S90 Vibration Issues – Unresolved – 10/2 Update
9/27/18 Update: Vibration improved but not fully resolved. I’ve added more details below to the timeline.
I have been chasing a vibration in my car. Many attempts to fix the vibration have been made. No resolution at the time of this posting.
2018 S90 T6 Momentum with 19 inch rims.
Originally equipped with Pirelli P Zero tires.
Before signing the paperwork, a vibration is detected during the test drive. Dealership confirms tires are defective and is instructed by Volvo to replace with Continental Pro Contact Tx Contisilent Tires.
I test drive the vehicle and it’s a night and day difference. Car feels great. I sign paperwork.
Within the first few days I feel a vibration.
Day 11 – Bring car to Volvo dealership. Different one than the selling dealership since I purchased 1.5 hours away from my home. Tires are roadforce balanced.
Results: one tire is out of balance and one tire (a different tire) measures 24lbs of roadforce (this tire was moved to the back of the car). All other tires measure under 15lbs of roadforce.
Car still vibrates. More noticeable in the driver’s seat/ back of vehicle.
Day 21 – Bring car to Volvo. They match mount tire to rim to offset imbalances in the tire and rim. This is the process by which they actually shift the tire on the rim to compensate for high/low/stiff spots inherent in the tire and rim.
Results: That tire now measures at 15lbs of roadforce. 15lbs is the limit for these tires according to Volvo.
Car still vibrates. No material change in the seat/ back of vehicle vibration.
Day 37 – Bring car to Firestone. I have them roadforce just the one tire to confirm that tire measures at 15lbs of roadforce.
Results: The tire measures 31lbs of roadforce. Firestone match mounts the tire to the rim and is able to reduce the road force to 25lbs.
Needless to say, the car still vibrates.
Day 41 – Bring car to Volvo as they have agreed to replace the tire with a new one.
Results: The tire is balanced and measures 7lbs of road force. No signs of the foam in the tire coming undone.
Significant improvement in the vibration in the seat. Without this distraction I notice vibration in steering wheel.
Day 46 – Bring car to performance tire shop. All tires are out of balance. 2 tires read at or slightly above 15lbs of road force. This is a change from what Volvo’s machine showed.
Results: All tires are balanced. All tires receive a bead message to ensure the tires are seated correctly on the bead. All roadforce numbers are 7 or below after this process.
Car vibrates everywhere.
Day 53 – Bring car back to performance tire shop. Tires are balanced again. 2 tires measure at significantly different road force numbers. Both are match mounted (shifted on the rim) to correct this.
Results: All tires are balanced. All tires once again read under 7lbs of roadforce. Only tire that stayed in balance and consistently measured a low road force number was the tire that the Volvo dealership replaced.
Car still vibrates but much better.
Day 61 – Bring car back to Volvo. They have proactively ordered 3 new tires. They roadforce balance all tires. One measures 31lbs of roadforce. Tire is replaced. Steering wheel vibration compensation system is recalibrated? Not super familiar with this. Was told the SPA cars are equipped with technology to actually compensate for vibrations.
Results: All tires are balanced. All tires measure acceptable road force numbers. No signs of the foam undone or loose in the tire.
Car still vibrates but better. Nail is found in tire.
Day 62 – Bring car back to Volvo. Issue is escalated with Volvo, beyond the dealership. Tire puncture is too close to sidewall to plug. Awaiting response from Volvo on next steps.
I have requested Michelin tires.
Issue unresolved for now.
**Adding more details**
Day 67 – Tire with nail in it is replaced; Tire from Day 61 replaced because it is now reading as defective. Was not reading as defective 5 days prior. They tell me it’s vibration free but I reinforce that I want a different brand given the amount of defective Continentals on the car. For those keeping count at home, that makes 3 defective Contis plus a 4th replacement for the tire with the nail in it.
Day 73 – Volvo tells me that they will put the Michelins on the car but that I should be aware of the fact that they are noisier than the Contis
Day 74 – I give Volvo the Thumbs Up to put the tires on
Day 77 – I pick up my car. After inspecting the wheels I find that all of my rims are damaged! There are scratches, gouges and nicks in each of the rims. Of course I must point them out to the dealership. They do not tell me about them. Dealership agrees to fix. Not the outcome I was hoping for after my car sat at the dealership for 2 weeks (Day 62 to Day 77).
Day 96 – I drop off my car at the dealership to have rims repaired.
Day 98 – I pick up my car at the dealership. Rims fixed. Find out that they had to take tires off rims. Tires re-mounted, balanced by repair shop. All of these issues and they thought that the balance job by the repair shop would be sufficient. Still vibration at highway speeds.
Day 151 – Take car to high performance tire shop; wheels are balanced. One tire needs to be rotated on the rim. All tires balanced and have road force values under 12; car feels the best it’s ever been. Dare I say fixed?
Day 237 (9/27/18) – Take car in for 10k scheduled service (oil change, sensus update). To a new dealership. I’ve notice that over the last 6 – 7 weeks the vibration has resurfaced. They find that one tire is out of spec for road force. Measures 26. Can’t be improved to lower than 20. They will replace tire. Get to pick up my car tomorrow. Fingers crossed for a good result.
This marks the 17th tire on my car. I’m also maybe 8/8 in being correct when I feel a vibration. Absolutely love the car otherwise.
***Update***
Day 238 – Dealership calls. They put new tire on car. They can not road force balance it below 20lbs of force. They tell me that they will have to order a new tire. They order 2 just in case. Won’t have an update until Tuesday.
Day 242: Tuesday. Dealership calls. The 2 new tires have arrived. They put the first one on the car. It is out of spec. Won’t road force to below 17lbs. They test drive anyway. They say the car vibrates. They are going to put the 2nd tire on. Won’t happen until Wednesday. Not sure what happens if this tire is defective too.