Another Failed Auxiliary Drive Belt-B4 Mild Hybrid

[Krystof]

How many have you had fail then?

My guess would be zero. It doesn't even sound like a human being has written that comment, it's like something churned out by AI. Well, "A" certainly, "I" not so much.

[iainh124a]

Sadly my 24 plate (delivery 1st week of April, approx 1200 miles) B3 Mild Hybrid has also suffered the failed auxiliary belt and tensioner issue last week and had to be recovered by Volvo Assistance.

Also having same issue as many others with no parts to replace the tensioner available and no estimate for when I get the car back.

Not good for a car that was only around 6 weeks old at the time. Dealer here has been excellent so far but there is only so much they can do if parts are not available.

[ChrisLF]

What! Does that mean that they are continuing to build cars with a known fault?

[adrian_xc40]

Sadly my 24 plate (delivery 1st week of April, approx 1200 miles) B3 Mild Hybrid has also suffered the failed auxiliary belt and tensioner issue last week and had to be recovered by Volvo Assistance.

What are the symptoms when this issue occured? Mine is 3 months old/6200 miles and the rubber surrounding the front grill is peeling already

[gedger]

What! Does that mean that they are continuing to build cars with a known fault?

You're assuming that they have found a solution and it's in production! A sensible temporary workaround would be to issue a software update that allows stop/start to be turned off. At least that way you know you'll get to your destination or to a safe place?

[Felindre]

What! Does that mean that they are continuing to build cars with a known fault?

You're assuming that they have found a solution and it's in production! A sensible temporary workaround would be to issue a software update that allows stop/start to be turned off. At least that way you know you'll get to your destination or to a safe place?

As this is also the starter motor and alternator on the B series this wouldn't be a solution as you could no longer use the car.

[gedger]

As this is also the starter motor and alternator on the B series this wouldn't be a solution as you could no longer use the car.

No but if the car was in use then you wouldn't get stuck whilst waiting at traffic lights or at a junction as the engine would still be running. Yes, you would loose charging, but that doesn't matter immediately as the car would still run for some while allowing you to get to somewhere safe.

[ChrisLF]

Yes, I was assuming they'd found a solution. Thoughts early on by others was that it was a faulty batch. Whether this is the case we don't know yet, but if not and if those parts on back order and those still being fitted on the production line are still prone to failure then that is disgraceful.

[gedger]

This topic reports cars from 2023 and 2024 effected. I can't believe that Volvo would order batches of parts for a year's production so surely it must be a design flaw? I remember VW having problems with cam belt tensioners failing so they halved the service time for belt replacement, that way the customer pays and they didn't have to admit to substandard parts!

[Felindre]

As this is also the starter motor and alternator on the B series this wouldn't be a solution as you could no longer use the car.

No but if the car was in use then you wouldn't get stuck whilst waiting at traffic lights or at a junction as the engine would still be running. Yes, you would loose charging, but that doesn't matter immediately as the car would still run for some while allowing you to get to somewhere safe.

But the belt is fixed to the engine, turning the whole time the engine is. How would turning off stop start help, it's still going round?