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XC90 Turbo Failed at 38K XC90

posted by  jcooper on  Tue May 29 12:45 CST 2007
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last visit: Tue Jan 7 22:32 CST 2014
[RELATED]

We loved our 93 940T wagon so much we decided to upgrade to a 2003 XC90. We bought ours at 36,800 miles. Service was done correctly, but after driving it for 2000 miles, and 20 miles after an oil change from the dealer, we had a cloud of white smoke pouring out of the tailpipe.

The dealer diagnosed the problem as a failed seal in one of the turbos. This is obviously very dissapointing as the turbo in the 940T is going strong. Does anyone know why this would happen? The service records indicate oil was changed appropriately. It just doesn't add up to me.

Dealer claims the catalytic converter was not damaged becasue we pulled over right away. Does this sound right? What about the muffler, and should I worry about the other turbo?

It seems they should have perfected turbos by now. Now we're not so certian this is a reliable vehicle. Is this just bad luck, or has Volvo had other problems with the turbos. Thanks for any advice you can give.








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    XC90 Turbo Failed at 38K XC90

    posted by  someone claiming to be jeffery47 on  Mon Jun 25 10:05 CST 2007 [RELATED]

    Sorry about your XC90. Volvo buys turbos from other mfgers, like Mitsubishi. It would cost too much to develop and make a turbo in house these days.

    Not sure who makes your turbo, but Mitsu is a good bet.

    There should not be any lasting damage. Do you have a warranty? I would drive it until nearly out of warranty, and make a decision about keeping it. Maybe this XC90 was mistreated or not maintained. Turbos should last a long time, but they need clean oil, clean air, and cool down time.

    Some Chrysler turbos from the 80s went over 200K miles with no problems. Others didn't.

    I am very leery of the newer Volvos - so complicated and hard to work on. If they didn't need any work, fine. But it seems like most do, and it costs a lot.

    It would be interesting to compare an average XC90 to a Honda Pilot and see which costs more to operate. I know that XC90s are generally cheap to insure (heard on the news).








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    XC90 Turbo Failed at 38K XC90

    posted by  KlausC on  Wed May 30 05:01 CST 2007
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    last visit: Fri Oct 24 10:15 CST 2014
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    Driving so low to the road, I have a personal distain of all SUVs. The XC90 with the twin turbo is not on my favorite list if I had to have an SUV. The 6 cylinder engine is prone to heat damage and adding 2 turbos to the engine compartment doesn't help. Volvo stopped making the T6, I wonder why?

    No, one turbo failure does not mean the other will fail. The turbos do not talk to each other. Usually, a turbo seal will last for 150K+ miles, if the engine compartment can dispell heat. Getting a turbo rebuilt costs around $350 + core, the dealer asks for much more because they only deal in new parts.

    Your CAT is just fine. A little oil will not hurt it. And oil in the muffler will just burn out anyway. Not to worry.

    The premature failure of the turbo should be reported to the Volvo regional rep, perhaps Volvo will help with the replacement cost if the SUV is no longer under warranty.

    Klaus






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