Picked up our new XC90 AWD V8 the other day. Great car so far.
Noticed a few things (nothing major), but had a few question:
- Are there any existing TSBs (Technical Service Bulletins) on this model yet? I forgot to ask the dealer, in the excitement of getting the thing.
- Have the Bi-Xenon headlights. Notice the left headlamp projects lower than the right, as if the level angle in one or the other is not correct. Both headlights should project on a wall or garage door, with a single "line of light" created by both headlamps, correct? Currently, the driver's side is noticeably lower. These are supposed to be self-leveling lamps. Wonder if that system is whacked? Anyone else seen this?
- There are two aluminum trim strips on the left rear passenger door - one at the top edge of the window and one at the bottom edge of the window. I noticed today that the rearmost end of the bottom edge aluminum had strip popped off, about 1/4" from the body. Worked with it for 15 minutes or so and managed to get it popped in, but I'm not sure if it will stay. Wondering if the strip was bent or misaligned during initial, installation causing it to pop off on that end (I notice crazing in the clear coating of the aluminum strip at certain angles).
- Two missing bolts? Remove entire grocery bag cover, revealing battery storage area in rear. Look in front left and right corners of that storage area - there are two threaded holes in each corner, with no bolts in them in our car. The 3rd. row seat cushion rails at those corners (near the gray styrofoam) appear to require one bolt in each, to hold down the rear end of the rails. There's a hole at the end of each of those two cushion slide rails, resting on top of each threaded hole, however nothing holding them down. It is possible to lift the black metal rail away from the threaded hole, indicating that those bolts may not have been installed at the factory. Anyone else notice these missing in their XC90?
- Same storage area, except at the forward center area of storage area, where the center of the grocery storage cover rests, at the front lip (well, the lip towards the FRONT of the vehicle). There is a metal bracket in the center of forward lip, with two holes a few inches apart. The right hole has a plastic snap fastener, the left one does not. I suspect the cover rests on that metal bracket's snap fastener(s), thus the left hole should also have a plastic snap fastener for the cover to rest on. Does anyone have two of those round black snap fasteners installed on theirs?
- Have to hold steering wheel slight left of center to go straight. Hold wheel straight up, and car drifts right. This could be either slight front-end misalignment, or more likely, tire pull (RSAT, aka: residual self-aligning torque), in the tires themselves.
Car is of course under warranty for all this stuff - just thought I'd check with the group so see if anyone else has experienced these.
These are all relatively minor - realizing all new cars have warts. In all other respects, this is an excellent, solid, fun-to-drive vehicle.
I did install the Hidden Hitch class IV hitch - it went on fairly easily, after pulling off the 4 existing bolts (exhaust and tow loop bracket). Had to drop the exhaust a few inches, and pull off the first 3 rubber hangers to make room for that side of the hitch. Also, made sure I fastened the hitch bolts with the hitch pulled as far to the rear as possible, since the spare tire JUST fits back into it's cavity underneath (you have to remove the spare to get the hitch installed). I had to finesse the spare back into it's cavity (i.e, kick it slightly here and there), but the hanger cable really helped get it centered in it's spot. I chose not to re-install the rear tow loop bracket, as it would have taken too much modification to re-install properly. After all, the hitch itself will function nicely as an attachment point should I need to get towed out of a ditch. In all, the hitch job took me an hour. You'll need a 15mm and 18mm socket wrench, and a torque wrench for same (set for 64 ft lbs per the hitch instructions).
Thanks for any info,
Mike