NHTSA Complaint #10128646 — 1998 VOLVO V70XC

DT: THE CONSUMER PURCHASED HER VEHICLE OVER TWO YEARS AGO. THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND IT WILL NOT HOLD A BALANCE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY ARE CURRENTLY TELLING HER IT IS FIXED. THE STEERING WHEEL IS STILL SHAKING. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE PURCHASE. VOLVO OF NORTH AMERICA AND THE DEALERSHIP ARE BOTH TELLING HER THAT THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN FIXED. SHE REPLACED THE TIRES WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST PURCHASED, THEY WENT BAD AND SHE'S HAD TO PUT ON 2 MORE SETS OF TIRES. THEY RECOMMENDED SHE USE HIGH END MICHELIN TIRES AND IT HAS MADE NO DIFFERENCE. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM VOLVO HAS LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE TWICE, ONCE LAST SUMMER AND LAST WEEK. CONSUMER STATES SHE HAS COMPLAINED ABOUT THE PROBLEM SINCE SHE HAD A WARRANTY AND HAS A LETTER STATING THAT IF IT IS NOT THE TIRES, THEY WILL RESOLVE THE ISSUE UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE VOLVO REPRESENTATIVE STATED THERE WAS A BOLT LOOSE IN THE FENDER AND THE MUD FLAP WAS MISSING AND THE TIRES WERE WEARING UNEVENLY. THE PROBLEM ONLY OCCURS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE MECHANIC DID NOTICE THE VIBRATION AT 35 MPH. THE LOCAL VOLVO DEALER, A DIFFERENT ONE, DID RIDE WITH THE CONSUMER AND STATED HE DID FEEL THE VIBRATION, BUT WROTE ON THE RECEIPT IT NEEDED A BALANCE. *JB