2012 Volvo XC90

ON MORNING OF 2/15/2020, I WAS DRIVING MY XC90 (2012, BASE, AUTO TRANSMISSION) ON A CITY STREET WHEN I REALIZED THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NO LONGER IN CONTROL. IT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SWING LEFT AND RIGHT BETWEEN THE 2 LANES. I PRESSED HARD ON THE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN -- THANK GOD THAT CARS BEHIND ME WERE ABLE TO AVOID ME. AFTER 10 SECONDS OR SO OF MANEUVERING, I MANAGED TO PULL OVER BY THE STREET. AN ORANGE TRIANGLE LIGHT CAME ON THE DASHBOARD, WITH A WARNING MESSAGE: "AUTO-SKID TEMPORARY OFF". I CALLED THE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO TOW IT TO MY GO-TO DEALERSHIP. AN HOUR LATER, A FLATBED TOW TRUCK CAME. THE TOW GUY MANAGED TO STILL DRIVE IT UP THE SLOPE OF THE FLATBED. WHEN WE GOT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE TOW GUY HAD A HARD TIME UNLOADING THE VEHICLE. AS HE REVERSED THE XC90 BACK DOWN FROM THE SLOPE OF THE FLATBED, WE COULD TELL THE FRONT TWO TIRES WERE POINTING IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. THE LEFT FRONT TIRE EVEN MOVED BACK AND FORTH. IF THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED LEFT, THE LEFT TIRE WOULD CRUSH INTO THE BACK OF THE FRONT BUMPER; IF THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED RIGHT, THE LEFT TIRE WOULD BACK OFF. THE GUY HAD TO INSERT A SMOOTH PLANK UNDER THE FRONT LEFT TIRE TO UNLOAD. ON MONDAY 2/17/2020, A REP FROM DEALERSHIP CALLED ME, SAYING THAT THE CONTROL ARM WAS DAMAGED WITH SCREWS AND BOLTS COMPLETELY MISSING!!! SHE SPECULATED THAT WE DROVE OVER A VERY LARGE POTHOLE OR HIT SOME CURB. MY WIFE DID HIT A CURB ON 2/14/2020, ONE DAY PRIOR, BUT IT WAS JUST A NORMAL SIZED CURB, IMPACTING ON THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE. BETWEEN MY WIFE AND MYSELF, WE COULDN'T RECALL ANYTHING SEVERE ENOUGH TO CAUSE THIS SORT OF DAMAGE! QUESTIONS: (1) HOW COULD HITTING SOME CURBS OVER THE PAST 8 YEARS CAUSE THE BOLTS TO SHEAR/LOOSEN AND RESULT IN SUCH A GRAVE INCIDENT! (2) HOW AM I EVER GOING TO TRUST THAT THE VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE AGAIN? HOW DO I CONVINCE MY 2 YOUNG CHILDREN TO RIDE IN IT EVER?

THERE APPEARS TO BE AN INTERMITENT DEFECT WITH THE TRANSMISSION WHEN THE VEHICLE GETS WET. WHEN WET THE VEHICLE LOCK UP AND NOT EASILY GO INTO FORWARD OR REVERSE. THIS OCCASIONALLY OCCURS AFTER GOING THROUGH A CAR WASH OR WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN IN WET WEATHER AND THEN, PARKED. AFTER A FEW HOURS, WHEN IT IS ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION IS LOCKED UP AND THE VEHICLE WON'T MOVE. ONLY BY ROCKING THE VEHICLE DOES THE TRANSMISSION LOOSEN UP AND THE VEHICLE GOES INTO REVERSE. THE PARKING BRAKE IS NOT ENGAGED. THIS ISSUE IS MENTIONED MULTIPLE TIMES ON VOLVO RELATED FORUMS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLVO XC90. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR BACK UP CAMERA AND GPS SYSTEM WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER APPROXIMATELY SIX TIMES WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A SOFTWARE UPDATE AND THE MULTIMEDIA MODULE AND CAMERA NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT DUE TO THE SOFTWARE COMPANY GOING OUT OF BUSINESS, THEY WOULD NO LONGER TRY TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,013. ..UPDATED 06/08/16 *BF ....UPDATED 06/15/16 *BF *CN