[dvenkat]

Hello
I own a 2004 S60 2.5T and I used to love the car until now. I have 33000 miles on it (used it a lot...couple of nice road trips). I have the following problems-

1. Noise of the tire rubbing the fender when turning sharply. It never used to come before and has suddenly started making this kind of noise. The dealer says this is a problem with pirelli tires. I dont understand the dealers claim since this noise never came in the beginning. How can the noise start all of a sudden? Any of you guys with pirelli tires experience the same?

2. Rattling noise from the dash when I turn on the car. This noise stays on throughut the drive. The dealer changed the AC dampener motor but no effect. Its an annoying noise. And even this one started from abt 25000 miles. Till 25K there was no such noise.

3. Car fan keeps running even after I turn it off. I can hear a sound from the hood area after I turn off the car and it sounds like a fan running? Is this a common problem. And again, this has just started. I never used to hear this before.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks
dvenkat

 

[Tech]

There is a problem with all the 17 inch rims with the pirelli tires.You may have just missed the noise.They do that brand new.
What kind of noise is it you are getting?Give me a little more info if you can.Like a clicking noise or a rubbing noise or scrapping noise.
Which fan is coming on the radiator fan or the a/c blower motort?If the computer see the engine temp at a certain temp it will turn the fan on.Also the A/C system has what is called an afterblow kit that will turn the blower motor about 10 minutes or so after the car is turned off to dry the evaperator so it doesn't start smelling moldy.If the dealer has done any work lately and the function was not on they might have turned it on.Volvo wants it turned on on all cars under warranty.

 

[dvenkat]

Hi Tech

Thanks for your time.

The noise that comes from the tire is a scrapping noise...tire rubbing the fender when making a sharp noise. I swear that this noise has not come before. One day I hit a pot hole and since then I can hear this noise.

I guess the fan noise is normal...

Do you have any insight on the rattling noise I hear from the dash when I turn on the car. Its more like a clicking sound.

Thanks

 

[Tech]

It may be a dampner motor and they may not have changed the proper one.I have seen a couple of diffrent dampner motors go bad.With the car running put your head down bye the gas pedal and see if the clicking is loud.That one on the drivers side is the one I have seen go bad the most.The only other thing I can think about is have you had a steering rack replaced lately or any major work done like a transmission?

To kinda test your theory do you hear the noise when you only turn to the right or left?If something was bent it will only make the noise turning one way.I know for a fact since the S60 came out new there was always a problem with the 17 inch tires and rims rubbing.I had been with the Volvo dealership for 5 year till lately.

 

[dvenkat]

Hi Tech

Thanks for the reply again.

I will try what you have suggested abt the dampner motor and clicking sound. I ddid not have any major work done. What dampner motors are there? By what you have written it looks like there are many dampner motors and they might have fixed a wrong one.

As for the tire, the noise is bothways - both turning left or right. What I dont understand is why did I not hear the noise before. That baffles me.

Also one more query. My radio is pretty bad - in the sense that it dosent tune properly. Whenever I get a loaner car, the radio is awesome. For e.g, I can listen to a AM station anywhere in Austin but with my radio, it is clear only a few areas. Any thoughts?

 

[Tech]

Yes there is like 4 or 6 motors and very possible they fixed the wrong one.

Have you put new tires on recently?If so that may be why you didn't hear it in the first place.Tires are kinda like jeans they can be the marked the same size but be slightly diffrent.

Have you complained about this to the dealer yet.Volvo has many bulletins about poor radio reception.If you have complained about it already have they installed the brass strip yet?

 

[dvenkat]

Hi Tech

No. I havent complained to the dealer abt the readio reception yet. What is this brass strip you refer to?

The tires are factory installed. I havent changed it yet.

 

[Tech]

Part of one of the bulletins is that they install a brass strip where the antenna wire goes into the antenna amp.But if you haven't complained I would do so.There is many diffrent bullentins and they go in an order.

Im am still kinda baffled on teh tires as well as you are.

 

[Zircon]

Are these problems specific to the 2004 model year? I just bought a 2005 S60 with the 17" rims and Pirelli tires!!!!!!!

 

[Tech]

The tires rubbing is known on all 17 inch rims with the S60's.

 

[Zircon]

Thanks, Tech.

I have to take the car in for some last minute touches after purchase. I will definitely ask about this. Since I just bought the car, I will have to monitor this and see if I can offer more insight. Anything else I should be looking out for? Any comments/past experiences will be greatly appreciated!

 

[Tech]

Other than that you should be fine.
If you ask about the rubbing they will tell you the only way to fix it is to install peices to stop it from turning as much.
Dont do it you think they are hard to park now it gets alot worse if they install the peices.

 

[fyrfytr]

I also have a '05 S60 with the P6 tires and the 17'' rim but haven't heard any wierd sounds as of yet. Has this noise been occuring in all the newer cars with this setup or is it intermitent? Will it go away or will I have to just put up with it?

 

[Tech]

Im suprised you don't hear anything.Almost everyone I had worked on they have complained about the tire rubbing when turned all the way.

 

[Zircon]

Just got back from the dealer and he mentioned that the "rubbing" of the tire was normal because of the Pirelli tires. I should opt for the Michelin tires when tires need replacing because the Michelin tires were a little more narrow than the Pirelli's and that I should not have any problems due to the rubbing. And the rubbing only occurs when I steer all the way to the left or right. (sounds like he works there to me, huh?). He did admit the the Pirelli's were a little less popular than the Michelin.

Thought I would let ya'll know...adios!

 

[fyrfytr]

My question is why the hell are they still installing the Pierllis on the new vehicles if they know there is a problem that already exists. Tires rubbing on the vehicle could be a big problem. It blows me away that Volvo hasn't done anything to fix this problem.

Has anybody actually tried to get Volvo to replace the tires that came on thier car when they bought it? Im wondering if its worth it to look into.

As I said before, I haven't had any noise(rubbing) as of yet. But once I do I wll be looking into it. And if their solution is spacers as TECH said above and it actually decreases turning radius, thats not gonna work either. I bet if you start at the bottom and work your way up they would do something about it. After all it if the tires are rubbing long enough it could cause a blow out. Can you say safety hazzard.

Just my two cents!

 

[Tech]

Part of the reason they still sell them with the pirelli's is because it would cost millons of dollars to change it.Not only on the cars they are selling but they have to get them approved to be shipped to the U.S. They would have to get everything reapproved and pay millions more to do it.

 

[Zircon]

Well, I have turned the wheels all the way, both ways, and I have not heard any noise either. If it does happen I will not be surprised.

I do love my Volvo, though!!!!

 

[S60 R]

I have the optional 18" wheels with Pirelli p-zero tires and havent had the rubbing issue.

I have noticed the engine fan running sometimes when I shut the car off. It doesnt seem to run more than 30 seconds or so.

 

[brianf]

My 2004 S60 AWD has the same problem with the 17" wheel rub. When I asked my dealership about it they basically laughed and said it is a known problem.

My question is what rocket scientist at Volvo did not check that one out!!!!!

The S60 has got to have the worst turning radius out there. A cement mixer is easier to park. Don't make it worse with the repair that Tech says will work. As Tech said, think they are hard to park now

brianf