NHTSA Complaint #10235108 — 2004 VOLVO S60

LATE LAST SUMMER, UPON STARTING UP MY CAR, I NOTICED A HISSING NOISE COMING FROM THE CENTER PANEL ON THE DASHBOARD. DIDN'T REALLY THINK ANYTHING OF IT UNTIL I TRIED TO TURN ON THE AIR CONDITIONER AND THE CAR MADE THE SAME HISSING NOISE. NOISE LASTS ONLY 5-10 SECONDS UPON STARTUP OF THE CAR OR THE AC, BUT NOW THE AC ONLY BLOWS HOT AIR. TOOK CAR TO VOLVO DEALERSHIP HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE TO RIP OPEN THE ENTIRE FRONT PANEL TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. AS I HAVE BEEN TOLD TWICE PREVIOUSLY BY THIS DEALERSHIP THAT I NEED SERVICE THAT I DID NOT REALLY NEED (THIS WAS NOW THE THIRD TIME), I CHOSE TO HOLD OFF ON LETTING THEM PERFORM SUCH A TASK. INSTEAD, I TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER MECHANIC AND DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM TO HIM. HE LET ME KNOW THAT WHEN THERE WAS NO FREON LEFT IN THE AC UNIT. THEY REPLACED IT AND WITHIN ONE DAY, IT HAD COMPLETELY LEAKED. THEY THEN PERFORMED AN INSPECTION ON THE AC AND EITHER THE COMPRESSOR OR THE HOSES HAS A MAJOR LEAK IN IT. I HAVE NO ACCIDENTS AND THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 60,000 MILES ON IT CURRENTLY. THE PROBLEM WAS FIRST DETECTED AT LESS THAN 45,000 MILES ON IT. ESTIMATE ON REPAIR WAS $1500+. AT 22,500 MILE CHECKUP, VOLVO REPLACED RADIATOR ON CAR. MECHANIC SAID THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT VOLVO DEALERSHIP MAY HAVE DAMAGED THE AC UNIT AT THAT TIME SINCE THEY ARE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY. IN ADDITION, AS I NOTICED ON ANOTHER PERSON'S COMPLAINT FORM, I ALSO HAVE THE RUBBING OF THE FRONT TIRES WHEN TURNING. QUITE ANNOYING AND I DO MY BEST TO AVOID THE FRICTION AT ALL COSTS. DOESN'T OCCUR ON NORMAL TURNS, JUST WHEN MANEUVERING FOR PARKING SPACES OR GETTING OUT OF MY PARKING GARAGE. *TR