Hey gang I've owned my 2002 S60 T5 for about a month. It's been going great. Time for the 82K service and I'm going to have the timing belt replaced to be safe. But I have another question and don't know if it's an issue I need to address with the dealer or not.

I know these cars have a terrible turning radius. When I'm making sharp turns, like into small driveways or tight parking places, I hear a grinding sound which seems to be coming from the area around the wheel wells. I've spoken with some non-Volvo car owners and they say they've been told that's normal for lots of cars, but I'm not so sure and thought I'd check in.

I just wanted to know if anyone here has any thoughts on this before I go to my 82K service on Wednesday. Other than that, everything seems fine. Car rides great when the road's smooth. On bumpy roads, it's more uncomfortable than my old Accord.

I look forward to - and appreciate - anyone's thoughts.

 

From what I saw elsewhere, it looks like this is my tire grinding against my wheel well. Assuming this is what I'm hearing, how much life does the grinding take off the front tires? Where on the tires do I look?

 

What size tyres do you have. 205 or 215 ??

good luck
v70 2.4t

 

Tire rub is common on this model in sharp turns, especially with large tires.

Can you give us the size?

 

You might have the mechanic check the steering stops - they could be worn down.

 

I will bet the car has 17's

 

Yes - 17s.

Thanks for the advice on checking the tire stops.

 

You might just have to learn to live with it.

I have to make a U Turn everyday to go into my street and frankly it's never been the highlight of the ride, but when you get home at the end of a long day, you don't care much.

 

IPD has some thicker-than-normal steering stops you can install to help eliminate the rubbing: http://www.ipdusa.com/Volvo-S60/Susp...-404-854-4066/

 

Doesn't it reduce your turning radius though?

 

Yes it does. Volvo also has a fix for it but then it will take 3 football fields to make a u-turn rather than the one now.

 

Canadian/Soccer or American football fields?

Seriously, I'm ready to keep the crunch noise rather than having to do 3 rights turns to get around my house.

 

American football fields. It is really bad.

Have you ever drive a C70? The C70 has the worse turning out there. With the fix it makes it worse than the C70.

 

Thanks for the thoughts. If the grinding's not doing any serious damage, I'd rather suffer through that than suffer through a reduction in turning radius.

 

Different brands of tires can also make a difference as well. So your next brand you put in might be better or worse just depends on the brands.

 

The other thing that comes to mind is the CV joint. I assume the grinding happens only when the car is moving. If you check your tires for rub marks, or your undercarriage for tire rubber, then you can verify that. Otherwise, have the mechanics check your CV joint.

 

I have the same problem and when replace brake pads I sow that the tires are grinding the body ... the paint there is gone ... so the tires was warned too. I just put them back and put the back ones up front. My tire size is 235/45/17... It came as a standard tires with my S60 2002 (premium package).
Would replace the reams and tires with 205... (Basic ones for the model) will help?
Or just to paint the body and to live with it?

 

I've adjusted my driving style to my new-found turning radius capabilities, (incapabilities). I try to leave myself extra room so I don't have to listen to it. I also warn anyone who drives the car that it does that. Not that anyone ever gets to drive my car.

You do not look cool pulling out of the driveway making tire rub sounds.

 

I have never had problems with the turning radius on the S60 granted its not like the 242, but still I can turn around anywhere I need to.