2004 VOLVO XC90 Complaints

GRINDING NOISE IN DRIVE TRAIN RF WHEEL BEARING SEIZED , REPLACED FOR 257.50 LABOR CHARGE. VEHICLE IS MAKING NOISE AGAIN NOW. *TR

APPROXIMATELY 10 MONTHS AGO MY 2004 VOLVO XC-90 AWD HAD A COMPLETE FAILURE OF MY RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING AT 68,000 MILES. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED REPAIRING BOTH WHEEL BEARINGS SINCE "IT IS A COMMON FAILURE ON VOLVO VEHICLES" WITH THAT IN MIND, I HAD THEM BOTH REPLACED AT A SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL COST TO ME. NOW, I HAVE BEEN TOLD THE ANGLE GEAR (WHICH DRIVES AWD AND IS DIRECTLY TIED TO THE REAR WHEELS) HAS "BURNT OUT" AND IS (ACCORDING TO MY SERVICE ADVISOR) "TIED TO THE PREVIOUS WHEEL BEARING ISSUE" I HAD JUST 19, 000 MILES AGO. THE COST FOR THIS REPAIR IS $2900 ($1875 JUST FOR THE PART) ALL AT ANOTHER HUGE COST TO ME. ALL IN ALL, I'VE SPENT OVER $4100 DOLLARS ON THE REAR WHEEL/ANGLE GEARS - NOTHING YOU SHOULD EVER HAVE TO DO BEFORE THE VEHICLE IS EVEN 4 YEARS OLD! UPON DOING RESEARCH AND TALKING TO OTHER VOLVO OWNERS, IT IS VERY WELL DOCUMENTED THAT THERE IS A DEFECT IN VOLVO'S DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE OF THEIR WHEEL BEARINGS AND AWD SYSTEM, YET NO ONE IS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. VOLVO JUST PROVIDES LIP SERVICE AND DOESN'T SEEM TO WANT TO ADMIT THERE IS A PROBLEM , REGARDLESS OF THE REPETITIVE COMPLAINTS THEY HAVE RECEIVED ON THESE VERY CONCERNS. I HAVE RIGOROUSLY MAINTAINED THIS VEHICLE ACCORDING TO VOLVO'S RECOMMENDATIONS AND KNOW THESE ISSUES AREN'T CAUSED BY ANY NEGLECT ON MY BEHALF. VOLVO IS PLAYING WITH PEOPLES LIVES AND MONEY BY NOT TAKING PRESCRIPTIVE STEPS TO CORRECT THESE ISSUES - ALL AT A TREMENDOUS FINANCIAL COST TO THEIR CUSTOMERS. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL BEFORE ANY SERIOUS INJURIES OR DEATHS OCCUR FROM FAILURE OF THESE CRITICAL VEHICLE PARTS, IF NOT, IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS. *TR

THE PLASTIC HEADLIGHT LENSES OF MY 2004 VOLVO XC90 HAVE BECOME CLOUDY AND APPEAR TO PREMATURELY AGING. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND BOTH THE DEALER -- DON BEYER VOLVO IN FALLS CHURCH, VA -- AND VOLVO REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM OR REPAIR IT UNDER THE VEHICLE'S WARRANTY. OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM AS WELL: HTTP://WWW.VOLVO-FORUMS.COM/T4575-XC-90-HEADLIGHT-LENS-CRAZING.HTM AND HTTP://WWW.VOLVOFORUMS.COM/M_62330/TM.HTM THE DEALERSHIP IS CALLING IT "WIND DAMAGE," WHICH MAKES NO SENSE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN IN EXTREME WEATHER AND IS ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY DRIVEN IN THE METROPOLITAN DC AREA. EVEN IF IT IS WIND DAMAGE, THEN THE COMPONENT IS DEFECTIVE AS IT IS UNABLE TO WITHSTAND THE MODERATE WINDS OF THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION. *TR

REAR HUB (BEARINGS) ON PASSENGER SIDE FAILED. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME A REAR HUB FAILED. THE FIRST TIME IN 2005 THE VEHICLE HAD 28,000 MILES. THIS TIME THE REAR WHEEL WAS HELD ON BY THE BRAKE CALIPER ACCORDING TO THE VOLVO DEALER THAT REBUILT IT. THE SECOND WAS THE DRIVER SIDE REAR HUB FAILED IN 2007 WITH 72,000 MILES. THE THIRD WAS THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR HUB THAT FAILED ABOUT A WEEK AGO. THE VEHICLE MILEAGE WAS 84,000. THIS VEHICLE IS MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER'S SCHEDULE. IT IS QUITE DANGEROUS (REFER TO THE FIRST INCIDENT). THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL WOULD SEEM TO BE THE CORRECT OUTCOME. THOUGH THERE IS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AFTER THE 50,000 MILE PERIOD THERE HAS BEEN A COST TO US. *TR

STEERING FEELS SLOPPY AND CAR PULLS TO THE LEFT. DEALER SENT IT FOR ALIGNMENT FOR MORE THAT 10 TIMES. PROBLEM NOT RECTIFIED. DEALER ALSO REPLACED THE FLANGE NUT IN THE STEERING WHEEL BUT FEELS STILL SLOPPY. *TR

I HAVE NOW EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE OF THE SECOND REAR WHEEL BEARING ON MY 2004 VOLVO XC-90 AWD, WITH THE SECOND FAILURE RESULTING IN THE PARTIAL SEPARATION OF THE WHEEL FROM THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE WHEEL BEARING, AND THESE BEARINGS SHOULD BE REPLACED IN THE FIELD BEFORE THER IS A FATALITY OR SERIOUS INJURY. ALTHOUGH VOLVO HAS REPLACED BOTH BEARINGS UNDER WARRANTY, A BRIEF INTERNET SEARCH INDICATES THIS IS A VERY COMMON FAILURE ON THIS MODEL. DAMAGE ON THE SECOND FAILURE RESULTED IN $1800 DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *JB

WE PURCHASED OUR XC90 2005 FROM GENGRAS VOLVO IN MERIDEN, CT ON DEC 24, 2006. IT IS NOW OCT 11, 2007. SINCE WE'VE HAD THE CAR WE'VE PUT AROUND 8,000 MILES ON IT. IT IS NOT OUR PRIMARY VEHICLE AND SITS PARKED IN OUR GARAGE MOST OF THE TIME. ON 10/10/07, UPON LEAVING WORK AND GETTING INTO MY SUV I SAW A RATHER LARGE PUDDLE OF WATER ON THE FLOOR OF THE DRIVER?S SIDE OF MY XC90. THE CAR OBVIOUSLY HAD BEEN PARKED OUTSIDE AND IT WAS RAINING THAT DAY. SINCE WE WERE BRINGING THE CAR INTO STAMFORD VOLVO ON 10/11/07 TO REPLACE THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS - THE SEAL ON BOTH HEADLIGHT WERE CRACKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (THESE PARTS WERE UNDER WARRANTY AND I FIGURED IT WAS BEST TO DO THAT), I ALSO REQUESTED STAMFORD CT VOLVO TO LOOK AT THE WATER PROBLEM AS WELL. ON 10/11/07, STAMFORD CT VOLVO INFORMED ME AND MY HUSBAND THAT THE SUNROOF DRAINS WERE CLOGGED AND HAVE BEEN FOR SOMETIME. WE WERE LED TO BELIEVE THAT THE PROBLEM WAS IN FACT A PRE-EXISTING CONDITION. IN FACT HE ELABORATED TO SAY THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS CAR. IT IS PROBABLY THE REASON WHY THE CAR HAS ALWAYS HAD A MUSTY ODOR TO IT. IN FACT, WE NOTICED THIS ODOR AT TIME OF PURCHASE FROM GENGRAS VOLVO IN MERIDEN, CT AND THE SALES MAN (MATTHEW MARTIN AT GENGRAS VOLVO IN MERIDEN, CT) HAD ALSO NOTICED THE ODOR AS WELL AND AT OUR REQUEST WAS GOING TO LOOKING INTO IT MORE. ON 10/11/07, I CALLED PAUL SMITH THE GENERAL MANAGER AND SUPPOSED OWNER OF GENGRAS VOLVO IN MERIDEN, CT TO NOTIFY HIM OF THE DRAIN PROBLEM AND DAMAGE TO THE INTERIOR AND TO LET HIM KNOW THAT THIS PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE SINCE IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR AND THERE WAS AN MUSTY ODOR HIS SALESMAN HAD ACKNOWLEDGED. HE IMMEDIATELY SAID IT WAS MY FAULT THAT THE DRAIN WAS CLOGGED AND HE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOT GOING TO PAY THE $150.00 TO UNCLOG THE DRAIN AND THE $800.00 TO REPAIR MY INTERIOR DAMAGE. *TR

UNSAFE FRONT SUSPENSION REPAIRED 4 TIMES BY VOLVO INVOLVING DISTRICT FACTORY TECHNICAL SUPERVISOR AND TECHNICIANS ON 3 OF FOUR OCCASIONS AND THE VEHICLE STILL HAS SERIOUS SAFETY AND HANDLING CONCERNS - NO ONE IN THE FAMILY WILL DRIVE THE CAR. IT HAS ALSO HAD SERIOUS PERFORMANCE RELATED SAFETY ISSUES REGARDING VEHICLE ELECTRONICS VIRTUALLY SHUTTING THE VEHICLE DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSTATE. ANTI SKID PROBLEMS ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. DRIVERS SEAT BELT ANCHOR WAS IMPROPERLY ATTACHED AND WOULD NOT HAVE HELD IN AN ACCIDENT. THE STEERING WHEEL CAME DANGEROUSLY LOOSE WHILE DRIVING AND THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT IT HAD NEVER BEEN PROPERLY AFFIXED. (I HAVE OWNED 300 CARS IN MY LIFE AND NEVER HAS A STEERING WHEEL COME LOOSE)! TIRES WERE ABNORMALLY BADLY AND QUICKLY DUE TO SIGNIFICANT SUSPENSION PROBLEMS AND WERE NOT WARRANTY BY THE MANUFACTURE.. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS CAUSED SEVERAL FUSES TO BLOW IN THE DARK EFFECTIVELY TURNING ALL REAR MARKER AND TAIL LIGHTS OFF. IT WAS NECESSARY TO DRIVE WITH THE HAZARD LIGHTS ON TO AVOID BEING HIT BY ANOTHER DRIVER. *TR

ON JUNE 15, 2007, WHILE ON A HIGHWAY TRAVELING 65 MPH, MY 2004 VOLVO XC90 MADE A JERK, AS IF IT HAD SUDDENLY FALLEN OUT OF GEAR. ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER, THE SAME THING HAPPENED. IT FELT AS IF SOMETHING LOCKED THE TIRES FOR AN INSTANT, THEN LET GO. ABOUT ANOTHER 5 MINUTES LATER, WE RECEIVED AN ERROR MESSAGE THAT SAID "BRAKE FAILURE, STOP SAFELY". MOMENTS LATER, WE LOST ALL CONTROL OF THE CAR - TOTAL ELECTRONIC SHUTDOWN. NO LIGHTS, NO HAZARDS, NO POWER STEERING, NO BRAKES. MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO GLIDE TO THE BREAKDOWN LANE, AND WE ROLLED UNTIL THE CAR STOPPED. WE HAD OUR TWO YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE CAR, ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, IN THE DARK. IT WAS A TERRIFYING PREDICAMENT, AND WE COULDN'T LEAVE THE CAR DUE TO THE DANGER OF NOT BEING SEEN. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED, AND A FEW DAYS LATER, THE VOLVO DEALER SAID IT WAS A $60 SOFTWARE UPGRADE THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE. AFTER THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO US, WE TOOK IT TO ANOTHER VOLVO DEALER AND HAD THEM PERFORM A 45K CHECK-UP, HAD THEM REEVALUATE THE SITUATION, AND ALSO HAD A VA STATE INSPECTION DONE, AND THEY TOLD US EVERYTHING WAS FINE. JUST BARELY 3 MONTHS LATER, IN EXACTLY THE SAME SCENARIO, THE SAME EXACT THING HAPPENED. ON 9/21/07, WE WERE ON A HIGHWAY AT NIGHT, AND ONCE AGAIN FELT THE CAR JERKING, FOLLOWED A FEW MINUTES LATER BY TOTAL ELECTRONIC FAILURE. NO LIGHTS, NO HAZARDS, NOTHING. ONCE AGAIN, WE MANAGED TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY SAFELY, BUT I FEAR THE NEXT TIME THIS HAPPENS, WE MAY NOT GET SO LUCKY. ALL 3 DEALERS THAT HAVE LOOKED AT THIS CAR HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE, WHICH IS VERY UNSETTLING, AS I CAN NEVER BE CONVINCED IT IS FIXED. I AM TERRIFIED TO EVER DRIVE MY CAR AGAIN, EVEN IF THEY DO "FIX IT". THE CAR IS CURRENTLY STILL BEING EVALUATED, SO WE DO NOT KNOW THE LATEST PROGNOSIS FOR IT. *TR

WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE THERE WAS AN OVERWHELMING SMELL OF GASOLINE. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC. THEY OBSERVED A FUEL LEAK COMING FROM FUEL PUMP HOUSING. A NEW FUEL PUMP WAS INSTALLED. *TR