Quote:
Originally Posted by cumbrianmale
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I made a comment on this thread
http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showth...t=97764&page=2 quite a long time ago and signed off with "watch this space..." Well that was quite some time ago and not wanting to jeopardise my case with Volvo, I have kept quiet.
Until Now!
Initially, Volvo UK decided to ignore my requests for investigation into the problem, saying that my car was not affected. They then made us (it's my wife's car) jump through numerous hoops in an attempt (we thought) to identify the problem and find a cure. It now turns out they (by asking us to have the oil drained, measured and refilled then driven for 3000 miles and have it drained and measured again) were analysing the engines behaviour so that they could recommend to the dealers the correct level to fill the engine oil to so that the problem "appeared" to have been solved.
One suggestion I made to Volvo is that they at least change the software so that if the oil rises beyond a dangerous point (over the MAX level) the EMS notifies the driver of the problem. I have now discovered, that was the extent of the software update. Volvo (to my knowledge) have not addressed the problem of the dilution of the lubricant with diesel in any way. All they have done is change the software so that a light will come on and an audible warning will sound when the oil rises too high. They have also directed all service agents that they should only fill the affected engines to 3/4 of the original specified oil level... in an effort to make sure that the said oil level warning indicator does not come on before the next service interval.
I admit that after the last service in October, I took my eye off the ball a little. I did not continue to check the oil level... I hadn't driven the wifes car since buying a BMW but a few weeks ago whilst washing it, sat in the volvo and checked the oil level... Just under MAX again! After a call to our local service agent, they confirmed that the software was changed to add a warning over an over level situation and that they only fill affected engines to 3/4 the original specification.
So, the problem persists! At the height of my complaints and the "investigation" by Volvo, I had a quantity of the drained / adulterated oil sent off for analysis by a family member who had lab time on an industrial viscometer. The oil was checked and found to have a viscosity of 31.5 cSt @40degrees C. The original clean oil has a viscosity of 75 cSt. So, by diluting the oil with Diesel, our engines are halving the viscosity of the life blood which keeps it lubricated. This MUST be having a direct effect on the longevity of the engine. You cannot run an engine with the wrong viscosity oil and expect it to last very long.
In order to ascertain whether some of this drop in Kinematic Viscosity was due to the normal behaviour of the oil during it's lifetime, I contacted Castrol and asked what they expected to happen to their oil's viscosity from first fill to the next service interval. The chap I spoke to straight away asked which Volvo I was driving!! He then informed that Volvo new about the problem with this particular powerplant but let it go to market anyway. He also told me that the oil's viscosity should not change at all during it's lifetime. Volvo have dropped this and a few other power plants very rapidly from their line up. I wonder why?
So, we are now back to where we started; The engine has not been fixed, the software upgrade did nothing to change the way the diesel is allowed to slip passed the wiper rings during the DPF burn off cycle, the lubricant is still being diluted which will probably lead to partial or complete failure of major engine components.
The owners manual clearly states that the vehicle should not be driven with the wrong viscosity oil. Yet by underfilling the oil resevoir and merely draining oil off when it gets too high (by dilution with diesel) Volvo are knowingly asking the owner to drive the vehicle in a condition which Volvo states " will void all warrantees.."
Could I urge all worried parties to check their engine oil levels again and update this thread, stating whether the oil level is above 1/4 full? 1/4 is the level to which the Volvo service agents are now told to fill these particular engines.
I am at a loss as to what action to take now. We (STUPIDLY) didn't take the car back to the garage and demand a full repair or a refund if not rapaired within a fixed time frame. We trusted Volvo and were let down. They said they had fixed the problem when all they have done is cover it up. They even made us pay for clean oil to be added during the testing phase because I didn't weant the car to run with insufficiently thick lubricant.
Is there anyone with legal training who could advise us what to do now?
rgds,
Alun