An often overlooked yet critical component of your Volvo’s functionality is the motor mount. Most vehicles are equipped with several motor mounts in order to hold the engine in place, which might not sound too important, but it’s actually essential that the engine doesn’t move around or bang into other components under the hood. If you can imagine the engine of a car – a heavy and easily damageable piece – freely floating around underneath the hood; this doesn’t bode well for its longevity. Therefore, it’s critical to keep the motor in a physically secure, stabilized state at all times.
Beyond keeping the engine itself safe from harm, the motor mounts also keep the other parts under the hood safe from the engine’s weight bearing down upon them. If a motor mount fails, it’s safe to assume that damage to other systems or parts is highly plausible. As time goes by, or in the event of an accident, your motor mounts can encounter significant wear and become damaged, leaving the engine and other car parts vulnerable. Therefore, it’s essential to know what symptoms to look for in a malfunctioning engine mount. In this article we’ll go over some things you should know about your Volvo’s motor mounts, including some tips on how to fix a damaged engine mount.
What can cause damage to a motor mount?
There are a few ways that a motor mount can become damaged, and sometimes engine mount wear is unavoidable, such as in the case of a car accident. Volvo drivers should remain aware of the potential causes of motor mount damage so that they can do their best to prevent it from occurring in their own Volvo. Here are the most frequent causes of engine mount failure:
Driver’s unique circumstances
The more volatile the conditions you drive in, the more likely you’ll need to replace the motor mounts sooner rather than later. Furthermore, not paying attention to road conditions like bumps or dips and driving too quickly through them can take a serious toll on your engine mounts.
Usual wear
It’s important to keep in mind that sometimes motor mounts wear out normally, without any influence from the driver or the driving conditions present. Engine mounts usually live a long life before needing to be replaced, and it’s uncommon to need to replace the motor mounts frequently under normal circumstances.
Other part failures
Like all other vehicles, Volvo car parts become worn and aged. When other parts fail, especially in the suspension – which is designed to protect your car from damages due to potholes, divots, and road imperfections – it can contribute to engine mount issues.
Common symptoms of a damaged mount
Any time you begin experiencing behavior in your vehicle that seems out of the norm, it’s critical to have the issue diagnosed and addressed by a Volvo specialist. Therefore, the first step toward repairing a damaged motor mount is to know how your car may behave when one or more of the mounts are failing. Here are a couple of the signs of motor mount failure that you may encounter:
Rattling noises
While some rattling sounds may be normal from time-to-time, any excessive rattling or odd noises that continue for an extended period of time could be related to a damaged engine mount. Rattling is especially noticeable when the vehicle reaches higher speeds.
Excessive engine vibration
Motor mounts always cause excessive engine vibration – especially as the problem worsens. It’s important to understand that the longer one damaged motor mount goes unaddressed, the more strain it adds to other engine mounts.
Tips to prevent engine mount problems
It is essential to take a preventive approach to your automotive care for your Volvo for the following reasons:
- Increases longevity for various parts and the overall vehicle
- Retaining the value of your car
- Ensuring the reliability of your car
- Promoting your own safety
Since you now know what can create engine mount problems, here are a few tips for keeping your engine mounts in good condition:
- Hire a Volvo specialist to attend to maintenance, inspections, and repair
- Don’t let concerning symptoms go on for any extended period of time
- Pay special attention to how your car behaves on a daily basis
The Volvo experts at Dell’s Service Center always make it a point to inspect engine mounts each time we have the hood of a car open. If you drive a Volvo that’s experiencing engine mount issues and you live in the areas of Green Bay, Manitowoc, and Sturgeon Bay, WI, please call us to schedule an appointment right away.
* Volvo XC90 image credit goes to: teddyleung.