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volvo s60 - Skidding Issue - Pete Trenholm
I have found that lately I have been experiencing light skidding on uneven surfaces whilst driving. I have 4 good tread tyres with the correct pressure around. I am not experiencing issues when braking. I find that when I drive over a non-smooth section of road (small holes, grates, joins in tarmac etc) that the car feels like it skates/skids very slightly...it does this on dry surfaces. The car does not veer off the road and is no out of control...it is just a sensation that the car is not holding onto the surface as it should. The only other clues I can offer is that there is a slight knocking noise on the rear, nearside. There is no untoward lean in the car around bends and braking is even.

Things that come to mind (I'm no expert but over the years have become familiar with things to watch out for!) are anti-roll bar and bushes (could explain the knocking), engine mount (but I think I would experience issues when going round bends etc), tracking/balancing (symptoms feel too pronounced for slight tracking issues), shock absorbers, bearing(s).

Any ideas, or other tests I could perform to rule things in or out?

Many thanks!
volvo s60 - Skidding Issue - gordonbennet

Possible something is adrift or worn that is causing wheel alignment issues over ground that causes the suspension to move a lot, or when one wheel meets higher friction resistance.

We will assume the standard wheel alignments are good and no odd wear developing on the tyres.

First thing to do is a check the wheelnuts are tight, then bounce test to check for worn shock absorber and you can listen for any odd noises.

Then get hold of the wheels and first of all give them a good shake top to bottom and side to side, both on the ground and individually jacked up, an assistant to do the pushing and pulling whilst you check underneath would help, you are checking for loose or worn wheel bearings (so don't forget to spin the wheels whilst raised and gently rock them top to bottom feeling for wear), worn bushes and suspension/steering joints broken drop links that sort of thing you are looking for.

With wheels on the ground parking brake on, try to roll the car fowards or backwards by gripping the wheels hard and 'rolling' them each way, there should be little if any movement, this usually finds worn bushes quite effectively if anything is weak.

Whilst on the subject of parking brakes, Volvos up to around 2008/9 when EPBs arrived have a nasty habit of the parking brake shoe friction material (drum inside disc design) separating, the shoe material the floats around in the rear drum till eventually it picks up and can seize the hub solid, seeing as you have odd noises from the rear i'd be inclined to pull the discs/drums off and have a look to be on the safe side, surprisingly easy DIY, if new shoes are needed get new horsehoe clips too because they will have lost all their spring tension and be utterly useless at holding the shoes in place to the backplates...IMO they should have admitted this was a problem and refitted affected cars with redesigned brake shoes during service, its not an expensive nor time consuming job, easy DIY with a bit of nous.

Edited by gordonbennet on 28/11/2016 at 09:39

volvo s60 - Skidding Issue - Pete Trenholm
Thanks so much! Some superb thoughts and advice there! I know that the tyres are fine as I went to replace the front ones last week (the back were done 2 weeka ago) and the chap looked at me like I was an idiot and said that the tyres are virtually new...well they aren't new but I always though the tread was good on them and he at least confirmed that for me. I has a brake caliper fitted about 2 weeks ago too and when I spoke to the mechanic about the skidding he was concerned he may jot have tightened the wheelnuts fully so I went to a Kwik Fit type place (NOT Kwik Fit though...I know not to go there!!) and the chap kindly checked them all for me and said all was well. i am hoing out now to check the suspension and will try the wheel turns gor bearing issues. I will keep you posted. Many thanks for taking the time out to reply...and so fully!!!
volvo s60 - Skidding Issue - Railroad.

You say the tyres are good, and in terms of their tread depth they may well be, but that's not to say that they aren't the cause of the problem. What make, size and type are they? Cheap budget tyres often don't grip as well as other premium tyres. I once had a Vauxhall Cavalier with a pair of Kleber tyres on the front. These things never wore out, but I knew all about going around a roundabout on a wet day. That was the only reason I changed them. They had plenty of tread left.

You don't say what age your car is. All UK cars from 2012 are fitted with Electronic Stability Program (ESP), and it became a legal requirement for all cars to have it in 2014. Does your car have the system fitted, and do you notice it becoming active when your skidding occurs? Usually the orange ESP warning lamp will flash when the system is employed. On some cars it can be deactivated, and on others it cannot.

volvo s60 - Skidding Issue - Pete Trenholm
My initial thought has always been with the tyres if I am honest. Logically, the symptoms I am experiencing would be lack of grip...much like wearing smooth sole shoes on ice, or even dry ice-free surfaces. I'm not a mechanic or expert so can only really go by tread. As I mentioned, one giy checked them and felt they were/are fine so off I went happy at not having to fork out for new ones. That said, they are budget tyres...would I really experience such a skid? I'm sure the answer wi probably be a yes to that, but it makes you wonder how on earth these things can be legally safe. I don't deny though (being a logical guy) that 'you get what you pay for' may apply! My car is 2005 and has DTSC skid control and thankfully, that does kick in at times...not when I hit these bumps etc but definitely when I go fast from a stopped position in first gear say.

Thanks so much to you for responding. It's really kind of you
volvo s60 - Skidding Issue - RT

Cheap budget tyres often don't grip as well as other premium tyres. I once had a Vauxhall Cavalier with a pair of Kleber tyres on the front. These things never wore out, but I knew all about going around a roundabout on a wet day. That was the only reason I changed them. They had plenty of tread left.

To be fair, the Cavalier was like that even with high quality tyres!

volvo s60 - Skidding Issue - Cyd
The roads are definitely slippy at this time of year. I’m running brand new Uniroyal Rainsport 3s on the front of my 300hp Saab (I thought I’d give them a try) and Goodyear Eagle F1s on the rear. Till recently I had been running F1s for about the last 5 years. Like you I find it hard to take off quickly in some places even in the dry and even with the traction control engaged (and btw, I’m well impressed with the UR3s). It’s defo not the tyres and defo not the car (on good tarmac it will do 0-60 in 6.5), so it has to be the roads. The Tollbar island near Coventry is one of the worst places for it (which is a blow, because if you know it, you’ll know you sometimes need a rapid take off or you’ll wait all day). Some stretches of the Fosse way are similarly affected and require care.
I can imagine it’s worse on budget tyres, though you don’t say which ones. With tyres, you do get what you pay for.
TBH, I’d suggest that if you drive briskly enough that your tyres are on the edge of their capability, then you need better tyres. Don’t rely on electronic gizmos – they are no substitute for an appropriate level of skill and care.
volvo s60 - Skidding Issue - Railroad.

Very true. ESP, DTSC, VSC, ESC or whatever you want to call it should never be relied upon. It is not intended to take control away from the driver, or to allow his concentration to be elsewhere. The system is there for safety, and to assist you to get out of a dangerous situation should it ever be needed.

volvo s60 - Skidding Issue - gordonbennet

Cyd, i used your favourite road, Fosse Way, couple of weeks ago when all my three alternatives for getting to Bristol were scuppered, M6 A46 A43 all in big trouble*, so i know, i'll slip down the Fosse and join the M5 at Glos, wrong, got to Radford Semele and there i found the road ahead at 13'5" restriction due to bridge works ahead, and my tanker runs at just under 13'9".

So ended up going into Leamington then M40/M42/M5, cos another road closure A46 near Evesham...not a single sign telling anyone who didn't know where to go after that Radford roundabout, how any foreigner was supposed to manage i don't know.

Enjoyed the short Fosse excursion haven't really used it since many years ago when i used to collect wheat barley and rapeseed from farms in the heart of England belt.

* i think the time when our roads grind to a complete halt are not far off.

Agree about the roads at the moment, its a symptom of salt attracting the damp, can make late afternoon surfaces treacherous, but out OP was finding the problem on dry roads which makes me suspect more than simply a tyre problem.

Edited by gordonbennet on 28/11/2016 at 14:07

volvo s60 - Skidding Issue - madf

Had exactly the same with a Yaris. Tracking at front badly out due to kerbing. ATS are your friend... better than Kwikfit I found.