2007 VOLVO XC70 Complaints

INITIAL REAR SPRING FAILURE DRIVER SIDE ON 5/23/2011. CAR OUT OF WARRANTY AT 50,00. APPEALED TO DEALER AND VOLVO OF AMERICA WITH NO CONSIDERATION FOR FAILURE MAJOR SUSPENSION COMPONENT, WARRANTY, AND SAFETY ISSUE. SECOND SPRING FAILURE ON 4/2/2012, PASSENGER SIDE, MILEAGE 67,274. *J

REAR SEAT BELT JAMS WHEN SEAT FOLDED DOWN. CANNOT RAISE SEAT LEAVING SAFETY ISSUES AND INABILITY TO USE SEALBELT. *TT

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH 3 FAMILY MEMBERS AND OUR DOG IN THE CAR THIS LAST WEEKEND, THERE WAS SUDDENLY A LOUD BANG (SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING HAD HIT THE CAR). THE ROAD WAS SMOOTH AND WEATHER WAS GOOD. I PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY AND COULD SEE NOTHING. CAUTIOUSLY DRIVING THE REST OF THE WAY HOME (APPROX. 15 MILES) THE CAR SEEMED TO HANDLE NORMALLY ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A NEW THUDDING NOISE WHEN ROLLING OVER SMALL ROAD BUMPS. MY WIFE TOOK THE CAR TO A MECHANIC YESTERDAY WHO PUT IT UP ON A LIFT AND DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT REAR COIL SPRING HAD BROKEN. HE ADVISED THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD, THAT WE WERE LUCKY THAT A TIRE WASN'T PUNCTURED OR CONTROL LOST WHILE DRIVING, AND THAT THE CAR SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN UNTIL THE SPRING IS REPLACED. THIS CAR IS USED IN TYPICAL SUBURBAN FAMILY DRIVING AND HAS BEEN REGULARLY MAINTAINED. WE DO NOT SUBJECT IT TO HEAVY LOADS OR USE. I AM SHOCKED THAT THERE WAS A SUDDEN CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE COIL SPRING. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE IN ALL MY YEARS OF DRIVING I HAVE NEVER HAD SUCH A SUDDEN FAILURE OF A KEY COMPONENT WITH POTENTIALLY DEADLY CONSEQUENCES. YOU WILL HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DETERMINE IF THIS WAS JUST AN ISOLATED RANDOM FAILURE OR SOME MORE GENERAL DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT.

NOTHING WE KNOW OF CAUSED THIS FAILURE EXCEPT FOLDING THE REAR SEAT DOWN IN THE CARGO POSITION. WHEN WE RAISED THE SEAT UP THE SEAT BELT WOULDN'T RELEASE. NOW WE DON'T HAVE A SEAT WE CAN USE AND NO OPERATING SEATBELT. I TRIED TO GET THE ROLL TO RELEASE THEN TOOK IT TO A DEALER WHO REFUSED TO WARRANTY IT SINCE I TRIED TO UNJAM IT. *TR

PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILED TO ALLOW THE BELT TO BE PULLED FROM THE RETRACTOR FAR ENOUGH FOR THE CLIP TO SECURE IN THE LATCH. INTERMITTENT PROBLEM BEGAN WITH THE FRONT PASSENGER RESTRAINT AFTER 1 MONTH OF USE, 'LOCKING UP' AT A DIFFERENT LENGTH WITH EACH ATTEMPT. ATTEMPTS ARE ALWAYS MADE WITH THE CAR AT A COMPLETE STOP. PROBLEM HAS INCREASED IN FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY OVER TIME. AFTER 2 MONTHS OF USE THE PROBLEM IS CONSTANT, OFTEN TAKING OVER 15 ATTEMPTS TO EXTEND THE BELT FULLY. ON ONE OCCASION, THE BELT WASN'T ALLOWED TO EXTEND FROM THE RETRACTOR ANY DISTANCE AT ALL. DRIVER AND REAR PASSENGER RETRACTORS HAVE BEGUN TO SHOW SAME PROBLEMS.