VOLVO Complaints

WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A CLICKING NOISE FROM THE REAR RIGHT CV JOINT. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE THE UNDER CARRIAGE WAS FULL OF GREASE AND OIL FROM THE RIGHT REAR CV JOINT. THE RIGHT REAR CV JOINT BROKE. *AK *NM

MY HUSBAND AND I DROVE OUR VOLVO (WE ARE LEASING THIS CAR) FIRST TIME FOR A LONG TRIP (ABOUT 800 MILES). THE CAR MILEAGE WAS ABOUT 13,000. AFTER DRIVING WITH THE SPEED 75M/H FOR ABOUT 4 HOURS, WE TOOK AN EXIT AND LOST CONTROL OVER THE CAR. ACTUALLY CAR TOOK CONTROL. IT SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL GEAR, JUMPED AND STOPPED. IT TOOK A COUPLE OF MINUTES BEFORE CAR ALLOWED TO CONTROL ITSELF. THIS SCARY EXPERIENCE REPEATED A FEW TIMES ON THE ROAD. NEEDLESS TO SAY, IT WAS A SHOCKING EXPERIENCE. THE FIRST THING WE DID, WE BROUGHT A CAR TO A DEALER. THEY INFORMED US THAT THE CAR WAS LEASED TO US WITH OUTDATED OLD SOFTWARE, THAT THIS SOFTWARE ALSO HAD A GLITCH. THAT THEY HAD TO DOWNLOAD A NEW VERSION OF SOFTWARE. NOT A BIG DEAL, AND IT A MASS PRODUCTION OF VOLVO CARS, AND THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME I WAS TOLD BY THE VOLVO SERVICE. I DID NOT BELIEVE IT AND COULD NOT BELIEVE IT. CALL THE VOLVO OF NORTH AMERICA CUSTOMER SERVICE. SURE ENOUGH, THEIR REPRESENTATIVE, JENNI WITH EXTENSION #1979 CONFIRMED THE SAME THING FOR ME. SHE SAID IT IS A SCARY EXPERIENCE, BUT WE UPDATED YOUR CAR SOFTWARE. I ASKED WHY THIS OLD, NOT SAFE VERSION WAS GIVEN TO ME AND HER RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY HAVE NO WAY TO KNOW WHEN AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH THE SOFTWARE ON THE ROAD. SO WHAT HAPPENS WITH THEIR SLOGAN THAT VOLVO IS FOR LIFE? ANY ANSWERS BESIDES, WELL, IT IS A MASS PRODUCTIONS AND THE SAFETY CANNOT BE GUARANTEED. SORRY FOR THE EMOTIONS, IF YOU WHO WILL BE SO KIND TO READ MY MESSAGE WOULD BE HEARING HOW HAPPY AND RELAXED VOLVO REPRESENTATIVES ABOUT THIS INCIDENT. ANY COMMENTS? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOU TIME. *AK

THE NEW XENON HEADLIGHTS ON OUR VOLVO XC70 PROVIDE VERY POOR LIGHT IN LOW BEAM MODE WHEN GOING DOWN HILL. WE HAD A NEAR COLLISION DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE FAR ENOUGH AHEAD OF THE VEHICLE. THE LIGHTS ARE UNSAFE, ESPECIALLY GOING DOWN HILL. WE HAVE CONTACTED VOLVO ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, THEY STATE THAT THE LIGHTS MEET GOVERNMENT STANDARDS AND THERE IS NO ISSUE. *LA

CAR STALLED WITHOUT WARNING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. FOUND TO BE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE. THIS IS TANTAMOUNT TO HAVING THE THROTTLE CABLE SNAP. IT IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AND VOLVO KNOWS ABOUT IT BUT REFUSES TO 'FESS UP. LUCKILY WE WERE UNHURT BUT THIS PROBLEM IS PERVASIVE AND DEMANDS ATTENTION. *NM

1996 VOLVO 850 TURBO EVAPORATOR ON AIR CONDITIONER UNIT FAILED AT ABOUT 60,000 MILES. CAR WAS PURCHASED USED IN 2000 WITH ONLY 34,000 MILES ON IT. PART SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 60,000 MILES. *NM

ABS LIGHT COMING ON AND OFF INTERMEDIATELY, TOLD BY TECHNICIAN THAT ABS MODULE IS BAD AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $600 PLUS. THE PROBLEM IS SINCE THIS IS INTERMITTENT THAT WHEN THE UNIT "TEST" ITSELF WHEN YOUR BRAKING IF IT NOTICES THAT THEY AREN'T WORKING MANY TIMES THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, WHICH COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. WHEN I SPOKE TO VOLVO NORTH AMERICAN THEY SAID YES THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, BUT WILL NOT FIX IT. *NM

ABS MODULE FAILS ON MOST ALL 850 AND S/V70 SERIES CARS 97-00. THE ABS SYSTEM AS WELL AS THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM WILL NOT WORK WHEN THE UNIT IS FAILING. IT IS AN INTERMITTANT PROBLEM THAT GETS WORSE OVER TIME (SOMETIMES THE FAIL INDICATOR IS ON SOMETIMES NOT). VOLVO IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND A REPLACEMET IS AROUND 500.00 NOT INCLUDING DIAGNOSTICS AND LABOR TO INSTALL. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THEIR IS NO RECALL (FROM A COMPANY THAT PRIDES ITSELF ON SAFETY).*AK

PROBLEMS WITH WINDSHIELD AND HEADLIGHTS. *MR THE WINDSHIELD PRESENTED A GLARE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, AT NIGHT, THE LOW BEAM SETTING RESULTED IN INSUFFICIENT LIGHT PROTECTION, AND THE HIGH BEAM HAD LIMITED USE. *SC *JB

DURING NORMAL CRUISING AROUND 55-60 MPH, THE ETS LIGHT WILL COME ON AS THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO STUTTER AND THE ENGINE MODULATES. IT HAS BECOME WORSE OVER THE LAST WEEK AND NOW THE ENGINE "BUCKS" WHEN THE LIGHT IS ON! THIS IS UNPLEASANT AT 55 MPH! EVERY TIME THE ETS LIGHT COMES ON THE CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGES AND IS NOT ABLE TO BE RESET UNTIL THE LIGHT GOES OFF MANY IGNITION CYCLES (DAYS) LATER. SOME RESEARCH WAS DONE OVER THE WEB AND IT IS AMAZING TO SEE PEOPLE DESCRIBE THE EXACT SAME OR SIMILAR MANIFESTATION HAPPEN ON THEIR S70S. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TOMORROW AT THE DEALER IN ANN ARBOR AND EXPECT A > $900 BILL! COME ON VOLVO, HOW CAN YOU NOT HAVE SO MANY COMPLIANTS AND NOT RECALL?*AK

I OWN A 1998 VOLVO V70 THAT HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE DOOR LOCKS. THE CAR WILL LOCK BUT TWO DOORS DO NOT UNLOCK WHEN THE MASTER OR REMOTE SWITCHES ARE ACTIVATED. ONE HAS TO MANUALLY LIFT THE UNLOCKING KNOB FIRST. MY CONCERN IS THAT IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT OR THE NEED TO LEAVE THE CAR QUICKLY, A YOUNG CHILD OR SOMEONE WHO IS INFIRM MAY NOT BE ABLE TO EXIT THE CAR AND SOMEONE FROM THE OUTSIDE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO UNLOCK THE CAR DOOR EITHER TO HELP THEM. FOR THE FRONT DOOR, IT IS EASY ENOUGH TO LEAN OVER FROM THE OTHER SIDE AND LIFT THE KNOB TO UNLOCK THE DOOR BUT FOR THE REAR DOOR, THE KNOB IS PLACED TOO FAR BACK TO REACH FROM THE FRONT, HENCE THE CONCERN. FROM OPENING THE LOCK, IT APPEARS THAT A SMALL (3 MM) PIECE OF RED PLASTIC IN THE LOCK MECHANISM HAS SNAPPED OFF. FROM SEARCHING THE INTERNET, IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR MY YEAR AND MODEL BUT THAT THE DESIGN FAULT WAS FIXED ON LATER MODELS. ALSO, APPARENTLY THE BREAKAGE APPEARS TO OCCUR WHEN SOMEONE TRIES TO OPEN THE LOCKED DOOR WHILE SOMEONE IS TRYING TO UNLOCK IT  A NORMAL OCCURRENCE. I HAVE CONTACTED VOLVO BUT THEY TELL ME THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE AND SIMPLY WEAR AND TEAR. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.*AK