Looking good on the progress so far. Also, check your control arm bushings if that is contributing to the shimmy.

What UV protectant did you use that has a matte appearance?

I have on my windshields 3M Crystalline CR90 film which is highly clear (no tint). It was the clearest quality window film I could find at the time. It has 99% UV rejection and only 1% glare reduction. It helps with rejecting UV, solar energy, IR, and IR energy. Had my vehicles inspected and they didn't suspect anything since it's clear. For locations with stricter tinting laws, this is a great option. I tried another quality brand and couldn't deal with the bluish ceramic color and driving at night, since ceramic films get bluer with lighter tints. 3M's Crystalline doesn't use ceramic.

 

What UV protectant did you use that has a matte appearance?

Love this stuff!

 

Wow. The car is in great shape. It was probably garage kept. About the transmission maintenance: the drain and fill is not a real solution because half of the fluid stays in the system. There are specific machines to completely flush and change the fluid under the proper pressure. My dealer charges $400 for that service. If you buy the fluid and do your drain and fill once or twice you almost pay the same and still leave old fluid in the system. During the transmission service they also clean the magnet which is collecting the tiny metal pieces preventing it circulating in the gearbox.

 

If you buy the fluid and do your drain and fill once or twice you almost pay the same and still leave old fluid in the system. During the transmission service they also clean the magnet which is collecting the tiny metal pieces preventing it circulating in the gearbox.

This simply isn't true, I think you're mistaken.

1. Draining and filling is the recommended method of replacing fluid, according to Volvo. Using a machine is unnecessary and risky for reasons mentioned on other transmission threads here. And ~7qts of fluid to do two drain/fills yourself is not $400.

2. Nobody pulls the pans on the TF80 when only replacing fluid. Nobody. You have to drop the subframe to do so, which is a long and labor intensive process. You can't clean any magnets without dropping the pan. You're probably thinking of a different transmission/vehicle.

 

I didn’t know that it’s such a huge hassle on this model. For sure, on modern European models the machine is the preferred method. Just recently saw this maintenance on a Lamborghini and previously on many Audi and Mercedes-Benz. It’s pretty simple and safe to fully replace the old transmission fluid.
One of the member just posted his drain and fill a few weeks ago. He did it twice. That’s about $200 worth of fluid from FCP Euro. To me the $400 makes more sense at the dealership and as long as the mileage isn’t too high it’s not a risky maintenance. Independent shops do it all over Europe and I never heard about issues. As we said it’s a preventative maintenance and won’t fix a slipping transmission with 200k miles in it.

 

No, a lot don’t recommend using the machine for transmission fluid exchange, this includes the ZF transmissions which have a plastic pan/filter and magnets. They first say the fluid is lifetime, same thing with Volvo and this transmission. Shops and dealerships might recommend a fluid change, but prefer doing the work using a fluid exchange machine. They might state that’s what they always do, because it’s faster in the shop or they carry a specific machine. Fluid exchange machines can also be left alone while it works so a technician can do other work at the same time.

2x drain/fills is not $200 in fluid since there are WS fluid options for later TF-80SCs. That would cost more than Ravenol Synthetic WS fluid. I encourage you to read the dozens of threads on transmission fluid for the TF-80SC in Volvos.

With 100k miles, one drain/fill is regular delayed maintenance, not really preventative. I would recommend doing 1-2 more drain/fills. Many of us do 12qts of fresh fluid using the cooler line method.

One thing is certain, the interior and exterior are looking great. Looking forward to reading the progress on this XC90.

 

Retracted due to reading comprehension failure.

 

Follow-on reports with power flushes (with or without an intermediate "cleaning" fluid) have varied, general consensus is that it's easier on a higher mileage transmission to perform a drain/fill or use the vehicle transmission pump to gently push fluid out of the radiator/cooler hose rather than using the higher pressure that's associated with power flushes. I'm a fan of pump out myself but I see the value in doing repetitive D/F if you're not sure of the condition of your transmission, it's the most benign in terms of fluid swap impact.

To change the fluid is better than not changing the fluid IMHO, and while it won't resolve worn solenoids on a pre-06J TF-80SC, it'll probably make the shifting feel better. This is a 2013 so GEN2 transmission, AW-1 or WS fluid is specified. Under $10 per quart/liter in most places.

 

Great looking XC90!! When I got mine I did all filters and fluids. Good peace of mind. Looking forward to your posts.

 

Well, I was cruising the internet and happened across a decent deal on some new headlights, and decided to buy them a little bit sooner than planned...

I had these buffed, but it seems the damage to the headlight was on the inside of the lens

Before:

After:

Very happy with the outcome! Excited to see what the difference will be at night!

 

Just a small update.

New aftermarket front axles failed... Clunking started happening again and more frequently. Called up the shop and they found that even though this part was listed to work on the XC90, the fitment was just a tad off causing the noises and slight shimmy at higher speeds. The warranty company ok'd the more expensive OEM axles (which they originally would not), and boy, what difference. Took her all the way up to 90 mph and she was smooth as butter... No out of pocket cost to me either! I have to say, this warranty company has been a dream to work with so far.

While they were replacing the front axles, I had them replace the serpentine belt and rollers as that was due, and do a front brake service to address the shimmying in the steering wheel when coming to a stop.

These items really addressed all of the complaints I had regarding the ride and she drives like new again.

On Monday, I will be replacing all of the tires with Continental 4X4 Contact (just reordering the same brand that was on the car when I bought them) which should tie everything up nicely as the current tires are just about at their limit.

In January, I will be having the timing belt replaced and that should be most of the more expensive maintenance taken care of for a bit at least. She'll get her first oil change with me then as well.

 

Just a small update.

New aftermarket front axles failed... Clunking started happening again and more frequently. Called up the shop and they found that even though this part was listed to work on the XC90, the fitment was just a tad off causing the noises and slight shimmy at higher speeds. The warranty company ok'd the more expensive OEM axles (which they originally would not), and boy, what difference. Took her all the way up to 90 mph and she was smooth as butter... No out of pocket cost to me either! I have to say, this warranty company has been a dream to work with so far.

While they were replacing the front axles, I had them replace the serpentine belt and rollers as that was due, and do a front brake service to address the shimmying in the steering wheel when coming to a stop.

These items really addressed all of the complaints I had regarding the ride and she drives like new again.

On Monday, I will be replacing all of the tires with Continental 4X4 Contact (just reordering the same brand that was on the car when I bought them) which should tie everything up nicely as the current tires are just about at their limit.

In January, I will be having the timing belt replaced and that should be most of the more expensive maintenance taken care of for a bit at least. She'll get her first oil change with me then as well.

I also opted for the original Volvo reman axles after repacking the CV several times. Bite my lip once and then it's smooth for the next 100k+ miles. Unfortunately, GKN doesn't make aftermarket front axles for the 3.2 & V8 (same axles).

Hmm, what belt was changed? The serpentine and pulleys? Since this is all connected to the decoupler, tensioner, water pump, which need to be removed to get to the decoupler seal, did they take everything apart for the serpentine belt?

The work for the serpentine system, plus the decoupler pulley & seal, plus the cooling system should be done all at once since they are layered together and have the same lifespan. Soon after this service, the PCV box should be replaced. And if the spark plugs are original, they should be replaced every 50k miles.

The 3.2 does not have a timing belt, it has a chain.

 

Huh, for some reason I thought it had a timing belt. What is the service interval for the chains?

Also, the shop receipt labels the service as "Replace serpentine belt, tensioner pulley and idler pulley". I did not specifically ask for the other services though so I will have to check with the tech who did the work.

 

No service interval for the timing chain.

Since you already paid for the serpentine belt work, you will now have to do the work twice to ensure the entire serpentine, decoupler, and cooling system work is properly done.

I encourage you to read the stickied 3.2 thread so you can prioritize the proper maintenance repairs, know what will need replacing & when, and you can game plan the projects. The service intervals for these maintenance items are different than Volvo's recommended service intervals because 3.2 owners have found Volvo's recommendations extend beyond the parts' normal lifespan.

The 3.2L (B6324S) Engine: The Good, the Bad, and the...

I figure we could get a 3.2L thread going. I'll kick it off, but hope others can add to it. I've only had my 2011 for a year now, but I've read as much as I could in VIDA and elsewhere. A great debt of thanks goes to Swedespeed forum members who have helped me out over the past year. If you've...

www.swedespeed.com

 

Nice for an 11 yr old Volvo. I got mine 2 yrs ago. I had the same issue of clunking noise when shifting reverse and drive, changed the front axles and the noise was eliminated. Then, the check engine lit for about 2months, I have a checklist of causes. The shop diagnosed and it said catalytic converter and dealer only ($3400) manifold. So, In my checklist, I bought O2 sensors, fuel injectors, MAF sensor, after replacing MAF sensor ($20) DIY, the check engine light was gone. This was the happiest day of my life. The engine has been running smoothly, no RPM problem, gas consumption is great! I tried replacing gas cap, cat cleaner and other ways to eliminate check engine and the MAF sensor solved the issue. I saved more than $3k+ against $20 sensor. Replaced 4 tires, brake rotors and pads. Haven't done the transmission fluid though. I keep it clean and shiny using Meguiar's Detailer wax. This wax gives the best shine on my black Volvo, you should try this. Worth the money.. Replaced the front suspensions and runs like new.

 

Funny you just replied, because I am actually now going through the same problem with mine with the check engine light coming on too. Also for a catalytic converter ineficiency. Curiously, mine only came on just as I had my mechanic change out a rusty exhaust and one fo the cats further downstream. This code did not come on prior to the replacement, so the shop is going to take another closer look at this. I'm really hoping I do not need to replace the cats attached to the manifold...

 

 

It was a headache for months with check engine light for months. Running smoothly, amazing gas consumption, no unusual engine proble of any kind, just check engine light. So, I continued searching for causes where my OBD read 0420 catalytic issue. If you encounter the same problem, check the MAS sensor first and "might" solve the issue, mine did and didn't have to spend more than $3k on cat converter. I kept my Volvo just like new for an 11 yr old car. Changed suspension: struts, axles, swing arms, ball joints, brake rotors and pads, now runs perfectly. The clunking sound when shifting to Reverse and Drive was solved replacing the axles. Love my Volvo

 

Well, I have gotten the car back from the mechanics, and fingers crossed, but after driving around for a while, no check engine light. But, I now seem to have a ticking noise from the blower motor 😑... I guess if its not one thing, its another with this car, but at least it should be covered under my warranty.