XC60 Intermittent vibration when driving
 

Hi, We've noticed an intermittent issue with our 2011 XC60 D5 AWD whilst driving. Most of the time it doesn't happen at all on a journey and we can go weeks without it occurring at all, but sometimes particularly on a longer journey or if braking or accelerating hard from standstill or going uphill it appears.

The steering wheel starts to shake, gradually getting worse and worse until the whole car is shuddering. Braking also judders when the issue occurs. Slowing down doesn't seem to help but stopping completely at a junction or pulling over and pulling away gradually often sorts it out again in most cases but can re-occur again in a journey especially when following behind a nervous driver who keeps panic braking constantly. I have found that sometimes blipping the throttle and changing up and down the gears can sort the issue out after a few miles too and the car will drive fine for a while. I could come back to the car the next day and drive it for a few weeks without issue.

The car has been to have the wheels rebalanced recently but whenever I have experienced issues with wheel balancing, it has been a fairly consistent issue with shaking and not intermittent.

I have checked that the wheel nuts are all tight and a visual inspection of the tyres for any damage but wondered if anyone else had experienced the same issue at all and what the likely cause might be?

Thanks

Given steering and braking are both affected at the same time you may have problems with the front subframe. My other car, an Audi TT, has reports of similar problems. The one-time bolts (used for crash impact purposes apparently) age over time and allow movement of the subframe under certain circumstances.
Not a solution, just an avenue that might be worth exploring.

It's been in to the garage today and they have identified play in the droplinks and a cracked brake disc. Droplinks, discs and pads to be replaced - £425 Inc. Vat and labour, hope it sorts the issue.

So it seems that the cracked disc was a symptom of the issue and its still occurring. It's been to Kwik Fit to check over the front caliper on the drivers side and the caliper seems to be operating normally. It was fine again for a few weeks but now keeps happening intemittently. Its definitely an issue with the front brake. After a long drive, the driver side front wheel is really hot compared to the other side and the wobble/shake returns. Our local garage think it might be an issue with the brake fluid itself or a blocked port on the caliper. It's now booked in again for a look. I will update this thread with their findings just in case anyone else has the same issue and does a search in the future.

Wobble and shake could be its warped the disc due to overheating, caused by the calliper sticking on.
Maybe it’s partially seizing when it gets hot or maybe the flexi brake hose is collapsing inside and restricting fluid flow.
Only other thing I can think of is the ABS system is malfunctioning on that wheel
My son had that on his Discovery..

Hi. I have exactly the same problem with my XC60 which is the same year. Did you ever resolve the issue?

Some XC 60's of that age had problems with the driveshaft CV joints they were changed on warranty there is a service bulletin. I doubt it's applicable 13 years later.
can you reproduce it in a car park going around in small circles left and right and varying the load on them gently ? you might get a light rattle someone standing outside can identify which side.
If you are tempted to get cheap drive shafts Dont, they are more than likely to cause a similar problem some time down the road...

Hi. Thanks. I have had one driveshaft changed and it needs the other one as it does knock on a tight turning circle. So perhaps I'll get that changed and see if it resolves the problem.

Hi.
I had this issue, crazy vibration that came an went, unpredictably at any speed.
Also mid corner oversteer when not remotely close to traction limit
I noticed ‘hot’ smell on one side.
And during one vibration event I slowed right down to feel intermittent slowing when not braking.

For me it was primary problem of sticking front brake calibre, secondary problem of slightly warped disc

2013 V60 D4 5cyl

Mine was caused by a sticking front brake calliper. Installed a new brake caliper, two new discs and new pads, problem sorted.