NHTSA Complaint #10671821 — 2003 VOLVO XC70

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, A CAR WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT-HAND TURN ACROSS FOUR LANES OF TRAFFIC. THE PERSON, APPARENTLY, DID NOT SEE ME AND STRUCK THE SIDE OF MY VEHICLE BREAKING THE TIRE ROD AND DOING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE PASSENGER FRONT AND BACK DOORS. THE GLOVE BOX WAS EVEN DIFFICULT TO OPEN. IN ALL OF THIS, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. MY SON WHO IS 14 AND IS 170 POUNDS WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AT THE TIME. HE IS QUITE SORE ALONG HIS ARM AND NECK. IN 2012, I POSTED A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE CAR HAVING A DIM PROBLEM AND HOW THE VOLVO MECHANIC SAID THE DIM PROBLEM COULD CAUSE AIRBAG PROBLEMS, BUT AFTER HAVING THE DIM PROBLEM FIXED, I WAS TOLD THE AIRBAGS SHOULD DEPLOY. IN 2012, I POSTED THE FOLLOWING COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA AND CAN BE READ ONLINE: "I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 VOLVO XC70 AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT (55MPH) WHEN THE DASHBOARD SUDDENLY WENT BLACK AND ALL OF THE GAUGES, INCLUDING SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, GAS GAUGE, AND CLOCK STOPPED WORKING. EVERY WARNING LIGHT LIT UP. THE VOLVO DEALER ADMITTED THEY HAD SEEN THIS ISSUE BEFORE. THE COST TO REPLACE THE DIM WAS OVER $1400.00 AND I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PAY IT SINCE I WAS NOT GOING TO DRIVE MY CAR WITH NO SPEEDOMETER OR GAS GAUGE. THE DIM REPLACEMENT IS NOW ONLY WARRANTED FOR TWO YEARS, SO I MAY FIND MYSELF IN THE EXACT SAME BOAT IN THE FUTURE IF THE NEW DIM ALSO FAILS. RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE ONLINE, I FOUND THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM, PARTICULARLY FOR 2003 VOLVO MODELS. AFTER FINDING THE NHTSA WEBSITE, I ALSO FOUND THAT SOMEONE ELSE HAD RECENTLY REPORTED THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AND ALSO NOTED THAT THE DIM FAILURE COULD IMPACT THE PROPER OPERATION OF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM...." *TR