Advice on my Tensioner

Viratan · Mar 14th, 2024, 17:55

Good day,

bought myself a 2011 V60 D3 R-design estate (also first car) . had it about a year now and been doing all the maintenance issues previous owners did not . recently got a issue with utility belt squeaking.

taken it to my regular garage to get belt replaced but they said they couldn't because the engine needed modifying as the tensioner on it is old version and its so used if they put new belt on it would tear it out. apparently it need a modification to a new tensioner design you cant buy the old one. problem is apparently my car records say the modification was already done but it has not been to engine itself

was this part of a recall, i keep finding things that say it might of been? im taking it to a Volvo dealer/workshop tomorrow but its £450 to do the mod and fit the new tensioner style.

any advice or input please

GrahamBrown1 · Mar 14th, 2024, 18:09

This was a recall years ago however at 2011 I would have thought your car would have had the updated spring tensioner by then from the factory but I can’t remember exact dates. If the car had Volvo servicing this would have been picked up and sorted out or should have been.

From what you describe it sounds like yours is fitted with the hydraulic tensioner. These were changed back to a spring type due to putting to much tension on the belt. This whole saga stemmed right back to the start of P3 cars. They started out with a spring tensioner, these failed and caused belt failures, they went to hydraulic which still didn’t work and then finally back to a spring style although a much beefed up design. You can convert the old spring style to the new spring style without any modification. You can tell the old style as the spring is exposed.

So the repair, if you have the hydraulic style is to drill and tap the block using a special jig. You only get one shot. Volvo probably no longer support any claims hence your having to pay. The new spring style tensioner is the final fix with a belt change interval of 54k miles.

Viratan · Mar 14th, 2024, 18:43

i looked into the legality there is not time limitation on any recalls , but im just trying to find the thing that says my car was part of it .. though if the car needs the modification doing that kind of the evidence there if it does not then i should not be in this situation in first place ?

Lancee · Mar 15th, 2024, 13:20

Contact your local Volvo main dealer for advice.

Mar 14th, 2024, 17:55	#1
Viratan New Member Last Online: Mar 15th, 2024 00:05 Join Date: Mar 2024 Location: Driffield	Advice on my Tensioner Good day, bought myself a 2011 V60 D3 R-design estate (also first car) . had it about a year now and been doing all the maintenance issues previous owners did not . recently got a issue with utility belt squeaking. taken it to my regular garage to get belt replaced but they said they couldn't because the engine needed modifying as the tensioner on it is old version and its so used if they put new belt on it would tear it out. apparently it need a modification to a new tensioner design you cant buy the old one. problem is apparently my car records say the modification was already done but it has not been to engine itself was this part of a recall, i keep finding things that say it might of been? im taking it to a Volvo dealer/workshop tomorrow but its £450 to do the mod and fit the new tensioner style. any advice or input please

Mar 14th, 2024, 18:09	#2
GrahamBrown1 VOC Member Last Online: Today 07:52 Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: North Yorkshire	This was a recall years ago however at 2011 I would have thought your car would have had the updated spring tensioner by then from the factory but I can’t remember exact dates. If the car had Volvo servicing this would have been picked up and sorted out or should have been. From what you describe it sounds like yours is fitted with the hydraulic tensioner. These were changed back to a spring type due to putting to much tension on the belt. This whole saga stemmed right back to the start of P3 cars. They started out with a spring tensioner, these failed and caused belt failures, they went to hydraulic which still didn’t work and then finally back to a spring style although a much beefed up design. You can convert the old spring style to the new spring style without any modification. You can tell the old style as the spring is exposed. So the repair, if you have the hydraulic style is to drill and tap the block using a special jig. You only get one shot. Volvo probably no longer support any claims hence your having to pay. The new spring style tensioner is the final fix with a belt change interval of 54k miles. __________________ Previous -03 S40, 04 V70 D5, 04 V70 D5 Sport, 05 V50, 07 S60 D5, 09 V70 D5 R design, 12 XC60 DrivE, 15 V60 D3 Current- 05 XC90 D5 Exec, 12 XC70 D4 AWD Se Lux, 14 S80 D3 Se Lux Last edited by GrahamBrown1; Mar 14th, 2024 at 18:41.

Mar 14th, 2024, 18:43	#3
Viratan New Member Last Online: Mar 15th, 2024 00:05 Join Date: Mar 2024 Location: Driffield	i looked into the legality there is not time limitation on any recalls , but im just trying to find the thing that says my car was part of it .. though if the car needs the modification doing that kind of the evidence there if it does not then i should not be in this situation in first place ?

Mar 15th, 2024, 13:20	#4
Lancee Premier Member Last Online: Yesterday 22:27 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Devon	Contact your local Volvo main dealer for advice.

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