2003 VOLVO XC70 Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLVO XC70. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL STRONG FUEL ODOR COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD EXPERIENCE HESITATION WITH STARTING AND DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLVO XC70. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A STRONG FUEL ODOR EMITTED INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO FUEL VISIBLE ON THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO BOTH CONFIRMED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V483000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLVO XC70. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, A CAR WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT-HAND TURN ACROSS FOUR LANES OF TRAFFIC. THE PERSON, APPARENTLY, DID NOT SEE ME AND STRUCK THE SIDE OF MY VEHICLE BREAKING THE TIRE ROD AND DOING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE PASSENGER FRONT AND BACK DOORS. THE GLOVE BOX WAS EVEN DIFFICULT TO OPEN. IN ALL OF THIS, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. MY SON WHO IS 14 AND IS 170 POUNDS WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AT THE TIME. HE IS QUITE SORE ALONG HIS ARM AND NECK. IN 2012, I POSTED A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE CAR HAVING A DIM PROBLEM AND HOW THE VOLVO MECHANIC SAID THE DIM PROBLEM COULD CAUSE AIRBAG PROBLEMS, BUT AFTER HAVING THE DIM PROBLEM FIXED, I WAS TOLD THE AIRBAGS SHOULD DEPLOY. IN 2012, I POSTED THE FOLLOWING COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA AND CAN BE READ ONLINE: "I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 VOLVO XC70 AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT (55MPH) WHEN THE DASHBOARD SUDDENLY WENT BLACK AND ALL OF THE GAUGES, INCLUDING SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, GAS GAUGE, AND CLOCK STOPPED WORKING. EVERY WARNING LIGHT LIT UP. THE VOLVO DEALER ADMITTED THEY HAD SEEN THIS ISSUE BEFORE. THE COST TO REPLACE THE DIM WAS OVER $1400.00 AND I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PAY IT SINCE I WAS NOT GOING TO DRIVE MY CAR WITH NO SPEEDOMETER OR GAS GAUGE. THE DIM REPLACEMENT IS NOW ONLY WARRANTED FOR TWO YEARS, SO I MAY FIND MYSELF IN THE EXACT SAME BOAT IN THE FUTURE IF THE NEW DIM ALSO FAILS. RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE ONLINE, I FOUND THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM, PARTICULARLY FOR 2003 VOLVO MODELS. AFTER FINDING THE NHTSA WEBSITE, I ALSO FOUND THAT SOMEONE ELSE HAD RECENTLY REPORTED THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AND ALSO NOTED THAT THE DIM FAILURE COULD IMPACT THE PROPER OPERATION OF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM...." *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLVO XC70. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EMITTED A FUEL ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 169,000.

I PURCHASED THIS 2003 VOLVO XC70 RECENTLY AND A FEW WEEKS AFTER DRIVING IT I NOTICED A BAD SMELL OF GAS. I LOOKED AROUND AND DID NOT SEE ANYTHING LEAKING. I KEPT DRIVING DAILY AND SMELLED GAS EVERY SINGLE TIME THE CAR WAS ON. I BECAME VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE I DRIVE WITH MY 6 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER IN THE CAR. AFTER SOME TIME I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A GAS LEAK COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR AND THIS BECAME A VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS SITUATION. I AUTOMATICALLY DROVE TO THE NEAREST MECHANIC SHOP AND GOT THE CAR LOOKED AT. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND CAN NOT BE DRIVEN BECAUSE THE CAR CAN CATCH FIRE OR EVEN EXPLODE. AFTER SOME RESEARCH AND AFTER HEARING BACK FROM THE MECHANIC I LEARNED THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE FUEL PUMP ON THIS MODEL CAR AND THIS IS EXACTLY THE PROBLEM. I REACHED OUT TO VOLVO AND THEY TELL ME THAT MY VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL AND THAT THEY WILL ONLY PAY FOR THE PART. I HAVE PLENTY OF PICTURES SHOWING THE DEFECT IN THE FUEL PUMP. I FIND THIS RIDICULOUS SINCE THEY KNOW THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH THESE CARS. MY FAMILY AND I COULD HAVE DIED FROM BEING IN THIS CAR GOD FORBID AND NOW I AM STUCK WITH THIS BILL FROM THE MECHANIC DUE TO VOLVO'S FAILURE/DEFECT. VOLVO IS KNOWN FOR HAVING THE SAFEST CARS IN THE WORLD WHICH IS WHY I DECIDED TO PURCHASE THIS CAR FOR MY FAMILY, AND NOW I AM STUCK WITH A BILL FOR THERE DEFECT AND CAN NOT FIND HELP OR ANSWERS. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN SUDDENLY MY GAS GAUGE DROPPED BELOW EMPTY AND ALL MY GAUGES STOPPED WORKING INCLUDING THE CLOCK, BLINKERS, SPEEDOMETER AND THE DIGITAL INFORMATION COMPUTER PANEL THAT INDICATES HOW MANY MILES LEFT TO A GALLON, ETC. THIS WAS QUITE DANGEROUS AS I COULD NO LONGER SEE THE SPEED OF TRAVEL, HOW MUCH GAS I HAD LEFT, THE TIME NOR COULD I USE MY BLINKERS TO INDICATE LANE CHANGES. THERE WAS NO WARNING OR INDICATION THAT THE SPEEDOMETER PANEL WOULD JUST DIE OUT! *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 VOLVO XC70 AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT (55MPH) WHEN THE DASHBOARD SUDDENLY WENT BLACK AND ALL OF THE GAUGES, INCLUDING SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, GAS GAUGE, AND CLOCK STOPPED WORKING. EVERY WARNING LIGHT LIT UP. THE VOLVO DEALER ADMITTED THEY HAD SEEN THIS ISSUE BEFORE. THE COST TO REPLACE THE DIM WAS OVER $1400.00 AND I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PAY IT SINCE I WAS NOT GOING TO DRIVE MY CAR WITH NO SPEEDOMETER OR GAS GAUGE. THE DIM REPLACEMENT IS NOW ONLY WARRANTED FOR TWO YEARS, SO I MAY FIND MYSELF IN THE EXACT SAME BOAT IN THE FUTURE IF THE NEW DIM ALSO FAILS. RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE ONLINE, I FOUND THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM, PARTICULARLY FOR 2003 VOLVO MODELS. AFTER FINDING THE NHTSA WEBSITE, I ALSO FOUND THAT SOMEONE ELSE HAD RECENTLY REPORTED THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AND ALSO NOTED THAT THE DIM FAILURE COULD IMPACT THE PROPER OPERATION OF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. CLEARLY, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT IS AFFECTING MORE THAN JUST A FEW ISOLATED VOLVO OWNERS. VOLVO SHOULD ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM, ISSUE A RECALL AND PAY FOR THESE REPAIRS. THE DIM MODULE IS A COMPUTER PART AND ITS FAILURE IS OBVIOUSLY NOT THE RESULT OF EXPECTED "WEAR AND TEAR." INSTEAD, IT APPEARS TO BE A DEFECTIVE PART THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD REPLACE TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS THAT CAN BE CAUSED BY THE SUDDEN LOSS OF THE DASHBOARD SYSTEM AND POSSIBLE NEGATIVE EFFECT ON THE OPERATION OF THE AIRBAGS. PLEASE DO WHAT YOU CAN TO HAVE VOLVO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *TR

I PURCHASED MY (2003) VOLVO XC70 IN LATE 2006 FROM I SERVICE IT REGULARLY AND DO ROUTINE MAINTENANCE CHECKS. ABOUT A MONTH AGO THE CAR BEGAN TO JERK AND HESITATE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION FOR $5700. THE CAR HAS 71000 MILES ON IT. *TT

THE DRIVER INFORMATION MODULE (DIM) ON MY 2003 VOLVO XC70 BEGAN INTERMITTENTLY GOING OUT. DURING THIS TIME, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A VOLVO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE DIM WAS BAD AND WOULD NEED TO BE RE-MANUFACTURED AS IT IS A "CAR SPECIFIC" PART. THE COST OF THE JOB WAS GOING TO BE AROUND $1,400.00. I COULD NOT AFFORD THE REPAIR. AWHILE LATER, THE DIM WENT COMPLETELY OUT LEAVING WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO SEE HOW FAST I'M DRIVING, HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE, WARNING LIGHTS, ETC. WHEN THE DIM WENT COMPLETELY OUT, I BEGAN DOING A GREAT DEAL OF RESEARCH OB THIS PROBLEM TO SEE IF I COULD HAVE THE DIM REPAIRED/REPLACED CHEAPER THAN I WAS QUOTED BY THE DEALER. UPON RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT A GREAT NUMBER OF 2003 VOLVO XC70 OWNERS WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. MANY VOLVO MECHANICS AND OWNERS, REFER TO THIS PROBLEM AS NOT BEING UNUSUAL. IN ADDITION, NOT HAVING A DIM POSES MANY, OBVIOUS SAFETY HAZARDS, SUCH AS SPEEDING, CAR BREAKING DOWN ON THE ROAD, ETC. ALSO, I WAS TOLD BY THE VOLVO MECHANIC THAT DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT A FUNCTIONING DIM COULD PREVENT MY AIRBAGS FROM DEPLOYING. FINALLY, I NOTICED THAT MANY OWNERS WERE REPLACING THE DIM'S WHICH IS LEADING TO A NUMBER OF CARS THAT DO NOT SHOW CORRECT MILEAGE FOR THE VEHICLE. APPARENTLY, ONE CAN REPLACE THE DIM WITH A USED DIM, MUCH CHEAPER, BUT BECAUSE THE DIM IS A "CAR SPECIFIC" PART, ONCE THE DIM IS REPLACED THE DIM WILL NOTE THE MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE THAT THE DIM CAME OUT OF. IN MY NON-EXPERT, HUMBLE OPINION, IF THIS PROBLEM HAS BECOME "NORMAL," THE PROBLEM SHOULD BE COVERED BY VOLVO; IT SEEMS THAT THE PRODUCTION WAS FAULTY. IN ADDITION, VOLVO SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE CONSIDERING THE FAULTY DIM IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR