08 Wheels and tires
General information
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Introduction
Your vehicle is equipped with tires according to the vehicle's tire information placard on theB-pillar (the structural member at the side ofthe vehicle, at the rear of the driver's dooropening).
CAUTION
Some Volvo models are equipped with an Ultra High Performance tire and wheelcombination designed to provide maxi-mum dry pavement performance with con-sideration for hydroplaning resistance.They may be more susceptible to roadhazard damage and, depending on drivingconditions, may achieve a tread life of lessthan 20,000 miles (30,000 km). Even if thisvehicle is equipped with Volvo’s advancedAWD or DSTC system, these tires are notdesigned for winter driving, and should bereplaced with winter tires when weatherconditions dictate.
The tires have good road holding characteris- tics and offer good handling on dry and wetsurfaces. It should be noted however that thetires have been developed to give these fea-tures on snow/ice-free surfaces. Most models are equipped with "all-season" tires, which provide a somewhat higherdegree of road holding on slippery surfacesthan tires without the "all-season" rating.However, for optimum road holding on icy orsnow-covered roads, we recommend suitablewinter 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 manu-facturer, on all four wheels. Otherwise there isa risk of altering the car's roadholding andhandling characteristics.
New Tires
Remember that tires are perishable goods. Asof 2000, the manufacturing week and year(Department of Transportation (DOT) stamp)will be indicated with 4 digits (e.g., 1513means that the tire illustrated was manufac-tured during week 15 of 2013).
Tire rotationYour vehicle has no required tire rotation. Tire wear is affected by a number of factors suchas tire inflation, ambient temperature, drivingstyle, etc.
NOTE
•
If the tires are rotated, they should only be moved from front to rear orvice versa. They should never be rota-ted left to right/right to left.
• Ideally, tire rotation should be done thefirst time after approximately 3,000miles (5,000 km) and thereafter at6,000-mile (10,000-km) intervals.Some customers find that tire rotationmay help to get extra mileage from tirelife.
• Tire rotation should only be performedif front/rear tire wear is fairly even andtread height is above 1/16" (1.6 mm).
Tire ageTires degrade over time, even when they are not being used. It is recommended that tiresgenerally be replaced after 6 years of normalservice. Heat caused by hot climates, fre- quent high loading conditions or Ultra Violet(U.V.) exposure can accelerate the aging
08 Wheels and tires
General information
08
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process. The temporary spare
1
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
G021829
The tires have wear indicator strips running across or parallel to the tread. The letters TWI
are printed on the side of the tire. Whenapproximately 1/16" (1.6 mm) is left on thetread, these strips become visible and indi-cate that the tire should be replaced. Tires with less than 1/16" (1.6 mm) tread offer verypoor traction. When replacing worn tires, it is recommended that the tire be identical in type (radial) andsize as the one being replaced. Using a tire ofthe same make (manufacturer) will preventalteration of the driving characteristics of thevehicle.
Improving tire economy
•
Maintain correct tire pressure. See the tire inflation table on page 307.
• Drive smoothly: avoid fast starts, hardbraking and tire screeching.
• Tire wear increases with speed.
• Correct front wheel alignment is veryimportant.
• Unbalanced wheels impair tire economyand driving comfort.
• Tires must maintain the same direction ofrotation throughout their lifetime.
• When replacing tires, the tires with themost tread should be mounted on therear wheels to reduce the chance of over-steer during hard braking.
• Hitting curbs or potholes can damage thetires and/or wheels permanently.
Summer and winter tires
G021778
The arrows shows the direction of rotation of the tire
• When switching between summer and winter tires, mark the tires to indicatewhere they were mounted on the car,e.g., LF = left front, RR = right rear
• Tires with tread designed to roll in onlyone direction are marked with an arrowon the sidewall.
• Incorrectly mounted tires impair the car'sbraking properties and ability to forceaside rain, snow and slush.
1
Option or accessory on some models
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General information
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•The tires with the most tread should always be at the rear (to reduce the risk ofskidding).
• Contact a Volvo workshop if you areunsure about the tread depth.
Storing wheels and tiresWhen storing complete wheels (tires mounted on rims), they should be suspended off thefloor or placed on their sides on the floor. Tires not mounted on rims should be stored on their sides or standing upright, but shouldnot be suspended.
CAUTION
Tires should preferably be stored in a cool, dry, dark place, and should never bestored in close proximity to solvents, gaso-line, oils, etc.
WARNING
•The wheel and tire sizes for your Volvo are specified to meet stringent stabilityand handling requirements. Unap-proved wheel/tire size combinationscan negatively affect your vehicle'sstability and handling.
• Any damage caused by installation ofunapproved wheel/tire size combina-tions will not be covered by your newvehicle warranty. Volvo assumes noresponsibility for death, injury, orexpenses that may result from suchinstallations.
08 Wheels and tires
Inflation pressure
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Tire inflation pressure table
The following tire pressures are recommended by Volvo for your vehicle. Refer to the tire inflation placard (see page 305 for its location) for informa- tion specific to the tires installed on your vehicle at the factory.
Tire sizeCold tire pressure for up to five persons
Front psi (kPa)Rear psi (kPa)
215/65 R16 Extra load 235/55 R17235/50 R1836 (250)36 (250)
235/45 R19 Extra load39 (270)39 (270)
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.
08 Wheels and tires
Tire designations
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Information on the sidewall
310
11
12
4
56789
2
1
G010753
Federal law mandates that tire manufacturers place standardized information on the side-wall of all tires (see the illustration). The following information is listed on the tire sidewall: The tire designation:
NOTE
Please be aware that the following tire designation is an example only and that
this particular tire may not be available onyour vehicle.
1. 215: the width of the tire (in millimeters)
from sidewall edge to sidewall edge. The larger the number, the wider the tire.
2. 65: The ratio of the tire's height to its
width in percent.
3. R: Radial tire (the designation RF and the
symbol indicate that the vehicle is
equipped with optional self-supporting run flat tires 1
. See page 327 for more
information about these tires).
4. 15: The diameter of the wheel rim (in
inches).
5. 95: The tire's load index. In this example,
a load index of 95 equals a maximum load of 1521 lbs (690 kg).
6. H: The tire's speed rating, or the maxi-
mum speed at which the tire is designedto be driven for extended periods of time,carrying a permissible load for the vehi-cle, and with correct inflation pressure.For example, H indicates a speed ratingof 130 mph (210 km/h).
NOTE
The tire's load index and speed rating may not appear on the sidewall because theyare not required by law.
7. M+S or M/S = Mud and Snow, AT = All
Terrain, AS = All Season
8. U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN)
: This begins with the letters "DOT"
and indicates that the tire meets all fed- eral standards. The next two numbers orletters are the plant code where it wasmanufactured, the next two are the tiresize code and the last four numbers rep-resent the week and year the tire wasbuilt. For example, 1510 means that thetire was manufactured during week 15 of2010. The numbers in between are mar-keting codes used at the manufacturer'sdiscretion. This information helps a tiremanufacturer identify a tire for safetyrecall purposes.
9. Tire Ply Composition and Material Used
: Indicates the number of plies indi-
cates or the number of layers of rubber- coated fabric in the tire tread and side-wall. Tire manufacturers also must indi-cate the ply materials in the tire and thesidewall, which include steel, nylon, poly-ester, and others.
1 Self-supporting run flat tires may not be available on all models
08 Wheels and tires
Glossary of tire terminology
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Terms
The tire suppliers may have additional mark- ings, notes or warnings such as standardload, radial tubeless, etc.
• Tire information placard
: A placard
showing the OE (Original Equipment) tire sizes, recommended inflation pressure,and the maximum weight the vehicle cancarry.
• Tire Identification Number (TIN)
: A
number on the sidewall of each tire pro-viding information about the tire brandand manufacturing plant, tire size anddate of manufacturer.
• Inflation pressure
: A measure of the
amount of air in a tire.
• Standard load
: A class of P-metric or
Metric tires designed to carry a maximumload at 35 psi [37 psi (2.5 bar) for Metrictires]. Increasing the inflation pressurebeyond this pressure will not increase thetires load carrying capability.
• Extra load
: A class of P-metric or Metric
tires designed to carry a heavier maxi-mum load at 41 psi [43 psi (2.9 bar) forMetric tires]. Increasing the inflation pres-sure beyond this pressure will notincrease the tire's load carrying capabil-ity.
• 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 roadwhen mounted on the vehicle.
• Rim
: The metal support (wheel) for a tire
or a tire and tube assembly upon whichthe 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. Thisrating is established by the tire manufac-turer.
• Maximum permissible inflation pressure
: the greatest amount of air
pressure that should ever be put in the tire. This limit is set by the tire manufac-turer.
• Recommended tire inflation pressure
:
inflation pressure, established by Volvo,which is based on the type of tires thatare mounted on a vehicle at the factory.This information can be found on the tireinflation placard(s) located on the driver's side B-pillar and in the tire inflation tablein this chapter.
• Cold tires
: The tires are considered to be
cold when they have the same tempera-ture as the surrounding (ambient) air. Thistemperature is normally reached after thevehicle has been parked for at least3 hours.
08 Wheels and tires
Snow chains, snow tires, studded tires
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Winter driving conditions
Snow chainsSnow chains can be used on your Volvo with the following restrictions:• Snow chains should be installed on front wheels only. Use only Volvo approvedsnow chains.
• If accessory, aftermarket or "custom"tires and wheels are installed and are of asize different than the original tires andwheels, chains in some cases CANNOTbe used. Sufficient clearances betweenchains and brakes, suspension and bodycomponents must be maintained.
• Some strap-on type chains will interferewith brake components and thereforeCANNOT be used.
• All Wheel Drive models
: Snow chains
should only be installed on the frontwheels.
• Certain size tires may not allow theassembly of snow chains/traction devi-ces.
Consult your Volvo retailer for additional
snow chain information.
CAUTION
• Check local regulations regarding the use of snow chains before installing.
• Use single-sided snow chains only.
• Always follow the chain manufactur-er's installation instructions carefully.Install chains as tightly as possible andretighten periodically.
• Never exceed the chain manufactur-er's specified maximum speed limit.(Under no circumstances should youexceed 31 mph (50 km/h).
• Avoid bumps, holes or sharp turnswhen driving with snow chains.
• The handling of the vehicle can beadversely affected when driving withchains. Avoid fast or sharp turns aswell as locked wheel braking.
Snow tires, studded tires 1
Tires for winter use:
•
Owners who live in or regularly commute through areas with sustained periods ofsnow or icy driving conditions arestrongly advised to fit suitable winter tires to help retain the highest degree of trac-tion.
• It is important to install winter tires on allfour wheels to help retain traction duringcornering, braking, and accelerating. Fail-ure to do so could reduce traction to anunsafe level or adversely affect handling.
• Do not mix tires of different design as thiscould also negatively affect overall tireroad grip.
• Winter tires wear more quickly on dryroads in warm weather. They should beremoved when the winter driving seasonhas ended.
• Studded tires should be run-in 300 – 600 miles (500 – 1000 km) during whichthe vehicle should be driven as smoothlyas possible to give the studs the opportu-nity to seat properly in the tires. The tiresshould have the same rotational directionthroughout their entire lifetime.
NOTE
Please consult state or provincial regula- tions restricting the use of studded wintertires before installing such tires.
1
Where permitted
08 Wheels and tires
Temporary Spare
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Spare tire
The spare tire in your vehicle1
is called a
"Temporary Spare". Recommended tire pressure (see the placard on the B-pillar or on the fuel filler door) shouldbe maintained irrespective of which positionon the vehicle the temporary spare tire isused on. 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 atemporary replacement for a puncturedtire. It must be replaced as soon as possi-ble by a standard tire. Road holding andhandling may be affected with the "Tem-porary Spare" in use. Do not exceed50 mph (80 km/h).
CAUTION
The vehicle must not be driven with wheels of different dimensions or with a spare tireother than the one that came with the vehi-cle. The use of different size wheels canseriously damage your car's transmission.
1 Not on models equipped with the Tire sealing system.