VOLVO Complaints

MY VEHICLE'S FUEL GAUGE HAS NEVER WORKED CORRECTLY. WE HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN TO GET IT REPAIRED 4 TIMES IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS. THE ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. I AM AFRAID THAT WITHOUT KNOWING THE CORRECT LEVEL OF FUEL IN THE TANK WE COULD GET IN AN ACCIDENT SHOULD THE CAR UNKNOWINGLY RUN OUT OF GAS ON A HIGHWAY. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THE WEB AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM THAT VOLVO IS DISREGARDING EXCEPT IN SOME LIMITED CASES. IT SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE THAT COULD LEAD TO UNNECESSARY HIGHWAY DEATHS OR INJURIES IN A CAR GENERALLY ASSOCIATED WITH FAMILIES WITH SMALL CHILDREN LIKE OURS. *TR

VALVE STEM LOCKING NUT CORRODED ON LEFT FRONT WHEEL AND SEPARATED FROM STEM. THE STEM ACTUALLY FELL INSIDE THE WHEEL CAUSING A BLOW OUT. NO INJURIES, BUT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE DEFECT HAPPENED AT 45 MONTHS, AND 51,000 MILES. SUBSEQUENTLY ALL STEMS AND SENSORS HAD TO BE REPLACED PRIOR TO 48 MONTHS. PER THE TIRE DEALER AND GRUDGINGLY BY VOLVO, THIS IS FAIRLY COMMON FOR THAT VINTAGE OF STEM AND SENSOR. VOLVO DID NOT HONOR WARRANTY BECAUSE THE FAILURE HAPPENED 1000 MILES OUTSIDE OF MILEAGE WARRANTY BUT INSIDE THE 48 MONTH TIMEFRAME, VERY POOR SERVICE FROM A COMPANY THAT IS SUPPOSEDLY KNOWN FOR SAFETY. I FIND IT IRONIC THAT A MANDATED SAFETY FEATURE BARELY LASTS THROUGH THE WARRANTY PERIOD, AND THE FAILURE MODE CAUSES THE PROBLEM IT WAS "DESIGNED" TO PREVENT. REPLACING THE SENSORS COST ABOUT $150 EACH, OR AT LEAST $600 FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR. *TR

IN MY 2006 VOLVO S60 THE ETM WENT OUT AFTER ONLY 48000 MILES. THE ENGINE HAS A ROUGH IDLE AND WON'T GO OVER 40 MPH. IT'S IN LIMP MODE. A REPLACEMENT FOR THE ETM IS UPWARDS OF $1,000 AND THE DEALER NEEDS TO BE THE ONE TO SERVICE TO MATE THE ETM TO THE CAR. LOOKING ON THE FORUMS AND AROUND IT AMAZES ME HOW COMMON THIS PROBLEM IS. THE RECALL THAT WAS FOR 1999-2002 MODELS SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO ALL MODEL YEARS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THIS FAULTY PART TO ENSURE THAT ALL VOLVO OWNERS ARE SAFE FROM THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY XC90 2004 AND SUDDENLY THE UNIT JUST TURNED OFF COMPLETELY. I HAD TO CONTINUE DRIVING WITH THE VEHICLE WITHOUT ANY KIND OF POWER. I PARKED THE CAR BESIDE THE HIGHWAY AND TRIED TO TURNED ON THE CAR AGAIN, THE CAR STARTED TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. I CHECKED THE POLE OF THE BATTERY BUT THEY WERE OK AND THE BATTERY ITSELF IT'S NEW. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT HAPPENS, IT IS VERY UNPREDICTABLE AND SPORADIC.WHEN I WENT TO THE VOLVO DEALER SOME MONTHS AGO TO FIX A CAMPAIGN THAT HAVE THE XC90, I TOLD THE MECHANICS WHAT HAPPENED AND TOLD THEM TO CHECK THAT ISSUE. THE TOLD ME IT WAS VERY STRANGE AND WHEN THEY FIXED THE CAMPAIGN THEY TOLD ME THEY DIDN'T FOUND ANYTHING. *TR

WE OWN A BEAUTIFUL 2005 VOLVO S80 T6 TOP OF THE LINE (FULLY LOADED, TWIN TURBOS,18" RIMS, METALLIC GREEN PAINT & PARKING SENSORS) ONLY 80,300 MILES. IT'S A $46,000 CAR UNFORTUNATELY IT IS NOT SAFE FOR THE ROAD AND IS A HAZARD TO ALL. IT CANNOT GO OVER SPEED BUMPS WITHOUT SHAKING EVERYONE INSIDE VIOLENTLY. WHEN DRIVING THE CAR THE TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP AND STUTTER AT LOW SPEEDS MEANING WE CANNOT MERGE INTO TRAFFIC! THERE IS ALSO COOLANT LEAKING EVERYWHERE AND SPILLING TO STORM DRAINS AND SEWERS LIST OF DIAGNOSED PROBLEMS: -TRANSMISSION REBUILD NEED (EVEN AFTER PAID $150 FOR TRANSMISSION SOFTWARE UPGRADE) -LEFT SIDE WINDOW COMES UP AND GOES DOWN -CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES AND GOES -WATER PUMP HAS LEAK -CRANKCASE VENTILATION SYSTEM IS CLOGGED. -CAR CANNOT HOLD ALIGNMENT AND VEERS OFF -CONTROL ARMS AND BUSHINGS ARE BAD CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED AT A SMALL SWEDE SHOP & VOLVO SANTA ANA FREQUENTLY AND BABIED. IT HAS NEW FRONT STRUTS, NEW BELTS, NEW BRAKES, NEW REAR TIRES, NEW CABIN FILTER, ETC. SPENT MORE THAN $2.5K IN THE LAST YEAR ALREADY. VOLVO CORPORATE DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE AND SAID THERE WERE 800 FIXES MADE IN THE MODEL YEAR 2004. OBVIOUSLY THE CAR IS FLAWED. *TR

I OWN A 2001 XC 70 VOLVO WHICH I JUST BOUGHT WITH 133900 MILES LAST FRIDAY APRIL 26, 2013. THE DEALER SHOWED ME THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS INCLUDING A 3 MONTH OLD CALIFORNIA SAFETY INSPECTION REPORT. ON APRIL 27, 2013, I WAS DRIVING ON A DOWNHILL STRETCH WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE CAR ENGINE LOST POWER, KICKED LIKE IT WANTED TO JUMP AHEAD OF ME, ALL INDICATOR LIGHTS FLASHED, AND THE CAR STALLED AND SHUT DOWN RENDERING THE BRAKE AND STEERING SYSTEM INOPERABLE. I HAD NO MEANS TO CONTROL THE CAR AS IT ROLLED DOWN HILL. I ENGAGED THE REVERSE GEAR CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STOP. I CALLED DEALER RIGHT AWAY. HE TOLD ME TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO HIS MECHANIC THE FOLLOWING MONDAY ON 04/29/2013. THE MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND TEST-DROVE IT AND COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. HE PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER TEST AND GOT AN ERROR MESSAGE INDICATING AN AIR INTAKE PROBLEM. HE ASKED ME TO BRING THE VEHICLE THE FOLLOWING MORNING SO HE CAN TEST DRIVE IT MORE AND FIND OUT MORE. WHILE DRIVING HOME, THE PROBLEM RECURRED AGAIN, THIS TIME IN THE MIDDLE OF A FREEWAY. IT WAS DANGEROUS...LUCKILY I WAS IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE, SO IMMEDIATELY I COASTED TO THE SIDE, WITH MY HAZARDS LIGHTS ON AND PULLED TO THE SIDE WHERE THE VEHICLE STOPPED ITSELF. IMAGINE DRIVING 80MPH ON A CALIFORNIA FREEWAY, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER, THE ENGINES KICK JUMPS, AND WITHOUT YOUR INPUT, ATTEMPTS TO ENGAGE A HIGHER GEAR BUT THEN STALLS AND IMMEDIATELY SHUTS DOWN AND THE BRAKES AND THE STEERING WHEEL JAMS.. THAT IS NOT SAFETY. AS I AWAIT FOR THE MECHANIC TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. A CAR THAT PASSES A SAFETY INSPECTION TEST SHOULD NOT BE ABRUPTLY SHUTTING DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND RENDER THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND STEERING WHEEL INOPERABLE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN SUDDENLY MY GAS GAUGE DROPPED BELOW EMPTY AND ALL MY GAUGES STOPPED WORKING INCLUDING THE CLOCK, BLINKERS, SPEEDOMETER AND THE DIGITAL INFORMATION COMPUTER PANEL THAT INDICATES HOW MANY MILES LEFT TO A GALLON, ETC. THIS WAS QUITE DANGEROUS AS I COULD NO LONGER SEE THE SPEED OF TRAVEL, HOW MUCH GAS I HAD LEFT, THE TIME NOR COULD I USE MY BLINKERS TO INDICATE LANE CHANGES. THERE WAS NO WARNING OR INDICATION THAT THE SPEEDOMETER PANEL WOULD JUST DIE OUT! *TR

MY VOLVO JUST SHUT OFF IN TRAFFIC ON RT 95 IN DC. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. I RESEARCHED THE RECALL FOR VOLVO FUEL SYSTEMS AND THE DEALER SAID I WAS NOT IN THE RECALL EVEN THOUGH MY YEAR, STATE AND I HAD THE EXACT PROBLEM. VERY FRUSTRATING. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THIS COMPLAINT PERTAINS TO THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT-HEATER. WHEN ACTIVATED, ON THE LOWEST OF 2 SETTINGS, THE OCCUPANT OF THE DRIVERS-SIDE FRONT SEAT EXPERIENCES A BURNING-PAIN SENSATION IN THE RIGHT-REAR AREA OF THE THIGH, AFTER 60-90 SECONDS OF THE SEAT HEATER BEING ACTIVATED VIA DASH BUTTON. THE OWNER OF THE CAR WORRIES THAT: 1.) ACCIDENTAL ACTIVATION OF THE DRIVERS-SIDE SEAT HEATER, WITH NO OCCUPANT IN THAT SEAT, COULD RESULT IN THERMAL DAMAGE TO THE LEATHER AND PADDING OF THE SEAT, AS WELL AS COMBUSTION LEADING TO THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CAR. 2.) ACCIDENTAL ACTIVATION OF THE SEAT-HEATER WITH AN OCCUPANT IN THE DRIVERS-SIDE FRONT SEAT COULD RESULT IN, SUDDEN AND EXTREME, DISCOMFORT TO THE VEHICLE OPERATOR, RESULTING IN AN UNCONTROLLABLE PHYSICAL REACTION TO PAIN, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE AUTOMOBILE TO LEAVE THE ROAD, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. 3.) THE VALUE OF THE CAR TO BE DECREASED UPON POTENTIAL SALE OF THE CAR, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE SEAT DOES NOT HEAT AS INTENDED, AND ADDITIONALLY POSES A DANGER TO THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE. THE FACT THAT THIS APPARATUS' FAILURE TO OPERATE AS INTENDED IS IN NO PART DUE TO THE OWNERS FOLLOWING OF RECOMMENDED SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE GUIDELINES, WOULD BE INTERPRETED AS A "DEFECT" BY THE POTENTIAL BUYER, THUS DEVALUING THE CAR, IS WORRISOME. A FIRE CAUSED INADVERTENTLY, OR SUDDEN PAIN CAUSING A VEHICLE OPERATOR TO INVOLUNTARILY TAKE HIS/HER WHOLE FOCUS OFF OF THE TASK OF DRIVING, CERTAINLY CONSTITUTES A VEHICLE SAFETY ISSUE. AN ISSUE, AFFECTING THE IMMEDIATE VEHICLES' DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS, AS WELL AS OTHER MOTORISTS ON THE ROAD. VOLVO SUBMODEL: V70 "R" . *TR

2006 VOLVO XC90 T6 AWD APRIL 21, 2013 APPROX 8:30 PM DRIVING AT APPROX 8:30 PM, TRAVELING AT ABOUT 55 MILES PER HOUR, REMOTE 2-LANE HIGHWAY (US191, EASTERN ARIZONA) ON TWISTY MOUNTAINOUS ROAD, SWITCHED FROM HIGH-BEAM TO LOW-BEAMS TO ACCOMMODATE ONCOMING VEHICLE APPROACHING AROUND A BEND. A MOMENT OR TWO AFTER SWITCHING TO LOW BEAMS, THE VOLVO'S HEADLIGHTS LIGHTS FLICKERED AND WENT OUT ALL-TOGETHER. ERROR MESSAGE READING SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF "LOW BEAM BULB FAILURE" APPEARED ON MESSAGE SCREEN. HIGH-BEAMS DIDN'T APPEAR TO BE OPERABLE EITHER. I ACTIVATED FOG LAMPS AND PROCEEDED CAUTIOUSLY TO DESTINATION (APPROX 25 MILES AWAY). APPROX 15 MILES FROM THAT POINT, I WAS PULLED OVER BY DPS PATROL ADVISING I HAD NO HEADLIGHTS...AND THAT MY LICENSE PLATE LIGHT WAS ALSO NOT OPERATING. THE NEXT MORNING, INVESTIGATED FURTHER, DISCOVERED THERE WERE NO ISSUES WITH THE HEADLIGHT BULBS (LOW BEAM AND HIGH BEAM) OR WITH LICENSE PLATE BULBS SPECIFICALLY (THEY WERE NOT BURNT OUT), NOR WERE THERE ANY ISSUES WITH ANY BLOWN FUSES RELATED TO THOSE EXTERIOR LIGHTS. I DID DISCOVER THAT THE DRL (DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS) WERE STILL OPERATING AS NORMAL (WHICH UTILIZE THE SAME BULB AS THE LOW HEADLIGHTS) CONFIRMING THAT THERE WERE NO ISSUES WITH THOSE BULBS. ALL RESEARCH SINCE THIS EVENT IS POINTING ME TO CONCLUSION THAT THIS MONUMENTALLY UNSAFE CONDITION WAS CAUSED BY A BAD/FAULTY CEM DESIGN BY VOLVO (ONLINE RESEARCH, SPEAKING WITH VOLVO MECHANICS AND REVIEWING SIMILAR NHTSA COMPLAINTS). THERE IS NO PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE THAT I COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING. THIS IS NOT AN OWNER MAINTENANCE ISSUE, THIS IS A DESIGN OR MATERIALS ISSUE. VOLVO SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO RECALL & REPAIR TO PREVENT THIS SAFETY ISSUE. I REQUEST NHTSA OPEN (RE-OPEN?) INVESTIGATION INTO THIS ISSUE, AS THIS VERY DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS ADDRESSING BEFORE MUCH WORSE CONSEQUENCES RESULT. *TR