Engine rumble and vibration at low revs

[Neville G]

I've had my 2012 S60 for three months now and I'm worried about the considerable amount of engine rumbling noise it makes at between 800 and 1500 rpm. which also causes some vibration that you can feel through the floor and steering wheel.
It's the 2.0 lt. 5 cylinder 163 bhp Diesel and being an Automatic it tends to run at these revs for quite a bit of the time, particularly in town. Above 1500 rpm it is very smooth and quiet, particularly on a light throttle and only gets a bit more noisy on hard acceleration.
It's done 90,400 miles and has a full service history, each one at around 8,000 miles, so it seems to have been well cared for by its two previous owners, although I didn't get any other paperwork to back up the service book stamps. The obligatory cam belt and water pump change was also done at 70'000.
I've changed the oil (0-30w) and filter and it all looks pretty clean and tidy under the bonnet.
This noise is really spoiling the driving experience for me and I can't believe that Volvo would have originally sold the cars like this.
Can anyone out there throw any light as to what might be causing it ?
Many thanks. Nev Goldsmith.

[Kev0607]

Could be an engine mount. Worn mounts can send vibrations through the cabin.

[Jeffyjd87]

I had similar which was caused by a faulty alternator pulley. They have a clutch in them that causing a noise/vibration at just above idle

[GMcL]

Originally Posted by Neville G

I've had my 2012 S60 for three months now and I'm worried about the considerable amount of engine rumbling noise it makes at between 800 and 1500 rpm. which also causes some vibration that you can feel through the floor and steering wheel.
It's the 2.0 lt. 5 cylinder 163 bhp Diesel and being an Automatic it tends to run at these revs for quite a bit of the time, particularly in town. Above 1500 rpm it is very smooth and quiet, particularly on a light throttle and only gets a bit more noisy on hard acceleration.
It's done 90,400 miles and has a full service history, each one at around 8,000 miles, so it seems to have been well cared for by its two previous owners, although I didn't get any other paperwork to back up the service book stamps. The obligatory cam belt and water pump change was also done at 70'000.
I've changed the oil (0-30w) and filter and it all looks pretty clean and tidy under the bonnet.
This noise is really spoiling the driving experience for me and I can't believe that Volvo would have originally sold the cars like this.
Can anyone out there throw any light as to what might be causing it ?
Many thanks. Nev Goldsmith.

What does it sound like with the aircon switched off ? The compressor also has a clutch arrangement, if that is running that could be another source.

I have my car set on auto all year round, I set the temperature and let the car decide how best to manage it. The compressor on mine gave up two years ago when the car was 11. With a new compressor it literally is a breath of fresh air. Cold air within moments of starting the engine again.