Nightmare xc90!
 

Hi. I have recently purchased a 2008 xc90. After 2 weeks of driving it, the back diff box broke. We had the car picked up and after being in garage for 1 month, the diff got replaced on warranty. It was then driven for another 2 weeks before we drove 200+ miles on holiday. On way back from our holiday the power steering went and it is now again in the garage. The garage have sent photos of the pipe work running from where the power steering fluid goes. It was empty and running out of pipe. He has told me that the pipe has been bent so was running underneath part of the engine, causing it to vibrate on other metals causing it to split. He said they have been at some point placed in the incorrect position causing the split, putting it down to poor workmanship!
I was told by the last garage who fitted the diff did not touch the front of the car as is not responsible, warranty are not covering it and the garage we brought from are washing their hands!
I am gutted I’ve brought a car that has spend more time in the garage than I’ve driven it. It’s going to cost nearly £600 to replace the pipes. Please can anyone advise or help me!! This is becoming a nightmare and I am really regretting getting this car as I’m just expecting more issues! 😫😢

There was an issue where the power steering pipes corroded from the inside out. This is the reason I change my power steering fluid every 2 years. It's possible as this is not a service item under the volvo regime your car is still on original fluid which has eaten the pipes weakening them to the extent that any movement caused the split.. £600 seems a bit steep but if it's volvo prices then it's very possible.

It's a 10 year old car, there will be issues with it, however once sorted and you regain confidence in the car it is a great drive.
Have you had the gearbox fluid changed yet? It's another of the volvo non service items and will bite you eventually. My xc70 is a manual, I change gearbox oil every 40,000 miles or 2 years, for the £30 it costs me for the oil it's cheap insurance against gearbox failier.

Had you baught another car that too would of had issues that needed sorting out, every secondhand car does, belive me I've had lots, both cars and issues.
You evidently baught it because it suited you, my advise is stick with it for at least a bit unless you are still able to reject it and get a full refund as any car with an issue plummets in value untill it's fixed. A mate baught a £58,000 rangerover for £3500 because of the issues it had, 91 stored faults being one of them along with broken air con.

Have you tried to source 3rd party pipes. Don't just accept the garage price without checking. Are you or anyone you know capable of changing the pipes for beer money.

Paul.

It’s unlikly in the extreme that the rear diff has contributed to this, there would not be a need to adjust or move the power steering.

I am not sure why the warranty are saying no, if you have just bought it then they need to do at for it.

How many miles has the vehicle done and what sort of service history has it gotten? You should probably get to know this forum as I have found mine a doddle to work on and there is lots of preventative maintenance you can do to keep these running to mega miles.

You have however bought a car that new could have cost 40,000 quite easily plus and there are a LOT of parts that can easily cost 600 quid on a car like this.

Should you neglect this type of work then expect bills. A new gearbox (which of fluids are not changed are a realistic proposition) can run to thousands.

It’s done 84000 miles. We are fighting for warranty but it’s a battle! Not sure if the fact that its an automatic that would make a difference? I know that buying a car of this age we are to expect expense. It’s just that we have only had it for 2 months and it just seems it’s problem after problem. The car has had a yearly service by Volvo themselves by previous owner. I love the car. It’s suits us as a family of 7 and live on a farm. It’s just annoying that we can’t drive it without something going wrong 😫. I am just looking for advise on where we stand as we can only go by what the garage advises. We appreciate any advise. Thanku.

The auto and manual both drive the front wheels with an active on demand rear Haldex drive unit, items like the exhaust could be effected however all the parts for the drive, prop shaft etc etc are at the rear or middle of the car so the power steering is not very likely to be related here.

It is worth getting a second opinion as the fitting of a new pipe or some new pipe work should not cost 600. It would sound like there is some additional work required here.

Having had a brief look it would appear there is a pipe section crimped each end at around £150 from Volvo, a further pipe at around £50 and in essence that is about it. Access may be obtained relatively easily via both the engine bay and for 1 pipe via removal or the drivers side wheel and wheel arch liner. I would have thought at worst you would be looking at 150 for pipe, 1.5 hour to replace (time to remove wheel and liner -no more) and 15 for power steering fluid. The power steering is self bleeding so .25 of an hour max. Can’t see why this would be more than 300 if that....

Also part of the pipe is routed around engine components. You need to have someone view the vehicle for a second opinion before you can conclude it is actually 600 of work. Does the car still drive?

Even if it does it is perhaps not safe to drive if the power steering has failed.

Stick the image of the leak on here, people should be able to say if the pipe is the same routing as theirs and if they have had it done before, also the part number and cost.

If the garage is going on the classic corroded pipes + pump + steering rack which is often needed when the corroded pipe issue occurred then 600 is reasonable. The fact the car has volvo service history to me is pointing that way. As I said earlier fluid change is not a service item for power steering nor auto box, in fact volvo say it's not nessesary.

The power steering fluid went a dirty brown colour as it fails rather than the green it was when new, it turned brown as the anti corrosion hinhibitors died so while working well as a power steering flu I'd it ate the pipes because the inhibitors died.

It's possible the coolant is also dieing on that age car, again dirty brown and inhibitors are dead even if it passes an antifreeze test. Replacement coolant from volvo doesnot suffer the same aparently, I still change it every 5 years and check it's colour regularly. It most certainly is not the same stuff as earlier Volvo's fill and forget any more.


Paul.

600 for a steering rack would be far to cheap, a recon rack would be more than that.

I am interested in your comments reference fluid however. I am going to make an effort to check mine and if in any doubt I will change it,

Thanks

There are a number of videos how to on here I followed one from Simon chesired5 first time I did my xc70. Change mine every 2 years as a matter of course. Volvo knew of the problem but stuck with the same fluid as they were changing to electric power steering. It's a Ford fluid if you read the bottle £14+vat a litre at dealers, compatible fluid is available on Internet but I was never sure it was the right stuff so stuck to dealer, takes about 2/3 ltrs to flush and fill system on my 70.

Paul.