Hi Everyone,

It's been a while since I first posted on this board back when I had my 240DL. Since then I've had and '01 S40, and '04 XC70, and now an '08 XC70.

I have the strangest issue with my 2008 XC70. I have ~22K miles, and I'm already on my third set of rear rotors and pads.

Leased New '08 April 2008:

1) 7k to 8k needed rear rotors and pads replaced under warranty due to "manufacturing/rotor defect" Rear rotors heavily scored/grooved easy to feel with finger (mainly right rear, but also left rear to a lesser extent). Breaking performance of car significantly reduced. Dealer (Edison, NJ) didn't have rotors in stock yet (okay, whatever), after a week and a half, replaced rotors and pads, checked and lubricated calipers, all seemed well.

2) 15k to 16k rear rotors and pads replaced AGAIN under warranty due to "rock/stone stuck in pad scoring rotor" Rear rotors heavily scored/grooved easy to feel with finger (mainly right rear, but also left rear to a lesser extent). Breaking performance of car significantly reduced. Dealer (Edison, NJ) replaced rotors and pads, checked and lubricated calipers. I pressed the dealer on what might be causing this issue, and reminder the service manager that these rotors were only ~8k old and had already been replaced one. He asked if I drove offroad -- which I do not.

3) So now that I have 22k miles and my 22.5k service is due. Surprise, Rear rotors heavily scored/grooved easy to feel with finger (mainly right rear, but also left rear to a lesser extent). Breaking performance of car significantly reduced.

Interestingly, the front rotors and pads have not yet needed to be replaced. I supposed they might at the 22.5k.

So what in the word is going on?
A) Sticky calipers?
B) Abnormal master cyliner
C) DSTC, EBD, or AntiDive design flaw?
D) Crappy OEM rotors/pads?
E) front brakes not doing their job?

It clearly seems like the rear brakes are getting all of the work. When the rear rotors and pads are worn the car clearly doesn't brake as well.

Aside from safety, my biggest concern is that this is a lease and now that I live in NJ I'm way over my mileage so I'll need to buy the car in 2011. I don't want to be stuck with a lemon that needs new rear rotors and pads every 7-8k miles.

Despite not finding anything on the internet about this issue, my neighbor just recently bought a BMW, and the BMW dealer was telling him (before my neighbor even new of my issue) that they've had lots of people traking in their late model XC70 and XC90 for BMW's for the exact same reason -- the rear brakes and rotors wear prematurely. The BMW dealer said it was b/c of a design flaw in the DSTC or EBD over aggressively using the rear brakes.

Would I qualify under the lemon law when my dealer replaces my rotors at 22.5k or not until 30k?

Thank you!
Jonathan

Try searching for similar issues at href="http://www.v70xc.com/">http://www.v70xc.com/. I don't think we've come across this particular problem here. It sure sounds like either a software problem like what the BMW dealer you mentioned suggested. Otherwise it would be a manufacturing flaw in the caliper which I find unlikely since it's both sides of the car.

The dealer's postulation about a rock in the pad is pure BS. Maybe if that rock were a diamond...

Your car has a problem, replacing the rotors every 8K is only treating the symptom. Is there any way you could try a different dealer? Next time ask to see the old pads or at least find out their thicknesses. It would be helpful to know if they are worn unevenly, indicating a sticky piston or binding slider.
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854 - 244 - Mini

Interesting that you should mention the rotor issues as I have been looking into buying a xc90. It had its rear rotors replaced at about 50k km as they were worn out. The front rotors had been replaced at something like 45k km and was on its third set of pads. I have a 945T with 240k km and have yet to replace the rear rotors. I have replaced the front rotors once.

Thanks for the info Skierman,

My previous experiences with my '01 S40 and '04 XC70 were pretty similar to the XC90 you're considering. With these vehicles I usually needed new rotors (or so the dealer claimed) roughly every two sets of pads -- or about 28-40k miles (45km to 65km). My experience is that this is pretty typical with "today's" vehicles that have DSTC, ABS, etc. for Volvo, Subaru, and Toyota. I also do a lot of stop-and-go driving while commuting so if you're driving mainly highway miles you'll do better.

Seems like something in particular is wrong with my car (likely) or my model/year (possible, though less likely). If my rear brakes were dragging all of the time, I'd expect to see lower gas mileage and to be wearing through the pads. This doesn't seem to be the case as I generally get between 18 (mixed) and 24 mpg (highway best case) and the dealer has never said to me that I wore through the pads and scored the rotors while they were in there replacing the rotors (though they did replace the pads as well each time).

-Jonathan

Based on your comments and the repeated nature of a safety issue (reduced breaking capacity. You should request/demand the Volvo District Rep. be present for an inspection of the braking system, etc. what's wrong, what is the fix and what is the extension on your warrenty, related to their confidence in their fix. Good luck.....