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VOLVO
Cross Country
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Chapter 7 - Wheels and tires
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General information
Your vehicle is equipped with tires according to the tire information
label on the inside of the fuel filler door.
The following is an example of a tire designation code: 225/55 R16
225 = tire width in mm.
55 = tire profile. This is the relationship (in percent) between
the section height and width of the tire.
R = radial tires.
16 = diameter in inches.
The tires have good road holding characteristics and offer good
handling on dry and wet surfaces. It should be noted however that the
tires have been developed to give these features on snow/ice-free
surfaces. Certain models are equipped with "all-season" tires, which
provide a somewhat higher degree of road holding on slippery
surfaces than tires without the "all-season" rating. However, for
optimum road holding on icy or snow covered roads - we recommend
suitable winter tires on all four wheels. When replacing tires, be sure
that the new tires are the same dimensions, type (radial) and preferably
from the same manufacturer, on all four wheels. Do not use bias ply
tires. Otherwise there is a risk of altering the car's roadholding and
handling characteristics.
NOTE: When storing wheel/tire assemblies (e.g. snow tires and
wheels), either stand the assemblies upright, or suspend them off the
ground. Laying wheel/tire assemblies on their sides for prolonged
periods can cause wheel and/or tire damage.
Wear indicator
The tires have wear indicator strips running across or parallel to the
tread. When approx. 1/16" (1.6 mm) is left on the tread, these strips
become visible and indicate that the tire should be replaced.
Tires with less than 1/16" (1.6 mm) tread have very poor grip in rain or
snow.
To improve tire economy:
Maintain correct tire pressure. See the tire pressure label on the
inside of the fuel filler door.
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.
Volvo does not recommend rotating the tires. However, if tires are
rotated, they must be kept on the same side of the car so that they
revolve in the same direction as before rotation.
Hitting curbs or potholes can damage the tires and/or wheels
permanently.
Flat spots
All tires become warm during use. After cooling, when the vehicle is
parked, the tires have a tendency to distort slightly, forming flat spots.
These flat spots can cause vibrations similar to the vibrations caused by
unbalanced wheels. They do, however, disappear when the tire warms
up. The degree to which flat spots form depends on the type of cord used
in the tire. Remember that, in cold weather, it takes longer for the tire to
warm up and consequently longer for the flat spot to disappear.
CAUTION: Cars equipped with All Wheel Drive
The car must not be driven with wheels of different dimensions/
specifications or with a spare tire other than the one that came with
the car. The use of different size wheels can seriously damage your
car's transmission.
Driving with the temporary spare tire at speeds above 50 mph (80
km/h) can reduce the service life of transmission components. Do
not drive farther than 50 miles (80 km) on a temporary spare tire.
When one or more tires is replaced, the new tire(s) should be
mounted on the front wheels. The tires with the least amount of
tread should be mounted on the rear wheels.
pg. 101 Wheels and tires - All Wheel Drive vehicles
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Types of Tires
Always drive on tires of identical 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 pressure label located inside the
fuel filler door.
CAUTION:
Failure to always drive on properly inflated, identical tires of correct
dimensions may result in a circumference difference between tires
on the front and rear axles. This will cause excessive tire wear and
may damage the transmission and all-wheel-drive system.
Tire Replacement
When tire replacement is necessary, Volvo strongly recommends
replacing all four tires at the same time with identical tires as explained
above. Failure to do so can result in a circumference difference that may
damage the transmission and all-wheel-drive system.
If only one or two tires are replaced, the new tire(s) must be identical to
the tires with which the car was built, and must be mounted on the
FRONT AXLE ONLY! Failure to do this may damage the transmission
and all-wheel-drive system.
Tire Rotation
Volvo recommends rotating the tires every 7,500 miles (12,000 km).
Tires should be rotated front-to-back/back-to-front only. Tires must
maintain the same direction of rotation throughout their lifetime, and
should never be rotated from one side of the vehicle to the other.
CAUTION:
Failure to rotate tires at recommended intervals will cause uneven
tire wear and may damage the transmission and all-wheel-drive
system.
Temporary Spare
The temporary spare tire is for temporary, low-speed, short-distance use
only. Replace it with a full-sized tire as soon as possible, in accordance
with "Tire Rotation" above. Do not drive on the temporary spare at
speeds above 50 mph (80km/h) or for distances greater than 50 miles (80
km). Transmission and all-wheel-drive system damage may result.
Never install snow chains on a temporary spare.
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 approved snow chains.
Special snow chains must be mounted on 215/55 R16. Consult your
Volvo retailer.
If accessory, aftermarket or "custom" tires and wheels are installed
and are of a size different than the original tires and wheels, chains
in some cases CANNOT be used. Sufficient clearances between
chains and brakes, suspension and body components must be
maintained. Snow chains cannot be used on 17" wheels.
Some strap-on type chains will interfere with brake components and
therefore CANNOT be used.
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 manufacturer's installation instructions
carefully. Install chains as tightly as possible and retighten periodi-cally.
Never exceed the chain manufacturer's specified maximum speed
limit. In no case should you exceed 31 mph (50 km/h).
Avoid bumps, holes or sharp turns when driving with snow chains.
Vehicle handling can be adversely affected when driving with
chains. Avoid fast maneuvering and hard braking. Never allow the
wheels to lock up during braking.
Snow tires, studded tires *
Tires for winter use:
Owners who live in or regularly travel through areas with sustained
periods of snow or icy driving conditions are strongly advised to fit
suitable winter tires to help retain the highest degree of traction.
It is important to install winter tires on all four wheels to help retain
traction during cornering, braking, and accelerating. Failure to do so
could reduce traction to an unsafe level or adversely affect handling.
Volvo does not recommend tire rotation. However, as with any other
radial tires, if rotated, the tires must be kept on the same side of the car
so that they revolve in the same direction as before rotation.
Volvo recommends 195/65 R15 snow tires on non-turbo models.
Turbo models should be equipped with 205/55 R16 snow tires on all
four wheels (215/65 R16 tires should be used on the V70 XC).
Winter tires wear more quickly on dry roads in warm weather. They
should be removed when the winter driving season has ended.
Studded tires should be run-in 300-600 miles (500-1000 km) during
which the car should be driven as smoothly as possible to give the studs
the opportunity to seat properly in the tires. The tires should have the
same rotational direction throughout their entire lifetime. In other
words, if you wish to rotate the wheels, make sure that the same wheels
are always on the same side of the car.
NOTE: Please consult state or provincial regulations restricting the use
of studded winter tires before installing such tires.
* Where permitted.
Checking and correcting tire
pressure
Check the tire pressure regularly.
The tire pressure should be corrected only
when the tires are cold.
With warm tires, correct only when the
pressure is too low. The tire temperature
rises after driving just a few miles.
Vehicle loading
The tires on your Volvo should perform to
specifications at all normal loads when
inflated as recommended on the tire informa-tion
label. The label is located on the inside of
the fuel filler door. The label lists both tire and vehicle design limits. Do not load your car
beyond the load limits indicated.
WARNING!
Improperly inflated tires will reduce tire
life, adversely affect vehicle handling and
can possibly lead to failure resulting in
loss of vehicle control without prior
warning.
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Temporary Spare
The spare tire in your car is called a
"Temporary Spare". It has the following
designation: T125/80 R17 (T135/90 R17 on
the V70 XC).
At the recommended tire pressure shown on
the inside of the fuel filler door, the tire may
be used as a temporary replacement for a
front or rear tire.
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 a
temporary replacement for a punctured tire.
It must be replaced as soon as possible by a
standard tire. Road holding and handling
may be affected with the "Temporary Spare"
in use. Do not exceed 50 mph (80 km/h). Do
not drive farther than 50 miles (80 km) on a
temporary spare tire.
All Wheel Drive models: Driving with the
"Temporary Spare" at speeds above 50 mph
(80 kph) can lead to excessive wear on
transmission components.
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CAUTION:
The car must not be driven with wheels of
different dimensions or with a spare tire
other than the one that came with the car.
The use of different size wheels can
seriously damage your car's transmission.
NOTE: Certain models may be equipped with
a full-size spare tire. When used, it should be
inflated to the same pressure as the tire it is
replacing.
Uniform tire quality grading
ALL PASSENGER CAR TIRES MUST CONFORM TO FEDERAL
SAFETY REQUIREMENTS IN ADDITION TO THESE GRADES
Quality grades can be found, where applicable, on the tire sidewall
between the tread shoulder and maximum section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
TREADWEAR
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of
the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a specified govern-ment
test course. For example, a tire graded 150 would wear one and one
half (1 1/2) times as well on the government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and many depart significantly from the norm due to
variation in driving habits, service practices and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
TRACTION
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA, A, B, and C, as
measured under controlled conditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
WARNING!
The traction grade assigned to this tire is based on braking (straight-ahead)
traction tests and is not a measure of cornering (turning)
traction.
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TEMPERATURE
The temperature grades are AA (the highest), A, B, and C, representing
the tire's resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissipate
heat when tested under controlled conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can cause the material
of the tire to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive temperature
can lead to sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a minimum
level of performance which all passenger car tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B and A represent
higher levels of performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
WARNING!
The temperature grade for this tire is established for a tire that is
properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed, under-inflation,
or excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
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Changing wheels
The spare wheel is located under the carpet on
the cargo area floor. The jack and crank are
secured in the wheel recess.
There are two jack attachment points on each
side of the car.
To change a wheel:
Engage the parking brake.
Put the gear selector in (P)ark.
Remove the wheel cap (where applicable)
using the lug wrench in the tool kit.
With the car still on the ground, use the lug
wrench to loosen the wheel bolts 1/2 - 1
turn. Turn the bolts counterclockwise to
loosen.
Position the jack on the bar in the attachment
(A in the illustration in right column)
and crank while simultaneously guiding
the base of the jack to the ground. The
base of the jack must be flat on a level,
firm, non-slippery surface. Before
raising the car, check that the jack is
still correctly positioned in the attach-ment.
Raise the vehicle until the wheel to be
changed is lifted off the ground.
Unscrew the wheel bolts completely and
carefully remove the wheel so as not to
damage the thread on the studs.
NOTE: See also page 127 for hoisting the
vehicle on a garage lift!
WARNING!
The jack must correctly engage the bar
in the jack attachment . The car's
weight must not rest on the jack
attachment. See illustration on page 106.
Be sure the jack is on a firm, level, non-slippery
surface.
Never allow any part of your body to be
extended under a car supported by a
jack.
Use the jack intended for the car when
replacing a wheel. For any other job, use
stands to support the side of the car
being worked on.
Apply the parking brake and put the
gear selector in the (P)ark position.
Block the wheels standing on the
ground, use rigid wooden blocks or large stones.
The jack should be kept well-greased.
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NOTE: To avoid excessive wear and the
necessity of rebalancing, mark and reinstall
wheels in the same location and position as
before removal. To lessen the chance of
imbalance, each wheel hub is equipped with a
guide stud to ensure that a removed wheel can
be reinstalled in its original position (as when
changing over to winter tires/wheels).
NOTE: Refer to page 127 for hoisting the
vehicle on a garage lift.
CAUTION:
The car must not be driven with wheels of
different dimensions or with a spare tire
other than the one that came with the car.
The use of different size wheels can
seriously damage your car's transmission.
Correct tightening torque on wheel bolts
must be observed. The wheel bolts should
never be greased or lubricated. The
extended, chromed wheel bolts must not
be used with steel rims, as they make it
impossible to fit the hub caps.
Installing the wheel
Clean the contact surfaces on the wheel
and hub.
Lift the wheel and place it on the hub.
Make sure that you align the wheel with
the guide stud on the wheel hub prior to
installation.
Install the wheel bolts and tighten hand-tight.
Using the lug wrench, tighten
crosswise (see illustration above) until all
bolts are snug.
Lower the vehicle to the ground and
alternately tighten the bolts crosswise to
100 ft. lbs. (136 Nm).
Install the wheel cap (where applicable).
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