2003 VOLVO XC90 Complaints

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLVO XC90, WHEN PRESSING THE POWER WINDOW SWITCH THE SWITCH SEEMED BACKWARD. WHEN PRESSING ON THE POWER WINDOW SWITCH TO PUT THE WINDOW UP SHE HAD TO PRESS THE SWITCH DOWN . TO PUT THE WINDOW DOWN SHE HAD TO PUT THE SWITCH UP. SHE INJURED HER ARM DUE TO THE MALFUNCTION OF THE POWER WINDOW SWITCH. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 35,000.*AK

FOLLOWING A LOUD "BANG", THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING A VERY LOUD AND SUSPICIOUS NOISE. MOOERS VOLVO IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA CLAIMED THAT THEY "COULD NOT RECREATE THE NOISE" AND THEREFORE WOULD NOT PERFORM ANY WARRANTY REPAIRS. A LOCAL MECHANIC AGREED THAT THE ENGINE WAS INDEED MAKING A VERY LOUD NOISE AND FOUND THAT THE PCV VACUUM TUBE ASSEMBLY WAS CRACKED. FURTHER INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT A SERVICE BULLETIN (#2-25-0038) HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT MOOERS VOLVO REFUSED TO MAKE THE REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY. *JB

WE HAD TRAVELED ABOUT 200 MILES IN THE MORNING WITH NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. WE STARTED OUT AFTER LUNCH, WENT ABOUT 200 YARDS, AND SMELLED A FAINT BURNING SMELL WE THOUGHT WAS OUTSIDE THE CAR. AFTER ABOUT ANOTHER 200 YARDS, WE WERE AT A TOLL BOOTH ENTERING THE THROUGH WAY, AND THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND PROPERLY; THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT. WE PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY, AND THERE WAS SMOKE UNDER THE DASHBOARD. WE GOT OUT. WITHIN FIVE MINUTES THE CAR WAS TOTALLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES, DESPITE ATTEMPTS TO PUT IT OUT WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. CAR WAS DESTROYED DESPITE FIRE TRUCK TRYING TO PUT OUT FLAMES. THANK GOD NO ONE WAS HURT. *JB

AN UPDATE TO ODI #10068267 REGARDING RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. THIS FAILURE ORIGINALLY OCCURRED AT 22K MILES. ANOTHER FAILURE OCCURRED IN MAY 2006 (SAME WHEEL) AT 52K MILES. I REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR WHICH WAS OVER $250. EVENTUALLY NEGOTIATED PAYING 50% OF THE LABOR AT DEALER COST (ABOUT $60) WITH VOLVO PICKING UP THE COST OF THE PART. WAS TOLD LATER BY A DIFFERENT DEALER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE THAT 'WHEEL BEARING FAILURES ARE FREQUENT ON THE XC90' AND THAT 'THE PART IS NOT ROBUST ENOUGH FOR THE SIZE OF THE VEHICLE'.

DURING THE PAST 2 WEEKS THE LOS ANGELES AREA HAS HAD A LOT OF RAIN. AFTER THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF RAIN, MY WIFE AND DISCOVERED THAT BOTH OF THE REAR PASSENGER DOORS WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE, EVEN THOUGH THE LOCK PULL KNOBS ON ALL 4 DOORS POP UP WHEN YOU CLICK "UNLOCK" ON THE REMOTE.*AK

THE CONSUMER PURCHASED NEW TIRES BECAUSE OF EXTREME WEAR AT LOW MILEAGE. THE 2003 VOLVO XC90 HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS THAT HAD TO BE CORRECTED ON A REGULAR BASIS. *BF THE LUG NUTS WERE REPLACED TWICE DUE TO RUST WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED, UNABLE TO TURN THE IGNITION, RADIO WAS INOPERATIVE AND THE LEFT DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED DUE TO THE PROBLEM WITH THE SEAT MOLDING. AFTER 15K PLUS MILES, THE TIRES HAD WORN SMOOTH TO THE CORD. (TIRE-PERRILLI SCORPION) *SC

MULTIPLE FAILURES; DOOR LOCK,TIRES WERE WORN TO THE CORD. * BF THE LUG NUTS WERE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WERE RUSTED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED, THE DOORS DID NOT FIT PROPERLY, THE RADIO FAILED, THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION, THE LEFT REAR DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED DUE TO THE PROBLEM WITH THE SEAT MOLDING AND THE TIRE DISPLAYED UNUSUAL WEAR AND WERE WORN SMOOTH TO THE CORD. THE LUG NUTS THAT WERE INSTALLED RUSTED AGAIN. (TIRES/PERRILLI SCORPIAN) *SC *JB

WHILE BACKING PUT OF A PARKING LOT POWER STEERING FAILED, VEHICLE SMOKED THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. DRIVER SUFFERED FROM SMOKE INHALATION. *AK PRIOR TO THE VEHICLE CATCHING ON FIRE THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT THE YEAR BEFORE (JULY 12, 2003). THE CONSUMER WAS PRESSING ON THE HORN WHEN THE CRASH OCCURRED. THE CONSUMERS HAND WAS ON THE WHEN THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED SEVERAL BROKEN ONES IN HER RIGHT HAND WHICH REQUIRED 2 SURGERIES, EXTENSIVE PHYSICAL THERAPY AND MANY OTHER MEDICAL PROCEDURES. *NM *LA

WHEN SHIFTING VEHICLE FROM PARK TO DRIVE VEHICLE ACCELERATED OR DECELERATED FOLLOWED BY A NOISE. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.*AK

RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILED. SYMPTOMS WERE THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 35 MPH. DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHT INDICATED THAT VEHICLE WAS AT RISK OF TIPPING. CAR WAS STRANDED ON HIGHWAY WHILE RETURNING FROM VACATION SOME 400 MILES FROM HOME. WAS ABLE TO LIMP OFF AND INVOKE VOLVO ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER WITHIN 30 MINUTES. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM FOR 2 DAYS BECAUSE NO FAULT INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED BY ON-BOARD DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER. INITIAL SUSPICION WAS A FUEL PRESSURE PROBLEM. DEALER EVENTUALLY DETERMINED THAT RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILED, WHICH CAUSED ABS SYSTEM FAULT, WHICH SIGNALED ENGINE NOT TO EXCEED 35 MPH. BEARING REPLACED. STILL WORKING THROUGH DETAILS WITH MY LOCAL DEALER AND VOLVO ZONE REP. I HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED MANY OF THE ELECTRICAL, TURBO BACK-PRESSURE "HOWL", AND FIT-AND-FINISH PROBLEMS (LOOSE MOLDINGS, DRIVER'S DOOR HANDLED) THAT HAVE BEEN REFERENCED BY OTHERS. NOT WHAT I EXPECTED FOR A VEHICLE IN THIS CATEGORY. *AK