2004 Volvo S80

PURCHASED A 2004 VOLVO S80 IN "MINT CONDITION" FROM A USED CAR DEALERSHIP (GOOD REPUTATION).THREE (3) MONTHS LATER THE TRANSMISSION STARTED THE FAMOUS VOLVO "SLIP, SLIDE, AWAY".. IT RIDES LIKE A ROCK, I FELL EVERY CRACK, GRAIN OF SAND IN THE ROAD. I REPLACED THE STRUTS, COIL SPRINGS, LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND OTHER SUSPENSIONS PARTS BUT TO NO AVAIL IMPROVED ITS CONDITION. EVERY WEEK OR SO I GET THE "STOP SAFELY COOLANT LEVEL LOW" WARNING ON MY DASH...KEEP IN MIND THE DEALERSHIP HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THESE ISSUES SINCE THE CONDITIONS DIDN'T APPEARED UNTIL 3 MONTHS/50000 MILES AFTER THE PURCHASE. STEERING HAS SOME PLAY AND I'M CONTINUOUSLY RECOVERING THE DIRECTIONAL PATH SLIGHTLY. SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE I INSTALLED ALL NEW TIRES (MICHELINS) PURCHASED A LIFETIME WHEEL ALIGNMENT, WHICH WAS DONE DURING NEW TIRE INSTALL AND RECENTLY RE-CHECKED. I DO 90% OF THE WORK MYSELF; I'M AN ENGINEER BY TRADE WITH 40 YEARS OF MECHANICAL SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE. CHECKED THE RECALL DATABASE BY VIN (SAFERCAR.GOV) AND VARIOUS OTHER SITES AND THERE WAS NO RECALL ON MY VEHICLE. THE VOLVO SITUATION IS EXTREMELY DISHEARTENING FOR SUCH A WELL-KNOWN EUROPEAN CAR. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE LAST TIME I HAD THE CAR SERVICED THE REPRESENTATIVE AT THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THERE WERE ISSUES WITH THE POWER STEERING RESERVOIR. HE SAID THAT THEY HAD APPARENTLY MADE IT OF THE WRONG PLASTIC AND WHEN IT HEATS IT EXPANDS AND WILL LEAK FLUID, POSSIBLY FAILING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RESULT WOULD BE WITH THE STEERING IF THIS HAPPENED. HE SAID THAT THE ITEM WOULD BE THE OWNERS RESPONSIBILITY TO REPLACE AND THEY WERE NOT RECALLING OR REPLACING THEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO S80. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING OVER A ROAD BUMP, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGIN TO PULL TO THE RIGHT ABNORMALLY. WITHIN MINUTES, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE POWER STEERING WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THERE WAS A PREVIOUS OPEN STEERING RECALL ON THE VEHICLE (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V029000- STEERING: LINKAGES) BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER TAKEN IN FOR REPAIRS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED AND WAS UNAWARE OF ANY OPEN RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000.

LATE EVENING ON THE 22ND , OR EARLY MORNING, OF JULY 23RD I RENTED A VOLVO S80 FROM HERTZ CORPORATIO DIA LOCATION AND LATER ON THE MORNING OF THE 23RD DROVE WITH MY FAMILY FROM DENVER TO CARBONDALE ALONG I-70 AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. SHORTLY AFTER ARRIVING IN CARBONDALE MY YOUNGEST SON AND I WENT FROM THE HOUSE AT WHICH WE WERE STAYING TO THE LOCAL 7/11 FOR A FEW SUPPLIES. WHILE IN THE PARKING LOT THE FRONT AXEL, DRIVER''S SIDE, DISCONNECTED FROM THE VEHICLE. HAD THIS HAPPENED A FEW HOURS EARLIER ON THE INTERSTATE I DOUBT THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO AUTHOR THIS.

I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY WITHIN THE DESIGNATED 70 MILE LIMIT WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE AND THE CAR SPUN OUT OF CONTROL. IT SWERVED TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT AND LUCKILY THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC, OR A TRAGIC ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURRED, SINCE MY TWO CHILDREN WERE IN THE CAR. I LANDED IN A DITCH. THE DRIVING CONDITIONS WERE SUNNY AND THE ROAD WAS CLEAR OF DEBRIS. THE DEALERSHIP REPAIRED A LOOSE GRAVE SHIELD, WHICH THEY SAID WAS CAUSED BY SOMETHING HITTING THE CAR, ALTHOUGH THE ROAD WAS CLEAR OF DEBRIS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. I TOLD THEM THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON YOUR SIGHT FOR S80 2004 VOLVOS, BUT THEY SAID MY VIN WASN'T PART OF THAT RECALL. WHILE THEY REPLACED THE GRAVE SHIELD AND COMMENTED THAT NO DAMAGE WAS NOTED THEY SAID THAT SOMETHING HAD "KNOCKED IT LOOSE" AND THAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO SHAKE OUT OF CONTROL. SINCE WHAT HAPPENED WAS RELATED TO THE SHAKY STEERING WHEEL, I AM CONCERNED THAT THE PROBLEM MIGHT REOCCUR AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR, EVEN THOUGHT THE VIN IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. PLEASE ADVISE. *NM