Left Engine Mount - 240

Excessive movement or vibration in the shifter and knocking or banging of the exhaust against the body when accelerating from a stop or when idling is a key indicator that your motor mounts may be worn.

Severely worn mounts can allow the oil pan to rest on the engine subframe causing all sorts of racket and it is not uncommon for the cooling fan to come into contact with the radiator shroud.

Visually inspect the mounts for signs of failure. The most common failures are where the top metal plate comes loose from the rubber mount. If the mount has softened (bulging at the center) it should be replaced. This is usually caused by oil breaking down the rubber, so it would be wise to locate and repair the oil leak as well.

The main reason that Volvo motor mounts have a shortened life span is that the mount is part of an engineered safety system. The mounts will shear in a severe collision allowing the engine to break away and slide under the car instead of being forced into the passenger compartment.