Refueling – octane rating

Updated 2023-06-08

Volvo recommends premium fuel for best performance, but using 87 octane1 or above will not affect engine reliability.

Minimum octane

All USA manuals Octane 87 — Typical pump octane label

Note

Vehicles equipped with high performance 4-cylinder engines require premium fuel. Consult your Volvo retailer if you are unsure about the fuel requirements for your vehicle.

TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline

Volvo endorses the use of “TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline” where available to help maintain engine performance and reliability. TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline meets a new standard jointly established by leading automotive manufactures to meet the needs of today’s advanced engines. Qualifying gasoline retailers (stations) will, in most cases, identify their gasoline as having met the “TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline” standards.

Note

Information about TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline is available at www.toptiergas.com.

Demanding driving

In demanding driving conditions, such as operating the vehicle in hot weather, towing a trailer, or driving for extended periods at higher altitudes than normal, it may be advisable to switch to higher octane fuel (91 or higher) or to change gasoline brands to fully utilize your engine's capacity, and for the smoothest possible operation.

Note

When switching to higher octane fuel or changing gasoline brands, it may be necessary to fill the tank more than once before a difference in engine operation is noticeable.

Fuel Formulations

Do not use gasoline that contains lead as a knock inhibitor, and do not use lead additives. Besides damaging the exhaust emission control systems on your vehicle, lead has been strongly linked to certain forms of cancer.

Many fuels contain benzene as a solvent. Unburned benzene has been strongly linked to certain forms of cancer. If you live in an area where you must fill your own gas tank, take precautions. These may include:

standing upwind away from the filler nozzle while refueling
refueling only at gas stations with vapor recovery systems that fully seal the mouth of the filler neck during refueling
wearing neoprene gloves while handling a fuel filler nozzle.

Use of Additives

With the exception of gas line antifreeze during winter months, do not add solvents, thickeners, or other store-bought additives to your vehicle's fuel, cooling, or lubricating systems. Overuse may damage your engine, and some of these additives contain organically volatile chemicals. Do not needlessly expose yourself to these chemicals.

Warning

Never carry a cell phone that is switched on while refueling your vehicle. If the phone rings, this may cause a spark that could ignite gasoline fumes, resulting in fire and injury.

Warning

Carbon monoxide is a poisonous, colorless, and odorless gas. It is present in all exhaust gases. If you ever smell exhaust fumes inside the vehicle, make sure the passenger compartment is ventilated, and immediately return the vehicle to a trained and qualified Volvo service technician for correction.