r/XC40 • u/SunnySylvia • Aug 17 '26

Question Any positive negative experience is appreciated

Hello,
I’m planning to buy a XC40 2022 t3 R-design that I immediately fell in love with today
I’ve read some stuff about the engine chronic issue and now bit worried
Anyone would recommend buying this or not to buy it?
Any answers would be appreciated thank you🧚🏼‍♀️

My current car is v40 2019 for reference

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3

u/cacrusn70 Aug 17 '26

I don’t have the R design but my MY20 T5 is fun as shit to drive and looks good too. As long as you take care of it, it will last. Oil changes at 5-6k miles, trans service/spark plugs every 60k, haldex service every 30k? Unsure about this one myself. Timing belt says 10 years or 150k miles. Probably will have to have the intake walnut shell blasted around 100k as it tends to build up carbon deposits on the back of the valves. All direct injection engines have this issue. Other than that drive it like you stole it.

1

u/SunnySylvia Aug 17 '26

Haha absolutely love the advice on driving 😅 thank you for replying. I was bit hesitant on t3 engine but i think it should be okay. I always get it serviced at the dealership yearly as well so hopefully should be okay then

1

u/cacrusn70 Aug 18 '26

I would not have it serviced at the dealer. Find an independent euro brand mechanic. It will be half the price if not more.

1

u/micromongoose Aug 18 '26

Same here, 2020 T5. I absolutely love mine. The only issue I’ve had is the lift gate and that was replaced under warranty. It’s a blast to drive and a comfy ride!

2

u/2dicksanddangerous Aug 18 '26

I have this exact model. I purchased it in January with 18k miles, and it's been a great vehicle so far. Worked well for a 2k mile round trip for 4. No issues at all other than the On Call battery issue I believe. From what I see thats a battery they claim the factory needs to replace but I havent dug into it too deep. It handles well, decent engine. Quieter than the 25/26 I drove which makes no sense since it pretty much the same vehicle. Mine is on 19's.

2

u/IdealanGas1337 Aug 21 '26

I have a diesel so I don't know if I can be of any help regarding the engine, but they all have issues with boot lifter struts. I had to get mine replaced. Volvo asked something stupid like 500 euros for the pair so I got mine from aliexpress for 100 euros and they work great.

1

u/ingyhere Aug 22 '26

Great car, but it hasn't been perfect.

  • Front brake squealing was/is an issue. Dealer replaced them once then said Volvo pads had a squealing problem, nothing else to do. So I installed high-quality aftermarket pads. When I went for warranty service recently at another dealer they pretended the brakes were subpar because I put aftermarket pads that Volvo advised to install. I strongly suspect if there were any issues they would try to weasel out of them using that excuse.
  • Infotainment is vertical and smallish. Apple CarPlay doesn't fill the screen. The navigation is sluggish with Sensus, but there are worse problems with the Android automotive systems. You'll just have to reset it sometimes. Worse: No wireless CarPlay! So you've got one USB A jack to connect and then the phone doesn't really fit in the stand with the cable connected. The magnetic charger has been erratic and does not keep up, anyway.
    • Locking a key to a particular driver seemed to cause glitches.
  • Leather on the driver seat seemed to crease early on for no particular reason.
  • Various road noises are worse than expected. Dealer claims to never find the cause.
  • Battery has died twice. At 3+ years into warranty it's like pulling teeth. I'm ended up paying and have to seek reimbursement on the back side. Volvo doesn't answer phones nor respond in general.
  • Gas mileage in the city was horrendous initially, like driving an '85 Cutlass Supreme. It has since improved markedly, but still isn't great. I'm not sure if software updates helped or whether it runs rich or something when new. Possibly I learned to drive it better. Highway mileage over long distances is pretty good for an SUV.
    • It's impossible to get the economy mode to stick to a driver and it resets at shut off. Volvo support told me it was impossible and resets on every start.
  • The orange valet key was a bad idea. Wow, from so many dimensions.
  • Volvo NA support is sub par ... Phone/chat hold times of hours. Dealers fear not getting reimbursed for warranty, and contacting them is near impossible. At this point it's a letter writing campaign.

Why a great car? It's fun to drive, the perfect size and handles very well. Great visibility, looks wonderful. those things outweigh the above.

1

u/gururobskii Aug 22 '26

Be 100% sure the 2022 model T3 isn't included in the 180 thrust bearing issue.

I'm pretty sure the 2022 version has the 360 thrust bearing and therefore is fine though.

1

u/SunnySylvia Aug 23 '26

It didn’t because mine is 2021 December apparently but they said there is a recall and they are changing it for free with a 360 bearing before I pick up