Would a cylinder pressure check reveal if I am hitting this issue too? How much labor on that?

 

His could be affected. Again, not ALL cars in the range will see problems remember.

A compression test won't show anything relating to a bad rod bearing. A cylinder leakage test won't either. A cylinder leakage test could point to bad rings though. But not necessarily.

 

If you had my car, what diagnostics would you do to confirm or exclude if the rings would need to be replaced? You aren't any where in the northeast US are you? Can I take my car to you? : )

 

I thought you said the PCV was replaced and the oil consumption was gone?

First, I would verify there is an oil consumption problem. Fresh oil change and verify the oil is full. Then have you drive it 1000 miles and return to check.

If there is a problem, I'd explain this could get expensive and see how far you want to go with it. Pull the plugs and check for signs of burning oil. Cylinder leakage test to see if anything comes up. This is assuming you are paying for the diagnosis knowing the repair is likely expensive.

I am not, and I generally avoid sidework anyway.

 

Im having it towed to another dealer. Once over there, Volvo will re-open my case. I am proposing that I will pay for diagnostics to try and identify what is exactly wrong with the engine and what needs to be fixed? I hope to try and confirm the cause of the damage if that is possible.

My wife did inform me that when she found the low oil issue, she was driving to her dad's house a few miles away and the car felt like it was pulling back. Her brother checked the oil and found the dipstick completely dry. He bought some oil and added it to the engine. (2 quarts). Still dry. Obviously we were worried at this point. bought 3 more quarts and it took 2.5 of them. Over 4 quarts of oil low. Once started, performance was back to normal. At no point did any oil pressure indicator go on. Also, there doesn't seem to be any kind of check oil light on this car. Just that if the oil pressure light activates, then it's probably too late and the damage is probably already severe. We did not hear any ticking/knocking sounds coming from the engine (that happened approx 5-6k miles later). 2 days later, it was off by 2 more quarts. No signs of leaking oil under the car. We were dumbfounded. Immediately took it to my mechanic. Said he found an issue with the PCV/Breather that connects the turbo to the crank case? That it was clogged? I'm waiting to hear back if it was a clog or a leak.(I apologize as this goes beyond my engine/mechanic/turbo knowledge). He replaced the bad parts and seals. I need to get more data from him as the invoice leaves a LOT to be desired. I had my wife read it to me tonight. We can't even figure out what was done specifically and I am sure neither can Volvo which could be the main reason they are denying my request for Goodwill. It says what he replaced and it mentions the oil issue, but it doesn't say what he found that caused him to replace those parts. I need to check with Volvo if they need to know what part numbers he replaced. Do they just want to know? Do I need to have him add more information to the existing invoice ad an addendum and get that from him and give to them? After the repair, we checked the oil levels and it appeared to no longer by burning oil.

The other issue is I used a non Volvo mechanic. Probably the biggest one to do the repair. My wife was adamant she wasn't taking it back there after they did something she did not authorize. Should have taken it to a different Volvo dealer. Hindsight is 20/20. Still, I don't think he did anything to cause this damage.

What damage? The ticking noise. That is one reason I want to open up the motor by Volvo mechanics to inspect the rings and also see what is wrong in the bottom of the engine. I paid for the tow and I am paying for the diagnostics. I just am curious what it is they need to do and if I am just wasting more money if this can't be proven? Others who have mentioned this issue have talked about how some compression test indicated the cylinders have issues.

 

I wouldn't ask you to do side work. Just bring it to your dealer (if you were close, just not the one we have trust issues with).

Yes, the oil issues appeared to stop. After a couple of days, the dipstick looked fine. We assumed it was fixed and we were on our merry way. I don't know if the damage happened with the really low oil and pulling issue or if the PCV/breather was causing the oil to burn at a faster rate, and once fixed, it burned at a slower rate (something to do with crank case pressure?).

So with the car currently making the noise it is now, I don't think it's a good idea to drive it 1,000 miles.

So do I just open the bottom and if it's the bearing, replace it? Then drive 1000 miles? Is the only thing they can do is just a compression test and check the spark plugs? Do they need to actually pull a ring? One of the people I found online who spoke of their's being replaced said the rings looked shredded. Is it easy to see visually the rings have an issue? Just looking for some direction.

I know it will be expensive but if Volvo sees that I am willing to spend the money at another dealer to try and get to root cause, it might bring them around to fixing the issue (if we find an issue) and to reimburse me for the diagnostic cost.

I just need to get the car to another dealer and reach back out to them with a proposal. If you have any suggestions about what you think is fair, then I am all ears? If you think I should just throw in the towel, find an independent Volvo specialist and do an engine swap, then I would take that into consideration.

If Volvo steps up, we would likely be repeat customers. My wife really does love this car when it works, but this situation is really made us question the quality of this vehicle. We've never had any issue like this with any of our cars. We put plenty of miles on cars and do preventive / recommended maintenance. To just have an engine go is a shock to us. I am sure you, working in a shop, see it much more frequently.

 

The PCV/breather box is the same thing. It is the oil filter housing. It comes with new seals. If there is positive pressure in the crankcase (measured at the dipstick with a manometer), this is the first thing to suspect. This could cause oil to be burned. This has nothing to do with the turbo. The non-turbo 5 cylinder has the same PCV system.

However, if the PCV is working and there is still pressure in the crankcase, it could be something else. Namely, sludge in the oil pan blocking the return passage from the breather box or worn piston rings, causing blowby to get into the crankcase.

Goodwill is case by case. Having it worked on at another shop is not going to help your case, no matter what he puts on his repair order. I have seen plenty of goodwill given out to loyal customers. I have seen plenty denied for customers who have their car serviced at an independent shop who tells them "Hey, I read about this on the internet. Volvo fixes it for free, take it to them". What incentive does Volvo have to give free repairs out of warranty to a customer who is taking their car to independent shops? As a tech, I hate goodwill. Warranty times pay worse than customer pay. But if I have a loyal customer who has bought work from me before, I will push for goodwill. If I have a customer who brings their car in loaded with aftermarket parts and no service history after their warranty expired, I will make sure those making the decision are well aware of that.

A compression test can be an indication of a problem with the rings. But low compression can be caused by other things, like a blown head gasket, warped head, burnt valve. A cylinder leakage test pinpoints where the compression is being lost. Neither of these will tell you anything about the rod bearings. The oil pan has to come off for that, so if you are paying to have those checked, make sure it is after the compression/cylinder leakage test. You cannot have them take apart the bottom to check the rings.

 

I understand exactly where you are coming from on Goodwill and I agree. What we should have done was gone to another dealer but we didn't. We felt comfortable with our mechanic on everything else and that's why we went there. The feeling we got was that all dealers must be like that. You can't trust them.

I did find one with good reviews and customer feedback which is why I am taking it there.

This is where I stand. I am not so much worried about the rod bearing as that is secondary. Yes, if that is the issue, it needs to bee fixed. I want to look into the cylinders and spark plugs to see if I am hitting the issue that is in the bulletin. If that is the case, I want to push for Volvo to go ahead and take care of the rings on Goodwill. Next, I want to them open the bottom of the engine and see if we can pinpoint the extent of the damage. Hopefully it's the bearings and not a rod. It may not be obvious. If it is, then I can see if Volvo would cover it. I saw someone else online get their's replaced. If they did this, they would earn a lifelong customer and I would take it back to the dealer. Comes down to trust I guess. Would Volvo trust me to do that? Well, let's find out what the issue is and go from there. It's fair I think? My wife will be buying another vehicle soon anyway. It could be another Volvo. Don't know yet.

If we can't pinpoint the issue with rings, then I probably won't want to open the engine, and would explore some kind of engine swap. I know that comes with its own risks, but still. I am not towing the car to the junk yard. Everything else appears to be in good shape. Probably wouldn't buy another Volvo though. Never had the issues with any car like I have with this one. I guess you can find issues with any kind of car online. Why did I have to win the crappy car lottery. Why not the powerball?

 

Sorry, looks like you were typing this as I was typing my last reply so that's why I missed this post.

If it isn't burning oil but is just making noise, you can just pull the pan to inspect and replace the bearings if needed. If that takes care of it and the car is not burning oil because the PCV was the problem, my suggestion would be to pay for the repair yourself and keep any potential goodwill card in hand in case the rings become an issue later. Pulling the rings to inspect them will not only not show a problem, it is a much bigger job since the head has to be removed. At that point, you might as well replace the rings.

I really don't see that many engines just go. I've done a couple of the 6 cylinders and seen plenty done as well. Aside from those and the times customers damage an engine by cracking the oil pan and deciding to ignore the oil pressure warnings, I haven't seen any issues. Of course it's a lot different when the one car you bought has an issue and I understand that, too.

 

ES6T, can you please check my VIN for this issue, I am burning about 1 quart a month.
My VIN:
YV1622FS7C2100785

Thanks!
Dan

 

It may be affected.

To any angry 2012 T5 owners who find this in the future, I cannot run everyone's VIN.

 

Volvo dealers were telling people it's normal but it's not, especially if the oil change interval is 7500 for the 2012 version.

 

Some good news. Volvo replaced the engine in my car. The dealer Brown-Daub did a fantastic job. Everything is perfect and it drives like new. I couldn't be happier!

 

I have a 2012 volvo s60 t5. Most oil changes were done free under warranty at the dealership. I live 40 minutes away from the closest dealership, so I didn't go to the deal every time, but most. My husband noticed it was smoking when I hit the gas to pull out of the driveway one day. He checked the oil & none was showing on the dip stick. No light came on & I was in between oil changes. I called Volvo & they told me to bring it in. We had already put oil in it. They first acted like there was no known issue & they didn't know what it could be. When I told them I had read online that this was a common issue, I was told that was with the t6, not the t5. I was really upset, so they agreed to oil consumption test, which they said was the protocol. I still kept an eye on it myself bc I am out of warranty & I don't want to run low & damage my engine. I checked it at 2000 miles, after my oil change & it was barely showing on the dipstick. I drove it immediately to Volvo so they could see it & document it. The service guy told me they were giving me a loaner & that they were going to keep the car & talk to Volvo about getting the issue covered. They asked for all my oil change receipts that I didn't have done at Volvo. It has been 4 days, going on 5 & they haven't called. I am nervous to call them. My car is now at 79,991. I did see on my oil change receipt at 40,541 in the service notes it says it was a quart low. I would have been in warranty when it started using oil. I am a nervous wreck. I love this car. I hope that them giving me a loaner without asking is a good sign that they are going to do all they can to help. I don't know if they have started on my car or are still waiting approval. They said they would call me. I have the loaner car. I really hope they take care of this since it seems to be a problem they are aware of. A local shop that is not Volvo printed out the TSB for me & gave it to me. I had that with me when I took it in & Volvo told me they were aware of it & will do all they can to get it covered for me. I will let you know. What do you guys think? My vin ends in 22765

 

See this thread:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Volvo/comme..._oil_guzzling/

And this thread: 2012 T5 S60: Oil Guzzler and No Warning!

And this thread: http://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/for...73976&start=14

You don't have to look hard. Swedespeed has a ton of threads on people with oil burning. I ended up having my engine replaced.

Tell your dealer to look at TJ29871. That references the T5. It's a known issue. Good Luck!

P.S. If you ask your dealer, there is an update for this car to switch to full synthetic oil. Why would they require that change? It indicates they know there is a major issue with this engine. If your dealer deflects, find another dealer willing to work with you and Volvo.

 

I am looking at purchasing a S60 and am reconsidering after reading these posts. I had this exact same thing happen to my '08 VW GTI and I don't want to do it again. How can I know if the Volvo I am looking at will have this issue? It is a 2012 S60 T6 AWD and currently has 71k miles on it.

 

I think you have two options 1) check with the dealer to see if any work has been done and how the problem presents itself 2) consider an extended warranty product. I'd also look into what the current owner is experiencing - do they get through the full oil service interval w/o adding a quart? Rings don't wear overnight so at 70K miles I'd suspect if the car is going to have issues, something would show by now.

 

I think the T6 and T5 have completely different issues. They both result in burning but doing some online searching it seems like most of the issues on the 2012 S60 is with the T5 and I don't see that many complaining about the T6.

 

Purchased a used 2012 S60 from a Volvo dealer 90 days ago in CT. I was outside of the 60 day 3000 mile used car warranty and the check engine light went on. Barely got it to my mechanic and he indicated the car had no oil. He indicated a major engine issue. I called the dealership and expected a huge runaround with threats of legal action etc. To my surprise they sent a flatbed to pick up the car same day and a week later i had a brand new engine. I didn't even have to ask them. This was by far one of the best car experiences i have had in a long time. Volvo NA really stepped up and replaced it at no cost to me with a lifetime warranty. We have owned a lot of Volvos and now i know why. The car had 47K miles.

 

Oil burn?

Check the tail pipe.

Is it "wet" and black/dark grey?

Is it "dry" and grey/light brown?