Volvo XC90 clicking sound when braking

Pretribrapper · Post by **Pretribrapper** » 11 Apr 2018, 11:49

Hoping someone can help. I have both a 2007 XC90 V8 and also a 2011 XC90 V8 and both vehicles seem to have a single click type sound when coming to a complete stop. Seems to only be heard when pushing harder on the brakes. The caliper is solid and there is no shifting in the pads from what I see. Sound only comes from the passenger front side. At times I can her the click as soon as I start driving again. It doesn't happen at all under normal driving or accelerating while turning. Not quite sure what it could be but I just dont like the noise. The 2011 has a new passenger side wheel hub and the 2007 does not. I just had both of the suspensions looked at and they both seem to be solid. maybe it is just "normal" drive shaft type noise
Not sure what this could be. Please help.

Post by **FLXC90** » 11 Apr 2018, 18:01

So it clicks when you stop (AND) when you start back up,
or it clicks when you stop (OR) when you start back up.

car doesn't swerve on application or release?
check the backing plate, subframe bushing, triangle plate on right rear subframe bushing, splash shield, motor mount?

goldtooth · Post by **goldtooth** » 23 Apr 2018, 14:38

My 2006 XC90 does a very similar thing. Slight click when brakes are applied. Caliper is tight as are the pads. Sounds like it comes from the passenger side.

Pretribrapper · Post by **Pretribrapper** » 23 Apr 2018, 14:53

Also. Cars don't swerve when braking. Both have just had alignments and drive straight. No pulling or anything. Will check your suggestions. Thx

Post by **ggleavitt** » 23 Apr 2018, 17:55

There's the potential for a click of axle spline (ping) on initial application and release of the CV joints, then there's a driveline single click on release and re-engagement of power at near stop (sometimes hear it sometimes don't, I have this issue and for me it seems specific to the V8) as a few ideas. Here are a couple (V8 centric) links - http://forums.swedespeed.com/showthread ... Axle-ping), http://forums.swedespeed.com/showthread ... unks-ideas

Try and describe your sound in a little more granularity if you can please, might help hone in a little more closely to the source.

Post by **ggleavitt** » 26 Apr 2018, 13:11

Rather than edit the old post, I had thought to add some notes-

I noticed my click sound maybe the day after I bought my car (summer 2015), bothered me enough that towards the end of my 90 day warranty (bought at a dealer) I took the car in specifically to have it documented and addressed. What I got back was a car with an axle ping "fix" and I was told everything else was fine. Kidded myself for a while that it was fully resolved, it was not.

I had this issue before my angle gear broke (another post, AG input splines and sleeve were toast) and I had hoped the sound would resolve with a "new" part (OE exchange). Nope. I've been under the car and can feel a greater degree of rotational driveline play (lash) with the V8 versus the 2.5T (transmissions are different as well) and what I perceive on the V8 as a slight metal to metal click or clunk when the rotational movement hits the ends of the rotational play. All the rest of the driveline is fine, nothing overtly loose or worn in the path that I can tell.

Kinda on the fence with this one, seems to me like the transmission does something to prompt a release of load on the driveline under certain criteria. I had read something about "neutral mode" with the TF-80SC https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AWTF-80_SC (see comment in the link) and thought it might have some contribution to this issue but someone on Swedespeed wrote that it's not implemented (not sure if this is really true or not). Nevertheless, it feels like the transmission unloads itself on braking, resulting in the single "click" that I hear still today. On re-application of power from stop or near stop, I hear the sound again.

Frankly, I've gotten used to this issue to the degree that it's still annoying but I know it's not something waiting to break (would have broken by now if it were, trust me). Could be “normal”… I'm also going to suggest that this is an S60R and V8/TF-80SC centric issue, never experienced it on my 2.5T in 13 years of ownership (AW-5x) nor have I seen any threads referencing the 3.2 or the T6 and my specific scenario.

Still keen to get some detail behind the concern being posted but thought to write down my own observations in the event this rings a bell for anyone.

*Edit- Couple extra reference links (including an S60R with the TF-80 expressing the same symptoms as mine)- http://forums.swedespeed.com/showthread ... y-homework , https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2012/ ... 3-7638.pdf

Pretribrapper · Post by **Pretribrapper** » 14 Apr 2019, 08:03

Forgot to say thanks to all for the input when I posted this last year. Still have the sounds and they are annoying but I cannot for the life of me figure out the cause. While driving only comes from the passenger front on both of my cars. couple clicks when braking. If I brake softly I never hear it. So odd..