2004 Volvo XC90

WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 65 AND 70 MILES ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE MY 2004 VOLVO XC 90 HAS A SEVERE "THUMP" IN THE FRONT END, WHICH IS THEN FOLLOWED BY A VERY BRIEF (SPLIT SECOND) INTERNAL (MEANING ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS, HI-FI, DOME LIGHTS, RADIO AIR CONDITION, OIL GAGE, FUEL GAGE CLOCK ) POWER FAILURE. WHILE TRYING TO PUSH THE GAS THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. AT FIRST I HIT SOMETHING ON THE HIGHWAY. A MINUTE OR TWO LATER THE "THUMP" WAS HARDER AND THE LIGHTS INTERNALLY COMPLETELY WENT OUT, HAZARD LIGHTS COULD NOT BE TURNED ON, BLINKERS COULD NOT BE SWITCHED ON, HI-FI WENT OUT, THE DOOR LOCKS WOULD NOT WORK, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT CUT ON OR THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS. I PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY AND TURNED THE CAR OFF, WAITED 10 MINUTES AND RESTARTED IT. THERE WERE 3 MESSAGES ON THE DASH, THE YELLOW EXCLAMATION POINT DASHBOARD ICON/ALERT LIT UP, A SERVICE MESSAGE FLASHED REFERRING TO THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE FAILURE, THE SRS NEEDED TO BE CHECKED, AND CHECK ENGINE. THE NEXT DAY I TOOK IT TO A VOLVO DEALERSHIP, THEY COULDN'T DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THEY ASSURED ME THAT THE CAR WAS OK TO DRIVE. FOUR DAYS LATER THE PROBLEM STARTS AGAIN. SO AFTER DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH I FIND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THE VOLVO XC 90 AND THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION ON THIS SAME ISSUE IN NOVEMBER 2010 IN WHICH VOLVO IS FULLY AWARE OF AND "ACKNOWLEDGES A PROBLEM AFFECTING SOME SUBJECT VEHICLES INVOLVING WATER SEEPAGE INTO THE PLENUM BOX AREA IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WHEN THIS OCCURS WATER MAY ENTER INTO THE INTERIOR PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND TRACK ALONG THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE CENTRAL ELECTRONIC MODULE, THE DEVICE THAT CONTROLS MANY OF THE VEHICLES ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS INCLUDING WIPER OPERATION, LIGHTING, AND TRANSMISSION OPERATION. IF THE WATER REACHES THE CENTRAL ELECTRONIC MODULE CONNECTOR ELECTRICAL FAULTS MAY RESULT." THIS IS A $1200.00 REPAIR WHICH VOLVO SHOULD PAY. *TR

MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING TO A FRIEND'S HOW'S WHEN SUDDENLY THE RADIO STARTED ACTING UP ,IT WOULD GO ON AND OFF . AFTER WE NOTICED THAT I SLOWED DOWN A BIT THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY HOLE DASH BOARD WENT OUT . I TRIED PULLING OVER BUT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT RESPOND ,THEN THE DASHBOARD CAME BACK ON BUT I HAD ALL THESE WARNINGS LIKE BRAKE FAILURE ,SRS AIRBAG SERVICE URGENT , ENGINE SYSTEM SERVICE URGENT . AFTER ALL THE HAPPENS THE TRUCK DIED ,LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD BEFORE OTHER CARS HIT US .AFTER A COUPLE A MINUTES I TRIED TURNING IT ON AND IT CAME BACK ON BUT I STILL HAD THE WARNING LIGHTS ON BUT THE TRUCK WAS RUNNING FINE ,AFTER WE GOTTO OUR FRIENDS HOUSE I TURNED IT OFF AND LEFT IT THEIR BECAUSE I FELT IT WASN'T SAFE TO DRIVE , THE NEXT MORNING I WENT OVER TO PICK UP THE TRUCK , TURNED IT ON AND ALL THE LIGHTS WERE OF AND IT RAN FINE . I LOOKED ITUP ONLINE AND IT SEEMS I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO'S HAD THIS PROBLEM ,IT SEEMS ITS HAPPENED A LOT BUT VOLVO DOESN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT . I LIKE MY VOLVO BUT I AM ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT HOW SAFE IT REALLY IS. *TR

AT 65 MPH WIPERS WENT ON BY THEMSELVES THEN FOLLOWED BY SPLIT SECOND POWER FAILURE,MEANING DASHBOARD LIGHT OUT,HAZARD LIGHTS COULD NOT BE TURNED ON,WINDOWS WOULD NOT OPEN,A/C OUT,IN THE MESSAGE SCREEN AT THAT MOMENT ANTILOCK BRAKE FAILURE WAS DISPLAYED BEFORE EVERYTHING WENT OUT,DRIVING ANOTHER 20 MILES TILL NEXT EXIT AT THE DUSK,AFTER PULLING OVER AND RESTART ( TO RESET) SRS FAILURE IN THE MESSAGE SCREEN. CAR CHECKED BY VOLVO DEALER AND STATEMENT FROM THEM:FAULT IN CEM IS SHUTTING DOWN NETWORK AND CAUSING DIM TO BLACK OUT. REPLACEMENT WILL RUN ABOUT $1500,THIS CAR HAD AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 91822 MILES AND IGNITION FAILURE RECENTLY,AND MANY MANY OTHER COSTLY PROBLEMS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO XC90. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE RADIO AND ALL OF THE INTERIOR LIGHTS TURNED OFF INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG AND BRAKE WARNING LAMPS ALSO ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CENTRAL ELECTRONIC MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 113,000.

THE SUNROOF DRAIN HAS A DESIGN FLAW THAT CAN CAUSE WATER TO ENTER THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND/OR ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS. THIS CAN PRESENT SIMPLY AS WATER ON THE FLOOR BOARDS. BUT IT CAN ALSO PRESENT IN MORE SUBTLE WAYS WITH WATER COMING IN CONTACT WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND BEING DRAWN THROUGHOUT THE CAR THROUGH COPPER WIRES ACTING AS CONDUIT (THIS EFFECTS SPEAKER QUALITY, RADIO FUNCTION, CRUISE CONTROL FUNCTION ETC). MOST IMPORTANTLY, WATER CAN ACCUMULATE IN THE COMPARTMENT UNDER THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT THAT HOUSES THE DYNAMIC STABILITY TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM PUTTING SAFETY AT RISK. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS WITH OUR XC90 BUT SEE MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING OTHER VOLVO MODELS. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY CONCERN BUT MOST CONCERNING BECAUSE OF ITS SUBTLE NATURE, SLOW PROGRESSION, AND PROHIBITIVE COSTS TO REPAIR. MANY PEOPLE ARE DRIVING AROUND WITH COMPROMISED SYSTEMS AND ARE NOT YET AWARE, UNABLE TO RECOGNIZE THE CAUSE, OR UNABLE TO FUND THE REPAIR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO XC90. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED AND CAUSED THE RADIO, INTERIOR LIGHTS, AIR CONDITIONING AND THE DOOR LOCKS TO FAIL. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC, WHICH LOCATED SEVERAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE CODES. THE DEALER RESET THE COMPUTER SYSTEM AND THE FAILURE WAS CORRECTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000 AND THE CURRENT 133,500.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO XC90. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH THE BRAKE AND SRS WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS AND GAUGES FAILING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING RESULTS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 78,000.

ALL INTERIOR LIGHTS, GUAGES, WINDSHIELD WIPERS RANDOMLY SHUT DOWN AT FREEWAY SPEEDS AND AT IDLE. ENGINE POWER IS ALSO AFFECTED AS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE PROPERLY. DEALER REPLACED DRIVER INFORMATION MODULE HOWEVER PROBLEM CONTINUES. DEALER UNABLE TO SOURCE THE PROBLEM AS THE VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE IN THE PROCESS OF FAILING FOR THEM TO SOURCE THE PROBLEM. THIS HAS NOT BEEN POSSIBLE AS THE ISSUE IS RANDOM AND TYPICAL GOES AWAY AFTER THE CAR SITS FOR SEVERAL HOURS. THE SERVICE AIRBAG AND BRAKE FAILURE CODE REMAINS IN THE DRIVER INFORMATION MODULE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE ESPECIALLY AT FREEWAY SPEEDS AND AT NIGHT. *TR

I WAS DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE I-95 WHEN MY WINDSHIELD TURNED ON BY ITSELF, THEN I GOT ABS SYSTEM FAILURE ALERT ADVISING ME TO PULL OVER SAFELY. NEXT THE DASHBOARD DIED, WINDOWS DIDN'T WORK AND THE POWER STEERING SEEMED TO STOP WORKING. IT WAS VERY SCARY. I GOT THE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP AS LUCKILY WE WERE CLOSE TO OUR DESTINATION. I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM TO THE TECH. HE TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND IT WAS LIKE NOTHING HAD EVER HAPPENED. THE DASHBOARD LIT UP FINE AND THE WINDOWS WORKED FINE. HOWEVER, I DID HAVE A MESSAGE STATING I NOW HAD AN AIRBAG ISSUE. THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR 3 DAYS TRYING TO RECREATE WHAT I HAD DESCRIBED AND THEY COULD NOT FIGURE IT OUT. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED ABOUT A YEAR AGO. IT'S HAPPENED NO FEWER THAN 8 TIMES SINCE THEN. I'VE TAKEN IT TO OTHER DEALERSHIPS. I'M ALWAYS CHARGED A DIAGNOSTIC FEE AND THEY CAN NEVER FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON. IT'S VERY SCARY AS THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY RHYME OR REASON WHEN THE ISSUE WILL OCCUR. SOMETIMES MY WINDSHIELD WIPER GOES ON IT'S OWN AND SOMETIMES MY STEREO FLICKS ON AND OFF; THEN I GET THE ABS SYSTEM FAILURE AND DASHBOARD GOES DEAD. VOLVO REALLY NEEDS TO FIGURE THIS OUT BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. *TR

STARTING IN 2011 AND 3 OTHER OCCASIONS VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. STARTER MOTOR WOULD NOT TURN AND SYSTEM APPEARED TO BE DEAD. BATTERY WAS TESTED TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION. PRIOR TO THESE EVENTS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BEHAVED ERRATICALLY WITH RADIO SWITCHING ON AND OFF, DOOR LOCKS NOT OPERATING FROM REMOTE KEY FOB AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS ERRATICALLY TURNING ON AND OFF. LIGHTS AND SYSTEMS SEEMINGLY BEHAVING ERRATICALLY. AIRBAG WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. ON FIRST OCCASION SYSTEM WAS RESET AND MECHANIC CHANGED THE STARTER MOTOR. IN HINDSIGHT I DON'T BELIEVE IT WAS BAD OR CAUSED OF THE PROBLEM. ON SECOND AND THIRD OCCASIONS AFTER TOWING AND REPEATED START ATTEMPTS THE ENGINE STARTED. NOTE THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING STARTS NOTHING HAPPENED WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED (ENGINE STARTER WOULD TURN OR ENGAGE. NO CLICKING SOUND ASSOCIATED WITH BAD BATTERY), ON FOURTH OCCASION IN JULY 2012 VOLVO REPORTED THAT CENTRAL ELECTRONIC MODULE WAS BAD AND MULTIPLE FAULT CODES WERE PRESENT. WHEN INFORMED THAT THIS WAS A SEEMINGLY A COMMON PROBLEM ON 2004/5 XC90 WITH THIS MODEL DUE TO LEAKING GROMMET THEY DENIED THIS AND STATED THAT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE FOR THIS VEHICLE. MODULE WAS CHANGED AT COST OF $1,280. *TR