NHTSA Complaint #10658558 — 2012 VOLVO C70

THIS 2012 VOLVO C70 WAS DRIVEN FROM COHASSET, MA TO CHICAGO IL IN LATE SEPTEMBER 2014. IT WAS DRIVEN WITH THE TOP DOWN FOR A PERIOD OF 400 MILES. THE CAR DID HAVE BRAND NEW MICHELIN PILOT SPORT TIRES ON THE FRONT AND REAR TIRES, THE REAR TIRES HAD OVER 7/10THS WEAR ON THEM. UPON REACHING CHICAGO AN ODD NOISE WAS NOTICED IN THE CAR LIKE A FAILING REAR HUB. UPON TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALER THE FIELDS VOLVO SERVICE ADVISER NOTICED THERE WAS FEATHERING OF THE REAR TIRES WHICH WAS DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE NEGATIVE CAMBER WITH THE TOP DOWN (INCORRECT OEM SUSPENSION SETTING FROM VOLVO). THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD US TO REPLACE THE BRAND NEW TIRES AT A COST OF $500 BUT DIDN'T NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE. HOWEVER A NEW SUB-CROSS MEMBER FOR THE REAR SUSPENSION WAS OFFERED IN 2013 TO AVOID THIS ISSUE, I ALSO HAVE SERVICE BULLETINS SHOWING VOLVOS KNOWLEDGE OF THE ISSUE. I TOLD THE SERVICE ADVISER THIS IS NOT A FIX AND I WANTED TO KNOW HOW THIS ISSUE WILL BE RESOLVED AND PREVENTED FROM HAPPENING AGAIN AS THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE ON WET OR SNOWY SURFACES BECAUSE OF THE SUSPENSION AND TIRE WARE ISSUES. HE TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO. AND WE CAN SPEND $500 ON TIRES EVERY 500 MILES WE DRIVE WITH THE TOP DOWN. I THEN PRESENTED THE ISSUE TO VOLVO OF NORTH AMERICA SENDING THEM A KIND EMAIL ASKING THEM HOW WE SHOULD HANDLE THE ISSUE. BEING A CAR ENTHUSIAST I AM AWARE THIS CAR SHARES A SUSPENSION WITH THE MAZDA 3 AND FORD FOCUS. I INFORMED VOLVO I CAN BUY AN AFTERMARKET ADJUSTABLE UPPER CONTROL ARM AND FIX THE ISSUE BUT WHAT ABOUT THE FACTORY WARRANTY, AS IT WOULD BE VOIDED FOR SUSPENSION ISSUES AND ALSO WHY DO WE HAVE TO FIX A CAR UNDER WARRANTY WITH SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES? I SENT THIS EMAIL TO VOLVO OVER 3 WEEKS AGO WITH NO RESPONSE TO MY QUESTIONS..... PLEASE HELP! *TR