2001 Volvo S60 2.3L Petrol · J12 RBN

Chronic steering rack play and a persistent oil leak define the mechanical record of this vehicle, both of which have been flagged consistently since January 2024. While the car passed its latest test on 18 December 2025, the list of suspension-related advisories has expanded to include play in the offside front ball joint and the nearside rear anti-roll bar linkage and bushes. This suggests a pattern of gradual wear across the chassis and steering systems that has remained unaddressed over several testing cycles. An accumulated mileage of 147,589 miles over twenty-five years represents a low annual average of approximately 5,904 miles. Such a usage profile often results in different wear characteristics than high-mileage vehicles, frequently manifesting as the degradation of rubber seals and bushings due to age rather than distance. This is evidenced by the recurring oil leak and the January 2024 record of perishing rear tyres, indicating that the vehicle may have spent significant periods stationary. A test drive should focus heavily on the steering and suspension feedback to gauge the severity of the recorded play. Listen for knocking or clunking sounds when traversing uneven surfaces or during low-speed manoeuvres, which would indicate the wear in the steering rack inner joints and anti-roll bar linkages. Any vague feeling in the steering wheel or a lack of precision during cornering should be noted, as these are typical symptoms of the inner joint play flagged across multiple years. Further inspection is required regarding the engine mountings and the ongoing oil leak. Check for excessive engine vibration while idling or shuddering during gear changes, which correlates with the damaged engine mounting noted in December 2024. The oil leak, which has been an advisory for nearly three years, should be visually inspected for the source and volume to determine if it is a minor seep or a more significant leak.