2016 Volvo V60

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 VOLVO V60. WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RPM'S WERE BETWEEN 4,000 TO 5,000. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT AND OCCURRED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING; HOWEVER, THE DETAILS OF THE DIAGNOSIS COULD NOT BE PROVIDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,502.

VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN 150 MILES ROUNDTRIP. ON WAY BACK, ONE MILE FROM FINAL DESTINATION WHILE IN LEFT TURN LANE WAITING FOR ONCOMING TRAFFIC SO LEFT TURN COULD BE COMPLETED, THE AUTO START/STOPPED CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF AS THE CAR CAME TO A STOP. WHEN BRAKE WAS RELEASED CAR FAILED TO TURN BACK ON LEAVING CAR STRANDED IN MIDDLE OF INTERSECTION. ATTEMPTED TO RESTART CAR UNSUCCESSFULLY. ALSO, CAR INSTRUCTED DRIVER TO PRESS "START BUTTON" UNTIL IT STARTED. HOWEVER, WHILE START BUTTON WAS DEPRESSED THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS/HAZARD LIGHTS WOULD GO OFF AND HAVE TO BE MANUALLY REENGAGED, MAKING IT DOUBLY UNSAFE.

I GOT A FLAT TIRE AND PUT THE SPARE DONUT TIRE ON THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL. I COULD NOT CONTROL THE CAR. I KEPT GETTING PULLED TOWARD THE RIGHT, IT WAS ESPECIALLY WORSE WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKE. I DID NOT DARE DRIVE MORE THAT 10-15 MILES AN HOUR. I MANAGED TO GET TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN TOOK IT FOR A TEST DRIVE AND WAS SURPRISED, HE HAD NEVER FELT ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE. AS A TEST HE PLACED THE TIRE ON THE BACK WHEEL AND IT DID EXACTLY THE SAME THING. HE PUT IN A COMPLAINT TO SEE IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY OTHER ISSUES AND HEARD NOTHING BACK. I CALLED CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS TO COMPLAIN. THE GENTLEMAN READ FROM THE OWNERS MANUAL THAT SPARE TIRES WILL NOT PERFORM LIKE OTHER TIRES. THEY ORDERED ANOTHER DONUT, THINKING MINE MIGHT BE DEFECTIVE, IT TOO PERFORMED BADLY. ANOTHER CAR THE SAME MODEL AS MINE WAS TESTED AND THE TIRE PERFORMED BADLY AS WELL. I EXPLAINED THE DANGER THESE TIRES POSE AND I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING WITH AN INFERIOR SPARE. AS COMPENSATION THEY GAVE ME A FULL SPARE MOUNTED ON A WHEEL. THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT DOES NOT FIT IN THE SPACE ALLOTTED FOR THE SPARE AND TAKES UP MOST OF MY CARGO SPACE. MY MAIN ISSUE IS THAT THEY ARE ALLOWING PEOPLE TO DRIVE THINKING THEY HAVE THE SECURITY OF A SPARE, EXCEPT THE ONE PROVIDED CAN CAUSE THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR.