Thanks for the write up!

 

If anyone is wishing to change their Haldex oil, it's a pretty simple job.
Again, Volvo state that this is sealed for life….it certainly isn't from looking at what came out. The Gen 5 unit doesn't have a filter so it's more important to do it regularly.

- Jack up the car and secure on axle stands or use car ramps to lift the rear of the car
- Locate the Haldex pump and disconnect the electrical connector which is nearest the rear of the car
- To remove the pump, you just need to unscrew 2 x 10mm bolts (one you will be able to see at, the other is on top of the pump and is a little fiddly.
- Locate the fill plug - this is a little screw plug which on the side of the haldex unit, using a small coin is perfect for unscrewing it
- Once you have removed the bolts get a container to catch all the oil which will come out (I roughly got out 500ml out)
- Twist and pull the pump out and let the oil drain out
- Take the pump and clean the gauze if it was like mine, it was gummed up with what I'm assuming is clutch material
- You can remove the gauze by removing the 2 x T10 bolts
- Clean using brake cleaner and re-install
- Clean the rest of the pump and the seals using rags
- Before installing the pump again, have a look inside the hole where you locate the pump, there will be lots more gummed up stuff which needs to be cleaned out. Also put a bit of new oil on both the rubber seals
- I bought new seals but didn't bother replacing them, it's been a few days and haven't noticed any leaks
- Insert the pump and put the screws back in and tighten (remember to reconnect the electrical connector).
- Now it's time to fill up with fresh oil - I bought the genuine Volvo AOC transmission oil
- Using a large syringe and pipe, fill up through the fill whole until it starts dripping out
- Re-install the fill plug
- Take the car for a drive for 10-15 minutes and then open the fill plug and top up
- All done

Thank you for the writeup. Can you comment on the Vehicle's model year (2017, 2018..), the type of driving your Vehicle normally sees, and Odometer reading when doing the differential oil change?

I am currently getting it done along with my 60k miles service. Mine is a 2018V90CC with 59.5k miles and sees most Interstate driving in Eco mode.

 

Mine is a late 2015 model with 43,000 miles. Usual driving is very gentle motorway miles but we do tow a boat a couple of times in the summer

 

I began this job but realized the fill plug seems to be made where it cannot be removed. 2017 XC90

Edit: I tried to host a picture but it's not working. Is there a minimum post requirement for inserting pics?

 

I recommend using the Tap A Talk app which allows direct posting from the phone. One can then post pictures from Google Drive, Dropbox, phone's photo galleries, etc onto Tap A Talk without issue.

 

Great write up, thanks!

 

Update: I found the fill plug and was able to get the fluid changed out. I wasn't looking back far enough from the pump unit.

The fluid that came out looked nearly new and there was next to no debris on the haldex pump and screen filter. For reference our XC90 is a 2017 with 72k miles.

 

I just performed this service for the first time on my 2017 XC90 T6 with 40,000miles. It was pretty dirty and the pump was caked.

Clean oil

Cleaned pump

Fill plug

 

Great info, thanks guys for sharing that. I picked up a 2021 XC90 T6 in May after needing a change from a legacy of BMW’s and I’ve been itching to find more maint info.

 

Interestingly, Volvo does not have a maintenance schedule for the Borg-Warner (Haldex) oil change. I talked to my service department and they thought it should be changed about every 50K miles. So depending on how much you are towing or using the AWD system, perhaps 40K miles would be better. I wish that Volvo would let you know when the AWD is activated and the % of power going to the rear wheel. Would be something nice to know and give you a feel for how much you are using the AWD feature.

 

I have never towed anything with my xc90 for all of its life. One quick tip, if you insert the entirety or maximum amount of the plastic tubing into the fill plug during refilling, it will take alot more oil. Otherwise it seems to drip out sooner.

 

Bought the parts to do this shortly.
Anything that a car company calls "lifetime filled" should be a red flag warning to true enthusiasts.
Regular fluid changes for anything with suspended clutch material is an excellent idea.

 

For reference, VW/Audi don't recommend "lifetime" on their units:

For example - Haldex Servicing - Why and When?

When should I service this?

• On vehicles with a Haldex Filter (Gen1 & Gen2) it is good practice to replace the oil and the filter at 20,000 mile intervals.
• On some vehicles where the Haldex system has a filter from factory, but the main dealers don't sell a replacement (Gen4) it is possible to purchase a filter from ourselves which can help increase the lifespan of the factory pump.
• On vehicles which don't have a filter (Gen5), we recommend servicing at 10,000 mile intervals, as the strainer on the pump can become blocked, eventually leading to pump failure. We always recommend removing the pump and cleaning the strainer as well as the housing whenever changing the Haldex oil on these models.

 

OK, Haldex fluid change complete. I know others have provided their input on the job already but I thought I would add to it for anyone's benefit down the road:

Tools Required:

1. 10mm Socket
2. Ratchet (1/4" or 3/8" would be best, I used 1/4")
3. 3" and/or 6" extension (I used a 6") - helpful for the upper 10mm bolt
4. T10 torx bit )for removing the strainer from the pump if you want to do a thorough clean of the pump
5. Ramps or Jack for lifting the rear axle are helpful
6. drain pan for the old fluid - if you don't have one you can make one easily with a 1 Gallon jug for windshield washer fluid
7. Brake/Parts cleaner
8. Clean rags or paper towel
9. Fluid Syringe or similar to refill - I used CTA Tools 7075

Parts List:

Required:

• Volvo AOC Haldex Gear Oil - Genuine Volvo 31367941

Optional:

• Haldex o-ring kit with bolts: - 31325413

Preparation:

1. Reverse onto ramps, or lift the rear axle and support the vehicle safely - don't trust the jack alone!
   1. The pump is positioned front to back so this allows the fluid to drain nicely out of the housing
2. Locate the pump, slightly forward of the muffler, near the exhaust

Cont'd...

 

Removal:

1. Remove the lower connector shown - this is the electrical connector for the pump itself which you will be removing from the vehicle
2. By choice, you can remove the other connector and this will give more slack on the wiring to prop out of the way
3. Use a rag to clean any dust and debris from around the pump housing, just to make sure no dirt drops into the open pump mating surfaces or onto the pump itself, while you are removing it from the housing
4. You do not have to hang onto the pump, it's snug in the housing, you will have to take a firm grip, rotate back and forth while pulling backward to gradually work the pump loose
5. Once the O-rings are free, the pump will easily break free of the housing and fluid will immediately drain - have your drain pan and rags ready!

Cont'd...

 

6. While the draining takes place, take your pump and clean the strainer/filter and replace the o-rings
7. The strainer is secured by 2 T-10 bolts
8. There is a third bolt that secures the pump face to the assembly. You shouldn't have to remove this - I did for curiosity's sake and there was no grime buildup under the face. There are also lots of pins and bearings that can become dislodged so I wouldn't recommend opening this piece

9. As others have noted, look up into the cavity where the pump sits - get a good light and VERY clean cloths or paper towel and you will find some more settlement in this area
10. Gently clean, and inspect the bore before reinstallation to make sure you haven't left any debris, especially if you used paper towels

This was the condition of my drained fluid at 60K KM/ 37K miles:

 

Reinstallation:

1. As the old books would say - "reinstallation is the reverse of removal"
2. If you bought new o-rings, ensure that you lightly oil them with fresh oil ahead of reinstalling the pump

1. Be very careful when seating the pump to ensure that you are squarely pressing the pump into the bore and that the o-rings are not at risk of slipping from their seats
2. The pump will take some force to reseat, but you should feel a positive engagement when it does
3. Rethread the bolts to secure the pump to the housing - I don't have torque specs but it felt like approx 20 ft/lbs - snug with a 1/4" was all it took to remove - remember these are sealed by the rings, not force!
4. Reseat your electrical connections and ensure you hear the positive "click" of engagement
5. Remove the fill plug with a coin or very broad flat-bladed screwdriver - it has a notch that secures itself in the plastic housing and is not difficult to remove, although access is slightly awkward with the exhaust
6. Clean the fill plug - mine was caked with some sludge as well
7. Refill the housing with approximately 500ml of spec Volvo transmission oil
8. You can fill the housing until oil begins to weep/drip from the fill plug hole - tip: go slowly for the latter half of the fill and watch closely to avoid a larger mess than needed!
9. allow the full housing to settle, wipe up any spilled/excess fluid and reinstall the plug, ensuring that you feel the "click" of the plug seating in the notch
10. Start the vehicle, confirm no apparent leaks and you are ready for a short test drive!

 

And I think you're supposed to top up after the test drive.

 

Update:

It's winter and we finally got a good stretch of snow/ice to test out the AWD. Everything is working nicely and I've had no issues (not that I did beforehand) so I'll chalk this one up as a win!

 

I think you forgot to mention that you have to level the car before adding new fluid... if the rear end is raised, you certainly could not get a nominal fluid level.

 

A reasonable thing to do, yes.

I don't think you would ruin your car if it's not bang level but it might take a few more mL of fluid. Generally speaking it's good practice to measure, drain and fill most auto fluids from a level position unless clearly stated otherwise. Some older coolant systems, for example, require the radiator or fill port to be elevated to avoid air pockets.

 

Just did this on my 2016 with 50K miles. Fluid is dark in color and has some gunk.


For removing the plug, the PB Swiss Tool Stubby Coin driver is perfect if you want to use something fancier than a coin.

Use something soft to remove the o-rings. I scratched the surface a little with a metal pick, although I don't think it's enough to cause an issue.

The torque for the two M6 bolts holding the pump in place is 10Nm according to VIDA. I used a 1/4 torque wrench with an extension.

For this job you really need a 1/4" 10mm or T30 socket and an extension. 3/8" sockets will not fit. For some reason I was unable to fit the 10mm socket over one of the screws during removal so I used a T30, but 10mm fit during reinstall.

I believe the pump always runs when the engine is on, regardless of whether it's actually active. I just idled the engine and shifted into D for a minute and was able to get more fluid in. I might check again after a test drive, but I'm guessing it's not necessary from the amount of fluid I was able to put in.

 

Reviving this thread. Plan to do this soon on the 2021. I might even have the fluid tested with Blackstone just for fun and to nerd out a bit. Will report back.

 

Just did this on the 2021 with 56,700 miles on it. Super easy job, except getting the wiring harness disconnected 🥴. Fluid looked quite good overall compared to the new fluid. A little gunk in the filter screen and a little gunk in the Haldex unit when swiping my finger lightly inside. But overall it was super simple and straight forward. Caught enough to send to Blackstone for analysis. Have nothing to compare it to though. Drove it a while and topped it off with a little more fluid.

 

Are the o-rings and bolts really necessary? Were people finding leaks after servicing the haldex, so FCP started including them in the kit. Do the bolts need replacing often enough to be included in the kit? A new 'plug' as well? Old one seems perfectly fine. $40 for o-rings, $30 for the bolts, $10 for the plug. I wish I would have looked closer at the 'kit'. I'm fine replacing the o-rings just to be on the safe side, but another $40 for bolts and plug seems to be a waste.

Another note, it seemed to only take 0.4L to refill the haldex. Given the oil comes in 1L and if your oil looks really dirty, then you may want to drain & fill it twice saving the new o-rings for the 2nd time around.

 

Volvo states the o-rings and bolts are one time use. The kit is about $65 from Volvo.

I did not replace either the first time I did the job, but will the next time. The screen and fill plug seem very reusable.

 

Yeah I think the gaskets, new bolts, and new washer are cheap insurance if you’re removing the pump. If you’re DIY’ing, you’re already saving lots of money.