VOLVO Complaints

DEAR NHTSA, MY COMPLAINT IS DIRECTED TOWARDS ALL MODERN AUTOMOBILE HEADLIGHTS, AND IS TWO-FOLD. THE FIRST PART OF MY COMPLAINT INVOLVES NON-SEALED BEAM HEADLAMPS. SINCE ABOUT 1984, AUTOS HAVE BEEN PERMITTED TO USE THIS TYPE OF HEAD LAMP, AND IT IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE EVIDENT THAT THE PLASTIC USED FOR THE LENSES OF THESE HEADLAMPS DETERIORATES, EVENTUALLY MAKING THE LENS MORE AND MORE OPAQUE. (I'VE NOTICED THIS ESPECIALLY ON VOLVO'S AND CHRYSLER MINIVANS MADE IN THE LATE 1980'S.) THE FORMERLY USED SEALED BEAM HEADLAMPS WERE MADE OF GLASS AND SELDOM CLOUDED OVER. ANY SAFETY ADVANTAGE OF CHANGING FROM GLASS TO PLASTIC CONSTRUCTION IS OVERRIDDEN BY THE LOSS OF VISIBILITY WITH CLOUDED LENSES. IT WOULD BE SO GREAT IF SHATTER-PROOF GLASS SEALED BEAMS WOULD MAKE A COMEBACK! THE SECOND PART OF MY COMPLAINT INVOLVES THE HID HIGH INTENSITY LIGHTS ON SOME NEWER CARS. THEY ARE SO ANNOYING AND DISTRACTING TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC! IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT BLUE LIGHTS WERE PERMITTED ONLY ON HIGHWAY VEHICLES LIKE SNOW PLOWS, BUT THESE CARS WITH THE BLINDING BLUE HEADLIGHTS ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE PREVALENT. PERHAPS THEY DO IMPROVE FORWARD VISIBILITY FOR THE DRIVER, BUT THAT ONLY ENCOURAGES THE DRIVER TO GO FASTER. I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THEY BE LIMITED TO FREEWAY OR HIGHWAY USE, IF AT ALL. THANKS FOR LETTING ME VENT MY WRATH AT THE CURRENT STATE OF AUTO HEADLAMP DESIGN! *JB

THE ABS SYSTEM CONTROLLER IS DEFECTIVE ON MY 98 VOLVO S70 WITH 90K MILES. UNDER VERY LIGHT BRAKING AT SLOW SPEEDS THE ABS WILL ENGAGE FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND THE REMAINDER OF THE TIME IT FAILS COMPLETELY. I AM TOLD IT IS A CHRONIC CONDITION WITH THIS MODEL AND IS A SERIOUS CONDITION. *JB

INTEGRATED CHILD BOOSTER SEAT FELL APART. HINGE LINKING THE SEAT BACK TO THE SEAT BOTTOM BROKE INTO MULTIPLE PIECES UNDER NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THE BACK COMPLETELY SEPARATES FROM THE EXPANDABLE SEAT, AND IT IS NO LONGER USABLE. *JB

THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR AN OIL CHANGE WHEN THE CONSUMER FOUND OUT THE REAR BRAKES WERE COMPLETELY GONE. THE REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE TOTAL COST FOR ALL REPAIRS WERE $545.61. *AK ALSO THE SEAT BELT HAD TO BE REPLACED. *CB *JB

THE TIRES WERE NOT SET CORRECTLY ON THE HUB, AND WHILE DRIVING, THE LUGS:NUTS LOOSENED. *AK

COOLING FAN FOR MOTOR DEFECTIVE, CAUSING CAR TO OVERHEAT AND CATCH ON FIRE. *AK

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING ABS FAILED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, DEALER HAS INSPECTED 3 TIMES AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

PRIOR TO BEING NOTIFIED FOR THE ELECTRICAL SEAT HEATER, RECALL 02 V 314 000, THE DEFECT ACCRUED AND VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.*AK

ABS / TRACTION CONTROL MODULE FAILED WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL. IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT THIS IS A COMMON SAFETY ISSUE WITH VOLVOS. ACCORDING TO MY SERVICE WRITER AT THE VOLVO THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. THE REPAIR IS ALSO NOT CHEAP AT APPROX. $650.00. EXCLUDED IN THE VOLVO INCREASED PROTECTION (VIP) "LIMITED" EXTENDED WARRANTY. *AK