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

THE TAILGATE LOCK MECHANISM ON MY 1998 V70XC WAGON OFTEN FAILS TO LATCH IN COLD WEATHER. THIS AS NOT BEEN TOO BIG A PROBLEM HERE IN ARIZONA - TYPICALLY OCCURRING IF THE TAILGATE IS OPENED IN THE OCCASIONAL COLD MORNINGS - AS THE DAY WARMS UP THE MECHANISM USUALLY ALWAYS LATCHS CORRECTLY. USUALLY WHEN IT BEGINS NOT TO LATCH A LITTLE CLEANING AND LUBRICANT WOULD CURE IT FOR A WHILE. THIS SOLUTION IS NOW PRODUCING LIMITED RESULTS, AND NOT WANTING TO DRIVE THE KIDS TO SCHOOL WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF THEIR BACKPACKS FALLING OUT OF THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE, I HAVE DECIDED TO REPLACE THE LATCH. WHILE SEARCHING THE INTERNET FOR REPLACEMENT INFORMATION, I CAME ACROSS NUMEROUS OWNER REPORTS OF OCCURRENCES OF THIS FAILURE, AS WELL AS A RECALL OF THE MODEL YEAR 2000 VERSION OF THIS VEHICLE FOR THE SAME ISSUE. I MADE A CLOSE INSPECTION OF THE MECHANICAL PART OF THE LATCH, AND IT APPEARS THAT THE TWO ROTATING ELEMENTS THAT FORM THE CATCH & LOCK ASSEMBLY ARE NOT WELL ALIGNED (ARE NOT MOVING IN THE SAME PLANE), POSSIBLY DUE TO THE POOR FORMING AND/OR ASSEMBLY OF THE STAMPED AND FOLDED STEEL HOUSING IN WHICH THESE TWO PIECES ARE LOCATED. THIS MECHANICAL PROBLEM IS LIKELY THE REASON THAT THE CLEANING/LUBRICATION SOLUTION HAS ALWAYS PRODUCED LIMITED RESULTS. IN ALL OTHER FUNCTIONS (POWER LOCK/UNLOCK, LATCH RELEASE, CHILD LOCK, ETC.) THE ASSEMBLY WORKS CORRECTLY, IT IS JUST THE BALKY ROTATION OF THE LOCKING CATCH THAT APPEARS TO BE KEEPING THE LATCH FROM OPERATING PROPERLY. I CALLED VOLVO CUSTOMER CARE TO SEE IF THE 2000 MODEL YEAR RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM HAD BEEN EXTENDED TO MY YEAR VEHICLE, BUT WAS TOLD NO. I BELIEVE THE FAILURE IS DUE TO AN APPARENT DESIGN AND/OR MANUFACTURING DEFICIENCY AND NOT FROM JUST WEAR AND TEAR. DUE TO THE SAFETY ISSUE, I HAVE REPLACED THE LATCH ASSEMBLY, THOUGH I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DETERMINE IF THIS HAS CORRECTED THE PROBLEM UNTIL COLDER WEATHER.

IDLING IN A LOT THE CAR CUT OUT, DROVE IT TO THE VOLVO DEALER TO CHECK, NOTHING FOUND TO BE WRONG. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER, THE POWER DIMINISHED WHILE DRIVING, TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO CHECKED EVERYTHING AND COULD FIND NO PROBLEM, BUT HEARD FOR THE FIRST TIME....THERE COULD BE AN AIR MIX PROBLEM...WITH NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, CAN'T REALLY KNOW. DROVE THE CAR BACK TO VA. FROM MASS. WHERE PROBLEM STARTED AND HAD NO FURTHER PROBLEMS UNTIL APRIL OR MAY OF THIS YEAR (2005) WHEN TURNING INTO MY DRIVEWAY, THE ENGINE TOTALLY CUT OUT. I HAD IT TOWED TO DON BEYER VOLVO IN FALLS CHURCH, VA, WHERE NO PROBLEM COULD BE FOUND. I INSISTED THEY KEEP THE CAR UNTIL THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM, AND WAS GIVEN A LOANER. THE SERVICE REP. SAID HE WOULD DRIVE THE CAR TO SEE IF HE COULD REPLICATE THE SITUATION. THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR 2-3 WEEKS WITH NO SUCCESS. I PICKED THE CAR UP WITH A FRIEND, WHO DROVE IT OFF THE LOT. NOT ON THE HIGHWAY FIVE MINUTES WHEN THE CAR LOST POWER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED, WE DROVE BACK TO THE DEALER. THEY FOUND THIS TIME IT WAS THE AIR FLOW METER, WHICH THEY REPLACED. ALTHOUGH I STILL FEEL NO CONFIDENCE IN THE VEHICLE, THE PROBLEM HAS NOT OCCURRED AGAIN. THE INFORMATION BELOW IS ALL ENCOMPASSING OF THE EVENTS BUT THE INCIDENT DATE REFLECTS THE DATE WHICH THEY FOUND THE AIR FLOW METER PROBLEM EXACTLY. *JB

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

1998 VOLVO V70XC, REPLACEMENT OF MECHANICAL TIMING BELT TENSIONER NOT SPECIFIC AS TO MILEAGE FOR SUCH REPLACEMENT, REPLACED TIMING BELT AT 70,000 MILES AS REQUIRED, TENSIONER APPEARED GOOD ON INSPECTION, NO VOLVO TSB ADVISING REPLACEMENT, TENSIONER FAILED AT 84,000 MILES, VOLVO WARRANTY REJECTED REPAIR CLAIM FOR TENSIONER, VALVE DAMAGE, TIMING BELT REPLACEMENT APPROX. $2,400.00 NO RESPONSE FROM VOLVO CUSTOMER CARE TO EMAIL FOR REVIEW OF CLAIM. HAD I BEEN ON THE TURNPIKE LOSS OF POWER MAY HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH SINCE ALL POWERED SYSTEMS WOULD NOT HAVE WORKED. VOLVO DOES NOT PARTICIPATE IN ARBITRATION DISPUTE THROUGH THE BBB. MY ONLY RESOURCE IS A GOVERNMENT AGENCY INVESTIGATING THE PROBLEM AND NOTIFYING VOLVO OF A MANUFACTURER DEFECT OR FAILURE TO ADVISE THIS CONSUMER THAT CORRECT SERVICE SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED REPLACEMENT OF THE TENSIONER AT A SPECIFIED MILEAGE. SINCE THIS TENSIONER FAILURE ALSO AFFECTS FUEL DELIVERY, EMISSIONS CONTROLS, VALVES ETC. I SENT AN INQUIRY TO THE EPA WEBSITE.*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

I HAVE A 1998 VOLVO V70 XC. THE SRS LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON- I HAVE IT TESTED AND 2 OR 3 TIMES I WAS TOLD EVERYTHING CHECKS OUT OK IT JUST NEEDS TO BE RESET BUT WITHIN A FEW DAYS OR WEEKS IT IS BACK ON AGAIN. OTHER TIMES THE SENSOR CODES INDICATED THE REAR SEAT BELT SENSOR WAS BAD, THE DRIVERS ENTIRE SEATBELT MECHANISM WAS BAD AND THEY WERE REPLACED. BUT AGAIN THE LIGHT COMES BACK ON WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IF THE SRS LIGHT IS ON THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY - IS THIS CORRECT? I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT MAY BE THAT THE MAIN COMPUTER FOR THE AIRBAG SYSTEM THAT IS BAD. IF THAT IS THE CASE, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT ALL FO THE OTHER ERROR CODES /REPLACEMENTS WERE INCORRECT/UNNECESSARY? I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MY MECHANIC THAT HE HAS HA A LOT OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH VOLVOS ESPECIALLY V70 IN THIS MODEL YEAR RANGE, BUT THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL.*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