Oil change for volvo xc60

It's been awhile since I've been back in this forum. It's time for an oil change. I now own a 2013 Volvo XC60 T6. I posted the following back in 2009 when I owned a 2010 XC60 T6. The steps should be the same as before. I hope this is helpful.

Volvo uses a cartridge type oil filter on newer vehicles. The recommended oil and filter change by Volvo is every 7,500 miles. However, changing your oil and oil filter every 3,000 miles could extend the life of your car, improve performance and fuel consumption.

Before starting the oil change, idle the car for about 5-10 minutes to warm up the oil in the engine. Cold oil won't drain properly. Turn off the engine, make sure the shift is in park and the electronic parking brake is engaged. Jack up the front end of the car according to your vehicle Owner's Manual and place on jack stands or blocks making sure the back tires are chocked to prevent the car from rolling.

Next, remove the protective splash guard under the engine to get to the oil drain plug. There are eight TorX T30 head screws holding the splash guard in place. Remove the screws and pull down on either side to release the splash guard.

Locate the oil drain plug. Line the garage floor with several layers of newspaper under the area beneath the oil drain plug to catch any spills. Position an oil drain pan under the oil drain plug and allow for the oil to shoot out when you first remove the plug. Using a 17MM box or crescent wrench, loosen the oil drain plug turning counterclockwise. Then by hand, slowly unscrew the oil drain plug being careful not to drop the plug into the oil drain pan. Also, the oil may be hot so be careful to keep your face away from the stream of oil that will shoot out. Remove the oil filler cap on top of the engine while draining the oil so that the oil will drain more freely. If you're not in a rush, let the oil drain for a good half an hour or longer to make sure all the dirty oil has completely drained. Have shop towels handy to wipe up any mess.

While the oil is draining, locate the oil filter housing in the engine compartment on the passenger side below the power steering reservoir. Look for a black plastic cap with a big hex nut on top. There's little room to work. Detach the power steering reservoir and move it to the side. Do not detach any hoses from the power steering reservoir. To detach the power steering reservoir, you'll need to wedge a small flat head screwdriver under the small clip holding the reservoir. There's a catch in the hole of the clip so wiggle the clip side to side and it should slide right off. Make sure you don't drop the clip in the engine compartment. You'll need this clip to re-attach the power steering reservoir later. Slide the reservoir off the bracket and move it to the left. You'll now have just enough room to remove the oil filter. Clean the area around the oil filter cap and housing with a clean rag. You don't want to get any dirt in the oil filter housing when you remove the cap.

Now loosen the black plastic oil filter cap using a 6 PT 36MM socket turning counterclockwise. It's recommended not to use a 12 PT socket because it could round the plastic hex nut on the oil filter cap. Buy an Oil Filter Cap Socket like the one pictured below. (Low profile and fits perfectly. About $13 online) You'll need a 10" extension and universal joint to reach the oil cap. Continue to unscrew the oil filter cap by hand and wait a few minutes to allow the oil in the housing to drain off. Now remove the oil filter cap, pulling out the oil filter cartridge at the same time. Clean the threads on the cap and inside the housing with a clean rag making sure dirt doesn't get inside.

Your 2010 XC60 uses a Volvo OEM replacement oil filter cartridge #30750013. The kit usually comes with a new oil filter cartridge, rubber O ring gasket and aluminum crush washer for the oil drain plug. Remove the old rubber O ring gasket on the cap and replace it with a new one that comes with the filter. Spread a thin film of clean oil on the gasket with your finger, insert the new oil filter cartridge onto the cap and install the cap and filter into the housing. Thread the cap clockwise by hand at first making sure it's threading properly, then tighten with the 6 PT 36MM socket. Do not over tighten the cap. Volvo recommends a torque specification of 25+5 Nm. Reattach the power steering reservoir with the clip.

Now that the oil has completely drained, go back under the car and replace the oil drain plug with a new aluminum crush washer. Do not over tighten the drain plug. Just make it snug tight. Reinstall the splash guard making sure not to over tighten the TorX screws or you will crack the nylon fasteners. Remove the jack stands and lower the car back down.

Add the recommended oil for your XC60, depending upon your driving habits and climate conditions. Check your owner's manual for engine oil specifications. I prefer to use Castrol SYNTECH motor oil. Castrol website: http://www.castrol.com/castrol/productdeta...ntentId=6030793

To add new motor oil, remove the oil filler cap on top of the engine and insert a short wide funnel into the oil filler hole. The oil capacity for the 3.0 T6 is 7.82 quarts or 7.4 liters. Almost all the oil will drain so you'll need about 7-8 quarts of motor oil handy. Proceed to pour motor oil into the funnel being careful not to spill oil onto the engine. Wipe up any oil spills immediately with a clean rag. After pouring about 5 quarts of oil, check the dip stick for the oil level. Keep checking the dip stick as you pour more oil a little at a time allowing the oil to settle until you reach the proper oil level. Do not over fill. Run the engine for a few minutes and turn the engine off. Wait about 10 minutes to allow the oil to settle before checking the dip stick again. When you have filled the engine with the proper level of motor oil, replace the oil filler cap.

Lastly, check under the vehicle for any leaks and you're done. Check your oil dip stick for proper oil level once a week. Keep a mileage record of all your oil changes so you'll know when it's ready to change your oil again.

I hope this post will help extend the life of your Volvo. Happy driving!