2000 Volvo S80

2000 VOLVO S80

139,850 MILES • 6 CYL • FWD • AUTOMATIC

ASANTIAGO

MEMBER
1 POST
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I bought a used Volvo S80 and I recently began noticing a hollow clunking noise coming from the driver side front tire mainly when I drive over bumps and over 60 miles an hour. I took it to a Firestone shop and the y said that three things needed replacing: Bushings (both lower and front, control arm), Sway Bar link kits and Tie Rod ends (remove and replace rack and pinion boots). A few days later I went to a volvo shop to get a second opinion and the mechanic said that the bushings were cracked but fine, the tie rod ends were fine but the sway bar link was bad. I had it replaced. When I called the shop to see if the car was ready the mechanic tells me that he drove the car after replacing the sway bar and the noise was still there. According to him its the steering rack that's busted and needs to be replaced. A $1,600 repair. My question is: should I get a third opinion? The car drives fine aside from that noise though it tends to shake past 70 miles. There's no freeplay on the steering wheel. I called Firestone and asked if they noticed anything wrong with the steering rack itself when they looked at it and they said no. I also hear that its unusual for a steering rack to break. I'm tempted to believe the reputable volvo shop over Firestone but that's an expensive fix. Any thoughts?

Cheers,
Alfredo

Sep 29, 2010 at 6:31 PM

DAVE H

CAR REPAIR CONTRIBUTOR
13,384 POSTS

Hello .. thanks for the donation .. much appreciated I would definately get another opinion as nobody can seem to agree or say exactly what is faulty and you could be replacing expensive parts for no reason .. I wiil throw another (guess) in to the fire .. these volvo's are known for the top suspension strut mounting to go bad and this could be causing the clunking ? ask a tech to take a look at these !

Sep 29, 2010 at 7:34 PM

JIS001

CAR REPAIR CONTRIBUTOR
3,412 POSTS

I agree with Dave. The spring seats allways break at the bearing end and will make noise while going over bumps.

Here is an image of what it looks like when they are broken. You should get a third opinion like Dave has suggested. Good luck and let us know what they find.

Sep 29, 2010 at 10:52 PM

VOLVO SERVICE ADV

CAR REPAIR CONTRIBUTOR
175 POSTS

DEPENDING ON THE MILES OF THE VEHICLE AND HOW LONG THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN WITH THIS CONDITION, THE OTHER COMPONENT THAT SHOULD BE INSPECTED IS THE STRUT. IF TEAR DOWN IS GOING TO BE PERFORMED TO INSPECT OR REPLACE THE SPRING SEATS, HAVE THE TECHNICIAN INSPECT THE STRUT SHAFT. IF THERE IS PLAY IN THE SHAFT, THIS CAN CAUSE A KNOCKING NOISE AND THE STRUT SHOULD BE REPLACED. AS FAR AS THE VIBRATION, MAYBE THIS WAS DONE ALREADY, BUT WERE THE TIRES INSPECTED FOR PROPER BALANCE?? I DONT THINK THAT A POWER STEERING RACK PROBLEM WOULD CAUSE A HOLLOW NOISE WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS, BUT THEN AGAIN THERE IS ALWAYS A FIRST.

Sep 30, 2010 at 9:18 AM

Repair Safety Notice: This information is for general instructional purposes only. Vehicle repair can be dangerous. Verify all information, follow manufacturer service procedures, use proper tools and safety equipment, and consult a qualified repair shop when needed.