tire
•When switching between summer and
winter tires, mark the tires to indicate
where they were mounted on the car, e.g.,
LF = left front, RR = right rear
•Tires with tread designed to roll in only one
direction are marked with an arrow on the
sidewall.
•Incorrectly mounted tires impair the car's
braking properties and ability to force
aside rain, snow and slush.
1Option or accessory on some models

07 Wheels and tires
Tire inflation
07
179 Inflation placard
G032513
Tire inflation placard
Check tire inflation pressure regularly.
A table listing the recommended inflation pres-
sure for your vehicle can be found on page
181. A tire inflation pressure placard is also
located on the driver's side B-pillar (the struc-
tural member at the side of the vehicle, at the
rear of the driver's door opening). This placard
indicates the designation of the factory-moun-
ted tires on your vehicle, as well as load limits
and inflation pressure.
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-degreetemperature 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.
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

07 Wheels and tires
Tire inflation
07
180
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. 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.
5. Check the sidewalls to make sure there are
no gouges, cuts, bulges or other irregular-
ities.
6. Repeat this procedure for each tire, includ-
ing the spare.
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 pressure table on page
181 or see the inflation pressure plac-
ard.
Speed ratingsThe speed ratings in the table translate as fol-
low:
Speed ratings
M81 mph (130 km/h)
Q100 mph (160 km/h)
T118 mph (190 km/h)
H130 mph (210 km/h)
V149 mph (240 km/h)
W168 mph (270 km/h)
Y186 mph (300 km/h)
Load ratingsSee page 182 for an explanation of the load
rating on the sidewall of the tire.

07 Wheels and tires
Tire inflation pressure table
07
181
The following tire pressures are recommended
by Volvo for your vehicle. Refer to the tire infla-tion placard (see page 179 for its location) for
information specific to the tires installed on
your vehicle at the factory.
Tire sizeCold tire pressure up to five persons psi (kPa)
Front
psi (kPa)Rear
psi (kPa)
235/65 R17
235/60 R18
255/50 R19
255/45 R2036 (250)36 (250)
Temporary spare tire
T125/80R1761 (420)61 (420)
NOTE
Please consult a Volvo retailer’s Parts
department for the most up-to-date speci-
fications.