Boomy vibration / noise from Diesel
 

My D5 is now 5000 miles into its life and I am getting a boomy / noisy vibration 1800 - 2000 revs under power. Rattles my fillings a bit I have to say.

Just wondered whether this is a common issue or just mine - I'll probaly wait til the first service to get it sorted.

Still only managing 25 mpg <---- disappointing

JimBob

Is this happening regardless of your speed ?

Yup, under load (i.e. hills acceleration) but in the same rev range.

I figure something is loose but also that the frequency of the noise seems to encourage a lot of sympathetic vibration (hence the boomy bit)

JImBob

Trip to your dealer now required
 

JimBob,

Let's talk straight........

Your diesel sounds awful and you have 25mpg.

That compares to the rest of us D5 owners who get more mpg (in our case always over 30mpg unless we drive as if escaping from a molten lava flow) and can confirm that the engine is reasonably quiet.

The only time that the engine should be making an intrusive noise is when it's cold. It's not the quietest unit on the market and the D5 can hardly be described as cutting edge and the most modern. But it's Volvo's core diesel technology for most of it range line up and car journalists still remain positive about it in their tests.

You have a warranty - use it. The latest information from AutoExpress Magazine (UK) is that Volvo dealers seem generally more than happy to make multiple calls on the warranty for their customers. Their own long-term test (60,000 mile strip down) of an XC90 revealed that the dealer had happily replaced items under warranty even though some were not, after investigation, to be found at fault.

That's why you pay so much for a new car. The warranty cost is factored in.

Time for you to pay a visit to your dealer. If they're any good, they'll wash and valet your car for free while they have it - saves you the weekly car wash! Don't let it spoil your new car experience, you have an executive SUV from a premium brand, not Proton (with all due respect to the thrifty Proton Gen2 owners).

Best wishes, Arianne.

I would agree entirely with Arianne. The noise you refer to plus the poor MPG does tend to suggest a problem worthy of investigation by a main dealer.

I'd get on to them and get your vehicle booked in for a once over.

On reflection you are right, i will get it booked in when I get back home (away on business).

Not really a cost issue as it is a company car anyway (i.e. I don't pay) - more the inconvenience of taking the car in (I live out in the country) but you are right, it needs to go in.....

Good one, thanks!

JimBob

I heard a small no of XC90's have this problem and Volvo have an uprated engine mounting bush set for cars affected but it sounds like you have a fairly new XC90 so I'm suprised that the problem hasn't been cured completly assuming that's what it is.

On fuel consumption.... try setting it to the instantantanious mpg readout then just leaving the car to run on level ground without having your foot on the accelerator but in gear (I'm assuming you have a Geartronic ) You should see about 20mpg or so showing after a 100 yds or so. If it's way down I'd check you don't have a frozen brake caliper. (something I saw on a friends Honda the other day) I would just add that the engine is far from loosened up and you really need to get it over 10,000 miles to see it start to return diesel type fuel economey.

My 04 plate 60k car had a top engine mount replaced (the one at the top just behind the plastic top cover) this cut out a lot of vibration in the kind of situation you are talking about, there is a modified mount now used.

There is a complete kit including the bottom mounts....Of course the top one is the easiest to fit.

Incidentaly my top mount split at 41,000 miles and had to be replaced.

As an aside - Is there any way of (visually) telling that the mounts need replacing, or telling if you have the old or new ones? My 03 D5 is excessively nosiy (IMHO) but ONLY under load, ie rev the motor in neutral and it is quiet and smooth... But iunder load, it sounds noisier than my old Galaxy TDI and is particularly harsh around 2500 rpm, or 70 is mph :(

Consumptioon @ 29mpg average for tiown use, so think it could be a "mount" prob..

Did you get to the stealer yet JimBob?

Mike