NHTSA Complaint #10441393 — 2004 VOLVO XC90

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (TYPICALLY ON LONG TRIPS OF 4HRS OR MORE) I HEAR A LOUD THUMPING NOISE THAT IS VERY UNNERVING. IT FEELS LIKE THE PISTON HAS LEFT ITS BEARINGS AND IS RAMMING INTO THE CAR. THIS IS FOLLOWED BY A SHARP JERK THEN A MOMENTARY LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. AT THIS POINT THE DASHBOARD GOES BLANK, THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKER AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURN ON. THIS TURN OF EVENTS GETS SO SCARY THAT I PULL OFF THE ROAD AND WAIT FOR A FEW MINUTES. I AM THEN ABLE TO TURN THE CAR ON AND KEEP DRIVING. BUT ONCE THE ISSUE HAS OCCURRED IT KEEPS OCCURRING MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY IF I KEEP DRIVING, ABOUT EVERY 10 TO 15 MINUTES. HOWEVER IF I LET THE CAR REST FOR A FEW HOURS OR OVERNIGHT I AM ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR FINE. AS A TREND THIS PROBLEM IS WORSENING. WHEN I FIRST EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM IN THE SUMMER OF 2010 IT ONLY OCCURRED ONCE. I WAS ABLE TO RESUME MY LONG ROAD TRIP WITH NO OTHER INCIDENT. THE NEXT TIME IT OCCURRED WAS ON THE SAW MILL RIVER PARKWAY, A WINDING ROAD FROM NY CITY TO CT. IT OCCURRED AT NIGHT AND WAS FAR MORE SCARY THAN BEFORE. AGAIN I WAS ABLE TO RESUME MY TRIP BUT THIS TIME THE PROBLEM OCCURRED TWICE BEFORE I REACHED HOME. THE THIRD TIME IT HAPPENED WAS ON THE LAST LEG OF A LONG ROAD TRIP FROM CT TO FLORIDA. SAME SYMPTOMS BUT WITH MORE FREQUENCY. ON ALL THE OCCASIONS I WAS TRAVELING WITH MY FAMILY THAT INCLUDED TWO SMALL KIDS AND ON ONE OCCASION TWO ELDERLY PEOPLE TOO. NOT ONLY HAS THIS COST ME A LOT OF MONEY BY WAY OF EMERGENCY CAR RENTALS AND OVERNIGHT STAYS (ON THE 3RD FAILURE) BUT IT HAS ALSO PUT ME AND FAMILY AT RISK OF SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. I HAVE HAD MY CAR EXAMINED BY 3 DIFFERENT VOLVO DEALERSHIPS IN 3 DIFFERENT STATES AND NONE OF THEM COULD FIGURE OUT THE ROOT CAUSE. I NOTICE THAT MANY 2004/2005 VOLVO XC90S HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND AM SURPRISED THAT YOU HAVE NOT ISSUED A SAFETY RECALL. *TR