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Comments
Thanks,
Paul
upauls1@aol.com
But I have heard of it happening on other cars with timing belts (Alfa 164s as an example.. happend to a friend of mine's 164Q.. That's a 32Valve Italian engine.. can you say $6,500!?)
I'd contact your insurance co.. I know that State Farm bought an Alfa Engine last year..
Bill
One of the boards (Brickboard) has a search feature to save time when trying to find posts in the archives. Club S80 International has all of the posts organized into sub-topics, so is a good place to look as well. Also check out VolvoSpy.
Have noticed that my steering column has up/down play in it, and will have it looked at when I finally schedule my maintenance (oil was changed at 3000 miles, so I'm not in any hurry).
I've also noticed some surging when I first start the car and pull out of the driveway. It is happening when I accelerate and stops after I've gone a few blocks. I remember seeing early posts on this, but didn't pay any attention at the time. I would appreciate some insight as to what's causing it. Is this something I should be worried about?
Thanks in advance for the advice.
All in all another week in the shop for this car for this repair. I believe my less-than-three year old car has now spent over 30 days in the shop for various problems. And this does not count the four "in-and-out" trips to dealer to replace burned out headlamps.
ANyone want to bet whether or not I will:
o continue to own this car 1 mile beyond the 50,000 mile warranty period?
o buy another Volvo?
Thanks
Needless to say, I don't own a Volvo anymore...
Good luck!
Is your S80 a 2.9 or the T6? It would be interesting to know because I think the two trannies are different.
Camps
I've got the T6.
Hi, I am sorry for calling you Mark. Any how, I suspected that it was the T6 for the simple reason that there is always the chance that high performance cars are more prone to develope more problems than the average performance car. A lot depends on how you drive them especially how you move them off the line. If it is a manual, you have to be even more careful how you regulate the clutch in order to avoid gear box problems etc. I am not saying that this is your case, but you may want to think back on any occasion when you might have mistreated the car.
Camps
Scott
It's been a while since I've posted here. I have a 99 2.9 S80 and I have a question regarding CD changers. Does anyone know if the aftermarket has come out with a CD changer for this vehicle. I want to install one and if I can avoid the steep price for the factory unit I will. Another note, it has to be a direct connection because I do not like the sound quality of the FM modulated models.
Thanks for your help in advance.
Mark
Shoot.. Like $350-400 or so. S70s, which have a 5-cyl version of your engine are usually about $300-350, So figure another $30-40 maybe for an extra cylinder.. maybe an extra bit of labor if its a turbo, as I think they may have to move the intake pipes to get to the plugs.
Even so, I cant see over $450.
Hope this helps!
Bill
Maint foreman said he checked three other S80s and two of them had the increased travel and one did not. I asked how pedal travel coould change with installation of new pads and brake bleed and master cyl. replacement. They haven't a clue.
The brakes still work GREAT, but the pedal travels about 20% further to perform same functions as before the service. Anybody seen or heard of this "feature"?
I find it difficult to believe they "don't have a clue". This is not rocket science; and the typical causes are well known.
Pedal travel before initial engagement is controlled by flex of the caliper piston seal and runout of the rotor. A problem with the resurfacing lathe or misuse of an air-powered socket driver to mount the wheels could be the cause in this case. If you have excess rotor runout you will feel the pedal pulse slightly when you brake gently. Increased pedal travel after initial engagement could mean air in the system, softer pads, wrong shims, grease or oil on the rotor surface, or excess noise-reduction (anti-squeal) compound. If there is air in the system, pumping will reduce the total travel.
I have seen a lot of light bulb and headlamp related problems here. There are several recalls regarding the bulbs, assemblies and headlight cabling that some of you here may want to check. Alldata.com has a list of the TSB's and Recalls for most cars. 1997-2001 Volvo's have a lot, and some of the problems that are sprinkled throughout this board could probably be fixed via recall service at a dealer.
My dealer claims he cannot perform the work recommended in the recall bulletin under warranty, "because my vehicle serial number does not appear in VADIS". Others have reported this same dilemma. There is a fix for their problem, and even a service bulletin that describes that fix, but they can't have it (unless they are willing to pay for it, of course).
All is not lost (at least not yet). My dealer advises that, if I have a letter of complaint on file with Volvocars North America, they often consent to make an exception to the serial number bounds. I have written those letters; we'll see what happens.
For those interested in the specifics, I have a 2001 S80 2.9 with less than 7000 miles. Problems for which there are published (by Volvo, but allegedly not applicable) service bulletins and/or recalls include:
Steering wheel play ("knocking");
Condensation in head light housings;
Short bulb life (have replaced 1 headlight and 2 tail light bulbs so far).
Also, I remember your post from November regarding MPG for the 2001 T6; as of today I have 6,900 miles. Although I do record the miles driven and the 'message center' calculations on my fuel receipts, I haven't had the time to chart the readings to come up with and overall MPG for the total miles I have driven. But just off the top of my head, my mostly city mileage can be anywhere from 12 to 16, and my mostly highway from 21 to 25. By keeping an eye on the 'Instantaneous MPG' readout, one can really tailor their driving to save fuel. For me, freeway driving with cruise control at 65MPH gets about 29 to 31MPG, while cruising at 75-80MPH gets from 22 to 25. A huge difference no matter how much more fun 80+MPH is for the senses. I also finally found my ideal tire pressures that I feel give better road feel and tracking while providing less harsh riding than the 39PSI 'recommended' pressure. I now keep 34PSI front and 30PSI rear (Arrakis wheels). For me these pressures reduce high speed wander and crosswind susceptibility and keep the ride supple.
Jerry, I tried my 740il at 32Ft/39Rear, but had a lot of wear on the center of the rear tread-- so I reduced the rear tire pressure.
In regard to the throttle response on the T6 you might try a K & N air filter. It didn't make my T6 any faster, but it improved the throttle response.
I find the car is not quick from a dead stop, but it is very quick from 30 to about 90. Also the long flat trunk is great and so is the drop down back seat. The front seats are more comfortable than the big BMW or the big Lexus and the stereo is better than either in my opinion. I travel about 570 miles per tankful on the highway. Of course the S80 is a fairly light automobile, but you get a lot for the price. I am concerned about the ablility of this car to hold up long term. I just brought mine to the dealer for some sort of clunk underneath the car-- hope its not the beginning of future problems.
Had no problems with the dealer except for the availability of a loaner car. I was told to wait for four days to bring the car in to get a loaner .
I've seen acid based cleaners that say "don't use" and acid cleaners that say "safe for any wheel".
Has anyone used alloy wheel cleaners successfully? unsuccessfully? What brands?
I've tried a few cleaners and all seem to clean the tires and wheels fairly well. A soft brush from your car-parts store helps a lot, as opposed to the no scrubbing, spray-on hose-off method. The cleaner that I decided to stick with is Simple Green Degreaser. It comes in a spray bottle on the same shelf as the other cleaners. The biggest reason I like it is that it doesn't have a nauseous chemical smell. Also it is biodegradeable and non-toxic so when it rinses down the storm drains and into the river it is going to have less of an environmental impact on the river ecology.
One person recommended waxing the wheels to keep them cleaner longer, but I haven't tried that yet.
Happy Motoring.
Regarding the pedal travel issue, it is before initial engagement. They seem to be in fine working order and grab like hell (like they always did). The only difference since the 30k service is that the pedal travels further to engage. As they suggested, I have adjusted to the difference and don't really notice it any more.
Thanks for the input and information.
Thanks as always for your helpful advice. rld.
Car specifics: '00 T6, w/ upgrade 801? stereo (Dolby Surround and indash CD changer w/o cassette player).
Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
Neil
2002.5 Volvo S80 Picture!
Rotor runout is often caused by poor wheel re-mounting practices. The typical approach at both dealers and independent tire outlets is to set an air impact wrench at 100 ft-pounds (sometimes even higher), then insert and tighten each bolt fully in a circular or random pattern. The preferred procedure is to tighten the 5 bolts in a "star" pattern, first to a reduced tourque (such as 60 foot-pounds), followed by a second pass to 90 ft-lbs, then finally to the factory-recommended tourque (about 105 for the S80).
Rotor runout pushes the pads furthur apart when the brakes are released, resulting in more pedal travel to re-apply them. In extreme cases, a pulsation will be felt in the pedal.
After rotors are resurfaced on a lathe during pad replacement, they become thinner and more prone to warpage.
One board member who is employed at a GM dealership reports a constant backlog of similar transmissions (from GM cars) waiting for rebuild at his shop.
The newer cars are doing fine..
Bill
We have a 2000 T6 in the family. Problems in 18K VERY hard miles:
1) Wheel bearing $250 repair under warranty.
2) Sunroof is now creaking a bit. We shot it with some silicone spray and it shut itself up.
3) $2,500 in bodydamage from a hit and run driver.. Whole side needs repaint. thank god its leased.
Couple check engine lights due to NJ Gas station attendants not putting the cap back on properly..
And those are all NY City area "Smack it to hell" miles and the driver of it (Mom) thinks she's in the Daytona 500.. lol
Bill
First the HU-803 audio system was replaced, then the bushings were replaced, then the front shocks were replaced (at c. 20k miles) and my DSTC maintenance light keeps coming on (it doesn't work when the light is on), a headlight went out, and currently I have a bent rim (17" Arrakis, but I don't suppose that's entirely Volvo's fault). The last Consumer's Reports article I saw gave the S80 a black ball for reliability.
But the car is still beautiful, extremely comfortable, and fun to drive due to the turbocharged engine. The seats are superb.
Good luck deciding.
First, To put it in perspective, we are probably hearing from a relatively few squeaky wheels, while there are many more happy, satisfied owners out there, that don't take the time to "soap box" on the internet. Look at some of the boards for other cars. There are squeaky wheels there, too. I've made a point to ask s80 owners I run into about their satisfaction. For the most part, they are pleased with the car.
Second, in my decision, reliability was only one of several decision factors. I think there is too much emphasis on this in these boards. Other factors for me were 1. Safety 2. Performance 3. Value and 4. Reputation / status. When considering all these factors, Volvo clearly wins.
The new T6 is my second Volvo. Previously, I owned a very reliable 94 850 turbo wagon for 8 years, so I'm a repeat customer.
Good Luck! I'll be sure to post updates on this board about my s80 experiences, good or bad...
To date, I've had two oil changes (I do them every 3500 miles), and taken the car in for it's 7500-mile maintenance. At the 7500-mile checkup, they tightened a bolt on the steering column to remove play in the steering column.
Only other problem has been a small spider-web crack in the windshield, the result of losing a battle with a rock spit at me by a large truck on the highway. I've reported to my insurance, but am debating whether to replace ... once the factory seal is lost, you never get it back. The crack is too large to fix, although is not allowing any moisture through, and doesn't appear to be getting any worse. All the same, I hate this imperfection. Can anyone offer advice?
Good luck ... from another very satisfied owner.
however upon inspection, was told by volvo mechanic that the car had a cracked tran. fluid
reservoir due to the using of "incorrect" tranny fluid.
Mechanic says not to worry, with a good flushing
nothing to worry about. Am concerned may lead
to future trans problems, as well as voided warranty.. He replaced the reservoir...
any ideas ? should I continue with purchase or move on and find another ??
I opted for the $375 job. The windshield looked identical to OEM,including the parking timer clip on the left and the shaded zones at the top and behind the mirror. The only difference I ever noticed was that the replacement was easier to clean and reflected the top of the instrument panel less. In other words, it was better than original. I did not experience any seal problems, but did only have the car another year after the replacement.
I am curious as to why you have your oil changed at 3,500 mile intervals. The shortest interval the manual suggests is 5,000 miles or 8 months (which is what I follow). If you are attempting to prevent premature engine wear or damage, the 5,000 interval is adequate. Minneapolis does have harsh winter weather but a better bet is to use synthetic 5W30 oil. The old rule of thumb about 3,000 miles or three months is just that, old. (And a ploy by oil manufacturers to increase sales). Today's engines are designed tighter and have more efficient air filters and produce less wearing friction than in years past and also warm-up faster and run hotter to burn condensation out of the oil faster. Not to mention the oils today are produced with very complex and effective additive packages to extend their usable life and decrease tailpipe emissions. By changing your oil so often you are also consuming dramatically more oil, that consequently has to be disposed of, than if you were to follow Volvo's intervals. As you well know, oil is a limited resource that deserves our conservation, and used oil is extremely toxic and carcinogenic which has to be processed and treated, using more resources, before it can be reused (usually burned at electricity power plants). Say you drive 10K miles per year and are changing oil at 3.5K intervals. That is 2.86 oil changes per year and if you keep your T6 for 5 years that is 14.29 total oil changes using 7.1quarts of oil at each change, that balloons to 101.43 total quarts. Compared to changing oil at 5K intervals for 5 years, you will be using just over 30quarts more (or about 8 gallons). Multiply that by as many people who want to take 'extra' good care of their cars and it turns into a huge amount of unnecessarily wasted oil. I really do not want to come across as overly preachy, I just want to float some information you may not have had the time to consider.
Benjamin
Thanks a bunch!