2004 xc 70 timing belt failure

**cse** · 09-20-2011, 01:07 AM

I have an '04 xc 70 and my timing belt failed/broke. Engine light had been on for just barely a day and I was on my way to the repair shop to have it checked on when a strange noise came from engine area, shortly after a snapping noise and car lost all power. Mileage is only 97626, well below recommended replacement interval at 120 k. Has anyone heard of a problem like this? My repair shop has never seen this and they recommended working with Volvo through local dealer.

**Julien** · 09-20-2011, 02:18 AM

Cse, is that mileage in Miles or Kilometers?
What is the climate like where you live?
jc

**Xilikon** · 09-20-2011, 03:40 AM

Originally Posted by Julien

Cse, is that mileage in Miles or Kilometers?
What is the climate like where you live?
jc

Either one, it should be under the recommender change mileage, which is 105000 miles or 168000 kilometers.

It's very strange to snap it like that but not impossible if it is still the original. Depending on certain conditions, the belt could have dried too much, making it fragile.

**cse** · 09-20-2011, 04:25 AM

The mileage is 97626 miles and weather is normal in southern Ohio with 4 season, summer pretty warm and humid and it does get cold with snow.

**billr99** · 09-20-2011, 04:33 AM

Originally Posted by Xilikon

Either one, it should be under the recommender change mileage, which is 105000 miles or 168000 kilometers.

It's very strange to snap it like that but not impossible if it is still the original. Depending on certain conditions, the belt could have dried too much, making it fragile.

There is also an age requirement of 14 years for belt replacement but obviously in this case that would not come into play.

Were any of the rollers or water pump replaced previously? I've been around rubber timing belts for years and many different cars, including racing. Only time I've seen a belt fail (i.e. break) has been in conjunction with a roller or water pump freezing up. In my experience an extremely worn belt has not failed but slipped throwing off the timing. Won't say a failure can't happen, but this case is definitely outside the norms that I have seen.

Good luck,

Bill

**cse** · 09-20-2011, 04:52 AM

Originally Posted by billr99

There is also an age requirement of 14 years for belt replacement but obviously in this case that would not come into play.

Were any of the rollers or water pump replaced previously? I've been around rubber timing belts for years and many different cars, including racing. Only time I've seen a belt fail (i.e. break) has been in conjunction with a roller or water pump freezing up. In my experience an extremely worn belt has not failed but slipped throwing off the timing. Won't say a failure can't happen, but this case is definitely outside the norms that I have seen.

Good luck,

Bill

Do you mean water pump for the windshield wipers or in the engine? I had a water pump issue when the wiper fluid did not spray about 2 years ago, but the car has been generally fine and was regularly serviced.

**Xilikon** · 09-20-2011, 05:07 AM

Originally Posted by cse

Do you mean water pump for the windshield wipers or in the engine? I had a water pump issue when the wiper fluid did not spray about 2 years ago, but the car has been generally fine and was regularly serviced.

The one you are refering is a wiper pump, not water pump. The water pump is on the timing belt path to circulate coolant thru the engine and what billr99 wanted to tell is that it could have seized, causing the snapping or teeth jumping.

If the check engine was lit a bit before this happened, it might mean something was wrong in the engine which is certainly related to this.

**Astro14** · 09-20-2011, 06:13 AM

Wonder about the CEL....caused by valve timing being off?

Was the belt slipping/failing for a bit prior to snapping? Seems likely...

Wonder too if engine temp was high (WP seizure...) or if there was squealing/screeching (seized pully or WP impacting belt...).

**billr99** · 09-20-2011, 07:43 AM

Originally Posted by Astro14

Wonder about the CEL....caused by valve timing being off?

Was the belt slipping/failing for a bit prior to snapping? Seems likely...

Wonder too if engine temp was high (WP seizure...) or if there was squealing/screeching (seized pully or WP impacting belt...).

It would be easy enough to tell by just hooking up and seeing what DTC is stored. Now that I have a DICE (yeah I know it sounds of a brag doesn't it), it is amazing all that stuff that is retained in memory in all the various modules. I had info on codes set before I even owned the car even though the status of those particular components was being seen as OK when I scanned the car. Any way, if someone can hook up and read the car with VIDA/DICE, there might be a clue as to what happened before the engine is actually opened up.

As for a roller or pump seizing, they do usually make noise prior to failure, but I have heard of a roller letting go on an Audi V6 catastrophically without any prior warning. At least that was the story told by the driver. Could also be that the radio was up or the windows down too.

Cheers,

Bill

**dcandmc** · 09-20-2011, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by Xilikon

Either one, it should be under the recommender change mileage, which is 105000 miles or 168000 kilometers.

No, the OP is correct; as per the owner's manual, the recommended replacement interval for the '04 XC70 timing belt is 120,000 miles. I'm not saying that you want to actually wait that long, I'm just saying that's what Volvo puts in the owner's manual.