2003 VOLVO S60 Complaints

THE CAR STALLED REPEATEDLY WHILE THE ENGINE WAS IDLING. ALL POWER WAS LOST MAKING THE CAR VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER AND BRAKE. I NEARLY GOT INTO SEVERAL ACCIDENTS THE ENGINE STALLED WHILE: 1) STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT 2) WHILE SHIFTING GEARS ON THE HIGHWAY 3) WHILE SHIFTING GEARS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES BEFORE THE PROBLEM CORRECTLY FIXED. THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WERE REPLACED BUT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM: 1) FUEL PUMP 2) MAP SENSOR (REPLACED 2 TIMES) NEITHER OF THESE FIXES WORKED. THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED AFTER MODIFYING THE SOFTWARE ON THE COMPUTER BOARD. *JB

THE VEHICLE IS A 2003 VOLVO MODEL S-60 T-5, PURCHASED MAY 6, 2006. AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE, THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER THE WARRANTY OF 50,000 MILES AND WAS SERVICED FOR WARRANTY ITEMS BY RICKENBAUGH VOLVO. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 60,500 MILES. UPON USING THE SEAT WARMERS FOR THE FIRST TIME DECEMBER 27, 2006, A SMALL HOLE BURNED IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT FROM THE SEAT HEATING ELEMENT. SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF THE HOLE WHEN I DISCOVERED THE ISSUE AND I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE SEAT WARMER. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY (DECEMBER 27, 2006) TO VOLVO PARTS, INC. FOR INSPECTION. THERE IS A SHORT IN THE HEATING ELEMENT THAT MAKES THIS VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I CALLED THE VOLVO CORPORATION CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT SAME DAY AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED BY THE VOLVO CORPORATION BECAUSE IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. I PHONED RICKENBAUGH VOLVO THAT SAME DAY AND WAS TOLD THE HEATING ELEMENT AND PAD WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $630.00. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE HEATING ELEMENT WAS IMPROPERLY INSTALLED CAUSING A SHORT, OR THE ELEMENT IS DEFECTIVE. IN ANY CASE, THE PRODUCT WAS DEFECTIVE WHEN IT WAS STILL UNDER A WARRANTY OR IMPROPERLY INSTALLED AT THE TIME OF MANUFACTURE, BUT INSTEAD OF ADDRESSING THE SAFETY ISSUE, THE VOLVO CORPORATION IS FOLLOWING ITS STANDARD PROCEDURE OF HIDING BEHIND ITS WARRANTY TERMS. THIS IS WHAT CONCERNS ME THE MOST. THERE WAS NO INJURY TO A PERSON, HOWEVER, THE LEATHER SEAT NOW HAS A HOLE FROM THE SMALL FIRE CAUSED BY THE HEATING ELEMENT. I HAVE NOT REPAIRED THE DEFECTIVE ELEMENT BECAUSE OF COST. PLEASE ADVISE ME AS TO WHAT DANGER THIS MAY PRESENT, OR WHAT OTHER OPTIONS I HAVE IN THIS COMPLAINT PROCESS. I WELCOME A DOT ASSIGNED ENGINEER TO INSPECT THIS VEHICLE FOR THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. VOLVO PARTS, INC., ONLY INDICATES THAT THEY CHECKED CONNECTIONS AND FUSES AND THAT THEY ARE "OK". I WAS CHARGED $75.00 IN LABOR. *JB

WHILE DRIVING ON I-290 THE ENGINE OF MY 2003 VOLVO S60 SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER. I NARROWLY ESCAPED SEVERAL SERIOUS ACCIDENTS ON A BUSY CHICAGO HIGHWAY. WHEN THE CAR LOSES POWER THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING THE OPERATOR CAN DO TO MOVE OVER TO THE SIDE. I WAS DRIVING APPROX. 60 MPH WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY STALLED, AND I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER APPROX. 30-60 SECONDS. THE PROBLEMS EXHIBITED BY THE CAR ARE EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE RECENT RECALL THAT VOLVO HAS ANNOUNCED FOR VOLVO VEHICLES. MY CAR IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. THE CAR IS NOW STALLING RANDOMLY AT LOWER SPEEDS. *NM

I HAVE A 2003 VOLVO S 60 THAT HAS BEGUN STALLING OUT WHILE DRIVING. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS SIMILAR TO OTHER CAR PROBLEMS THAT HAVE BEEN REPORTED RECENTLY. THE CAR DIES AFTER IT HAS REACHED OPERATING TEMPERATURES. IT JUST STOPS ON THE INTERSTATE OR AT A STOP LIGHT, IN INTERSECTIONS, ETC. IT TAKES BETWEEN 10 AND 30 SECONDS BEFORE IT CAN BE RESTARTED. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS COULD BE AN RECURRING UNREPORTED PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. *NM

THE TRANSMISSION OF MY S60 INADVERTENTLY MIS-SHIFTS AT A VARIETY OF SPEEDS. THE PROBLEM HAPPENS AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN BACKING OFF BETWEEN GEARS AND FEELS LIKE IT UP SHIFTS AT AN INAPPROPRIATE TIME AND SPEEDS UP. OTHER TIMES THE TRANSMISSION WILL MIS-SHIFT UPON ACCELERATION CAUSING HIGH REVS, WITH NO POWER. TALKED WITH VOLVO SEVERAL TIMES AND FIRST SERVICE VISIT PAID $100 FOR A SOFTWARE UPGRADE THAT DID NOTHING. NEXT TIME TO SERVICE THEY CHECKED THE SERVOS AND STATED THEY WERE OK. LAST TRIP TO SERVICE ADDRESSED ISSUE W/ SERVICE REP AND REQUESTED TO HAVE IT DOCUMENTED. SERVICE REP STATED CAR HAD A 100K GUARANTEE DISMISSED REQUEST. CAR HAS 80K ON IT AND PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE INCREASING. AFRAID IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO LACK OF CONTROL. *JB

MY 03 VOLVO STALLS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS RESULTING IN A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THIS HAPPENS SEVERAL TIMES PER TRIP, POSING A VERY VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE VEHICLE STALLS WHEN LETTING OFF THE GAS PEDAL AND OCCASIONALLY WHEN COMING TO A STOP. *NM

ON 12/22 I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 VOLVO S 60 AWD. I WAS VERY SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY PULLING INTO A FRONT IN PARKING SPOT. I WAS PARTICULARLY CAREFUL BECAUSE THERE WAS A DRIVER SITTING IN THE CAR PARKED TO MY RIGHT, AND I DID NOT WANT TO GET TOO CLOSE TO HIS CAR. WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE I WAS SLOWLY MOVING INTO THE SPOT. MY FRONT FENDER TAPPED THE SHORT CONCRETE BARRIER AT THE FRONT OF THE PARKING SPOT. THE NEXT THING I NEW, THE CAR WAS RAPIDLY ACCELERATING FORWARD. I WAS WORRIED THAT I WOULD GO OVER THE BARRIER AND STRIKE A BRICK WALL IN FRONT OF ME. I BELIEVE THAT THE ENGINE BLOCK MUST HAVE HIT THE SHORT CONCRETE BARRIER AND THAT IS WHAT ULTIMATELY STOPPED THE CAR. DESPITE THE FACT THAT I WAS INCHING INTO THE SPOT AT THE SLOWEST POSSIBLE SPEED. THE FORCE OF THE ACCELERATION WAS ENOUGH TO CRUMPLE THE WHOLE FRONT OF MY CAR, CRACK THE WINDSHIELD, AND CAUSE THE PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAG TO RELEASE. I FEEL VERY CERTAIN THAT THIS REPRESENTED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. I DO NOT THINK THERE WAS ANY CHANCE THAT I STEPPED ON THE GAS INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE. I AM A VERY CAREFUL, CAUTIOUS DRIVER, AND WAS VERY AWARE OF WHAT I WAS DOING AT THE TIME WITHOUT ANY DISTRACTIONS. I REPORTED THIS TO VOLVO CUSTOMER SERVICE, WHO CLAIMS THAT AFTER INSPECTING THE CAR, THEY FOUND NO SAFETY CONCERNS. I AM CONCERNED THAT HAVING VOLVO DO THEIR OWN INSPECTION REPRESENTS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. *NM

HAD PROBLEMS WITH CAR STALLING AT SLOW SPEEDS, BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN WHILE DRIVING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH AND CAR LOST POWER. WE WERE ABLE TO GLIDE TO SHOULDER WHERE CAR STALLED. IT RESTARTED IMMEDIATELY, BUT ABOUT EVERY 5 MI. THE CAR WOULD STALL AGAIN. THE SERVICE DEPT. AT STAMFORD VOLVO TOLD ME I HAD BAD GAS AND THEY REPLACE A SENOR IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. AS SOON AS I LEFT THE DEALERSHIP AND GOT ON THE HIGHWAY THE CAR STALLED AGAIN. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER. THEY SERVICED THE CAR AGAIN AND TOLD ME THE WATER IN THE GAS RUSTED SOME SCREEN IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THEY REPLACED IT AND THUS FAR THE CAR HASN'T' STALLED BUT THERE IS STILL SOME HESITATION WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS. *NM

RECENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS AROUND 40 MPH MY CAR EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF SPEED AND THEN STALLED. EACH EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN PRECEDED BY A BRIEF LOSS AND THEN BY A MORE PROLONGED LOSS AND FINALLY A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE WHICH LOCKS UP STEERING. IN EACH INSTANCE THE CAR HAS RESTARTED. THE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS MOST LIKELY A FAILURE OF THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL MODULE (ETM). STEPS ARE CURRENTLY BEING TAKEN TO REPLACE THE ETM. *NM

DT: 2003 VOLVO S60. VEHICLE STALLED/LOST POWER DUE TO THROTTLE BODY FAILURE. *AK THE VEHICLE STALLED A TOTAL OF SIX TIMES WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS ON A ROAD TRIP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR FACILITY BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PART TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. *NM