Haldex oil change
 

I'm new to AWD, my 2016 XC70 D5 geartronic AWD is my first AWD car of any make. but not my first Volvo

I tend to keep my cars a long time and to do this successfully I'm fastidious about running on clean oil / fluids. Is there a recommended time / mileage to service the Haldex ? Any idea what it costs at a good indi ?

Frank,

Ive just done mine myself on my XC60 D5 (2014). Not sure if yours will have same unit. But I was £44.00 for the oil and took about 1.5hrs to complete. Most of that time was cleaning the parts when off the car. So I'd guess an independent should be less than £150 ?

Hi Frank. I have a 2009 XC90 that I plan to keep for a while yet; mileage now 208,000. I was hearing faint bearing noises from the rear. I had used the local dealer up to now. They pronounced that I needed a new Haldex unit; that'll be £3,400+ thank you! No Thank You!
I have finally found an experienced local independent whose philosophy is repair where possible. He had a careful listen with a stethoscope and said that the noise was from the differential. This has proved to be so, and the old differential fell apart when he was getting the gears out, suggesting a hairline crack that might have gone any time. The Haldex unit was fine, and he changed the oil and filter.
Anyway, the point of the post is that he says that Volvo have no schedule for servicing Haldex units. He says this is crazy as the oil gets dirty over time and loses efficiency. He says that the Haldex units should be serviced every 50,000 miles, with a filter and oil change. This makes a lot of sense.
Regards, John

Thanks John, you sound like a mine like me regarding maintenance

Haldex Filters and Oil
 

Hi
The Haldex unit needs to be serviced on a regular basis.
I think that later Volvo`s use the Haldex Gen V5 and there is no filter therefore requires a more frequent service about 12 to 15k.
Its quite easy on this model as there is no filter just undo the pump and let the oil drain out, there is a small plastic gauze that needs to be cleaned.
On older models they have the Haldex Gen V4 this does have a filter and it is a little harder to remove the haldex pump,it also requires a new filter.The service can be left a little longer about every 40k but care is needed when refilling the Haldex as about 70ml needs to be removed after filling.
If you use your car for heavier work such as caravan towing the Haldex works harder.
This is only my opinion about Haldex but I believe prevention is better that cure.
There is also a good video on youtube that clearly shows both the 4 & 5 being serviced.
There is a guy in Kidderminster who offers a drive in Haldex service for £180 including VAT.
Richard

I too am all about preventative maintenance and so this sounds like good sense. I'm guessing my late 2010 XC90 (2011MY) has a Gen 4 coupling.

My local main dealer said this: The Haldex coupling is a non service item however the oil can be replaced and the gauze filter cleaned for £226.

I believe many VAG models have the same coupling with service intervals between 20k and 40k miles. What's the deal with Volvo and the huge bill for a little oil and some labour? Is it the case that the design of the car makes the coupling a bitch to get at and most of the labour is for taking things apart to get to it?

I may ask my indie what he thinks.

BTW whilst I was asking about Haldex I thought I would enquiry about an ATF flush and replace. That was even worse at £442.

I have a 2012 XC90 approaching 100k that has had a fluid change at 70k.

I wish to change the oil and filter both of which were not expensive at around £50 from Volvo.

I think the issue is getting the prop shaft off and removing the assembly etc.

Having changed the cambelt, water pump etc myself the idea of doing the haldex unit looks complex to me.....

I accept my experience is with P2 V70 2004 AWD, and not later model Haldex. However, my reading and take on the Haldex "service" is that the more modern the vehicle, and therefore the Haldex unit , the easier the service is - specifically changing the filter. The issue is to get the seized torx? bolts out of the filter. On my car you need to reduce the length of your torx bit and use 1/4" sockets to make enough room to withdraw the bolts and this way although fiddly, the prop shaft remains in place. You also need to reuse the original filter cover, as the new filter cover is a different design and cannot be installed when the shaft remains.
Oil replacement again on mine was very simple via a single access point, sucked out with a "mitty" or similar or just a long thin plastic pipe.
NB blow through the pipe before withdrawing the old oil to disturb as much sediment in the haldex unit as possible.
After refilling ( I used a meter+ long pipe and filled via a funnel at the NS door) to the level of the hole I withdrew 100ml as I had read about issues if you did not.

If you have done a cambelt change you can do this. I started but failed due to seized filter bolts, and a cambelt change scares me.

Cheers
Bob

Afternoon,

I looked many time in Vida and no info about the haldex maintenance. No info at all about it.

I like to think oil need to be changed to have a longer components life.

I changed the oil on mine S80 AWD. I was surprise au clean the oil was (74K). I guess it was done before (maybe not as the AWD was not working). You need to remove the propshaft bearing carrier and then the disconnect it from the haldex unit flange. After you need to remove the flange (depend if you have enough space to remove the pump).After that you can access the pump. Changing the filter is really easy. However remove the pump was really hard. The pump was litteraly welded ! I changed the pump seals (cheap oring seal when you know the size with VIDA). Installation is not to bad. You need a tool to hold the flange when you torque the nut (150Nm).
You neeed some good tool and extension as the CV joint bolt on the top can be difficult to access and torque.

Hope this help.

Mine was changed this morning haldex 5 - 2015 xc60.

See before and after pics - this is the first time I've changed it after 73k miles... despite asking Volvo directly and the dealer if it needed to be done - they both said it doesn't.....I think these images show otherwise!

Without a doubt, the right thing to do and looking at the state of the pump filter, you can see why these pumps fail. Am I right in thinking that Haldex 5 doesn't have a separate filter ?

If not already done, I would change the gearbox fluid now with that mileage on.

A bit spent now can save a fortune later.

On my 07 XC90, I've just done Haldex + filter ( to the same extent as you) then rear diff oil. angle gear oil and several gearbox sump dumps.

Each one of them was filthy.

Gus - When you changed you haldex fluid did you do a number of fluid changes or just a drain and replace?
If it was just the latter, I'd bet a pound to a penny your fluid is still manky.:(

The colour of your drained fluid resembles the colour of mine when I drained it. I did not need my car for a couple of days so I left the fluid standing overnight and then re-used the upper syphoned liquid and new fluid to "wash out" the haldex unit. I did this a total of about 6 times ( I used about 2 litres of new fluid + the best of the rest fluid) and it took this number of washes/flushes to get a reasonable coloured fluid out of the haldex. Each time I blew through the plastic tube I was using to drain the Haldex to disturb as much sediment as possible.

Additionally when the Haldex was filled did you remove 100ml? It might not be necessary on the modern units, but it was certainly a recommendation of owners for the P2 cars.

Cheers
Bob

The haldex oil + the filter just replaced on my 2011MY XC70 D5 also with the differential fluid.
The whole price was about 120 euros with volvo OEM haldex oil + filter and Liqui Moly SAE 80W GL-5 for the diff. The rear diff oil was kinda dirty.

However I have a question regarding the proper oil level of the Haldex:

If we check the the DIY video of Volvosweded in youtube, he said the we have to extract 40 ml to set up the correct level after the top up. I also checked this on VIDA but there is no record to remove/extract 40ml, just top up and that's all.

When I changed the vehicle profile in VIDA to 2008 XC70 I found that there is an article about this. it's strange because both model year 2008/2011 have the same GEN4 Haldex unit.

The proper level in the differential unit is -50 ml after top up.

Bob, when I did the Haldex on my XC90 ( Haldex 3 ) a couple of weeks ago, I had the rear of the car raised high on ramps and after sucking the old oil out via an electric pump, I removed the Haldex pump, the filter and the pinion oil seal so as a result got a fair amount more out even after I had finished sucking it out.

The pump filter mesh was filthy as was the oil and the separate filter.

I cleaned the pump, fitted a new filter and refilled with fresh oil but my intention is to drain and fill at least a couple more times in the very near future as I'm certain that you are correct about the probable colour of the oil now in the Haldex.

I'll update once I do it re colour of the recently filled oil,

When I checked out my V70 AWD R I did not remove the prop, so I was not able to remove the pump due to the prop shaft blocking access/removal nor the filter due to filter bolt corrosion, and VERY limited access.
I was thus forced to clean the unit as best as possible, hoping in the unlikely event that "cleaner fluid" running through would somehow remove some of the crap that had built up in the pump + filter.

How successful this has been is debatable, but the AWD is still functioning. Its the 2004 1/16 rotation before activation type.

Cheers
Bob

Yes I had to drop the rear of the prop on mine to get the pump out but the prop came off the flange easier than I thought it would .

On the 07 XC90 you don't have to drop the centre prop support like I had to on my 05 XC70 to be able to access the flange retaining nut so that was a bonus and I was also able to leave the exhaust totally undisturbed. Once the rearmost prop CV is removed from the flange, it will clear it and lie on the floor.

The small hex bolts for the filter and the pump came out ok so all in all it was not a bad job on the XC90.

Whilst everything was apart I installed a new pinion oil seal about £20 and also the 19 spline prop rear CV joint ( about £50 ).

The car had done 127k so it seemed sensible renewing these couple of items whilst I had everything apart.

I was actually surprised how much more oil came out when I removed the flange and its pinion seal so clearly the evacuation pump can't access all of the fluid towards the bottom of the Haldex casing. The removal of the Haldex pump fot cleaning and checking also released more.

I'll be performing a service on the Haldax on my XC70 shortly but wanted to know which oil to use. Is this link the correct oil?

https://www.volvopartshop.com/auto-g...il-16225-p.asp

Also, do I clean the filter/unit with brake cleaner?

Thank you.

Short answer NO. That looks like auto transmission fluid, its RED. Haldex oil is "oil coloured" if you get my meaning.
You only do this job once, well depending up on the colour of you removed oil, but I bit the bullet and bought genuine Volvo stuff from the dealer - after a bit of friendly haggle. ( I allowed my old oil to settle for 24hrs skimmed the cleaner top surface and re used it, and flushed again.... and again.... and again... each time leaving the crud in the settling container)
Additionally I would not use brake cleaner to clean the filter - replace it for same reason as above.

Cheers
Bob

Cheers
Bob

This is what you need. You need to renew the filter not attempt to clean it.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-V...AAAOSwn35aoAEO

Thank you very much both for taking the time to reply. I think the 2014 Xc70 has a Haldax 5 which does not have a filter which can be changed. I'll have a look under the car this weekend to double check which unit I have and then contact the local Volvo dealer for the oil.

Ask for a discount, I've never been refused yet.:teeth_smile:

I have owned a D5 XC60 since 2018, only a few months old when I bought it, read the Volvo service data not long after and noted the 40,000 mile Haldex interval, so thought I would be ok for a few more miles. Something a friend had mentioned to me a few years back, about a friend of his having been hit with a big dealership bill to replace the Haldex unit on his XC90 got me thinking last week, so I thought I would look a bit deeper at which haldex setup I had, and what others had discovered. I ended up on this forum, must admit I am pleased I did.

Read this post and decided I needed to drop the haldex pump off the car for a look. Quick call to Haldex repairs UK had new oil & O rings on their way.

I only do 10,000 miles a year in the car, no trailer lugging.


Car has 21,000 miles.



The pictures tell a tale of a something about to fail with such lengthy service intervals. When I do the engine oil & filter next year, it will also get a haldex service too.

Hope the links work.


https://photos.app.goo.gl/KSG2utLffVT8VZ9a7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/yfZByeDp6hANRgds5

https://photos.app.goo.gl/kcaaPxHiHyHHq3X29

Right, I have been under the car, I have checked I have the tools and can undo the bolts holding the Haldex 5 pump to the diff and also remove the refill plastic thing.

I have the proper Volvo oil to :-)

I am still not 100% sure how to clean the pump when removed from the car. I have some cotton buds and new rag. Is it ok to spray/use brake cleaner like in this Video?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4mb-e-3R7M

Thank you.

I have Haldex 3 but the white plastic filter on the pump is pretty much identical to Haldex 5.

I have always used Brake cleaner on the pump filter and it is very effective at blasting the rubbish out and leaving everything spotless.

Works well for me but ultimately it's your choice BUT it must be cleaned.👍

Haldex help.
 

Good afternoon all.

Whilst carrying out my haldex service one of the bolts snapped in the haldex housing.

I need to remove the prop to seperate the housing, but I'm unsure where is best to hit it to seperate it. I have undone the 6 x 8mm Allen key bolts, so it's ready to go.

Any pictures would be gratefully appreciated.

My car is an XC60.

Thanks for your assistance. I have now completed the Haldex oil changed and would class it as a simple-ish task however it took me a while to build the confidence to do it :teeth_smile: . Just needed to check I had the tools required and could open the fill cap. Start to finish took me around 2 hrs with plenty of time cleaning and checking but could do it much quicker now. The filter was not pleasant to see and some of the nets where completely blocked. Well worth doing.

G'day,

What was the mileage on your car at the time?

Just over 56,000 miles.

Seems the Haldex 5 has real problems due to the deletion of the previous replaceable oil filter and just relying on the simple pump pickup gauze. At the same time the previous pressure sensor was deleted. So the owner will usually not know if the system has failed. VW group use the Haldex 5 too.
See https://youtu.be/CqvRLbwT7yY

Haldex
 

Hi
Got a late Freelander 2 with Haldex 4 with an Haldex filter, Austen at Belle Engineering recommends these units need to be serviced every 40k to avoid any problems and expensive repair bills Land Rover say Haldex 4 require no service or attention and are sealed for life.

Yours has the Haldex 5 with the lovely powerful 2.4 D5 engine, please correct me if I am wrong it has no filter to change and is much easier to service, the downside is no filter to catch the muck so I think more frequent service is required and when looking at your pics proves this to be the case.
Richard

Apologies for resurrecting an old thread.

About to change the Haldex fluid on my Gen5 equipped V60 Cross Country. Does the rear diff have its own oil / fluid or is the Haldex and diff a combined unit?

Sorry I've only had the car just under a fortnight and haven't ventured underneath it yet.

Thanks in advance

If it is the same unit as fitted to my 2014 XC70 then the oils are separated.

Just done the haldex gen 5 unit service on my xc60d5. Not rocket science at all. £38 kit on eBay. My vehicle has had dealer services up to 96k. I then bought it and at 106k I decided to service the unit.
Tools needed are the kit, a flat blade screwdriver and a 10 mm socket. Just as the you tube video. Wiggle under back of car when it's lifted a little under all 4 wheels. Undo the black plastic filler plug. Disconnect the electrical connector to the pump. Remove the two 10mm headed bolts, Wobble/ pull out the pump catching the old oil. Clean out the unit. Clean the filter guaze on the pump with brake cleaner. Change the two o rings on the pump and refit pump in the unit. Tighten the two bolts back up and fill the unit with the syringe in the kit. Reconnect the pump.Replace filler plug. Drive car for ten minutes then top up the unit with the haldex oil. Not hard at all. Iam so glad I decided to do it. It had never been serviced! Black gunge in the unit and on the pump gauze. Now the running noise at the back end is a lot quieter. Every 30k I will change the oil and the two orings. £20 ish for both on eBay. Now I have the syringe and but of pipe on the syringe. If I can do it on the drive well it carn't be hard.

Go to an engineering supplier for the nitrile o-rings - 1 @ 44mm dia x 2mm; 1 @ 46mm dia x 2mm. Should cost a few pennies in your currency.

I get the dealer to do it every 3rd service. It isn't terribly expensive, and im too old to fanny about under a car up on drive-on ramps. They've some way of doing it with minimal disturbance of the exhaust, but I've never enquired as to the minutiae of their particular process.

Flush haldex oil reservoir
 

I changed the Haldex oil on my 2014 XC70 D5 for the first time September last year. It was pretty dirty then so I decided to do it again to flush any more gunk out of the system. Had only done 5000 klms since that time but was greeted with this mess .... see photos.

Would therefore recommend a second service soon after to all.

.

As already stated here, Volvo has no service interval for the Haldex unit but the Haldex unit is used by VW in their quattro drives and VW recommend to replace the oil and filter every 40,000 miles.
Different generations have different set ups with the earlier Haldex units having a separate filter that needed to be bought and changed, the newer Haldex units have a moulded filter at the front of the pump that can be cleaned, if this filter gets clogged with dirt and the oil can't get through the filter then the pump will burn itself out.

That’s unbelievable to see! So helpful to post it up thanks.

I have the very unenviable job of changing a haldex 4 soon on a xc90. The XC90 haldex input flange is larger than other models and accordingly it’s a case of moving the exhaust (don’t have to unbolt) , removing the prop shaft and then removing the haldex input flange.

Do you happen to know what size O-rings are present on the pump on a haldex Gen 4? I am getting prices of £25 for 2 screws and 2 o-rings! At that price I will leave the old ones on and just take care. However I would prefer to have new ones also.

Thanks.

I have a 2006 XC 70 115,000 ish miles which to my knowledge has never had the Halidex oil changed.
I see that people go for a 10 min drive and check/top up. Is it not just a case of
checking the level is correct before draining, if its correct, measuring what comes out and refilling with the same amount as people do with Auto box flushes.

Just another question (well 2 actually). Q1. My XC70 is 2006 is that Gen 3 or 4 Halidex.
Q2. Do I need to remove the prop shaft and exhaust to service it?