Hi All,

I recently upgraded from a 98 V70 to a 2004 V70 for my wife.

I noticed that while powering into corners you can feel a distinct alternating tug on the steering wheel. Suspension and steering alignment etc are all good.

I had heard that this might be a powering steering issue with the valves not operating smoothly but can't find out any more and a search of the Forum didn't bring up any threads.

Anyone have any ideas? Here's a good challenge for you Klaus!
Laurie
Sydney Australia

Probably because you are going so fast that due to the upsidedown nature of Australia, you car is trying to go into orbit. And the PS reservior is on the wrong side of the car.

I assume this is keeping steady pressure on the steering wheel while cornering. You need to check the level of the fluid with the engine off, of course. Bear in mind that the PS fluid is changing in those new cars and could be Pentosin based - check the owner's manual.

My first reaction is that the PS fluid is percolating because it is low. My second reaction is in regard to the belt slipping, seldom happens. Third is to look at the control arms for worn bushings.

I'll second that. (The part about the fluid being low, not that the car is hanging upside down on the lower hemisphere.)

These cars are sensitive to fluid level. My wife's S-80 (why always the "wife's" car?) was doing the same sort of thing. I noticed, though, that it was only doing it when turning left, so I immediately considered the resevoir level. Looking inside it didn't "appear" low, but I figured what the heck and added a little Volvo pentosin based fluid. Bingo! No more throbbing of the steering wheel.

BTW - I also noticed the hose clamps on the resevoir like to get loose over time. You might check that to see if it needs an extra twist to snug it up. Or whenever you do T-belt service and have to swing the resevoir out of the way, check the hose clamps when you put the resevoir back in place.

Thanks Klaus and Chris,
I had no idea that PS fluids for V70s varied.

I've never heard of Pentosin. I Googled and found a supplier here at around US$32 a US quart so not cheap. I guess it must be good stuff though.

When did the change from Dextron occur?

The most dangerous aspect of you guys driving on the wrong side of the road is American tourists come her for a holiday. Habit leads to pedestrians stepping off the curb while looking the wrong way.

Fortunately Volvo body integrity means that our body shops dont get too much work as a result, just our hospitals!
Laurie

Volvo changed PS fluid on 2001, as did the rest of the industry. Who knows why.

If your reservior is a bit low, I suggest emptying it and refilling with the new. Sort of a mini flush.

Blame it on the Brits! The world outside of the British Empire drives on the RIGHT side of the road, except for Japan.

You are quite correct about tourists looking the wrong way. Aussies do that up here too.

Hi Klaus,

Thnx and all good suggestions and will follow them up this week when I can get access to a hoist.

I was thinking about the viscosity of the PS fluid (although it may be a low level issue). I have had great success in fixing leaking PS racks on models <2000 using Lucas PS Stop Leak. It thickens the PS considerably and I was wondering what difference this may make to the pump if it is in fact a pump issue.

Wrong and right and up and down are all relative to the perspective of the viewee.

From here you appear to be well down under and those left hand drive vehicles are wrong, wrong, wrong! I drove through the US and Canada a couple of years ago and was too scared to take my eyes off of the road to look at the view for any more than a few seconds most of the time!
Laurie

Lucas Stop Leak is NOT compatible with Pentosin fluids!!!

If the PS fluid is a little low, add Pentosin CHF202. Better yet, flush the old fluid. When cornering, the fluid will slosh to one side and might allow air to be sucked into the pump causing the fluid to foam - loosing pressure.

Pentosin molecules are smaller than the ATF/PS fluids used in the 1998 and earlier models, so they will leak through the seals and evaporate.

http://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=56661

My dad used to say we yankees drive from the left seat so that we can put our right arm around our girl friend. (before mandatory seat belts) It's also easier for the majority population, who are right handed, to shift gears.

When we were in Australia it was not hard to make the switch to right hand drive as far as the controls went. There was that one time after I stopped for gas and was happily tooling down the right lane until I noticed the backs of the road signs were blank.

Greg

At just about every intersection I had to remind myself...' turn tight right or turn loose left'.

Not so much of a problem when you are not tired and in daylight but one evening in LA, still a bit jetlagged and driving back to the hotel from a restaurant I turn left at a set of traffic lights and swung nice and wide according to my dictum above.

Only problem was there was just a low and difficult to see dividing fence between four lanes each way. I didn't quite turn wide enough and found myself facing four lanes of oncoming traffic. Didn't this ever wake up my passenger who had had a few beers!

Fortunately there was a hundred yards or so between me and the oncoming traffic which gave me enough time to do a quick 180deg turn and pretend it never happened.

Klaus I think you mean it is the same for Aussie pedestrians visiting the US 'down there'. Only difference is American drivers are far more polite than Aussies. Here, the drivers keep driving after running over a pedestrian and just curse the speed bump.

I just found this and I had to laugh. I thought this was to keep the Roos from damaging the car, not pedestrians:

Just saw your post Klaus.
Yes most people use these to protect from roo damage but also very useful for avoiding damage from visiting US tourists who forget to look the opposite way when stepping off the kerb! ;-)
Laurie

Re steering wheel throbbing....d
discovered low er control arm bushes were shot. Installed new arms with bushes and added a little extra SYNTHETIC PS fluid to reservoir and seems to have alleviated the issue.
Thnx again all.