NHTSA Complaint #10132964 — 2001 VOLVO S60

ON SATURDAY APRIL 2, 2005 ,AT ABOUT 3:00 P.M., I WAS RETURNING HOME WITH MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER FROM A SPRING BREAK TRIP TO WASHINGTON D.C. WE HAD DRIVEN FOR A GOOD PART OF THE DAY THROUGH DIFFICULT CONDITIONS...CONSIDERABLE RAIN AND EVEN A SOME SNOW SHOWERS IN EASTERN OHIO. WHILE DRIVING ON THE OHIO TURNPIKE IN THE VICINITY OF TOLEDO, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER, THAT IS, THE CAR DECELERATED REGARDLESS OF FOOT-PRESSURE ON THE GAS PEDAL. ALTHOUGH I WAS AT THE TIME IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF A RATHER BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY, WHERE THE CAR STOPPED RUNNING ALTOGETHER. I LET THE CAR SIT FOR A MINUTE, AND THEN ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENGINE AGAIN. ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE TURNED OVER IT WOULD NOT RUN. THROUGH INFORMATION PROVIDED BY GEICO INSURANCE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE FACILITY WERE ABLE TO SUMMON A TOW TRUCK, WHICH DELIVERED THE CAR, AND MY FAMILY TO A VOLVO DEALERSHIP SCHMIDT IN PERRYSBURG, OHIO AT ABOUT 5:00 P.M. ON THAT SATURDAY EVENING. THIS INCIDENT, APART FROM CONSIDERABLE INCONVENIENCE AND COST, PUT MY FAMILY AND ME IN A VERY HAZARDOUS SITUATION. PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE PRESENCE OF A GUARDRAIL, THE VEHICLE CAME TO REST ONLY INCHES AWAY FROM THE LINE SEPARATING THE HIGHWAY SHOULDER FROM THE RIGHT LANE. BECAUSE OF THE HEAVY TRAFFIC MUCH OF IT CONSISTING OF MASSIVE TRAILER-TRUCKS TRAVELING WEST I THINK IT REASONABLE TO SAY THAT THE EXPOSURE TO RISK WAS HIGH. HAD THE WEATHER VERY CHILLY TEMPERATURES, A PIECING NORTH WIND, AND THE EVER-PRESENT THREAT OF RAIN BEEN ANY BETTER I WOULD HAVE GUIDED MY FAMILY TO THE SHELTER OF AN OVERPASS ABOUT ONE QUARTER-MILE TO THE WEST UNTIL THE TOW-TRUCK ARRIVED. FORTUNATELY, OFFICER MACK OF THE OHIO HIGHWAY PATROL ARRIVED AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES, AND ALERTED PASSING TRAFFIC TO THE ROADSIDE HAZARD WITH THE FLASHING LIGHTS OF HIS PATROL CAR. *NM