VOLVO Complaints

THE CAR OUT OF NOWHERE JUST STOPPED MOVING. THE CAR DID NOT DIE JUST NO POWER. AFTER HAVING SOMEONE LOOK AT IT AND THE ETS LIGHT CAME ON I LEARNED OF THE PROBLEM WITH THIS IN MOST VOLVOS FROM 99 - 01. *JB

JUNE 13, 2004: CAR LOST POWER ON I-70 IN OHIO. TIME - 10:00 PM; CONDITIONS CLEAR. VEHICLE DROPPED INTO "LIMP HOME MODE" REQUIRING THAT WE DRIVE IN THE BREAKDOWN LANE TO THE NEAREST EXIT WHICH WAS ABOUT 8 MILES. VEHICLE SPEED WAS ABOUT 20 MPH MAX. - A DANGEROUS SITUATION ON AN INTERSTATE AT NIGHT SINCE BOTH DEBRIS, DEAD ANIMALS AND HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION BARRIERS REQUIRED TEMPORARILY LEAVING THE BREAKDOWN LANE. NEITHER MY WIFE NOR I KNEW WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT THE TIME. WE WERE ABLE TO FIND A MOTEL AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE NEAREST VOLVO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS THE NEXT DAY. CAR REPAIRS INCLUDED AN ETM, THROTTLE BODY, THE MAIN CONTROL MODULE (PART #8601630), VARIOUS DIAGNOSTIC TESTS AND SOFTWARE DOWNLOADS. TIME CONSTRAINTS NECESSITATED OUR RETURNING TO CONNECTICUT BY THE NEXT DAY SO WE ENDED UP LEAVING THE CAR AND OBTAINING A RENTAL. THE DEALERSHIP FINISHED THE REPAIRS AND HAD THE CAR DRIVEN TO US A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER. A GOOD PART OF THE REPAIR COSTS WERE ABSORBED BY VOLVO, HOWEVER WE DID PAY SOME. THE REASON FOR THIS COMPLAINT IS CONCERN FOR MY WIFE'S SAFETY. SHE IS THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF THIS CAR, USING IT TO COMMUTE TO/FROM WORK ON HEAVILY TRAVELED ROADS. WE HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THESE REPAIRS DO NOT PERMANENTLY SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR NOW HAS 95,000 MILES ON IT - ABOUT 35, 000 MORE MILES SINCE THE ORIGINAL FAILURE. WE ARE AWARE OF VOLVO'S 10 YEAR/200,000 MILE WARRANTY ON THE ETM, BUT VOLVO NEEDS TO FIND A PERMANENT FIX RATHER THAN RISK MY WIFE'S OR MY SAFETY. *JB

A 2000 VOLVO S80 T-6 WOULD ON OCCASION CHANGE SPEED AND JERK WITHOUT WARNING. THE PROBLEM INITIALLY WAS SPORADIC BUT BECAME INCREASINGLY WORST OVER A PERIOD OF THREE WEEKS. A VOLVO DEALERSHIP CHECKED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE WAS BAD AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. REPAIR COST EXCEED $1,200. OUCH. *NM

WHILE ON A ROAD TRIP, MY 2001 VOLVO S80 STARTED LURCHING FORWARD AND SPEEDING UP/SLOWING DOWN BY ITSELF. THE CAR WAS IDLING ERRATICALLY AND WOULD STALL OUT. AS I WAS AWAY FROM HOME AND NEEDED TO RETURN SOON, I TOOK MY CAR TO BE CHECKED OUT. I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED A NEW ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO HAVE THE CAR FIXED AT A COST OF OVER $800.00. NOW I FIND OUT THAT VOLVO KNEW OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS PARTICULAR PART AND THAT THERE MAY BE A RECALL AND I AM VERY ANGRY THAT I HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE A PART THEY (VOLVO) KNEW WAS DEFECTIVE!!! ADDITIONALLY, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, I WONDER ABOUT THE POTENTIAL DANGER I AND MY FAMILY WERE UNKNOWINGLY SUBJECTED TO DUE TO VOLVO'S DECISION TO NOT INFORM CONSUMERS OF THIS DEFECT. *JB

2000 VOLVO C70 CONVERTIBLE HAS NEEDED TWO AIRBAGS REPLACED IN LESS THAN 5000 MILES. THESE ARE NOT ACCIDENT RELATED. VOLVO INFORMS ME THIS IS ORDINARY AND THEY HOLD NO RESPONSIBILITY. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR THAT NEEDED AIRBAG REPLACEMENT. TOO BE SUCH A "SAFE" CAR THIS DOESN'T SEEM CORRECT. DO THEY HAVE A RECALL OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT? WHAT CAN BE DONE OTHER THAN PAYING $800.00 EVERY FIVE THOUSAND MILES? CAR HAS 50000 MILES ON IT. *JB

VEHICLE FIRE IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT - LOOKING FOR ANY PROBLEMS NOTED WITH THIS MAKE / MODEL - ONLY THE COMPUTER SYSTEM AND HEADLIGHT FOR THE VEHICLE IS LOCATED IN THIS AREA. *NM

WHILE AT THE GAS STATION TO FUEL UP, THE GAS CAP DOOR HINGE BROKE AND THE DOOR FELL OFF . *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT DOORS SUDDENLY BECAME INOPERABLE FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAS TO ROLL THE WINDOW DOWN AND OPEN THE DOORS FROM THE OUTSIDE. WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF THE PASSENGER SIDE FAILING, THE DRIVER'S SIDE ALSO FAILED. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED THIS COULD LEAD TO ENTRAPMENT IF AN ACCIDENT WERE TO OCCUR. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE DOORS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT EXCEED 10 MPH. ON OTHER OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE WOULD SURGE FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE.

THE FRONT END TIE ROD BROKE SUDDENLY ON OUR 2004 VOLVO XC90 BRINGING THE CAR TO A COMPLETE HALT JUST AFTER MY SON HAD PULLED ON TO THE EXIT RAMP AFTER DRIVING 35 MILES ON A MAJOR 6 LANE HIGHWAY IN NEW JERSEY. WE WERE SOOOO LUCKY. VOLVO REPLACED BOTH FRONT END TIE RODS WITH WHAT THEY CLAIM TO BE A NEW AND IMPROVED TIE ROD. WE STILL QUESTION THE SAFETY OF THE CAR AT THIS POINT AND WILL NOT ALLOW OUR TEENAGERS TO DRIVE IT ON THE HIGHWAY. VOLVO USA HAS BEEN ANTAGONISTIC WITH US ABOUT TAKING BACK THE CAR BUT OUR LOCAL DEALER IS WILLING TO TRADE IT FOR ANOTHER VOLVO. *JB