VOLVO Complaints

VEHICLE UNABLE TO SHIFT PROPERLY, COMPUTER READING "TRANSMISSION URGENT SERVICE" LOCKS IN THIRD GEAR IN "LIMP MODE". VEHICLE CAUSED VERY NEAR FATAL ACCIDENT WHEN STOPPED ON A HILL AND AFTER INITIALLY MOVING OUT INTO TRAFFIC, SEIZED TO OPERATE. TOWED TO DEALER, DEALER FIRST FLUSHED OUT TRANSMISSION AT $240.00, THEN WITHOUT ROAD TESTING, SUGGESTED WE TRY AGAIN. VEHICLE FAILED ONCE AGAIN WHILE IN THE DEALERSHIP PARKING LOT AND WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, $6,000 LATER. *TR

LATE LAST SUMMER, UPON STARTING UP MY CAR, I NOTICED A HISSING NOISE COMING FROM THE CENTER PANEL ON THE DASHBOARD. DIDN'T REALLY THINK ANYTHING OF IT UNTIL I TRIED TO TURN ON THE AIR CONDITIONER AND THE CAR MADE THE SAME HISSING NOISE. NOISE LASTS ONLY 5-10 SECONDS UPON STARTUP OF THE CAR OR THE AC, BUT NOW THE AC ONLY BLOWS HOT AIR. TOOK CAR TO VOLVO DEALERSHIP HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE TO RIP OPEN THE ENTIRE FRONT PANEL TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. AS I HAVE BEEN TOLD TWICE PREVIOUSLY BY THIS DEALERSHIP THAT I NEED SERVICE THAT I DID NOT REALLY NEED (THIS WAS NOW THE THIRD TIME), I CHOSE TO HOLD OFF ON LETTING THEM PERFORM SUCH A TASK. INSTEAD, I TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER MECHANIC AND DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM TO HIM. HE LET ME KNOW THAT WHEN THERE WAS NO FREON LEFT IN THE AC UNIT. THEY REPLACED IT AND WITHIN ONE DAY, IT HAD COMPLETELY LEAKED. THEY THEN PERFORMED AN INSPECTION ON THE AC AND EITHER THE COMPRESSOR OR THE HOSES HAS A MAJOR LEAK IN IT. I HAVE NO ACCIDENTS AND THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 60,000 MILES ON IT CURRENTLY. THE PROBLEM WAS FIRST DETECTED AT LESS THAN 45,000 MILES ON IT. ESTIMATE ON REPAIR WAS $1500+. AT 22,500 MILE CHECKUP, VOLVO REPLACED RADIATOR ON CAR. MECHANIC SAID THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT VOLVO DEALERSHIP MAY HAVE DAMAGED THE AC UNIT AT THAT TIME SINCE THEY ARE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY. IN ADDITION, AS I NOTICED ON ANOTHER PERSON'S COMPLAINT FORM, I ALSO HAVE THE RUBBING OF THE FRONT TIRES WHEN TURNING. QUITE ANNOYING AND I DO MY BEST TO AVOID THE FRICTION AT ALL COSTS. DOESN'T OCCUR ON NORMAL TURNS, JUST WHEN MANEUVERING FOR PARKING SPACES OR GETTING OUT OF MY PARKING GARAGE. *TR

I HAVE AIR AND WATER LEAKS. THE CAR HAS BEEN TO THE MATTUSCH VOLVO DEALER IN KAISERSLAUTERN, GERMANY, FOUR TIMES FOR THESE LEAKS; MATTUSCH HAS HAD THE CAR FOR OVER 3 MONTHS (CUMULATIVE) TRYING TO CORRECT THE LEAKS TO NO AVAIL. IN FACT THE REPAIRS HAVE MADE THE LEAKS WORSE. IT STARTED WITH SMALL WATER LEAKS IN THE REAR WINDOWS. AFTER THE "REPAIRS" THE LEAKS GOT WORSE AND WORSE AND AIR NOISE WAS VERY BAD. NOW THE TRUNK LEAKS WATER DUE TO THE "REPAIRS". I HAVE HAD A VOLVO COUNTRY REP LOOK AT THE CAR AND HE AGREES THE AIR NOISE IS BAD. VOLVO HQ TRIED TO TELL ME IT'S A CABRIOLET SO I SHOULD EXPECT AIR LEAKS. THIS IS A HARD TOP CONVERTIBLE, NOT A RAG TOP! *TR

VOLVO XC90 TAKEN INTO DEALERSHIP FOR AXLE REPLACEMENT ON 07/09/08 CONTACTED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WILL BE REPLACED THEN WHEN QUESTION GIVEN VAGUE STATEMENT NO WILL BE A TRANSMISSION FLUSH. CAR RETURNED ON 07/16/08 ADVISED GIVEN NEW TRANSMISSION. DRIVING CAR ON 07/19/08 COME TO A STOP TO CROSS 4 LANE PARKWAY WHEN HIT GAS PEDAL CAR DOES NOT RESPOND RECEIVE MESSAGE REDUCE ENGINE PERFORMANCE. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE VOLVO TRANSMISSION IN THIS MODEL MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 VOLVO XC90 NOTICED THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. THE SLIPPING STARTED IN THE JUST TWO AFTER PURCHASED AND IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AT THE FACTORY SCHEDULE MAINTENANCE INTERVALS. ON JULY 15, 2008 WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH MY TWO CHILDREN THAT TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND GOT STUCK IS A GEAR THAT PREVENTED MY WIFE GOING MORE THAN TWENTY MILES PER HOUR ON A VERY BUSY STREET. THE VEHICLE HAS 72,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLVO V70 CROSS COUNTRY. THE CONTACT IS CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY STARTING THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE THROTTLE LIGHT ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY. SHE RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06V441000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED AND THE SURGING AND STALLING CEASED FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME; HOWEVER, THE FAILURES HAVE RECURRED. ON JULY 18, 2008, THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD REPAIR THE ECM SYSTEM IF NEEDED, BUT THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 140,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLVO S80. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SPONTANEOUSLY DECELERATE. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE ENGINE AND BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ABS MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $1,500. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 107,000. UPDATED 09/23/08. *LJ UPDATED 09/24/08. *JB

WATER LEAKS THROUGH THE REAR LEFT AND RIGHT WINDOWS. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN THREE TIMES SINCE FEB 8, 2008 TO GET THIS REPAIRED. THE SOLUTIONS HAVE RANGED FROM INJECTING SEALANT TO REPLACING THE SEALS. HOWEVER, THE LEAK PERSISTS. FOLLOWING THE MOST RECENT REPAIR (REPLACING THE SEALS ON JULY 8), THE RIGHT REAR SIDE WINDOW RATTLES AND THE LEAK IS WORST THAN EVER. THIS HAS BEEN A VERY FRUSTRATING AND TIME-CONSUMING ENDEAVOR. *TR

CLEAR PLASTIC BUBBLED UP IN FRONT OF SPEEDOMETER CAUSING BLURRY VIEW OF SPEED AND OTHER INFORMATION. *TR

THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE ASSEMBLY BROKE. DEALER SAID THE ONLY FIX WAS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE INTERIOR DOOR PANEL ASSEMBLY, AS LINKAGE FOR DOOR IS BUILT INTO DOOR PANEL. DEALER ESTIMATE TO REPLACE PANEL $575. IT APPEARS LIKE VEHICLES HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD STEP UP TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE WITH LITTLE FINANCIAL IMPACT TO THE OWNER(S). *TR