NHTSA Complaint #10341256 — 2004 VOLVO XC90

I OWN A 2004 VOLVO XC-90. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR SINCE APRIL 2004. APPROXIMATELY SEVEN MONTHS AGO, I STARTED EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS (RADIO AND NAVIGATION DISPLAY DISAPPEARING, ENGINE SERVICE ALERTS, ETC). SINCE THE INITIAL PROBLEMS WITH THE RADIO, THE PROBLEMS HAVE PROGRESSED TO THE POINT OF COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURES WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS OF OVER 55MPH. THESE INCIDENTS INVOLVED A COMPLETE SHUT DOWN OF THE GAUGES (TACHOMETER, SPEEDOMETER, FUEL GAUGE, AS WELL AS AUDIO SYSTEM). I HAVE LEARNED FROM ONLINE SEARCHES (SPECIFICALLY, WWW.ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM/COMPLAINT/2004/VOLVO/XC90/ELECTRICAL+SYSTEM) THAT THESE INCIDENTS ARE BEING EXPERIENCED BY MANY OTHER VOLVO XC-90 OWNERS. SUCH INCIDENTS HAVE CAUSED MANY OWNERS TO TAKE THE CAR TO THEIR VOLVO SERVICE DEPARTMENT ONLY TO BE TOLD, AS I WAS THAT DETERMINING THE PROBLEM WOULD BE COSTLY AND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NOT OTHER COMPLAINTS OR RECALLS BY VOLVO. THE PROBLEMS I AM EXPERIENCING ARE NOW ONGOING WHETHER I AM IN TOWN OR ON THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS WITH AN INITIAL EXPENDITURE OF NEARLY $400 AND AN EXPECTED UPCOMING EXPENDITURE OF $1200. THE LATTER AMOUNT IS THE PRICE FOR LABOR AND PARTS TO REPLACE THE CEM BOARD. I TOLD MY MECHANIC OF THE FINDINGS FROM MY ONLINE SEARCH AND HAD TO REQUEST THE REPLACEMENT OF THIS PART. THE PROBLEMS I AM EXPERIENCING ARE NOT ONLY DANGEROUS AT HIGH SPEEDS BUT I HAVE FOUND THAT I AM NOW HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE LATCH THAT UNLOCKS THE HATCHBACK TRUNK AND ACCESS TO THE GAS TANK. MY CAR HAS LESS THAN 50,000 MILES AND REQUIRED SERVICE HAS BEEN DONE AT THE SAME DEALERSHIP SINCE MY PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TALKED WITH VOLVO CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY HAVE NOT YET ISSUED A RECALL. I HAVE NOT FOUND ANY RECORDS OF DEATHS OR INJURIES BEING CAUSED BY THE ELECTRICAL FAILURES, BUT IF THE SITUATIONS ENCOUNTERED BY OTHER OWNERS ARE LIKE MINE IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. THE VEHICLE LITERALLY CAN CAUSE A SLOWDOWN AND IMPAIR THE ABILITY OF THE DRIVER TO AVOID ACCIDENTS. *TR