STARTING AND DRIVING
372
Before a long distance trip
It is always worthwhile to have your vehicle checked by a trained and qualified Volvo servicetechnician before driving long distances. Yourretailer will also be able to supply you with bulbs,fuses, spark plugs and wiper blades for your usein the event that problems occur.
As a minimum, the following items should be checked before any long trip:
• Check that engine runs smoothly and thatfuel consumption and the oil level are normal.
• Before leaving on a trip, fill the fuel tank andmake sure the hybrid battery is fully charged.During the trip, make a habit of refueling reg-ularly.
• Check for fuel, oil, and fluid leakage.
• Check condition of drive belts.
• Check state of the battery's charge.
• Examine tires carefully (including the sparetire where applicable), and replace those thatare worn. Also, check tire inflation pressure.
• The brakes, front wheel alignment, and steer-ing gear should be checked by a trained andqualified Volvo service technician only.
• Check all lights, including high beams.
• Reflective warning triangles are legallyrequired in some states/provinces.
• Have a word with a trained and qualifiedVolvo service technician if you intend to drive in countries where it may be difficult toobtain the correct fuel.
• Consider your destination. If you will be driv-ing through an area where snow or ice arelikely to occur, consider using snow tires.
Driving economically
Better driving economy can be obtained by thinking ahead, avoiding rapid starts and stopsand adjusting the speed of your vehicle to imme-diate traffic conditions.
Driving economically with Twin EnginePlug-in Hybrid vehicles
Plan your driving in order to utilize the electric motor as much as possible. An energy-conserving driving style lowers current consumption from the hybrid battery and helpsincrease electric driving range.
Charging
• Charge the hybrid battery as often as possi- ble from the electricity grid using the charg-ing cable. Whenever possible, begin a drivewith a fully charged battery.
• Check the location of charging points.
• Where possible, choose parking spaces withcharging points.
WHEELS AND TIRES
474
Tire sidewall designations
The following information can be found on a tire's sidewall.
Federal law mandates that tire manufacturers place standardized information on the sidewall ofall tires (see the illustration). The vehicle has been certified with certain combi- nations of wheels and tires. The following information is listed on the tire sidewall: The tire designation:
NOTE
Please be aware that the following tire desig- nation is an example only and that this par-
ticular tire may not be available on your vehi- cle.
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 3
.
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 maximum
speed at which the tire is designed to bedriven for extended periods of time, carryinga permissible load for the vehicle, and withcorrect inflation pressure. For example, Hindicates a speed rating of 130 mph(210 km/h).
NOTE
The tire's load index and speed rating may not appear on the sidewall because they arenot required by law.
7. M+S or M/S = Mud and Snow, AT = All Ter-
rain, AS = All Season
8. U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN) : This begins with the letters "DOT" and
indicates that the tire meets all federalstandards. The next two numbers or lettersare the plant code where it was manufac-tured, the next two are the tire size code andthe last four numbers represent the weekand year the tire was built. For example,1510 means that the tire was manufacturedduring week 15 of 2010. The numbers inbetween are marketing codes used at themanufacturer's discretion. This informationhelps a tire manufacturer identify a tire forsafety recall purposes.
9. Tire Ply Composition and Material Used :
Indicates the number of plies indicates or thenumber of layers of rubber-coated fabric inthe tire tread and sidewall. Tire manufactur-ers also must indicate the ply materials in thetire and the sidewall, which include steel,nylon, polyester, and others.
3 Self-supporting run flat tires may not be available on all models
WHEELS AND TIRES
477
Tire direction of rotation
Incorrectly mounted tires impair the car's braking properties and ability to force aside rain, snowand slush.
The arrows shows the direction of rotation of the tire
• The tires with the most tread should always be on the rear axle (to help reduce the risk ofskidding).
• When switching between summer and wintertires, mark the tires to indicate where theywere mounted on the car, e.g., LF = left front,RR = right rear
• Tires with tread designed to roll in only onedirection are marked with an arrow on thesidewall.
• Contact a trained and qualified Volvo servicetechnician if you are unsure about the treaddepth.
Related information
•Tires (p. 472)
Tread wear indicator
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 onthe tread, these strips become visible and indi-cate that the tire should be replaced. Tires withless than 1/16" (1.6 mm) tread offer very poortraction. When replacing worn tires, it is recommended that the tire be identical in type (radial) and sizeas the one being replaced. Using a tire of thesame make (manufacturer) will help preventalteration of the driving characteristics of thevehicle.
Related information
• Tire direction of rotation (p. 477)
• Checking tire inflation pressure (p. 480)
WHEELS AND TIRES
489
Calibrating the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)In order for the Tire Pressure Monitoring System to work properly, tire pressure reference valuesmust be set correctly. This must be done eachtime wheels are changed or tire pressures aremodified.
Calibrating TPMSTo calibrate the system:
1. Switch off the engine.
2. Re-inflate the tire(s) to the correct pressure. Consult the tire pressure decal located on the driver's side B-pillar (the structural mem-ber at the side of the vehicle, at the rear ofthe driver's door opening) or the inflationpressure table in your printed owner's man-ual supplement.
3. Start the engine. 4. Open the
Car status app in the center dis-
play's App view.
5. Tap Status to access Tire Pressure
Monitoring System. 6. Tap the calibration button. 7.
Tap
OK after the tire pressure in all four tires
has been checked and adjusted.
8. Drive the vehicle. > The calibration process will be completedwhile driving and will be interrupted if the vehicle is parked and the engine isswitched off. Calibration continues auto-matically when driving resumes.
When enough data has been collected to detecta low tire pressure situation, the tires' color in thecenter display will change to green. The systemwill not give any text confirmation when calibra-tion is finished although it will state if calibrationfails. When driving with heavy loads or at sus-tained highway speeds, the tire pressure shouldbe adjusted to the recommended inflation pres-sures. After adjusting inflation pressure, repeat steps 1-8.
NOTE
Always remember to calibrate the Tire Pres- sure Monitoring System when the wheelshave been changed or the tire inflation pres-sure has been corrected according to the tirepressure decal or tire inflation pressure table. If correct reference values have not been set, the system cannot issue low tire pressurealerts correctly. The vehicle must be parked with the engine running to access the calibration button andto start the calibration process.
WARNING
The exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide, which is invisible and odorless but very poi-sonous. For this reason, always perform thecalibration procedure outdoors or in a work-shop with exhaust gas evacuation equipment.
Related information
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) (p. 485)