I have a 2004 S60 2.5T AWD. 67k. Everything stock. 17" with brand new Bridgestone Turanzas. No major issues except the stupid damper motors and tire rub. Just had the 60k service at my local volvo (i don't charge 500bux a hour) guy. Now my problem.

Bought the car with the stock pirelli tires. The car drove nice with no real noise problems but they where worn and needed to be replaced. Had no money and got some Fusion HRI crap. Worst tires ever. During my time with the worst tires of all time my S60 developed a riveting noise like something is rubbing on the tread. Sounds like the tire is hollow. Think sticking a card in a moving tire tread but amplified. Happens going over bumps, rough roads, slow even at highway speeds. I also hear loud pops from time to time. Took it to volvo like 4 times and couldnt get the noise to duplicate. I even had a tech drive around with me driving so i could duplicate the noise. No noise. But on my way home sure as @!#$!@ it did it, like always.

After having it looked at by Volvo, an independent volvo specialist and the tire place, I chalked it up to crappy tires. I specifically had them test all the suspension components over and over again. Nothing wrong. Time passes. I hate my car. I hate my tires. I hate this noise. Bolt gets stuck in tire. Figure screw it and get good quality tires. Buy new top of the line Turanzas, Get an alignment. My Toe was extremely out of whack. Driving home no noise. So i'm like cool, it was those excuse for tire Fusions or the toe. HAPPY DAY. right?

Wrong. Now it rides better, rides quieter but the SAME noise still exists. Very frustrating.

Sorry for the theatrical post. I couldn't make my first post boring.

 

No one knows what part may cause extra road noise? Its very hallow sounding like the sound is coming through the wheel well.

 

might have something loose inside the tire.

 

Perhaps it is road noise you just aren't used to? I'd have to hear this sound specifically to judge but if the suspension and tires are both legitimately fine, the noise must come from deeper within the drive train.

 

The tires arent more than 5 days old. The problem existed with the other tires also. One thing is that the noise was louder with the crappy loud generic tires I had on before. Now its the same sound, just a bit softer.

The problem is confined to the driver side. I did have some people listen on the passenger side just to make sure I wasn't nuts. The noise is the same no matter the variables. Fast or slow, dry or wet, hard braking or just slowing down, highway driving or city driving. Hot, cold, no matter. It isn't a natural road noise. Sounds just like your going over a rumble strip just not as dramatic.

Rather than try and pinpoint out of 50 different things it could be. What are some things I could suggest to my Volvo tech to look at? End links, bushings, bearings, control bars.... May be that my shocks are shot.

Whats the first thing you would look at.... and then the second..... I have had them looking for this problem for a long time now. I want all the suggestions I can get.

 

baloo41 - I have a similar same problem: '07 S60 AWD. It's on the passenger side rear however. I can hear the noise over the slightest bumps as well. It almost sounds like a hollow plastic sound. I found some inner plastic of the wheel well loose, and secured it. Same sound. I thought it might have been the spare tire and removed it from the trunk, but that didn't help.

I have to have my bent wheel swapped, so I had the dealer check out end links and various other components back there and they couldn't find any issues.

My noise will go away after some driving through, the come back again the next day (or after the car has sat for a while).

 

Same exact thing. Sometimes I can drive to work and no sound. Then on my way home it is super loud. It does seem to becoming more frequent now and I should be able to have a tech hear it now.

Maybe it's a AWD component? Anyone out there ever hear of the AWD system making odd noises?

 

i am thinking it may be the wheel bearings. Might just replace the whole wheel assembly.

Would this cause the noise?

 

CHeck the top coil spring mount very carefully as its difficult to see.
look for cracks in the rubber.

The reason it doesnt happen all the time is this mount moves in another mount that bolts to the car, some of the time it see some load other than up and only then can it move as the rubber is no longer fused to the pin that runs through the spring seat....
Mine had very similar noise today so I ripped it all apart found they were stuffed, replaced with heavy duty ones (spring mounts notoriously crap from Volvo).
Whalah problem solved.

hit up IPD, they sell HD mounts too about $45 each

good luck!

 

"CHeck the top coil spring mount very carefully as its difficult to see."

I looked pretty good but i am not sure where i am looking. Do i look from the hood or wheel well?

 

look from under the hood, strut top has a large washer on top and if the car is jacked up this will bottom out on the mount, check it with the car on its wheels look between the washer and the strut top, in good light can see the rubber bush which should not have any cracks, if you can see cracks it is stuffed. Often missed as car on a hoist with wheels hanging down and subsequently not visible.

I've had a few cars in my time but none I have noticed use this arrangement for spring mount, usually part of the strut top and not a separate mount for the spring, a european thing perhaps???

use a flashlight if required, common problem and presents with a host of otherwise difficult to diagnose suspension creeks and rattles, that as you suggest aren't necessarily there all the time...

again good luck, one of those things where (obviously) it no longer matters what it costs to fix as its driving you bonkers!

Karl

 

Well I went to Volvo with all the Info you provided. Did a 61-point inspection. Nothing. Checked the mounts. Nothing. He says the noise is coming from my strut. But then told me i want to replace both struts and strut hats. But they where guessing.

My warranty company covers the one strut but not the other. Do I need to replace both?

Thanks so much for your help, I honestly appreciate it.

 

interesting he told you to do the strut hats / spring seats even though he claims they're OK.......

Generally speaking if one strut is stuffed the other wont be far behind, I'd do both.

Most of those warranties are not worth the paper they're written on so, if they'll pay for one, you spring for the other and she'll be apples.

Dont even bother putting the crap Volvo spring seat back in as they fail regularly, most aftermarket ones better and although I haven't seen an IPD one at $45 they're cheaper than the ones I used anyway.

The job really is a piece of cake, doesn't need a wheel alignment afterwards.

literally from pulling the wheel off to having the strut in your hands takes 5 minutes and changing the hat takes another 10 mins (spring compressor required).

thus for a front strut replacement for even the most moderatly skilled mechanic should take about an hour and at most with a road test wheels off to drive away 2 hours.

a pair of KYB's at $140 each is not only better than the OEM sachs units but cheaper too. pick of the bunch would be Koni's but they involve lots of mucking around, cutting the original struts and inserting the koni inside and welding back up.

Bilsteins can be had for $220 USD these are also a well reviewed piece of kit but for 60% more money I doubt they are more than 10% better than the KYB.

Karl

 

"suspect left front strut failed internally"

Recommend replacing upper strut hats while dis-assembled.

So with my $100 warranty deductible for the left side strut only / 1 right side strut / 2 strut hats / labor they want around $600.

That seems nuts for one strut. I have a local volvo guy who did my 60k service and brakes. So I declined. I could just wait for the other one to fail also but I'm sure the ride will improve a lot with new struts and mounts. The warrenty guy was all saying that struts shouldn't fail at 64k and stuff.

Then the service manager non dirty hands type was saying that its just a noise and all cars have noises. I wanted to flip. This is not a normal aging car noise. Its annoying and sounds horrible driving around town. It also must be taking away from the ride and response.

 

wow $700 all up for a job thats worth
$45 for strut hats =$90
front struts sachs $150 =$300

so $390 in parts and $310 for labour, not completely outrageous but none the less.

Here's what I'd do. Forget the Warranty.
Get new struts and hats (IPD as cheap as any).

Do it yourself, or tell em you'll pay an hourly rate.

ANY local shop that does lowering jobs can do it, 99% of exhaust places will do it.

as I said previously takes an hour MAX + get ripped off the second hour
still shouldnt cost more than $100 in labor.