VOLVO Complaints

I HAVE A VOLVO S60 WITH 17" LOW PROFILE PIRELLI P6 FOUR SEASON TIRES. I HAVE 23,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 5 TIRES FOR SIDE WALL FAILURE AND UNEXPLAINED FLAT TIRES( NO PUNCTURES) I FOUND A WEB SITE THAT LISTS 12 PAGES OF COMPLAINTS BY OTHER VOLVO AND AUDI OWNERS WITH THE SAME FAILURES AND MYSTERIOUS FLATS. PIRELLI AND VOLVO HAVE NOT RESPONDED TO THE PROBLEM. *JB

THE VEHICLES ABS LIGHT KEPT ILLUMINATING ON AND OFF. THE ABS SYSTEM FUNCTIONS INTERMITTENTLY. *NM THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. *SC

CABIN TEMPERATURE SENSOR FAILED. THE CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM IN MY 2001 VOLVO S80 BEGAN ATTEMPTING TO STRONGLY COOL THE CABIN ON A COLD DAY. DEALER INFORMED US THAT THE SENSOR THAT DETECTS THE TEMPERATURE IN THE CABIN HAD FAILED AND WAS READING 100 DEGREES IN THE CABIN CAUSING THE CLIMATE CONTROL TO ATTEMPT TO COOL THE CABIN. THE PART WAS NOT COVERED BY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. (60K ON VEHICLE) *JB

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE A HEADLIGHT 3 TIMES AND A TAILLIGHT 2 TIMES, A CONSOLE LIGHT, AND THE FUSE TO MY CIGARETTE LIGHTER IN MY 2002 VOLVO S40; 5 OF THESE THINGS IN THE LAST SIX WEEKS. THE VOLVO DEALERSHIP SAYS VOLVOS NOW ( THEY DIDN'T SPECIFY ANY PARTICULAR YEAR OF VOLVOS) ARE BLOWING HEADLIGHTS SO FREQUENTLY, THAT THE CUSTOMER REPS KEEP HEADLIGHT BULBS IN THEIR DESK DRAWERS AND REPLACE THEM FOR FREE. TO ME, THIS MEANS EITHER THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM WITH THE VOLVO VOLTAGE REGULATORS OR THIS PARTICULAR VOLVO DEALERSHIP IS PUTTING ME OFF TO TRY KEEP THIS REPAIR FROM BEING TAKEN CARE OF BY MY CAR WARRANTY. I SAY THIS BECAUSE THE FIRST TIME I ASKED ABOUT MY LIGHTS BLOWING SO FREQUENTLY, THEY TOLD ME IT WAS BECAUSE LIGHT BULBS TEND TO BLOW IN COLD WEATHER. THE SECOND TIME I ASKED, THEY SAID ALL VOLVOS WERE DOING THAT. I LOOKED ON YOUR SITE ABOUT SAFETY RECALLS ON VOLVOS AND SAW NOTHING ABOUT VOLTAGE PROBLEMS. TONIGHT I HAVE ALSO SENT AN EMAIL TO VOLVO.COM SITE SO OBVIOUSLY I HAVEN'T GOTTEN A RESPONSE FROM THEM. SINCE SAFETY LIGHTS (HEADLIGHT AND TAILLIGHTS) ARE AN ISSUE WITH THE PROBLEM I'M HAVING WITH MY CAR AND THE VOLVO DEALERSHIP SAYS IT'S A COMMON VOLVO PROBLEM, I THOUGHT I SHOULD PASS THIS BY YOUR SITE TO SEE WHAT YOU HAVE HEARD. *JB

THE INCIDENT TOOK PLACE AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, MY COOLANT LIGHT WENT ON AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, IT MUST BE LOW, I WILL PULL OVER AT THE NEXT TOWN WHICH IS 10 MINUTES AWAY AND CHECK THE COOLANT LEVEL. AT THAT MOMENT I LOOKED AT MY TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND THE NEEDLE WAS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE AND I ASSUMED THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE WAS NOT HIGH OR LOW BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING TO INDICATE OTHERWISE. NOT MORE THAN 5 MINUTES LATER, MY CAR LOST ALL POWER, AND IN THAT INSTANCE I WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD, I STOPPED THE CAR AND AS I DID THIS, THE CAR ENGINE STARTED TO SMOKE HEAVILY, EVERYTHING SHUT OFF AND I FOUND MYSELF STRANDED. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE MELTED AND A NEW ONE IS $9,700. THE SERVICE SHOP LET ME KNOW THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE SENSOR IN THE COOLANT TANK, IF THIS SENSOR IS NOT SUBMERGED IN COOLANT, YOUR TEMPERATURE GAUGE DOES NOT WORK AND THE NEEDLE STAYS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE. IN MY CASE, MY VOLVO GUY TOLD ME I WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF COOLANT. HOW THIS HAPPENED IN JUST A 5 MINUTE PERIOD OF TIME IS A MYSTERY TO ME, BUT THE MORE CONCERNING PART IS IF I WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF COOLANT, MY ENGINE WOULD START TO HEAT UP, MY TEMPERATURE GAUGE WOULD TELL ME THAT MY ENGINE WAS HOT, HOWEVER, WHEN LOOKING AT MY TEMPERATURE GAUGE, IT TOLD ME MY ENGINE TEMPERATURE WAS ?NORMAL?. THIS ISSUE ALSO COULD BE RELATED TO THE MOST RECENT 9/04 VOLVO RECALL, HOWEVER, MY PARTICULAR MODEL IS NOT LISTED. UNFORTUNATELY MY CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER A WARRANTY.*AK

ON MAY 9TH, WE PURCHASED A NEW VOLVO V 40 STATION WAGON FROM PUTNAM VOLVO IN BURLINGAME, CALIFORNIA. ON MAY 17 2004 THIS BRAND NEW CAR STALLED DEAD WHILE MOVING FORWARD IN TRAFFIC, A WEEK AFTER IT WAS PURCHASED. WE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY BLEW US OFF AND SAID THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A PROBLEM AND THAT IT WAS PROBABLY "BAD GAS." A FEW WEEKS LATER IN JULY 2004 ITT STALLED DEAD AGAIN WHILE MAKING A TURN AT A BUSY INTERSECTION (MILEAGE 3,612). WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED! WE TOOK IT IMMEDIATELY INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND SAID IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. TWO WEEKS WENT BY AND THE PUTNAM VOLVO DEALERSHIP WHERE WE PURCHASED IT SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC IN SERVICE LET IT SLIP THAT THEY HAD SEEN 4 OTHER VOLVOS WITH THIS PROBLEM. WE THINK THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS, LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM AND WONDER IF SOMEONE HAS TO DIE BEFORE THIS IS MADE PUBLIC AND CORRECTED. WE HAVE LOST FAITH IN THE SAFETY OF THIS CAR WHICH IS THE SOLE REASON WE PURCHASED A VOLVO. VOLVO FINALLY DEMANDED THAT WE PICK UP THE CAR EVEN THOUGH THEY NEVER COULD REPLICATE THE PROBLEM NOR WOULD THEY GUARNATEE THAT IT WAS FIXED. I HAVE TO COMMUTE ON HIGHWAY 5 AND OBVIOUSLY THIS KIND OF PROBLEM WOULD BE DEADLY IF IT STALLED DEAD ON ME IN THIS SITUATION. IN THE PAST WE HAVE BOUGHT HONDAS BECAUSE OF THEIR MECHANICAL RELIABILITY BUT THE NEWS MEDIA HAS LEAD US TO BELIEVE THAT VOLVOS WERE THE SAFEST CAR.*AK

PENDING PROBLEM. 1999 VOLVO XC70 USES A DRIVE-BY-WIRE THROTTLE. THE THROTTLE BODY MODULE IS PRONE TO FAILURE AND WHICH LEADS TO UNINTENDED ACCELARATION OR LOSS OF ACCELARATION CONTROL. EARLY FAILURE IS INDICATED WITH ENGINE SURGING FROM 500 TO 1000 RPM, CYCLING BACK AND FORTH.*AK

WHILE DRIVING DOWN I-85 S. ON 12/30/04 IN MY 1998 VOLVO S-70 THE TENSIONER WHEEL EXPLODED CAUSING THE TIMING BELT TO DISENGAGE FROM THE ENGINE THUS LOOSING ALL ENGINE POWER AT 70 MPH WITHOUT WARNING AND DOING OVER 2000.OO DOLLARS WORTH OF ENGINE DAMAGE. FROM EXAMINATION OF THE DEFECTIVE PART, THE GOOVE GUIDES JUST SHATTERED LEAVING NO GROOVES FOR BELT GUIDANCE.*AK

WHILE DRIVINGTHE DASHBOARD WOULD UNEXPECTEDLY BECOME LOOSE AND BOUNCED UP AND DOWN ON ITS OWN. A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE STARTED COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE DASHBOARD NEEDED REPLACEMENT.*AK

3-4 OCCURENCES OF VOLVO XC 90 DOORS UNLOCKING AND SPONTANEOUSLY OPENNING WHILE THE CAR IS MOVING IN TRAFFIC. THIS INVOLVED THE DRIVER, PASSENGER AND REAR PASSENGER DOOR. THE MANUFACTER WQAS UNABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM FOR THREE TO FOUR ATTEMPTS. *AK