2002 VOLVO V70 Complaints

ON 3/1/04 I DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE ON MY VOLVO V70 HAD LARGE BULGES ON THE SIDE WALL. THE TIRE IS A PIRELLI P6 235/45 R17 ALL SEASON. THIS IS AN OEM TIRE. THE CAR HAS 7,400 MILES ON IT. I DOVE THE CAR IMMEDIATELY TO THE DEALER. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE DAMAGE MUST HAVE BEEN CAUSE BY HITTING SOMETHING AND IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE NOT HIT ANYTHING WITH THE TIRE AND THERE WAS NO THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANYKIND OF ANY IMPACT. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TIRE ON 3/2/04 AT MY EXPENSE. I AM FILING THIS NOW BECAUSE ON 7/5/04 I HAD A SECOND SIMILAR EVENT. SEE ODI NUMBER 10080391. HAVING RESEARCHED THE ODI COMPLIANT LOG I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED THIS SAME PROBLEM INCLUDING BLOWOUTS. *NM

ON 7/5/04 I DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE ON MY VOLVO V70 HAD LARGE BULGES ON THE SIDE WALL. THE TIRE IS A PIRELLI P6 235/45 R17 ALL SEASON. THIS IS AN OEM TIRE. THE CAR HAS 9,300 MILES ON IT. I DOVE THE CAR IMMEDIATELY TO THE DEALER WHERE IT SITS CURRENTLY. THIS IS THE SECOND INSTANCE OF THIS HAPPENING. THE FIRST INSTANCE OCCURRED WITH A RIGHT FRONT TIRE AT 7,400 MILES. *NM

REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLES FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT WAS NOT RESTRAINED PROPERLY.*AK

DURING OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE DURING COLD WEATHER, THE DRIVER NOTICED A HESITATION WHEN APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND HEARD A SLIGHT "CRUNCHING" SOUND. AT A LATER DATE, CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROX. 35-45 MPH ON A ROAD WITH HILLS (UP AND DOWN). WHILE DRIVING UP AN INCLINE, THE DRIVER EXPERIENCED SAME HESITATION AND HEARD A HORRIBLE "PUNCHING" SOUND. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHILE ANOTHER VEHICLE RAPIDLY APPROACHED FROM THE REAR. THE OTHER VEHICLE HAD TO SWERVE SUDDENLY TO AVOID HITTING CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER & PASSENGER HAD TO ROLL VEHICLE DOWN THE HILL AND CALL FOR HELP. DEALER EXAMINED VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE LEFT AXLE HAD PULLED OUT OF THE TRANSMISSION (DUE TO A PIN THAT HAD BROKE). THE DEALER PERFORMED A TEMPORARY FIX BY BANGING AXLE BACK INTO THE TRANSMISSION. ALSO, DEALER FOUND THAT THE LEFT BALL JOINT WAS BROKEN (UNKNOWN WHEN THIS OCCURRED). DEALER LATER REPLACED ENTIRE TRANSMISSION. *MJJ CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE ARE OTHER REPORTS REGARDING SAFETY RELATED ISSUES ON VOLVO V70. *LA

PROBLEM - SIDEWALL BUBBLING ON TIRES WITHIN THE FIRST 5-1/2 MONTHS OF OWNING MY NEW VOLVO STATION WAGON, I HAD TO REPLACE 2 PIRELLI TIRES DUE TO SIDEWALL BUBBLING. 5 MONTHS LATER, WITH 12,000 MILES ON THE CAR, ONE OF THOSE BRAND NEW TIRES HAS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN DUE TO THE SAME ISSUE. MY MAIN COMPLAINT IS THAT VOLVO RECOMMENDED THESE TIRES TO ME DESPITE THE FACT THAT I INDICATED THAT I LIVE IN REDDING, CT, PRIMARILY DRIVE ON BACK ROADS, AND THAT MY MAIN REASON FOR BUYING THE CAR WAS SAFETY. THEY TOLD ME I WAS BETTER OFF WITH "HIGH PERFORMANCE TIRES". I'VE CONTACTED VOLVO AND THEY REFUSED TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY OR DO ANYTHING TO HELP. THEY TOLD ME THAT I MUST HAVE HIT A POTHOLE SO THE DAMAGE WAS MY FAULT BUT IN 18 YEARS OF DRIVING ON THE SAME ROADS THAT I'VE BEEN DRIVING MY VOLVO ON, I HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE TIRES FOR ANY OTHER REASON THAN NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. AND SINCE THE PROBLEMS WITH ALL 3 TIRES OCCURRED AT SEPARATE TIMES, IT SEEMS APPARENT THAT THESE TIRES ARE NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THE LOCAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. LUCKILY, THIS HAS NOT YET RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT, BUT DUE TO THE FACT THAT I SPEND A LOT OF MY DRIVING TIME SHUTTLING MY SMALL CHILDREN AROUND, I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR FOR FEAR THAT THE TIRES WILL BLOW OUT. I'D APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SINCE I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY.

VOLVO RELUCTANTLY RELEASED US FROM OUR LEASE A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. OUR FIRST VOLVO EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THEY PUT US IN ANOTHER VOLVO WHICH EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AS WELL. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS ON VOLVO OF DALLAS' PART TO REPAIR OUR CAR THEY FINALLY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION HOWEVER THE NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NOT PERFORMING PROPERLY EITHER WHEN VOLVO RELEASED US FROM THE LEASE. THE DEALERSHIP, AREA/REGIONAL DIRECTORS, AND VOLVO CORPORATION PRACTICED POOR BUSINESS ETIQUETTE ON ALL ACCOUNTS IN OUR OPINION. THEY DID RELEASE US FROM OUR LEASE HOWEVER, REFUSED TO REIMBURSE US FOR OUR INITIAL $5000.00 DOWN PAYMENT. OUR ENTIRE VOLVO EXPERIENCE DISGUSTED US SO THAT WE CHOSE NOT TO ENDURE THE LENGTHLY PROCESS OF A LAW SUIT. WE JUST WANTED TO DRIVE A SAFE, DEPENDABLE, RELIABLE VEHICLE THAT FIT OUR FAMILIES NEEDS. TOO MUCH TO ASK FROM VOLVO! IT IS A SHAME BECAUSE WHEN WE GOT INTO OUR VOLVO WE PLANNED ON BEING VOLVO CUSTOMERS "FOR LIFE." GOOD LUCK.

MY NEW VOLVO V70 WITH ONLY 7000 MILES ALMOST TOOK MY LIFE AS WELL AS MY 18 MONTH OLD SON'S LIFE! I WAS DRIVING DOWN A FOUR LANE ROAD WHEN ANOTHER DRIVER MOTIONED ME TO PULL ASIDE. I THOUGHT I HAD A FLAT TIRE SO I PULLED OVER. THE CAR WAS ON FIRE! WHEN I LOOKED BACK THE CAR HAD FLAMES SHOOTING OUT FROM UNDER THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS FROM THE UNDER CARRIAGE. WITHIN 5 MINUTES THE FLAMES ENGULFED THE CAR AND THE GAS TANK EXPLODED! I WAS ABLE TO TAKE NOTHING WITH ME, I LOST EVERYTHING IN THE CAR DOWN TO MY PURSE! THE SADDEST PART ABOUT MY STORY IS THAT NOTHING IN THE VOLVO WARNED ME I WAS ON FIRE!! MY HUSBAND NOTIFIED OUR LOCAL VOLVO DEALERSHIP WHO IN TURN CONTACTED VOLVO NORTH AMERICA. ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2003 WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM A [XXX] THAT STATED "A VOLVO FIELD TECHNICAL SPECIALIST THOROUGHLY EXAMINED YOUR VEHICLE. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO YOUR VOLVO AND BASED ON OUR INSPECTION AND AVAILABLE INFORMATION, WE DID NOT CONCLUDE A VOLVO PRODUCT RELATED CONDITION AS THE CAUSE OF THE SITUATION YOU REPORTED." I AM DUMBFOUNDED! I WOULD LIKE AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY MY NEW VOLVO CAUGHT FIRE AS I AM DRIVING 35 MPH AND THEN BURNT TO THE GROUND!! I AM EXTREMELY UPSET MY THE WAY VOLVO NORTH AMERICA RESPONDED TO US IN THEIR LETTER. I RECEIVED THIS E-MAIL RESPONSE ON 10/6/03 FROM HER AFTER SHE RECEIVED THE ABOVE. WE ARE SORRY OUR PREVIOUS REPLY WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE AND WE REALIZE THAT THERE MAY BE TIMES WHEN THAT MAY OCCUR. AGAIN, WE REGRET TO LEARN OF YOUR UNFORTUNATE EXPERIENCE WITH YOUR 2002 VOLVO V70. AS WE PREVIOUSLY STATED, THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO YOUR VOLVO AND BASED ON OUR AVAILABLE INFORMATION FOR THE INSPECTION, WE DID NOT CONCLUDE A VOLVO PRODUCT RELATED CONDITION AS THE CAUSE OF THE SITUATION YOU REPORTED. WHILE WE REGRET YOU MAY NOT CONCUR WITH OUR DETERMINATION, UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO FURTHER CONSIDER THIS MATTER. SINCERELY, [XXX]. *NLM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

VEHICLE HAS DEFECTIVE POWER STEERING PUMP, POWER WINDOWS, AND FAULTY BRAKE PEDAL POSITION SENSORS.*MR (NAR) *CB

WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE WHEEL SEPARATED THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE POLICE ARRIVED AND CITED THE CONSUMER. VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE SHAFT BROKE, CAUSING THE WHEEL TO COME OFF, AND THE COLLISION TO OCCUR. *AK

I OWN A 2002 VOLVO V70. ON FOUR OCCASIONS THE POWER LOCKS HAVE MALFUNCTIONED. AT TIMES, WE ARE UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE DOORS WITHOUT THE USE OF A REMOTE CONTROL. AT OTHER TIMES, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO LOCK THE DOORS UTILIZING THE POWER LOCK CONTROLS. THE LOCKS LAST BROKE ON 11/03/2003. WE HAVE ALSO HAD OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE, INCLUDING A POWER WINDOW MOTOR FAILURE AND PROBLEMS WITH A BRAKE POSITION SENSOR. GIVEN THE NUMBER OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, WE ARE FEARFUL THAT THIS CAR MAY BE A FIRE HAZARD. *LA