I had my first flat tire on my 2012 C70 last night, and I had the wonderful experience of using the tool kit provided by Volvo, in particular, the tire iron. This has to be the single most inferior tire iron I have ever used in my life! (I should not even use the word "iron"!!) Is Volvo kidding?
Not sure what caused what, but lug nut #5 ended up stripped, and the "hex" of the tubular steel tire iron "bent", and lost it's hex shape-The wall of the tubing deformed. I was left stranded by this 50 cent tool!
Granted, perhaps the lug nut was over torqued by the previous installer, and the fact that the wrench is barely 8" long, leverage is non-existent, but to bend!!! I have NEVER had a tire iron fail. I have snapped a stud or two off in my lifetime(if over tightened and/or seized) , but never had the hex of the tool "stretch" and deform.

The cheap plastic protective covers on the lug nuts do not help. They allow the too much movement on the hex and limit positive engagement of the wrench.

This thing would not be suitable for use as a kickstand on a cheap Chinese bicycle. How much did Volvo save by switching to this piece of junk? It's useless! Might as well just toss my spare-with this tie iron, it's useless anyway, & could use the trunk space on the C70!

This is my 5th Volvo lease over the last 12+ years, and I have always been impressed with "Swedish Engineering", but not with this piece of &%$#!

Just wondering if anyone else has had any similar negative experience working with this junk???

 

Is it one of these things?



I have bent a couple of them. They are the worse. I don't like the jack either. I think it's the most dangerous I have ever used.

The old 740's and 240's had these. They were great for speed but still lacked leverage.



I keep a cross in my car now. I'm glad you reminded me. I need to put a cross in my daughter's S70.

 

No, that's what I have had in the past, and as cheap as those may seem to you, I wish that was what I found. I've used that style in the past with no issues. At least that one seams to be cast metal. My tire iron is tubular steel, which will bend before it breaks.
I'll be looking for a tire kit like yours...Even if the dealer offers me a replacement for the factory junk supplied with the car, I can hardly rely on it.

I attached a few picks...hope they come through

P.S. In a calmer state of mind, I just noticed the wrench is stamped "made in Turkey"......my apologies China

 

Just tried to remove a wheel from my 2011 C70 for the first time and had the same experience as the original poster of this thread. The Tire Iron is totally useless. Not only is it cheap plastic, but it does not seat fully on the Lug Nuts, so it's impossible to remove one. I tried a 19mm Socket on the Lug Nuts and found that it would NOT fully seat on all five lugs nuts - just two of them. So I could not remove the wheel.

What size Tire Iron is required for the 2011 C70, and where can I get one? Thanks!

 

Your problem is the lug nuts, not the tire iron.

 

I use a 1/2" socket breaker bar with a impact wrench 6 pt deep socket to remove my lugs - easy to find at Sears, Ace etc for $20-25. But, even with that in mind, you probably have an over tightened lug and not an incorrect wrench. I always use a torque wrench to tighten - the specs are in your owner's manual but my recall is its 80-100 ft/lbs depending on nut type - the lugs with the caps are 80 and the bolts are 100. Keep in mind its easy to strong arm lugs if you don't use a torque wrench and follow the tightening pattern to ensure the hub centers and doesn't leave a slack bolt.

 

I have some really good German ones that are extra, if you want to PM me.

 

I discovered a big part of the problem - the Volvo Lug Nuts have a "soft" covering - almost tin like. I was able to remove the one Lug Nut that had become deformed when I attempted to remove it using a 19mm socket. I purchased a 20" Lug Nut Wrench (4 ends) and got it off - in the process, the Lug Nut covering came completely off! I have never seen a Lug Nut that was not a solid piece. These things are ridiculous!

 

Yep, like I said, the problem is the lugs in your case. The redesigned ones have a removable plastic cap. That way it doesn't corrode and swell up so you can't fit a 19mm on.