NHTSA Complaint #10233973 — 2007 VOLVO S40

ON JUNE 28, 2008, MY GARAGE DOOR CAME DOWN ON MY 2007 VOLVO S40 SEDAN, WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE ROOF OF THE CAR (EST. $2000.00) AS WELL AS IRREPARABLE DAMAGE TO THE GARAGE DOOR (REPLACED AT A COST OF $1150.00). A TECHNICIAN FROM GENIE (MFG OF GARAGE DOOR OPENER) THOROUGHLY INSPECTED AND TESTED THE OPENER ON JUNE 30, 2008, AND FOUND THE UNIT TO BE WORKING PROPERLY. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE ACTION OF UNLOCKING AND LOCKING THE CAR DOORS WITH THE REMOTE AS WELL AS STARTING THE IGNITION OF THE CAR CAUSED THE GARAGE DOOR TO OPEN AND CLOSE WITHOUT WARNING. EACH TIME THE CAR REMOTE WAS PRESSED, IT TRANSMITTED TO THE GARAGE DOOR OPENER. AFTER DE PROGRAMMING THE HOMELINK IN THE CAR, THE SITUATION NO LONGER OCCURRED. I NO LONGER FELT SAFE HAVING THE HOMELINK ACTIVE, AS I DID NOT WANT TO CHANCE FURTHER VEHICLE DAMAGE OR BODILY HARM. THE PROBLEM WAS CLEARLY A TRANSMITTER/ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE CAR REMOTE/HOMELINK. I CONTACTED VOLVO ON JUNE 30, WHO ASSIGNED A FIELD REPRESENTATIVE TO INSPECT THE CAR AT A LOCAL VOLVO DEALERSHIP ON JULY 9, 2008. I HAD REQUESTED THEY COME TO MY HOME TO WITNESS THE PROBLEM, BUT THAT REQUEST WAS DENIED. ON JULY 10, 2008 THE PRODUCT INVESTIGATION COORDINATOR FROM VOLVO INFORMED ME THAT THE FINDINGS OF THE FIELD REPRESENTATIVE SHOWED NO OPERATIONAL ISSUES, THEREFORE, IT WAS NOT A VOLVO PROBLEM. I HAVE TRIED CONTACTING HOMELINK, TO NO AVAIL. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE MALFUNCTION, NOR HAVE I RECEIVED ANY COMPENSATION FOR DAMAGE CAUSED BY THIS MALFUNCTION. *TR