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2012 Volvo C70

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2012 C70.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S5)

The 2012 Volvo C70 is a passenger‑car built on Volvo’s contemporary platform and equipped with an automatic S5 gearbox, drawing 6.1 qt of 0W‑30/0W‑40/5W‑30 oil to keep its powertrain lubricated, while delivering a combined EPA rating of 18/28/21 mpg. Across the model’s 1998‑2013 run, owner feedback has been modest, with only 23 total complaints recorded for this year and the overall complaint peak of 26 occurring in 2000; notably, the lowest‑complaint year was 2010 with just four reports, positioning the 2012 C70 toward the more reliable end of the lineage. This placement suggests that the 2012 iteration benefits from the incremental refinements that have reduced the model’s historically higher trouble spots, making it a comparatively dependable choice for researchers examining Volvo’s midsize coupe reliability trends.

Model year2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity6.1 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type0W-30 / 0W-40 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque96 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy18/28/21 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 91 · 590 CCA battery, OE oil filter 8692305. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 91 · 590 CCAOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	8692305
Engine air filter	30757155
Fuel filter	31271607 alt 31273741
Battery	30772236 alt 30772221
Front wiper blades	32341315
Thermostat	31319608
Cabin air filter	30780376 alt 30780377

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic (S5)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	180.3 in
Overall width	71.7 in
Overall height	55.5 in
Wheelbase	103.9 in
Curb weight	3827 lb
Track (front / rear)	61 / 60.6 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	56/44

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	18 / 28 / 21 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the C70 of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.3–7.7 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.30 sec — 2007 T5 Convertible

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
2007	T5 Convertible 2.5L Turbo I-5	7.30 sec	15.70 sec	218 hp	FWD
2007	T5 Convertible 2.5L Turbo I-5	7.70 sec	15.90 sec	218 hp	FWD
2006	T5 Convertible 2.5L Turbo I-5	7.50 sec	15.70 sec	218 hp	FWD
2006	T5 Convertible 2.5L Turbo I-5	7.60 sec	15.90 sec	218 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 6.1 qt of 0W-30 / 0W-40 / 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 96 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-4-5-3. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid	ATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity	8.2
Brake Fluid	DOT 4
Engine Oil	0W-30 · 0W-40 · API · 5W-30 · 5W-40
Engine Oil Capacity	6.1 qt
Manual Transmission Fluid	Volvo part number 31280771
Manual Transmission Fluid Capacity	4.0-4.4
Power Steering Fluid	SYNTHETIC

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts	133 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	Lower: 14 ft-lbs; Upper: 7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	17.7 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs	84 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	96 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	26 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-2-4-5-3
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)	720 rpm

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	1.20-1.30 lbs
Oil Type	Volvo part number 87085817 or equivalent
Oil Capacity	6.00-6.10 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	91
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	590 cca
Optional BCI Group Number	94R
Optional BCI Cranking Performance	700 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test	22 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	22 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	194 °F
Injector Primary Resistance	12 ohms

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	22 ft-lbs / 26 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	89 ft-lbs / 52 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.079; Rear: 0.079 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.0003 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.003 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	0.984 in / 0.433 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	0.984 in / 0.433 in
Rotor Minimum Machining	0.937 in / 0.385 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages

11 ft. lbs., Step 2: 18 ft. lbs., Step 3: 100

11 ft. lbs

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

1	15 ft. lbs.	15 ft. lbs
2	44 ft. lbs.	44 ft. lbs
3	130 degrees.	130 degrees

Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

33 ft. lbs., Step 2: 50

33 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 75,000 mi.

Every 7,500 mi	Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Driveshaft Support Bearing (inspect) · Driveshaft U-Joint (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Convertible Top (inspect) · Parking Brake System (inspect) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect all fluid levels)
Every 30,000 mi	Brake Line (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 37,500 mi	Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Air Filter Housing (clean)
At 60,000 mi	CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Driveshaft (inspect) · Driveshaft Support Bearing (inspect) · Driveshaft U-Joint (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Steering System (inspect)
Every 75,000 mi	Spark Plugs (replace)
At 120,000 mi	Drive Belt (replace) · Timing Belt (replace)
At 150,000 mi	Vehicle Wiring Harnesses (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2012 Volvo C70 sits at the end of a generation that saw a general decline in recall activity, with only 1 recall that year compared to 2 in 2010 and 1 in 2011, and no investigations. However, it records the highest complaint count (23) of the entire second generation, a sharp rise from 13 in 2011 and more than double the 11 in 2013, driven largely by 10 unspecified "Unknown Or Other" issues and 6 structure-related complaints. This spike in complaints, without corresponding recalls or investigations, suggests that while no widespread safety defects were identified, owners reported a notable number of miscellaneous and structural concerns that may affect long-term satisfaction. Given the low recall count but elevated complaint volume relative to adjacent years, the 2012 C70 presents a mixed picture: it avoids major safety actions but could be prone to more frequent, less severe issues than the 2011 or 2013 models.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

184

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11’12’13

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 23 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Unknown Or Other10

Structure6

Latches/Locks/Linkages1

Power Train,Electrical System,Service Brakes1

Suspension,Structure,Wheels1

Seat Belts1

Structure,Unknown Or Other1

Power Train1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

11V508000Equipment:Other:LabelsReported 18/10/2011

VOLVO IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2012 C70 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 15, 2005, THROUGH JULY 31, 2011, AND MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 S60 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 14, 2010, THROUGH APRIL 16, 2011… Remedy: VOLVO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND INSTALL THE LABEL AS NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 23, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 184 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
37809.1.1	2026-04-07	Unknown Or Other	This is a TJ text only - The purpose of this TJ is to be a master reference list to…
19245	2025-12-06	Unknown Or Other	This is a Technical Journal. Vehicle type and platform identification.
8501	2025-04-10	Exterior Lighting	This is a Technical Journal: Remote connection, BOMGAR application. Before joining a…
S10303	2025-02-21	Unknown Or Other	Volvo Cars USA LLC and Volvo Car Canada LTD on behalf of the Volvo Car Corporation has…
S10303	2025-02-13	Unknown Or Other	Volvo Cars USA LLC and Volvo Car Canada LTD on behalf of the Volvo Car Corporation has…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific C70. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 91 battery Vehicles taking 6.1 qt Engine oil filter 8692305 Engine air filter 30757155 Fuel filter 31271607 Battery 30772236

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2012 C70 take?

6.1 qt of BELOW 104 degrees F,: 0W-30 OR 0W-40 API SL, -22 degrees F TO 104 degrees F: 5W-30 API SL, -13 degrees F TO 104 degrees F: 5W-40 API SL, per the factory manual.

Does the 2012 C70 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the C70 get?

EPA figures are 18 city / 28 highway / 21 combined mpg.