VOLVO Complaints

COMING DOWN A HILL IN VALLEY CENTER CA. THE TIMING BELT ON MY VOLVO XC 1998, VIN # [XXX], BROKE CAUSING THE ENGINE TO DESTRUCT AND LOSS OF HYDRAULICS TO POWER THE BRAKES AND STEERING, NEARLY VEERED INTO A CANYON. THE OWNERS MANUAL RECOMMENDS REPLACEMENT OF THE TIMING BELT AT 70,000 MILES. THE VOLVO HAS 61,000 MILES AND WAS VERY WELL MAINTAINED AT AN AUTHORIZED VOLVO DEALER IN HOUSTON TEXAS. THERE WAS ALMOST A MAJOR CASH BOTH REAR END AND FRONTAL WHEN THE CAR ALMOST CROSSED OVER THE HIGHWAY. CONTACTED VOLVO OF N. AMERICA AND WAS TOLD CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND I BOUGHT IT "AS IS" AND THEY ARE NOT TO BLAME. I NOW HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE BECAUSE OF EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. THANK GOD MY FAMILY WAS NOT IN THE CAR OR MY WIFE WAS NOT DRIVING THE CAR, THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A FATALITY IF IT WAS THE FREEWAY OR IF BY LUCK THE CAR DID NOT GO OVER THE CANYON WALL. I HAD ONLY OWNED THE CAR FOR TWO WEEKS. IT WAS INSPECTED BEFORE IT CAME TO ME FROM TEXAS AND WAS SHIPPED NOT DRIVEN.*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, A WATER BALLOON HIT THE SUN ROOF OF THE CAR AND IT SHATTERED. *TT

THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER WINDOWS HAVE A GAP IN THE WINDOW TRACK. A CHILD'S FINGER WAS PINCHED,AS A RESULT OF THE GAPWHILE THE WINDOW WAS BEING ADJUSTED.*AK

INTERMITTENT AND ONGOING PROBLEM WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. THE PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING PULSATION, AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. VEHICLE BEEN TO THE DEALER ON SIX OCCASION. DEALER REPLACED ABS MODULE, BUT EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WOULD REOCCUR. *AK

CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE TWO REAR BRAKE PADS AFTER 10230. IN ADDITION, HEADLIGHTS BURNED OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. POWER STEERING WHEEL SHAFT. PH

ON THE NIGHT OF MAY 13, 2003 A FEW HOURS AFTER PARKING THE CAR (1996 VOLVO 850) IN THE GARAGE THE SMELL OF GAS BECAME SO STRONG IT WAS OVERWHELMING. INSPECTION OF THE CAR AND FLOOR OF THE GARAGE REVEALED GAS LEAKING IN A FAST STEADY DRIP FROM THE FUEL TANK. THE LEAKED GAS HAD FORMED A SMALL PUDDLE ON THE FLOOR. ON THE MORNING OF MAY 14, I ARRANGED TO TAKE THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS INDEED LEAKING FROM THE SEAM. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED BECAUSE THE FUEL TANK WAS IS ON BACK ORDER AND IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE AVAILABLE UNTIL JUNE 1, 2001. THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE BECAUSE OF THE LEAKING FUEL. I BELIEVE THIS LEAK IS THE RESULT OF A DEFECT IN THE ORIGINAL FUEL TANK AS THERE IS NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE TANK. *NLM

I WOKE UP THIS MORNING TO FIND OUT THAT I HAD A FLAT TIRE. SO I GOT OUT THE FACTORY JACK THAT CAME WITH THE CAR AND PROCEEDED TO LIFT UP THE CAR. THE JACK THAT CAME WITH THE CAR ARE "SCISSOR-TYPE" AND HAS ONLY BEEN USED TWICE. SO, THE CAR WAS LIFTED ON ONE SIDE AND I PROCEEDED TO TAKE OFF THE FRONT TIRE. ALL OF THE SUDDEN, THE JACK GAVE WAY AND THE CAR CAME DOWN. LUCKILY THE FRONT TIRE WAS HALFWAY IN THE WHEEL-WELL, SO THE CAR JUST SETTLED ON THE TIRE WITH THE ROTOR PUSHING AGAINST THE INSIDE OF THE RIM (I NOTICED SCRATCHES INSIDE THE RIM AFTER I REMOVED THE TIRE). WELL, I TOOK A CLOSER LOOK AT THE JACK AND SAW THAT THE BIG, LONG SCREW BROKE IN HALF. I JUST COULDN'T IMAGINE THAT THE JACK VOLVO GIVES OUT WITH THEIR CARS WOULD SIMPLY BREAK, ESPECIALLY IF EVERYTHING WAS DONE PROPERLY. THE CAR WAS EMPTY, SO WEIGHT COULDN'T BE AN ISSUE. THERE WAS SOME LOWER BODY PANEL DAMAGE FROM THE JACK WHEN IT BROKE. ALSO, MY FINGERS GOT BRUISED AND SCRATCHED UP A BIT FROM THE IMPACT OF THE CAR FALLING ON THE FRONT TIRE THAT I WAS REMOVING AT THE TIME. *NLM

BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS IN MY 1995 960 VOLVO STATION WAGON DEPLOYED SPONTANEOUSLY AS I WAS BACKING OUT A DRIVEWAY AT 2 - 3 MPH. *JB

THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BACK LUNGED BACKWARDS WITH THE SLIGHTEST TOUCH OR MOVEMENT. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS WAS A MANUFACTURING DESIGN DEFECT. *NLM

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT WITH IT'S BALL JOINT AS STATED IN RECALL # 00 V 238 000. THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *NLM