Sorry if this sounds like a stupid question.
I`ve had lingering doubts for awhile that the AWD may not be functioning on wife`s XC70. We had the bevel gear replaced under warranty 4 years ago but it seems to be "traction wise" not what it should be.
A few nights ago we had our first taste of winter with slushy/ icy road conditions & try to accelerate (slowly) from traffic lights the car was sliding lots more than it seems that it should with AWD. Granted, we still have the all seasons on the car(the Gislaveds go on this week!!) but still, the car felt pretty unstable. Our old 95 850 handled better in winter conditions.
If the AWD isn`t working maybe we should take the rear driveshaft off & run it as a FWD + a little better gas mileage.
Thanks,
Rich

Rather than driving carefully, you should have tried to floor it! TRKS and AWD should have prevented any wheel spin. Try it out again, just you, and see if any wheel spins while giving it gas.

The Haldex is a really nice system, but it has its faults. The oil and filter need to be changed every other year or so. It has its own little computer board which should last a while.

And put those SNOW tires on before it gets really cold!

Our news showed the pumpkin line in Alberta and everything was covered in snow, except the 1500 carved pumpkins!

I take your point about flooring it, Klaus. I`ll try that at a time when I`m not in heavy traffic & risking sliding sideways into the car beside me.. The Gislaveds are going on the car this week. I`d called the dealer over a week ago & was told their winter tire installations were booked for a month. Having them installed locally.
Maybe AWD is worth it but I have to say I had a `63 544 equipped with snows that made it thru a Minnesota blizzard(I mean "blizzard"!) back in `78 when there were cars in the ditch everywhere. That car was unstoppable!
Rich

Ahh, the skinny snow tires of the good old days! The new tires are twice as wide and don't get the same traction.

My driveway is inclined towards the house, so when the tires were full of snow and the driveway cleared, I used to floor it and spin all 4 wheels to get rid of the salty snow before entering the garage. Your car with the Haldex and electronic throttle will not allow any spin, if it is working correctly. I watched 4 BMW race instructors try to initiate a slide in an XC70 on a wet skid pad, never happened at any speed; the throttle would not respond if the wheels detected spin.

I would not suggest disconnecting the prop shaft. The torque steer is quite strong when that is done and messes up the handling your wife is used to. Yes, getting 2 more mpg is huge with her commute, but safety is worth that and more.

OK, Klaus, your advice about the prop shaft is taken! I love my wife so wouldn`t compromise her safety & the grandkids too!
I do suspect the AWD is not functioning as the characteristics you describe with the XC70 in a skid test are certainly not present with wife`s XC70.
Maybe I`ll have a conversation with my Montana indie mechanic..........don`t trust the local Volvo dealer with just about anything!

Filter? What filter? Please forgive my ignorance, I just go the car maybe 3 weeks ago and haven't had time to look at it much yet other than an oil change and trans. oil change.
Does the bevel gear/transfer case whatever have a filter?
Thanks,
Chris

Hi, a Haldex system has a small filter on the front side just after cardan joint.

It should be changed with Haldex oil at about 50kkm intervals or so.
This is not mentioned in the regular maintence programs for some reason?

The Haldex prepressure pump can be one reason for awd inoperability but throws a code in DIM.

br Tapsa

Rich,
My wife's 2003 xc70 has about 100K miles on it. We live in Conn. where we get
some snow during the winter. We have a fairly long up-hill driveway and I often step on the gas trying to spin the wheels. It just picks up speed, no apparent excessive wheel spin and goes straight. Same with
rain conditions. For comparison: I have a 2004 V70 that often cannot make the hill in the same weather conditions. Sometimes, I can make it by backing up the driveway. Both cars have all seasons tires with the same approx. tread depth, etc.....
I consider the AWD a major safety feature on the car and recommend you have it checked out. I bought the XC70 car for myself and when I realized how good the AWD was when roads first get wet, I exchanged cars and took the V70. My next car will be AWD!
Art