Timing Belt Breaking just after warranty expires.

My mother has a 1998 Volvo V70 with 40,000 miles on it. It has a
warranty of 5 years or 50,000 miles. It is just over 5 years old and the
timing belt broke and they say some valves are damaged. It sounds expensive.
Is there anything that can be done besides just paying the bill. Is there
any way I can get Volvo to cover all or part of this bill? Thanks

 

It depend on what kind of service your had on it. In Norway and the rest of
Scandinavia Volvo have a service program, with spesific things to check for
each service. I suppose that it's the same all around the world. So if your
have followed Volvos service program, you should check the service reports.
If a Volvo service partner has recently checked or replaced the timing belt,
as a part of the service program, you could have a chance to get all or some
of the bill covered by Volvo.

If you haven't followed the service program, you probably have no chance to
get the bill covered.

Good luck!

- Leiv Magne Faane, Norway
'96 Volvo 244 GLE, B230A, 260000 km

 

The service program was followed. It said that the belt did not need to
be changed till 70,000 miles. So it hadn't been. Unfortunatlely the belt
broke after 42,000 miles and a little over 5 years. It seems like the belt
is defective to me.

 

Seems too early to me too. As a data point, I have a 98 V70 T5 that
went into service in March 1998 with 105k km on it. I'm planning to do
the timing belt next service, which should be soon. The turbo may be a
little easier on the belt considering that the valve lift is slightly
less than the non turbo. And there's nothing to service in the belt
area, so service is a moot point unless it was so bad that a camshaft
seized.

 

But I think the service program should include checking the timing belt on
sertain intervals, exactly to prevent early and fatal failures like this to
happen. A timing belt don't often break without having had visual damage for
some time.

Another point: If Volvo considers 40000 miles to early to be checking this
in their service program, you can claim that this should be considered as a
warranty case. Obviously, dealers would think different about this, because
they probably want to avoid expenses like that. However, if the dealer want
to make sure that you will use them as your Volvo dealer and service partner
in the future, they should consider to help you out with this.

Ones again, good luck. Hope you find a good solution.

- Leiv Magne Faane, Norway
'86 Volvo 244 GLE, B230A, 260000 km

 

If that assessment is in writing, sounds like you have a possible case.

I'm not a lawyer, though - so double-check everything.

 

Whatever repair the dealer suggests, you/they might suggest paying a
proportion of the cost....eg if you got 40000 out of a part which is
replaced at 80000, then a 50% contribution might make them accept some
responsibility.

 

I think that you will be offered a percentage contribution. If the belt has
a "lifetime" or life expectancy of 70K miles, and yours has failed at 42K
miles, you may well be offered a contribution of up to 40%, i.e. the balance
of the unused life.

If you see what I mean.

Regards

Chris M

C70 T5 GT '99

 

Paying a percentage of the belt might be reasonable, but I think Volvo
should pay for the engine repair.

The cost of the belt is going to be trivial compared to the cost of fixing
the internal damage caused by the pistons hitting valves.

Interference engines: Just Say No.


Gary
1972 145

 

I am sure that Volvo states 70K miles or a amount of
time for the belt to be changed you have to look in
your owners booklet for time & mileage requirements for
the belt change

 

A timing belt is only a thin piece of rubber, so change this belt
regurlarly, to avoid damages like this. Subaru says when a belt breaks on
one of their cars, there is no further damage to the engine. But Ferrari
recommands changing these belts every year. Such a belt is not so expensive
to delay this repair. Watch all the trouble you have. Don't trust all the
advises from a car manufactury. The work to be done by a belt is very heavy,
it is allright for a little car with no more valves than necessary, for a
small engine.
In my opinion a car with a timing belt should be avoided, and otherwise have
this kind of belt changed before its time. Although my Volvo 244 from 1977
had no trouble at all, but the belt was changed every 60.00 kilometers. And
my Volvo 760 V6 has a chain, no trouble at all. But chains can break too,
this causes an expensive and perhaps an impossible repair.
Sorry, for these remarks.
Gijs van Herpen

 

A lot of when to change the belt is statistics.
Volvo and the belt manufacturer will specify a design, and estimate
the number of belt failures at various mileages.
The service interval of 80000miles may be adequate for 99.999% of
engines, but someone will be the 0.001% who has an early failure.

 

I agree. But, from the owner's standpoint, it also depends on what is at
stake, i.e. the potential repair cost, etc.

I don't have too much to worry about it with my 940, with it's B230FT
non-interference engine, but with my BMW 3 series M20 power plant, it's a
different story. I've heard horror stories... BMW recommends a belt change
at 60K miles, but many owners do it at 50K just to be on the safe side.

Bob

 

But even then you'd be buggered if the belt broke at 40k....I think in
these cases it's best to go to your dealer (if dealer serviced) or
Volvo UK and show them the service intervals have been adhered to, and
suggest they make a contribution....
How would Sale of Goods Act bear on this if the service life is 80k?
Goods have to be fit for purpose...so a belt that breaks at 40k
obviously isn't.
I wonder if anyone has ever gone to the Small Claims Court?

 

Gary, can you tell us how much this piston problem can cost to repair? We are
relative newcomers to volvos and have a '91 740 wagon, purchased with 80,000
mi., checked prior to purchase by our mechanic. Would he probably have checked
the timing belt to see the condition? No trouble with it that we know of but
we glean that they need changing at regular intervals. Thanks for reading.

Sherry

 

Depending upon the engine, somewhere between $2000 and $4000.

Repair would involve pulling the engine, replacing all pistons and
rods (they're balanced as a set), all the damaged valves, pushrods
(if in the engine), as well as all the bearings, gaskets, and such
associated with an engine rebuild. Then, of course, the engine has
to be reinstalled...

This assumes that the crank and cam shafts aren't damaged. I think
that's a remote possibility, though.


Gary

 

It would involve rebuilding the whole engine, which in my experience is
about $2000 plus whatever it costs to remove and install it, something I'd
do myself personally.

 

If I'm not mistaken, I believe you have a B230 engine (non-interference) in
your 740, in which case a timing belt failure is unlikely to cause
significant damage. However, it would be nice if you could find out when
the belt was changed so there are no surprises on the road.

 

If it's a B230 then yes that's true, I think they mentioned it's a 16v
engine though, in which case damage will occur.

 

If you have an interference engine, the timing belt breaking can be
deadly. Change it every 40k to 50k. Also, you may want to change the
water pump at the first change of the timing belt. THey have to take it
off anyway so the incremental cost of the changeover is limited.



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