NHTSA Complaint #10142826 — 2000 VOLVO S80

I OWN A 2000 VOLVO S80 2.9 - VIN: [XXX]. I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW FROM BRIDGEWATER VOLVO IN NJ ON AUG 15, 2000. I HAVE 49,100 MILES ON THE CAR AND I HAVE MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE IMPECCABLY IN THE LAST 5 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. TWO WEEKS AGO THE CAR STARTED STALLING AND THE MESSAGE DISPLAY READ "REDUCED PERFORMANCE". MY WIFE USES THE CAR TO COMMUTE TO WORK AND THE STALLING OF THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAYS PUT HER INTO A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SHE WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULLOVER AND THE CAR WOULD RE-START AGAIN EVERY TIME IT STALLED. SHE FINALLY GOT HOME AND AFTER THE SECOND DAY OF THE PROBLEMS SHE LEFT IT IN THE GARAGE AND USED THE SECOND CAR FOR COMMUTING. SHE THEN TOOK IT TO THE VOLVO DEALER IN EDISON NJ. VOLVO OF EDISON DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND HERE IS THE DIRECT QOUTE FROM THEIR BILL - "PERFORMANCE REDUCED LIGHT FAULT TRACE ECM 91A7 AND ABS 00B1-FOUND INTERNAL FAULT IN ETM AND BRAKE PEDAL POSITION SENSOR REPLACE AND DOWNLOAD ETM AND BRAKE PEDAL POSITION SENSOR" SINCE THE CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY I HAD TO PAY THE FOLLOWING AMOUNTS: PARTS - THROTTLE BODY, GASKET & SENSOR = $655.42 LABOR - $472.50 TAXES = $67.68 TOTAL = $1,195.60 I CALLED VOLVO CUSTOMER SERVICE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE PRE-MATURE FAILURES AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT. I ALSO STATED THAT I AM DISSATISFIED WITH THEIR PRODUCT QUALITY AND I MAY NOT CONSIDER BUYING ANOTHER VOLVO PRODUCT. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP TOLD ME THAT IN THAT CASE VOLVO MAY NOT EVEN CONSIDER REVIEWING MY CASE AS I MAY NOT CONSIDER BUYING ANOTHER VOLVO. IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE PROBLEM LAST YEAR I HAD A COOLING FAN FAILURE WHICH WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY JUST BEFORE IT EXPIRED. NOW I HAVE NEVER EVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM VOLVO ON ANY PROBLEMS. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE FRONT SUSPENSION BALL JOINTS AND I DO NOT KNOW IF VOLVO DURING THE ROUTINE SERVICE VISITS EVER APPLIED THE RECALL FIX. *NM UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT