NHTSA Complaint #10363820 — 2005 VOLVO XC90

OCTOBER 10, 2010 PURCHASED CASH 2005 XC90 V8. WENT THROUGH SAFETY AND EMISSION SERVICE FOR REGISTRATION-- OKAY. OCTOBER 22 HEARD A STRANGE NOISE FROM ENGINE, CALLED VOLVO DEALERSHIP TO REQUEST SERVICE. DIDN'T DRIVE ON OCTOBER 23, 2010. ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 24, WENT OUT TO MOVE THE CAR FOR OPPOSITE SIDE PARKING AND TO GAS UP FOR DRIVE TO SERVICE CENTER. CAR STOPPED AT SERVICE STATION, AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSTICS OCTOBER 25, 2010 CONFIRMED: NOISE IS FROM EITHER BROKEN CONNECTING ROD OR BALANCE SHAFT....ADVICE TO CUSTOMER "NEEDS ENGINE" AT A COST OF $14,000+. THE CAR DID NOT COME WITH A WARRANTY AND EVEN NOW THE DEALER IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY EVASIVE--AS HE SAYS HE WAS THE OWNER/DEALER AT THE TIME OF SALE, AND AS INDIVIDUAL SELLER REGISTERED IN ANOTHER STATE AND NOT NEW YORK, SO DOES NOT HAVE TO HONOR WARRANTY OR ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY. CALL VOLVO NORTH AMERICA ON OCTOBER 26, 2010 WITH NO KNOWLEDGE OF OUR OWNERSHIP, (STILL HAVEN'T RECEIVED TITLE TO CAR). RESPONSE WAS --NO WARRANTY NO ASSISTANCE WITH THIS COUNTER BALANCE OR ANY OTHER ISSUE BEYOND 4 YEAR/50,000 MILES. CONCERN: BEFORE PURCHASE WHEN ASKING THE DEALER NO MENTION NOR WHEN RESEARCHED NO REVELATION OF THE COUNTERBALANCE SHAFT BEING AN ONGOING ISSUE FOR THE 2005 XC90 V8. HOWEVER, FURTHER EVIDENCE CLEARLY SHOWS DESIGN FLAWS IN THE ORIGINAL YAMAHA ENGINES, AND A SLIGHT COVERT ATTEMPT BY VOLVO TO FIX IT VIA ITS LIMITED EDITION TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN(TSB) TO DRILL THE HOLE IN THE SHAFT TO LET BUILD UP MOISTURE ESCAPE. ADDITIONALLY, VOLVO'S SECOND ATTEMPT TO SLIGHTLY ADDRESS THE COUNTER BALANCE ISSUE IS EVIDENCED VIA ITS LIMITED AND PAY-TO-GET TSB INFORMING DEALERSHIPS NOT CONSUMERS 'OF NOT WASHING THE ENGINE,' WHICH MAY LEAD TO MOISTURE BUILD UP AND TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE. OUR ATTEMPTS ARE NOW BEING MADE FOR VOLVO TO MAINTAIN ITS SLOGAN OF "SAFETY FOR LIFE." WE WANT THE SAFETY ATTRIBUTE TO BE EFFECTIVE AND USEFUL WHEN THE CAR IS OPERABLE, AND NOT WHEN THE CAR IS INOPERABLE. *TR