2014 VOLVO XC90 Owner´s Manual

07 Wheels and tires
Tire inflation pressure table
07
183
The following tire pressures are recom- mended by Volvo for your vehicle. Refer to
the tire inflation placard (see page 181 for itslocation) for information specific to the tiresinstalled 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 R18255/50 R19255/45 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.

07 Wheels and tires
Tire designations
07
184
1
2
3
4
5
6
12
11
10
8
79
G026442
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.
215 : the width of the tire (in millimeters)
from sidewall edge to sidewall edge. The larger the number, the wider the tire.
65 : The ratio of the tire's height to its
width in percent.
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 205 for more
information about these tires).
15 : The diameter of the wheel rim (in
inches).
95 : The tire's load index. In this example,
a load index of 95 equals a maximum load of 1521 lbs (690 kg).
H : The tire's speed rating, or the maxi-
mum speed at which the tire is designed to 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.
M+S or M/S = Mud and Snow; AT = All
Terrain; AS = All Season
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.
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

07 Wheels and tires
Tire designations
07
185
Maximum Load: Indicates the maximum
load in pounds and kilograms that can be carried by the tire. Refer to the vehicle'stire information placard located on the B-Pillar or the driver's door for the correcttire pressure for your vehicle.
Treadwear, Traction, and Temperature grades: see page 189 for more informa-
tion.
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.
Tire suppliers may have additional markings,notes or warnings such as standard load,radial tubeless, etc.

07 Wheels and tires
Glossary of tire terminology
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186
•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 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 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 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 thatare mounted on a vehicle at the factory.This information can be found on the tireinflation placard(s) located on the driver'sside 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 the vehicle has been parked for at least 3hours.

07 Wheels and tires
Vehicle loading
07
187
Properly loading your vehicle will provide maximum return of vehicle design perform-ance. Before loading your vehicle, familiarize your- self with the following terms for determiningyour vehicle's weight ratings, with or withouta trailer, from the vehicle's Federal/ CanadianMotor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS/CMVSS) label, and the vehicle's tire informa-tion placard.
Curb weightThe weight of the vehicle including a full tankof fuel and all standard equipment. It doesnot include passengers, cargo, or optionalequipment.
Capacity weightAll weight added to the curb weight, includingcargo and optional equipment. When towing,trailer hitch tongue load is also part of cargoweight.
NOTE
For trailer towing information, please refer to the section "Towing a trailer."
Permissible axle weightThe maximum allowable weight that can be carried by a single axle (front or rear). Thesenumbers are shown on the Federal/CanadianMotor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS/CMVSS) label. The total load on each axlemust never exceed its maximum permissibleweight.
Gross vehicle weight (GVW)The vehicle's curb weight + cargo + passen-gers. A table listing important weight limits for your vehicle, is in chapter "Dimension andweights". For the location of the various labels in your vehicle, see page 282
Steps for Determining Correct Load Limit
•
Locate the statement "the combined weight of occupants and cargo shouldnever exceed XXX pounds" on your vehi-cle's placard.
• Determine the combined weight of thedriver and passengers that will be ridingin your vehicle. •
Subtract the combined weight of thedriver and passengers from XXX kilo-grams or XXX pounds.
• The resulting figure equals the availableamount of cargo and luggage loadcapacity. For example, if the "XXX"amount equals 1400 lbs. and there will befive 150 lb. passengers in your vehicle,the amount of available cargo and lug-gage load capacity is 650 lbs. (1400-750(5 x 150) = 650 lbs.)
• Determine the combined weight of lug-gage and cargo being loaded on the vehi-cle. That weight may not safely exceedthe available cargo and luggage loadcapacity calculated in Step 4.
• If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, loadfrom your trailer will be transferred to your vehicle. Consult this manual 1
to deter-
mine how this reduces the available cargo and luggage load capacity of yourvehicle.
1 For "Towing a trailer" see page 164.

07 Wheels and tires
Vehicle loading
07
188
WARNING
•Exceeding the permissible axle weight, gross vehicle weight, or any otherweight rating limits can cause tireoverheating resulting in permanentdeformation or catastrophic failure.
• Do not use replacement tires withlower load carrying capacities than thetires that were original equipment onthe vehicle because this will lower thevehicle's GVW rating. Use only tireswith the correct load carrying capacity.Consult your Volvo retailer for informa-tion.

07 Wheels and tires
Uniform Tire Quality Grading
07
189
ALL PASSENGER VEHICLE TIRES MUST CONFORM TO FEDERAL SAFETYREQUIREMENTS IN ADDITION TO THESEGRADES Quality grades can be found, where appli- cable, on the tire sidewall between thetread shoulder and maximum sectionwidth. For example: Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
TREADWEARThe treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of the tire when tes-ted under controlled conditions on a specifiedgovernment test course. For example, a tiregraded 150 would wear one and one half (11/2) times as well on the government courseas a tire graded 100. The relative perform-ance of tires depends upon the actual condi-tions of their use, however, and many departsignificantly from the norm due to variation indriving habits, maintenance practices and dif-ferences in road characteristics and climate.
TRACTIONThe traction grades, from highest to lowest,are AA, A, B, and C, as measured under con-trolled conditions on specified governmenttest surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tiremarked C may have poor traction perform-ance.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on braking (straight-ahead) tractiontests and is not a measure of cornering(turning) traction.
TEMPERATUREThe temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C, representing the tire's resistance tothe generation of heat and its ability to dissi-pate heat when tested under controlled con-ditions on a specified indoor laboratory testwheel. Sustained high temperature can causethe material of the tire to degenerate andreduce tire life, and excessive temperaturecan lead to sudden tire failure. The grade Ccorresponds to a minimum level of perform-ance that all passenger vehicle tires mustmeet under the Federal Motor Safety Stand-ard No. 109. Grades B and A represent higherlevels of performance on the laboratory testwheel than the minimum required by law.
WARNING
The temperature grade for this tire is established for a tire that is properly infla-ted and not overloaded. Excessive speed,under-inflation, or excessive loading, eitherseparately or in combination, can causeheat buildup and tire failure.

07 Wheels and tires
Snow chains, snow tires, studded tires
07
190
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 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 chainsshould 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.
• 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-in300-600 miles (500-1000 km) duringwhich the vehicle should be driven assmoothly as possible to give the studsthe opportunity to seat properly in thetires. The tires should have the samerotational direction throughout their entirelifetime.NOTE
Please consult state or provincial regula- tions restricting the use of studded wintertires before installing such tires.
1
Where permitted