2001 Volvo V70XC

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLVO V70XC. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED HOWEVER, THE EXTERIOR LOWER BRAKE LIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE FAILURE FOR THE 2002 V70 MODEL YEARS UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V051000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) BUT NOT FOR THE 2001 MODEL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

WAS NEARLY HIT IN REAR WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT A STOP SIGN DUE TO FAILURE OF BRAKE LAMPS TO LIGHT AND WARN DRIVER BEHIND ME. DRIVER BEHIND ME SKIDDED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HE FLAGGED ME DOWN TO ADVISE ME THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS ON MY 2001 VOLVO XC70 DID NOT WORK. FOR THIS I WAS THANKFUL. INVESTIGATION AS TO WHY THE BRAKE LAMPS FAILED TO LIGHT, LED TO REPLACEMENT OF BOTH LOWER LAMPS AND CHECKING THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FOR PROPER CONTINUITY. BRAKE LIGHTS STILL DO NOT WORK. APPLICATION OF THE BRAKE PEDAL RESULTS IN NO POWER BEING APPLIED TO THE BRAKE LAMPS. THE SWITCH IS SUPPLYING POWER BUT NOT TO THE LAMPS. FURTHER INVESTIGATION HAS SHOWN THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE SAME IDENTICAL PROBLEM FOR THE 2002 MODEL, NHTSA CASE 04V051000, VOLVO RECALL R131. THE RESOLUTION IS THE REPLACEMENT OF RELAYS MANUFACTURED BY TYCO ELECTRONICS WHICH DO NOT MEET THE ORIGINAL VOLVO DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT MY VEHICLE AND OTHERS HAVE PROBABLY BEEN EQUIPPED WITH THESE SAME DEFECTIVE RELAYS AND, AFTER CALLING VOLVO CUSTOMER CARE, VOLVO REFUSES TO RESOLVE THIS SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE BY NOT INCLUDING MY VEHICLE IN THIS RECALL, WHICH IS THE FIRST YEAR OF THIS MODEL DESIGN CHANGE OVER. I AM GOING TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON MAKING THE APPROPRIATE REPAIRS FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY. *TR

THE LEFT & RIGHT BRAKE LIGHTS FAIL TO COME ON WHEN THE BRAKE IS PRESSED. THE HIGH POSITION LIGHT STILL COMES ON. THIS FAILURE OF THE BRAKES LIGHTS CAN RESULT IN A WRECK. VOLVO REPLACED A FAULTY RELAY WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM IS THE EXACT PROBLEM THAT IS ADDRESSED IN A VOLVO RECALL (SEE BELOW) FOR 2002 MODELS OF THIS VEHICLE.THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO INCLUDE THE 2001 MODEL. THE REAR LEFT AND RIGHT BRAKE LIGHT RELAYS MAY NOT FUNCTION WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR MAY STAY ON CONTINUOUSLY. THE HIGH POSITIONED BRAKE LIGHT AND ALL OTHER TAIL LIGHTS WILL NOT BE AFFECTED. CONSEQUENCE: IF THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAIL TO COME ON, THERE WILL BE NO LOWER BRAKE LIGHTS TO INDICATE TO FOLLOWING VEHICLES THAT THE VEHICLE IS DECELERATING, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. REMEDY: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE LIGHT RELAY WITH TWO RELAYS OF A MODIFIED DESIGN. VOLVO RECALL NO. R131. *CN

WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED ON AN INTERSTATE MY CAR LOST POWER COMPLETELY. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER SAFELY AND CALL VOLVO ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. MY CAR WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP WHERE IT SAT FOR A MONTH BECAUSE THE PROBLEM COULDN'T BE DETERMINED. THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME. ABOUT SIX MONTHS LATER THE SAME EXPERIENCE OCCURRED, ONCE AGAIN WHILE TRAVELING AT A HIGH SPEED ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THE "PROBLEM" WAS FIXED AGAIN. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP FOR VARIOUS REASONS FOR YEARS. WHEN I WAS FINALLY FED UP WITH IT AND DECIDED TO SELL IT, IT NEEDED MORE ELECTRICAL WORK. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT A DEALERSHIP LISTENED TO THE PROBLEMS I HAD WITH THE CAR OVER THE YEARS AND FELT THAT IT WARRANTED A CALL TO THE VOLVO REP. I GAVE HIM ALL WORK ORDERS WHICH I HAVE FROM THE PURCHASE DATE OF THE CAR. HE WAS TOLD BY THE VOLVO REP THAT SINCE ALL REPAIR WORK HAD NOT BEEN DONE AT A VOLVO DEALERSHIP THEY COULDN'T HELP ME. NORMAL WORK SUCH AS OIL CHANGES, ETC. WERE DONE BY A MECHANIC WHO ONLY WORKS ON SAABS AND VOLVOS. UPON LOOKING FOR THE NAMES OF VOLVO EXECS THAT I COULD WRITE A LETTER TO I STUMBLED ON A WEBSITE ABOUT VOLVO PROBLEMS AND PEOPLE WHO WERE TRYING TO HOLD THE COMPANY ACCOUNTABLE FOR MECHANICAL FAILURES OF ANY TYPE. I WROTE TO THE INDIVIDUAL WHO STARTED THE WEBSITE AND HE SUGGESTED THAT I SEND MY E-MAIL TO STEPHEN MCHENRY AT NHTSA WHICH I DID. AFTER TRYING FOR MANY DAYS TO DO SO AND FAILING TO CONNECT BECAUSE OF SOME PROBLEM WITH THE MESSAGE TRYING TO REACH MR. MCHENRY I JUST LET IT GO. WE NEED TO SELL THE CAR BECAUSE WE CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED. THE PROBLEM IS HOW DO I SELL A CAR THAT NEEDS OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS OF WORK? I AM FORWARDING THE E-MAIL I TRIED TO SEND TO STEPHEN MCHENRY TO YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS. WHAT CAN I DO? AM I TOO LATE IN REPORTING THIS? WHAT DO YOU ADVISE ME TO DO? THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. SUSAN K. LUXEM *TR

I WAS RECENTLY TOLD MY 2001 V79XC NEEDED BALL JOINTS, THEN SWAY BARS AND SOMEONE ELSE SAID STRUTS! ALSO: I HAVE HAD THE CAR DIAGNOSED, THE SYSTEM REPORTED THROTTLE MODULE ERRORS AND ELECTIRCAL OR CIRCUIT PROBLEMS; THROTTLE MODULE CLEANED, THEN REPLACED; HEADLIGHTS REPLACED 3 TIMES (WIRING CAUSES SHORTS); GAS FILTER REPLACED  TWO JUNES IN A ROW GAS PROPELLED OUT OF THE TANK BACK AT ME UPON PUMPING (SOMETHING ABOUT AIR INTAKE LINE WAS CLOGGED), THE BRACKETS UNDERNEATH THE CAR ARE TOTALLY RUSTED  NOT STAINLESS STEEL! I HAD THE COOLING FAN REPLACED, CAR OVERHEATED INTO THE RED! I TOO HAVE HAD LITTLE TIME TO ENJOY MY CAR. THE E BRAKE STICKS IN THE WINTER, BECAUSE THE COATING ON THE LINES/CABLES IS CRACKED, BROKEN/BURNED DUE TO IMPROPER SUSPENSION. MY SUN ROOF, INTERIOR LIGHTS AND REAR HATCH DOOR WORKS INTERMITTENTLY IN COLD WEATHER. THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT WAS RATTLING LOUDLY AND THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM TRIED TO FIX IT AND TOLD ME I HAD TO LIVE WITH IT! OF COURSE ANOTHER DEALERSHIP FIXED IT OUTRIGHT. THE SEATBELT FREQUENTLY STICKS AND DOESNT TAKE UP THE SLACK INTERMITTENTLY ONLY TO GET SHUT IN THE DRIVERS DOOR FREQUENTLY, WHEN I JUST ABOUT THINK IT HAS CORRECTED ITSELF. AND, THERE IS A STRANGE DRAFT ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW THAT GETS QUITE COLD IN THE WINTER. THE SEAL SEEMS FINE AND ITS ANOTHER PROBLEM NO SHOP SEEMS TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT.