Hi,
I'm new on this forum since I just purchased my car last month.

Here is my problem:
When making a full turn, if I release my hands from the steering wheel, it will stay locked and the car goes in perfect circles until itruns out of gas. I can get down and watch it from the side... If I gently pull the wheel, it will slowly return to the center position. I didn't notice this in other conditions, except to a FULL turn, to the left or to the right, it doesn't matter.

Initially, Volvo said that I am missing the limiters inside the steering rack (which proved to be false). Then they said that the steering rack doesn't have a part no, so it may have been replaced (because of a frontal hit!!!!). I have proofs that the car was never involved in any accident at all.
When the car was lifted I noticed that the tires are touching the stabilizer bar at full turn. Also, when I drive it, I can easily see how the steering wheel is "attracted" like by a magnet when it's approx 1" close to the end of the turn. This will smudge the car a little (at first I blamed it on the slippery conditions of the road).

I drove one other identical Volvo and it did exactly the same thing. When I told that to Volvo (my mistake), they said that if 2 cars act the same way, then this is the way to be, that is the normal way of steering, they "cannot fix something which is by design". I could agree with them that if they had told me this before I told them, but it was the other way around. My guess is that they are not aware of this defect, but they don't have a solid explanation for it. They refused to give me something in written saying that this is normal for my car.

If any of you encountered the same issue and if you know a fix for it, I would be grateful to you if you share it with me.

Thanks,
Cristian

 

I actually am in the process of purchasing a 2010 XC90 that has an issue identical to this. The steering wheel will pull itself to lock when about 1in. Away. It will stay at lock until i pull it back towards center. Steering is super stable, no noises or other worries. I just find it super odd and have never driven another car that does this. This is very much a defect or if its the design, its a design flaw. You should never have to recenter the wheel yourself. My car with no powersteering centers itself when moving from a turn at full lock. I saw another thread speaking about soft control arm bushings being the culprit. They never said if it was fixed after they replaced the bushings though.

 

Yes - that is what those cars do. It's not a problem - All of them will do that.

Sorry, if that's not to your liking you should drive another car.

I never really noticed that until I put new factory control arms on a xc70 (to replace the really worn out bushings) of that vintage and the customer complained about the steering not returning when placed at full lock. She was pissed and said it was my fault - but every other xc70 of that vintage does that - with new control arms.

 

"These Cars" are not designed to go to full lock and stay there.
I have owned:
240's, 245's, 850's, 1-S60, 1-xc90, V70's, and xc70's.
In the XC70 line:
2 - 1998's, 1 - 1999, 1 - 2004, 1- 2005 and 1 - 2006. My friend has a 2003.
I replaced lower control arms on every one of These cars. Some with aftermarket, most with Poly, none with original Volvo parts aside from fuel pumps.
Currently I have one of the 1998's and the 2006. Both have Poly control arm bushings, subframe inserts, complete strut assembly rebuilds, HD end links, inner + outer tie rod ends. Ball joints either replaced or tight.
With all that said, the only car that has ever not returned to center is the 2006.
Purchased in Jan of 2022 with worn struts, control arms, end links, and rod ends. Returned to center but pulled right a bit, had poor traction and was wearing edges of tires.
Installed rod ends, HD links, poly subframe & control arm bushings + complete strut assemblies (pre-built). + other parts not related to suspension or steering then had ot aligned (4 wheel at Firestone). When i got the car back it tracked straight and would return to center but the front wheel traction was even worse.
I didn't like the strut kits so I rebuilt the original springs with HD parts and OE Sachs for a stock dampening experience then had it aligned again with the poor traction complaint.
Got the car back and then it cornered like a demon but would go from about 33% rotation to full lock right or let on its own and in a u-turn the front wheels would break traction like and olf Ford 4x4 on dry pavement with the hubs locked.
took it back again.
Tech claims it must be the rack or something else.
When asked about thrust angle tech says that's extra and goes beyond alignment.
I'll be taking it to the dealer or a certain local V specialty shop or both to have it investigated further in the near future and let you know what is found.
I do all my own work and always have short of alignments and swapping/balancing tires unless it's just to get by until I can take it in.

To give up and say this is a design issue is a cop-out. These cars are designed to return to center. If not then show me the bulletin.