Burning Oil and O2 sensor-2016 XC90 First Edition

nadroj · Sep 9, 2023

I have the dreaded combo of the 2016 model (110k mi) leaking oil, but only after the letter was received. Volvo shop is $15k to replace the engine, car is only worth $18k. Has anyone been successful in negotiating with Volvo? I would like to keep the car, but think that there has to be some cheaper way to solve this. I'd consider a small shop and possibly a used engine if anyone has connections in the area. I am in Western North Carolina between Charlotte and Asheville. Does anyone have ideas?

Also, now it has a code for a bad O2 sensor. Is this possibly due to all of the oil in the exhaust? Should I wait until I saw the oil issue before replacing the sensor?

Ultrarunner511 · Sep 10, 2023

nadroj said:
I have the dreaded combo of the 2016 model (110k mi) leaking oil, but only after the letter was received. Volvo shop is $15k to replace the engine, car is only worth $18k. Has anyone been successful in negotiating with Volvo? I would like to keep the car, but think that there has to be some cheaper way to solve this. I'd consider a small shop and possibly a used engine if anyone has connections in the area. I am in Western North Carolina between Charlotte and Asheville. Does anyone have ideas?

Also, now it has a code for a bad O2 sensor. Is this possibly due to all of the oil in the exhaust? Should I wait until I saw the oil issue before replacing the sensor?

Yeah unless you qualify for the extended warranty that Volvo just put out, I’d suggest a used engine from a reputable seller and having a Volvo specialist shop installing it. I think you can get decent engines for $3-$5k. You’ll spend a couple thousand in labor. So you might be at half the price of the dealer.

I’d wait to have new O2 sensors installed. Your burning oil and that’s not going to help new O2 sensors.

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nadroj · Sep 10, 2023

"reputable seller and having a Volvo specialist shop"
How do I find either of these?

z0r · Sep 10, 2023

you can browse for engines on car-part.com

google up a shop (I don't think they can use the word "volvo" when they're independent, a lot of them are named something like "swedish" or "nordic"), you're in a good spot for finding one because your car can still drive, you could search pretty widely and make a road trip to drop off and then fly/amtrak back/etc. if you need to

not recommendations but my searching found "swedish imports" chapel hill, "the swedish connection" and "swedish garage inc" in charlotte and a few others

I would find the shop before buying an engine as they may have engine sourcing preferences of their own. but you can come armed with some engine options printed out at least

BenjaminD · Sep 10, 2023

I believe you can stick a newer engine (2017-22) into a 2016 car. It would certainly fit, but there could be a handful of minor differences. Worth investigating. The further away you get from the year '2016' on a Volvo, the better off you'll be.

volvogod · Sep 10, 2023

Page 5 of the PDF list the VIN range for engines using oil. There is an engine S/N up, that has the new style piston/rings. I could not find it. It has been posted on SwedeSpeed. Past 100K Volvo will probably not help out.
A used engine in the VIN range on page 5 will probably have the same issue. You need a service center that works on Volvo's to do the engine replacement. It does require some special tools to replace the engine. Turn off the check eng message with an OBD reader or AutoZone. Check with CarMax about a trade or outright sale to get an ideal of sale value as is. Do not mention oil burning to CarMax.

Ultrarunner511 · Sep 10, 2023

volvogod said:
Page 5 of the PDF list the VIN range for engines using oil. There is an engine S/N up, that has the new style piston/rings. I could not find it. It has been posted on SwedeSpeed. Past 100K Volvo will probably not help out.
A used engine in the VIN range on page 5 will probably have the same issue. You need a service center that works on Volvo's to do the engine replacement. It does require some special tools to replace the engine. Turn off the check eng message with an OBD reader or AutoZone. Check with CarMax about a trade or outright sale to get an ideal of sale value as is. Do not mention oil burning to CarMax.

I feel for the OP. Very ****ty position to be in. But the advice of hiding the problem and dropping it on CarMax? Respectfully, where does that borderline fraudulent sales practice end? If CarMax did that to a customer, it could be pretty hefty legal action. But the other way around is benign?

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Deus05 · Sep 10, 2023

nadroj said:
I have the dreaded combo of the 2016 model (110k mi) leaking oil, but only after the letter was received. Volvo shop is $15k to replace the engine, car is only worth $18k. Has anyone been successful in negotiating with Volvo? I would like to keep the car, but think that there has to be some cheaper way to solve this. I'd consider a small shop and possibly a used engine if anyone has connections in the area. I am in Western North Carolina between Charlotte and Asheville. Does anyone have ideas?

Also, now it has a code for a bad O2 sensor. Is this possibly due to all of the oil in the exhaust? Should I wait until I saw the oil issue before replacing the sensor?

In your title you says it burning oil and in your message you say that it's leaking oil.

The oil burning issue is due to a piston ring design flaw. Can I ask why the dealership went straight for an engine replacement instead of offering you a piston ring replacement option? It would be much cheaper and an indy car shop could do it for you.

Mooose · Sep 10, 2023

Have you confirmed that your vehicle is one of the models at risk? Check your engine serial number under the dust cover near the front. If your engine is before serial number 1501327 , you are likely affected. Engines with this number and later have been modified.

nadroj · Sep 10, 2023

Mooose said:
Have you confirmed that your vehicle is one of the models at risk? Check your engine serial number under the dust cover near the front. If your engine is before serial number 1501327 , you are likely affected. Engines with this number and later have been modified.

Mine is number 1519 out of the first 1927, so yea it's affected

nadroj · Sep 10, 2023

Deus05 said:
In your title you says it burning oil and in your message you say that it's leaking oil.

The oil burning issue is due to a piston ring design flaw. Can I ask why the dealership went straight for an engine replacement instead of offering you a piston ring replacement option? It would be much cheaper and an indy car shop could do it for you.

That was a typo. Burning oil, no leaks. I am looking into an Indy shop piston ring job

BenjaminD · Sep 12, 2023

Piston rings usually solved oil burning issues on the 5cyl and 6cyl Volvo engines of yore. Failures within the 4cyl engines are seemingly more 'severe', and rings might not fix your problem. The inside of your engine block might be scored, with plenty of places for oil to suck through, and that's why a lot of dealers flatly recommend a new engine, as crazy as it is. You wouldn't really know unless you got a boroscope in there. Definitely shop around and see what your options are, though -- and a LITTLE oil use is better than a LOT, so even if you 'just' did the rings, it might buy you another 50,000 miles or something. No shame in driving a car with a bit of a limp to it.

Burning Oil and O2 sensor-2016 XC90 First Edition

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