This Volvo XC40 came in to have its two rear tailgate struts replaced, and the owner asked for a service at the same time. At about 90,000km it was due for a major service. Here is what our check found, what the owner approved, and what we did.
Job completed: June 2026
| Car | Volvo XC40 (petrol) |
|---|---|
| Symptom | Booked in to replace the two rear tailgate struts, with a service at the same time; due for a major service at about 90,000km |
| Fault found | Front brakes around 10 percent left and rear around 30 percent, front tyres worn out; rear tyres fine and battery at 83 percent |
| Repair done | Completed the major service (spark plugs and air filter left out, out of stock), replaced front and rear brake pads and disc rotors, new front tyres with a wheel alignment, and replaced the two rear tailgate hydraulic dampers |
| Parts | OEM-grade replacement parts |
| Time taken | Timeline confirmed when you book |
| Cost | Each item quoted and approved before work began |
| Warranty | Routine servicing carries no workmanship warranty |
The owner first messaged us in January, asking what it would cost to replace the two rear tailgate struts. We quoted original and OEM options. Busy with work travel, the owner booked the car in for the struts in June and asked us to do a service at the same time.
The XC40 had done about 90,000km, so our team treated it as a major service. Before any work, we checked the wear items and sent the owner an itemised list.
The car is a petrol Volvo XC40. At around 90,000km it is a well-used SUV, and that mileage is when several wear items can come due together.
Brakes wear with every stop. Tyres wear with every kilometre and lose grip in the wet, which matters a lot in Singapore rain. Tailgate struts are gas-filled hydraulic dampers, and they lose pressure over the years. A major service at this mileage is about checking each of these and replacing what is actually worn, not blanket-changing everything.
We checked the wear items before quoting anything.
The brakes needed attention. The front brakes were down to about 10 percent, effectively worn out, and the rear were around 30 percent. The front tyres were worn out while the rears were still fine, so only the fronts needed replacing. The battery level read 83 percent, which is fine, so we left it alone.
The two rear tailgate struts were already on the list, since that was the job the owner booked in for. The owner asked to talk through the items in person, which our service advisor did. We then sent the final itemised list and only proceeded once the owner approved.
Nothing here was a surprise fault. It was wear from a car that has done a lot of kilometres. Brake pads and discs are designed to wear. Front brakes often wear faster than the rear, and on this car the fronts were down to about 10 percent while the rears were at about 30 percent.
Tyres wear the same way, and a worn front tyre means less grip when you brake in the rain. Tailgate struts are gas struts, and gas struts slowly lose pressure until the boot no longer holds itself up. A major service at this point is simply good maintenance, catching these together so the car stays safe, smooth and reliable for the years ahead.
We did what the owner approved.
One note. The spark plugs and air filter turned out to be out of stock that day. We told the owner, who said to leave them out, so they were not fitted. We kept the owner updated throughout with photos and progress messages. Servicing and maintenance does not carry a workmanship warranty, and we never pretend it does. What it carries is honest work and itemised pricing.
That evening the owner told us the car was running well and the boot was closing without any problems.
A major service on a Volvo XC40 in Singapore varies a lot, because it depends on what the car actually needs at its mileage. A routine service is at the lower end. Once worn brakes, new tyres, an alignment and a tailgate repair are added, the bill grows, which is why every item on this visit was quoted line by line and approved before work began.
What moves the price is the wear items. On this XC40 the work included front and rear brakes, front tyres and alignment, the tailgate dampers and the service consumables. We do not sell fixed packages that charge for things the car does not need. We inspect, quote each item, and only do what you approve. When the spark plugs and air filter turned out to be out of stock, the owner chose to leave them out. That way you pay for the work the car needs and nothing more.
Service on schedule and the big jobs rarely arrive all at once. Watch for brakes that squeal, grind or feel soft, which means the pads or discs need attention. Tyres that look worn on the edges or feel skittish in the rain are telling you the same thing.
The rear tailgate is easy to spot. If it drifts down on its own or feels heavy when you close it, the gas struts are on the way out. The simplest habit is a proper inspection at each major service, so worn items are caught and replaced before they cause a problem on the road. Catching worn brakes early, for example, often means replacing pads before they chew into the discs.
This Volvo XC40 (Major service and brake replacement) was handled at 1 Car Service, an independent workshop in Sin Ming AutoCity, Singapore. For Volvo, we use dealer-level VIDA diagnostics. We hold a 4.9★ rating from 1,836+ Google reviews.
WhatsApp us your car model, year and mileage. We'll inspect it with Volvo VIDA diagnostics, tell you what it actually needs, and quote every item before any work begins.
It depends on what the car actually needs at its mileage. A routine service is at the lower end, and worn items like brakes, tyres and a tailgate repair add to it. On this XC40 every item was quoted line by line and approved before work began. We inspect the car, quote each item and only do what you approve, so you are not paying for a fixed package of things the car does not need.
If the discs are still within spec, new pads alone are fine. On this XC40 the front brakes were down to about 10 percent and the rear to about 30 percent, and the owner approved new pads and disc rotors front and rear. Running new pads on worn, scored discs gives poor braking and tends to cost more later, so we advise based on what we actually measure.
Tailgate struts are gas-filled hydraulic dampers. Over the years those struts lose their pressure, so the boot slowly stops holding itself up. On this car the owner asked us to replace both rear tailgate struts, and afterwards the owner told us the boot was closing without any problems.
We diagnose with Volvo VIDA, the same dealer-level system used for these cars, and use OEM-grade parts and fluids such as Idemitsu 0W-20 engine oil. We inspect each wear item, show you what we find, and quote before any work begins.
Routine servicing and maintenance does not carry a workmanship warranty, and we never claim it does. What you get is honest inspection, itemised pricing and OEM-grade parts. Repair jobs like a gearbox overhaul or an aircon repair are warranty-backed, but a service is not.
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