NHTSA Complaint #10433965 — 2004 VOLVO XC90

IN THE WINTER OF 2011 WHILE DRIVING MY CAR IN HEAVY RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC IN THE CHICAGO AREA THE TRANSMISSION FAILED SUDDENLY AND LOST ALL POWER WHICH WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND CONCERNING. I WAS BARLEY ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT POWER AND WITHOUT ENDANGERING THE OTHER VEHICLES AROUND ME. THE REPAIRS REQUIRED THAT MY TRANSMISSION BE REBUILT, DRIVE TRAIN GEARS REPLACED, AND MY RADIATOR REPLACED WHICH TOOK FOUR WEEKS AND COST $7,000. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED BECAUSE COOLANT FROM THE RADIATOR LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. MY VEHICLE WAS MAINTAINED PER THE MANUFACTURES REQUIREMENT INCLUDING A TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGE LESS THAN A YEAR EARLIER. IT IS OBVIOUS FROM A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM DUE TO DEFECTIVE PARTS AND MANUFACTURING. EVEN MORE OBVIOUS BECAUSE VOLVO WILL ONLY WARRANTY A REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION IF THE RADIATOR AND OTHER TRANSMISSION PARTS ARE REPLACED. I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE BOTH REAR WHEEL BEARINGS EARLIER (ABOUT $400 EACH) ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THIS ALSO IS A COMMON PROBLEM SUSPECTED TO BE DUE TO OVER TIGHTENING OF STRAPS DURING SHIPMENT. CONTACTED VOLVO ON 10/31/11 AND THEY REFUSED ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIRS EVEN THOUGH IT IS WELL DOCUMENT THAT THERE ARE MANUFACTURING DEFECTS WITH SEVERAL VEHICLES AND THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. I WAS TOLD SINCE IT IS NOT A RECALL THEY WILL NOT ADDRESS IT. *TR