I just purchased a 2000 Volvo V70 Cross Country AWD Wagon with about 85,000 miles. It has a 30 day engine and transmission warranty. Upon driving it for about 30 minutes up some steep, curvy hills I started to hear the sound of a lawnmower outside my window until I realized that it was the car producing the clacking noise from what seems like the left back end though I am not positive this is the location. The noise could be compared to that of a playing card attached to moving bicycle spokes, or a plastic bottle stuck in the wheel well, or as said before, a lawn mower. It doesn’t do it all the time. It only does it after the car has heated up for a while, while moving, and it won’t do it for the mechanic we took it to today. The mechanic looked at the car and couldn’t see any visible problems and drove it without it producing the sound. It is mysterious and unpredictable and worrisome. Does anyone out there have any idea what the problem could be.

 

Hello, First off: Is it a push lawnmower or one with an engine? Do you have streets with walls beside them you can drive by when next the noise comes around? Playing cards, plastic bottles and clanking? What an orchestra! Blind guesses: 1)Look at the rear brake pads and anti-rattle springs. Brake pads rattle sometimes and anti-rattle springs are known to disappear. 2)XCs have a rear sway bar. Disconnect one nut on each sway bar link. For their size they make a lot of metalic noise and you're at the right mileage for them to wear out. 3)Thoroughly inspect the exhaust system. Downstream leaks are softer sounding(playing card). The hanger at the rear axle is frequently gone and will make the system sag and flex. The heat shield at the rear muffler is held on by two huge bolts and two flimsy plastic gripper nuts on rusty, crumbling studs. The heat shield is metal(clank), thin(playing card), rides against the underside of a carpeted interior piece(plastic bottle) AND is on the left side of the car. EURIKA (maybe). The evenness of the "playing card" sound is what's blanking me. As you persue this take notes which include temperature, road condition and time before you heard it. Get back to us when you learn something. Do you even have a jack and safety stands? Truely, if removing two wheels, and getting a little dirty, is beyond you then give up on the search. Kira ps Where are you located? K

 

This doesn't sound the same if it changes with being warmed up and is on one side or the other, but my 98 V70 XC has loose rubber on the top of the luggage rack that sounds very similar to that. I was close to tearing into the wheels when I noticed it. For me, it starts around 30mph, depending on wind direction and wind speed, etc.

 

Check for stuck debris under the car.