XC70: Engine Cam Belt, Aux. Belts, Service intervals. I'm confused.

[Ian21401]

Not wishing to hijack Bulliedboy's thread "Snapped Drive Belt", but following on from it and the comments therein.
Daughter's XC70, 2011my, D5 AWD, 101,000 miles. Acquired used Feb.2017 @ 88,000 miles from main dealer. Dealer services since new.
I try to be very careful regarding cam belts and whenever I have bought a used car myself, if there is any doubt as to whether the cam belt etc.have been replaced I replace them anyway.
When she bought the XC70 we checked whether the cam belts and/or aux. belts had been changed, and if so, when. Dealer advised that they were not due until 10 years or 108,000 miles, whichever was earlier.
Haynes states 5 years or 90,000 miles.
Dealer has just done a "Standard Service" at 100,241 miles. The print out of the service sheet has every box ticked, including box 25 (Belt Tensioner and idler roller replacement for auxiliary unit belt) and box 26 (Camshaft belt and auxiliary belt replace.) I've looked in the engine bay and the sections of belt which are visible do appear newer than before. I asked the dealer when, if ever, the cam belt had been renewed and was advised that it had been done in 2014 at 47,000 miles. I expressed surprise that it had been done so early at such a mileage. The dealer was unable to explain this.
Daughter was given print outs of the previous service sheets when she bought the car but the 2014 one is missing. The 2015 one (at 72,000 miles ) shows in box 12 under additional customer order [Outer accessory drive belt (with hydraulic belt tensioner): replace (from engine No.: 884798-1046801)] with a hand written note in the OK column "Re-worked as per QSS29461" Our car's engine number is 934678 so it falls within those numbers.
I have already asked the dealer to confirm, or otherwise, that the cam belt etc have been replaced as per the latest service sheet but I received a very non committal unsatisfactory reply. Having read the snapped drive belt thread I will be repeating my questions to the dealer.
Also, green van man comments that there is a second auxiliary drive belt driving the AC compressor. Haynes does not mention any second belt. I've looked at our engine. The serpentine belt ( the one with longitudinal grooves) appears to drive the steering pump, alternator and AC compressor. The AC compressor has a second pulley which has a lightweight V belt on it but I am unable to see where that belt goes to.

[dped]

I brought my xc70 a few weeks ago and asked about the cam belt as it had done 96k. Was told by the Garage who specialize in Volvo that they don't need doing till 108k. Seemed a little high to me but that appears to be Volvo's guide line. Having read some posts on here where not only the Cam Belt have gone but Aux belt gone before the 108k. If the Aux belt goes it can wrap around the cam belt and destroy the engine. I have taken no chances got it all done Belts, tensioners and water pump gen Volvo parts fitted by a garage I know and trust. Have read somewhere on here that the Aux belt needs changing every 50k but don't know if that an official guide.
As for you daughters car ask the dealer for the print out which should show what parts and cost of parts fitted normally they write in the service book if a cam belt as been changed.

[GrahamBrown1]

There are two aux belts, the thinner main belt drives the alternator and power steering pump. The wider but smaller belt is driven from the power steering pump to the ac compressor. What you are looking at with the double pulley is the steering pump.

The intervals are every 54k miles for main aux belt along with tensioner. They changed the tensioner from hydraulic to mechanical and this the recall mentioned in your post I believe.

The ac belt is a stretch belt and is to be changed at 108k with the timing belt and the main aux belt and tensioner.

From your post the car is well serviced but if you are in any dought just Renew the whole lot with Volvo genuine and you will have no worries for at least another 50k in the belt department.

[MartinK]

I would ask your dealer...

Mine were all done at ~90k miles, belts tensioners etc, by Hutton Brothers. Huttons even put stickers on the windscreen and engine bay to say they were done.

I called them recently to ask whether the belts or tensioners were due yet (now on 160k miles, so 70k since last change). They said no - not on my car.

I'll get them done next year anyway as I'll be on 180k miles, so 90k since last change.

I would just ask your dealer.... They should have records, and be best able to advise on upcoming service items...

[apersson850]

Cam belt is 180000 km or ten years. Auxiliary belt and tensioner half of that.

[MartinK]

I have attached the maintenance chart I use. I do believe some of it has been amended by some sort of "technical advisory". As I mentioned above, I'm changing every 4 years / 90,000 miles as I would rather be sure...

[Waderider]

Just been through this with my 2011 5 cylinder D3.

Despite the cover of the Haynes manual stating it covers my car it doesn't show the correct serpentine belt arrangement.

Some cars have a belt driven power steering pump, some have electro-hydraulic, and as you are aware I'm sure umpteen different engines were fitted to the V70.

5 cylinder cars still in Volvo dealer care seem to get aux belts and tensioner at three years now, against the 5 years in the service schedule.

[dped]

I was told that it is not so much the aux belt snapping but the tensioner seizing which leads to the belt snapping that is the biggest problem. Haynes in there day were fantastic but now they can't seem to keep up with the constant model changes and computerisation of the modern cars. From 08 - now the D5 as been tweaked and modified several times even though it's basically the same engine that as built a reputation for reliability. Must say this forum is great for getting the information you need or you could ask the dealer for a service schedule which they should give you if they think that you will be taking the car to them for the work.

[apersson850]

Originally Posted by Waderider

... I'm sure umpteen different engines were fitted to the V70.

Something like that. The user's manual for the V70/XC70 2012 lists eleven different engines.

[Ian21401]

I was at main dealer today to collect a part for my 940 and enquired about the "other" belt on the XC70. Parts dept. state that the smaller lightweight belt driven by the AC compressor is listed as "AC servo pump drive belt" and actually showed me one. It was about 1.0 cm wide with two longitudinal grooves and about 50 cms total length. I also managed to speak to the service manager who delved into our car's history to advise that the auxiliary belt was replaced at 62,799 miles at the request of the then owner at the same time as the hydraulic tensioner was replaced by the later type. The other lightweight aux. belt is not listed to replace in any service but is usually replaced at the same time as the main aux. belt. He agrees that the aux. belt and cam belt should be replaced at 108,000 miles.
Our car is covered by a service plan which was entered into when the car was bought in Feb. 2017 so has just had it's first service under that plan. The plan covers five services. We believed that as the five services included the one which required the belts to be changed then that would be done at the relevant time. I queried whether the belts would have been done at the service earlier this month as part of the plan as the car would probably exceed the 108,000 miles before next year's service.
He understood our concerns but informed me that as the service plan was a new one entered into when we bought the car in 2017 it did not recognise the fact that the car was already 6 years old and had already done 88,000 miles.This meant that over the 5 years of servicing within the plan the cam belt would never be renewed and possibly not even the aux. belts. I expressed my concerns about this as, if I had not persisted with my enquiries, we would have simply believed that the belts had been changed at the relevant time with the consequence that they would have eventually failed and probably wrecked the engine. Who then would be responsible for this and pay for the replacement engine. He advised that he had expressed concerns about this in the past but nothing had yet been changed. We eventually decided that the belts and possibly the tensioners will be renewed at the earliest opportunity as a "one off" service outwith the service plan at a discounted price to recognise our customer loyalty and VOC membership.