I was definitely advised on this course of action in Febuary by my local Volvo dealership at service number 6 (@82k miles) - the only caveat on this was unless I thought I'd go well over 90k miles before the next service (which I said not)... as things have turned out, I've so far done less than 2k miles and may even get away with it for another year!

I don't see why replacing the aux belt(s) on the VEA engine is so critical? I understand the need on the older 5-cylinder engine where aux belt failure can lead to cam belt breakage, but this is not an issue on the VEA.

This thread has become a slightly jumbled mess where non-VEA owners have been contributing.

I have recently changed which main dealership I use, but in the same area. As a result of this, I had to change the service plan I had. Changing the plan provider and extending it has resulted in the monthly price dropping by over £10 per month.
I fully accept the engine in my car is the old 5 cylinder version.
For the information of any interested members this new plan has the cam belt change factored into it. Something I requested. It is listed that the service and cam belt change for me at today's prices would be £794.99, this is planned in to be done in 4 years time. It should be well under mileage spec's but I'd rather be safe than sorry. A service with an auxiliary belt is priced in at £410.
I also accept that dealership rates differ around the Country.

To update this, just checked with my local guy, and he will do this for £400 with the genuine kit. D4. he has done belt changes on my previous cars.
Aux belt included with a water pump change.

why overcharge you by £100 for water puimp? and what is he fitting , a non volvo one?

Cam belt and service cost
 

Had my cam belt and aux belt and all tensioners done at main dealers today £595

Service
 

Just to ad volvo water pump is lifetime guarantee and are not changed on timing belt change.

Is that a D4 ‘newer’ engine?

Hes not very good value if he is charging you for a water pump you don't need.

I would be concerned as to how familiar he really is with these motors if he is slapping on a new pump as a matter of course. Volvo do not programme a replacement in at belt change time (and you can bet your pension that they would if there was the slightest need to do so and they could make a profit from it) and anything other than an OE pump is going to be far weaker than the item your clever man has just thrown in the bin.

You have just learned first hand the difference between "cheap" and "good value".

D6 Plugin hybrid belts change
 

I just did my V60 D6 plugin hybrid cambelt. It was a very time consuming job. Due to the position of the high voltage cables which run between the engine and the wing right in front of the cambelt access is challenging. I changed the water pump in addition to both belts.


The auxiliary belt drives the high voltage starter generator using a standard belt as used on other D5 engines and the timing belt, idlers and tensioner are the same as usual so parts aren't expensive.


VIDA doesn't make clear that it's necessary to remove the auxiliary belt tensioner bolt in order to get enough slack to get the auxilliary belt onto the pulleys.


Being retired taking two days wasn't a problem.


There's scant description of working on electric vehicles as yet on youtube but as things are moving in that direction perhaps they'll arrive before too long.


I changed the belts due to the ten year age rather than mileage. The engine has done 80,000 miles whereas the car has done 106,000. This no doubt explains the good fuel economy also.

It's long established good engineering practice on any engine to replace the water pump at the same time as the cam belt. This is simply a pro-active preventative maintenance activity as most of the labour involved in a water pump change is needed as part of the belt and tensioners swap so the extra cost of doing it at the same time is virtually parts only.

Most cars will only have one maybe 2 belt changes in their lifetime so makes sense to not have to do a failed water pump out of step with belt changes.

Of course some engines have easier access to these jobs so the case for the preventative maintenance can differ to a degree depending on the car.

It's a matter of choice at the end of the day but as an Engineer I would say it's a big ask of a water pump's bearings/impeller and seal to go to the 2nd cambelt change interval (which I'm guessing could be 12 years or 180k miles) without failing.

Of course Volvo won't care about your water pump failing in between cam belt changes - why would they?