VOLVO Complaints

Wipers began to turn on randomly without driver command causing distractions in a vehicle with 38,000 miles. There is a technical service bulletin about this issue (32366). It is known that the wipers will completely fail to work after an unknown, but rather short interval. Failed windshield wipers would render the vehicle unsafe to operate, therefore we elected for Immediate repair. The repair was in excess of $1,500 and the manufacturer refused to pay for the repair out of warranty.

I was driving my 2013 Volvo S60 T5 when I felt a sudden, sharp pain in my hand and started bleeding. After safely stopping, I discovered that the chrome trim on the steering wheel had detached from the steering wheel itself and caused a minor cut on my finger. Upon further inspection, I found that the trim is secured to the steering wheel with an adhesive that deteriorates over time, and the trim itself has sharp metal edges.

I've experienced many problems with the Google built in system in this Volvo. But the one that keeps happening is the speed sensors. The car is supposed to read traffic signs, including speed signs and alarm when exceeding the posted speed limit. It does not work. For example on I66 East bound in Virginia, the speed limit is not 80mph, it is either 60, 65 or 70 if using the express lanes. The Volvo keeps showing the speed limit on this interstate as 80, see attached images showing speed limit sign at 80. Complained to Volvo, they blamed Google. Complained to Google, they blamed Volvo. Other roads have the same sign recognition. The car infotainment & safety features randomly shut down, or fail, while driving and the vehicle has to be reset often. Back up cameras quit working while backing up sometimes it will not go into reverse without shutting off the car or doing a reset.

My name is [XXX] . My wife [XXX] has been corresponding with Volvo Car Financial, as well as Volvo, regarding our Volvo XC90 lease. This Volvo has been the biggest disappointment of any car we've ever leased or purchased out of the new cars and trucks we have purchased every 2-3 years for the past 40 years. We have contacted Volvo several times about the issues we are having and taken it in three times to have the problem resolved. I live in a rural area with backroads, and they say the mapping system called City View does not work well on backroads, so they are not able to replicate the problem when it is taken in for them to look at. I have been in constant communications with our saleslady Sara, she is WONDERFUL and has been most helpful. She also has documentation of everything, and a few videos. She did see when I came to pick the car up three weeks ago, that it doesn’t understand a lot of our commands. The car jerks the steering wheel from me into oncoming traffic, off the road, then tells me it avoided a collision when it almost caused a collision. Hey Google, does not understand either of us, the slight chance it does, it does not do what we have requested. I do have a video showing different things that the car does. It seems to have a mind of its own, I do not feel safe driving this car any longer. It is going to cause us to have an accident. I Purchased the car because I thought Volvo was the safest vehicle there was to buy or lease. Now my feelings have changed I am afraid to even drive the car to the point I am having to borrow my mother’s older vehicle. The back hatch doesn’t always open, you must assist it with your hand. It came down and hit my head in food lion parking lot and two men came running over to check on me. I met a tractor last week and the steering just went crazy, it was all over the road, and I was having to really fight it. My husband says he feels as if he has driven a tractor trailer all day when INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOI

I bought used s60 and sent car to auto shop due to engine seize . I was told The engine needed to be replaced. I has replacement done. Car ran good and I was pleased. Months later, the vehicle made a clicking noise when I arrived home. When I checked the oil the following morning, there was no oil in car. I was never given a low oil level indication or warning. Now car is making crazy tapping sounds. i

Driving on the highway, check engine light came on followed by turtle mode and subsequent engine failure. Stranding driver with three small children on the highway. This has occurred several times, again stranding driver and three small children in the middle of nowhere at night having to await a tow truck and find a ride to hotel. Currently in service center for the fourth time with no apparent solution found. Volvo is not helping remedy the solution.

I have been getting a low oil level sign in my car after 5 months of doing an oil change. This is not the first time this has happened. It is suspected this may be a oil consumption issue and not an oil leak as there is no visible sign of oil leak. The oil consumption problem has been confirmed by an independent mechanic.

We took our Volvo to the dealer today to address another problem with the Volvo care system. We were told it was the back up battery. The car was left at Volvo for no more than 90 minutes. Prior to leaving it with Volvo, we had a convertible car seat installed in the second row, passenger side seat. We have a 26-month-old who rides in it every day. Later today, we picked up our son and ran several errands and returned home tonight around 9 PM. That’s when we discovered that the car seat had been completely disconnected from the vehicle. Apparently this is done to access some component of the car for the repair that was performed. Volvo technicians apparently uninstalled the car seat, performed the repair, and then returned the car seat, uninstalled, right back in the exact spot they had taken it from. The main connection is down behind the seat, at the base, so it was not obvious that the car seat had been uninstalled. Apparently Volvo is not providing instructions to their technicians to ask permission to uninstall a car seat, or to refrain from replacing the car seat without informing drivers that it is not installed. Hopefully Volvo improves this process before a child is hurt or killed because they are not secured to the vehicle.

Purchased the vehicle sometime in 2021. Been dealing with oil consumption issues since then. Always maintained the vehicle per manufacturer recommendations. At first I had to top off the oil here and there and didn’t think much of it. Forward to Sept 2023 I have to add a quart every 500 miles. I began to research about the oil consumption problem and learned the following: There was a letter that was sent out to Volvo owners in Feb 2023 about a service bulletin regarding an oil consumption test and if the vehicle fails the oil consumption test then Volvo will replace piston rings or engine. They would also extend the warranty. The free oil test applies to vehicles within 8yrs or 100k. I never received the letter because I was the second owner. I called Volvo North America and they confirmed that the previous owner was listed on their end and that previous owner must’ve received the letter. If I had received the letter in Feb 2023 then I would be within that 8yr time frame and that would qualify me for repairs. I asked Volvo for grace to be included in the free oil consumption test. They said no because I was outside the time frame which was 3 months. Only 3 months! I never received the letter and I had to research on my own. I never received that letter and if I had received the letter then I would’ve taken it immediately to Volvo for the free oil test consumption. I believe this is a serious safety problem because at one point the engine will seize and could stall on the interstate due to the excessive oil consumption. Please look into this safety issue. A sudden seizure of engine leads to a sudden stall at interstate speeds which can cause a major collision and I know NHTSA is all about safety for operators of vehicles. Thank you!!

The contact owns a 2023 Volvo XC40. The contact stated that while her son was driving at various highway speeds, the brakes inadvertently activated, causing the vehicle to abruptly stop even though were no other vehicles or objects nearby. Additionally, the vehicle occasionally stalled and hesitated while accelerating. The contact also stated that the display screen occasionally became inoperable, and messages and safety warnings were not available to the driver. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure. The dealer had replaced unknown sensors, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 13,000.