I recently bought a 2001 Volvo s60 T5. I read your review about the car, after i bought it, and understand all the issues youre talking about. However, i still have a few unresolved issues with the car:
-I was told that the front breaks need resurfacing, but was then told by someone else, that bc it is a volvo, the break pads are difficult to resurface, and i should just replace them. Is this true? or should i try and have them resurfaced?
-Another issue im having is when i make a tight turn (like a u turn) the front tires scrape against the inside of the wheel cavity. Is this normal? something to be concerned about?
-And, my last question is regarding a noise that i hear when i accelerate. It sounds like there is wind blowing through one of the AC vents, or somewhere from the front of the car. I was told this is the turbo kicking in. Is this normal? It is definitely annoying, is there any way to kill the noise?
Thanks for the help, so glad you guys exist (haha) and love listening to your show. Thanks!
-Nabil
Tom & Ray do not respond to these questions, but many dedicated car owners do.
Hopefully some of us can help you.
If you were told that the front brakes need to be “resurfaced”, I suspect that this person was talking about the brake rotors, not the brake pads. But, rather than making us guess about the situation, how about telling us about the symptoms that led to this diagnosis? Have you been experiencing pulsation in the brake pedal?
If so, that indicates that the brake rotors should probably be replaced. Resurfacing 9 year old rotors is probably an exercise in futility, and simply replacing the rotors is more realistic. This has nothing to do with the car being a Volvo, however.
In order to try to reduce labor costs, find out about the condition of the brake pads and if they are nearly ready for replacement, have them replaced at the same time as the rotors. Also, have the brake fluid changed.
As to the tires–are they the same size as the car was originally equipped with?
To find out, take a look at the label on the driver’s door jamb, and compare the tire size listed on that label with the information on the sidewall of the tires. Write down the information from both sources, come back to this thread, and post that info for further advice.
Regarding the “wind noise”, we can’t hear it. The turbo should only “kick in” if you are doing hard acceleration, so if this noise is being heard even if you are accelerating gently, I suspect that this is not turbo-connected. You really need to have this looked at by a competent mechanic who is familiar with Volvos.
I suspect that you did not have this car inspected by a mechanic of your choosing, prior to purchase.
If I am correct, you may have bought a car with “issues”. I would suggest that you have these issues identified now, rather than later, in order to limit future repair costs on this car.
Thanks for the reply. This info was already very helpful.
Yes, it was the break rotors. I forgot to mention that. And also, it was some minor pulsation/shakiness when i applied the breaks. I was told the break pads are in fine condition, and specifically that the rotors would not need to be replaced yet, but just resurfaced. Maybe ill try a mechanic who is more specialized.
I just checked the tire dimensions, and they are the correct size that is listed on the car itself and the wheels (235/45R17).
And regarding the turbo, I will take it to a specialized volvo mechanic per your advice. I did take it to a mechanic of my choosing prior to purchase, and he assured me it was the turbo noise. However, ill have it double checked.
thanks again for the advice.