Steering vagueness and wandering
 

Hi,

I havent posted here before but am a frequent contributor to the performance and 850/70 series section.
I'm asking this question on behalf of a close friend. He has recently bought an '03 s60 2.0T from his son who bought it new. The problem is that he is unhappy with the steering. I drove his car the other day and the steering never seems settled. It seems to fidgit and wander, it just isnt relaxing to drive and isnt a patch on my 10 year old 850 T5!
The car as been serviced recently at a Volvo dealership and this problem was mentioned but the mechanic was unable to find a problem. The car is still under waranty and my mate is thinking about getting an independant inspection done on the car.
I am not familiar with the s60 model at all but would be most grateful if someone could let me know if there are any common or design faults with this car and if there have been any recalls.

Many thanks

Simon

RE: Steering vagueness and wandering
 

Hi Simon,

Somewhere in the deepest forum archives I had the same issue with my '02 S60.

It was finally put down to "an insufficiently tight union allowing pressure leakage when at full lock". Which I think means the pipe joint was loose and they tightened it up. It did cure things for a bit but more recently (just as it's out of warranty!!) the symptoms have returned. It's a "vagueness" of feel during small bends, a tendancy to wander in a straight line (as if on a slippy surface) and sometimes the steering completely leaden (when leaving a motorway for example, and reaching the r'bout). I had initially put it down to tyres, but even after changing to new tyres and different brands (Michelin Pilot Sport and back to Continentals)it was the same.

I'm sure I've seen something about a recall on early S60's for steering rack problems, but my dealer (Harrats) insisted this was solved before '02 models.

I'd be interested in what happens in your case.

Cheers,


Zax

RE: Steering vagueness and wandering
 

Thanks for your reply! Is the loose union a hydraulic pipe that say attaches to the steering rack from the power steering pump? Did the fluid leak? Or are we talking about something internal within the steering rack?
I'll pass the information on to my friend and will let you know if/when anything gets done about the problem.

Regards

Simon

RE: Steering vagueness and wandering
 

I have the same problem, it's a lot worse when the tyres are at a pressure the book says is needed for speed. When i brake there is a slight wobble, like the car is following the contors of the road. (NOT BRAKE DISC WARP). I'd love to know what it is. I was told at my last MOT that the front wishbone bush had started to wear and i will be replaceing it soon with up graded versions if i can find a supplier who supplies them for the FWD and not just the AWD.

Can you let me know if you find what causes the problem.

Jim Bray

RE: Steering vagueness and wandering
 

Hi Simon,
I just bought an S60T5 with 12k miles on it 03 ,the steering is very impresive in comparisn to the 850,it does wander very slightly over broken whites lines,but it is very very slight,the steering becomes heavier as the speed increases and lighter you slow ,maybe your friends problem is to do with the powersteering speed resistence system? If the 850 feels better than the s60 ,he does definately have a problem,has he checked the tracking and camber?

Jason

RE: Steering vagueness and wandering
 

Thanks guys, I'll pass the messages on. I'm not sure how long its going to be before my mate gets something done about this. He's not the sort of guy who rushes things!
I've got a set of tracking gauges so I'll try and get him to bring his car round so I can check the tracking and I'll also have a look at the other suspension/steering components. I think because the car is under warranty he is reluctant to let me do this as he thinks volvo should fix it.

Thanks again

Simon

RE: Steering vagueness and wandering
 

Hi - I have the same problem with my S60 2.4T, a 51 reg. Volvo have inspected it three times (last time was last week) and say nothing is wrong. I have had the tracking and tyres checked independently (this morning) and they say it's fine. I notice it most when crossing "tram-lines" on the inside lane of the motorway - the steering pulls quite violently on occassion.
As with the others, if you find out what it is, I'd like to know.

RE: Steering vagueness and wandering
 

The tram line effect is what i'd describe it as. I notice it if i'm pulling up to a set of lights and the road dips where large vehicle tyres have run.

I'm getting mine checked again and getting the wishbone bushes changed. I'll let you all know the outcome.

Jim

RE: Steering vagueness and wandering
 

S60 D5 Auto New November 02 under warrenty. 225/45/17" Wheels/Tyres

It seems that your problem is as Volvo Head Office have said to me, "THIS IS A CHARTERISTIC OF THE CAR ", and I am sorry to say you will have to live with it, or hand the car back.! ! !

I have ( as far as i am aware ) explored every avenue to correct this problem, Including an AA Indipendant Inspection, the AA findings said " this car needs further Investigation ", Volvo @ Head Office covered my costs for the Inspection, and as my One of my local Volvo dealers Kings volvo Southampton, had "washed there hands of the car as they have said " there is nothing we can do ( after extensive exploration) for you with this car, and they commented that they thought " it was the best of the fleet!", so after my Indipendant inspection from the AA, Volvo @ head office said to try another Volvo garage for " a new pair of eyes and eares" Page Moters of Ferndown Dorset had the car for the best part of a week, guess what,...., It wasent any better when I got the car back.

Volvo recaalling 105,000 vechicles ( 9,715 cars in the UK )
the defect concerned The Ball Joints Nuts in the Frount control arms,
this was the BBC news 10th Febuary 2004, for cars made in the last 12 months from that date !

There is also a peice of technical Knowledge that we are not to know about !, Volvo have received reports that some cars are having premature wear of the hydro bushing in the control arms they say this is due to hard driving and long driving distances, they have said to replace to a solid bushing P/N 9465971, but......, these bushes are to be fitted to Police and Taxi vechicles only. I tried to get these fitted to my car as a fellow forum user @ Dave M, stated to me on the Jan 30th 2003 he would GUARANNTEE no wander, but a slightly harder ride. I booked my car in with Volvo Specalist ACC UK, Farnbrough,to have the work carried out, They later Informed me that they would have had to purchase £500 of equipment to fit these £20 bushes, so they couldnt do it.
So to date nearly 3 years down the road, the car still has the origanal problem =ooPs according to Volvo not a problem ! and they say " Volvo for life," poss there life expectancy with a s60 car is under 3 years as all I feel like doing is getting rid of the most expensive car that I have ever bought, and just to think I choose it over a Quality cars like JAG,BMW ect,ect.

I do not know where to go from here, maybe other forum users can be helpfull with there Ideas, (like a mass S60 gathering at Marlow head office !

If attachment is with this mail( hope its the right one,) it was re typed be my, at that time, my younger daughter, as I was rather up set with Volvo letter, so sorry about the spelling mistakes.

RE: Steering vagueness and wandering
 

all I feel like doing is getting rid of the most expensive car that I have ever bought, and just to think I choose it over a Quality cars like JAG,BMW ect,ect.


Interesting Quote as I have just sold a 'Quality' Jaguar XJ8 that I only owned for three months, that had been pampered all of it's life, not for something as trivial as vague steering, but for major inherent problems with the timing chain tensioners and Cylinder bore linings, which affects all V8 Jaguars built between 1997 - 2000.

The result on many hundreds of the cars has been complete engine destruction on cars with mileage as low as 20,000. A mere £8000 to replace.

I lost £3500 on this car (which I bought privately so no dealer depreciation) and have now gone back to an S60 (I have always had Volvos in the past)and will never buy one of those 'Quality' cars again.

I now sleep at night knowing that the worst that can happen is that i need to keep my steering wheel straight as opposed to the thought of remortgaging my house to keep my Jaguar on the road!!

If you want my advice for what it's worth, either take the S60 for what it is (a sporting and more involved drive) or sell it and buy a Jaguar. By the time you sell the Jag, you'll think of the S60 as engineering perfection.

Alternatively trade the S60 in for an S80 - this was my previous car and the best car I have ever owned - being a bigger car than the S60 it drove just like my Jaguar but without the unreliability.

All the Best

Craig