Parts for your 2018 Volvo Xc60-Steering bushes

2018 Volvo XC60 steering-bushes: are they actually a thing?

For the 2018 Volvo XC60, standalone steering-bushes aren’t a fitted or serviceable component. Volvo’s official service information (VIDA) for the second‑generation XC60 on the SPA platform shows the electric power steering (EPS) rack bolted directly to the front subframe with dedicated fasteners and sleeves, not rubber rack-mount bushes. Genuine parts illustrations for Group 64 (Steering Gear) list the complete steering gear, inner/outer tie rods, boots and hardware—no separate steering-bushes. Major aftermarket catalogues for 2018+ XC60 models likewise don’t offer rack-mount bushes for this platform. This design aligns with ZF/TRW EPS practice, where a rigidly mounted rack preserves steering torque sensor accuracy, lane-keeping assistance performance and precise on-centre feel.

So, why no steering-bushes on this model? The EPS unit relies on a firm, fixed relationship to the subframe to prevent compliance that would blur steering inputs or introduce calibration drift for the assistance motor and angle/torque sensors. Volvo manages noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) using other components—subframe isolators, hydro-filled control arm bushes and column isolators—rather than soft mounting the rack. Any “give” needed for comfort happens elsewhere in the front end.

If someone’s chasing a clunk, vibration or a loose steering feel on a 2018 XC60 and has heard the term “steering-bushes”, the fix usually lives in adjacent parts:

• Front lower control arm bushes (rear hydro-bush and front bush) and ball joints
• Inner and outer tie rod ends
• Front stabiliser (sway) bar bushes and links
• Front subframe bushes/bolts and alignment dowels
• Steering column lower universal joint and intermediate shaft play
• Wheel bearings and tyre condition/pressures

During routine servicing, a technician should road test for knocks over sharp bumps, check for feathered tyre wear, then inspect tie rods and control arm bushes with the suspension loaded. Any free play, perished rubber or fluid leak from a hydro-bush points to replacement. If there’s steering noise or stiffness, they’ll also check the column joint and confirm the EPS rack is secure to the subframe with the correct hardware. Because there are no rack-mount steering-bushes to replace, there’s no “bush kit” for the steering gear on this model. If the rack itself is faulty, it’s serviced as a complete assembly per VIDA procedures.

Bottom line: the 2018 XC60 doesn’t use steering-bushes. Owners experiencing symptoms commonly blamed on “bushes” should focus diagnosis on the control arms, tie rods, sway bar hardware and subframe mounts—these are the usual suspects and where the wins are found.

Popular questions

Does the 2018 Volvo XC60 have steering-bushes I can replace?
No. The EPS rack is rigid-mounted to the subframe and there are no separate rack-mount bushes listed in Volvo VIDA or genuine parts diagrams for 2018+ XC60. If there’s clunk or play, attention should turn to control arm bushes, tie rods, sway bar bushes/links, the column joint, or subframe hardware.

What symptoms get mistaken for worn steering-bushes on an XC60?
Commonly: a knock over speed humps (often sway bar links/bushes), vague turn-in or tramlining (front control arm bushes or tyres), and a click on steering input (outer tie rod end or column joint). These items are designed to be serviceable and typically restore the steering feel once renewed and aligned.

How should a workshop diagnose steering looseness if there are no steering-bushes?
They’ll road test, check tyre pressures and wear, then inspect front-end components with the suspension loaded. Any play at the tie rods or ball joints, perished control arm bushes, or movement at the sway bar mounts gets addressed first. They’ll also verify EPS rack mounting torque and column joint condition. An alignment and steering angle calibration should follow any front-end repair.