2011 Volvo XC60

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLVO S60. THE CONTACT STATED THAT USING THE REMOTE KEY FOB, THE VEHICLE WAS LOCKED. THE CONTACT RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE TWENTY-FIVE MINUTES LATER AND THE DOORS WERE UNLOCKED, AND THE ENGINE WAS TURNED ON. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,950 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 17,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLVO XC60. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE GEAR SHIFTED FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE INDEPENDENTLY AND THE VEHICLE THEN STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,500.

I PURCHASED THE THULE "DOUBLE DECKER SURFBOARD CARRIER 809" IN APRIL 2011. IT IS ADVERTISED AS HAVING A THREE BOARD CAPACITY. I USED IT AS A SINGLE SHORT BOARD CARRIER. MY BOARD IS ONLY 6' 6". IT WAS ATTACHED TO A THULE CROSS BAR SYSTEM INSTALLED ON MY 2011 XC60 3.2 VOLVO. THE REAR RACK IS DIVIDED INTO TWO SECTIONS WITH EACH SECTION SECURED BY TWO BOLT HEADS THAT FLOAT IN A ALUMINUM CHANNEL FOR WIDTH ADJUSTMENT. THE SURFBOARD IS MOUNTED ON THE RACK AND IS SECURED BY A STRAP WITH A KEY LOCKING MECHANISM. I TRAVEL 40 MILES ON THE FREEWAY EACH WAY TO THE BEACH AT LEAST ONCE PER WEEK. THE SYSTEM HAS A LARGE FLAT SURFACE AREA THAT RESULTS IN A LARGE WIND RESISTENT PLATFORM. THE RACK HAS THE APPEARANCE OF BEING VERY DURABLE. WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 65 - 70 MILES PER HOUR IN THE SLOW LANE OF THE FREEWAY THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SECTION RIPPED OUT OF THE ALUMINUM CHANNEL CAUSING MY SURFBOARD TO LAUNCH LIKE A MISSLE. FORTUNATELY THE TAFFIC WAS LIGHT AND NO VEHICLE WAS DIRECTLY STRUCK ALTHOUGH MY BOARD WAS RUN OVER NUMEROUS TIMES. THE BREAK-AWAY SECTION DANGLED ON THE REAR OF MY ROOF STILL SECURED BY THE STRAP SYSTEM. UPON INSPECTION OF THE REMAINS IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THE BOLT HEAD THAT SECURED THE SYSTEM IN THE ALUMINUM CHANNEL WAS TO SMALL FOR AN OPERATIONAL ENVIORMENT OF SIGNIFICANT WIND RESISTENCE/TURBULANCE. I CONTACTED THULE 4 WEEKS AGO RE THIS PROBLEM AND THEY FAILED TO RESPOND. SPORT CHALET, AN OFFICIAL THULE DISTRIBUTOR, UPON INSPECTING THE CHANNEL AND BOLT SYSTEM OFFERED ME A COMPLETE REFUND. THE BOLT HEAD ON THIS SYSTEM IS UNDERSIZED FOR THE FORCES IT HAS TO WITHSTAND. MY USE WAS FOR A SINGLE SHORT BOARD BUT THIS SYSTEM IS ADVERTIZED FOR UP TO THREE LONG BOARDS. I FEAR THAT ANOTHER END USER WHO TRAVELS THE FREEWAY LIKE I DO MAY EXPERIENCE A SIMILIAR CATASTROPHIC SYSTEM FAILURE WITH PERHAPS A MORE DEADLY RESULT. SALE OF THIIS RACK SYSTEM SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY HALTED UNTIL FIXED. *TR