roll bar or drop link issues should be fairly easy to identify, just rock the car hard side to side and see if you get any clonking

I found that on mine, the drop link was fine I just hadn't done it up tight enough (doh)

with the subframe bolts though there is a correct procedure which was a torque value and added 90 degrees of turn ? or 180 degrees ? whatever it is (really should replace with new bolts as they stretch) was that process carried out

I'll give it a good shove tomorrow during the day. After sitting in the back whilst my wife drove I'm still not 100% certain where the noise is coming from. Could be the back could be the middle.

New subframe bolts were supplied but I didn't leave the mechanic specific instructions so I have no idea how he torqued them.

Vigorous shake/wobble of the car indicated noise from front drivers side. Happens to be the side the CV boot was changed on. Suspect may be loose axle bolt? or cv joint is actually bad?

+ YouTube Video

Are the track rod ends tight? They could have been loosened from the spindle to get access to the CV axle. If not tightened properly, they can make a right racket!

Fitted new bonnet strut today - having been hit on the head several times. Ordered a couple of 10mm ball stud bolts, so that I can fit the old one to the other side, belt and braces.

Outer CV boot clip had worked lose and was just rattling around. Took wheel off and all the grease had come out. Went back to garage and got it refitted and regressed and now all good.

Turns out clonking noises are hard to locate but you should always start with the bits.ladt fiddled/worked on.

Picked up some xenon headlights. Time to refurbish them in the upcoming weeks…

had a brake light fail

so needless to say, I cut my hand open, slightly broke the trim, dropped the lamp holder down into the cavity, removed a bit more trim, recovered it, replaced lamp in holder, cut my hand again in two new places, got it back in with a final cry of pain, and it still didn't work

so obviously that means I need to spend £40 on a small piece of plastic to make that work again, good old volvo

I have to say despite the many many good things about these cars, whoever designed the lamp holders and the access via trim etc needs to be taken outside, publicly flogged and paraded down the street naked while someone rings a bell and shouts SHAME, SHAME

end of rant

return to the brake light issue, new lamp holder did nothing .. hmm

took apart and looked, found metal edging burnt or worn away (the curse of the automatic I suppose)

https://i.ibb.co/zbGTvFQ/1.jpg

a blob of weld and a bit of linishing later we have some metal back in the right place

https://i.ibb.co/QHtbt6g/2.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/J2yhPGM/3.jpg

I don't know what metal that is or what coating they put on it but it gave off some funny smells and yellow muck

anyway with that all wirebrushed clean, the lamp back in and a psu connected to the metal strips it now lights up. refitted and no more message, happy days

https://i.ibb.co/sKX7PJ8/4.jpg

Fitted the old strut to the other side today. Was expecting to have to do some fettling of the stud bolt length, nut thickness to get the bonnet to close, but nothing of it, all the clearances for this had already been thought about by Volvo.

Just let that bonnet get blown down onto my head now ;)