I'm a new Volvo owner as I recently purchased one with relatively high miles (180k) for a relatively good price. Had it looked at before I purchased it and there were no real big concerns.

I've now owned the car for about a month (500 miles) and I've noticed a few things.

1. When the car is in park it sort of revs up and down. Not to say it's a huge deal there, I believe it may be the spark plugs(?) or maybe not.

2. When the car goes under breaking and comes to a complete stop the headlights sort of dim as if it's taking power away from the car in it's entirety to stop. Again, not a huge deal to me but maybe it is(?)

3. THIS is the one I'm more concerned about. For a while the car rides smooth. Then it takes on a trait I've seen a lot on the forum. Under acceleration between 50-60mph it begins to shake. Everything I see suggests it's the CV joints but maybe with the other stuff as well it's more then that?

This is my first car and I'm hoping it's not the transmission :/ Any help and words of not totally let down would be awesome.

 

Hi and welcome to the forum.

#1 is likely a vacuum leak. You need to inspect all of the vacuum elbows and make sure you don't have any loose connections. There is a chance that you have a MAF or TCM issue creaping up as well.

#2 is probably a simple alternator issue that isn't putting out as much volts when at low rpm's than it is at high rpm's. You can connect a OBD-II tool and check volts at idle and at cruise to see the difference.

#3 I have no idea. Could be a slight miss, a coil pack going out, bad spark plug gapping, etc. When was the last time the car was tuned?

Do you have a CEL (check engine light)?

 

When I first start the car every time the "SERVICE" light comes on but after about 5 minutes it shuts off. Otherwise no check engine light. It was always maintained by the previous owner as he was a mechanic himself which is why I don't think anythings a life or death of this car. However not sure when the last time it was in a Volvo Certified location and unfortunately with that, I'm about an hour from one. I plan on bringing it to an AutoZone tomorrow to see if their computer tells me anything (doubtful).

There's a lot of back and forth over what it may be. I've read a lot of stuff that the shakes are a bad CV joint. And the only reason Im really thinking it's that is that it only occurs at 55-60 mph during longer trips when the car maintains a constant speed. Otherwise, great town car.