NHTSA Complaint #10397056 — 2004 VOLVO XC90

I OWN A 2004 VOLVO XC-90. I HAVE OWNED IT SINCE 12/2007. APPROXIMATELY 7 MONTHS AGO I STARTED HAVING INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS (NAVIGATION FAILURE, ENGINE SERVICE ALERTS, SECURITY ALARM SYSTEM FAILURE). MESSAGES WOULD APPEAR AND THEN STOP. RECENTLY WHILE DRIVING IN THE MOUNTAINS A MESSAGE APPEARED ABOUT A POSITION LIGHT FAILURE, THEN PROGRESSED TO MULTIPLE LIGHT FAILURES. THIS OCCURRED AT NIGHT ON THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY WHICH IS POORLY LIT IN MANY AREAS AND HAS WINDING ROADS WITH STEEP DROP OFFS. WE HAD TO DRIVE WITH MY PASSENGER AIMING A FLASHLIGHT TO SEE THE ROAD UNTIL WE COULD TURN OFF ON AN EXIT. THERE IS NO WHERE ON MOST OF THE PARKWAY TO PULL OFF AND WE WERE AT GREAT RISK WITHOUT HEADLIGHTS. WE CHECKED FUSES, AND THEN STARTED AGAIN AND HEADLIGHTS WORKED, SO DROVE ON. LATER ON THE INTERSTATE THEY FAILED AGAIN AND WE HAD TO PULL OFF AND PARK AND GET ANOTHER RIDE HOME. VOLVO CONFIRMED THAT THE CEM FAILURE IS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH XC90S. THEY USED TO KEEP SOME OF THESE ON HAND DUE TO COMMON NEED TO REPLACE. AS WITH OTHER OWNERS, I NOW HAVE A $1200+ REPAIR TO REPLACE THIS. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM - HIGH RATE OF OCCURRENCE AND SAFETY ISSUE. WHY WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE IS KILLED? IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME TILL HAPPENS WITH CEM FAILURES.. *TR