General: XC90 To Do List

[Clive69]

Morning all,

Just after some general advice from the ones that know

2004 (54) XC90 D5 SE with 140k on the clock.

It's had 3 owners and there is a part service history. What things should be looked at, checked and or replaced.


I know with other cars I've bought previous owners have identified things that should be replaced sooner rather than later and was just wondering what these were on the XC90?

Many thanks

C

[john langrick]

Hi, I personally threw mine at my local indi garage to service and advise what might need doing urgently. You nay feel confident in doing this yourself.

Hopefully you have no management codes to worry about.

Check for fluid leaks ( although you probably did this before purchasing).

Check cam belt has been changed and not due, your indi will quickly advise on brakes, hand (foot) break, disks etc. May well worth changing serpentine belt and idlers if not done recently

Although part of a service, unless recently serviced, change engine oil and transmission fluid. There are threads on here on how best to do the latter.

I would check the awd works. It is very likely that it may not. Find a nice slippy safe spot, and put your for down, make sure the front wheels do not spin without the rear. If you do only have front wheel drive your spline drive may have failed. This is very common on your MY.. You can also check by laying next to the car and try and turn the prop shaft with your hand. A rubber glove can give a better grip. If it turns, the spline gear will have failed and again see threads here on this.

Hope this helps initially and good luck with your xc

[Bigjimknickers]

I’d say the best advice is get that gearbox oil changed out. Huge difference in mine at 170k after 2 changes. (I did the sump dump change, 3.5L at a time)

[Clive69]

Originally Posted by john langrick

Hi, I personally threw mine at my local indi garage to service and advise what might need doing urgently. You nay feel confident in doing this yourself.

Hopefully you have no management codes to worry about.

Check for fluid leaks ( although you probably did this before purchasing).

Check cam belt has been changed and not due, your indi will quickly advise on brakes, hand (foot) break, disks etc. May well worth changing serpentine belt and idlers if not done recently

Although part of a service, unless recently serviced, change engine oil and transmission fluid. There are threads on here on how best to do the latter.

I would check the awd works. It is very likely that it may not. Find a nice slippy safe spot, and put your for down, make sure the front wheels do not spin without the rear. If you do only have front wheel drive your spline drive may have failed. This is very common on your MY.. You can also check by laying next to the car and try and turn the prop shaft with your hand. A rubber glove can give a better grip. If it turns, the spline gear will have failed and again see threads here on this.

Hope this helps initially and good luck with your xc

You don't think 140k is to high a mileage?

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by Clive69

You don't think 140k is to high a mileage?

Noooo..... there are members here with cars in daily use and towing caravans on pan-European holidays with 100k more than that on their cars. It all depends on how well it's been looked after.

Mine has 175k on it and I would get in it and drive it from Lands End to John O'Groats any day without checking anything....

[john langrick]

Hi again, I also believe 140k not really an issue, but the car will almost undoubtedly have 'niggles'. As the previous owner came to the end of the 'relationship' with your car, there would probably be lots of small problems that were overlooked...

For example blown bulbs on dash and instruments, cracked glass on llights and wing mirrors, strange noises and occasional knocks, perhaps water leaks in footwells and . Some of these not noticed on first encounter with your 'new love'.

So that is why I got someone with no 'emotional attachment' with the car to look if over (hence the indi garage.)

If the car has been regularly serviced and kept clean I would suggest 140 k would be fine.

It is certainly much less than mine, bought at 150k and now 170k.

Again, hope this helps.

John l

[gmonag]

there are members here with cars in daily use and towing caravans on pan-European holidays with 100k more than that on their cars

Hear hear...

[JADXC]

Hi,
My xc90 (2007, sport, D5, 6 auto) has the same 140k mileage, and it is a great car but i had some repairs to do even if it was in good shape.

-the timing and serpentine belts, had Continental, replaced with Volvo OEM.
-engine oil replaced with Volvo, transmission oil as well, filters(air, cabin, oil, fuel)
-all engine mounts replaced with OEM ones.
-all of the other fluids( brake, steering, coolant)
-new Varta 100AH battery
-it is having a Viper alarm on it vith start engine option that needed new display and battery on the remote..
-new 19" summer and 17" winter tyres .
-hazy headlights restored, polished and clearcoated.
-many other little things i dont remember, brake discs, pads etc.

So i ended up investing over 3k Eur in the damn thing after the purchase but i wanted this car for so long, it came into our lives and it is beyond our expectations, safe, beautiful, practical, decent, good handling, i would drive it anywhere no matter the distance.

when you buy a car, any car, you should change all the vital things to be safe, don't trust the previous owner, you may be sorry later, but on these cars sorry is much more expensive.

[oragex]

As with any D5 engine, the most important is removing the serpentine belt and inspecting by hand all the pulleys - the alternator one has a clutch (see Youtube how to test it)

Almost all dead D5 engines have been taken down by a snapped the serpentine belt after 130k miles

Then inspect the cam belt components: some owners put cheap parts (tensioner, water pump) that fail much sooner and all of a sudden

[Harley Dave]

Originally Posted by oragex

As with any D5 engine, the most important is removing the serpentine belt and inspecting by hand all the pulleys - the alternator one has a clutch (see Youtube how to test it)

Almost all dead D5 engines have been taken down by a snapped the serpentine belt after 130k miles

Then inspect the cam belt components: some owners put cheap parts (tensioner, water pump) that fail much sooner and all of a sudden

Where do you get this information from??

Cheers

Dave