# 2004 Volvo xc90 Turbo Seal Leak causing smoke **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** xc90, smoke, volvo\ **Created:** [March 27, 2009, 8:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-volvo-xc90-turbo-seal-leak-causing-smoke/28385 "2009-03-27T20:49:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![smokinvolvo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@smokinvolvo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/smokinvolvo)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 8:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-volvo-xc90-turbo-seal-leak-causing-smoke/28385/1 "2009-03-27T20:49:40Z")
My mechanic has diagnosed my 2004 XC90 as having a leaking seal in the turbo. this is causing significant smoke from the tailpipe. Is there an additive I can add tothe oil to reduce the amount of smoke? ---
**Author:** ![smokinvolvo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@smokinvolvo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/smokinvolvo)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-volvo-xc90-turbo-seal-leak-causing-smoke/28385/2 "2009-03-27T21:20:55Z")
This car has the 2.9L inline 6 with twin turbos. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 9:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-volvo-xc90-turbo-seal-leak-causing-smoke/28385/3 "2009-03-27T21:47:33Z")
Sorry, not for a problem like that. This isn’t something like a leaking valve cover. It’s a very critical, tight tolerance situation, high rpms, so it needs to be fixed, in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Mastertech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mastertech](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mastertech)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 10:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-volvo-xc90-turbo-seal-leak-causing-smoke/28385/4 "2009-03-27T22:44:00Z")
It will get worse and it will lead to additional repairs. You will have to replace it or send it out for an overhaul. ---
**Author:** ![UncleTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@UncleTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UncleTurbo)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2009, 3:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-volvo-xc90-turbo-seal-leak-causing-smoke/28385/5 "2009-03-28T03:08:34Z")
I don’t know of an additive that can handle this one. Turbo’s are great for power but are expensive buggers. You didn’t mention mileage on the odometer, is it high? This a reason for synthetic oil in turbo equipped cars and frequent oil changes. It takes a good quality oil to handle the turbo heat, and the turbo needs the lubrication and cooling of good oil flow to keep from failing. I’m sure someone will take exception to this but if you get 200K miles from a motor without needing a new turbocharger somewhere along the way you did very well. ---
**Author:** ![mruotolo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/59ef9b/32.png) [@mruotolo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mruotolo)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 7:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-volvo-xc90-turbo-seal-leak-causing-smoke/28385/6 "2009-07-27T19:55:17Z")
I have the same damn issue… 70,000 miles… Also bad left front axle… did you resolve the issue? How/what was done and $$? appreciate the advice. I’m about to roll it off a cliff… ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2009, 9:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-volvo-xc90-turbo-seal-leak-causing-smoke/28385/7 "2009-07-27T21:06:39Z")
I’ve avoided turbos so far because of problems like this, but they’re getting more common - Volvo, then BMW, now Ford, and I bet the coming high mpg standards will be met in part with turbos…