NHTSA Complaint #10238101 — 1999 VOLVO V70

THE INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE GEAR SELECTOR HAS BURNT OUT. THERE'S A 'SIGNAL-ORANGE' COLORED INDICATOR MARK THAT TRACKS THE GEAR SELECTOR AGAINST THE SLATE GREY COLOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY PUT THERE AS A SAFETY FEATURE SO YOU KNOW WHAT GEAR YOU'RE IN AND DON'T ACCIDENTALLY TAKE OFF IN AN UNINTENDED DIRECTION, FORWARD OR REVERSE, OR ROLL INTO SOMEONE WHILE UNINTENTIONALLY FINDING YOURSELF IN NEUTRAL. WELL NOW AT NIGHT UNLESS YOU TURN ON THE INTERIOR LIGHT, YOU CAN JUST GUESS WHAT GEAR YOU'RE IN BECAUSE WHEN IT'S DARK IN THE CAB YOU CAN'T SEE AT ALL WHAT'S WHAT AS FAR A GEAR SELECTION. I FIND THIS REMARKABLE. AT AGE 49, WITH ALL THE CARS WE'VE OWNED AND ALL I'VE HAD UNTIL OVER 100,000 MILES, NEVER DO I RECALL ANY DASHBOARD TYPE INDICATOR LAMPS BURNING OUT, I THOUGHT THEY JUST MADE THEM THAT WAY BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT REPLACEABLE OR SOMETHING. I ASSUMED THEY WERE LIKE NEON OR LIGHT EMITTING DIODES THAT CAN NEVER BURN OUT AND WOULD FUNCTION FOREVER OR UNTIL SOMETHING PHYSICALLY BROKE THEM. HERE'S A TIP FOR YOU FOLKS AT THE NHTSA AND YOUR FAMILIES: AVOID VOLVO'S IN PARKING LOTS AT NIGHT, TURNS OUT WE HAVE ONLY AN IDEA OF THE GEAR WE'RE IN BEFORE THE CAR STARTS MOVING, IN THE DARK THE LACK OF CERTAINTY PROVIDED BY A MANUFACTURING FAILURE COULD PROVE DANGEROUS. VOLVO FOR LIFE? *TR