VOLVO Complaints

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2001 VOLVO V70 STATION WAGON WITH 88,000 MILES ON IT. IT HAS RECEIVED ITS REGULARLY SCHEDULED SERVICING. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, ONCE WHILE UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND NOW WHILE IT IS NO LONGER UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY SERVICE. THE REASON WAS TO HAVE THEM CHECK AND REPAIR THE SLIPPING TRANSMISSION. THE SLIP OCCURS BETWEEN 1ST & 2ND, AND 2ND & 3RD. THIS IS ABOUT THE 20-40MPH RANGE. WHEN IT SLIPS, THE TRAN SOMETIMES REVS UP TO 4,000 AND THE ENGINE JUST REVS UP FOR A FEW SECONDS, (IN A STALLING-LIKE FASHION) THEN THE TRANSMISSION GRABS WITH A HARD SLAM/AUDIBLE CLUNKING NOISE. I HAVE TOLD THE DEALER THAT THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS IT LEAVES YOU IN AN "OUT-OF-CONTROL" STATE. THEY DEALER CAN FIND NO CODES ON THE TRANSMISSION TO DOCUMENT THE PROBLEM, BUT DOES AGREE THAT THE SLIPPAGE OCCURS. THEY HAVE DONE S/W UPDATES TO MAKE IT SHIFT BETTER. WE JUST SPENT $1500.00 ON MAKING THE PROBLEM GO AWAY, BUT YET IT IS STILL THERE. THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN SLIPPING SINCE BEFORE THE LAST EXTENDED WARRANTY SERVICING, BUT HAS RECENTLY BECOME VERY MUCH ESCALATED SINCE EVEN COMING OUT OF SERVICE. I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY COULD EVEN HAVE SENT US HOME IN THIS CAR WITH MY FAMILY IN IT. IT IMMEDIATELY WENT BACK FOR REPAIR THE NEXT DAY AFTER THE $1500 SERVICING. NO ACCIDENTS YET, BUT I FEAR DRIVING IT AT ALL, SINCE THE SLIP COULD RESULT IN TOTAL LOSS OF POWER TO THE WHEELS WHILE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. I HAVE TOLD THE SERVICE TECHNICIANS AT VOLVO OF THIS CONCERN, BUT THEY HAVE NOT RESOLVED THE PROBLEM. THEIR ADVICE IS TO PURCHASE A NEW CAR ON TRADE-IN OR SPEND $5,000 ON A NEW TRANSMISSION. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO A CAR DRIVING ONLY ON CITY STREETS FOR LESS THAN 45 MINUTES AT A TIME AND AT ONLY 88,000 MILES. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS A POTENTIALLY DEADLY ONE IN THAT IT COULD HAPPEN TO ANYONE AT ANYTIME AND ANYWHERE IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. *TR

THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NO. 07V152000. REF. FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP. IN THIS CASE YOU INDICATE THAT THE PROBLEM INVOLVES VEHICLES REGISTERED IN ARIZONA AND NEVADA. I AM HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH A VEHICLE IN FLORIDA. MAYBE THIS PROBLEM IS NOT LIMITED TO ONLY 2 STATES. *TR

FUEL PUMP IS LEAKING, CAUSING CAR TO SMELL LIKE GASOLINE. POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. *TR

ELECTRICAL FAILURES CAUSING DASH TO GO BLANK, WHICH IS NOT SAFE. ALSO, CAUTION LIGHTS AND OTHER ENGINE REPAIR LIGHTS COME ON RANDOMLY. IF YOU GO TO THE INTERNET YOU WILL FIND A PERSISTENT PROBLEM WITH THE VOLVO. I HAVE A FRIEND THAT WAS AN EX ENGINEER FOR GM AND HAS SEVERAL FORD ENGINEER FRIENDS IN DETROIT. HE STATED THEY WERE VERY AWARE OF THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VOLVO, MOST OF WHICH BEGAN WITH FORDS PURCHASE OF THE COMPANY. SINCE THEN THE OCCURRENCE OF PROBLEMS HAS STEADILY ROSE THE COST OF REPLACING THE DASH ELECTRONICS AND WIRE HARNESSES ARE COST PROHIBITIVE AND MAY NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. HERE IS JUST ONE OF MANY SOURCES OF COMMENTS FROM OWNERS OF JUST ONE MODEL OF VOLVO. THERE ARE PROBLEMS THROUGHOUT THE LINE AND THE COMPANY IS NOT IN THE FINANCIAL CONDITION TO MAKE A RECALL. SEE THIS LINK: HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/VIEW/.F0FCAF2/5 I TRIED TO CALL VOLVO OVER A MINOR COST ITEM WHICH IS A POORLY ENGINEERED CUP HOLDER. THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT SWEDISH PEOPLE DO NOT BRING DRINKS INTO THEIR CARS AND THE CUP HOLDER IS AN AMERICAN ADD-ON. IF THEY TRY THIS COP OUT FOR A $50 CUP HOLDER WHAT WOULD THEY SAY ABOUT A $1000 PLUS ELECTRICAL REPAIR? *TR

I NOTICED A FUEL SMELL COMING FROM THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, WHICH STEADILY GOT WORSE. I BROUGHT IT TO MY MECHANIC AND FOUND THE FUEL PUMP WAS LEAKING. I PAID TO HAVE IT REPLACED. *TR

APPROXIMATELY 10/25/07 BEGAN TO SMELL STRONG FUEL FUMES EMANATING FROM VOLVO 2001 S-60 ALONG WITH A DIFFICULTY IN STARTING THE VEHICLE. ON-LINE INVESTIGATION AND DISCUSSION WITH VOLVO SPECIALIST REPAIR SHOP INDICATES ISSUE RELATED TO FAULTY FUEL PUMP / FILTER WHICH THE CORPORATION IS CURRENTLY RECALLING ONLY NEVADA AND ARIZONA......VOLVO SPECIALIST INDICATED THAT THEY ARE SEEING NUMEROUS VEHICLES (IN JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA) WITH THE SAME ISSUE. OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY CONCERN WHEN STRONG FUEL FUMES ARE NOTICEABLE AROUND THE VEHICLE.... *TR

6/06 VEHICLE PURCHASED WITH 18 INCH ALLOY WHEELS, TIRE SIZE 235/40/18 8/27/07 (MILEAGE 22,636) VEHICLE BROUGHT TO DEALER AFTER REAR TIRE BEGAN LOSING AIR, FOUND TO HAVE A CRACK IN THE INNER RIM. THIS WAS REPAIRED AND REFINISHED 9/18/07 (MILEAGE 23,617) VEHICLE BROUGHT TO DEALER WITH STEERING WHEEL SHIMMY AT HIGH SPEEDS AFFECTING THE DRIVABILITY OF THE CAR. FOUND TO HAVE 3 WHEELS OUT OF ROUND (ALL EXCEPT FOR THE WHEEL REPAIRED 1 MONTH EARLIER). WHEELS REPLACED WITH 4 NEW FACTORY WHEELS 11/16/07 (MILEAGE 26,594) VEHICLE BROUGHT TO DEALER WITH EXCESSIVE WHEEL/AXLE NOISE AND FOUND TO HAVE ALL 4 WHEELS OUT-OF-ROUND. FACTORY WHEELS TOO SOFT TO WITHSTAND NORMAL DRIVING. ALTHOUGH THE LOW PROFILE DESIGN OF THE TIRES LIKELY CONTRIBUTED TO THE DURABILITY OF THE WHEELS, IT MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE TO PUT WHEELS OF THIS DESIGN ON THIS VEHICLE. ALL 8 WHEELS ARE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLVO S60. THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG GASOLINE SMELL AND NOTICED A PUDDLE BY THE FUEL TANK. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL OF HIS VEHICLE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR IT FOR FREE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V152000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP). THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 108,000.

2001 VOLVO V70 T5 (1) RECOGNIZED STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE IN GARAGE OVER PERIOD OF 2-3 DAYS. I INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AFTER A SHORT DRIVE (5-6 MILES) AND DISCOVERED GASOLINE LEAKING FROM THE GAS TANK AREA, STAINING THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK AND DRIPPING ONTO THE GROUND. (2) VEHICLE REPRESENTED A SAFETY AND HEALTH HAZARD DUE TO THE LEAKING FUEL. (3) VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY TOWED TO A LOCAL VOLVO DEALER SERVICE CENTER AND DIAGNOSED WITH A "CRACK IN TOP OF FUEL PUMP." THE DEALERSHIP "REPLACED FAULTY FUEL PUMP (58R) OBSERVING NO FURTHER LEAKS AT THIS TIME" AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. NOTE: FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY THE OWNER REVEALED VOLVO RECALL NO. R176 (NHTSA RECALL # 07V152000) DISCOVERED FAULTY FUEL PUMPS OF THE SAME TYPE AND MANUFACTURE ON 2001-02 VOLVO S60 SEDANS SOLD OR REGISTERED IN ARIZONA AND NEVADA. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP, POSES A THREAT TO PERSONAL AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND I BELIEVE VOLVO SHOULD ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPLACING THESE FUEL PUMPS FREE OF CHARGE TO VEHICLE OWNERS AND/OR REIMBURSING REPLACEMENT EXPENSES. *TR

SHORTLY AFTER 14,000 MILES, WE TOOK OUR 2006 VOLVO XC90 IN TO HAVE OUR TIRES ROTATED AND BALANCED. THE TIRE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT EVEN TOUCH THE TIRES BUT ADVISED US TO GO DIRECTLY TO VOLVO BECAUSE THE TIRES WERE AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD. AFTER ABOUT A MONTH AND REPEATED PHONE CALLS, VOLVO DID REPLACE THE TIRES, CHARGING US FOR ONE TIRE. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF BAD PIRELLI TIRES ON THE 2006 XC90. VOLVO BLAMES PIRELLI; PIRELLI BLAMES VOLVO. THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS ON THE TIRES, ALTHOUGH VOLVO IN TALLAHASSEE MADE REFERENCE TO A MEMO FROM VOLVO ALERTING THEM TO THE PROBLEM. WE FEEL FORTUNATE THAT WE CAUGHT THE PROBLEM BEFORE WE OR OTHERS WERE INJURED AND ARE APPALLED THAT VOLVO HAS DONE NOTHING TO INFORM THE OWNERS OF THE DANGER. OUR PROBLEM IS FIXED, AT LEAST MOMENTARILY, BUT THERE ARE OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD WITH THESE SAME TIRES AND DRIVERS WHO ARE COMPLETELY UNAWARE OF THE DANGER. THEY ARE RIDING THE SAME ROADS WE ARE AND COULD VERY LIKELY BE COMING AT US ACROSS LANES OF TRAFFIC DUE TO THE TIRES. SO, WE ARE NOT ACTUALLY SAFE! CAN SOMEONE DO SOMETHING TO FORCE VOLVO TO DO A RECALL OR AT LEAST ALERT THE OWNERS? THIS DID NOT SHOW UP AT THE 7,000 MILE CHECKUP WITH VOLVO AND WE WERE NOT WARNED, EVEN THOUGH THE SERVICE PEOPLE HAD THE MEMO AT THAT TIME. *TR