Hi all,

I am taking my 2005 S80 2.5T FWD in for its 75,000 mile service in a couple days. I have noticed some new noises pop up over the past couple months and am looking to gather some insight before I take it to the dealership.

1) First off, are there any common problems that happen to this model that are likely to need attention?

2) The shifting has gotten a little clunky lately. It used to be smooth as silk, but over the past 3-5K it has gotten a little harsh. Also, when I put the car in drive or reverse, there is a "whack" sound when the gear engages. I am leaning towards motor and or transmission mounts but I could be wrong.

3) When I go over speed bumps a little faster than usual, and have the window down, I can hear a rattling noise coming from the back left corner of the car. I have already taken the spare tire and jack out to see if that solved the problem, but no such luck. I also took the back left wheel off in my driveway to see if I could find anything that looked broken or significantly out of place. No such luck there either. Could it be the exhaust system?

4) I am currently in New Mexico for college and it has been super windy and dusty here. The engine bay is covered with dirt and grime. Any suggestions on how to clean the engine bay without damaging anything?

Thanks for your insight,

Matt