My 09 S60 2.5T has 7,000 miles. I've noticed a small noise sometimes when I turn left and even sometimes when I turn right.

The noise is not very load. It's like a quick clunk sound. Usually just once, but rarely twice in succession. Almost sounds like metal flexing, or like the sound you would get if you tapped your knuckle lightly on a wooden door. It seems to be coming from the front drivers side, but difficult to pinpoint exactly. If I drive in a parking lot making left turns I can maybe hear the noise once or twice every ten turns, so it's not that often. Sometmes you can even hear it on a right turn. Same drivers front side. You never hear it going straight. Doesn't seem to have anything to do with hitting bumps either.

Anybody have any ideas? Could it be the body flexing? Some part underneath not tight? Perhaps something needs a little grease on it?

I doubt after only 7,000 miles something could be worn.

 

little things like that are hard to prove to the dealer, because they never happen when you get there. carry a video camera or cell phone cam with you for a few days, hopefully you can catch the noise on film. take advantage of your warranty, you'll miss it when its gone!

 

Thanks for the reply s70_t5_1999.

Indeed I will let the dealer know when I go for my next oil change soon. If they don't see anything, at least it will be documented in case something related comes up in the future.

Today I took a look underneath around both front wheels to see if I could spot anything unusual. Things appear okay. All accordion style rubber on both drive shafts and steering look fine, no splits or grease coming out. Sway bar and sway bar link ends look okay as well.

Not sure where this could be coming from. Perhaps just a noisy sway bar or link?

 

These cars Pete should have little steering stops, it contacts a bumper on the lower control arm, you should be able to see this from the front. Try and put some grease on these. Let me know what happens...

 

Thanks SVTfocusO3.

I gave it a go and at first thought that might have cured it, but then I was able to get it to make the same noise a couple times. However, it does seem to be less, so perhaps the grease helped but may not completely make it go away?

I don't really see what else it could be, as all things under there appear okay.

One interesting thing about greasing the bumpers. I only dabbed some grease on each bumper where I could see that the metal piece from the wheel assembly was hitting. I didn't put any on the metal piece. However, when I checked the car again after driving I could see grease now on each metal piece on each side. I didn't think that I turned the steering wheel that hard, but I suppose you don't have to turn too hard on these cars before it will hit.

 

Yeah, a thick viscous grease on the metal helps a lot.

 

I drove my car like that for a long time with no problems. It was also just an occasional loud squeak or groan when turning the wheel. It seemed to come from under the hood. When I had the fuel pressure regulator replaced, the noises stopped.

 

The problem has been solved.

When I took the car to the dealer for the 7,500 mile service I demonstrated the noise to them. They re-torqued the front suspension and the noise is now gone.

Apparently, this vehicle should have the suspension re-torqued in the first year.

Anybody else have their S60 suspension re-torqued?

 

It is a “hidden” recall from Volvo … The noise comes from the subframe. Probably your dealer has installed subframe bushings ...

 

Usually happens on XC90s, let us know if it returns.