My wife's 2005 XC90 has a vibration that I am wondering if someone has any ideas about. The noise comes from the front wheels/drive train it sounds like. You can feel it as much as hear it, kind of like running over rumble strips. The vibration is speed related, not engine related. It is a kind of humming/vibrating sound that is slower and deeper at slow speeds and becomes faster at higher speeds. Putting the engine in neutral while moving does not change the sound. Making a right hand turn lessens the sound and a sharper right hand turn makes it go away entirely.

I have checked the CV boots and the front drive train. Nothing seems loose and none of the boots are broken. Recently rotated the tires and I am not sure that this changed the hum. Possibly tire balancing? The car drives straight but could it be alignment? Anyone else run into this situation? Ideas would be welcome as it seems to be increasing in intensity over time.

 

It sounds like maybe front wheel bearings? Perhaps one side? At first when reading your post that it may have been the CV joint. It still may be the CV joint; it might be hard to know what's going on beneath the boot. You could have a local mechanic unclamp the CV boot to have it inspected and get their opinion on it.
How do the tires look? Are they worn unevenly at all? I doubt that alignment would be the issue.
The increase in it's intensity would indicate that you should have this looked at sooner than later. Keep us posted on what you find out.
John.

 

Tread wear is normal with no uneven wear. The wheel bearings felt fine with the car jacked up and spun by hand. My guess is a drive shaft/CV joint issue.

Searching old threads I came up with this:

TarHeel79
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 3


RE: Rumbling noise from front passenger side
Problem turned out to be related to the drive shaft issue (that was also causing the clicking noise). Evidently when the joint lock up the shaft is now spinning out of balance which causes the rumbling noise.

There are two joints on the shaft - one at the front and one at the center. The(independent) Volvo mechanicthought the problem was the front joint and they ordered a replacement for it. When they actually took off the shaft, they figured out the problem was the center joint... Volvo does not offer a replacement part for the center joint, you have to replace the whole shaft (part about $1100)... however it turns out that the center joint and front joint are the same, so the mechanic was able to use the part ordered to replace the center joint.

I no longer have either the clicking or the rumbling noises... total cost was about $600 - a lot cheaper than the $1300 - $1500 to replace the shaft!!


This sounds most like the problem. My wife has also mentioned the clunking sound - which I have not heard but I don't normally drive it.

 

Well; it sounds like it might be worth having a mechanic check that specific area from the sound of it then. If you do; let us know what happens.

 

Turned out to be the right REAR wheel bearing was shot. From inside the vehicle it sounded like it was coming from the FRONT end! Took a bit of looking to realize nothing was wrong with the front end and went back to the rear and sure enough it was a wheel bearing. It was rusted to the axle as well. All fixed now!

 

Glad to hear it all worked out. It's alway nice when things get fixed right...