Couple minor issues with my S60 P2 - Steering / Engine

[bigshorty48]

Hi All

I've noticed a couple of issues lately that have concerned me a little with my 2004 S60 2.0T SE, just wondering if any of you guys can help me identify what may be causing them.

The first one is to do with steering, whenever I go around a long bend or large roundabout at slower speeds I can feel the steering wheel want to kick back in the opposite direction. It's not a constant kick back but feels more like nudges in the opposite direction to which I'm turning, and only a very slight nudge. It also doesn't feel like the nudges are in time with road speed but more random. I've had our local mechanic check the front suspension components, which were all fine. The tracking was way out and this has been rectified. I've had two new front tyres put on, so I'm guessing a buckled wheel would have been noticed during this being done. I've also changed the front brake discs and pads, and checked the calipers which were ok. I will say that before all this work was done the nudges were a lot worse than they are now, it is only a very slight nudge now, but it is still there. There's no unusual knock or bangs when driving along. However I have noticed that there is slight weeping of power steering fluid around the reservoir filling cap. The reservoir is actually new as the old one had a leak around the bottom outlet, and I can now see slight wetness around the filler cap. I'm guessing that the power steering system needs to be a pressurised system, and that a leak anywhere along the system could cause an issue, and wondering if the filler cap doesn't seal properly.

The second issue is regarding engine running. When driving along the car does seem ok, but I can't help but feel there is a very slight lumpiness to it, and for a 2.0 turbo engine, doesn't feel as responsive as it should. The car is an automatic and never owned a Volvo before I don't really know what I should be expecting tbh, but to me it just seems to be lacking a little. The other observation I have found is that my S60 seems to idle at quite low revs. I'm used to cars idling around 750rpm - 850rpm, but my S60 idles just below 700rpm, on the guage that is. Also, a couple of days ago, I was sat in traffic for a few minutes and the car suddenly sounded and felt like it was going to stall, albeit for no more than a second or two. This is the first time I've noticed this and it hasn't done it since. My first thought was this was caused by the radiator fan starting up, as in some cars I've owned I've always noticed a little drop in revs when the fan kicks in. It was a hot day, and this was the first time during this particular journey that the car was sat idling for any amount of time.

Any thoughts and comments on either of these issues would be greatly appreciated.

[Darlo 1]

Can't help with the engine but the steering issue is common, usually caused by a faulty seal in the rack, mine d5 does the same, has since i bought it, never a problem come mot time and i've got used to it.

[Georgeandkira]

I do believe there's a flat sealing gasket in the PS reservoir cap which can be replaced. Try that for the leak.

You can live with the notchy steering as Darlo does due to the cost of R+R or R (Remove + Repair or Replacing) the rack, but you can perform a return line disconnect pump out with complete fluid replacement as a legit try.
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Also in the "crossing the T's and dotting the I's" department you can try replacing the fuel filter if it has a serviceable one (ahead of the LR wheel along the frame) and cleaning the MAF sensor with MAF spray.

You can make certain the air handling hoses are all seated and tightly fastened.

Inspection of your throttle body is a little more difficult on a turbo but check it for grunge.

How many miles are on your '04?

[bigshorty48]

Originally Posted by Darlo 1

Can't help with the engine but the steering issue is common, usually caused by a faulty seal in the rack, mine d5 does the same, has since i bought it, never a problem come mot time and i've got used to it.

Many thanks for your response.

Can confirm you are correct, just seen on the inspection sheet when I had the car checked out by my local garage, that there is a very slight weep of fluid from pinion shaft to column. The garage quoted me a worst case scenario price of £604.80 to remove, recondition and refit the rack. However they also told me the leak may not worsen for years, and said I could quite happily live with it by topping up power steering fluid as and when necessary. It's been like this for a few months now and I haven't needed to top up yet, admitted I have only done 750 ish miles in those few months.

[bigshorty48]

Originally Posted by Georgeandkira

I do believe there's a flat sealing gasket in the PS reservoir cap which can be replaced. Try that for the leak.

How many miles are on your '04?

Thanks for the heads up on the flat sealing gasket, I'll source one and give it a go. My S60 has done 121,500 miles thus far.

I am going through the service list as we speak. I did pick the car up very cheap, as it had limited history, so I am guessing a lot of the serviceable items need to be addressed. Timing belt and water pump been done now, as has drivebelt and tensioner and spark plugs. Oil, oil filter and air filter are next up, and looks like fuel filter could do with a change as well, probably find it's the original on there still.

I'll try and have a look at the throttle body, if it's not a real nightmare to get to, and clean the MAF sensor too.

[Darlo 1]

Originally Posted by bigshorty48

Many thanks for your response.

Can confirm you are correct, just seen on the inspection sheet when I had the car checked out by my local garage, that there is a very slight weep of fluid from pinion shaft to column. The garage quoted me a worst case scenario price of £604.80 to remove, recondition and refit the rack. However they also told me the leak may not worsen for years, and said I could quite happily live with it by topping up power steering fluid as and when necessary. It's been like this for a few months now and I haven't needed to top up yet, admitted I have only done 750 ish miles in those few months.

As far as i know it is an internal seal/valve that causes the pulsing of the steering.

[stuart bowes]

from what I've read, if you do go down the replacement / refurb route, don't let go of your existing one until you know the new one is the right type and dimensions because there are a few variations and I don't think I've ever read a thread where someone got the right one straight away

although to be fair if they did, they probably wouldnt have written a post about it but still. bear in mind

[MWMan]

I've had my p2 v70 since 2016, and when I got it, the steering was all over the place. An inspection of the lower control arms showed that they were in a pretty bad state. I then fitted new Volvo control arms, shock absorbers, inner and outer tie rods and drop links.
When I took the car out again it was a massive improvment in straight line driving, but going on a roundabout or round a long bend, I got the nudging effect as if the car was trying to pull itself into a different line.
I was was very disappointed. I also had a very small leak from the rack, and I assumed that I was in for a rack change to clear the problem. However, around the same time I came across SirRobb's Youtube video on fitting Polyurethane Subframe Bush Inserts. Polyurethane Subframe Bush Insert. I was doing a lot of maintenanace jobs on the Volvo, so I didn't do this because of the steering issue, but once I had fitted them, I no longer had any juddering around bends or roundabouts. That has been around 6 years ago and the car is still good with 155,000 on it.
Not saying it will cure your problem, but for the cost of the inserts (circa £30), its worth a go. I still have a very small leak from the rack, but it gives me no real trouble and will probably last out the car.

[bigshorty48]

Originally Posted by stuart bowes

if you do go down the replacement / refurb route, don't let go of your existing one until you know the new one is the right type and dimensions because there are a few variations

The price quoted by my local garage was to remove my current rack on the car, send off for refurbishment, then refit when work was done. The garage said exactly the same as you, as in there are so many variations. Doing it this way would mean my car is off the road for around a week, but wouldn't have the hassle of sourcing a matching rack.

Tbh, the leak must be pretty minimal as the fluid level doesn't seem to have moved at all in the last month. Definitely something I'm going to live with for the forseeable future.

[bigshorty48]

Originally Posted by MWMan

However, around the same time I came across SirRobb's Youtube video on fitting Polyurethane Subframe Bush Inserts. Polyurethane Subframe Bush Insert. I was doing a lot of maintenanace jobs on the Volvo, so I didn't do this because of the steering issue, but once I had fitted them, I no longer had any juddering around bends or roundabouts. That has been around 6 years ago and the car is still good with 155,000 on it

Many thanks for the info.

Sounds very much like the symptoms I get, and for the minimal cost involved in replacing the subframe bush inserts with the Poly one's, it's definitely worth a shot. Going to be looking into it!