1998 Volvo V70XC

I HAVE A VOLVO V70 XC, AWD, 1998. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A VOLVO DEALER, SMYTHE VOLVO, FOR A ROUTINE REPAIR OF CLUNKING NOISE I HEARD. THEY SAID IT WAS DUE TO A STRUT PROBLEM, BUT ALSO FOUND SEVERAL UN-RELATED REPAIR ITEMS. ALL TOGETHER, THEY SPENT TWO DAYS ON REPAIR AND CHARGED ME $1700 FOR IT. ON THE SAME NIGHT THAT I GOT THE CAR BACK, THE ENGINE DIED ON THE FREEWAY WITHOUT ANY WARNING BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE INCIDENCE. I ALMOST GOT KILLED ON THE FREEWAY. I WAS ABLE TO SLIDE IT OUT OF THE FREEWAY RAMP AND HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER. ON THE 3RD DAY, THE DEALER SAID IT WAS AN ENGINE SENSOR FAILURE BUT HAD NO EXPLANATION OF WHY THERE WAS NO WARNING SIGNAL TO USER, AND WHY THEY COULDN'T PICK UP ANY SIGN FROM THE PRIOR TWO DAYS OF REPAIR. IF WHAT THEY SAID WAS TRUE, THERE IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE HERE THAT COULD IMPACT THE LIVES OF MILLIONS OF DRIVERS OUT THERE. PLEASE CLARIFY FOR ME IF THIS ISSUE WAS KNOWN TO THE NHTSA AND WHAT VOLVO AS A COMPANY SHOULD DO OR HAVE DONE ABOUT IT. I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS ISSUE GOT ANSWERED QUICKLY. *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER PURCHASED HER VEHICLE OVER TWO YEARS AGO. THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND IT WILL NOT HOLD A BALANCE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY ARE CURRENTLY TELLING HER IT IS FIXED. THE STEERING WHEEL IS STILL SHAKING. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE PURCHASE. VOLVO OF NORTH AMERICA AND THE DEALERSHIP ARE BOTH TELLING HER THAT THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN FIXED. SHE REPLACED THE TIRES WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST PURCHASED, THEY WENT BAD AND SHE'S HAD TO PUT ON 2 MORE SETS OF TIRES. THEY RECOMMENDED SHE USE HIGH END MICHELIN TIRES AND IT HAS MADE NO DIFFERENCE. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM VOLVO HAS LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE TWICE, ONCE LAST SUMMER AND LAST WEEK. CONSUMER STATES SHE HAS COMPLAINED ABOUT THE PROBLEM SINCE SHE HAD A WARRANTY AND HAS A LETTER STATING THAT IF IT IS NOT THE TIRES, THEY WILL RESOLVE THE ISSUE UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE VOLVO REPRESENTATIVE STATED THERE WAS A BOLT LOOSE IN THE FENDER AND THE MUD FLAP WAS MISSING AND THE TIRES WERE WEARING UNEVENLY. THE PROBLEM ONLY OCCURS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE MECHANIC DID NOTICE THE VIBRATION AT 35 MPH. THE LOCAL VOLVO DEALER, A DIFFERENT ONE, DID RIDE WITH THE CONSUMER AND STATED HE DID FEEL THE VIBRATION, BUT WROTE ON THE RECEIPT IT NEEDED A BALANCE. *JB