NHTSA Complaint #10662665 — 2005 VOLVO S60

THE CAR HAD DIFFICULTY IN STARTING ALL OF A SUDDEN. IT APPEARED TO BE AN ELECTRONIC IGNITION PROBLEM. AFTER A FEW STARTS, WARNING SIGNALS STARTED COMING ON. FIRST WAS "ENGINE UNDER PERFORMANCE" AND THEN IT WAS "BREAK FAILURE". THE CAR WAS STOPPED AND TOWED TO VOLVO DEALER. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE CAR'S FUEL PUMP / LINES WERE DESIGNED AND INSTALLED OUTSIDE THE WEATHER SHIELDED HOUSING. THE SALT USED FOR SNOW MELTING CORRODES THESE LINES AND SEVERAL CARS SHOW UP WITH THIS ISSUE.SO THEY REPLACED THEM AND MOVED THEM TO WITHIN THE WEATHER PROTECTED AREA. SEARCHING THE INTERNET, I FOUND SEVERAL VOLVO CARS OF THIS ERA HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND SEVERAL OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING - BOTH LOSS OF SPEED AND BREAK FAILURE. MY CAR WAS WELL MAINTAINED, REGULAR OIL CHANGES WITH THE SYNTHETIC OIL AND MAINTAINED BY VOLVO DEALER OR SPECIALIST. I ALSO USE THE RECOMMENDED 91 OR 93 OCTANE GAS, SO IT CANNOT BE ATTRIBUTED TO LAX MAINTENANCE OR LESSER QUALITY FUEL. THE ONLINE FORUMS SEEM TO HAVE ALL KINDS OF DIAGNOSTICS FOR THIS PROBLEM. IF IT WAS A DESIGN FAULT AT MANUFACTURER, AS ADVISED BY THE VOLVO DEALER, I WOULD THINK IT WOULD SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FOR RECALL. *TR