Sludge build up after 50,000km

stephiebeez · Post by **stephiebeez** » 01 May 2024, 10:39

Hi Matt, my engine seized at 50,000km with a ton of oil sludge build up found inside. I have four oil changes in three years, around 12.000km apart each. The sludge was first found at 25,000km at the second oil change.

Do you think this is maybe a warranty issue and most likely an issue with something faulty in the car considering I’ve done everything on my end to maintain the car? Brakes were changed at 34,000km as well. Would love your opinion.

Post by **MoVolvos** » 01 May 2024, 11:19

.
Check the various years for any patterns of issues leading to engine problems.
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Volvo/XC90/
.
If you had dealer service you should check with them. Sometimes they will do Good Will even if you are out of Extended Warranty, as you started having problems earlier on. Oil control rings leading to other issues?
.

.

.

.

stephiebeez · Post by **stephiebeez** » 01 May 2024, 11:50

I have a 2020 xc90 under lease and the sludge began at 25,000km, and then it ceased at 50,000. the warranty is still valid but they’re saying it’s not their problem because I did not do maintenance. When I showed them my four oil changes they said they couldn’t explain it happened and why the sludge was there since 25,000km and voided my warranty. But doesn’t this sound like a warranty issue? They can’t seem to explain why it happened and now refusing to take my calls.

Post by **MoVolvos** » 01 May 2024, 12:15

.
Try another dealer or call the Volvo Canada.
.

stephiebeez · Post by **stephiebeez** » 01 May 2024, 17:51

Tried my dealership who said their hands were tied. And now Volvo Canada who claims my warranty is now void based On their inspection where they said it looks like I didn’t get my oil changed. We’ve moved forward with arbitration but the arbitrator questions why this should be Volvos problem? When I saw oil sludge built
Up, I SHOULD have called them and told them because I was at my mechanic who has 40 years experience who did a flush because of the sludge. No one at Volvo seems to know why this happened, claiming a lot of “it could be the sludge flush that ceased your engine” and “sludge doesn’t build up usually until much higher kilometres”. None of which are relevant because I did all my services on the car as stipulated in the lease agreement. Does anyone else agree that this seems like a warranty issue? Or can answer the question as to why this should be the manufacturers fault instead of mine?

stephiebeez · Post by **stephiebeez** » 01 May 2024, 17:53

To me it seems like if the issue can’t be explained then it’s a warranty issue. I’m not trying to set any precedents here for Volvo, but when I’ve done oil changes at every 12,000km, this is more than enough when the car only has 50,000km on it and is only three years old when it ceased.

Post by **matthew1** » 01 May 2024, 20:28

I think most everyone here would agree that it's Volvo's problem*, not yours. Why arbitration/dealer/Volvo don't see it this way... I don't know.

In the US, this is what civil court is for, unless the terms of the lease/warranty bind it only to arbitration.

Unless I'm missing something, this is what the situation looks like from here.

* you did the oil changes on time and have proof

Post by **MoVolvos** » 01 May 2024, 21:20

stephiebeez wrote: ↑01 May 2024, 17:51 Tried my dealership who said their hands were tied. And now Volvo Canada who claims my warranty is now void based On their inspection where they said it looks like I didn’t get my oil changed. We’ve moved forward with arbitration but the arbitrator questions why this should be Volvos problem? When I saw oil sludge built
Up, I SHOULD have called them and told them because I was at my mechanic who has 40 years experience who did a flush because of the sludge. No one at Volvo seems to know why this happened, claiming a lot of “it could be the sludge flush that ceased your engine” and “sludge doesn’t build up usually until much higher kilometres”. None of which are relevant because I did all my services on the car as stipulated in the lease agreement. Does anyone else agree that this seems like a warranty issue? Or can answer the question as to why this should be the manufacturers fault instead of mine?

.
Correct me if I don't have the right timeline or order of events. When the problem began at 25km, Volvo, the only entity that WOULD & COULD have potentially remedy the problem for free was not contacted? Your mechanic did a flush and at 50km the engine died.

IF that's the case Volvo didn't have an opportunity to access the problem. If they did they would have used their methods to test, diagnose and fix the problem under warranty. Any work thereafter would have been their responsibility.

They are unable to guess what the issue or cause was besides the severity, let alone understand what "sludge" means to your mechanic. Since the "sludge", again which no one knows what that means except to your mechanic, happened so early on meant something was really wrong with the engine. A flush could have removed the large amounts of "sludge" but also made things worse.

Since these newer vehicles with the 2.0 motors are asked to and are pushing the envelopes of science, tech and engineering, they can potential break a lot quicker, especially if the parts do not function well in the system or are defective. Lastly, Volvo stipulates no additives in their manual. I really sympathize with your plight but if everything I'm assuming is correct I think I would have to agree with the dealership, Volvo corp and the arbitrator that failure to bring it to the attention of Volvo early besides the flush voided all possibilities or responsibility with them, even if the problem originated with them.
.

: 2020 XC90 Oil Specs.png (270.94 KiB) Viewed 1408 times

.

Post by **Krons** » 03 May 2024, 04:42

stephiebeez wrote: ↑01 May 2024, 17:53 To me it seems like if the issue can’t be explained then it’s a warranty issue. I’m not trying to set any precedents here for Volvo, but when I’ve done oil changes at every 12,000km, this is more than enough when the car only has 50,000km on it and is only three years old when it ceased.

What type of oil was used? 12km is a long oil change for anything except a very high quality synthetic.

Hindsight I know but should have went straight to Volvo at first sign if sludge—shocked your mechanic did not recommend this. Why would he do an engine flush on something in warranty? Your mechanic has some responsibility here.

Post by **matthew1** » 03 May 2024, 11:40

IMHO the indie mechanic is a red herring. Sure, he has a bit of a professional ethical duty to do... something... and he may have satisfied this duty by simply pointing it out. But at the end of the day you follow the letter of the contract, the contract is enforceable.

I'm guessing the warranty contract says "... you must get oil changes every xxxx miles and must use xxxx oil, and you must have proof of these oil changes."

If the sludge issue was known to the Volvo dealer (not the indie) and they did nothing, that changes nothing. stephiebeez held up her end of the contract (ostensibly). That's the threshold, and she's met it.

One thing I see that may void all that is if the flush broke the contract, or if we aren't getting the whole story.

(I'm no lawyer but I've been in court a few times. Also I helped my ex with her claim vs. Ford when her ~2005ish Escape's V6 engine threw a rod. We collected all the Jiffy Lube receipts and sent them to Ford and they paid for the new engine.)