NHTSA Complaint #10253963 — 2003 VOLVO XC90

POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. DAYS AFTER COMPLETING A 90,000 MILE SERVICE AND OTHER REPAIRS (BRAKES, BROKEN ENGINE MOUNT BRACKET) AND TRIP TO BOSTON FROM WASHINGTON DC, THE "TRANSMISSION SERVICE URGENT" MESSAGE CAME UP FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE NEW IN 2003 FROM DON BEYER VOLVO IN FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NEW YEAR'S EVE DURING A SNOW STORM IN THE BOSTON AREA. THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP WAS CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAY. ON JANUARY 2, 2009, WE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO DALZELL VOLVO IN DEDHAM, MASSACHUSETTS. AFTER CONDUCTING A DIAGNOSTIC TEST, THE SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING AND THAT RADIATOR FLUID HAD MIXED WITH THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. I WAS QUOTED A PRICE OF $7000 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION, RADIATOR, AND RELATED EQUIPMENT. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE, I DISCOVERED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE IS WIDESPREAD FOR XC90 MODEL YEARS 2003-2004 AND THAT THIS SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE IS WELL-KNOWN BY VOLVO. THE VEHICLES COVERING THESE MODEL YEARS SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSIONS. *TR