2003 VOLVO XC90 Complaints

I OWN A VOLVO XC90 T6 AWD. THIS CAR HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TWIN TURBO-CHARGERS, THE WARNING LIGHTS, A TIRE BLOWOUT, VIBRATIONS IN THE STEERING WHEEL, ALIGNMENT ISSUES, SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE CONTROL PANEL, POOR FIT AND FINISH OF THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR PANEL AND A HOST OF OTHER FIT AND FINISH PROBLEMS. THE MOMENTUM VOLVO DEALERSHIP IN HOUSTON, TEXAS AND VOLVO NORTH AMERICA SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE DENIED ANY PROBLEMS BEING A SERIOUS OR RECURRING PROBLEM. THIS ALL TOOK PLACE IN A SPAN OF LESS THAN 10 MONTHS FOR A BRAND NEW VEHICLE.THE CAR SPENT MORE TIME IN THE SHOP THAN IN OUR POSSESSION INITIALLY. THE DEALERSHIP CONTINUED TO FIX THE RECURRING PROBLEMS AND DENIED ANY CHRONIC ISSUES EXISTED. I WISH TO ALERT NHTSA IN THE EVENT ANY OTHER OWNER OF VOLVO XC 1990 HAS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS OR A TRAGEDY OCCURS AS A RESULT OF THE PROBLEMS I HAVE LISTED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING UNDER SNOWING CONDITIONS EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED AUTOMATICALLY, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO TEMPORARILY LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.*AK WHEN THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED IT ONLY LOCKED THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED TWICE IN THE SAME DAY. *NM

I WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR-END COLLISION WITH MY 2 CHILDREN IN A VOLVO XC90. MY SEAT BACK FAILED DURING THE ACCIDENT AND I AM NOT REFERRING TO THE WHIPS SYSTEM. I SUSTAINED MULTIPLE INJURIES INCLUDING A WHIPLASH INJURY AS WELL AS INJURIES OF MY BACK AND LEFT SHOULDER THAT I BELIEVE WERE EXACERBATED BY THE SEAT BACK ASSUMING A FAIRLY RECLINED POSITION. I ALSO FEAR THAT IF EITHER OF MY CHILDREN HAD BEEN SITTING BEHIND THE DRIVERS SEAT (ESPECIALLY IN A REAR-FACING INFANT SEAT) THEY COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED AS A RESULT OF THIS FAILURE OF THE SEAT BACK. THE VOLVO DEALER/REPAIR SHOP HAS IMPLIED THAT MY WEIGHT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS FAILURE. I WEIGHED ABOUT 218-222 POUNDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. *LA

FOR BOTH OUR 2001 VOLVO S60 2.4T AND OUR 2003 VOLVO XC90 2.5T AWD THERE HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR A TRANSMISSION DEFECT (ESSENTIALLY SAME TRANSMISSION IN BOTH VEHICLES PER VOLVO TECH SUPPORT). BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD THERE IS INTERMITTENT/UNPREDICTABLE FAILURE TO ENGAGE 3RD IN TIMELY FASHION WITH RESULTANT LOSS OF ACCELERATION AS VEHICLE IS FUNCTIONALLY IN NEUTRAL WITH ENGINE RACING FOR ~0.5-2.5 SECONDS. THIS CAN BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY WHEN PULLING ON TO A HIGHWAY. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED 2 NEAR COLLISIONS (ALMOST BEING STRUCK FROM BEHIND). VOLVO TECH SUPPORT ACKNOWLEDGES A FLAW IN ENGINEERING WHEREBY SERVO FLUID AIR LOCK OCCURS IN THE 2001. A NEW TRANSMISSION IS SCHEDULED TO BE REPLACED FOR OUR S60, BUT IF THE PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURING IN OUR 2003, WILL THIS REALLY CORRECT THE PROBLEM AS THE TRANSMISSIONS ARE BASICALLY IDENTICAL? THE 2003 XC90 VOLVO SAYS CAN BE REPAIRED WITH "UPGRADED SOFTWARE" (WHICH IS SCHEDULED FOR THAT VEHICLE) BUT THIS REMEDY FAILED WHEN PERFORMED ON OUR 2001 S60. WE HAVE LET THE DEALER KNOW WE FEEL BOTH VEHICLES ARE UNSAFE WITH THIS PROBLEM AND WE ARE NOW STUCK WITH THEM TRYING TO REMEDY BOTH VEHICLES' GLARING DEFECTS. WE ARE NOT AWARE OF A FEDERALLY MANDATED RECALL TO REPAIR THIS VOLVO ACKNOWLEDGED (SAFETY) DEFECT. CAN NHTSA PURSUE THIS? *AK

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION, SEAT BELTS DO NOT LATCH, DRIVER'S SEAT RECLINES BY ITSELF. *MR THE RADIO WENT OUT AND THE ENGINE MADE A GRINDING NOISE *SCC *JB

WE BOUGHT A 2003 VOLVO XC 90 IN JANUARY 2003, THE VEHICLE IS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD AND HAS ABOUT 12,600 MILES. IN THE LAST SIX WEEKS, WE HAVE HAD FOUR SYSTEM PROBLEMS, BRAKES, CRUISE CONTROL, AC/ DEFROSTER AND MOST RECENTLY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. I BELIEVE THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS THE MOST SERIOUS PROBLEM SINCE IT FAILED TO OPERATE WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY.THE DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE STATING THAT A CORRUPT SOFTWARE WAS THE CAUSE. VOLVO USA STATED THAT THE "NEW " SOFTWARE WAS A MODIFICATION/UPGRADE WHICH IS BEING PUT IN THE 2004 VEHICLES. MY QUESTION TO VOLVO USA AS TO WHETHER THIS PROBLEM WITH THE 2003 CAUSED THE DESIGN OF THE MODIFICATION WAS NOT AN ADEQUATELY RESPONDED TO. VOLVO USA CLAIMED THAT THERE WERE NO FIGURES AVAILABLE TO ADVISE MYSELF ON HOW MANY 2003 XC 90 HAVE HAD THIS OR OTHER PROBLEMS. I ADVISED VOVLO USA THAT WE ARE VERY DISSATISFIED WITH THE QUALITY AND SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE. *LA

MAXIMUM TIRE PRESSURE DISCREPANCY BETWEEN TIRE MANUFACTURER AND THE TIRE PRESSURE USED BY THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER.THE MICHELIN PILOT HXMXM4 (235/60-18) WHICH ARE THE DEFAULT 18" TIRES ON THE VOLVO XC90 FROM THE FACTORY HAS A MAX 35PSI WHILE OTHER TIRES OF THE SAME SIZE HAS UPTO 51PSI MAX. THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDS 39PSI FOR FULL LOADS WHICH IS ABOVE THE MAX PSI.CONTACTED MICHELIN CUSTOMER SERVICE 1-800-847-3435 DIRECTLY TO INQUIRE. THEIR RESPONSE WAS "THE WRONG TIRE WAS INSTALLED." STILL WAITING FOR A RESPONSE FROM VOLVO.SO FAR NO OFFICIAL WORD FROM EITHER. NO ONE SEEMS TO BE AWARE OF THIS DISCREPANCY BUT WE RUN THE RISK OF OVER-INFLATING OR UNDER-INFLATING WHICH IS HUGE SAFETY HAZARD. *AK

PROBLEMS WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE SYSTEM. CAR WAS IN THE SHOP THREE TIMES FOR A TOTAL OF SIX WEEKS. ENTIRE SYSTEM WAS REPLACED USING PARTS THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE 2005 MODELS. *AK