My 2002 V70 has developed a Stutter or vibration above 45mph..... It is rather severe, shakes the steering wheel and the console. It is worse when accelerating, and at higher speeds. Feels sort of like an engine Miss fire. (Rotated tires to no avail.) At 80 the car vibrates wildly, but if you drop it into nuetral it goes away completely. Can anyone help??

 

BTW.... I am new here, but have 20+ years of Volvo experience. Still have a Gold 91 245 Brick with 384K and still rolling, although tranny is gettin a bit weak (Spare wheels) , 2001 C70 T5 5Spd (Mine), 97 850 T5 142K (Wife), 96 960 with 84K (Son),and 01 S70 at 132K (2ndSon) I just bought this as a replace for the wife with this issue thinking it would be easy fix as it is really clean and has all records. Previous owner inherited a Lexus and said this problem just developed after sitting for a couple of months. I do most of my own work, this one really has me stumped?

 

Is it because I'm a NoooooBy or because of the V70 that I can't get no love?

 

Neither.

Sometimes it takes a little bit for the 'regulars' to make the rounds here. I have pulled wrenches for years, but am pretty new to Volvo. I wonder if you have checked the rest of the usual front end suspects? It sounds to me like a classic tie rod (inner, or outer) issue to me. I know you say it goes away in neutral but it could have to do with the torque applied to the spindle by the axle (I know, sounds weird, but with FWD you apply torque and take some slack up in the front end while under power). I would take a really close look at the bushings, ball joints, and the tie rod ends.

Good luck.

 

Thanks so much for the reply!

Looked at all the usual suspects, no loose ball joints, no detectable play in axles..... etc. I forgot to mention this car only has 62K which is partly why I suspected little to be amiss and jumped into a V70. She is really clean and tight, almost like brand new except for one 2" scratch on the drivers rear door. It is a really strange vibration, more like a shudder that seems to be more engine related than drive train issue.??

 

Torque converter issue? You seem to have eliminated almost every other cause.....

 

Perhaps, but it does not seem like it as it is a shudder that occurs under load at over 45 mph. Really seems like an engine shudder. Is there a known problem with coils on these models? My 960 had a coil gp out and it felt similar except it missed all the time, but it felt mor elike a shudder when in OD.

 

Explain more about "dropping to neutral and all is well" statement. If at 60 and you shift to neutral all is well even when you rev it? Describe conditions during heavy acceleration, easy cruise, easy deacceleration, and hard breaking. You really haven't given much to go on, but so far, it's looking like drive line or suspension.

Jerry

 

Did you specifically check the inner axle joints for play?

Did you inspect the lower control arm bushings?

 

I did not feel any noticable play in the inner axle joints, and cannot see any visible issue with the lower control arm bushings. I figured with the low miles (62K) that axle joints or lower bushings were unlikely, but I checked them anyway.

The vibration goes away when you put the car in nuetral even if you then rev the engine. The vibration is worse under load, but still very obvious when over 45 mph even if coasting, unless you put it in nuetral. Minor vib under decel down to 45 or so, but no vibration under light deccel under 45. No vibration during heavy or lightbraking (pretty much eliminates rotors).

I suppose it points to inner CV joints. I am gonna investigate it more later today, we just parked it in the garage last week, been traveling for work and gettin in late. Is their a prescribed method for checkingthe innerCV's?

Any other suggestions?

 

I concur, I too think it's the CV joints.Here was the instruction I received.

"You would keep your hand on the inner joint while you rocked the tire. There should be 0 play in the inner joint.
If there is play the tripod joint has worn the inner cup part of the inner joint".

Hope this helps!

Jerry