Dealer injected dye into air conditioner system on my 2006 XC90T5 and found leak coming from condensor/dryer (?), located in front of the radiator. Of course this is another $1400 repair. Is there an option to replacing the condensor/dryer?

I have the same problem with my 2006 XC90 2.5T, except my dealer (Lyle Pearson) wasn't smart enough to do the dye test, but instead charged the system twice normally and told me they couldn't find anything wrong. I then took it to a good European repair shop in Boise last week (17 Aug 09), and they did the dye test with the black light and found it pouring Freon out of the left side header (the side of the recharge) along all of the fins. Definitely a factory defect, but I don't even bother with Volvo anymore since they have not stood behind two other expensive repairs which are defects. Should have bought the extended warranty I guess.

You said this is another expensive repair. What else have you had go wrong with your XC90?

I currently have a skid control requires service message. The dealer wants to troubleshoot by replacing a sensor in the steering wheel.

Replaced something (a plate of some kind) in my 4-wheel drive that was causing it to be inoperable($900)

Right front hub ($600) and sounds like left is going now.

I replaced timing belt/water pump for $1200 as PM.

I don't have my service records handy. I will try to reply with more info later. The dealer in Annapolis is ok, but expensive. I should probably find a Volvo specialist in the area (I am up to 128,000 miles)

My XC90 is up to 71,000mi. The things that have gone wrong with mine include:

- Rear wheel bearing, which fortunately failed under warranty
- Right side day running light quit working. Tried to replace the lamp to no avail. Dealer traced the fault and claimed the CEM unit was the fault and needed to be replaced. Cost of part alone will be around $1,200. I asked Volvo about standing behind a clear defect and they essentially said no...need to have a "relationship" with my dealer where they do all of the services (oil changes, etc), which I don't do. I queried what a "relationship" had to do with standing behind their product...all silence.
- Manifold gasket leaking...probably the result of either defective gasket or factory not tightening the bolts when it was manufactured. Will cost approximately $850 to repair, because you have to remove the turbo unit to get to it.
- Now the AC condensor has failed. The only bright side to this is that it forced me to find a decent repair shop that seems to talk sense and knows what to do. This will likely cost $1,000 I would guess. The shop is still working up the estimate...just got the diagnosis yesterday.

Other than the initial wheel bearing defect, these latter three expensive repairs from defects have all surfaced in the last 6 months.