1998 VOLVO V70 Complaints

SEVERE TIRE SIDEWALL BUBBLES ON ALL FOUR TIRES AFTER ONLY 2 YEARS OF NORMAL USE. TIRE BRAND AND TYPE: DUNLOP 195/60R15 888 H SIGNATURE II.

THE IGNITION SWITCH FREQUENTLY JAMS, LOCKED, IN THE "OFF" POSITION. THE KEY CAN BE INSERTED, BUT THE IGNITION LOCK WILL NOT TURN, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO START AND OPERATE THE VEHICLE OR TURN ON ACCESSORIES OR TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, RENDERING THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY INOPERATIVE. WHEN THE IGNITION IS IN THE "ON" POSITION, IT CAN BE TURNED OFF WITHOUT DIFFICULTY. WHEN IT IS "OFF," HOWEVER, IT FREQUENTLY CAN NOT BE TURNED "ON". A QUICK INTERNET SEARCH REVEALED THAT THIS IS A RATHER COMMON PROBLEM.

I WAS ON THE ENTRANCE RAMP TO I-94 WHEN THE ACCELERATOR STOMPED FLUSH TO THE FLOOR. THE ENGINE REVVED UNCONTROLLABLY AND I TRIED TO CLUTCH IT DOWN BUT KEPT ON ACCELERATING. AT THIS POINT I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION BUT THAT DID NO GOOD. ALL THE INSTRUMENTATION TURNED OFF BUT THE ENGINE WAS MAXED OUT AND WAS GOING BERSERK. I HAD A CLUTCH SO I PUSHED IT INTO NEUTRAL BUT THE RPMS WENT TO THE 7,000S. WITH THE KEYS OFF, I PULLED OF THE INTERSTATE DESPERATELY TRYING TO SLOW DOWN THE RPMS BUT NOTHING WORKED. I FINALLY PUT IT INTO GEAR TO TRY AND STOP IT AND IT LITERALLY 'BLEW UP'. IT'S TOTALED. WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS IF THIS HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPORTED, IF THERE HAS BEEN ANY KIND OF RECALL ON THIS. VOLVO WOULDN'T ANSWER ANY OF MY QUESTIONS. IT WAS A GREAT CAR BUT IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET ANY ANSWERS ABOUT. IT APPARENTLY WAS SOME KIND OF A COMPUTER MALFUNCTION AS A MECHANICAL FAILURE WOULD HAVE BEEN SOLVED BY TURNING THE KEY 'OFF'! I WANT TO LODGE A COMPLAINT BUT DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 VOLVO V70. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, AN ABNORMAL SOUND WAS PRESENT COMING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE ROTOR HAD CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000. MA 10/25/15

PURCHASED THIS CAR THIS MONTH FOR MY SON FOR HIM TO COMMUTE TO SCHOOL. MY SON TOLD ME THAT THE SEAT MOVES TO DIFFERENT POSITION WHEN THE CAR HIT THE POT HOLE. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS IF THE DRIVER HAS SHORT LEGS. THERE IS PRESET POSITION FOR THE SEAT. NO SURE WHAT TO DO WITH THIS. *TR

AFTER FILLING FUEL TANK THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THERE IS A VERY STRONG GASOLINE SMELL OUTSIDE THE CAR AND WHEN STOPPED INSIDE CAR. THE ENGINE CODE IS FOR A GROSS EVAP LEAK.I CAN SEE FUEL UNDER GAS TANK COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE TANK. I REMOVED FUEL PUMP ACCSESS DOOR AND CAN SEE FUEL BUBBLING OUT OF THE TOP OF THE FUEL PUMP AND OVERFLOWING THE AREA. THERE IS A VISABLE CRACK ON THE TOP OF THE PUMP. *TR

I JUST PURCHASED ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO A 1998 VOLVO V70 USED ON 4/3/2014 FOR 3000.00 . THE VEHICLE DROVE JUST FINE UP UNTIL TWO WEEKS AGO WHERE THE TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO BE SLIPPING. WHILE I WAS RIDING ON I695 AND WAS GOING ABOUT SIXTY MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE CAR JERKED AND CUT OFF, MEANING BLINKING IN AND OUT OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ALONG WITH THE ENGINE AS I WAS PULLING OVER ON THE SHOULDER, WHICH IS TERRIBLY UNSAFE. I ASSUMED AND THOUGHT VOLVO'S WERE GREAT ON MILES AND TRANSMISSION SO I DIDN'T EXPECT IT TO BE HAVING THESE TYPE OF ISSUES. I AM A FIRST TIME VOLVO PURCHASER AND HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED AND IT'S TO EXPENSIVE FOR ALL THE HASSLES. ALL OF THE MINOR ISSUES WERE EXPECTED BECAUSE OF THE VEHICLE BEING A USED CAR. ALSO, I CANNOT EVEN CHECK THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVELS IN ORDER TO SEE IF ALL I NEED IS SOME TRANSMISSION FLUID, THE DIPSTICK THAT LEADS TO THE TRANSMISSION IS STUCK, AS IN I HAVE TRIED PULLING, TWISTING AND TURNING BUT TO NO AVAIL. AFTER PURCHASING A 300 DOLLAR KEY PAD FROM THE DEALER I EXPECT MORE FROM THE MANUAL AND AT LEAST TO BE ABLE TO CHECK ALL FLUIDS ON THE VEHICLE. IF THESE MINOR ISSUES DIDN'T EVOLVE INTO MAJOR ISSUES WITH MY VOLVO VEHICLE I WOULD NOT HAVE AN ISSUE. YET THE PROBLEM IS THAT THESE MINOR ISSUES ARE INDEED CAUSING MAJOR REPAIRS WHICH IS SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE AND CAUSING UNSAFE DRIVING HAZARDOUS SITUATIONS THAT COULD INDEED AFFECT THE LIFE OF MYSELF AND OTHER DRIVERS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LISTEN AND HOPEFULLY DIRECTLY ADDRESSING MY CONCERNS. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR UPDATED 12/8/2014 *JS

DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HINGE/STRAP FAILED CAUSING DOOR TO BREAK FROM FRAME AND BECOME DYSFUNCTIONAL. AS IT WORSENED OVER A FEW DAYS THE DOOR BECAME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO OPEN WHERE IT BECAME A SAFETY CONCERN. VOLVO MECHANIC REFERRED TO AUTO METAL SERVICE SHOP WHICH REPLACED/REPAIRED DOOR STRAP AND WELDED DOOR BACK TO FRAME AND CONFIRMED THIS WAS A KNOWN "WORKMANSHIP" DEFECT WITH A NUMBER OF VOLVO MODELS AND YEARS. VOLVO N.A. WAS NOTIFIED OF THIS 9/13/13 AND WAS INTERESTED TO SEE THE REPAIR INVOICE, WHICH WAS PROVIDED TO THEM, BUT IN THE END THEY DECLINED TO REIMBURSE FOR THIS FLAW STATING THE CAR WAS NO LONGER COVERED BY A MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY. WHEN THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR BECOMES DYSFUNCTIONAL FROM FAULTY WORKMANSHIP THAT INDICATES A SAFETY ISSUE THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD "MAN UP" AND REPAIR/RECALL OR REIMBURSE THE OWNER FOR, REGARDLESS IF THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY. DOORS SHOULDN'T JUST BREAK OFF FROM THE FRAME UNDER NORMAL USE. THERE WAS NO CRASH OR ABUSE INVOLVED WITH THIS DOOR. IT JUST BROKE LIKE A CHEAP, INFERIOR PRODUCT. *TR

IGNITION KEY CYLINDER MALFUNCTIONING. INSERT KEY TO START CAR, KEY ROTATES 360 DEGREES WITHOUT ENGAGING. TAKES SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO GET THE KEY TO NOT ROTATE AND ACTUALLY START THE CAR. I HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL MECHANICS AND HAVE SEEN MULTIPLE THREADS ON FORUMS THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON ISSUE WITH THESE CARS AND IT SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING THAT OCCURS AFTER 100,000 MILES. ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR IS $600 - TO $800.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING: HEADLIGHTS GOING OUT WHILE DRIVING, BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK. FUSES ARE GOOD AND BULBS ARE GOOD AS WELL! BRAKES HAVEN'T WORKED SINCE THE DRIVE HOME HEADLIGHTS GO IN AND OUT. COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT! *TR