This is a bit long, but here goes. After a quick browse of topics, I haven't found anything that might address my issue. I'm not a mechanic but I know a tiny bit about cars, enough to understand what a knowledgeable person is saying.

I've owned my 05 xc90 for just under 2 years and live in CT. After this last horrible winter, it feels like my suspension is off, a lot.


1. It's a lot bumpier than I remember on back roads where I live. It feels just super bumpy, rather than the smoother ride that I *thought* it had had (before this last winter).
2. I get "caught" in what feels like gusty wind or drafts on the highway, even when its not windy at all.
3. When I hit decent sized bumps, like potholes or manhole covers in the street, it feels like my car (the rear mostly) is swaying toward the right.


Any suggestions as to what's up with this beast without doing a literal overhaul of the entire suspension system? I've been thinking the control arms and/or ball joints would apply to the bumps, both little bumps and swaying on potholes/manhole covers. I thought the rear shocks would have been that problem also, and the swaying/drafting, and also sway bar links. But my Mechanic says that the rear shocks look fine, no leaks or anything and not a lot of bounce when "tested". Is it bushings (Control Arms? Sway Bar?). Is it Ball joints? Is it my tires?


I have recently (within the last month/3,000 miles) had the front sway bar links and struts replaced, along with rear brake pads, rotors and ebrake shoes. My mechanic said that the rear shocks aren't leaking, which is good since they're Nivomats @ $400 - $600 each, but he said if I was able to find them and wanted to replace, that he'd also do the rear sway bar links at the same time.

I had an alignment about 3000 miles ago when they also balanced an rotated my tires. My car doesn't pull in either direction as long as its a straight, level road. Otherwise, it does pull slightly to the left on the highway, but I figure that's because I practically live in the left lane and am pretty sure that is caused by the crown in the road (center lane) more than anything else.


My tires are Bridgestone Ecopias, and they have approximately 30/35k on them. They are unevenly worn (more wear on outter tread than inner), the penny test shows very ok on inner tread, replacement-worthy on outter tread. I was going to get them rotated again and have all of them swapped so that best tread was moved to outter on all 4 tires. Can I do this? Will this help?
I wanted to wait to get new tires until this fall, when I will be better approaching the next winter for maximum traction. Is this part of the problem? I read that the XC90 eats up tires like its nobody's business, so which brand/model tire is the best for this car? I've been trying to read up and I've only really found assurances that Nokian WR series are great for this and owners were getting far more mileage than on other brands. Can anyone confirm or help here?

I'd like to know how I can go about figuring this all out. I trust what my mechanic says, I don't think he'd gouge me, but I'd like to get opinions from people that know more about the XC90's. My mechanic (self admittedly) is way better at older Volvos than he is with these. He also told me that you couldn't pay him to own one, but that of all the ones he's seen/worked on, mine is up there in the best range so far.

 

Sorry to bump this thread but I've got the same issue with my 05 t6 and its gotten so bad that I got pulled over and checked for dui on the interstate. He said I swerved and I told him that it was gusty wind. At that point he asked me to step out of the car and that is when I noticed that there was no wind and he learned that I was sober. Did you figure out what was causing your wandering rear end?