2002 Volvo S60

THERE WERE FOUR OCCUPANTS IN THE VEHICLE. AS WE WERE DRIVING HOME FROM THE MALL, WE NOTICED A BRIEF INTERRUPTION IN THE LIGHTS AND RADIO. A FEW MILES DOWN THE ROAD, THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND THE CAR SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO GET IT CRANKED BACK UP IN LESS THAN A MINUTE. WE DROVE APPROXIMATELY TWO MORE MILES AND PULLED INTO OUR DRIVEWAY AND SHUT THE CAR OFF. WE HEARD A SOUND LIKE AN ALARM, BUT IT WAS SO FAINT; BEFORE WE HAD TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT FURTHER, THE CAB BEGAN TO FILL WITH BLACKISH GREY SMOKE INTO THE BACKSEAT AREA. WE ALL GOT OUT QUICKLY AND WALKED TO THE BACK OF THE CAR. I NOTICED FLAMES BEHIND THE DRIVER SIDE TAIL LIGHT (WHERE THE BATTERY IS LOCATED) AND TOLD MY HUSBAND. HE OPENED THE TRUNK (BURNING HIS FINGERTIPS), AND FLAMES SHOT UP INTO THE AIR. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911 BECAUSE THE FLAMES WERE HIGH AND FAST-MOVING. THE 911 DISPATCHER INSTRUCTED US TO STAY AWAY FROM THE CAR AND NOT TRY TO PUT THE FIRE OUT DUE TO THE OBVIOUS DANGERS OF A FAST-MOVING CAR FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED WITHIN FIVE MINUTES AND BEGAN PUTTING THE FIRE OUT; HOWEVER, THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS UP TO THE ENGINE, WHICH WAS NOT BURNED. AFTER INSPECTION, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DEEMED IT A LOSS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. I HAVE CONTACTED VOLVO, BUT THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED TO ME AS OF YET. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL RECALLS ON THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE, AND WE ARE WORRIED THAT VOLVO MAY HAVE MISSED ONE. FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS, I AM REPORTING THIS SAFETY HAZARD. THE CAR REMAINS IN OUR DRIVEWAY AWAITING INSURANCE ADJUSTMENT; HOWEVER, I AM HOPEFUL THAT EITHER VOLVO OR SOMEONE WHO DOES SAFETY INSPECTIONS WOULD CLAIM THE CAR TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE FURTHER. *TR

MY VOLVO S60 IS BECOMING DIFFICULT TO START AND IS BEGINNING TO SMELL LIKE GASOLINE. I'VE BEEN RESEARCHING ONLINE AND THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE THE FUEL FILTER. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL IN OTHER STATES LIKE ARIZONA AND FLORIDA BUT APPARENTLY VOLVO HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL FOR CARS IN CALIFORNIA. IT IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION TO DRIVE A CAR THAT IS LEAKING FUEL DUE TO A MANUFACTURES DEFECT REGARDLESS OF WHAT STATE YOU LIVE IN. I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT THE NHTSA INSTRUCT VOLVO TO INCLUDE ALL STATES IN THE RECALL OF THE DEFECTIVE FUEL FILTER. PLEASE SEND ME ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THIS REQUEST. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I'VE HAD MY CAR ALL OF 4 MONTHS AND I STARTED TO NOTICE WHEN IT GOT REALLY HOT OUTSIDE (SUMMER) AND WHEN I WENT TO START MY CAR IT WOULD STALL AS IF IT WAS HAVING A HARD TIME STARTING UP. LONG STORY SHORT I TAKE IT IN TO THE DEALER, THEY RUN A DIAGNOSTICS TEST AN TELL ME THERE IS A CRACK IN MY FUEL PUMP. I CURRENTLY LIVE IN PENNSYLVANIA WHICH IS NOT ONE OF THE STATES LISTED FOR THE FUEL PUMP RECALL. I HIGHLY BELIEVE MY CAR HAD A DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP BECAUSE IN THE SPRING TIME, WHEN IT WASN'T SO HOT MY CAR WAS RUNNING FINE. THE VOLVO DEALER SHIP CHARGED ME $98.11/HR TO RUN A DIAGNOSTICS TEST WHICH CAME TO $102.83. THEN ON TOP OF THAT THEY CHARGED ME $795 + TAX FOR THE PARTS AND LABOR TO REPLACE MY FUEL PUMP AFTER FINDING THERE WAS A CRACK IN IT. EVERYONE KEEPS TELLING ME THAT MY FUEL PUMP IS NOT ON THE RECALL BUT IT HAS THE SAME EXACT SYMPTOMS AS ALL OTHER VOLVO CARS THAT ARE LISTED ON THE RECALL. I'M TRYING TO RESEARCH HOW I COULD FIND OUT HOW THESE PEOPLE KNOW IF MY FUEL PUMP WAS RECALLED OR NOT. I HAVE TWIN 2 YEAR OLD GIRLS THAT I HAD IN MY CAR ALL A WHILE IT WAS HAVING THIS UNKNOWN ISSUE. THIS IS NOT SAFE AT ALL AND COULD OF CAUSED US HARM. LUCKILY MY FATHER IS CAR SMART AND INFORMED ME WHAT THE POSSIBLE ISSUE COULD BE. *TR

PURCHASED USED S60 IN NOVEMBER 2011 WITH 137,000 MILES. A FEW WEEKS LATER VARIOUS PROBLEMS MANIFESTED: SCRAMBLED LETTERS IN DASHBOARD MESSAGE, DRIVER DOOR LOCKS INTERMITTENTLY WORKED, RADIO SELF TUNED TO DIFFERENT STATION, SPEEDOMETER GIVING FALSE READINGS OR STUCK AT CURRENT SPEED OR READING ZERO, FUEL GAUGE MALFUNCTION, ALL INSTRUMENTS ON PANEL FLICKERED, ALL INSTRUMENTS WENT "DARK" WHILE DRIVING. AT FIRST RESTARTING CAR WOULD CLEAR PROBLEM. THEN FREQUENCY BETWEEN FAILURES INCREASED. JUST BEFORE COMPLETE FAILURE - CAR NEEDED TO BE "COLD" FOR INSTRUMENTS TO WORK - WITH INSTRUMENTS FAILING ONCE ENGINE WARMED. FINALLY IN FEBRUARY 2012 AT ABOUT 147,021 MILES THE PANEL COMPLETELY FAILED WHILE DRIVING - GIVING DRIVER NO READINGS (SPEED, FUEL, TEMP, MILEAGE, OR WARNING INDICATORS) AND WOULD NOT RESET. INTERNET FORUMS OF VOLVO OWNERS SUGGESTED IT WAS A DRIVER INFORMATION MODULE FAILURE. OWNERS FORUMS PINPOINTED 3 PROBABLE CAUSES OF A DIM FAILURE - 1. LOOSE CONNECTION OF THE MOTOROLA MICROCHIP, 2. LOOSE CAPACITOR/RESISTOR 3. LACK OF PROTECTION FROM HEAT/HEAT TRANSFER TO INDIVIDUAL PRONGS IN MICROCHIP OR BETWEEN CAPACITOR/RESISTOR AND THE CIRCUIT BOARD. SOME ELECTRICALLY SAVVY OWNERS FIXED BY REFLOWING/RESOLDERING/HEAT PROTECTING SAID COMPONENTS. OUR LOCAL VOLVO DEALER CONFIRMED DIM FAILURE AND QUOTED APROX. $1500 FOR A NEW INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND 3 HRS. LABOR. WE CHOSE TO SEND DIM/INSTRUMENT CLUSTER OUT FOR A REFURBISHMENT TO BAA REMANUFACTURING INC. ON REINSTALLATION WARNING MESSAGE READ "SRA/AIRBAG-SERVICE URGENT". ASKED DEALER TO CLEAR DIM CODE FIRST, THEN FROM SRS MODULE PER BAA-REMAN INSTRUCTIONS. DEALER JOB DESCRIPTION/RECEIPT STATED THEY CLEARED CODES DIM 0001, 0003, 0005, 0006, E003, SRS 00D4, E003. NO PROBLEMS WITH LOCKS/RADIO/INSTRUMENT CLUSTER SINCE REMANUFACTURE IN THE LAST 10,000 MILES/5 MONTHS. VOLVO'S ORIGINAL DIM CIRCUIT BOARD POORLY DESIGNED/ASSEMBLED. *TR

ELECTRICAL PANEL FAILS (GAS GAUGE SAYS EMPTY), PASSENGER AND REAR DOOR LOCKS, FUEL DOOR, AND TRUNK OPENING ALSO FAILS. INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS AS CANNOT OPEN THE DOORS UNLESS PULLING THE DOOR LOCK UP MANUALLY FROM INSIDE THE CAR SO THEREFORE CAN'T GET TO CHILDREN IN THE BACKSEAT WITHOUT CRAWLING THROUGH THE FRONT SEAT AND MANUALLY UNLOCKING THEIR DOOR. HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH GAS IS IN THE CAR BECAUSE GAS GAUGE FAILS AND CANNOT GET FUEL DOOR TO OPEN CONSITENTLY MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO REFUEL. CAR ALARM WENT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND COULD NOT OPEN THE CAR DOORS TO TURN IT OFF BECAUSE OF ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND THEREFORE BATTERY DRAINED. IT IS REALLY DANGEROUS TO NOT BE ABLE TO LOCK AND UNLOCK THE CAR DOORS. A CHILD COULD GET TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLE OR SOMEONE COULD GET INTO THE CAR FOR FEAR OF LOCKING DOORS AND NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THEM UNLOCKED. THIS PROBLEM IS ALL OVER THE INTERNET -REAR ELECTRICAL MODULE FAILURE AND VOLVO NEEDS TO ADDRESS AS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLVO S60. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SMELL OF FUEL WOULD ENTER THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN I.D. NUMBER 07V152000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP) BUT WAS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST OR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLVO S60. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN OVERPOWERING ODOR OF FUEL INSIDE THE VEHICLE. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED THAT THE THERE WAS A FUEL LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 124,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLVO S60. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN HE SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE OF THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V483000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP). THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED, BUT THE PADDING FOR THE FUEL PUMP WAS NOT. THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE CONTACT THEN BEGAN TO NOTICE A PUDDLE OF FUEL WOULD FORM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE WHEN IT WAS PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN BACK TO A DEALER TO BE REPAIRED. A WEEK AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS AGAIN TAKEN TO A DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE GAS CAP. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE AGAIN A FEW DAYS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN BACK FOR ADDITIONAL REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSITANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 187,045.