NHTSA Complaint #10438548 — 2005 VOLVO XC90

THE BALANCER BEARING AND SHAFT ON THE 2005 VOLVO XC90 SUV IS DEFECTIVE IN THE FIRST 6000 VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FOR THAT MODEL YEAR. THE BALANCER SHAFT BEARING CAN GO BAD AT ANY TIME WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING CATASTROPHIC ENGINE DAMAGE. IF THIS HAPPENS ON A HIGHWAY WHILE TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, THE RESULTS COULD BE DEADLY. VOLVO NORTH AMERICA IS AWARE OF THIS AND DOES NOTHING TO ADDRESS THIS SERIOUS, POTENTIALLY DEADLY SITUATION. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO GET VOLVO OF NORTH AMERICA TO RECOGNIZE THIS ISSUE AND THEY HAVE DOING NOTHING TO DATE EXCEPT POINT TO MAINTENANCE, WHICH HAS NO IMPACT ON THE PROBLEM. THERE IS NO MAINTENANCE PROCEDURE TO INSURE THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN AND VOLVO WILL NOT PAY FOR DAMAGES. THE REMEDY IN MOST CASES IS AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT WHICH COSTS ABOUT $15,000 , AND AS MENTIONED, VOLVO WILL NOT PAY FOR IT. VOLVO MUST BE FORCED TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND FIX THE PROBLEM AND COMPENSATE OWNERS WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED. THESE VEHICLES MUST BE RECALLED AND THE PROBLEM MUST BE FIXED BEFORE COUNTLESS LIVES ARE PUT AT RISK BY THIS TICKING TIME BOMB THAT WILL GO OFF. AT 70 MILES AN HOUR , A FAILED ENGINE COULD LEAD TO DEATH. THERE ARE 6000 VOLVO XC90'S WITH THIS PROBLEM. *TR THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO THE BALANCER BECOMING DAMAGED AND CAUSING CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED IT WOULD COST $ 14,700 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. UPDATED IVOQ 03/09/12