NHTSA Complaint #10400019 — 2003 VOLVO XC70

THE DRIVER INFORMATION MODULE (DIM) ON MY 2003 VOLVO XC70 BEGAN INTERMITTENTLY GOING OUT. DURING THIS TIME, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A VOLVO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE DIM WAS BAD AND WOULD NEED TO BE RE-MANUFACTURED AS IT IS A "CAR SPECIFIC" PART. THE COST OF THE JOB WAS GOING TO BE AROUND $1,400.00. I COULD NOT AFFORD THE REPAIR. AWHILE LATER, THE DIM WENT COMPLETELY OUT LEAVING WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO SEE HOW FAST I'M DRIVING, HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE, WARNING LIGHTS, ETC. WHEN THE DIM WENT COMPLETELY OUT, I BEGAN DOING A GREAT DEAL OF RESEARCH OB THIS PROBLEM TO SEE IF I COULD HAVE THE DIM REPAIRED/REPLACED CHEAPER THAN I WAS QUOTED BY THE DEALER. UPON RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT A GREAT NUMBER OF 2003 VOLVO XC70 OWNERS WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. MANY VOLVO MECHANICS AND OWNERS, REFER TO THIS PROBLEM AS NOT BEING UNUSUAL. IN ADDITION, NOT HAVING A DIM POSES MANY, OBVIOUS SAFETY HAZARDS, SUCH AS SPEEDING, CAR BREAKING DOWN ON THE ROAD, ETC. ALSO, I WAS TOLD BY THE VOLVO MECHANIC THAT DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT A FUNCTIONING DIM COULD PREVENT MY AIRBAGS FROM DEPLOYING. FINALLY, I NOTICED THAT MANY OWNERS WERE REPLACING THE DIM'S WHICH IS LEADING TO A NUMBER OF CARS THAT DO NOT SHOW CORRECT MILEAGE FOR THE VEHICLE. APPARENTLY, ONE CAN REPLACE THE DIM WITH A USED DIM, MUCH CHEAPER, BUT BECAUSE THE DIM IS A "CAR SPECIFIC" PART, ONCE THE DIM IS REPLACED THE DIM WILL NOTE THE MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE THAT THE DIM CAME OUT OF. IN MY NON-EXPERT, HUMBLE OPINION, IF THIS PROBLEM HAS BECOME "NORMAL," THE PROBLEM SHOULD BE COVERED BY VOLVO; IT SEEMS THAT THE PRODUCTION WAS FAULTY. IN ADDITION, VOLVO SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE CONSIDERING THE FAULTY DIM IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR