AWD Transmission: Rotational Noise

Hello, I bought a two year old XC90 last week from the local main dealer. It is a D5 SE Geartronic. After 10 years of Landrovers this car is a dream to drive except that it has an annoying rotational noise which I think is generated within the automatic transmission. Either the gearbox, the transfer box or the drive shafts. It is a low level noise but nevertheless a noise. As the speed of the car increases the speed of the noise decreases and virtually disappears as the box changes into the higher gears. It is difficult to describe the frequency of the noise but I guess it is something similar to the noise that would be generated by a buckled disc pad rubbing a brake pad if this makes sense. Has anyone out there experienced the same?

[CTCNetwork]

Hi,

Originally Posted by fred_number7

Hello, I bought a two year old XC90 last week from the local main dealer. It is a D5 SE Geartronic. After 10 years of Landrovers this car is a dream to drive except that it has an annoying rotational noise which I think is generated within the automatic transmission. Either the gearbox, the transfer box or the drive shafts. It is a low level noise but nevertheless a noise. As the speed of the car increases the speed of the noise decreases and virtually disappears as the box changes into the higher gears. It is difficult to describe the frequency of the noise but I guess it is something similar to the noise that would be generated by a buckled disc pad rubbing a brake pad if this makes sense. Has anyone out there experienced the same?

Not an XC90 owner (yet) but I would suggest you go back to the dealer you have got this from and tell them of the problem.
Note that I use the word problem....
If they say it is not a problem, ask to test a new D5 Geartronic and listen.
Also get a second opinion. Either from a different dealer or an good local independant.

Des. . .

Thanks, I did that and the car will be retur ned next week sometime. I just wondered if anyone else had suffered a similar problem.

[GJB]

Had a similar problem turned out to be a rear axle wheel bearing ,mechanic said it was not uncommon.

It interesting that it was the back axle. I hadn't thought of that, they have replaced the fronet wheel bearing sets but the noise is still there. Sounds to me like the Auto box but we shall see. It goes in tomorrow.

[Old Grouse]

Noise problems are very subjective, but I had a simular problem on an 03 model. I would discribe my noise as more of an oscillation, which was loadest at about 40mph. The supplying dealer could not find a problem, but my local dealer (Hylton Gott) had the car for a couple of days and found the noise was being generated by the front brakes. They swoped the brakes/disks/etc around between the two fronts, noise gone.

This may not be the problem in your case, but if all else fails, may be worth following up.

Originally Posted by fred_number7

Hello, I bought a two year old XC90 last week from the local main dealer. It is a D5 SE Geartronic. After 10 years of Landrovers this car is a dream to drive except that it has an annoying rotational noise which I think is generated within the automatic transmission. Either the gearbox, the transfer box or the drive shafts. It is a low level noise but nevertheless a noise. As the speed of the car increases the speed of the noise decreases and virtually disappears as the box changes into the higher gears. It is difficult to describe the frequency of the noise but I guess it is something similar to the noise that would be generated by a buckled disc pad rubbing a brake pad if this makes sense. Has anyone out there experienced the same?

Hi
I have seen it where the prop shaft end where it bolts to the rear diff a small plastic peg sides out of it and then catches on the haldex coupling unit making a noise,but i have see rear hand brake shoes not releasing correctly and the brakes making a noise,but rear wheal bearing are favourit plenty of them fail on XC90 and XV70 some one forgot to seal the bearing correctly when made,the hand brake fault there is a modified foot operated pedal thats now manual adjusted as to automatic in the early models.

I've got an '05 XC90 with 36,000 miles. I noticed this noise last weekend & thought it was tyres. Then, I discovered this forum & thread, so booked the car into my local dealer for investigation. It went in this morning & they have confirmed that the rear bearings need replacing, and are doing so next Friday.

Great advice - thanks!

[perussell]

Have been hearing an odd 'whining' noise from my XC90 for a couple of weeks now so called into the dealer this morning as I drove past. Turns out it is both the rear wheel bearings on their way out, so much so that the dealer wouldn't even let me drive the car away. It's 2 yrs old and has only done 32000 mainly M-way miles.

I'm actually getting quite disappointed with the vehicle's reliability now. True, I haven't had any major problems like some others with steering racks etc. but with ball joints replaced under a recall, numerous bits of trim falling off or vibrating, airbag sensors replaced due to corrosion of the wiring loom and now this I am going to have to seriously reconsider my options in a couple of months when it is time to change. One just shouldn't experience such a number of problems on a £44K car. Both my previous Volvos (V40 and V70) also experienced problems - V40 too many to mention and V70 needed a complete new heater matrix.
The BMW I had in between never had absolutely nothing at all go wrong with it............