2003 VOLVO XC90 Complaints

WE BOUGHT OUR 2003 VOLVO XC90 T6 IN JULY OF 2005 WITH 40,000 MILES FROM A DEALER WHO STATED IT WAS A LOCAL TRADE IN. I MET THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE CAR AFTER WE PURCHASED IT AND WAS TOLD THEY GOT "RID OF IT" BECAUSE OF SO MANY TRIPS TO THE DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE SAME VOLVO DEALER WHO DID NORMAL MAINTENANCE AT FIRST, BUT THEN THINGS STARTED TO GO DOWNHILL FROM THERE. WE HAD A "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT THAT WOULD NOT GO OFF AFTER NUMEROUS COMPUTER DOWNLOADS. WE WERE TOLD THE COMPUTER HAD TO RESET ITSELF FOR THIS TO GO OFF. IT IS STILL ON AS OF TODAY. WE REPLACED BOTH TURBOS ON THIS MODEL IN JUNE OF '08 FOR OVER $6,000.00 AND ONLY 70,000 MILES. THE CAR SAT AT THE DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR OVER A MONTH AND THEY HAD TO BRING IN A VOLVO EXPERT FOR THIS REPAIR. IN SEPT. OF THIS YEAR THEY ARE BOTH NEEDING TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT I COULD ONLY GET 25,000 MILES FROM THIS REPAIR. IF I HAD KNOWN THEN, I WOULD HAVE TRADED IT IMMEDIATELY. ALSO IN '08 THE "SERVICE TRANSMISSION URGENT" LIGHT CAME ON. THERE WAS CLUNKING AND GRINDING IN THE TRANSMISSION SO WE TOWED IT TO THE DEALER (AGAIN). THE PROBLEM WAS A YAW SENSOR FAILURE WITH WAS REPLACED AT THE DEALER. THIS IS WHERE I BELIEVE OUR NEW PROBLEM STARTED. WE NOW HAVE THE LIGHT ON AGAIN. IT SLIPS IN 1ST GEAR AND SOMETIMES GETS CAUGHT IN 3RD AND WON'T COME OUT. THIS, AS WE HAVE NOW FOUND OUT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. I HAVE FOUND OVER 1,800 XC90 OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. WE ARE LOOKING AT OVER $11,000.00 FOR BOTH OF THESE REPAIRS AND I HONESTLY CANNOT SEE SPENDING THIS ON A CAR THAT IS WORTH ONLY $14,000.00!!!!! I NEED HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM FROM VOLVO NORTH AMERICA OR FROM THE DEALER. I HAVE FRIENDS WITH VOLVOS WITH OVER 300,000 MILES. I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE MINE THAT LONG, BUT I GUESS MY SLOGAN IS "FIX FOR LIFE" NOT "VOLVO FOR LIFE" . *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLVO XC90. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING SHE SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL EMANATING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY, AND THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 67131.

ACCUMULATION OF AIRBORNE DEBRIS SUCH AS LEAVES AND DIRT IN THE DRAIN TUBES FOR THE SUN ROOF PLUGS DRAINS CAUSING WATER TO RUN INTO CABIN AND ACCUMULATE (GALLONS) UNDER CARPETING ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES. YAW SENSOR IS UNDER PASSENGER SEAT AND FAILS DUE TO EXPOSURE TO WATER. SKID CONTROL SYSTEM FAILS WITHOUT INPUT FROM YAW SENSOR. MUCH ONLINE RESEARCH WAS REQUIRED TO LEARN CAUSE OF FAILURE BECAUSE DEALER DENIED THERE WAS WATER AND THAT FAILURE OF SENSOR WAS PROBABLY DUE TO TILTING THE CAR ON JACK OR OTHER, UNSEATING COMPONENT IN SENSOR. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION (WITHOUT WARNING) IN MY 2003 VOLVO XC90 T6 WENT OUT (NO REVERSE & WONT SHIFT OUT OF 3RD GEAR). IT IS AN AUTOMATIC. THERE ARE MANY OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM IT HAS BEEN INDEPENDENTLY DIAGNOSED AS A DEFECT WITH THE PARTICULAR TRANSMISSION THAT VOLVO CHOOSE TO PUT IN THIS MODEL VEHICLE. MOST OWNERS HAVE BEEN TOLD BY DEALERS THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE FOR THEM (MOST PROBLEMS OCCUR BETWEEN 40 - 60,000 MILES & ARE OUT OF WARRANTY) EXCEPT SELL THEM A NEW OR REBUILT TRANSMISSION (APPROX. $5,000). MY VEHICLE HAS 75K MILES & I HAVE MY VEHICLE AT A REPAIR SHOP WAITING TO SEE WHAT MY OPTIONS ARE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY TWO MECHANICS THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TR

I OWN A 2003 VOLVO XC90 T6. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ONCE AT 66,000 MILES AND WAS REPLACED. AT THAT TIME VOLVO PAID 50% OF THE COST. MY COST WAS $2,700. IT HAS NOW FAILED AGAIN AT 107,000 AND IS NOW AWAITING ITS THIRD TRANSMISSION. I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT AT VOLVO CUSTOMER SERVICE ON THE WEBSITE . VOLVO IS OFFERING TO PROVIDE THE PARTS IF I PAY FOR THE LABOR. THE CAR FAILED ON THE NEW YORK TURNPIKE CREATING A DANGEROUS, SCARY SITUATION. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A VOLVO DEALER IN ALBANY, NY. I LIVE IN COLUMBUS OHIO. I NEEDED TO RENT A CAR @ A COST OF $355 TO RETURN TO COLUMBUS. THE CAR IS IN ALBANY AWAITING REPAIR. I HAVE RECEIVED A CALL FROM BETTY WITH VOLVO, TELEPHONE 800-458-1552 X 1977. VOLVO WILL COVER THE PARTS IF I COVER LABOR. THE LABOR WILL COST $1,800. I WILL ALSO NEED TO INCUR THE COST OF A PLANE TICKET TO RETURN TTO ALBANY. DUE TO THE HIGH COSTS I WILL NEED TO INCUR TO FIX THE CAR UNDER VOLVO'S CURRENT OFFER, I WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER MY OPTIONS. THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP IN THIS MATTER. *TR

2003 VOLVO XC90 - TRANSMISSION IS "STUCK" IN 3RD GEAR. I JUST FOUND OUT THE TRANSMISSION IS BUILT BY GM. NO WONDER THERE IS A PROBLEM! THE DEALER SAID TO "FIX" THE PROBLEM WOULD BR $6K+. HE SAID THE AXLE HAD LEAKED GREASE INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND IS CAUSING THE ISSUE. GM BUILT THE TRANSMISSION AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HEARD OR READ ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. THE CAR IS SLUGGISH FROM A DEAD STOP WHICH IS DANGEROUS AND WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. IF VOLVO CARES ABOUT THEIR REPUTATION THIS MUST BE ADDRESSED AND OF COURSE GM SHOULD WORK OUT SOMETHING WITH THE DRIVE TRAIN MANUFACTURE. FAITH IN VOLVO HAS BEEN DAMAGED. NONE OF THE DEALERSHIPS SEEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ISSUE IS OR HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM WITHOUT REPLACING THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION. THERE WILL BE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO LACK OF PERFORMANCE IF NOT ALREADY. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE. ALSO, ONE WOULD THINK THE TRANSMISSION COULD SEIZE UP AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. MY COMPLAINT IS THIS IS A PURE PRODUCT QUALITY CONTROL ISSUE. PLEASE ADDRESS AND/OR ADVISE HOW TO RESOLVE. *TR

THE VOLVO XC90 T6 MODEL HAS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION. MY 2003 XC90 T6 WITH LESS THAN 65K MILES ON IT HAD THE TRANSMISSION FAIL. I WAS DRIVING DOWN A LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAY (HWY100 IN MINNEAPOLIS) WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. I COULD NOT DRIVE OVER 30 MPH ON THIS FAST MOVING HIGHWAY. IN RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, IT IS PAINFUL CLEAR THAT THIS MODEL HAS AN EXTENSIVE HISTORY OF TRANSMISSION FAILURES. TIME AND TIME AGAIN T6 OWNERS ARE HAVING TO REPLACE TRANSMISSIONS SOMETIMES TWICE WITH LESS THAN 120K MILES ON THEIR VEHICLES. VOLVO IS NOT STEPPING UP TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. IT IS GOING TO TAKE AN ACCIDENT OR GOD FORBID INJURY OR DEATH FOR THEM TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM. *TR

MY 2003 VOLVO XC90'S TRANSMISSION WENT OUT JUST TEN DAYS AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. VOLVO CUSTOMER SERVICE OFFERED A GOOD FAITH REPAIR BUT STILL COST ME SEVERAL THOUSAND OUT-OF-POCKET IN REPAIR COSTS. SIX WEEKS AFTER REPAIR, I HAVE A PUDDLE ON MY GARAGE FLOOR. THIS PROBLEM, WITH THE T6 TRANSMISSION, IS RATHER COMMON AND WELL-DOCUMENTED. IF THE PROBLEM IS SO PREVALENT, WHY IS THERE NOT A FULL RECALL OR BETTER FIX? I AM NOT SATISFIED WITH THIS CAR. *TR

RECEIVED A TRANSMISSION URGENT SERVICE WARNING LIGHT. TOOK THE CAR TO DEALER AND THEY STATED I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. CAR HAS 62,000 MILES AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED AT VOLVO. I DID A SEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND OVER 200 COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME FAILURES I STATED. VOLVO WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. DAYS AFTER COMPLETING A 90,000 MILE SERVICE AND OTHER REPAIRS (BRAKES, BROKEN ENGINE MOUNT BRACKET) AND TRIP TO BOSTON FROM WASHINGTON DC, THE "TRANSMISSION SERVICE URGENT" MESSAGE CAME UP FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE NEW IN 2003 FROM DON BEYER VOLVO IN FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NEW YEAR'S EVE DURING A SNOW STORM IN THE BOSTON AREA. THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP WAS CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAY. ON JANUARY 2, 2009, WE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO DALZELL VOLVO IN DEDHAM, MASSACHUSETTS. AFTER CONDUCTING A DIAGNOSTIC TEST, THE SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING AND THAT RADIATOR FLUID HAD MIXED WITH THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. I WAS QUOTED A PRICE OF $7000 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION, RADIATOR, AND RELATED EQUIPMENT. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE, I DISCOVERED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE IS WIDESPREAD FOR XC90 MODEL YEARS 2003-2004 AND THAT THIS SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE IS WELL-KNOWN BY VOLVO. THE VEHICLES COVERING THESE MODEL YEARS SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSIONS. *TR