2007 Volvo S40

ON JUNE 28, 2008, MY GARAGE DOOR CAME DOWN ON MY 2007 VOLVO S40 SEDAN, WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE ROOF OF THE CAR (EST. $2000.00) AS WELL AS IRREPARABLE DAMAGE TO THE GARAGE DOOR (REPLACED AT A COST OF $1150.00). A TECHNICIAN FROM GENIE (MFG OF GARAGE DOOR OPENER) THOROUGHLY INSPECTED AND TESTED THE OPENER ON JUNE 30, 2008, AND FOUND THE UNIT TO BE WORKING PROPERLY. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE ACTION OF UNLOCKING AND LOCKING THE CAR DOORS WITH THE REMOTE AS WELL AS STARTING THE IGNITION OF THE CAR CAUSED THE GARAGE DOOR TO OPEN AND CLOSE WITHOUT WARNING. EACH TIME THE CAR REMOTE WAS PRESSED, IT TRANSMITTED TO THE GARAGE DOOR OPENER. AFTER DE PROGRAMMING THE HOMELINK IN THE CAR, THE SITUATION NO LONGER OCCURRED. I NO LONGER FELT SAFE HAVING THE HOMELINK ACTIVE, AS I DID NOT WANT TO CHANCE FURTHER VEHICLE DAMAGE OR BODILY HARM. THE PROBLEM WAS CLEARLY A TRANSMITTER/ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE CAR REMOTE/HOMELINK. I CONTACTED VOLVO ON JUNE 30, WHO ASSIGNED A FIELD REPRESENTATIVE TO INSPECT THE CAR AT A LOCAL VOLVO DEALERSHIP ON JULY 9, 2008. I HAD REQUESTED THEY COME TO MY HOME TO WITNESS THE PROBLEM, BUT THAT REQUEST WAS DENIED. ON JULY 10, 2008 THE PRODUCT INVESTIGATION COORDINATOR FROM VOLVO INFORMED ME THAT THE FINDINGS OF THE FIELD REPRESENTATIVE SHOWED NO OPERATIONAL ISSUES, THEREFORE, IT WAS NOT A VOLVO PROBLEM. I HAVE TRIED CONTACTING HOMELINK, TO NO AVAIL. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE MALFUNCTION, NOR HAVE I RECEIVED ANY COMPENSATION FOR DAMAGE CAUSED BY THIS MALFUNCTION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 VOLVO S40. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER VEHICLE FEELS AS IF IT WERE DOWNSHIFTING; HOWEVER, IT HAS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WHEN SHE BEGINS TO ACCELERATE, THE REDUCED ENGINE PERFORMANCE LIGHT ILLUMINATES WHEN THE DOWNSHIFTING OCCURS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND CLEANED THE COMPUTER AFTER THE FIRST FAILURE. AFTER THE SECOND FAILURE, THEY REPLACED THE COMPUTER. THE FAILURES STILL PERSIST AND THE CONTACT IS SCHEDULED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER NEXT WEEK. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.

THE REAR BRAKES ON THIS VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AFTER A SHORT DRIVE (1 MILE) HAVING TO BE EXTINGUISHED WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THE REAR BRAKE ASSEMBLY (LEFT REAR) COMPLETELY FAILED AND OVERHEATED TO THE POINT OF CAUSING FLAMES TO APPEAR NEEDING TO BE EXTINGUISHED. THIS CAR HAD 2939 MILES ON IT AS A NEW VOLVO S40. THIS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WAS UNEXPLAINED AND WITHOUT AN APPARENT ERROR BY DRIVER AS THIS VEHICLE IS USED BY A COLLEGE STUDENT FOR VERY SHORT DISTANCES. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS NOT LEFT ON. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 VOLVO S40. THE CONTACT HAS RECENTLY RENTED THREE ZIP-CARS WITHIN THE PAST FEW MONTHS AND HAS DETECTED AN UNUSUAL SCENT COMING FROM THE VENTS. THE PANTS HE HAD HANGING INSIDE THE VEHICLE HAD A FAINT SMELL TO THEM ONCE HE ARRIVED HOME. HE BELIEVES THERE COULD BE ASBESTOS INSIDE THE VEHICLES. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE VIN AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 40.

ON MY BRAND NEW S-40 VOLVO WITH A MANUAL 5 SPEED TRANSMISSION OPERATING THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO BE FULLY DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR CAN BE OBSTRUCTED EASILY BY AN ADJACENT PROTRUDING PANEL ON THE FLOOR BOARD. WHEN MY LEFT FOOT IS BLOCKED BY THIS PROTRUDING PANEL, I AM INHIBITED FROM SHIFTING GEARS. THIS CONDITION IS VERY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. VOLVO CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT AS A DEFECT. VOLVO HAS REFUSED TO PROVIDE A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM BY SUPPLYING A PROPERLY FORMED CLUTCH LEVER THAT POSITIONS THE CLUTCH PEDAL FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM THE PROTRUDING PANEL FOR CONSISTENTLY PROPER DEPRESSION OF THE CLUTCH DURING SHIFTING. *JB