XC70 2008 Infotainment system
 

Hi folks


New member here, based in Johannesburg South Africa (in case this is an international site) and I really hope the Volvo enthusiasts here can help me out.
The missus and I both drive Volvos. Mine is the S40 T5. The wife drives an XC70 D5 auto. Love the cars. Great to drive, really comfy, full featured, at around half the price of the German 'equivalents'. And that T5 can go!
Recently, however, we have encountered an issue with the XC70...


The sound system has just given up. If you switch it on, the splash screen shows up, then goes away, as per normal, and that's where it ends. No sound, no display... nadah.
Also, the park distance display/sound as well as the built-in cell phone functionality has stopped too.
All the aircon stuff along the bottom of the screen is still there, and works fine.


So we figured a wire had come loose somewhere or something like that, so off we loyally go to our local Volvo dealership where every service has been done on the cars to date, and get them to look at it.
After a week, they come back with a quote to repair the system...
R 25 000 (and some change)!


Are you kidding me? For a factory-fitted sound system?
That sounds to me a bit like dealer-speak for "We don't know what's wrong with it, so we'll hit you with a ridiculous price in the hopes you'll just go somewhere else". Which we did.


We went to a 'Volvo specialist' which isn't a dealer. They looked at it, and said one of the infotainment modules was dead and needed replacing, which they can do for less than a third what Volvo quoted, so we told them to go ahead. They imported the part and fitted it, to no avail, saying there was some software issue, and the software needed updating, so they sent it off to the local Volvo dealer (not the same one that wants to bend me over the desk) who, for reasons I just don't understand, couldn't get the software to take...?
The 'specialist' took the car back and sent the log from the system to Volvo Sweden, hoping they could give some clarity on what's going wrong. To date, they haven't replied to numerous Emails.
So they just gave the car back to us (without charge, which speaks to integrity if you ask me) as it was, and told us if they ever get a response from Sweden, they'd let us know.


This whole fiasco has gone on for about 3 months now. I've tried a number of car audio place to see if I can get an alternative sound system fitted or something like that, but the average response seems to be "Volvo? Hell no. We won't touch it!".
The best I found was a referral to some dude who fixes Volvo sound systems in his back yard.
Ummm... yeah, I don't think so. Next thing you know, he's fried every system in the car, throws up his hands and says "sorry".
You don't go for neurosurgery at a backyard udokotela either.


Does anyone have any advice on this, or can you refer me to someone that actually knows something about Volvo electronics, rather than just wanting to replace every part in the system for a ludicrous price?
I'd really appreciate some assistance in this regard.


Thanks, in advance.
Julian

What part was replaced and what part did the dealer recommend?

Was the replaced part a used one?

They replaced one of the 'modules' in the infotainment system (apparently there are two, but after testing them both, the other was deemed to be functioning okay). The dealer wanted to replace them both.
And it was a new part, imported from Sweden

Same problem here
 

Hello Julian,

did you ever get to solve your problem. I have exactly the same issue as of today !

Many thanks, Bart

Not sure about 2008, but 2007 and earlier XC70s have a modular head unit (radio, DVD, etc.) that's easy to pull out and replace with an identical unit. You have to know the anti-theft code of course.

You can get head units on eBay but make sure to get the same model year as your car. The wiring changed from year to year but the head unit model numbers stayed the same. So it's easy to order the wrong one.

It's possible to upgrade the head unit but from what I've read, it's a massive task and requires a converter. Not worth it.

This CAN module for Volvo might do it unless the vehicle has a MOST amplifier which cannot be retained:


CRUX SWRVL-54 Wiring Interface Connect a new car stereo and retain the factory amp and steering wheel audio controls in select 1999-2012 Volvo models at Crutchfield.com