2004 VOLVO XC70 Complaints

24 JUNE 2011, GOT IN TO MY 2004 VOLVO XC70, APPX 90000 MILES ON GERMAN ROADS, TO DRIVE OFF TO WORK IN THE MORNING. HEARD LOUD SCREECHING NOISE NEAR THE RIGHT WHEEL WELL WHEN I PLACED THE CAR ON DRIVE TO MOVE FORWARD. NEXT THING YOU KNOW, I HAVE A SEVERE AIR LEAK IN THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE. JUST A DAY PRIOR, THE CAR WAS DRIVEN THROUGH THE DAY WITHOUT ANY SYMPTOMS OF PROBLEM AND PARKED IN THE DRIVE WAY WITH NO ISSUES. WHEN I PULLED THE TIRE OFF, I FOUND THE SPRING SNAPPED IN TWO PIECES WITH SHARP ENDS. GOOD THING THIS DID NOT HAPPENED ON THE AUTOBAHN. WE COULD HAVE HAD ANOTHER AMERICAN SOLDIER OR FAMILY ON THE FRONT PAGE OF GERMAN AND AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS AND DIGITAL MEDIA. *TR

MY 2004 VOLVO XC70 DIED TWICE NIGHT AND ONCE DURING THE DAY WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED ON TWO CROWDED HIGHWAYS AROUND NEW YORK CITY. THE ENGINE TOTALLY SHUT OFF, THE LIGHTS WENT OUT AND LUCKILY I WAS GOING FAST ENOUGH TO ROLL OVER TO THE SHOULDER. THIS IS A CAR I KEEP REGULARLY MAINTAINED AT A VOLVO DEALER SERVICE CENTER AS WELL. SOMEONE MADE ME AWARE OF A VOLVO CUSTOMER BLOG WHERE SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

2004 VOLVO XC70: I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY GARAGE AND IMMEDIATELY HEARD A GRINDING SOUND. I THEN HEARD A WHOOSHING SOUND. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SPRING COIL CRACKED AND PUNCTURED (AND RUINED) A FOUR WEEK OLD TIRE. THERE WAS NO WARNING THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. I WAS LUCKY THAT I WASN'T ON THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE HAD A SUDDEN TIRE BLOWOUT. SUBARU HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH SPRING COILS AND HAD A RECALL TO INSTALL SHIELD TO PROTECT TIRE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO XC70 EQUIPPED WITH GOOD YEAR ASSURANCE TRIPLETRED TIRES, SIZE 215/65/R16. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WHEN THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE SUDDENLY EXPLODED. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND THEN COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A TIRE DEALER AND THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE AND THAT THE IRE POSSIBLY WAS NOT PROPERLY INFLATED, CAUSING THE FAILURE. THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 13,000.

BROKEN FRONT COIL SPRING ON DRIVERS SIDE. OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING, WHICH POPPED TIRE, AND REQUIRED STABILIZER LINK TO BE REPLACED.

SEAT HEATER SHORTED OUT CAUSING FIRE IN SEAT FOAM RUBBER BURNING THROUGH SEAT COVER.

NOTICED A SEVERE CHANGE FOR THE WORSE IN THE HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS OF MY VOLVO XC 70 AWD VEHICLE. LOST AWD CAPABILITY, CONFIRMED BY FRONT WHEELS SLIPPING IN LIGHT SNOW. DEALER INSPECTION IDENTIFIED FAILED ANGLE GEAR AND COUPLER, REPAIR PRICE $2500.00 NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. OWNER REPLACED ANGLE GEAR WITH REBUILD UNIT FROM SALVAGE AND A NEW COUPLER.

COMPLAINT CENTERS ON A 2004 VOLVO XC70. AFTER A MINIMAL AMOUNT OF ONLINE RESEARCH, I FIND THAT THERE ARE MANY OWNERS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS. RECENTLY, AFTER DRIVING VEHICLE PAST INITIAL "WARM-UP" STAGE AN ELECTRONIC ANOMALY OCCURS AT RANDOM INTERVALS, AT SPEEDS RANGING FROM 1 - 65 MPH. THE ANOMALY ALWAYS INVOLVES A SUDDEN "JOLT" AS IF THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED, AND IS ALSO CHARACTERIZED BY VARIOUS OTHER ELECTRONIC OCCURRENCES. THESE CAN INCLUDE "LEFT REAR DOOR OPEN" LIGHT, ALL INTERIOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATING, DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER TURNING ON, "SRS AIRBAG" URGENT MESSAGE, "BRAKE FAILURE" NOTIFICATION, AND LOSS OF ALL DASHBOARD INSTRUMENTATION INCLUDING LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS. ANY ONE OF THESE OCCURRENCES ARE AN IMMEDIATE ATTENTION-GRABBER WHILE BEHIND THE WHEEL AND CREATE A SITUATION DETRIMENTAL TO SAFE VEHICLE OPERATION. THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE IS NOW AT AN AUTHORIZED VOLVO DEALER FOR THE SECOND TIME (HAD TO BE TOWED THE FIRST TIME) FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP PERFORMED SOFTWARE UPDATE FIRST VISIT WHICH DID NOT FIX PROBLEM. NOW DEALERSHIP THINKS IT MAY BE CENTRAL ELECTRONICS MODULE, A $1000+ FIX, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO XC70. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED. THE FAILURE PERSISTED FOR APPROXIMATELY FOUR MONTHS BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE FAILURE AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. SHE THEN CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY WERE WILLING TO TAKE THE LIABILITY FOR A PORTION OF THE REPAIR COSTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,544 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO XC70. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD MAKE A VIOLENT JERK WHEN ACCELERATING AND DECELERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT SHE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THERE WAS ALSO A FAILURE WITH THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL AFTER SHE TRIED TO DECELERATE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE WITHIN THE ABS MODULE AND IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIRS FOR THE ABS MODULE HAD NOT BEEN PERFORMED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 53,000. UPDATED 02/07/11 *BF UPDATED 02/14/11