NHTSA Complaint #10437904 — 2004 VOLVO XC90

I PURCHASED MY 04' XC 90 SIX MONTHS AGO FROM A PRIVATE PARTY (ORIGINAL OWNER) WHO KEPT THE CAR IN IMMACULATE CONDITION. THE REASON I PURCHASED A VOLVO WAS THAT I WANTED A DEPENDABLE AND SAFE CAR FOR MYSELF AND MY YOUNG CHILDREN. RECENTLY, I WAS LEFT STRANDED WITH MY CHILDREN AND NO CELL SERVICE BECAUSE MY KEY WOULD NOT TURN PAST POSITION ONE TO TURN ON THE CAR. THERE WERE NO SIGNS THAT THE CAR HAD ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING. AFTER FINDING OUR WAY TO A TELEPHONE AND HAVING THE CAR TOWED TO A MECHANIC I WAS TOLD THAT IT NEEDED A NEW IGNITION SWITCH. I DID SOME RESEARCH TO FIND THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH VOLVOS. I READ STORIES ON MULTIPLE FORUMS THAT WERE VERY SIMILAR TO MINE. MY CHILDREN AND I WERE PUT INTO A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING SITUATION THAT EASILY COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD THERE BEEN A RECALL ON THE IGNITION SWITCH. THIS PART IS OBVIOUSLY FAULTY ON MULTIPLE VOLVO MODELS AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT THEY SHOULD FIX. *KB