VOLVO Complaints

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM HAS FAILED 5 TIMES IN THE PAST 2 YEARS. TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEALER HAS CHANGED MULTIPLE PARTS INCLUDING SWITCHES, RELAYS, ETC. THE CAR WORKS FINE FOR 1 - 4 MONTHS, AND THEN THE A/C STOPS WORKING ALL OF A SUDDEN AGAIN.

THE RIGHT FRONT SEATBELT RETRACTOR LOCKS UNEXPETDLY. THIS CAN HAPPEN GOING OVER A BUMP, AROUND A CORNER OR ON LEVEL ROAD. WHEN THIS HAPPEMS IT USUALLY WILL NOT RELEASE REQUIRING THE SEATBELT TO BE REMOVED, ALLOWED TO RETRACT AND REFASTENED IN ORDER TO ALLOW THE NORMAL SLACK AND PLAY ASSOCIATED WITH MODERN SEAT BELT SYSTEMS. VOLVO HAS REPLACED THE SEATBELT ONCE BUT THIS DID NOT RESOLVR THE PROBLEM. IN A CALL TODAY TO VOLVO CUSTOMER SERVICE I WAS TOLD THAT THE DEALER WOULD HAVE TO ADRESS THIS ISSUE AND THE COMPANY COULD NOT. THE DEALER ALREADY TRIED BUT FAILED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 55-60 MPH, BRAKES WERE PULSATING, AFTER APPLYING BRAKES AGAIN NOTICED BRAKES WERE FADING. CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND NOTICED ROTORS WERE RED HOT. DEALER REPLACED FRONT ROTORS AND PADS.*AK THE GAS TANK HAD A DEFECT THAT WOULD CAUSE A VACUUM LEAK. THE FRONT SUSPENSION MAKES A CRACKING NOISE WHEN TURNING DUE TO BALL JOINT FAILURE. THE GEAR SHIFTER SWITCH MAKES LOUD CLICKING NOISE. THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM OUTSIDE. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAD SLIPPAGE AND SHUDDER WHILE UP SHIFTING, CREATING A VEHICLE LOSS OF CONTROL. PASSENGER SIDE REAR SEAT BACKREST CUSHION MAKES NOISE DUE TO LOOSE CLIPS. THE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW DEVELOPED A WIND NOISE DUE TO DEFECTIVE WINDOW SEALS. DUE TO DESIGN FAULT, THE UPPER TORQUE MOUNT BUSHING CRACKED. THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT HEADLIGHT LENS BROKE. THE CONSUMER IS ASKING FOR A FULL REFUND OF THE ACTUAL PRICE PAID FOR THE VEHICLE OR FOR IT TO BE REPLACED WITH A NEW EQUALLY EQUIPPED VEHICLE. *YH

6 INCH CRACK IN THE CENTER OF WINDSHIELD FROM TOP THEN PROCEEDING TO THE DRIVERS' SIDE ABOUT 12 INCHES. I WASN'T AWARE THAT ANYTHING HAD EVEN HIT THE WINDSHIELD UNTIL THE SERVICEMAN AT THE DEALERSHIP POINTED IT OUT. EVEN THEN IT WAS HARD TO SEE THE MARK HE WAS SHOWING ME BECAUSE THE MARK IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF A PINPOINT AND IT IS ALL SURFACE LIKE A SCRATCH. MY CONCERN IS THE SAFETY OF THE WINDSHIELD THAT WAS INSTALLED ORIGINALLY ON THIS CAR. SOMETHING SO MINUTE SHOULD NOT HAVE CAUSED SUCH A CRACK IF THIS WINDSHIELD WASN'T DEFECTIVE OR IMPROPERLY INSTALLED TO START WITH. THIS IS ADVERTISED AS AN ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE-I'VE ONLY DRIVEN ON ASPHALT AND CONCRETE ROADS! OBVIOUSLY, THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG HERE. VOLVO HASN'T EVEN TRIED TO ALLEVIATE ANY OF MY SAFETY CONCERNS REGARDING THIS WINDSHIELD. I QUESTION THE INSTALLATION & THE GRADE OF WINDSHIELD USED FOR THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED SO EASILY. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN SO EASILY ON ANY OTHER VEHICLE. WHY DID IT HAPPEN ON THIS ONE IF THE WINDSHIELD WASN'T DEFECTIVE OR IMPROPERLY INSTALLED?? AM I GOING TO HAVE TO WORRY WHEN THAT FIRST SNOWFLAKE HITS THE WINDSHIELD?? I NEED SOME ANSWERS! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE.

WHILE SLOWING TO A STOP IN A PARKING PLACE (1-2MPH), THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. WITHIN 2 SECONDS, THE VEHICLE JUMPED THE CURB, SPINNING THE FRONT WHEELS FAST ENOUGH TO DIG 2 DEEP TROUGHS IN THE GRAVEL, AND CRASHED INTO A BRICK WALL 10 FEET BEYOND THE ORIGINAL PARKING SPACE. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED SHATTERING THE WINDSHIELD. THE DRIVER SUFFERS ONLY MINOR SORENESS THANKS TO THE SHORT DISTANCE BETWEEN THE PARKING SPACE AND THE WALL. THIS IS CERTAINLY A DEFECT IN THE S40. TWO OTHER CUSTOMER REPORTS EXIST CONCERNING A RUNAWAY THROTTLE ON THE VOLVO S40: 879358 & 878201.*AK

DEALER/MANUFACTURER CLAIMED THAT NO KNOWN PROBLEMS EXISTED, BUT NHTSA HAD COMPLAINT ODI ID 879358 SINCE 7/1/2000. NO SAFETY DEFECGT LISTED. *AK

FAILURE OF TIRE SIDEWALL - BLOWOUT AT 50 MPH - LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL! (TIRESIZE: 195/60/R15)

EXHAUST FUMES LEAKING INTO VEHICLE. VEHICLE BEEN TO DEALER SHOP, AND AT INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP ON ONE OCCASION EACH. BUT, PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER.*AK

CONSUMER SAYS THE ENGINE MOUNTS ON THE CAR BROKE, AS A RESULT THE ENGINE BOUNCES UP AND DOWN IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *JG

OVER MAXIMUM "30" SECOND PERIOD, VEHICLE BUCKED, THEN INTERIOR LIGHTS CAME ON AND BEGAN BLINKING, THEN THROTTLE STUCK IN "FULL" POSITION, THEN BRAKES FAILED COMPLETELY WHILE BLACK SMOKE EMERGED FROM UNDER HOOD AND WHEEL WELLS, THEN FLAMES VISIBLE FROM FROM GRILL OVER HOOD OF CAR, THEN VEHICLE FINALLY BROUGHT TO STOP USING EMERGENCY BRAKES AT WHICH TIME FLAMES WERE TWO-THREE FEET HIGH FROM GRILL AND WHEEL WELL(S) AREA OF CAR - EXITED IMMEDIATELY - CAR TOTAL LOSS ..... HAVE SINCE BEEN MADE AWARE OF "ANOTHER" '98 S70 FIRE WITH VERY SIMILAR SEQUENCE OF FAILURE EVENTS AND RESULT - VOLVO CONTACTED AND CLAIMS EVIDENCE OF ANIMAL NEST UNDER HOOD (ASSISTANCE DENIED) - CINNCINATI INSURANCE (MY CARRIER) HIRED & CONDUCTED PROFESSIONAL/INDEPENDENT FIRE INVESTIGATION WITH RESULTS PENDING ...... HAVE FULL SET OF PHOTOS - GENERAL COMMENT: IF THERE WERE AN ELDERLY PERSON, DIABLED PERSON OR CHILD STRAPPED IN CHILDSEAT RIDING IN VEHICLE, UNABLE TO REACT/MOVE SO QUICKLY, RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC!!!!!