NHTSA Complaint #10573983 — 2009 VOLVO V50

FAILURE TO NOTIFY OWNERS OF A POTENTIALLY DEADLY, KNOWN DEFECTIVE PART THAT RESULTS IN MASSIVE CORROSION OF ELECTRONICS AND CEM CAUSING ENGINE TO QUIT WORKING. ELECTRONICS BEGAN TO QUIT WORKING WHILE TRAVELING. WE TOOK THE CAR INTO A DEALERSHIP SERVICE GARAGE AND TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. THEY WERE UNABLE TO START THE ENGINE, AND COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. THEY CALLED VOLVO WHO TOLD THEM THE V50 HAD A KNOWN DEFECTIVE WATER PUMP THAT CAUSED OTHER PARTS TO CORRODE. VOLVO SECRETLY CHANGED TO A DIFFERENT WATER PUMP IN NEW CARS AFTER DISCOVERING THIS DEFECT : BUT DID NOT NOTIFY OWNERS OR ISSUE A RECALL. THIS PUMP LEAKS WASHER FLUID, DRIPPING ONTO THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS AND CEM MAINFRAME COMPUTER WHICH CONTROLS THE ENGINE, CAUSING THE INABILITY TO START OR SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE, SECURITY ALARM TO ACTIVATE INTERMITTENTLY WITH NO PROVOCATION, DISABLED KEY FOB ENTRY, AND OTHER INTERMITTENT ISSUES RELATED TO ELECTRONICS. THESE PARTS WERE COMPLETELY CORRODED AND FRIED. IF THIS FAILED WHILE DRIVING AND HAD STOPPED THE ENGINE, THE SAME RESULTS WOULD HAVE OCCURRED AS THE GM CHEVROLET IGNITION PROBLEM. WITH NO ENGINE, THE CONTROLS TO POWER BRAKES, POWER STEERING AND AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT WOULD BE INACTIVE. VOLVO COVERED ONLY THE COST OF THE PARTS, BUT LEFT US WITH A $3000 BILL FOR THE LABOR PORTION. THEY TOLD US THAT BECAUSE OF THE CARS AGE AND MILEAGE AND A "LOYALTY" FACTOR, THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE LABOR COSTS. THEY SAID THEY WOULD ONLY COVER LABOR IF THERE WAS A RECALL, WHICH THEY HAVEN'T DONE. WE OWN 2 VOLVO'S AND OUR DAUGHTER PURCHASED A VOLVO ON OUR RECOMMENDATION JUST BEFORE THIS FAILURE. WE ASKED THAT THEY ALSO PICK THE LABOR COSTS REGARDLESS AND THEY REFUSED. THIS COULD LEAD TO A POTENTIAL DEADLY RESULT SIMILAR TO THE GM IGNITION PROBLEM & COVER-UP. *TR