2003 Volvo XC90

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLVO XC90. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE. HOWEVER, THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 42,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLVO XC 90. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47000. THE VEHICLE IS HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH AND TRYING TO ACCELERATE, THE ACCELERATIONS DIES, MAKING THE VEHICLE UNABLE TO MOVE AS NEEDED. THIS INCIDENT OCCURED TWICE LAST YEAR, AND LAST WEEK. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT DOES NOT HAVE THE VIN; HOWEVER SHE WILL ADD IT TO THE COMPLAINT WHEN SHE RECEIVES THE HARD COPY.

AN UPDATE TO ODI #10068267 REGARDING RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. THIS FAILURE ORIGINALLY OCCURRED AT 22K MILES. ANOTHER FAILURE OCCURRED IN MAY 2006 (SAME WHEEL) AT 52K MILES. I REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR WHICH WAS OVER $250. EVENTUALLY NEGOTIATED PAYING 50% OF THE LABOR AT DEALER COST (ABOUT $60) WITH VOLVO PICKING UP THE COST OF THE PART. WAS TOLD LATER BY A DIFFERENT DEALER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE THAT 'WHEEL BEARING FAILURES ARE FREQUENT ON THE XC90' AND THAT 'THE PART IS NOT ROBUST ENOUGH FOR THE SIZE OF THE VEHICLE'.

FOR BOTH OUR 2001 VOLVO S60 2.4T AND OUR 2003 VOLVO XC90 2.5T AWD THERE HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR A TRANSMISSION DEFECT (ESSENTIALLY SAME TRANSMISSION IN BOTH VEHICLES PER VOLVO TECH SUPPORT). BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD THERE IS INTERMITTENT/UNPREDICTABLE FAILURE TO ENGAGE 3RD IN TIMELY FASHION WITH RESULTANT LOSS OF ACCELERATION AS VEHICLE IS FUNCTIONALLY IN NEUTRAL WITH ENGINE RACING FOR ~0.5-2.5 SECONDS. THIS CAN BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY WHEN PULLING ON TO A HIGHWAY. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED 2 NEAR COLLISIONS (ALMOST BEING STRUCK FROM BEHIND). VOLVO TECH SUPPORT ACKNOWLEDGES A FLAW IN ENGINEERING WHEREBY SERVO FLUID AIR LOCK OCCURS IN THE 2001. A NEW TRANSMISSION IS SCHEDULED TO BE REPLACED FOR OUR S60, BUT IF THE PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURING IN OUR 2003, WILL THIS REALLY CORRECT THE PROBLEM AS THE TRANSMISSIONS ARE BASICALLY IDENTICAL? THE 2003 XC90 VOLVO SAYS CAN BE REPAIRED WITH "UPGRADED SOFTWARE" (WHICH IS SCHEDULED FOR THAT VEHICLE) BUT THIS REMEDY FAILED WHEN PERFORMED ON OUR 2001 S60. WE HAVE LET THE DEALER KNOW WE FEEL BOTH VEHICLES ARE UNSAFE WITH THIS PROBLEM AND WE ARE NOW STUCK WITH THEM TRYING TO REMEDY BOTH VEHICLES' GLARING DEFECTS. WE ARE NOT AWARE OF A FEDERALLY MANDATED RECALL TO REPAIR THIS VOLVO ACKNOWLEDGED (SAFETY) DEFECT. CAN NHTSA PURSUE THIS? *AK

WE BOUGHT A 2003 VOLVO XC 90 IN JANUARY 2003, THE VEHICLE IS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD AND HAS ABOUT 12,600 MILES. IN THE LAST SIX WEEKS, WE HAVE HAD FOUR SYSTEM PROBLEMS, BRAKES, CRUISE CONTROL, AC/ DEFROSTER AND MOST RECENTLY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. I BELIEVE THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS THE MOST SERIOUS PROBLEM SINCE IT FAILED TO OPERATE WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY.THE DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE STATING THAT A CORRUPT SOFTWARE WAS THE CAUSE. VOLVO USA STATED THAT THE "NEW " SOFTWARE WAS A MODIFICATION/UPGRADE WHICH IS BEING PUT IN THE 2004 VEHICLES. MY QUESTION TO VOLVO USA AS TO WHETHER THIS PROBLEM WITH THE 2003 CAUSED THE DESIGN OF THE MODIFICATION WAS NOT AN ADEQUATELY RESPONDED TO. VOLVO USA CLAIMED THAT THERE WERE NO FIGURES AVAILABLE TO ADVISE MYSELF ON HOW MANY 2003 XC 90 HAVE HAD THIS OR OTHER PROBLEMS. I ADVISED VOVLO USA THAT WE ARE VERY DISSATISFIED WITH THE QUALITY AND SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE. *LA