2004 Volvo XC70 Electrical System Problems

THIS COMPLAINT IS FOR A 2004 VOLVO XC70. THIS CAR HAS SOME SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH ITS VARIOUS MODULES. WHEN DRIVING ON A BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, THE CAR JERKED AS IF THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. AFTER THIS A WARNING LIGHT STATING "BRAKE FAILURE; PULL OVER SAFELY" ILLUMINATED. CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY IN FAST-MOVING TRAFFIC. GOT CAR TO A PARKING LOT AND WAITED ABOUT 30 MINUTES. CAR STARTED AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT HOME, ALTHOUGH BEING ABOUT 50 MILES AWAY. CAR WENT IN TO LIMP MORE AGAIN DURING DRIVE AND LOST ALL DASH INDICATORS, INCLUDING TURN SIGNALS, SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER. LIGHT FOR "CHECK ENGINE" WAS ILLUMINATED. AFTER MECHANIC RESET CODES, HE STATED THAT IT MIGHT BE THE ECM OR TCM. I SENT OFF THE ECM FOR DIAGNOSIS AND IT CAME BACK WITHOUT ANY ERRORS. I THEN SENT OFF THE TCM AND LEARNED THAT IT NEEDED REPAIR. AFTER RECEIVING THE REPAIRED TCM UNIT, WE RE-INSTALLED AND CAR DROVE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. I TOOK THE CAR FOR A 6-HOUR ROUND TRIP DRIVE THIS PAST WEEKEND AND HAD ONE INCIDENT OF THE JERKING, BUT WITHOUT ANY OTHER ISSUES. AFTER LETTING THE CAR SIT IN THE DRIVE FOR AROUND 20 MINUTES, I TRIED STARTING IT ONLY TO GET ANOTHER "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT AND INOPERABLE DASH INDICATORS (SPEEDOMETER, ODOMETER, TURN SIGNALS, ETC.). TOOK THE CAR TO A VOLVO DEALERSHIP TODAY FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NO CONTACT OCCURRING WITH THEIR COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM. THEY RECOMMENDED A REPLACEMENT OF THE CEM AS A FIRST STEP WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT THE PROBLEM RESIDES IN THE THAT MODULE. THAT PART INSTALLED IS OVER $1,100. THIS IS MY FIFTH VOLVO, AND UNDOUBTEDLY, THE WORST YET. I AM CONSIDERING JUNKING IT AND LEAVING VOLVO IN MY PROVERBIAL REAR VIEW. IT IS ASTOUNDING THAT VOLVO HAS NOT OFFERED A RECALL AS THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY HAZARD. PERHAPS IT TAKES PEOPLE DYING FOR CAR COMPANIES TO OWN UP TO FAULTY BUILDING.

THE CAR LOCKS BY ITSELF AUTOMATICALLY WHEN KEY IS IN IGNITION AND YOU STEP AWAY FROM CAR LEAVING YOU LOCKED OUT. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THIS IS A "FEATURE" OF THIS CAR. AMONG ALL THE CARS I HAVE OWNED AND DRIVEN THIS IS THE ONLY THAT DOES THIS, VOLVO NEEDS TO CORRECT HIS ISSUE.

THIS REPORT IS FOR MY 2004 VOLVO FOR WHICH I AM ORIGINAL OWNER AND ONLY HAS 35500 MILES. MY SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING YESTERDAY. I GOT THE FIRE OUT AND AM TOLD THAT THE SEAT WARMER DRIVER SIDE IS WHAT CAUGHT ON FIRE. IS THERE A RECALL FOR THIS OR DOES IT COME UNDER WARRANTY PERHAPS.

THE SIDE REAR L/R BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON ALL THE TIME CAUSING A SAFETY CONCERN, THE TOP CENTER LED BRAKE LIGHT CONTINUES TO WORK NORMALLY. TAPPING ON THE BRAKE LIGHT RELAYS INSTALLED IN THE REAR ELECTRONIC MODULE CAUSES THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO SHUT OFF. "RECALL CAMPAIGN NO.131 BRAKE LIGHT RELAY" NEEDS TO BE APPLIED TO 2004 MODELS AS WELL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO XC70. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE VEHICLE NEARLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS, INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS, AND TURN SIGNALS FAILED. IN ADDITION, THE SRS, CHECK ENGINE, AND REAR DOOR CAR AJAR WARING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE BATTERY WAS FLUSHED AND RECOMMENDED THAT THE VALET KEY NOT BE USED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE REAR DOOR MODULE WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CENTRAL ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000. UPDATED 03/18/16*LJ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO XC70. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,645.

THE CAR WAS GOING 60-63MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY THERE WAS A SUDDEN HARD CLUNK IN THE TRANSMISSION AND MY GUAGE CLUSTER WENT DEAD AND LOST ALL POWER OPTIONS. WAS ALMOST HIT AS I TRIED TO PULL OVER WITH NO BLINKERS, FLASHERS, ETC. AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES I TRIED TO START THE CAR AGAIN AND THE DASH CAME BACK BUT SRS WARNING WAS UP ON THE INFO CLUSTER. TOOK MY CAR TO THE REPAIR SHOP (AUTHORIZED VOLVO REPAIR) AND WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO CODES PRESENT. THEY DROVE THE CAR FOR A WEEK AND SAME THING HAPPENED TO THEM. THEY SUGGESTED THAT THE CEM VOLVO PART NUMBER 30657629 WAS NO GOOD. TO REPLACE IT WOULD BE 1300$ AFTER SOME RESEARCH I FOUND THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER VOLVO OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THIS SAME OCCURRENCE, AND EVEN BEEN IN ACCIDENTS DUE TO THIS FAILURE AT DIFFERENT INTERVALS IN MILEAGE RANGING FROM 50K AND UP. SEEMS TO ME THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL AND SOME REPAIRS MADE TO THE CEM ON THE V70, XC70, S90, S40 ETC AS THEY ALL SEEM TO DO IT. *TT

COMPLAINT CENTERS ON A 2004 VOLVO XC70. AFTER A MINIMAL AMOUNT OF ONLINE RESEARCH, I FIND THAT THERE ARE MANY OWNERS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS. RECENTLY, AFTER DRIVING VEHICLE PAST INITIAL "WARM-UP" STAGE AN ELECTRONIC ANOMALY OCCURS AT RANDOM INTERVALS, AT SPEEDS RANGING FROM 1 - 65 MPH. THE ANOMALY ALWAYS INVOLVES A SUDDEN "JOLT" AS IF THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED, AND IS ALSO CHARACTERIZED BY VARIOUS OTHER ELECTRONIC OCCURRENCES. THESE CAN INCLUDE "LEFT REAR DOOR OPEN" LIGHT, ALL INTERIOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATING, DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER TURNING ON, "SRS AIRBAG" URGENT MESSAGE, "BRAKE FAILURE" NOTIFICATION, AND LOSS OF ALL DASHBOARD INSTRUMENTATION INCLUDING LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS. ANY ONE OF THESE OCCURRENCES ARE AN IMMEDIATE ATTENTION-GRABBER WHILE BEHIND THE WHEEL AND CREATE A SITUATION DETRIMENTAL TO SAFE VEHICLE OPERATION. THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE IS NOW AT AN AUTHORIZED VOLVO DEALER FOR THE SECOND TIME (HAD TO BE TOWED THE FIRST TIME) FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP PERFORMED SOFTWARE UPDATE FIRST VISIT WHICH DID NOT FIX PROBLEM. NOW DEALERSHIP THINKS IT MAY BE CENTRAL ELECTRONICS MODULE, A $1000+ FIX, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *TR

THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE OF MY VEHICLE (WHICH HAS OCCURRED 4 TIMES IN THE LAST 9 MONTHS) ARE DESCRIBED IN THIS VOLVO RECALL. HOWEVER, MY XC70 IS A 2004 BUT IS HAVING THIS IDENTICAL ISSUE. (A SOFTWARE GLITCH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR 11,993 VOLVO MODELS BEING RECALLED BY THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA). THE CAMPAIGN INCLUDES MODEL YEAR 2008-2010 S80 MODELS, 2010 S60 MODELS, 2009-2010 XC70 MODELS, AND THE 2010 XC60, ALL RUNNING FAULTY SOFTWARE IN THEIR CENTRAL ELECTRONIC MODULES (CEM). ACCORDING TO NHTSA, THE SIGNAL FROM THE CEM MAY FAIL TO REACH THE FUEL PUMP ELECTRONIC MODULE (PEM), INHIBITING THE FUEL FROM REACHING THE ENGINE EVEN AS THE VEHICLE'S THROTTLE IS DEPRESSED. NORMALLY, THIS WOULD JUST RESULT IN AN ENGINE THAT FAILS TO START. HOWEVER, RESIDUAL PRESSURE IN THE SYSTEM MAY ALLOW THE VEHICLES IN QUESTION TO DRIVE A SHORT DISTANCE BEFORE THE ENGINE QUITS... AND IF THE VEHICLE STALLS IN CERTAIN CONDITIONS, A CRASH COULD OCCUR.) I TOOK MY CAR TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD TO REPLACE THE CEM AT A COST OF $1200.00 AND THAT THEY WANTED ME TO KNOW THAT THEY WERE NOT EVEN SURE THIS WOULD FIX MY PROBLEM. *TR

2004 VOLVO XC 70 ENGINE WITH 68,000 MILES, RUNNING POORLY, INOPERABLE; TOWED TO DEALER WHERE WIRING TERMINAL ENDS AT BOTH THROTTLE VALVE AND ENGINE CONTROL MODULE REPLACED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO XC70. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS THE VEHICLE MADE A THUMPING SOUND AND DECELERATED. ALSO, ALL OF THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL TURNED OFF AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND TURNING SIGNALS FAILED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT ALL OF THE LIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL WERE OPERATING NORMALLY AFTER A FEW HOURS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 79,918.

THE 2004 VOLVO XC70 WILL JUST STOP WHILE I AM DRIVING. IT HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 5 TIMES IN THE LAST 1.5 YEARS. THERE IS NO PATTERN TO THE PROBLEM. IT IS VERY INTERMITTENT. I WAS IN A SITUATION WHEREBY I WAS DRIVING 65 MPH ON A MAJOR NJ HIGHWAY WITH A TRACTOR TRAILER BARRELING DOWN ON ME WHEN THE CAR JUST STOPPED, LOSING ALL POWER, - INCLUDING POWER STEERING AND FLASHERS SO THAT I CAN WARN OTHERS OF THE PROBLEM I AM HAVING. LAST WEEK, I WAS DRIVING ON LOCAL ROADS, 30 MPH WITH MY CHILD, AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THE LOCAL AND RESPECTABLE DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF IT AND HAS TRIED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE, BUT THEY HAVE VERY LITTLE INFORMATION TO GO ON. HOWEVER, THE BOTTOM LINE THAT I HAVE NO WARNING AS TO WHEN THIS WILL HAPPEN . DID NOT SPUTTER AND NO WARNING LIGHTS WENT ON, UNTIL AFTER THE CAR WAS STOPPED). I AM AFFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY I AM NERVOUS ABOUT TRANPORTING MY CHILDREN IN IT. ON THE WHOLE, WE LOVE VOLVO AND THIS IS OUR 3RD CONSECUTIVE LEASE FROM THE SAME DEALERSHIP, BUT THIS IS BECOMING A SERIOUS CONCERN FOR MY FAMILY. THE "SAFE" VOLVO THAT I BOUGHT INTO WHEN I HAD MY FIRST CHILD, IS NO LONGER SAFE. *AK

ON 6/29/2005, I WAS DRIVING MY 2004 VOLVO C70 ON A FOUR LANE ROAD WHEN SUDDENLY THE ENGINE RACED AND THEN ALL GAUGES WENT DEAD. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, THE BRAKES LOCKED AND I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY, AT THAT MOMENT THERE WERE NO CARS AROUND ME AND SOMEHOW AFTER 5-10 SECONDS, I WAS ABLE TO GET MY CAR OFF THE ROAD. I WAS VERY FRIGHTENED THAT SERIOUS INJURY AND OR DEATH TO MYSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT HAVE BEEN CAUSED. I CONTACTED ROAD SERVICE AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO VOLVO OF TAMPA, FLORIDA. THE FOLLOWING DAY I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATING THAT THEY HAD CHECKED THE COMPUTER AND THEN TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE ABOUT 20 MILES, BUT FOUND NOTHING WRONG. I WAS TOLD I COULD PICK UP MY CAR. I HAD A DISCUSSION WITH CHRIS IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATING THAT I WAS PETRIFIED TO GET BEHIND THE WHEEL AGAIN. I QUESTIONED HOW THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED AND RECEIVED NO ACCEPTABLE EXPLANATION. I TOLD HIM I WOULD BE OUT OF TOWN UNTIL 7/5/05 AND THAT HE NEEDED TO DISCUSS THE SITUATION WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER. TODAY, 7/6/05 I RECEIVED A CALL FROM ERIC, A MANAGER AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. I AGAIN EXPLAINED HOW FRIGHTENED I WAS AND TOLD HIM THAT I WOULD LIKE ANOTHER VEHICLE TO DRIVE WHILE THIS SITUATION WAS BEING RESOLVED. ERIC TOLD ME ABSOLUTELY NOT. HE STATED THAT THERE IS "NO DEFECTIVE COMPONENT". HE TOLD ME THAT HE WOULD TEST DRIVE THE CAR AND CALL ME BACK. I HAVE NOT SPOKEN WITH HIM AGAIN AT THIS TIME. I HAD COMPLAINED PREVIOUSLY ABOUT SHAKING AND ENGINE RACING AND THE PROBLEM STILL HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. BECAUSE OF ALL THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH THIS VEHICLE I HAVE NOT DRIVEN IT MORE THAN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. WITH THIS MOST RECENT, POSSIBLE LIFE THREATENING SITUATION I WANT VOLVO TO BUY THIS VEHICLE BACK. I WILL NOT RISK MY LIFE OR THE LIFE OF OTHERS. I BELIEVE THIS VOLVO CONTAINS SERIOUS DEFECTS THAT POSE THE POTENTIAL FOR LOSS OF LIFE AND/OR SERIOUS INJURY TO MYSELF, MY FAMILY AND ANYONE ELSE ON THE HIGHWAY.

CONSUMER STATED THE SENSOR CONTROL AIR BAGS FAILED TWICE AND THE 2ND TIME THE DEALER REPLACED THE ACCELERATOR SENSOR. THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDALS FAILED. THE CONSUMER IS CONSUMER BECAUSE VEHICLE IS ONLY A YEAR OLD AND BECAUSE OF ALL THE SENSOR FAILURES THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED WITH THE WIRING OF THE VEHICLE. *JB