Vibrations @55-80mph

Faults and Technical chat for the Volvo XC40
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Elvo57
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2019 5:14 pm

Post by Elvo57 »

Test drive today (with the Volvo UK tech) confirmed I was not going crazy, and that although most of the audible resonance has gone, the physical vibration is still there at roughly the same levels as when he initially tested the car.

Two new wheels and tyres now being ordered up for the rear.

He also showed me the trace recording of when our car was vibration free on 18” wheels… the reason why he is confident the tyres/wheels are the problem.

Apparently, there are currently no other ongoing cases in the UK with this issue (vibrations are his thing). He did mention another case attributable to prop shaft and stabiliser strut alignment, which he thought was now resolved. He also said he could not comment on the other cars at the dealership with similar issues without proper investigation.
It sounds like there could be a lot more occurrences out there which are not getting to his level of attention (but are stuck at the dealership and Volvo first line support).

Could I suggest that anyone who thinks they have this vibration issue, should press for a visit by the Volvo UK tech !

XC40 | First Edition | D4 AWD | Bursting Blue | 19" Continental Premium Contact 6 tyres | Ordered 14/03/18 | Delivered 11th October 2018 | UK.

Gnomeface
Posts: 62
Joined: Sat Oct 05, 2019 8:15 pm

Post by Gnomeface »

From my experience, wheel vibration at around 50mph is usually due to lack of static balance on the wheel & tyre, and at 80mph is from lack of dynamic balance of the whole wheel assembly. The lower speed vibration can also be due to tyres not running true (I had an out-of-round one once that defied several attempts at balancing) but the higher speed vibration may not be the wheel itself but could be a poorly manufactured hub or a tiny obstruction between hub and wheel that is preventing the wheel from locating absolutely flush on the hub. If the wheel(s) have been dynamically balanced and even replaced without a cure then the next step is to replace the hubs themselves (including disks) and make absolutely sure that there is no play in the bearings and suspension joints.

I haven't read all 16 pages of posts in this thread but clearly a change of wheels and careful balancing (including force balancing?) has not corrected the issue so it must be deeper in the wheel mounting - i.e. in one or more hub assemblies.

Just as an aside, the disks on the XC40 are very small compared to some other similar SUVs (the Audi Q3 disks look huge in comparison) so they will get very hot under hard braking, and sitting with a foot on the brake pedal when stationary and the disks are hot can easily cause distortion because the heat under the pads can't escape. I'm not suggesting that this is the cause in this case, but it might be a factor.
My T5 is absolutely vibration free at speeds up to 100mph; maybe I'm lucky?
Family car - XC40 T5 Inscription Pro, Glacier Silver, charcoal leather, Intellisafe Pro and Xenium packs. Dog guard and mud flaps added since.
Fun car - Mercedes SLC
Dermottdog
Posts: 768
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2019 7:39 pm
Location: Orpington, Kent

Post by Dermottdog »

I too, must be lucky. Drove the car at 70mph today. All fine. I also suffered with a ‘non round tyre’ on a previous Golf I owned. It didn’t vibrate but had a drone. I was very sceptical about the tyre diagnosis. Being a former mechanic, I diagnosed it as a wheel bearing. I was wrong. I hope the problem gets solved soon.
R Design Pro T5 AWD in Crystal White. Convenience Pack, Front Parking and Apple Car. Couldn’t afford anything else!! Arriving late September 2019.
Elvo57
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2019 5:14 pm

Post by Elvo57 »

Hello all,

Information gleaned from the Volvo UK Tech (I did not want to swamp you last time, but as you seem interested)….

The vibration is in the range of 16Hz to 22Hz, but mainly around 19Hz. This is coincident with one full rotation of a wheel at about 70MPH.
These frequencies are at the very low end of normal hearing and can be felt rather than heard in the normal sense. This can explain why I experience the resonance sensation in most XC40’s and sometimes not the associated vibration / shuddering (Volvo’s name for it).

Volvo’s 11 point check dealing with vibration covers in detail the hub faces and rotation trueness of the wheel hubs, discs etc.

Only the one occasion where the Volvo UK tech fitted the car with 18” wheels eliminated the vibration. This is his reason for pursuing with wheels and tyres. Could this just have been luck where imbalances on wheels and hubs cancelled each other out… possibly?

I had the ‘off round’ tyre experience on my SLK, (which did as you say sound very much like a wheel bearing) but turned out to be the Pirelli Zeros. The vibration on the XC40 is nothing like that, but that could be how the chassis transmits the vibration back into the cabin (which personally I think could still be the main issue).

The Volvo UK tech admitted that they made a mistake when they had the good 18” wheels on, in that they did not swap them one by one to try and pin down which wheel(s) were at fault. Instead, he is regretting going down the more technical Road Force Balancing route, as although it did find a faulty tyre, it has not cured the shuddering even when everything is looking fine when tested.

After I was told last time by the Volvo dealership and service mangers that the car was completed fixed (this was before the Volvo UK tech proved it was not), I stressed that I was not happy with the result and wanted a way out of the situation which has been going on now for over 14 months.
The Volvo UK tech has since asked me to let them have one last attempt. At which I have stated that even if the new rear wheels and tyres cure the thrumming, I still need to be confident they have found the route cause and need to know what they find to be the issues with our old ‘faulty’ wheels and tyres before making any decisions.

XC40 | First Edition | D4 AWD | Bursting Blue | 19" Continental Premium Contact 6 tyres | Ordered 14/03/18 | Delivered 11th October 2018 | UK.
Gnomeface
Posts: 62
Joined: Sat Oct 05, 2019 8:15 pm

Post by Gnomeface »

Seems that Volvo have been fairly thorough then - although it should have been fairly obvious to change one wheel at a time (once the problem had been eliminated with exchange wheels) to identify which corner was causing the problem - and then replace the "good" wheel at 180 degrees from the original mounting position and test again. Putting on different wheels also eliminated another unlikely possible cause - a loose bit of rubber or valve inside the tyre itself which would make a wheel impossible to balance.

I would have insisted on a replacement (or loan) car by now, suggesting that Volvo themselves should completely rebuild the suspension etc. on your car - and maybe including the drive shafts - corner by corner and using new parts until the issue was resolved. It wouldn't take that long for a dealer to do, and it might help Volvo sort out the root cause for other owners as well; a small investment for such a large company to get to the bottom of what is beginning to look like a design failing.
Family car - XC40 T5 Inscription Pro, Glacier Silver, charcoal leather, Intellisafe Pro and Xenium packs. Dog guard and mud flaps added since.
Fun car - Mercedes SLC
Elvo57
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2019 5:14 pm

Post by Elvo57 »

New alloys and tyres now fitted on the rear. Vibration re-test completed by the Volvo UK tech. Result… exactly the same, i.e. still out of acceptable limits!

Volvo are now saying that it seems likely there is an inherent issue with the 19” alloys fitted to the R-Design (and First Editions).

More information to follow, when I am liberty to disclose it (end of next week, all being well)!

XC40 | First Edition | D4 AWD | Bursting Blue | 19" Continental Premium Contact 6 tyres | Ordered 14/03/18 | Delivered 11th October 2018 | UK.
ChrisLF
Posts: 1346
Joined: Wed Apr 24, 2019 8:21 am
Location: Heart of England

Post by ChrisLF »

My feeling is that it isn't as simple as that.

I don't have the problem with the 18" wheels but in an early post you drove a car with 18" and it did have the problem (don't know if it was an R Design though) and the problem (if the same problem) has been reported on the Momentum and Inscription models. Also one guy reported that wheels were taken from a car that didn't have the problem but when fitted to his car the problem was still there!

Volvo seem to be drawing a conclusion based on your car? Before doing that they need to put a set of 19" non R Design wheels on your car!

Chris
2023 B4 Plus Dark FWD in Silver Dawn. Tinted Rear Windows. Spare Wheel & Tow Bar dealer fitted.

Gone - 2019 T4 R-Design FWD in Bursting Blue. Winter & Convenience Packs, Power Seat, Front Park Assist, Rear Camera, Spare Wheel & Tow Bar.
Elvo57
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2019 5:14 pm

Post by Elvo57 »

I'm in total agreement ChisLF, but cannot give you any more detail at the moment. This is because there is a danger it could compromise my current situation with Volvo!
All will be revealed, when things are finally settled.

XC40 | First Edition | D4 AWD | Bursting Blue | 19" Continental Premium Contact 6 tyres | Ordered 14/03/18 | Delivered 11th October 2018 | UK.
Sheff'98
Posts: 11
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2018 6:28 pm

Post by Sheff'98 »

Hi All. Any solution to the vibration problem? We took our xc40 t3 r design in last month and garage said they had not heard of it before! 9000 miles.
Thx.
Elvo57
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2019 5:14 pm

Post by Elvo57 »

Hello Shef’98, sorry no solution from Volvo yet. At least 3 owners have given up and gone to other brands.

More information would be useful, as I will be talking to Volvo Customer relations again shortly, eg., Vibration from new? Speeds most apparent? Wheel size and tyres fitted. FWD / AWD, Ambient temperatures, Also have Volvo tried anything on your car yet? Basically, the more information the better!

Thanks!

XC40 | First Edition | D4 AWD | Bursting Blue | 19" Continental Premium Contact 6 tyres | Ordered 14/03/18 | Delivered 11th October 2018 | UK.
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