Strange problem
 

We've got a 59 plate 103k miles on it. It's developed a strange problem. when you brake the front end dips and kind of shifts to the right, not pulls like there's a brake problem and then when you lift off the brake it sort of goes diagonally up and to the left. Re apply the brake immediately and everything is fine, brake again after a Cpl of minutes and it dips and shifts again. brake pedal feels fine.

Put it into my mechanic who changed the brake pads and freed them up as the left carriage was sticking and had worn the pads right down. Made no difference at all, he's now given it all (brakes steering etc0 a thorough check over cant spot anything. Any ideas?

The other thing I'd like to know is if I turn off the DSC can it go on a rolling road/ brake tester safely without wrecking anything?

Sounds like a suspension fault to me. I'm sure that someone with more experience in that regard than me will be along shortly but personally, I doubt that your "steering etc." is really ok, if the symptoms are that pronounced.

Might be worth a second opinion.

chesried5 will probably say a control arm....

I have experienced that on mine, and indeed if was the front control arm bush, it looked ok, but when under load you could see a split in the bush. I opted for the complete control arm as it was almost the same price as the bush and workshop time to press it out and replace. Problem solved.

Get it checked.

Hope it helps. :regular_smile:

It doesn't sound wishbone related to me so I'm more inclined to agree with the suspension theory.
On smaller P2 based cars, the shocks start to die around 140k miles so on a heavier XC90 dependant on how it's lived its life, similar could be happening at lower mileage.

You could begin with a visual test for oil misting on the shock and a bounce test on both front corners but deeper investigation would require dismantling of the strut assembly.

assuming it is not brake pull certainly suspension wishbone , have you had just one changed recently ? a non genuine one can cause this .

hold the foot brake on and try and drive away in forward and reverse gears get some one to watch each front wheel for excessive movement .

Both control arms are original, I had a look under there today and center part of the n/s front bush seems to be sitting to one side where as the o/s is sitting central also the rubber is peeling away from the center part of the n/s bush but my mechanic says its been like that for the last 3 years Hmmmmm !!! looks like we may have found the problem.

Genuine wishbones approx £200 a pair from Volvo parts trade on e-bay...

Generally with suspension - if it doesn't look right - it almost certainly isn't!

Well I've had a new N/S wishbone fitted, genuine Volvo, had the tracking re set and guess what it now pulls to the left as bad as it was pulling to the right. not a happy bunny so I guess the next step is to have a new O/S one fitted. At least then we'll know they are both 100% After that I aint got a clue !!!

I'm not being clever but I would have replaced them both at the same time and then had the tracking done. The original one still in situ is bound to be worn after 100k and almost 10 years.

Both were replaced on mine prior to me buying it.