2016 Volvo V60 Coolant blue or pink - why is mine blue

[urdrwho]

From the first day of ownership of our car (bought used with 19,000 miles on it) the coolant has always been blue. From the beginning the service manager said, "yes these cars will use coolant and reservoir will show such use"). So I've always used blue coolant. Here's the odd part.

When I go to my car parts sites and plug in the 2016 year, model etc. I get a return that it should be using pink. If I drop down one year, same make, model etc I am led to the blue blood.

As far as I know, the 2016 V60 5 cylinder engine is the same as the 2015 V60 5 cylinder. All these different freak'in colors - geez. One make wants Asian blue, one make wants Europeon blue, so I end up woth all these gallons of antifreeze to top off cars.

The one I've used a bit of in the past for the 2016 V60 T5 is the PEAK European Silicate-Enhanced Hybrid Organic Acid. Used to use Pentafrost but it became a rare animal in my area and I don't always like waiting for deliveries.

SILICATE HYBRID ORGANIC ACID TECHNOLOGY (SI-OAT) - Si-OATs use silicates and HOAT technology and are a relatively new coolant formulation. They have extended service life and meet the requirements of modern engines produced by European vehicle manufacturers including Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Audi, VW, and others. Their service life is up to 5 years or 250,000 km for passenger cars or up to 3 years or 500,000 km for heavy-duty vehicles.

These manufacturer’s coolant specifications and recommendations are based on coolant service life, corrosion protection, and chemical compatibility. Also, take operational and environmental conditions into consideration like high or extremely low temperatures.

I'd ask the dealer but..... I go back to the great discussion about transmission fluid on the forums. Dealer was always trying to sell Volvo brand. Turns out that after research, some guy found that Mobil made the fluid for them and had the product number for Mobil. Could purchase the Mobil at about half the price. So if I ask the dealer, I'd lay money down that they will say, use Volvo branded product.

2015 Volvo V60​

Peak Original Equipment Euro Blue Antifreeze and Coolant: 50/50 Ready To Use, 1 Gallon​

Part # PEBB53

2016 Volvo V60​

Peak ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TECHNOLOGY Antifreeze + Coolant 50/50 Prediluted for European Vehicles - PINK - 1 Gallon​

No Reviews
Part # PEPB53

 

[Astro14]

I just use Volvo OEM. John, and Sam, at the local dealer parts counter give me a break on price, so typically, I get it from them. the cars all have 8 quart capacities, so, a Gallon allows for a complete flush/change.

I haven’t seen anything but blue - and I would trust the parts counter over a 3rd party like Peak. The Zerex G48 is now the Mercedes OEM, at least, as sold by Bill and Randy at the local parts counter at my Mercedes dealership. I trust those two guys as well. In fact, first bought parts from Randy in 1991, for my much loved 240D. Bill, back then, was working at the Volvo dealership, so I’ve know each of those guys for about 33 years.

Back on topic - see what the parts counter at Volvo says. And the Zerex G48 is good for Volvo as well if your local dealership is jacking up prices - which many of them do.

Bigger question - what color is the stuff in your reservoir?

Which was rhetorical - If your car came with blue (which was in your post) - then, uh, blue. Decision complete.

 

[Jetronic]

If you flush all the old coolant out, you can switch all cars to whatever coolant you want. All cars use a mix of aluminium and steel these days

 

[urdrwho]

I just use Volvo OEM. John, and Sam, at the local dealer parts counter give me a break on price, so typically, I get it from them. the cars all have 8 quart capacities, so, a Gallon allows for a complete flush/change.

I haven’t seen anything but blue - and I would trust the parts counter over a 3rd party like Peak. The Zerex G48 is now the Mercedes OEM, at least, as sold by Bill and Randy at the local parts counter at my Mercedes dealership. I trust those two guys as well. In fact, first bought parts from Randy in 1991, for my much loved 240D. Bill, back then, was working at the Volvo dealership, so I’ve know each of those guys for about 33 years.

Back on topic - see what the parts counter at Volvo says. And the Zerex G48 is good for Volvo as well if your local dealership is jacking up prices - which many of them do.

Bigger question - what color is the stuff in your reservoir?

Which was rhetorical - If your car came with blue (which was in your post) - then, uh, blue. Decision complete.

Color in reservoir is blue. The purchase sticker is still on the gallon of pre-mis and there is hardly any out of it. I bought it during yeah the bad time when we were in the depth of marrow transplant. So I probably was living in a hospital setting or busy going back and forth preparing for it.

I probably did my research and that is why I have that gallon. From research the SILICATE HYBRID ORGANIC ACID TECHNOLOGY (SI-OAT) which is what my gallon has in it is one of the newer and better inventions.

Because I haven't used much, because it is a newer form of HOAT, I'm not all that worried. This all got started because I see my Honda CR-V reservoir could use some coolant and I didn't have on hand. It is also blue and I first thought - "oh I'll just use the blue I have" but then I find there is European blue and Asian blue and the search was on.

I think the first car I had which was not green blood was my 2006 S-60 (I think) or it could have been the V50, which was newer. Anyhow at the time OAT wasn't as easy to find and I had to run a distance for it. And I think it was Zerex HOAT --- had to go out to garage to check. Wow that S-60 was a good car. The file on it is very skinny.

Good to know that Zerex G48. In the end, aside from mixing with the old inorganic IAT stuff, is it that much of a nuke bomb? For the price I'd rather not take the risk but I do wonder what the difference is between European SI-HOAT and Asian SI-HOAT?

And as a last question - I see there are brands that advertise universal, you can use in any vehicle. It isn't something I would do but if it were terrible wouldn't the attorneys already found manufacture liability.

Ha! It wasn't the last. If memory serves me, back in the days of my Jags- the Series III and the XJ40, I think the standard protocol for the dealers was adding a satchel / packet of silicone into the coolant and part of maintenance. It was some kind of packet.

having lunch today with one of my car buddies and his wife today. We've done a lot of work together on our Jags and Caddies , we'll talk coolant.

 

[dumkid]

Color in reservoir is blue. The purchase sticker is still on the gallon of pre-mis and there is hardly any out of it. I bought it during yeah the bad time when we were in the depth of marrow transplant. So I probably was living in a hospital setting or busy going back and forth preparing for it.

I probably did my research and that is why I have that gallon. From research the SILICATE HYBRID ORGANIC ACID TECHNOLOGY (SI-OAT) which is what my gallon has in it is one of the newer and better inventions.

Because I haven't used much, because it is a newer form of HOAT, I'm not all that worried. This all got started because I see my Honda CR-V reservoir could use some coolant and I didn't have on hand. It is also blue and I first thought - "oh I'll just use the blue I have" but then I find there is European blue and Asian blue and the search was on.

I think the first car I had which was not green blood was my 2006 S-60 (I think) or it could have been the V50, which was newer. Anyhow at the time OAT wasn't as easy to find and I had to run a distance for it. And I think it was Zerex HOAT --- had to go out to garage to check. Wow that S-60 was a good car. The file on it is very skinny.

Good to know that Zerex G48. In the end, aside from mixing with the old inorganic IAT stuff, is it that much of a nuke bomb? For the price I'd rather not take the risk but I do wonder what the difference is between European SI-HOAT and Asian SI-HOAT?

And as a last question - I see there are brands that advertise universal, you can use in any vehicle. It isn't something I would do but if it were terrible wouldn't the attorneys already found manufacture liability.

Ha! It wasn't the last. If memory serves me, back in the days of my Jags- the Series III and the XJ40, I think the standard protocol for the dealers was adding a satchel / packet of silicone into the coolant and part of maintenance. It was some kind of packet.

having lunch today with one of my car buddies and his wife today. We've done a lot of work together on our Jags and Caddies , we'll talk coolant.

The difference between euro blue and asian blue is euro is si-oat and asian is p-oat (phosphated oat)

 

[urdrwho]

Spent some time today researching this color coded coolant issue and visiting another post on bobistheoilguy dated Feb 14th 2024 where the person said "Car makers really turned coolant selection into a circus,". I agree, the entire color coded coolant is a mess. The closest I can get to determining why Volvo changed the same engine in 2015 to a different color in 2016 could be they started to like EG?

But on IPD they recommend Pentofrost NF for 2015 and 2016 V60's . Mine is blue blood and Penta is blue blood and who the heck knows but Pentofrost NF is a silicate-based coolant and so is the blue Peak gallon in my garage.

I get it that combining an old green with Dex or with a new type of coolant might make jello but when you are replacing blue with blue, pink with pink, etc. is it just engineers preferences as to silicate-based or not silicate-based or ex-year we changed and like EG based because it has better properties or is there really something to it? maybe some is based on environmental considerations and as I read, manufacturers are aiming at longer maintenance times between coolant changes.

Tomorrow I call a Volvo dealer about the blue or pink caper.

My 2016 T5 low pressure turbo

Pentosin Pentofrost NF Coolant Concentrate, 1.5L
Pentosin 8114117 - 140852
Pentofrost NF is an environmentally friendly Antifreeze concentrate for multipurpose applications in watercooled engines. It does not contain any nitrites, amines or phosphorous additives. Pentofrost NF protects all material used in cooling systems and is recommended for non-ferrous metals and year-round use. Meets ASTM D-3306, and is recommended for use in Volvos in place of part numbers 31439821, 9437651, 9437650, 9434699, 1381081, and G48. This is a silicate-based coolant, and should not mixed with H-OAT or OAT coolants such as DEX-COOL; such coolants will typically be orange in color. We recommend a complete system flush whenever changing coolants.

2015 V60 T5 low pressure turbo

Pentosin Pentofrost NF Coolant Concentrate, 1.5L
Pentosin 8114117 - 140852
Pentofrost NF is an environmentally friendly Antifreeze concentrate for multipurpose applications in watercooled engines. It does not contain any nitrites, amines or phosphorous additives. Pentofrost NF protects all material used in cooling systems and is recommended for non-ferrous metals and year-round use. Meets ASTM D-3306, and is recommended for use in Volvos in place of part numbers 31439821, 9437651, 9437650, 9434699, 1381081, and G48. This is a silicate-based coolant, and should not mixed with H-OAT or OAT coolants such as DEX-COOL; such coolants will typically be orange in color.

 

[dumkid]

If they're both si-oat they should be mixable.

I mixed g-05 with either pink or purple Chrysler coolant and nothing broke (one was oat, one was hoat, i forgot which colors go where)

 

[urdrwho]

If they're both si-oat they should be mixable.

I mixed g-05 with either pink or purple Chrysler coolant and nothing broke (one was oat, one was hoat, i forgot which colors go where)

Thanks.

 

[Sam_Julier]

I have used Pentofrost NL for over 15 years on our Volvos and Mercedes. Flushed every 24 months or 30,000 miles with Liqui-Moly radiator cleaner followed by new coolant and distilled water. Plus a radiator cleaning every year.

You don’t need to over think this. Just use the specified coolant and flush it regularly.

 

[urdrwho]

I have used Pentofrost NL for over 15 years on our Volvos and Mercedes. Flushed every 24 months or 30,000 miles with Liqui-Moly radiator cleaner followed by new coolant and distilled water. Plus a radiator cleaning every year.

You don’t need to over think this. Just use the specified coolant and flush it regularly.

The only reason I've been over thinking is because since buying the car, used with 19,000 miles on it, I've had to top off the reservoir from time to time. I was a little ignorant about the coolant debacle of colors and thinking maybe I bought the wrong blue and have been topping off with the wrong blue. But from my research, because the Pento NF is silicate-based coolant, just like the blue gallon of Peak European I have, it therefore matches up with the Pentofrost NL. Neither of the two contain any nitrites, amines or phosphorous additive.

But if you slide over to Asian blue - your are looking at some phosphorous additive. Even though there is much, much aluminum in both Euro and Asian car engines. Go figure????

 

[The Critic]

The difference between euro blue and asian blue is euro is si-oat and asian is p-oat (phosphated oat)

Not sure if that is always true, but be careful about mixing the Si-OAT coolants with others. They can have some serious compatibility issues - resulting in gelling. FCA discussed this in a newsletter and the results can be horrific.

 

[dumkid]

I mixed dex cool and green iat once (in a water jug)

Majik pudding
So now if I'm going to mix coolants I make sure they have the same chemistry and then mix them in a water bottle and leave it for a while.

 

[urdrwho]

Not sure if that is always true, but be careful about mixing the Si-OAT coolants with others. They can have some serious compatibility issues - resulting in gelling. FCA discussed this in a newsletter and the results can be horrific.

Yes and that is what I don't want to do and why I researched. Not to belabor this issue and I think I am satisfied with my research results.
This Antifreeze Coolant Concentrate Genuine Volvo 32339856 - 124604 is OEM and from IPD website. "Everything IPD supplies under the "Genuine Volvo" designation are the factory original Volvo parts. " Two alternatives are recommended -

#1. Aisin ACB-003 coolant is non-silicate, non-amine, non-nitrite, and non-borate coolant with hybrid organic acid technology (HOAT). This coolant is designed and recommended for aluminum engines but can be used in varying applications.

#2. Pentofrost NF is an environmentally friendly Antifreeze concentrate for multipurpose applications in watercooled engines. It does not contain any nitrites, amines or phosphorous additives. This is a silicate-based coolant.

What is in that gallon jug that Volvo slapped their logo on and who makes it for them is an unknown. Yeah unless this dead horse came to life, Volvo doesn't make oils, trans fluids, etc., they re-brand such items with their logo.

Unless there is a heck of a lot of it, silicate offers protection and it is something that is good to have in the coolant. I've read that if it has a lot it can act as a sanding mechanism. HM???? Pentofrost NF has silicate in it and I'm going out on a limb here to say that a lot of Volvo people use Pentofrost NF.

 

[urdrwho]

I mixed dex cool and green iat once (in a water jug)

Majik pudding
So now if I'm going to mix coolants I make sure they have the same chemistry and then mix them in a water bottle and leave it for a while.

Laboratory experiments in the garage!

 

[dumkid]

There's also glow plug testing, and trying to decide whether the mystery sludge is coolant or oil or something else like gasoline