Volvo S80 Owner's Manual page 230

The arrow shows the direction of rotation of the
tire
Summer and winter tires
• When switching between summer and
winter tires, mark the tires to indicate
where they were mounted on the vehicle,
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.
• The tires with the most tread should al-
ways be at the rear (to reduce the risk of
skidding).
06 Maintenance and specifications
• Contact a Volvo workshop if you are un-
sure about the tread depth.
Tire rotation
Your vehicle has no recommended tire rota-
tion. The following information is intended to
help you understand why.
Tread set
As a tire ages and the rubber cures, front and
rear tires set at different angles. Therefore, if
tires are rotated, the tread will eventually set
at an angle that is a compromise. Even if ride,
handling, and road noise may still seem
acceptable, they may not be optimal. Fur-
ther, tires that are rotated, but not on a regu-
lar basis, may actually cause more tire noise,
faster tire wear, and unpleasant changes in
steering feel and vehicle handling.
A tire that can fully adapt to its position will
provide better steering feel, lower tire noise,
and better fuel economy.
Braking stability performance
Your vehicle is driven mainly by the front
tires, which will wear faster. This can be ben-
eficial. Having more tread on the rear tires
will help reduce oversteer. Oversteer is when
a vehicle wants to keep turning because of
momentum and dynamic forces on its sus-
pension.
Wheels and tires
Suspension wear diagnostics
Every suspension needs periodic inspection
and maintenance. A tire's wear pattern can
be an aid in detecting a suspension problem.
Each tire, if left in place, tells a story about
the suspension. Tire rotation, on the other
hand, could make suspension wear harder to
detect. Early detection is very important,
because suspension problems can make tire
wear worse.
If you do rotate your tires...
Please follow the tire manufacturer's recom-
mendations, as outlined in the tire manufac-
turers tire warranty pamphlet.
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