VOLVO Complaints

NOTICED REDUCED BRAKING POWER AND BRAKES SQUEALING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP REPAIR FACILITY FOR INSPECTION. BRAKES WERE FOUND TO BE "DISENGAGED" ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE FRONT AND "PARTIALLY FUNCTIONAL" ON DRIVERS SIDE FRONT. NO BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WAS DISPLAYED ON DASH. BRAKE PADS AND ASSEMBLY REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP WITH "UPGRADED" PARTS AND COVERED UNDER WARRANTY FOR NO CHARGE. *TR

REAR LEFT AND RIGHT BRAKE LIGHT RELAYS FAILED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. THE CENTER BRAKE LIGHT FUNCTIONS BUT NOT THE LEFT AND RIGHT REAR BRAKE LIGHTS. THIS PROBLEM WAS SHOWN UNDER RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 04V051000. MY CAR IS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL WHEN I CHECKED WITH VOLVO VIA VIN NUMBER. I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE. *TR

CAR BEGAN TO LEAK FUEL FROM TOP OF FUEL TANK NEAR EXHAUST. INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY DEVELOPED A CRACK NEAR FUEL LINE CONNECTION, CAUSING FUEL LEAKAGE WHEN SYSTEM PRESSURIZED DURING OPERATION. DEALER REPLACED ENTIRE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY. *TR

TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 50,000 MILES. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS OR PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION. DEALER ADVISED JUST AN INTERNAL FAILURE. CHECK OF FLUID WAS GOOD, PROPER LEVEL AND NO METAL INDICATED. *TR

(1) STRONG GASOLINE ODOR COMING FROM THE CAR. TOOK VEHICLE TO VOLVO DEALER WHO CLAIMED THEY COULD NOT DISCERN ANY ODOR NOR FIND ANY GAS LEAK (THEY DID CHARGE A $95 DIAGNOSTICS CHARGE FOR THE GAS ODOR, AND DID MANAGE TO "FIND" MULTIPLE OTHER SERVICE "REQUIREMENTS" DURING THIS VISIT). PICKED UP CAR AND RETURNED HOME WITH GASOLINE SMELL STILL APPARENT. (2) THE FOLLOWING DAY THE SMELL WAS SO BAD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BARELY DRIVABLE, AND I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY HAZARD CREATED BY OBVIOUSLY UNCONTAINED FUEL . TOOK THE VEHICLE TO LOCAL SERVICE STATION WHO CONFIRMED THE STRONG ODOR AND INVESTIGATED. (3) PROBLEM WAS ISOLATED TO A BROKEN GAS LINE INTERNAL TO THE FUEL PUMP BY THE GAS TANK. FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED AND THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED. *TR

SRS LIGHT IS ON AND DOESN'T TURN OFF. IT IS PART OF A RECALL. *TR UPDATED 01-14-08. *KB

STEERING FEELS SLOPPY AND CAR PULLS TO THE LEFT. DEALER SENT IT FOR ALIGNMENT FOR MORE THAT 10 TIMES. PROBLEM NOT RECTIFIED. DEALER ALSO REPLACED THE FLANGE NUT IN THE STEERING WHEEL BUT FEELS STILL SLOPPY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 VOLVO XC90. ON OCTOBER 7, 2007, THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER ACCIDENTALLY PULLED THE GEAR SHIFT WHILE CLIMBING INTO THE BACK SEAT OF THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE ROLLED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. THE ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING AND THE KEYS WERE NOT IN THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO GET IN THE VEHICLE AND PLACE IT IN PARK WITHOUT A CRASH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE ENGINE IS NOT RUNNING, SHE COULD STILL SHIFT THROUGH ALL THE GEARS WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. ALSO, WHILE THE VEHICLE IS PLACED IN DRIVE, THE CONTACT CAN TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. BILL CASEY, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE VOLVO MANUFACTURER, WARNED HER THAT IF SHE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA, SHE BETTER HIRE AN ATTORNEY BECAUSE VOLVO WOULD NOT PROVIDE ASSISTANCE. HE ALSO STATED THAT HER VEHICLE WAS POSSIBLY A LEMON AND, IF SHE DID NOT REPORT THE FAILURE TO NHTSA, VOLVO WOULD DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION. THIS EVEN INCLUDES PROVIDING HER WITH A NEW VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAS A VIDEO TAPE OF THE GEAR FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 8,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,600. UPDATED 01/11/08. *LJ

AFTER PURCHASING A VOLVO S80 IN APRIL 2003 FROM VOLVO NORTH SCOTTSDALE, MY WIFE (WHO DRIVES THE CAR) BEGAN EXPERIENCING A FUEL INJECTION PROBLEM. EACH TIME THE CAR WAS ROUTINELY SERVICED AT VOLVO NORTH SCOTTSDALE, SHE COMPLAINED OF THE PROBLEM, BUT THE DEALER FAILED TO REPAIR IT. AFTER TIRING OF THE DETERIORATING SERVICE QUALITY AT VOLVO NORTH SCOTTSDALE, MY WIFE BEGAN HAVING THE CAR SERVICED AT POWELL VOLVO, TO WHOM SHE CONTINUED TO COMPLAIN OF THE FUEL INJECTION PROBLEM. THAT DEALER ALSO FAILED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. WHEN THE WARRANTY EXPIRED, MY WIFE HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, SWEDISH AUTO WERKS, TO WHOM SHE ALSO COMPLAINED OF THE FUEL INJECTION PROBLEM. AT THIS TIME, THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN 35,990 MILES. BY THIS TIME, SHE WAS ALSO EXPERIENCING AN INTERMITTENT SLOW/LONG CRANK STARTING THE CAR, WHICH WAS THOUGHT TO BE DUE TO A FAILING BATTERY. SHE COMPLAINED OF THIS ALSO TO SWEDISH AUTO WERKS. SWEDISH AUTO WERKS DIAGNOSED THE CAUSES OF THE PROBLEM AS NOT ONLY A FAILING BATTERY BUT ALSO A CRACKED FUEL PUMP HOSE NIPPLE. IN ADDITION TO A NEW BATTERY, IT INSTALLED A NEW FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY AT A COST OF $821.97. THE CAR NOW RUNS VERY WELL. IN A SUBSEQUENT CONVERSATION WITH ANOTHER VOLVO OWNER, MY WIFE LEARNED AND HAS SINCE CONFIRMED THAT THIS FUEL PUMP PROBLEM HAS BEEN RECURRENT WITH THE VOLVO S SERIES SINCE AL LEAST 2002-03 AND THAT VOLVO KNOWS OF IT. MY WIFE ALSO LEARNED THAT THERE HAS BEEN A "SILENT RECALL" PROMPTED BY THIS PROBLEM--I.E., IF THE PROBLEM IS RECOGNIZED BY A VOLVO DEALER, VOLVO WILL FIX IT AT NO COST TO THE OWNER. NEITHER VOLVO NORTH SCOTTSDALE NOR POWELL VOLVO IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM DESPITE MY WIFE'S REPEATED COMPLAINTS TO THEM. BY OCTOBER 4, 2007 LETTER AND ATTACHED COPY OF THE REPAIR INVOICE TO VOLVO CUSTOMER CARE CENTER, I REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. IN REPLY, VOLVO DENIED MY REQUEST, STATING THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO RECALL. THE DATE BELOW IS WHEN THE REPAIR WAS MADE. *TR

WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED ON AN INTERSTATE MY CAR LOST POWER COMPLETELY. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER SAFELY AND CALL VOLVO ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. MY CAR WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP WHERE IT SAT FOR A MONTH BECAUSE THE PROBLEM COULDN'T BE DETERMINED. THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME. ABOUT SIX MONTHS LATER THE SAME EXPERIENCE OCCURRED, ONCE AGAIN WHILE TRAVELING AT A HIGH SPEED ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THE "PROBLEM" WAS FIXED AGAIN. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP FOR VARIOUS REASONS FOR YEARS. WHEN I WAS FINALLY FED UP WITH IT AND DECIDED TO SELL IT, IT NEEDED MORE ELECTRICAL WORK. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT A DEALERSHIP LISTENED TO THE PROBLEMS I HAD WITH THE CAR OVER THE YEARS AND FELT THAT IT WARRANTED A CALL TO THE VOLVO REP. I GAVE HIM ALL WORK ORDERS WHICH I HAVE FROM THE PURCHASE DATE OF THE CAR. HE WAS TOLD BY THE VOLVO REP THAT SINCE ALL REPAIR WORK HAD NOT BEEN DONE AT A VOLVO DEALERSHIP THEY COULDN'T HELP ME. NORMAL WORK SUCH AS OIL CHANGES, ETC. WERE DONE BY A MECHANIC WHO ONLY WORKS ON SAABS AND VOLVOS. UPON LOOKING FOR THE NAMES OF VOLVO EXECS THAT I COULD WRITE A LETTER TO I STUMBLED ON A WEBSITE ABOUT VOLVO PROBLEMS AND PEOPLE WHO WERE TRYING TO HOLD THE COMPANY ACCOUNTABLE FOR MECHANICAL FAILURES OF ANY TYPE. I WROTE TO THE INDIVIDUAL WHO STARTED THE WEBSITE AND HE SUGGESTED THAT I SEND MY E-MAIL TO STEPHEN MCHENRY AT NHTSA WHICH I DID. AFTER TRYING FOR MANY DAYS TO DO SO AND FAILING TO CONNECT BECAUSE OF SOME PROBLEM WITH THE MESSAGE TRYING TO REACH MR. MCHENRY I JUST LET IT GO. WE NEED TO SELL THE CAR BECAUSE WE CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED. THE PROBLEM IS HOW DO I SELL A CAR THAT NEEDS OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS OF WORK? I AM FORWARDING THE E-MAIL I TRIED TO SEND TO STEPHEN MCHENRY TO YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS. WHAT CAN I DO? AM I TOO LATE IN REPORTING THIS? WHAT DO YOU ADVISE ME TO DO? THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. SUSAN K. LUXEM *TR