2003 Volvo S60 Complaint Log

DT: IN APRIL THE VEHICLE STALLED WHEN MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURNS. DID THE SAME THING A FEW DAYS LATER. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THEY CHECKED THE VEHICLE AND THEY HADN'T HEARD OF THIS BEFORE. SOME KIND OF PLATE HAD TO BE CLEANED . THE VEHICLE JUST TURNED 30,000 MILES. THEN A MONTH LATER WHILE MERGING AT 55 MPH THE VEHICLE DIED. IT DID START AGAIN. BROUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER, THEY KEPT THE CAR A WEEK AND DID TESTING, AND CLAIMED ONE OTHER PERSON HAD THE SAME COMPLAINT. THEY DID THE SAME THING TO CONSUMER'S VEHICLE THAT THEY DID TO OTHER PERSON' VEHICLES. THEN, DEALER SAID THERE WAS A RECALL. *AK

ON 12/22 I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 VOLVO S 60 AWD. I WAS VERY SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY PULLING INTO A FRONT IN PARKING SPOT. I WAS PARTICULARLY CAREFUL BECAUSE THERE WAS A DRIVER SITTING IN THE CAR PARKED TO MY RIGHT, AND I DID NOT WANT TO GET TOO CLOSE TO HIS CAR. WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE I WAS SLOWLY MOVING INTO THE SPOT. MY FRONT FENDER TAPPED THE SHORT CONCRETE BARRIER AT THE FRONT OF THE PARKING SPOT. THE NEXT THING I NEW, THE CAR WAS RAPIDLY ACCELERATING FORWARD. I WAS WORRIED THAT I WOULD GO OVER THE BARRIER AND STRIKE A BRICK WALL IN FRONT OF ME. I BELIEVE THAT THE ENGINE BLOCK MUST HAVE HIT THE SHORT CONCRETE BARRIER AND THAT IS WHAT ULTIMATELY STOPPED THE CAR. DESPITE THE FACT THAT I WAS INCHING INTO THE SPOT AT THE SLOWEST POSSIBLE SPEED. THE FORCE OF THE ACCELERATION WAS ENOUGH TO CRUMPLE THE WHOLE FRONT OF MY CAR, CRACK THE WINDSHIELD, AND CAUSE THE PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAG TO RELEASE. I FEEL VERY CERTAIN THAT THIS REPRESENTED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. I DO NOT THINK THERE WAS ANY CHANCE THAT I STEPPED ON THE GAS INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE. I AM A VERY CAREFUL, CAUTIOUS DRIVER, AND WAS VERY AWARE OF WHAT I WAS DOING AT THE TIME WITHOUT ANY DISTRACTIONS. I REPORTED THIS TO VOLVO CUSTOMER SERVICE, WHO CLAIMS THAT AFTER INSPECTING THE CAR, THEY FOUND NO SAFETY CONCERNS. I AM CONCERNED THAT HAVING VOLVO DO THEIR OWN INSPECTION REPRESENTS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. *NM

THE TRANSMISSION OF MY S60 INADVERTENTLY MIS-SHIFTS AT A VARIETY OF SPEEDS. THE PROBLEM HAPPENS AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN BACKING OFF BETWEEN GEARS AND FEELS LIKE IT UP SHIFTS AT AN INAPPROPRIATE TIME AND SPEEDS UP. OTHER TIMES THE TRANSMISSION WILL MIS-SHIFT UPON ACCELERATION CAUSING HIGH REVS, WITH NO POWER. TALKED WITH VOLVO SEVERAL TIMES AND FIRST SERVICE VISIT PAID $100 FOR A SOFTWARE UPGRADE THAT DID NOTHING. NEXT TIME TO SERVICE THEY CHECKED THE SERVOS AND STATED THEY WERE OK. LAST TRIP TO SERVICE ADDRESSED ISSUE W/ SERVICE REP AND REQUESTED TO HAVE IT DOCUMENTED. SERVICE REP STATED CAR HAD A 100K GUARANTEE DISMISSED REQUEST. CAR HAS 80K ON IT AND PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE INCREASING. AFRAID IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO LACK OF CONTROL. *JB

DT: 2003 VOLVO S60. VEHICLE STALLED/LOST POWER DUE TO THROTTLE BODY FAILURE. *AK THE VEHICLE STALLED A TOTAL OF SIX TIMES WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS ON A ROAD TRIP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR FACILITY BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PART TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. *NM

CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE(04C002000) REGARDING THE THE HARNESS STRAP, THERE WERE NO PARTS AVAILABLE!!!!!!!!!!*JB

MY WIFE, JANELLE, AND I HAVE A 2003 VOLVO S60 WHICH WE PURCHASED NEW IN APRIL, 2003, AND WHICH HAD FOUR ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MICHELIN TIRES (MXV-4, I BELIEVE). WE USE IT FOR NORMAL HIGHWAY AND SUBURBAN TRAVEL IN THE BOSTON AREA. WHEN THE CAR HAD GONE ONLY 8000 MILES, ONE OF THE LEFT TIRES GAVE OUT ON US. THE SIDE WALL OF THE TIRE UNRAVELED, AND THE TIRE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. NO SPECIFIC CAUSE COULD BE DETERMINED. FORTUNATELY, THIS HAPPENED IN A QUIET CAPE COD TOWN AND WE WERE NOT IN ANY DANGER (BUT I WAS OUT ABOUT $150). WE HAD NO FURTHER PROBLEMS UNTIL SEPTEMBER 13, WHEN THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE GAVE OUT FROM THE SIDE IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE PREVIOUS TIRE ON ROUTE 128 IN WAKEFIELD, MA (AT 23000 MILES), WHILE I WAS TRAVELING MORE THAN 60 MILES AN HOUR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. WE WERE LUCKY NOT TO HAVE BEEN KILLED OR INJURED. AGAIN, THE TIRE WAS RUINED. AGAIN, IT COST ME OVER $150 FOR A REPLACEMENT TIRE. BOTH TIRE DEALERS WHO SOLD US REPLACEMENT MICHELIN MATCHING TIRES ADVISED US THAT PERHAPS THE PROBLEM HAD TO DO WITH THE "LOW PROFILE" OF THE VOLVO S60 AND BUMPING INTO CURBS. YET THE FIRST TIRE WHICH UNRAVELED WAS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE SECOND TIRE WHICH UNRAVELED HAD ABSOLUTELY NO CONTACT WITH A CURB FOR ABOUT 100 MILES PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. I BELIEVE THAT THE ORIGINAL TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE, AND WE ARE NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR AT ALL, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE PLANNING LONG TRIPS IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. I WANT THE REMAINING TIRES REPLACED BY MICHELIN ASAP, AND I WANT TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE $300 I HAVE ALREADY SPENT ON THE FIRST 2 REPLACEMENT TIRES. HAVE THERE BEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS? WHAT SHOULD I DO? COULD YOU CONTACT MICHELIN FOR ME? VOLVO REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING. MY OFFICE PHONE NUMBER IS 781/431-9788, AND MY HOME PHONE NUMBER IS 781/641-0668. MY CELL PHONE NO. IS 617/645-4345. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR PROMPT ASSISTANCE. *JB

MY HUSBAND AND I DROVE OUR VOLVO (WE ARE LEASING THIS CAR) FIRST TIME FOR A LONG TRIP (ABOUT 800 MILES). THE CAR MILEAGE WAS ABOUT 13,000. AFTER DRIVING WITH THE SPEED 75M/H FOR ABOUT 4 HOURS, WE TOOK AN EXIT AND LOST CONTROL OVER THE CAR. ACTUALLY CAR TOOK CONTROL. IT SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL GEAR, JUMPED AND STOPPED. IT TOOK A COUPLE OF MINUTES BEFORE CAR ALLOWED TO CONTROL ITSELF. THIS SCARY EXPERIENCE REPEATED A FEW TIMES ON THE ROAD. NEEDLESS TO SAY, IT WAS A SHOCKING EXPERIENCE. THE FIRST THING WE DID, WE BROUGHT A CAR TO A DEALER. THEY INFORMED US THAT THE CAR WAS LEASED TO US WITH OUTDATED OLD SOFTWARE, THAT THIS SOFTWARE ALSO HAD A GLITCH. THAT THEY HAD TO DOWNLOAD A NEW VERSION OF SOFTWARE. NOT A BIG DEAL, AND IT A MASS PRODUCTION OF VOLVO CARS, AND THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME I WAS TOLD BY THE VOLVO SERVICE. I DID NOT BELIEVE IT AND COULD NOT BELIEVE IT. CALL THE VOLVO OF NORTH AMERICA CUSTOMER SERVICE. SURE ENOUGH, THEIR REPRESENTATIVE, JENNI WITH EXTENSION #1979 CONFIRMED THE SAME THING FOR ME. SHE SAID IT IS A SCARY EXPERIENCE, BUT WE UPDATED YOUR CAR SOFTWARE. I ASKED WHY THIS OLD, NOT SAFE VERSION WAS GIVEN TO ME AND HER RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY HAVE NO WAY TO KNOW WHEN AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH THE SOFTWARE ON THE ROAD. SO WHAT HAPPENS WITH THEIR SLOGAN THAT VOLVO IS FOR LIFE? ANY ANSWERS BESIDES, WELL, IT IS A MASS PRODUCTIONS AND THE SAFETY CANNOT BE GUARANTEED. SORRY FOR THE EMOTIONS, IF YOU WHO WILL BE SO KIND TO READ MY MESSAGE WOULD BE HEARING HOW HAPPY AND RELAXED VOLVO REPRESENTATIVES ABOUT THIS INCIDENT. ANY COMMENTS? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOU TIME. *AK

MANUFACTURER DEFECT FOR FUEL TANK VAPOR LEAK ON 2003 VOLVO S60 T5. DEALER STATED A SEPERATED PLASTIC WELD SEAM ON TANK WAS REALEASING STRONG FUEL VAPORS. POTENTIAL RISK FOR VAPORS TO IGNITE? *LA

FOR BOTH OUR 2001 VOLVO S60 2.4T AND OUR 2003 VOLVO XC90 2.5T AWD THERE HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR A TRANSMISSION DEFECT (ESSENTIALLY SAME TRANSMISSION IN BOTH VEHICLES PER VOLVO TECH SUPPORT). BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD THERE IS . INTERMITTENT/UNPREDICTABLE FAILURE TO ENGAGE 3RD IN TIMELY FASHION WITH RESULTANT LOSS OF ACCELERATION AS VEHICLE IS FUNCTIONALLY IN NEUTRAL WITH ENGINE RACING FOR 0.5 TO 2.5 SECONDS. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY WHEN PULLING ON TO A HIGHWAY. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED 2 NEAR COLLISIONS (ALMOST BEING STRUCK FROM BEHIND). VOLVO TECH SUPPORT ACKNOWLEDGES A FLAW IN DESIGN CAUSING SERVO FLUID AIR LOCK IN THE 2001. A NEW TRANSMISSION IS SCHEDULED TO BE REPLACED FOR OUR S60, BUT IF THE PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURING IN OUR 2003, WILL THIS CORRECT THE PROBLEM? THE 2003 XC90 THEY SAY CAN BE REPAIRED WITH "UPGRADED SOFTWARE" (WHICH IS SCHEDULED FOR THAT VEHICLE) BUT THIS REMEDY FAILED WHEN PERFORMED ON OUR 2001 S60. WE HAVE LET THE DEALER KNOW WE FEEL BOTH VEHICLES ARE UNSAFE WITH THIS PROBLEM AND WE ARE NOW STUCK WITH THEM TRYING TO REMEDY BOTH GLARING SAFETY DEFECTS. WE ARE NOT AWARE OF A FEDERALLY MANDATED RECALL TO REPAIR THIS ACKNOWLEDGED (SAFETY) DEFECT.*AK

VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROW WHEN CONSUMER REMOVED FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHEN DRIVING UP AN INCLINE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND THEY INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT WAS THE NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THAT VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN, AND WILL NOT RESTART. *AK

VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, DEALER HAS INSPECTED 3 TIMES AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

CAR DIED WHILE DRIVING 2 TIMES. VOLVO SAYS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. I FILLED FOR LEMON LAW. VERY BAD SERVICE AND ATTITUDE FROM BORTON VOLVO. THE WORST IS THAT I FIND OUT THAT VOLVO KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND STILL LET PEOPLE DRIVE THEIR DEATH TRAP CARS.

THE GRIEF FROM THIS CAR LITERALLY BEGAN ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE SHOW ROOM, AS THE SEAT BELTS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING. THEY REQUIRED FOUR VISITS TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE ISSUE OF THE TIRES BEING UNSAFE BECAME APPARENT WHEN THE CAR WAS TWO WEEKS OLD, WITH UNDER 1000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER FRONT & REAR BUMPERS SEPARATE FROM VEHICLE , WITH LITTLE OR NO PROVOCATION. TIRES SELF DESTRUCT AT SPEEDS OF 2-4 MPH (WHILE PARKING), IF A CURB IS TOUCHED. I'M INFORMED THAT TIRES HAVE WEAK SIDEWALLS & TO REPLACE TIRES (AT MY EXPENSE). AIR CONDITIONING REQUIRED THREE VISITS TO REPAIR SHOP & IS STILL NOT GETTING THE CAR AS COLD AS IT SHOULD IN HOT WEATHER. I SHOULD ADD THAT I'M ALSO INFORMED THAT REPLACEMENT TIRES WILL DIMINISH THE HANDLING OF THE CAR.

ON 2 OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED, THE DEALER REPLACED A SENSOR, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK *TS *JB

I RECENTLY LEASED A VOLVO S60 WITH PIRELLI P6 235/45R17 TIRES. THE VEHICLE HAS 2900 MILES ON IT AND I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THREE (3) OF THE TIRES. I AM TOLD IT IS DUE TO ROAD CONDITIONS, SUCH AS POTHOLES, ETC. THERE IS NO DAMAGE TO ANY OF MY RIMS; THEREFORE, I OBVIOUSLY DID NOT HIT ANYTHING THAT HARD. I HAVE BEEN GETTING THE RUN AROUND FROM BOTH VOLVO AND PIRELLI WITH REGARD TO THIS ISSUE. VOLVO TELLS ME THAT IT IS PIRELLI'S RESPONSIBILITY AND THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE I SPOKE TO AT PIRELLI TOLD ME THAT VOLVO IS TRYING TO AVOID THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. HE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT HE WAS PROCESSING FOUR (4) CLAIMS THAT DAY FROM VOLVO FOR TIRE DAMAGE. I FEEL THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THESE TIRES AND I AM DRIVING AT RISK TO MY CHILDREN AND MYSELF. I HAVE PUT OUT OVER $500 FOR TIRES IN THE LAST MONTH AND I AM VERY NERVOUS ABOUT CONTINUING TO OPERATE MY VEHICLE ON THESE TIRES. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANYTHING YOU COULD DO TO ASSIST ME IN GETTING SOME SATISFACTION FROM EITHER VOLVO OR PIRELLI TIRES. I AM VERY NERVOUS ABOUT DRIVING THE CAR WITH THESE TIRES. *NLM

DT: THE CONSUMER STATES THAT 2003 VOLVO S60 HAS AN INABILITY TO STOP IN REVERSE . THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE CAR ACCELERATED IN REVERSE. THIS OCCURRED AFTER THE CAR STARTED AND SPUTTERED. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM, THE SOFTWARE WAS UPDATED. BUT THE CAR WAS STILL DOING THIS. THE CONSUMER HAS NOT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER. THE SOFTWARE WAS THE ONLY THING MENTIONED AS BEING THE PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. THE CAR HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS. LATELY, THE CAR HAS BEEN DOING THIS MORE FREQUENTLY. *AK

THE SIDE WALLS WERE VERY WEAK, THE SLIGHTEST TOUCH/BRUSH CAUSED THEM TO GO FLAT. TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE REPLACEMENT TIRE HAD A BUBBLE. MODEL TYPE 4 SEASONS. *AK *TS *JB

2003 VOLVO S60 SEDAN. CONSUMER STATES RECEIPT OF LETTER FROM VOLVO REGARDING EXTENDED WARRANTY NOTICE INFORMING HER THAT THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN FITTED WITH A FAULTY FUEL PUMP *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED INSTEAD OF A RECALL, VOLVO SUGGESTED THAT THE CONSUMER ONLY TAKE THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS IF SHE SMELLED GAS OR HAD A GAS LEAK. THE CONSUMER STATED VOLVO WAS WILLING TO PUT HER LIFE AT RISK RATHER THAN FIXING THE PROBLEM UP FRONT. *JB

WHILE PULLING OUT OF A GAS STATION FRONT RIGHT WHEEL UNSCREWED AND COME COMPLETELY OFF. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED.*AK