NHTSA Complaint #11020672 — 2005 VOLVO XC90

MY 2005 XC90 (ODOMETER APPROX. 178,000 MILES) THROWS CHECK ENGINE, REDUCED ENGINE PERFORMANCE AND ENGINE SERVICE REQUIRED DASHBOARD WARNINGS INTERMITTENTLY, DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT HAS A NEW CEM AND A SECOND NEW THROTTLE BODY IN LESS THAN TWO MONTHS. IT ALSO ISSUES A LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT BULB FAILURE WARNING, EVEN WHEN THE BULB IS LIT, AND THE LEFT TURN BLINKER IS STICKY. SOMETIMES, THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND PASSENGER SIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR READJUST SIMULTANEOUSLY UPON OPENING THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, WITH NO KEY IN THE IGNITION AND NO ONE SITTING IN THE SEAT. RECENTLY WHILE TRAVELING ON AN EXPRESSWAY AT 65 MPH, THE CAR ABRUPTLY LOST SPEED (A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE) AND STRUGGLED TO ACCELERATE TO 40 MPH. A FEW DAYS LATER, IT LOST POWER IN HEAVY CITY RUSH-HOUR TRAFFIC (ALSO TERRIFYING) AS A RED LIGHT TURNED GREEN. IT BARELY MADE IT TO 10 MPH AND CAME CLOSE TO CAUSING A CHAIN REACTION CRASH WITH THE CARS BEHIND IT (ALSO TERRIFYING). LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO STEER INTO A NEARBY BANK PARKING LOT, TURN IT OFF AND RESTART IT. IT DROVE NORMALLY BUT THE WARNING LIGHTS REMAINED. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE VOLVO DEALERSHIP MULTIPLE TIMES, CITING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WOES, WHICH RESULTED IN THE TWO PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED REPAIRS. THEY IDENTIFIED A WIRING SHORT AS THE CAUSE BOTH TIMES, YET ACT MYSTIFIED AS TO WHY THE PROBLEMS HAVE PERSISTED DESPITE THOSE REPAIRS. I REPORTED THE SEAT/MIRROR SHIFTS AND THE ONGOING LOW BEAM BULB FAILURES TO THE SERVICE MANAGER, WHO REPLIED (WITHOUT EXAMINING THE CAR) THAT THE BULB WAS EITHER BURNT OUT OR LOOSE IN THE SOCKET, AND THAT THE SEAT SHIFTING WAS SIMPLY THE WAY THE MEMORY FUNCTION WORKS. I GET THE SENSE THAT VOLVO DOES KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS VEHICLE, AND THEY DON'T WANT TO TELL ME. I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED AND FRUSTRATED WITH THE LACK OF ANSWERS, AND AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR.