2007 VOLVO XC90 Complaints

DURING ROUTINE XC-90 MAINTENANCE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT TIE ROD END HAD FAILED. NO INDICATION DURING NORMAL DRIVING OR ANY VISIBLE INDICATIONS, I.E. ABNORMAL TIRE WEAR WAS APPARENT. VEHICLE WAS NEVER IN AN ACCIDENT OR HIT ANY ABNORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, I.E. POT HOLES, CURBS, RAILROAD CROSSINGS ETC. WERE ENCOUNTERED IN WHICH TO CAUSE THE TIE ROD TO FAIL. TIE ROD END WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $250.00 INCLUDING 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT. *TR

THE HEADLIGHTS STARTED TO FLICKER A FEW MONTHS AGO. AT FIRST I THOUGHT I WAS IMAGINING IT UNTIL THEY STARTED TO BRIEFLY BLINK, I STILL WAS NOT SURE IT WAS HAPPENING. TONIGHT, AS I WAS DRIVING HOME, THE LIGHTS ABRUPTLY TURNED OFF. I STOPPED THE CAR AS I WAS DRIVING WITH NO HEADLIGHTS AND NOTICED A WARNING LIGHT THAT SAID LOW BEAM FAILURE. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AND THE HEADLIGHTS STARTED TO WORK AGAIN. ON THE 30 MINUTE DRIVE HOME, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD BLINK OFF AND ON; SOMETIMES ONE WOULD WORK, SOMETIMES NEITHER WOULD WORK. VERY UNSAFE!!! I'M VERY UPSET TO READ THAT THIS IS A KNOWN COMPLAINT AND VOLVO HAS NOT ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM. WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF IN THE DARK, I HAD BOTH OF MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR WITH ME. IT'S HORRIBLE THEY WOULD ALLOW THIS KNOWN PROBLEM TO GO UNRESOLVED. THAT'S PLAYING WITH PEOPLE'S LIVES. *TR

DESPITE VOLVO'S KNOWLEDGE OF PROBLEMS WITH THE XC90 TRANSMISSION, WHEN IT FAILED COMPLETELY, I TOOK IT TO AN AAMCO DEALER BECAUSE THERE WAS NO LOCAL VOLVO DEALER. THE TACH WAS ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT AND THE WHEELS WOULD DO NOTHING. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS. DESPITE HAVE THE EXTENDED 100K WARRANTY, AND THIS PRIOR KNOWLEDGE, VOLVO CORPORATE REFUSED TO ASSIST IN ANY WAY WITH THE $6K COST OF THE REPAIRS BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE IT REPAIRED AT A VOLVO DEALER. I WAS TOLD BY AAMCO THAT IT WAS DANGEROUS TO BE DRIVING. I WOULD NEVER OWN ANOTHER VOLVO OF ANY TYPE. *TR

THE DRIVER SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT KEEPS MELTING THE PLASTIC CONNECTOR. I HAVE REPLACED THE CONNECTOR AND HAD ALL THE WIRING AND OTHER COMPONENTS CHECKED ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE DEALER SAYS NOTHING CAN BE DONE TO FIX THIS ISSUE. IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT A LUXURY BRAND LIKE VOLVO IS VERY AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND DOES NOTHING TO ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM. *TR

WHEN RESTARTING MY CAR IN AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PICK-UP LINE, THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN. THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT "STUCK" AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED AND BECAUSE IT COULD NOT BE PUT INTO NEUTRAL, IT HAD TO BE DRAGGED ONTO THE TOW TRUCK BED. THE LOCK CYLINDER HAS FAILED. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT WE WILL BE WITHOUT THE CAR FOR 7 DAYS. *TR

VEHICLE HAD GROWLING NOISE THAT WAS SYNCHRONOUS WITH VEHICLE SPEED. THE NOISE GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AS THE SPEED INCREASED. ON NOVEMBER 25, 2011, LOCAL VOLVO DEALER DIAGNOSED NOISE AS RIGHT AND LEFT WHEEL BEARING FAILURES SINCE NOISE WAS EMANATING FROM THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE WHEEL HUBS. NOTE VEHICLE IS ABOUT 4.5 YEARS OLD, NEVER IN AN ACCIDENT WITH ONLY 21771 MILES ON THE OD. *TR

VOLVO XC90 USES "DRUM IN HAT" PARKING BRAKE DESIGN FOR REAR WHEELS OF VEHICLE. WHETHER ENGAGED OR NOT, THE FRICTION (LINING) MATERIAL FOR THE PARKING BRAKE CAN SEPARATE CATASTROPHICALLY FROM THE SHOE AND LODGE AGAINST THE INSIDE OF THE DRUM, CAUSING ONE OR BOTH OF THE REAR WHEELS TO LOCK UP, DRIVELINE DAMAGE, LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND/OR BRAKING COMPONENT DAMAGE. UPON INQUIRY TO DEALER (SECOR VOLVO OF NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT), THIS PROBLEM IS KNOWN TO DEALER AND/OR VOLVO. *TR

FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE HAS BECOME DIFFICULT TO UNLATCH. THE BUTTON MUST BE PRESSED MULTIPLE TIMES TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. *TR

JULY 4, 2010 IN REPLY TO: VIN# [XXX] VOLVO CARS OF NORTH AMERICA CUSTOMER CARE CENTER 1VOLVO DRIVE ROCKLEDGE, NJ 07647-0914 DEAR VOLVO CARS OF NORTH AMERICA, SUBJECT: VOLVO XC90 WARRANTY/SAFETY ISSUE I HAVE RETURNED MY VOLVO XC90 ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS FOR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM RELATED PROBLEMS TO INCLUDE THREE SEPARATE INCIDENTS OF THE POSITION INDICATOR LIGHT BURNING OUT, MULTIPLE BULB FAILURES AND TIRE PRESSURE SYSTEM WARNINGS. MY VOLVO REPAIR SHOP TOLD ME THAT THESE WERE UNRELATED NORMAL REPAIRS AND THAT I SHOULD NOT BE CONCERNED AFTER THE LATEST INCIDENT OF THE TIRE SYSTEM MALFUNCTION I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHO TROUBLESHOOT MY VEHICLE, PUT THE VEHICLE ON A LIFT AND SHOWED ME A WIRING HARNESS THAT WAS WET FROM BEING LOCATED DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLES AC I BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. THE WIRING HARNESS HAS ALREADY DEVELOPED RUST WHICH INDICATES CONSISTENT WATER IMMERSION AND I WAS TOLD THIS SHOULD BE A CAUSE FOR CONCERN AS THIS SITUATION COULD LEAD TO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE, SHORTS, SHOCKS OR VEHICLE FIRE. I AM REQUESTING THAT THIS ISSUE BE FIXED AND SOME TYPE OF WARRANTY EXTENSION BE PROVIDED TO PROTECT FROM ANY FUTURE REPAIRS THAT MAY BE CAUSED BY THIS DEFECT. [XXX] CC:NHTSA INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE 3 MONTHS AFTER BRAKE SYSTEM SERVICE BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. I HAD MY 2007 VOLVO XC90 SERVICED BY MOMENTUM VOLVO IN HOUSTON TEXAS. THEY HAVE SERVICED BRAKE SYSTEM AND INSTALLED NEW BRAKE PADS. 3 MONTHS LATER, THE BRAKE SYSTEM STARTED TO PERFORM POORLY, CAR WAS UNSTABLE WHEN BRAKING AND BRAKES WOULD MAKE A SCREECHING NOISE. ANOTHER VOLVO DEALER DIAGNOSED FAILURE OF BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS AND INSTALLED NEW PARTS FOR A COST OF $600.00 VOLVO CLAIMS THAT THIS IS NOT WARRANTY RELATED ITEM EVEN THOUGH THE PARTS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED ONLY 3 MONTHS AGO. I BELIEVE, THIS PROBLEM IS SERIOUS ENOUGH FOR CONSIDERATION FOR A RECALL AS CONSUMERS MY NOT BE AWARE OF POOR BRAKE SYSTEM CONDITION SOON AFTER THE BRAKE SYSTEM SERVICE AND THIS MAY LEAD TO AN UNSAFE OR HAZARDOUS SITUATION. *TR