242 / 244 / 245

1974-1993 / Sedan / Estate / Sweden

All 242 / 244 / 245 problems All workshop problems

Common Brakes

Warped front brake rotors

Symptoms

Pulsating brake pedal, vibration through the steering wheel under braking, uneven pad deposits visible as dark patches on the rotor surface.

Cause

Excessive heat from heavy braking, followed by rapid cooling. Overtightened wheel nuts also distort rotors. On 240s, the front rotors are ventilated discs that handle heat reasonably well, but they're thin by modern standards and warp if you ride the brakes downhill or do repeated heavy stops.

Fix

Measure rotor thickness and runout with a dial indicator.

If runout exceeds 0.10mm or thickness is below minimum spec (varies by year, check the Bentley manual), replace the rotors.

Don't machine them, they're already thin.

Replace pads at the same time.

Use quality rotors (Brembo, ATE, or Zimmermann) and decent pads (EBC Greenstuff, Mintex, or ATE).

Budget $80-150 per pair for rotors and $40-60 for pads.

Torque wheel nuts to 90 Nm in a star pattern.

Cost mentioned in fix

Budget $80-150 per pair$40-60 for pads

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// More 242 / 244 / 245 problems

Other known issues

Common Brakes

Seized rear brake calipers

One or both rear brakes drag, causing uneven pad wear, heat buildup, and a pull to one side under braking. You might notice a burning smell after driving, or the rear wheels are noticeably hotter than the fronts.

Critical Brakes

Soft or spongy brake pedal

The brake pedal feels soft, travels too far before the car slows, or sinks slowly to the floor when held.

Minor Engine

Oil leaks from valve cover, front crank seal, and rear main seal

Seepage or drips from the valve cover gasket, front timing cover, or rear of the engine. Oil may pool on top of the gearbox bell housing or drip onto the subframe. You'll smell burning oil if it hits the exhaust.

Critical Engine

Clogged PCV system (flame trap, oil separator box)

Oil leaks from multiple places, rough idle, high oil consumption, smoke from the engine bay. Sometimes the oil filler cap pops off under pressure.

Common Engine

Piston ring wear and oil consumption (LH 2.4 engines, 2010-2018 T5/T6)

Engine burns oil between changes, blue smoke on startup or acceleration. Spark plugs may foul. Not specific to the 240, but worth noting for anyone considering newer Volvos.

Critical Engine

Timing belt and water pump failure

Belt snaps, engine stops immediately. If it's an interference engine (all B21/B23 are), valves hit pistons. Game over. Water pump failure causes overheating, coolant loss.

All 242 / 244 / 245 problems