AWD Transmission: XC90 No AWD Want to report this to BBC Watch Dog

[Alajota]

I have had no trouble with mine
Asked wife to floor it in the tesco car park
front wheels started to spin then the rears started to spin
then she drove off
I have conti's all round

[4wheeldriver]

I've Contis all round on mine as that was what came on it new and to be honest I've had no problems at all through all the snow we've had here last week or so. Only once it's taken a half slide that didnt really get beyond a few degrees off the staright ahead and back in she came no drama!!

[Beeman]

I have raised the poor 'muddy lane ' performance of my 54 XC90 even with brand new WRs in the 'Which Nokians WR or NPVi thread'.
I asked how actually does one test whether the rear wheels were getting power. Gmonsta's reply 2/12/08 on page 5 mentions using a 4 wheel lift and applying the parking brake and revving slightly. The front wheels spin and the system transfers power to the back sufficient to turn the rear wheels against the pressure of the parking brake.
Is there any other way??? Is Gmonsta's way the only acid test???
I need some substantial personal evidence prior to a Watchdog listing. Given that then I'll be in!

[speedbird800]

Guys,

I can only say the same thing again. If you have a problem report it to http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog

got a story.

This is the only way in my mind.... we will get this story heard! Even if you are getting rid of your car, it will force Volvo to address this issue

I have conti's all round! Plus all 4 wheels have been tracked and aligned!

[GEORGEROV]

Part time 4-wheel drive systems are a waste of time in my opinion. The exception being a 4matic Merc that I once had. Rusted away and was replaced by a V70 XC. What a piece of junk compared to the Merc. Replaced the XC with a Legacy Outback and that is a revelation in all respects. Trying to find Subaru forums to investigate faults and breakdowns but there are none to speak of. Cause they don't!. Teamed this up with an old Forester and that is the same. Will never go back to new model Volvo's.

[Rockhopper]

Originally Posted by GEORGEROV

Trying to find Subaru forums to investigate faults and breakdowns but there are none to speak of. Cause they don't!. Teamed this up with an old Forester and that is the same..

There must be more Subaru forums than anything else Scooby Foresters aren't faultless. We know, we have one.

Anyway, wasn't this thread supposed to be for those people to post about their XC90s that do actually have a problem with the AWD?

[4wheeldriver]

As a point of interest in this you may want to have a quick look at this link


http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/bef.../dealer#named2

It explains your rights in buying a car from a dealer.

[RoyMacDonald]

Originally Posted by GEORGEROV

Part time 4-wheel drive systems are a waste of time in my opinion. The exception being a 4matic Merc that I once had. Rusted away and was replaced by a V70 XC. What a piece of junk compared to the Merc. Replaced the XC with a Legacy Outback and that is a revelation in all respects. Trying to find Subaru forums to investigate faults and breakdowns but there are none to speak of. Cause they don't!. Teamed this up with an old Forester and that is the same. Will never go back to new model Volvo's.

Subaru Legacy....Huge fuel consumption, low ground clearance, only 5 seats!

Didn't the fact your Merc rusted away tell you anything? I had an E class Merc for 6 months. Lovely engine and gearbox, but the body, it had the worst rust proofing and paint job I've seen since my 1968 minvan! I got rid the Merc after 6 months and got myself another Volvo.

Roy

[speedbird800]

Hi Guys,

Can we please bring this thread back on track! It's about people who have lost AWD in their XC90's reporting this to Watch Dog.

This is the most important factor. Lets not get bogged down discussing which car is best or better. We have a problem and need to get it sorted out.

Sorry to be a bore, but the thread is hear to help each other!

Many thanks!

[DCO]

Originally Posted by speedbird800

Hi Guys,

Can we please bring this thread back on track! It's about people who have lost AWD in their XC90's reporting this to Watch Dog.

This is the most important factor. Lets not get bogged down discussing which car is best or better. We have a problem and need to get it sorted out.

Sorry to be a bore, but the thread is hear to help each other!

Many thanks!

Hi all,

Speedbird800 is quite right that the thread is getting hijacked!

However, should you also be asking for everyone that has not had a problem with the AWD to post? If say 5,000 people have not had a problem, and 50 have, then it appears to be a 1% failure rate. Is a 1% rate acceptable given that anything mechanical can fail?

I know that you can prove anything with statistics, but my personal feeling is that the actual failure rate of the bevel gear assembly is quite low in proportion to the total number of vehicles using the system. In contrast the original round style upper engine mount has a vastly higher failure rate and needed to be re-designed.

With all the electronics and sensors already on the XC90, I agree that it surely cannot be that difficult or costly for Volvo to add another to the collection, that will provide a warning that the AWD is not working properly.

As for knowing if the AWD is working, as Roy Macdonald has said, you can feel the power transfer occuring when accelerating through some turns. If you are not sure if yours is working, another way to check is on a clear road, with the vehicle moving at about 5mph approaching a 'T' junction or equivalent, accelerate hard as you turn. In simple terms, if your XC90 does not accelerate much, then the AWD is probably not working! If it accelerates quickly, then it is working!

My XC90's AWD is currently definitely working, as shown when having waited for several minutes for a guy in a people carrier who was attempting to drive up a steep hill in the snow but eventually had to give up, with the way now clear, by selecting Winter mode I was able to simply drive effortlessly up the hill (about 1 in 5) even though I am currently on Nokian NRVi summer tyres. I had also earlier driven up a similarly steep hill where the few pedestrians that were around, were having great difficulty staying upright because it was so slippery!