2009 Volvo XC70 Owner's Manual - Page 244

06 Maintenance and specifications Wheels and tires Introduction Your vehicle is equipped with tires according to the vehicle's tire information placard on the B-pillar (the structural member at the side of the vehicle, at the rear of the driver's door opening). 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. 06 CAUTION Some Volvo models are equipped with an Ultra High Performance tire and wheel combination designed to provide maximum dry pavement performance with consideration for hydroplaning resistance. As such, they may be more susceptible to road hazard damage and, depending on driving conditions, may achieve a tread life of less than 20,000 miles (30,000 km). Even if this vehicle is equipped with Volvo's advanced AWD or DSTC system, these tires are not designed for winter driving, and should be replaced with winter tires when weather conditions dictate. CAUTION Tires should preferably be stored in a cool, dry, dark place, and should never be stored in close proximity to solvents, gasoline, oils, etc. Tread wear indicator When replacing tires, be sure that the new tires are the same size designation, type (radial) and preferably from the same manufacturer, on all four wheels. Otherwise there is a risk of altering the car's roadholding and handling characteristics. Tread wear indicator Storing wheels and tires When storing complete wheels (tires mounted on rims), they should be suspended off the floor or placed on their sides on the floor. Tires not mounted on rims should be stored on their sides or standing upright, but should not be suspended. 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 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 offer very poor traction. 244 G021829