Volvo XC40 Major Service at 90,000km: Brakes, Tyres and a Rear Tailgate That Would Not Hold

The owner brought in a Volvo XC40 that was due for a major service. The car had done around 90,000km, so it had earned a proper look-over rather than just an oil change.

There was one thing bugging the owner. The rear power tailgate had stopped behaving. It would not stay up on its own, and it was not closing the way it should. On a family SUV that is a daily annoyance and a safety worry, so it went on the list too.

The ask was simple. Check the car over, tell me what it genuinely needs at this mileage, and price it clearly before anything is touched.

We put the car through a full major-service inspection with Volvo VIDA diagnostics and a proper look at 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 while the rears were still fine, so only the fronts needed replacing. The battery tested at 83 percent, which is healthy, so we left it alone.

The rear power tailgate would not hold up because its hydraulic dampers had failed. We showed the owner what we found on each item, front brakes worn, front tyres gone, tailgate dampers dead, so the decision was based on what we could both see, not just our word. We quoted every item clearly and only proceeded once the owner approved.

We did exactly what the owner approved, and did it properly.

• Completed the major service with 5.5L of Idemitsu 0W-20 engine oil and a new oil filter.
• Cleaned the throttle body, changed the transmission oil and flushed the brake fluid.
• Replaced the front and rear brake pads and disc rotors.
• Fitted new front tyres and did a four-wheel alignment.
• Replaced the rear power tailgate hydraulic dampers so the boot holds up and closes properly again.

One honest note. The spark plugs and air filter we recommended turned out to be out of stock that day, so we did not fit them, and we did not charge for them. We would rather do them right on the next visit than fit the wrong part to close a job. We kept the owner updated throughout. Servicing and maintenance does not carry a workmanship warranty, and we never pretend it does. What it carries is honest work, itemised pricing, and a car that is road tested before you collect it. The tailgate was tested and closing properly on handover.

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 and approved individually 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, show you the worn parts, quote each item, and only do what you approve. When the spark plugs and air filter were out of stock, we simply did not charge for them. That way you pay for the work the car needs and nothing more.

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 1,775+ Google reviews.