Winter Tyres; New Tyres - Volvo S60 Owner's Manual

Wheels and tyres
General
General information about
wheels and tyres
All tyres have a dimension designation.
Example of designation:
These tyre size designations, which are used by
all tyre manufacturers, can be interpreted as
follows:
215 section width (mm).
55 relationship between section height and
width (%)
R radial tyre
16 Wheel rim diameter in inches (")
93 code digits for maximum permissible
tyre load, in this case 650 kg
W specifies that the tyre is manufactured
for speeds up to 270 km/h
Your vehicle has "whole vehicle type
approval", which means that you are not
permitted to modify it from the dimension(s)
and/or performance classes specified in the
vehicle registration certificate. The only
exception from these regulations are winter
tyres and studded tyres, which may deviate in
size and speed rating if such are specified in the
registration certificate. If you select such a tyre
type, it must not be driven faster than the tyre
can handle.
The most common speed ratings are specified in
the following table.
Note that the maximum permissible speed is
indicated.
118
Q 160 km/h, used most often with
studded tyres
T 190 km/h
.
H 210 km/h
V 240 km/h
W 270 km/h
When replacing tyres: be careful to use the same
type, i.e. radial, dimension, designation, and brand
on all four wheels. Otherwise there is a risk that
the driving characteristics of the car will change.
Check with your dealer as to which sizes are
available for your car.
Bear in mind that the road surface conditions
determine how fast you may drive, not the tyre
speed rating.
This is extremely important for All
Wheel Drive models (AWD) since even small
size differences between wheels can cause
transmission damage.

New tyres

Keep in mind that tyres
are perishable goods –
they will begin to harden
after a few years and their
friction properties will be
reduced. Try to use fresh tyres when changing,
which is especially important for winter tyres.
The week and year of manufacture is indicated
with 4 digits, for example 1502. The tyres
shown in the illustration were manufactured
week 15, 2002.
WARNING!
The only Volvo approved "special wheel
rims" are those that are tested by Volvo and
are

Winter tyres

Volvo recommends winter tyres with
dimension 195/65 R15, except for cars with
petrol-driven turbo engines (B5204T5,
B5234T3 and B5244T3). Winter tyres with
dimension 205/55R16 are recommended for
these cars. Winter tyres of size 235/ 45R17 or
235/40R18 are to be used on S60 R.
Always use winter tyres on all four wheels!
Consult your Volvo dealer for advice
on which rim and tyre type you should use for
your car.
Studded tyres
Studded winter tyres should be "broken in" 500-
1000 km, softly and gently so that the studs sit
correctly in the tyre. This extends the service
life of both the tyres and the studs while making
the drive a bit quieter.
Remember that regulations for use of studded
tyres vary from country to country.