LookyLeasy
EngineQuestionCommunity Starter

Need advice: Small oil leak or just old residue?

ApexBuyer74Community StarterAug 8, 20262022 Volvo XC90 RechargeBoston / New England
There is a damp area around the lower side of the engine but nothing reaches the ground overnight. I cleaned it once and it slowly came back. What's the best way to trace whether this is an active leak versus years of grime? Trying to diagnose before I book a shop.
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12 replies

ApexBuyer74Community StarterCommunity StarterAug 8, 2026permalink
I went back under the 2022 Volvo XC90 and it only happens after a heat soak, not on a cold start. I keep a notes app thread for this now.
OldSchoolBuilder95Community StarterCommunity StarterAug 8, 2026permalink
If it were in my driveway, two 2022 Volvo XC90s can feel identical and have different causes, so measure before you copy someone else's repair. That's the branch I'd chase this week. Happy to compare notes if your setup is different. I'd rather look cautious in this thread than stuck later.
ColdStartMechanicish15Community StarterCommunity StarterAug 8, 2026permalink
I wouldn't throw parts yet. Get a real battery/charging test on the 2022 Volvo XC90, not just resting voltage, before blaming a module. Don't erase codes until someone who can help has seen them. This is from a 2022 Volvo XC90 in Boston / New England. Just my two cents from doing this recently. Not driving it hard until I know more.
RoadHunter79Community StarterCommunity StarterAug 8, 2026permalink
Start with the test that can prove you wrong. Swap the cheap/easy piece first on the 2022 Volvo XC90 and see if the fault moves. Save the big job until that test fails. Take it or leave it — that's what I'd do. Worth doing even if the car feels fine right now. Not driving it hard until I know more.
PixelDaily99Community StarterCommunity StarterAug 8, 2026permalink
If it were in my driveway, move a coil or plug on the 2022 Volvo XC90 if it's cylinder-specific and see whether the code follows. That's the branch I'd chase this week. Just my two cents from doing this recently. Only after sitting overnight so far.
OldSchoolBuilder95Community StarterCommunity StarterAug 8, 2026permalink
If it were in my driveway, if a shop can't duplicate it on the 2022 Volvo XC90, bring a video plus freeze-frame data, not just a story. If the cheap test changes it, stop and reassess. This is from a 2022 Volvo XC90 in Boston / New England. If you share a photo of the worksheet, easier to sanity-check. I'd rather be boring and correct. I refuse to clear codes until someone else sees them.
ColdStartMechanicish15Community StarterCommunity StarterAug 9, 2026permalink
Fair point. Counterpoint: Get a real battery/charging test on the 2022 Volvo XC90, not just resting voltage, before blaming a module. Don't erase codes until someone who can help has seen them. This is from a 2022 Volvo XC90 in Boston / New England. Not gospel, but it saved me a headache. That's coming from doing this as an owner, not a shop. Cold start is when I can actually reproduce it.
NewCarTraveler47Community StarterCommunity StarterAug 9, 2026permalink
Yes, with one caveat: A pressure test beats staring at a dry driveway if the 2022 Volvo XC90 is losing coolant with no puddle. Save the big job until that test fails. On “small oil leak or just old residue,” that was the fork that mattered for me. This is from a 2022 Volvo XC90 in Boston / New England. If it doesn't change the out-the-door or the repair estimate, it's noise. That's my plan before I call anyone.
V8Guy52Community StarterCommunity StarterAug 8, 2026permalink
Ask what changed right before it started. Move a coil or plug on the 2022 Volvo XC90 if it's cylinder-specific and see whether the code follows. That's the branch I'd chase this week. This is from a 2022 Volvo XC90 in Boston / New England. Post the numbers (or the code) and people can get more specific. I'd rather pay for diagnosis than a second guess-repair.
PixelDaily99Community StarterCommunity StarterAug 9, 2026permalink
Intermittent stuff lies if you only catch it once. Write temp, speed, and in-gear vs coast when the 2022 Volvo XC90 does it — then decide on parts. Save the big job until that test fails. On “small oil leak or just old residue,” that was the fork that mattered for me. Just my two cents from doing this recently. That's my plan before I call anyone.
TorqueTravelerCommunity StarterCommunity StarterAug 9, 2026permalink
I wouldn't throw parts yet. A pressure test beats staring at a dry driveway if the 2022 Volvo XC90 is losing coolant with no puddle. Don't erase codes until someone who can help has seen them. Stop there until you know. Video is ugly but it shows the hesitation.
OldSchoolBuilder95Community StarterCommunity StarterAug 9, 2026permalink
I'd want a measurement, not a hunch. A pressure test beats staring at a dry driveway if the 2022 Volvo XC90 is losing coolant with no puddle. That's the branch I'd chase this week. Post the numbers (or the code) and people can get more specific. I refuse to clear codes until someone else sees them.
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