XC60 AWD, rear diff issue
 

2009 32K XC60 AWD.

Exhibited a whirling noise at 40+ MPH, that people more experienced that me suggested that it was a wheel bearing. No dash messages at all.

went to a local garage, and after test driving and putting the car up on lift, running the wheels and listening, the mechanic says it's not a wheel bearing as best as he can determine, and he thinks it's a rear diff.

He says that also it seems to change slightly with foot off the pedal, i.e. no power but running at same MPH, which he says would be consistent with a diff issue.

I'm going to take it to a Volvo garage to get them to diagnose it. @ £2K for a rear diff (just the parts), it'll be time to change that car.

32K miles, mostly town, seems very very low to have a diff issue.

Anyone had anything similar ?

Maybe it's run out of oil ...

Volvo looked at it yesterday and confirmed it is the rear diff. It isn't leaking oil.

No repair contribution. @ around £2700 to do the repair, I can't justify it on a car that's only worth about £12k

Diff going @32k just seems like very shoddy quality. For some that could be a year's driving.

A prime candidate for a second hand unit , you have been very unlucky , they just don't do this ...

Dealer has put in an extraordinary request for a contribution.

But it is looking like that a used unit is the way to go.

Anyone know if the rear Diff has remained unchanged since '09, i.e. if I'm looking at one from a breakers yard, can I take one from any year AWD XC60 ?

Just a quick thought on this as an ex Freelander owner.

I believe, but not 100%, that the diff in the FL 2 and the Volvo may be the same. Failures of diff bearings in an FL2 are not uncommon, infact mine had the bearings replace at 64,000 at a cost of £450.

It may be worth investigating if this is possible or finding a local specialist 4x4 garage for further diognisis.

you need the part number first to go by ..

XC60 rear diff issue
 

I have seen this on a later model XC60 and a firmware update of the engine control model fixed the problem, apparently its a known problem listed deep in the Volvo Technical Journals.

After a bit of negotiation between dealer and Volvo UK, Volvo Uk have offered to pay £1700 of the £2700 bill. At this stage I've agreed to the change.


Do you have anything I can point them too ? If there is any possibility that this isn't a mechanical issue. but a firmware upgrade issue, last thing I want to be doing is paying out £1K unnecessarily.

Rear differential failur on 09 xc60 at 50k miles
 

Hi all, just looking for some advice.
My 09 xc60 has just been diagnosed as most likely having a broken rear diff with only 50k on the clock. Had the noise coming from rear which I really hoped was the wheel bearings. At just under 3k to fix this is a significant portion of what the car is worth, worse still the dealer can't totally rule out the AOC unit not being affected to, which if after the rear diff has been replace doesn't work that's anther 2k to replace apparently.
The independents around my way don't want to know , does anyone know a breakers yard that may have a second hand rear diff?
I can't really justify blowing 20k on a second hand other make of 4wd ,but sinking 3k in to this also feels like throwing money away, given the other issues that seem to crop up on this model

I can't help with your issue sorry but reading this thread with interest! It isn't good a volvo was once a quality veichle that could do the mileage....

oh indeed yes .. They still do of course , But it is interesting to see Fo Mo Co cast into the side of these noisy units ..

A bit worrying and a bit annoying, i've always steered clear of ford because of issues like this... Hope my diff lasts okay, if not I think I'll be stripping the unit down to see if there is replacement bearings that can be matched for it.

I never followed up on this.

I gave to go ahead for the diff change. What was supposed to be a 1 day job turned into 2 1/2 days. They'd never done one before. In the few months since, all has been going well. As agreed, I paid £1k (ouch), and Volvo UK paid the rest.

Former Landrover owner
 

Hi all
I see I am not the only one to be unlucky with what is turning out to be a very costly experience owning a Volvo.

From what I have read Volvo use Landrover bearings in the rear diff.

I purchased this Volvo 2 years ago 2010 XC60 d5 full service history, the current milage 86,000.

In the garage at the moment for a gearbox bearing noise (gearbox rebuild) plus a list of other things which Volvo pointed out in their customer care video.
Volvo's estimate to carry out all the work below 8k

Here is the list of faults found:

Rear drop arm bushes both sides
Near side drive shaft (clonking on full lock)
Replacement gearbox (internal differential noise )
Plus the usual disc and pads and tyres nearing the limits

My local garage whilst checking the the drive train have said there is noise coming from rear diff as well as the gearbox ...F--k !!

I am thinking maybe I should sell it for scrap value ? or do I spend out best part of 5k to get this repaired in the hope that nothing else goes wrong for few years.

The irony is - this car I purchased to replace the Landrover Td4, because that spent more time in the garage in the last year than it did with us.
That had the rear diff changed and all the bearings right back to the box, never did cure the drive whine.

Any thoughts on the way forward with the Volvo .......... I suppose I could stick it my garage with the Freelander :)

Thanks for reading my post.