1998 Volvo V70XC

SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE (PURCHASED USED) I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE ABS AND TRACS SYSTEMS. I NOTICED IF THE CAR WAS "COLD" IN A COLD CLIMATE, THE ABS/TRACS SYSTEM APPEARED TO BE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, IF ONLY FOR A FEW MINUTES. OTHERWISE, THE ABS/TRACS SYSTEM FAILED TO FUNCTION ALTOGETHER. THE BRAKES WOULD FAIL COMPLETELY WHEN THE ABS MODULE WOULD TRANSFER FROM FUNCTIONING TO NON-FUNCTIONING. THE VOLVO MECHANIC STATED THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT THE ABS MODULE WOULD NEED REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF $700. MY QUESTION IS, IF IT'S SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM CONCERNING A VITAL SAFTY PART(THE BRAKES) WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A RECALL? THIS IS ONE IN A MYRIAD OF FUNCTIONAL ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE. *AK

PRIOR TO DEALER VISIT FOR 60,000 MILE SERVICE, THE ABS AND TRACS LIGHTS BEGAN COMING ON PERIODICALLY. DEALER CHECKED AND FOUND CODES ABS-314 & 324 SET IN SYSTEM. DEALER STATED THAT MODULE REPLACEMENT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $675. DEALER SAID THAT ALTHOUGH THE LIGHTS INDICATED LOSS OF ABS, BRAKING ABILITY SHOULD NOT BE COMPROMISED. AT THAT TIME I DECLINED THE REPAIR. SINCE THAT SERVICE VISIT, THE LIGHTS HAVE CONTINUED TO GO ON AND OFF PERIODICALLY; ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, IT OCCURED DURING BRAKING AND IT FELT AS THOUGH THE BRAKES WERE NOT GOING TO GRAB APPROPRIATELY, IF ONLY MOMENTARILY. I AM NOW WONDERING IF THIS IS A SAFE CONDITION, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ONSET OF WINTER DRIVING. WHEN I SAW THE NUMBER OF OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME ISSUE AT THE NHTSA WEBSITE, I DECIDED I SHOULD INCLUDE MY OWN. MY SUGGESTIONS FOR REMEDIATION RANGE FROM: 1) HAVE THE MANUFACTURER INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE FURTHER, 2) HAVE THE MANUFACTURER REPLACE ALL MODULES THAT ARE REPORTED TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM, OR 3) AT LEAST HAVE THE MANUFACTURER ASSIST THE CUSTOMER BY PAYING A PORTION OF THE REPLACEMENT COST. *AK

ABS BRAKES ACTIVATED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, TRACS OFF, REAR WHEEL SPIN IN SLIPPERY CONDITIONS EVEN WITH THE TRACKS ON. TOOK TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACE THE ABS CONTROL MODULE (OVER $600). CAR WAS BEHAVING IN AN UNSAFE MANNER AS THE ABS BRAKES WOULD ACTIVATE AND PREVENT CAR FROM STOPPING FOR A FEW SECONDS UNTIL THE ABS SYSTEM SWITCHED OFF.*AK

INTERMITTENT OUTAGE OF ABS CONTROL MODULE (TRACS OFF/ABS WARNING LIGHTS ON). DEALER STATES THE BRAKES WILL STILL WORK WITH THE LIGHTS ON/FAULTY PART. HOWEVER, I DON'T FEEL "SAFE" IN THE CAR AND FEEL THE PART IS FAULTY AND SHOULD BE RECALLED BY MANUFACTURER. BRAKES HAVE SINCE HESITATED ON TWO OCCASIONS WHILE STOPPING. THERE WERE NO BRAKES FOR A SPLIT SECOND AND THEN THE BRAKES SLOWLY (2-3 SECONDS) REGAINED POWER AND CONTROL OF THE CAR. NUMEROUS OTHER OWNERS HAVE ENCOUNTERED THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE DEALER (SUPERIOR VOLVO) STATED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL. *JB

VOLVO CROSS COUNTRY'S FROM 1998 AND POSSIBLY OTHER MODEL YEARS ARE TURNING UP WITH MALFUNCTIONING CENTRAL CONTROL UNITS FOR THEIR ABS . IT IS HARD TO GET INFORMATION FROM THE DEALERSHIP REGARDING THIS PROBLEM, BUT IT IS CLEAR THE MALFUNCTION IS WIDESPREAD IN THIS MODEL AND THAT IT ADVERSELY AFFECTS THE CAR'S BRAKING AND ABS. REPLACEMENT OF THE PART COSTS MORE THAN $500, WHICH MAY PREVENT MANY VOLVO OWNERS FROM QUICKLY ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM, WHICH ACCORDING TO INDEPENDENT MECHANICS, POSES A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY THREAT. I KNOW FIRST-HAND THE MALFUNCTION CAUSED A SIGNIFICANT DETERIORATION IN MY CROSS COUNTRY'S HANDLING AND BRAKING. BECAUSE THIS APPEARS TO BE A PRODUCT DEFECT THAT AFFECTS THE CAR'S SAFETY, I SINCERELY HOPE REGULATORS WILL ENCOURAGE VOLVO TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND ISSUE A RECALL. THANK YOU. *JB