2006 Volvo XC90

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLVO XC90. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SHOOK UNCONTROLLABLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC AND THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 06V155000 (STEERING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

I OWN A 2006 VOLVO XC90 AND I AM CONCERNED THAT THE REAR WHEEL BEARING MAY BE A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. I RECENTLY TOOK MY VEHICLE INTO A VOLVO DEALER (JULY 2008 WHILE STILL COVERED UNDER WARRANTY) AS I FELT THAT IT WASN'T RUNNING PROPERLY AND IT WAS MAKING WEIRD NOISES THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM (I MADE THE DEALERSHIP PROVIDE ME WITH A CAR FAX REPORT AS I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AS A DEMO). JUST LAST WEEK, 4,000 MILES AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED THE NOISES GOT WORSE AND I DISCOVERED BOTH REAR WHEEL BEARINGS WERE BAD ALONG WITH BOTH REAR TIE RODS. I CONTACTED CORP. VOLVO AND THEY AGREED TO COVER A LITTLE OVER 50% OF THE ENTIRE REPAIRS. I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE WHILE I WAS RESEARCHING OVER THE INTERNET I DISCOVERED THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH THE SAME CAR THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. I EVEN RECEIVED CONFIRMATION FROM THE DEALERSHIP THAT MY SPECIFIC VEHICLE IS KNOWN FOR THIS PROBLEM. I FOUND ON YOUR WEBSITE THAT THE TIE ROD ASSEMBLY WAS A RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE (06V-155). IF VOLVO REPLACED THIS PART AS RECALL ON MY VEHICLE WHY WOULD THEY GO BAD AGAIN IN SUCH A SHORT TIME FRAME? WOULD A DEFECTIVE TIE ROD CAUSE WEAR AND TEAR ON THE WHEEL BEARINGS? I AM CONCERNED THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO OTHER CONSUMERS OR EVEN WORSE THIS DEFECT MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT? I DID NOT FEEL THAT I SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY OF THE REPAIRS AND I HOPE THAT OTHER CONSUMERS IN MY POSITION WOULD NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS AS IT DOES APPEAR TO BE A KNOWN AND COMMON PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP RESEARCH THIS PROBLEM. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER INSTALLED THE WRONG SIZE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE TIRES TO WEAR PREMATURELY. THE SERVICE DEALER ORDERED A NEW SET OF TIRES IN A SMALLER SIZE. THE WHEEL BALL BEARINGS ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER A KNOCKING SOUND WAS DETECTED. THE SERVICE DEALER DETERMINED THIS WAS DUE TO NOT ENOUGH GREASE IN THE WHEELS. THE CONTACT ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER THE SEAT BELT WARNING INDICATOR, WHICH WILL ONLY ACTIVATE AND ILLUMINATE AS THE VEHICLE STARTS AND WILL NOT STAY ON FOR THE RIDE DURATION IF THE SEAT BELT IS NOT WORN.