Merry Christmas
This is a long post…. I apologize for the length. I need help, please.
The following has happened to me when driving our V70 SE this week….
Let me warn you that I do not know much about mechanics but internet searches have lead me to think the problems of our car may be timing belt related. And, the best I can figure out it seems that the Volvo V70 SE has an interference engine. Is this the case?
…… Sunday on a 2 mile drive notice that the exhaust was visible and was whitish in color. When I accelerated there seemed to more of the whitish stuff coming out the exhaust. I have not paid attention to the exhaust since Sunday morning, so I do not know if the exhaust is still visible.
…… Monday we drove to Belfast (130 miles a 3 hr trip from home) and back home and the car ran fine.
…… Tuesday morning as I approach a stop sign about 7 miles from home the car shuttered and vibrated and made a terrible noise. I pulled over and turned the engine off, got out and felt all the wheels to see if the brakes were hot, looked under the car to see if anything had broken loss and was hanging down. All seemed fine. When I turned it back it ran smooth. When I told my husband after I returned home he thought I may have applied the brakes too hard and caused something to happen in the ABS braking system. I do not believe I applied the brakes too hard. After I turned the car back on I continue to my destination (an organic dairy farm where I volunteer to help with calves) which is about 2 miles from the stop sign. The car ran fine. My return trip home Tuesday morning the car ran fine.
…… Tuesday evening I went back to the dairy farm (it was raining pretty hard so I had to drive around 40 or 45 mph. At about 5 miles from home the car started to vibrate a little and then stopped and ran fine.
…… Wednesday (yesterday) morning I headed off to the dairy barn and at about 5 miles from home the car began to shutter and vibrate for about three-quarter of a mile. I applied my brakes to pull in a driveway to turn around and return home, but once the brakes were applied the car ran fine so I went on to the barn. On my 9-mile return trip home the car ran fine.
…… Wednesday (yesterday afternoon) I went back to the dairy farm and at about 5 miles from home the car began to shutter and vibrate for about a three-quarters of a mile. I slowed down and I speeded up and the shuttering and vibration was worse than the day before and there was a high pitch noise. I applied my brakes to pull in a driveway to turn around and return home, but once the brakes were applied the car ran fine so I went on to the barn. On my return trip home (9 miles) at about 5 or 6 miles from the barn the car shuttered and vibrated pretty bad. I slowed down to around 40 and it continued, I speeded up to around 60 and it seemed worse. I called my husband to ask if I should stop the car or try to make it home. He told me to stop and check the emergency brake (he told me to engage it and release it). I did. And, the car ran fine all the way home. I felt the wheels when I got home and the right rear brake was warmer than the others which were perfectly cool.
…… Wednesday (last evening) my husband and I went to church about 2 miles from here for the Christmas eve service and my husband thought the car ran ran. I thought it was a little rough running (just a little) but he thinks I am imagining it.
…… I do not want us to drive the car until we can get it towed to the Volvo dealership which is 125 miles from where we live. My husband thinks I am overstating the problem.
The best research I can fine is that it may be a timing belt and if so with an interference engine this would spell disaster for a very good, well maintained car which has always been services by Volvo dealerships from the day it was new in 2000.
Help, please.
Thank you for reading this very long post.
I think that one of the only things that you can rule out is the timing belt.
If the belt “jumped” a cog or two, you would notice consistent shuddering and poor performance, not intermittent shuddering problems.
But, while we are on the subject of the timing belt, I have to ask…When was it last replaced?
If the answer is…never…then it is overdue by about 6 years, and that means you can have truly major problems of an incredibly expensive nature at any point when that belt snaps with no warning.
In other words, the timing belt is not causing your current problems, but if it is over-aged, it will cause major problems shortly if it is not replaced.
When was the timing belt last replaced?
How many miles do you have on the odometer?
When were the spark plugs, plug wires, and air filter last replaced?
Is the Check Engine Light lit up, and–if so–is it on steadily, or is it flashing?
- We know nothing about cars.
- Car has always been maintained well by dealer.
- What should we do?
- Dealer?
It sounds as though your troubles started with driving in a,heavy rain. I wonder if water is puddling somewhere and then drips on the electrical system.
“I felt the wheels when I got home and the right rear brake was warmer than the others which were perfectly cool.”
Possibly, the right rear ABS sensor (or its connection) is intermittently failing and causing the brake on that wheel to pulse.
To help us eliminate a few items, please answer these questions.
-
Do you ever feel this vibration while the car is going slow (under 35kph)
-
Does the car even vibrate like this when it is in park or neutral.
-
Are there any warning lights on while the car is running.
Because you use a dealer for your work…they should have the records to show weather the timing belt had been replaced. But as @VDCdriver ; said this wouldn’t be your problem now.
Yosemite
First off, the fact that the problem is intermittent pretty much riles out a jumped timing belt.
I had an old Buick once that did something similar. I was riding along one day and the car started shuddering. I would step on the brake pedal and the shuddering would stop. It seemed like the problem was coming from the rear. I stopped the car and crawled under and tugged on the rear emergency brake cable housing and I could feel it release further. Got back in and drove it and the shuddering didn’t return. Turned out the emergency brake was only partially releasing due to rust causing it to bind. The brake shoe would intermittently grab the drum.
The warmer rear wheel is a good indication that this may be the problem.
To ………… VDCdriver
This is Vezelma. You were kind enough to respond to my post about the problems with our Volvo V70 SE. Thank you so much. I do not know how to answer you in the post, so I hope this reaches you.
You said………
I think that one of the only things that you can rule out is the timing belt. . . .
Thank you very much
But, while we are on the subject of the timing belt, I have to ask…When was it last replaced?. . .
It was replaced by the former owner at between 90,000 and 100,000 miles.
The car now has 188,000 miles on it.
When were the spark plugs, plug wires, and air filter last replaced?
Last March or April
Is the Check Engine Light lit up, and–if so–is it on steadily, or is it flashing?
The Check Engine light is not on. None of the warning lights are on.
To ………… Triedaq Senior Grease Monkey
This is Vezelma. You were kind enough to respond to my post about the problems with our Volvo V70 SE. Thank you so much. I do not know how to answer you in the post, so I hope this reaches you.
You said………
It sounds as though your troubles started with driving in a,heavy rain. I wonder if water is puddling somewhere and then drips on the electrical system.
Thank you so much. It as been raining here a lot. I will ask the dealer to check this out.
To ………… insightful
This is Vezelma. You were kind enough to respond to my post about the problems with our Volvo V70 SE. Thank you so much. I do not know how to answer you in the post, so I hope this reaches you.
You said………
"I felt the wheels when I got home and the right rear brake was warmer than the others which were perfectly cool."
Possibly, the right rear ABS sensor (or its connection) is intermittently failing and causing the brake on that wheel to pulse.
Thank you so very much. I will ask the dealer to check this out.
To ………Yosemite
This is Vezelma. You were kind enough to respond to my post about the problems with our Volvo V70 SE. Thank you so much. I do not know how to answer you in the post, so I hope this reaches you.
You said………
To help us eliminate a few items, please answer these questions.
-
Do you ever feel this vibration while the car is going slow (under 35kph.
I did not slow down that much when it was happening …… well, yes I did when I slowed to apply the brakes to turn around. It stopped at that point. -
Does the car even vibrate like this when it is in park or neutral.
No -
Are there any warning lights on while the car is running.
No
Because you use a dealer for your work…they should have the records to show weather the timing belt had been replaced. But as @VDCdriver ; said this wouldn’t be your problem now.
The timing belt was replaced by the former owner at between 90,000 and 100,000 miles. I plan to have the dealer replace it now when it gets to them.
Thank you
To ………MY 2 CENTS Duct Tape Specialist
This is Vezelma. You were kind enough to respond to my post about the problems with our Volvo V70 SE. Thank you so much. I do not know how to answer you in the post, so I hope this reaches you.
You said………
First off, the fact that the problem is intermittent pretty much riles out a jumped timing belt.
Thank you for letting me know this.
I had an old Buick once that did something similar. I was riding along one day and the car started shuddering. I would step on the brake pedal and the shuddering would stop. It seemed like the problem was coming from the rear. I stopped the car and crawled under and tugged on the rear emergency brake cable housing and I could feel it release further. Got back in and drove it and the shuddering didn’t return. Turned out the emergency brake was only partially releasing due to rust causing it to bind. The brake shoe would intermittently grab the drum.
The warmer rear wheel is a good indication that this may be the problem.
Wow, thank you so much. I called my husband the last time when it was really shuttering bad and he had me stop and pull and release the emergency brake. When I pulled out it was fine the last couple or so miles home. I will keep my fingers crossed that this is it. But, I still think it is time to get the timing belt replaced.
Thank you
Yes, I agree with your last sentence.
Things like this can be very difficult to sort out over the internet and I do admit a little murkiness on my part about the complaint.
If this only occurs with the car moving and based on the right rear wheel getting hot I might suggest this.
Maybe there’s an issue with a brake caliper slider sticking and which could be made worse due to aged brake fluid.
Aged brake fluid has a lowered boiling point and can expand more due to heat. The expansion could be forcing a caliper piston to drag on the brake rotor and/or affect a caliper slide.
In a nutshell, this would be equivalent to applying the brakes on one wheel only.
Maybe a brake fluid flush and inspecting and servicing the caliper slides would help. That is also something that does not require a Volvo dealer. Any half competent shop could do this.