Engine Oil Level Poll

[XC60Monkey]

Originally Posted by Vecais

Yes, I would be annoyed. However, in my experience our Volvo dealer is responsive and would do all that they can to fix problems. Perhaps you are another victim of London dealers' complacency?

Firstly, I would demand that they fix the problem. There are several posts in the respective rising oil level threads about the new software fixing the problem. You may have got a faulty install. There is no way that I would accept an "upgrade" that reduced the mileage you say, plus not fixing the rising oil.

If you really need to change to a petrol model, why not another Volvo. You should be able to negotiate a good change-over deal in the circumstances. If money is no object, the T6 XC60 is good.

No criticism of Audi but they are also subject to gremlins that affect modern cars. Check the relevant forums. In any case, they also need to be serviced every six or twelve months, depending on your driving style, just like a Volvo. I don't know of any make of car that you don't have to lift the bonnet for three years.

Wrong - my trusty A4 cabriolet has been to the dealers 3 times in 6 years for a long life service each time and hasn't missed a beat - still looks and feels as good as the day I bought it.

The T6 is a little too thirsty for me nd the VED is gonna kill the second hand values in 5 years when its time to sell. I'd go for a GTDI if it ever comes to the UK, but in the meantime I'm gonna keep my eye out for a petrol variant of the nes X3 at the start of 2011 I think.

Agreed on London complacency - will try venturing out to the countryside for my next dealer visit.

[jerr]

Two weeks ago I ordered new XC60 with D5 engine. Posts submitted on this forum make me rethink my decision. Today I have sent a letter to Volvo asking for some statement. You can read this below. Let see what is going to happen.

regards,
jerr


Dear Sirs,

I have recently placed an order for 2011 model of Volvo XC60 with D5, 205hp engine.
In the meantime I encountered number of posts of dissatisfied customers that claim rising oil issue. Internet poll shows that close to 50% of new Volvo owners with diesel motors report this problem. Some already replaced engines on this year cars. Volvo numerous attempts to fix the issue through repeatable software updates do not work what means Volvo does not have idea how to deal with it.
Digging further I found an official statement of Per-Ake Froberg informing about the problem but not about solution.

I am ready to cancel my order unless I will receive official statement from Volvo guarantying that 2011 models will have the issue fixed.
Political answer in style of “Volvo does its best to fix this issue” will not work.

I am posting this message on major Volvo internet forums.

Best regards,

[wimorrison]

Good luck with your quest for a definitive letter from Volvo - I fear that I know what the answer will be.

Just to pick up on one point you make. The poll in this post is for interest only and holds no authority whatsoever. There have been 77 votes, which when you consider the thousand of XC60s that have been sold make the figure statistically meaningless.

If you assume that 5000 (which is very low) have been sold then to get a confidence of 95% +/- 2% you will need 1622 responses - if you have a poll that has this many responses you have a valid figure to quote.

As I said good luck with your quest

[Vecais]

Originally Posted by jerr

Two weeks ago I ordered new XC60 with D5 engine. Posts submitted on this forum make me rethink my decision. Today I have sent a letter to Volvo asking for some statement. You can read this below. Let see what is going to happen.

regards,
jerr


Dear Sirs,

I have recently placed an order for 2011 model of Volvo XC60 with D5, 205hp engine.
In the meantime I encountered number of posts of dissatisfied customers that claim rising oil issue. Internet poll shows that close to 50% of new Volvo owners with diesel motors report this problem. Some already replaced engines on this year cars. Volvo numerous attempts to fix the issue through repeatable software updates do not work what means Volvo does not have idea how to deal with it.
Digging further I found an official statement of Per-Ake Froberg informing about the problem but not about solution.

I am ready to cancel my order unless I will receive official statement from Volvo guarantying that 2011 models will have the issue fixed.
Political answer in style of “Volvo does its best to fix this issue” will not work.

I am posting this message on major Volvo internet forums.

Best regards,

I doubt that Volvo would take a political letter like yours seriously. There are also a few errors of fact to consider:

If you have placed an order you will no doubt have a contract with a dealer. They may require some payment if you cancel. If you have changed your mind about purchasing a diesel I would suggest that conciliatory negotiation with the dealer would get a better result than confrontation about this nebulous issue. They probably do not care about any correspondence you have with Volvo or anything you have read on the Internet.

I am not sure what you mean by "...some already replaced engines on this year cars." You have missed the point that many owners who have had the software update no longer have a problem with rising oil levels. You have missed the point that most diesel owners have never had problem at all in this respect.

It seems strange that you place an order and two weeks later you have second thought because of a few things you have read. If you have no faith in Volvo why buy in the first place?

[Tony60]

Originally Posted by Chinese taxi

Just read back issue of how to read your oil level and popped out to car to follow instructions.

Indeed the 'Oil service required' message was displayed above a digital status bar showing over full !

Now booked in for Saturday morning.

When I looked at my Oil level display it looked over full ,took to dealer and they said they re - programmed the vehicle !*? .Tony

[XC60Monkey]

Originally Posted by Tony60

When I looked at my Oil level display it looked over full ,took to dealer and they said they re - programmed the vehicle !*? .Tony

yup - like I've said beofre on this site - the fix is to change the software to misread the oil level - simple peeps!

[Vecais]

Originally Posted by XC60Monkey

yup - like I've said beofre on this site - the fix is to change the software to misread the oil level - simple peeps!

What is the basis of your outrageous slur?

I have checked several times since the software update early this year and the electronic dipstick correlates exactly to the physical dipstick.

Why would Volvo ruin their reputation by defrauding their customers?

[XC60Monkey]

Originally Posted by Vecais

What is the basis of your outrageous slur?

I have checked several times since the software update early this year and the electronic dipstick correlates exactly to the physical dipstick.

Why would Volvo ruin their reputation by defrauding their customers?

Outrageous slur!!!!!
Quoted verbatum from the technician who applied the update!

[Vecais]

Originally Posted by XC60Monkey

Outrageous slur!!!!!
Quoted verbatum from the technician who applied the update!

You have said previously that your rising oil problem has not been fixed. Presumably the same technician has failed in this task. Consequently I would doubt anything he says or does.

Get someone who wants to fix your car rather than somebody who offers implausible excuses.

[XC60Monkey]

Originally Posted by Vecais

You have said previously that your rising oil problem has not been fixed. Presumably the same technician has failed in this task. Consequently I would doubt anything he says or does.

Get someone who wants to fix your car rather than somebody who offers implausible excuses.

Easier siad than done! Tried two Volvo dealerships now and have encountered the same level of incompetence / excuses at both. I doubt they would both mislead me in the same direction about the nature of the software update without guidance from Volvo. It would have been easier for them to say "applied software update - not sure what it does, but Volvo tell us all will be ok", which was the initial excuse I was fobbed off with. Only in pushing hard, have I managed to get a more detailed explanation.

Unfortunatley fo all of us, the reality is that DPF technology is reletively immature and no amount of software bodges will fix a fundamental design flaw.

Plus, doubting anything Volvo technicians / service managers say and do, makes continued Volvo ownership a little difficult!

After extensive reading, I'm running my car exclusively on Shell V Power to lower sulphur content and taking it for a half hour run out every 2 weeks above 3000rpm around the M25. Oil level has been okay for a month now.