NHTSA Complaint #10394215 — 2005 VOLVO XC90

OUT OF THE BLUE A WELL-MAINTAINED AND WELL CARED FOR 2005 VOLVO XC90 V8 SUV DEVELOPED A SEVERE ENGINE KNOCKING/BANGING SOUND (ALL SERVICE RECORDS COMPLETED AT REQUIRED TIME PERIODS). ACTUALLY SOUNDED LIKE BALL BEARINGS ROLLING AROUND INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. 58,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. ENGINE WAS SHUT DOWN IMMEDIATELY AND VEHICLE FLATBEDDED TO THE SERVICE DEALER. UPON INSPECTION, THE COUNTERBALANCE BEARING AND SHAFT FAILED. IF ENGINE HAD NOT BEEN SHUT DOWN THERE WAS A VERY REAL POSSIBILITY OF THE BEARING SEIZING AND THE SHAFT HITS THE INSIDE OF THE ENGINE BLOCK BREAKING THE TIMING CHAIN BENDING ALL THE VALVES(I.E. CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE)! AS THE MANUFACTURER, VOLVO SHOULD BEAR THE FULL MONETARY RESPONSIBILITY WHEN IT COME TO THIS REPAIR. A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW IN THEIR ENGINE IS THE CAUSE OF THIS FAILURE. THE SERVICE TECH MUST TEAR YOU ENGINE APART (LITERALLY REMOVE THE ENGINE FROM THE VEHICLE AND OPEN THE ENGINE BLOCK!) TO PROPERLY COMPLETE THE REPAIR. VOLVO SHOULD BE PICKING UP THE ENTIRE COST OF THIS FIASCO. PARTS AND LABOR. PERIOD. TO DATE VOLVO MAKING OWNERS PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT PARTS. THE PARTS ARE BETWEEN $1200-2000. IT IS NOT THE CORRECT WAY FOR A SO-CALLED 'QUALITY AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURER' TO HANDLE THE SITUATION. WHEN CUSTOMERS PAY $45000-$55,000 FOR AN AUTOMOBILE, THEY EXPECT THE CAR (AND THE ENGINE!) TO LAST A WEE LONGER THAN 55,000-75,000 MILES (SARCASM INTENDED). FRANKLY, THIS WILL BE MY LAST VOLVO. *TR