VOLVO Complaints

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED.*AK IT WAS LATER DETERMINED THAT THE FLYWHEEL BROKE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION THE CONSUMER STATED IT WAS DIFFICULT TO GET THE VEHICLE TO START DURING COLD WEATHER. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE ONLY PROBLEM THE DEALER FOUND WAS THAT THE HEATER WAS BLOWING COLD AIR. THE DEALER REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT. *NM

WHILE AT A GAS STATION DRIVER OPENED THE GAS TANK DOOR, AND THE DOOR SHEARED OFF FROM THE PLASTIC HINGES. DRIVER WILL TAKE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *AK

WHILE VEHICLE WAS JUST PASSING THROUGH A TOLL BOOTH CONSUMER HEARD A POPPING NOISE. THEN, STEERING COLUMN BEGAN TO SHAKE, AND SUDDENLY AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THIS CAUSED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE TO REAR END VEHICLE IN FRONT. BECAUSE OF AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CONSUMER SUSTAINED FACE AND CHEST INJURIES, AND WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR ONE WEEK. *AK

2000 VOLVO S40 NO BRAKES UNTIL CAR IS AT OPERATING TEMPERATURE. I REPORTED THIS TO THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY SAID TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AFTER LETTING IT WARM FOR A FEW MINUTES. I HAVE ALREADY ROLLED INTO NUMEROUS INTERSECTIONS DUE TO NO BRAKES. *JB

VEHICLE MESSAGE CENTER DISPLAYES: ABS SYSTEM FAILURE/SERVICING TRANSMISSION SYSTEM SERVICE POWER STEERING SERVICE EMISSIONS CONTROL SERVICE ALSO, THERE IS AN ENGINE OIL LEAK AND A TIE ROD REPLACEMENT/FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT WAS REQUIRED CRUISE CONTROL IS INTERMITTENT DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL INOP HEADLIGHTS COME ON WHEN NOT COMMANDED ETC. INCIDENT DATE--THROUGHOUT OWNERSHIP . *AK

MY 1998 VOLVO V70 AWD. WITH LESS THAN 49,000 MILES THE ABS/TRACS WARNING LIGHT BEGAN TO INTERMITTANTLY COME ON (INDICATES ABS SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED TRACTION CONTROL ARE INOPERATIVE). SUBSEQUENT COMPUTERIZED TROUBLE FAULT EVALUATION BY DEALER'S SERVICE DEPT (PENKUS VOLVO) INDICATED THAT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE WAS AT FAULT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (AT ALMOST $800). CAR HAD MILEAGE WITHIN THE WARRANTY LIMIT, BUT WAS BEYOND THE TIME LIMIT TO QUALIFY FOR WARRANTY SERVICE. I HAVE SINCE DONE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH/INTERNET SEARCHES ON THIS ISSUE (NOTE I AM A RESEARCH SCIENTIST) AND HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS INSTANCES OF THIS TEVES 20 ABS UNIT FAILING. SPECIFICALLY, I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THIS 1998 VOLVO MODEL HAS BEEN PLAGUED BY THIS! I RECOGNIZE THAT ALL OF THE HISTORICAL CLAIMS THAT I'VE REVIEWED DO NOT INVOLVE DEATH NOR PERSONNEL INJURY AS A RESULT OF THIS DEFECT, HOWEVER, THERE ARE SOME DOCUMENTED "CLOSE CALLS." I FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT YOUR AGENCY, NHTSA, SHOULD INVESTIGATE FURTHER AND PERHAPS MANDATE A RECALL BY VOLVO. YOU PRIMARILY EXIST TO PROMOTE SAFETY IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY AND TO PROTECT THE AMERICAN CONSUMER. PLEASE DON'T WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE IS KILLED OR HURT BEFORE YOU ACT! THANK YOU. *AK

WHILE DRIVING UNDER SNOWING CONDITIONS EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED AUTOMATICALLY, CAUSING THE DRIVER TO TEMPORARILY LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.*AK WHEN THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED IT ONLY LOCKED THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED TWICE IN THE SAME DAY. *NM

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE DRIVER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER TO INVESTIGATE THE NOISE AND NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. *AK *JB

CONSUMER DISCOVERED A 4 INCH GASH ON INNER SIDEWALL OF PIRELLI TIRE. TIRE SIZE P205/55R/16. *AK THE TIRES SIDEWALL BLEWOUT. *NM

STEERING WHEEL FROZE AND VEHICLE COULD NOT ACCELERATE. TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO FOUND OUT THAT THE CAUSE WAS A DEFECT IN THE AXLE. *LA WHEN THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO PARK, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE IGNITION CHIP HAD TO BE CHANGED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START.