2018 Volvo XC90

The contact owns a 2018 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that after coming to a stop at a stop signal, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that the vehicle was able to restart; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle failed to restart, and no warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the starter motor fuse needed to be replaced. The vehicle remained at the dealer awaiting the parts for the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 101,000.

The car starting leaking water into the rear view mirror in June. This wouldn’t be much of an issue, but the cars computer system for drive assist is located in this area and has caused the car to malfunction in all areas. This XC90 pilot assist is now malfunctioning causing a huge safety issue. This is apparently a known problem with their cars with the panoramic sunroof, but is now a safety hazard. The Volvo dealership did not fix the issue and is now happening again effecting all of the electrical system.

CAR SUDDENLY ACTIVATED THE BRAKES, BRINGING IT TO A FULL STOP FROM 35MPH. IT WAS ON A CITY STREET. THERE WAS A 3-WHEELED MOTORCYCLE APPROACHING IN THE ONCOMING LANE, BUT IT WAS CENTERED IN ITS LANE, WITH NO RISK OF COLLISION. WE WERE APPROACHING AN UNCONTROLLED INTERSECTION (NO SIGNAL, NO SIGNS) WHEN IT OCCURRED. THE CAR STOPPED SO SUDDENLY THAT THE SHOULDER HARNESSES CAUSED SOME DISCOMFORT. HAD ANYONE BEEN FOLLOWING AT A CLOSE DISTANCE, A REAR-END COLLISION WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKELY.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON IN OUR SON'S 2018 VOLVO XC90 ON OCTOBER 14, 2020. WE SELECTED THE VOLVO BRAND SINCE IT IS SYNONYMOUS WITH "SAFETY". *BF I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE INTO VOLVO SERVICE ON OCTOBER 15, 2020 AND LEARNED THAT THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WELL LEAK DETECTION PUMP WAS DAMAGED DUE TO RODENTS CHEWING THROUGH THE WIRING. SAFETY ISSUE #1: THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION UNLESS THE DAMAGE WAS FIXED. LEARNED THAT THE WIRING IS MADE OF A SOY BASED MATERIAL. I DID MY OWN RESEARCH AND LEARNED THERE HAVE BEEN COUNTLESS INSTANCES FOR VOLVO OWNERS AND ACROSS OTHER BRANDS OF RODENTS BEING ATTRACTED TO SOY BASED WIRING AND CAUSING HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF DAMAGE. THIS TYPE OF DAMAGE IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTIES THUS COSTING THE CONSUMER UNNECESSARILY FOR A MATERIAL CHOICE MANUFACTURERS ARE MAKING. SAFETY ISSUE #2: THE REPAIR WAS MADE WITH ANOTHER SOY BASED WIRE. HOW LONG IS THE PROBLEM REALLY FIXED FOR? SAFETY ISSUE #3: IF A FOOD PRODUCT IS BEING USED IN CAR COMPONENTS, THIS BECOMES AN ONGOING SAFETY ISSUE AS ONE CANNOT CONTROL RODENTS BEING ATTRACTED TO IT AND/OR PREDICT THE TYPE OF DAMAGE AND SAFETY ISSUE THEY MAY CAUSE TO A VEHICLE. MY RESEARCH UNCOVERED THAT SOY BASED WIRING HAS BEEN USED FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS. THE ISSUE OF RODENTS HAVING A FEAST ON THESE WIRES CONTINUES, AS SHARED IN ARTICLES BY VOLVO AND OTHER BRAND OWNERS TOO WHICH JEOPARDIZES THE INTEGRITY OF A VEHICLES SAFETY. SAFETY ISSUE #4: IN MY CASE, GIVEN THAT THE FUEL DETECTION PUMP HAS TO DO WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM/EMISSIONS AND FUEL IS WHAT IS NEEDED TO POWER THE CAR, THIS POSED AN ISSUE OF THERE BEING A POWER FAILURE IF THE PROBLEM WASN'T FIXED. I AM LUCKY THE CAR DIDN'T SUDDENLY STOP WHILE DRIVING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. *JS

EXCESSIVE PREMATURE WEARING OF BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND DISCUSSING WITH OTHER OWNERS, VOLVO IS AWARE THAT THE BRAKES ON THE XC90 PREMATURELY WEAR (AS IN AFTER 1K-20K NEW BRAKES NEEDED ON ALL TIRES). THE LOCAL DEALERS ALL STATE THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND THEN DEMAND $1,000 TO REPAIR THE BRAKES. VOLVO'S BRAKES AND/OR BRAKING SYSTEM IS DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS AS THE BRAKES PREMATURELY WEAR OUT COSTING CONSUMERS UNNECESSARY MONEY FOR ADDITIONAL REPAIRS WHEN VOLVO COULD RESOLVE THE ISSUE.

WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED, I UNLOCK THE DRIVER'S DOOR, THE TAILGATE OPENS ON IT'S OWN (POSSIBLY INTO TRAFFIC) THEN AFTERWARDS, EVERY TIME WHEN STARTING THE CAR, A "12V BATTERY CHARGING FAULT STOP SAFELY" ERROR OCCURS TWICE. IT SEEMS TO BE OK TO DRIVE, BUT IT IS NOT CLEAR AS TO WHETHER THE FAULT CAN CAUSE A SAFETY ISSUE, AS THE MESSAGE IMPLIES. SO MANY OF THE SYSTEMS IN THE CAR ARE ELECTRIC. THIS IS A REOCCURRING PROBLEM THAT HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES NOW, AND VOLVO HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX IT.