VOLVO Complaints

I RECENTLY BROUGHT MY VOLVO S60 FOR 15000 MILE SERVICE(MY CAR HAD 16200) AND WAS INFORMED THAT I NEEDED 4 NEW TIRES. HOW SHOCKED WE WERE. THE DEALER INFORMED US THAT THIS WAS PIRELLI AND WE MUST CONTACT THEM. I DID AND WAS TOLD TO SEE A AUTHORIZED PIRELLI DEALER. BROUGHT THE CAR IN WAITED AND THEN TOLD ME THEY WILL ONLY TAKE 20%OFF. WHILE I WAITED FOR TIRE DEALER TO RETURN MY CALL BUBBLES FORMED IN THE TIRES. THIS CAN'T BE SAFE . VOLVO PRIDES THEMSELVES ON SAFE CARS. HOW SAFE CAN THEY BE WITH BAD TIRES. PIRELLI AND VOLVO BETTER WATCH OUT. REMEMBER FORD AND FIRESTONE. THEY ARE ONLY A FEW MILES BEHIND. NO FATALITIES YET!!!*JB

ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THE WIPERS WOULDN'T GO ON. ALWAYS HAPPENS IN THE MORNING. WASHING AND CLEANING DOESN'T HELP. DEALER DOESN'T HAVE A CLUE. PLEASE HELP! *NLM

I HAVE A 1998 VOLVO S70 T5. THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE CONTROLLER BOARD IS MALFUNCTIONING CAUSING THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE "RED" INDICATOR LIGHT TO COME ON AT VARIOUS "RANDOM" TIMES WHILE DRIVING THE CAR. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSES ON ITS OWN AND MANY NOISES ARE HEARD AROUND THE AREA OF THE FRONT LEFT TIRE AND THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES STOP WORKING WHILE THE LIGHT IS ON. THIS HAPPENS VERY FREQUENTLY (AT LEAST ONCE EVERY TIME I DRIVE THE CAR). *JB

THE HINGE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR MAKES A HORRIBLE POPPING NOISE WHEN I OPEN OR CLOSE THE DOOR AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT THE MECHANIC HAS SEEN ON THIS MODEL VOLVO BEFORE. *JB

I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED WITH LESS THAN 35K MILES IN FEB 2002. PROBLEM WAS A FROZEN RIGHT FRONT BRAKE CALIPER AND A FAULTY RIGHT REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSOR WHICH ENGAGES THE ABS UNNECESSARILY/RANDOMLY. THIS DID NOT HAPPEN FOR ABOUT A YEAR AFTER OWNING THE CAR. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MY MECHANIC THAT THE REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSOR FAILURE APPEARS TO BE QUITE COMMON BECAUSE HE HAS SEEN IT IN MANY OF THE SAME CARS. THE PART THAT IS USED TO REPLACE IT IS ALSO A DIFFERENT PART NUMBER WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT VOLVO IS MOST LIKELY AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AS WELL BUT HAVE NEVER ISSUED A RECALL. THERE WERE MANY OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR SUCH AS BAROMETRIC PRESSURE SENSOR FAILURE, UPPER MOTOR MOUNT REQUIRING REPLACING, AC SENSOR FAILURE, WHEEL BEARING, ETC. ALL WITHIN THE PERIOD OF 1 YEAR BUT NONE OF THESE THINGS AFFECTED THE SAFETY/BRAKING OF THE CAR SO I DO NOT CONSIDER THAT TRULY DANGEROUS. THOSE ISSUES INVOLVE AGGRAVATION AND MONEY, NOT SAFETY. *NLM

I HAVE A LEASED 2001 VOLVO V70 T5 THAT WEARS THROUGH TIRES EVERY 3 TO 5 THOUSAND MILES. I AM TIRED OF HAVING TO DRIVE ON BALD TIRES AND HAVE ASKED VOLVO TO ALLOW ME TO TERMINATED THE LEASE. THEY REFUSED MY REQUEST CLAIMING THE PROBLEM IS THE TIRES NOT THE CAR. I DISAGREE WITH THEM. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WITH THIS CAR THE CHOOSE TO IGNORE. COULD YOU PLEASE PROVIDE ANY HELP TO GET THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED. *NLM

I HAVE A 1997 VOLVO 850R THAT IS CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS/TRACS SYSTEM - THE LIGHTS CAME ON FOR THE ABS AND THE TRACS SYSTEM. IN RESEARCHING MY PROBLEM IT HAS BECOME APPARENT THAT THE 850 VOLVO IS KNOWN FOR FAILURES TO ITS ABS MODULE AND THE ENTIRE BRAKING SYSTEM IN GENERAL. THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND ON THIS COMMON PROBLEM LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD BE A RECALLED ITEM. APPARENTLY VOLVO NOW OFFERS A NEW AND IMPROVED ABS CONTROL MODULE (THAT THEY CHARGE DEARLY FOR) BECAUSE OF THE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS AND REPLACEMENTS OF THE OLD UNITS. VOLVO SHOULD BEAR THE EXPENSE OF REPLACING THESE UNITS AS IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THE SHEAR NUMBER OF THESE INSTANCES LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT IT IS A SYSTEMATIC DESIGN FLAW. *JB

THE XC70 HAS STALLED 3 TIMES WHILE DRIVING OVER THE LAST 2 YEARS. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED TWO DIFFERENT SENSORS. THE DEALER FEELS THE CARE IS FINE, THE PROBLEM CAN NOT BE READILY REPRODUCED. THE FIRST TWO TIMES IT STALLED, IT HAPPENED LAST YEAR. THE MOST RECENT OCCURRED LAST MONTH. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR DOWN A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY, AND IT JUST STALLED AS SHE REMOVED HER FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR. I AM VERY CONCERNED. *JB

TRANSMISSION SLIPS FROM 2ND TO 3RD FROM TIME TO TIME. ADDITIONALLY, THE CAR SHIFTS HARSHLY FROM 3RD TO 2ND GEAR. *JB

THE ABS / TRACKS WARNING LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY FOR THE PAST YEAR. INITIALLY IN 2002 THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE US WITH A DEFINITIVE DIAGNOSIS, BUT WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE CAR, SAID THAT IT WAS THE ABS CONTROL UNIT FOR $1000+. WE DECLINED THE REPAIR ON THE BASIS THAT IT WAS A GUESS. ON MAY 1, 2003, WHILE IN FOR ROUTINE SERVICE, THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THE ABS/TRACKS CONTROL UNIT AT A COST OF $1000+. I ENTERED 1 FAILURE ON TODAY'S DATE BUT NUMEROUS TIMES THE ABS BRAKES ENGAGE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS NOT BEING TOUCHED AND SOMETIMES ENGAGES WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED AT SLOW SPEEDS IN NON-EMERGENCY STOPPING. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE ABS BRAKES WILL NOT WORK IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE WHICH LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THE ABS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD AS PROBABLY LESS THAN 1% OF CAR OWNERS KNOW TO FILE A REPORT. I ESTIMATE THAT 50% OF 1998 VOLVOS HAVE THIS PROBLEM AT 50000+ MILES. I CONSIDER THIS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS A DRIVER WILL RELY UPON THE ABS IN AN ACCIDENT AND WILL APPLY THE BRAKE PEDAL ACCORDINGLY. IF THE ABS DON'T FUNCTION, THE WHEELS WILL LOCK AND POSSIBLY CAUSE THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR. THE OTHER SAFETY ISSUE IS THE ABS ENGAGING WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS NOT APPLIED OR WHEN THE ABS ENGAGE IN NON-EMERGENCY STOPPING. THIS IS NOT CONTROLLED BRAKING AND COULD ALSO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BY ALARMING AND CONFUSING THE DRIVER. WE BOUGHT THE VOLVO AFTER BEING HIT BY A DRUNK DRIVER AT 100+ MPH AND CAN'T AFFORD TO SUSTAIN FURTHER SERIOUS INJURY OR THE STRESS CAUSED BY WORRYING ABOUT SAFETY EQUIPMENT FAILURE ON WHAT IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE SAFEST CAR ON THE ROAD. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS VERY SERIOUS ISSUE. THANK YOU.*JB