2007 Volvo XC90

While driving the vehicle under normal conditions, a sudden electrical fire occurred, requiring immediate evacuation. The vehicle was pulled over safely and the driver exited before the fire escalated. The fire department responded and the vehicle was declared a total loss due to fire damage. The failure is believed to have originated from an electrical short involving the climate control/defroster system. The affected wiring and components were destroyed by the fire and are not available for inspection. The day prior to the fire, the fuse controlling both the climate control system and the instrument cluster blew twice when the defroster was activated. The fuse was replaced, and the defroster was not used again. At the time of the fire, the defroster systems was not operating. There were no warning lights or alerts immediately prior to the fire. The fire occurred while the vehicle was in motion, creating a serious safety risk to the occupant and surrounding traffic. The incident has not been reproduced or inspected by a dealer. The vehicle was inspected by the fire department. No manufacturer inspection has occurred.

THE ISSUE FIRST STARTED ON MA 3RD, 2019. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY ON MY WAY TO THE BEACH. THE ROAD WAS A LITTLE BUMPY AND THEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN MY CAR LOST ALL POWER AND SHUT ITSELF OFF. IT THROUGH 3 CODES, 1. IMMOBILIZER, 2. ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND 3. CLIMATE CONTROL MODULE. I WAS ABLE TO HAVE IT TOWED HOME. MY HUSBAND DECIDED TO RESEARCH WHAT COULD CAUSE THESE ISSUES. HE LOCATED A YOUTUBE VIDEO THAT WAS POSTED 2 YEARS AGO REGARDING THE ECM & CCM FUSES. THE MAN RECORDING THE VIDEO EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS, AND FOUND THAT THE FUSE FOR THE TWO ITEMS HAVE BLOWN. MY HUSBAND THOUGHT MAYBE THAT MIGHT BE THE ISSUE. HE LOCATED THE FUSES AND FOUND THAT BOTH OF THEM WERE IN FACT BLOWN. HE REPLACED THEM BOTH WITH BRAND NEW FUZES AND THE CAR STARTED RIGHT NOW.. THE NEXT DAY, I DROVE TO WORK WITH NO ISSUES AND TO AND FROM LUNCH. ON MY WAY HOME, ABOUT 3 MILES FROM WORK, I WENT DOWN A SIDE STREET AS THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT AND TRAFFIC WAS BACKED UP. THE SIDE STREET HAD SPEED BUMPS. THE WENT OVER THE FIRST ONE WITH NO ISSUE, AND THE NEXT ONE IS ABOUT 100 - 200 FEET AFTER, AS SOON AS MY BACK TIRES WERE OVER THE 2ND BUMP, THE CAR SHUT IT SELF OFF AGAIN AND I WAS STUCK (MAY 6TH 2019). MY HUSBAND SHOWN MY WHERE THE FUZES WAS AND LEFT EXTRAS IN THE STORAGE AREA ON THE SAFE SIDE. AGAIN, BOTH WERE BLOWN. ONCE THEY WERE REPLACED FOR A 2ND TIME, CAR STARTED. NOW FAST FORWARD 5 MONTHS, THE ROAD FROM MY DADS HOUSE IS BEING REPAVED, AS YOU CAN IMAGE VERY BUMPY. I MADE IT OVER ALL THE BUMPS JUST FINE, BUT AS SOON AS I CROSSED OVER A MAJOR ROAD, THE CAR SHUT ITSELF OFF AGAIN... THIS TIME I DID NOT HAVE EXTRA FUZES, CALLED A TOW (OCTOBER 11 2019). WE WERE ABLE TO REPLACE THE FUZES AGAIN. NOW THE NEXT DAY EVERYTHING WAS FINE AGAIN, BUT THE SAME THING HAPPENED TWO MORE TIMES (OCTOBER 12, 2019). AND NOW THE CAR SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY, AS I FEEL VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE IT.

ON OR ABOUT FEBRUARY 06, 2019, OUR 2007 VOLVO XC-90 EXPERIENCED A STEERING LOCK FAILURE. THAT IS THE LOCK COULD NOT ADVANCE TO THE START POSITION AND CONSEQUENTLY LOCKED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE LOCK WOULD NOT ADVANCE. CONSEQUENTLY PERFORMED THE FOLLOWING: A) CONSULTED VOLVO OWNER'S MANUAL. THE MANUAL WAS SILENT ON THIS. SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED NOSE FIRST IN OUR GARAGE, AGAIN CONSULTED THE VOLVO OWNER'S MANUAL TO FIND OUT HOW TO MANUALLY GET THE VOLVO OUT OF PARK. VOLVO'S MANUAL WAS SILENT ON THIS. B)CONTACTED NORTH TOWN VOLVO DEALER FOR ADVICE. RESPONSE WAS TO GET THE VEHICLE IN BY TOWING. NO ADVICE AS TO HOW TO DISENGAGE THE VOLVO'S PARK FEATURE. C)CONTACTED VOLVO'S ON LINE CHAT SERVICE AND RECEIVED THE SAME RESPONSE. NO HELP! GET THE CAR TOWED IN! D)CONTACTED IN COLLISION AND AUTO REPAIR. THEY SUGGESTED A 2006 YOU TUBE VIDEO SHOWING HOW TO DISENGAGE THE PARK FUNCTION. THIS WORKED AND THE VOLVO 2007 XC-90 WAS TOWED TO IN COLLISION AND AUTO REPAIR. IT TOOK THREE WEEKS TO REPAIR THE LOCK FOR THE PARTS HAD TO COME FROM GERMANY. PICTURES OF THE FAILED LOCK ASSEMBLY ARE ENCLOSED. AFTER THE LOCK REPAIR, IN COLLISION PERFORMED THE FOLLOWING: A)REPLACED RADIATOR: THE RADIATOR HAD A SMALL LEAK SINCE THE GET-GO. BROUGHT THE VOLVO IN SEVERAL TIMES TO NORTH TOWN VOLVO AND THEY COULD NOT FIND IT. DURING A VISIT TO THEM THE COOLANT WAS TOPPED OFF AT NO CHARGE AND I APPARENTLY OBSERVED, BUT IT WAS DENIED BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR, THE SERVICE ADVISOR DROPPING SOMETHING INTO THE COOLANT EXPANSION TANK. COMPARED TO THE NEW COOLANT AFTER RADIATOR REPLACEMENT, IT IS MUCH CLEARER WITHOUT THE DARKEN FLAKEY CONSISTENCY OF THE PREVIOUS COOLANT OF WHICH WAS LIKE THAT SINCE THE GET-GO. B)REPLACED HVAC BLOWER MOTOR DUE TO FAILURE. C)CLEANED UP DRIVER SIDE DOOR SECURITY CONTACTS SO THAT THE POWER DOOR LOCKS LOCK WHEN THE ALARM IS TOGGLED.

AFTER 30 MINUTES OF HIGHWAY DRIVING EXITED ONTO SECONDARY ROAD TO ADD OIL FOR LOW OIL LIGHT INDICATOR. ENGINE BEGAN SMOKING IN TWO MINUTES AND LIFTING HOOD CAUSED ENGINE TO BURST INTO FLAMES. CHEMICAL FIRE RETARDANT SPRAYED WITHIN THREE MINUTES. RESULT WAS INCINERATED ALTERNATOR AND ALL CODES ALARMED. CAR TURNS OVER. FUSES GOOD.

IN A NUTSHELL: AT APPROXIMATELY 8:35 WEDNESDAY MORNING (OCTOBER 28TH), MY VOLVO XC90 SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE IN THE POURING RAIN. I WAS IN THE CAR AT THE TIME. THANKFULLY NOBODY WAS HURT. TORONTO FIRE SERVICES AND TORONTO POLICE SERVICES BOTH ATTENDED THE SCENE. THE MOST FRIGHTENING PART OF THIS INCIDENT IS THE FACT THAT IT WAS COMPLETELY SPONTANEOUS AND VERY CLOSE TO THE GAS TANK! OBVIOUSLY IT WAS THE RESULT OF AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION. THANKFULLY ANOTHER DRIVER ALERTED ME TO THE FACT THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE - AS IT WAS NOT APPARENT TO ME - AND I WAS ABLE TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE SAFELY. I SHUDDER TO THINK OF THE POTENTIALLY FATAL GAS EXPLOSION WHICH WOULD HAVE FOLLOWED, HAD WE NOT BEEN ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AS QUICKLY AS WE DID. PLEASE SEE LINK WITH VIDEOS AND PHOTOS OF THE INCIDENT AND RESULTING DAMAGE: HTTPS://GOO.GL/PHOTOS/JWBDABCRJDN7VXJ77

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 VOLVO XC90. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, WHEN THE IGNITION KEY WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

WHILE DRIVING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, SUDDENLY THE FOLLOWING WARNINGS APPEARED: THE DASH COMPLETELY SHUT OFF, ALL INSTRUMENTS ZEROED OUT, THE AUTO A/C SHUT OFF, MY WINDOWS AND LOCKS STOPPED WORKING THE RADIO TURNED OFF. SRS FAILURE, POWER FAILURE - URGENT, BRAKE FAILURE . . . USE CAUTION STOPPING, WARNINGS APPEARED IN MY MESSAGES MENU SCREEN. THE POWER WAS FLICKERING ON AND OFF, ON AND OFF, UNTIL IT JUST SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. THANKFULLY I WAS SO CLOSE TO MY MECHANIC, THAT I JUST ROLLED DOWN THE HILL INTO THEIR DRIVEWAY. THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE. I HAD MY LITTLE GIRL IN THE CAR WITH ME. I WOULD HATE TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF WE HAD BEEN ON THE FREEWAY UNABLE TO STOP. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 VOLVO XC90. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION COIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

THE HEADLIGHTS STARTED TO FLICKER A FEW MONTHS AGO. AT FIRST I THOUGHT I WAS IMAGINING IT UNTIL THEY STARTED TO BRIEFLY BLINK, I STILL WAS NOT SURE IT WAS HAPPENING. TONIGHT, AS I WAS DRIVING HOME, THE LIGHTS ABRUPTLY TURNED OFF. I STOPPED THE CAR AS I WAS DRIVING WITH NO HEADLIGHTS AND NOTICED A WARNING LIGHT THAT SAID LOW BEAM FAILURE. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AND THE HEADLIGHTS STARTED TO WORK AGAIN. ON THE 30 MINUTE DRIVE HOME, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD BLINK OFF AND ON; SOMETIMES ONE WOULD WORK, SOMETIMES NEITHER WOULD WORK. VERY UNSAFE!!! I'M VERY UPSET TO READ THAT THIS IS A KNOWN COMPLAINT AND VOLVO HAS NOT ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM. WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF IN THE DARK, I HAD BOTH OF MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR WITH ME. IT'S HORRIBLE THEY WOULD ALLOW THIS KNOWN PROBLEM TO GO UNRESOLVED. THAT'S PLAYING WITH PEOPLE'S LIVES. *TR

DESPITE VOLVO'S KNOWLEDGE OF PROBLEMS WITH THE XC90 TRANSMISSION, WHEN IT FAILED COMPLETELY, I TOOK IT TO AN AAMCO DEALER BECAUSE THERE WAS NO LOCAL VOLVO DEALER. THE TACH WAS ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT AND THE WHEELS WOULD DO NOTHING. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS. DESPITE HAVE THE EXTENDED 100K WARRANTY, AND THIS PRIOR KNOWLEDGE, VOLVO CORPORATE REFUSED TO ASSIST IN ANY WAY WITH THE $6K COST OF THE REPAIRS BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE IT REPAIRED AT A VOLVO DEALER. I WAS TOLD BY AAMCO THAT IT WAS DANGEROUS TO BE DRIVING. I WOULD NEVER OWN ANOTHER VOLVO OF ANY TYPE. *TR