NHTSA Complaint #10476797 — 2004 VOLVO V70

PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT ON THE STREET, PUT THE CAR IN PARK, BUT WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE KEY TO TURN THE CAR OFF. IT TOOK ME ALMOST 20 MINUTES OF JIGGLING THE KEY AROUND AND SPRAYING WD40 INTO THE IGNITION CYLINDER BEFORE BEING ABLE TO VERY SLOWLY GET THE KEY TO TURN ENOUGH TO TURN THE CAR OFF. I AM NOT A WEAK PERSON AND WAS HONESTLY AFRAID THAT THE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE I WAS APPLYING WAS GOING TO CAUSE THE KEY TO BREAK OFF IN THE IGNITION. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR TO THE NEAREST VOLVO DEALER (CHERRY HILL, NJ) AND SINCE THIS HAPPENED ON A SUNDAY MORNING, I HAD TO LEAVE THE KEYS WITH AN EXPLANATION OF THE PROBLEM ON A DROPBOX FORM. WHEN I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPT TODAY, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO CUSTOM ORDER A REPLACEMENT PART FROM SWEDEN AND THAT IT COULD BE A WEEK BEFORE MY CAR IS REPAIRED. THE SERVICE PERSON SAID THAT THIS SOMETIMES HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE ATTACH A LARGE AMOUNT OF KEYS TO THEIR CAR KEY AND IT CAUSES STRESS ON THE IGNITION CYLINDER. I HAVE NEVER, EVER DONE THAT. I ALWAYS KEEP MY CAR AND HOUSE KEYS SEPARATE FOR SAFETY PURPOSES, SO THERE IS NO REASON THIS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. AFTER LOOKING FOR MORE INFO ON THE INTERNET, IT APPEARS AS THOUGH THIS HAPPENS ON A FAIRLY REGULAR BASIS WITH OTHER OWNERS. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS CAR AND AM RELIGIOUS ABOUT KEEPING IT IN GOOD RUNNING ORDER WITH ROUTINE, SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. FAILURE TO BE ABLE TO SHUT A CAR OFF WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING SHOULD CERTAINLY BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE. THANKS. *TR