SwedeSpeed - Volvo Performance Forum banner

Frustrated by XC60 highway vibrations - Is it normal?

49K views 122 replies 41 participants last post by  CaptBill 
#1 ·
Have been a Volvo fan for 20+ years and have had great luck with pre-SPA cars. Currently in a 2019 XC60 that has had highway vibrations since new (T6 21"). Feels like a wheel is off balance with a strong feeling of vibration at speeds above 60mph (vibration gets worse the faster I go) mainly in the steering wheel but can be felt in the floor and seat as well. It's extremely tiring on long trips; I bought the XC60 for a weekly 300mi+ drive round trip. Has been back to the dealer 5 times and they have tried changing tires, balancing, etc.

I've had 2 XC90 loaners - no vibrations and great on highway.

A V60 - slight vibration, not as bad as mine but still annoying

An XC60 - wheel obviously off balance. Thumping between 65-72MPH 20"

Another XC60 on 19". This one vibrates worse than mine.

Is this just a characteristic of the car? At this point I'm ready to just trade it in for an X3 or X5. Volvo corporate has been no help. Can't believe this car was north of $60k and drives worse than my 2009 VW on the highway.
 
See less See more
#3 ·
I'd ask dealer to try a set of wheels and tires from another normal car, and see if it fixes the issue. It is an easy way to isolate the problem.

And what tires are those? I hope they are not those Perilli with foam inside that causes problem.l when peeled off.

Sent from my Z978 using Tapatalk
 
#8 ·
This is not/should not be a characteristic of the vehicle. I have 30k miles on my 2018 T6 (lots of highway miles) & there is no vibration. At his point I would try another dealer !
 
  • Like
Reactions: gckman
#9 ·
I’m experiencing a situation very similar to yours, but with a 2019 S60 T6 inscription (awd). It came with the 19” inscription rims and pirelli noice cancelling tires. They’ve replaced the tires 4-5 times, road force balancing them constantly, then replaced the rims and tires. The shaking went away for almost a week after the rim change.

I was also able to get the shaking to go away for a few weeks by buying 18” OEM rims and Michelin x-ice3 tires (no foam), but it’s now shaking with those tires and rims too.

I opened a case with Volvo last week asking that they look into my front propeller shaft, or any other possible root cause of this shaking. Haven’t heard back from VCNA yet.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#11 ·
I'm experiencing a situation very similar to yours, but with a 2019 S60 T6 inscription (awd). It came with the 19" inscription rims and pirelli noice cancelling tires. They've replaced the tires 4-5 times, road force balancing them constantly, then replaced the rims and tires. The shaking went away for almost a week after the rim change.

I was also able to get the shaking to go away for a few weeks by buying 18" OEM rims and Michelin x-ice3 tires (no foam), but it's now shaking with those tires and rims too.

I opened a case with Volvo last week asking that they look into my front propeller shaft, or any other possible root cause of this shaking. Haven't heard back from VCNA yet.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Let us know how you make out. What worries me is that so many of the loaners have a similar issue. How many miles on your S60? Has the vibration been there since new?
 
#10 ·
My 2017 XC90 T8 has an extraordinary smooth drive on OEM 21 inch wheels with OEM Pirelli tires. I have had the tires rotated and balanced several times now. Always super smooth. The fact that different wheels and tires have been tried, as well as rotating and balancing the OEM wheels with no apparent change suggests that the wheels/tires may not be the culprit. I assume alignment is good? Think of it like a washing machine that goes through the spin cycle. If the load is not balanced the machine begins to shake. It can shake so badly that it will trigger the sensors that stop the basket from hitting the sides. Could it be the rotors or the bearings in the wheels? Does the vibration at higher speed remain if you place the transmission in neutral? Is it speed related MPH or is it engine RPM related? When you tried taking wheels from another vehicle did they verify that the other vehicle had a smooth ride associated with those wheels? I honestly believe you will be able to fix this issue. It is not rocket science but there are a lot of variables. Keep us advised
 
#13 ·
My 2019 Xc60 T5 Momentum with the 19” wheels and whatever the Pirellis it came with has no vibration at any speed it has been driven at. <= 150 km/h so far.
Although I would say that those tires do tramline on certain road surfaces.
Winter Blizzak DMV2 on 18” steelies don’t vibrate and strangely are a bit quieter.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
#15 ·
Mine is speed dependent too- mainly above 65mph, but you can start to feel small “pulsations” around 55. It can’t be felt most in the steering wheel, but also in the seats and pedals, especially as speed increases. It can get so bad that my HUD looks fuzzy.

The car currently has 3,500 miles, but it has done this since it was brand new. And I have had 2 loaners with this affliction as well. One was a 2020 XC60 T5 awd (not sure trim but I think momentum) and a 2019 S90 T5 awd momentum. The S90 was especially bad.

I’ve talked to someone from the S90 board that had similar issues that were resolved by replacing the front propeller shaft. Apparently there’s a TJ for it that seems to apply to all SPA AWD cars- TJ 20803.20.0. I don’t know if this applies to my car or not, but I brought it up in my case with Volvo and asked that they see if it applies.

I love this car but I’m getting so tired of this shaking. The car drives like a million bucks around town, but totally falls apart at highways speeds.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#19 ·
I had my 2018 XC60 bought back because of the vibrations. Driveshaft was the culprit it seems for me. They just didn't want to replace all the parts there.
 
#21 ·
This may in fact be your issue. Nice work in finding that YouTube presentation.
 
#22 ·
I have an appointment for my car on Thursday. I had mine in for this issue less than a month ago. I have an 19 S90 T5 AWD with 18k. It has done this since I purchased the car. I bought it lightly used 15k. I had the tires/wheels road force balanced at a trusted 3rd party. The issue persisted so I took it in. I was told the front rotors were out of round so they replaced them(over 500.00). They did not even road test my car. I left the dealer and the vibration persisted. I then decided to replace the tires. I put Michelin Primacy Tour A/S and had them road force balanced. The issue persists. Driving around town is very comfortable. However once I get on the highway between 65-75 this vibration starts. I feel it in the steering wheel, seats, floor. I drive a 20 mile stretch of the PA turnpike and I feel it after about 3 miles into my drive and then it persists until I exit the highway. I am going to make mention of the TJ(All SPA cars) when I get to the dealership. I really like my car but the vibration is not what I was expecting. I have an older BMW X3 in my fleet with 96k and it is smooth as silk on the highway. I traded in a 2016 BMW 3 Series on my S90 and it was also much smoother on the highway. I really hope they can resolve it! Good luck to anyone else who is having the issue.
 
#26 · (Edited)
Has anyone talked to their dealer about a trade assist? Mine seems to think it won't be a hard sell but I'm not sure they will actually give me a fair deal. Also worried the new one will have the same issue and my current configuration is perfect.
I was given a runaround about this so I just went through a lawyer for the buyback.

FWIW - during all the times my car was in the shop, I got a chance to drive a very wide range of 2018 - 2019 loaners: XC60, XC40, S60, XC90. Not one of them had the vibration issue.
Also, a side note, my previous XC60 developed the vibration issue around 7000 miles. There were no issue with that before that mileage.
What the vibration felt like was very different than the one you get from unbalanced tire. It would start around 63MPH and get really bad if you went above 70 MPH.
It would start through the floor, so you'd feel it in the seats first, then it'd move up to the steering wheel as the speed was increasing.
Vibration at the wheel and in the seat was unbearable at 75MPH.
 
#27 ·
I had the same situation last year after taking delivery. As soon as I started hitting speeds over 65 MPH, the vibrations became quite obvious. I brought it to the attention of my dealer and they did a load force balance and determined the Pirelli tires (21" R-Design wheels) were faulty and had them replaced under warranty from Pirelli. The next set of tires solved the problem and the vibrations have been gone for good. I've sprinted in excess of 90 in order to pass a line of cars clogging up the left lane (gripes for another time) and I no longer experience any vibrations at any speed. I recently had to have the front driver side tire replaced due to a gashed sidewall and the new tire is also free of any imperfections that cause any vibrations. A good dealership should be able to determine the issue with the load force balancing and resolve the issue with a new tire swap. Perhaps there was a bad batch of Pirelli tires that are still in use.
 
#28 ·
I had the same situation last year after taking delivery. As soon as I started hitting speeds over 65 MPH, the vibrations became quite obvious. I brought it to the attention of my dealer and they did a load force balance and determined the Pirelli tires (21" R-Design wheels) were faulty and had them replaced under warranty from Pirelli. The next set of tires solved the problem and the vibrations have been gone for good.
The best way to eliminate tires as a culprit is to ask the dealer to swap the wheels from another car with different rims and tires. That's what I did for mine. Tires/wheels weren't the problem, but it's an important diagnostics step.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk
 
#29 ·
Normal for the low profile tires:

My S90 went thru a new set of tires at 100 miles, then Volvo directed the dealer to pre-warm the tires on the machine for 15 minutes at low speed. Then load force balance warm tires on warm rim which resolved the problem 95%. The tires are still harsh riding but OK up to Flux Capacitor speed and well above. Last Volvo I buy with the larger tire options, and Ive had 8 Volvos. The new 90 has been the worst, my 2015 XC60 3.0- T6 is great with the 18" wheels. Just put new tires on at 60K miles.
 
#30 ·
I took my S90 in this morning. I explained the trail of things that I have done road force balancing, new tires, rotors etc.. I mentioned the Tech Journal. My service rep asked the shop foreman to take a ride with me. I got onto the highway and pointed out the mild to moderate vibration and he said it was normal. I continued to drive and my phone was mildly vibrating in the center console. I also felt the vibration in the steering wheel, floor, and seat. He said it was normal. He then asked what my Road Force numbers were and I said 9 3 3 and 21. He immediately said my issue was due to the 21 on my right rear wheel. I said why I agree that the number is on the higher side Volvo noted anything below 23 is acceptable. Tire shops feel anything below 27 is acceptable. So I have them attempting to road force balance my wheels again. I may reach out to Tire Rack to see if they will replace the higher numbered tire. The issue was occurring before I got these tires and has continued since I got the tires which makes me feel like it is drive train related. Not sure how to proceed. I drove my car all weekend below 60 and the issue did not present itself. As soon as I get on the highway above 70 the issue starts and continues. If this was a part of the design and nothing could be done I would live with it. However I hear of people who do not have a vibration issue or had the issue resolved so I may need to get Volvo involved if the issue persists.
 
#45 ·
Alright friends here is an update of what is going on. Also posting in S90/V90 sub however there is more activity here. I have replaced the highest number new tires on my car. Tirerack was great about sending a replacement. My numbers are all below 11 now. My vibration issue persists. I sent out an email this morning to CEM@volvocars.com. Not sure if I should contact someone in the US.

I got an auto reply from Customer Experience Operations stating they would look into the issue.
T +46-31-325 00 77
cxo@volvocars.com<mailto:cxo@volvocars.com>
VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
63780
Assar Gabrielssons Vag , SE-405 31 Göteborg, Sweden

Here is what I sent:
I am reaching out to you in hopes that you can assist me. I have a 2018 Volvo S90 T5 Momentum. I have been having an issue with a mild to moderate vibration that is felt through my entire car (Floor, Seats, Steering wheel) while on the highway mainly above 70mph. I took my vehicle to a trusted tire specialist and had my wheels road force balanced. Everything checked out and the highest number was 14 for road force.. I went on the highway and the issue was still present. I took it to BR Volvo and they did not road test the car, they simply replaced the front rotors and said that was likely the problem. (Issue was never present when braking.) I left the dealer and got on the highway and the vibration persisted. I drove the car for 1 thousand miles this way and decided I would replace all 4 tires. I replaced the tires with 4 new Michelin Primacy Tour A/S. Tires were mounted and balanced. 1 tire had a road force number of 21. All other tires were much lower. The vibration issue persisted on the highway. I made another appointment with BR Volvo and the shop foreman went for a ride with me. I mentioned that there is a tech journal about this issue and asked if they would follow the steps listed. He felt the vibration and stated that it was normal for SPA platform cars to vibrate on the highway. He asked if I had the tires road force balanced and what my numbers were I gave him the numbers and he said the tire at 21 was to blame for the vibration. He also said that he had no way of knowing if the equipment had been calibrated properly at the tire shop I went to or if there employees were correctly trained on the equipment so he said his guys could attempt another road force balance at my cost. I agreed. I was called and told my car was done. I went to pick it up and my service adviser sent me over to the cashier with no information on road force numbers or what the next steps would be. I had to ask for the information and the numbers were much higher than the first time I had the tires road force balanced. Now my highest numbers were 28 and 16. The Volvo tech recommended replacing the back two tires. When I left and entered the highway the issue was way worse. The steering wheel shimmied and there was a more noticeable vibration.The next morning I checked the tire pressure and the tires were at 42 PSI and not at 36 PSI which is listed in the door for my 19 inch wheels. I corrected tire pressure and road tested my car. Vibration was still present. I contacted tire rack and got replacement tires and had them shipped to my trusted installer. I explained what is going on to my installer and they mounted the new tires and road force balanced all 4 wheels again. This time we are at 11, 8, 6, 4. He also noted that the dealer had mounted additional weights to my wheels and they were off balance on 3 of the 4 wheels. He corrected that. He also verified that his hunter road force equipment is calibrated once a week. I payed again and left entered the highway and the shimmy was gone, however the original vibration persisted. So at this point I have been through 4 road force balancing 2 sets of tires and replacement tires. I am uncertain where to go from here. I know I am not the only person experiencing this issue. I would like to take my car to another Volvo dealer (Star Volvo Greensburg, Pa). I would really like my drive line checked and the steps in the tech journal performed past the road force balancing. I do not want to have that done again. I know there is an updated damper that could cure my issue. I am hoping you can guide me in the right direction and possibly assist with communicating with the dealer to see if we can get this resolved. I recently extended my warranty with VIP coverage with hopes of keeping my car for a while. I really enjoy it around town however my daily highway commute becomes tiring and frustrating with the vibration. I have had two other Volvo's in the past and was thrilled to get my S90. If I can just get past this issue I am hopeful that the rest of my experience will be what I have come to expect from Volvo!

Have a great day!

Josh
 
#58 ·
Have you had a chance to try?
Another guy informed several days ago about the same issue with vibrations at high speeds. Dealer couldn't help and then he tried to put a foam tube and succeeded.
It looks like this:
The S90 looks different under the hood. (More finished) So I was uncertain where to place foam. I will say when my hood closes it is super solid.

View attachment 58047

My appointment is this Friday. Hopefully we make some progress. :)
 
#31 ·
If someone is in my car as I am pointing out an issue, and their response is, "that is normal" I say, ok, let's go jump into another one and compare.
 
#32 ·
Agreed.
What I've learned from the debacle with my XC60 is that Volvo techs reaaaaally don't like diagnostics or just working on complicated issues in general.
I've been told "it's normal" 6 times before repairs started.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk
 
#33 ·
I had an issue with my '13 XC60 where there was a distinct clunking sound from the rear axle when making a turn from a stop. For the longest time service couldn't hear or feel it until I brought one along with me and pointed it out, hearing the "that's normal". Said fine, let's take a ride in some of the others, nary a clunk among them. Finally wound up replacing the entire rear axle.
 
#35 ·
I’m pretty confident that my shaking isn’t wheel related, but at this point I’m not ruling anything out. After having the shaking persist with three different sets of rims and countless different tires, I think it’s powertrain or mounts, or something else.

I did just hear back from VCNA- they didn’t provide me with any info and just asked if I’ve scheduled an appointment yet. I thought I was waiting to hear from them before I brought it back, but I guess I was confused. I’m just so tired of the letdown of having my car be at the dealer for 1-2 weeks just to pick it up with the problem still there. By my count, this will be my 11th visit for this issue- it just seems totally crazy to me. I have never owned a car that couldn’t be fixed, but I’m starting to feel like that’s the case here.

Thanks to everyone who’s given suggestions of other things to check- I’m taking notes and will mention them to my SA next time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#36 ·
I'm pretty confident that my shaking isn't wheel related, but at this point I'm not ruling anything out. After having the shaking persist with three different sets of rims and countless different tires, I think it's powertrain or mounts, or something else.

I did just hear back from VCNA- they didn't provide me with any info and just asked if I've scheduled an appointment yet. I thought I was waiting to hear from them before I brought it back, but I guess I was confused. I'm just so tired of the letdown of having my car be at the dealer for 1-2 weeks just to pick it up with the problem still there. By my count, this will be my 11th visit for this issue- it just seems totally crazy to me. I have never owned a car that couldn't be fixed, but I'm starting to feel like that's the case here.

Thanks to everyone who's given suggestions of other things to check- I'm taking notes and will mention them to my SA next time.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
That's why I went the Lemon Law route. It was getting pointless to "repair" it. Mostly because the techs just weren't capable or just didn't want to.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk
 
#44 ·
Hello,
I read about similar issues with vibration at high speeds in other forums.
Probably the problem is caused by radiator vent cover under the hood which is vibrating due to air flow. Try to put some foam tube on this cover and check for vibrations.
 
Top