NHTSA Complaint #11232278 — 2016 VOLVO XC90

WE OWN A 2016 VOLVO XC90. PURCHASED USED IN JULY 2018. IN OCTOBER 2018, WE HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THERE HAS SINCE BEEN A SAFETY RECALL FOR A PART THAT CAN LEAK THAT WE BELIEVE WAS THE CAUSE OF ENGINE FAILURE. THE ENGINE STARTED CHUGGING WHILE WE WERE ON THE INTERSTATE. A TURTLE ICON CAME ON THE SCREEN. WE TOOK THE NEAREST EXIT RAMP TO GET OFF. WHITE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE EXHAUST. WE LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. THE COOLANT WAS EMPTY. THERE HAD BEEN NO WARNING THAT THIS WAS LOW OR EMPTY. WE ADDED COOLANT. WE DROVE SLOWLY OUT OF THE GAS STATION LOT TO SEE IF THIS WOULD HELP. NOTHING CHANGED. WE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY AND CALLED A TOW. FIELDS VOLVO MADISON HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THEY WERE UNCLEAR WITH US ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENED. IT SEEMED THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. WE DID RESEARCH AND FOUND A SERVICE CAMPAIGN S29846:COOLANT EXPANSION TANK BLEEDER HOSE FOR OUR MODEL CAR. SEVERAL REVIEWS FROM PEOPLE THAT THEIR ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED B/C OF THIS. WE ASKED IF THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED AND THEY SAID THEY WERE PRETTY SURE THAT IT WAS. FIELDS TRIED TO HELP BY CONTACTING VOLVO. VOLVO INITIALLY DECLINED ANY HELP. WE CONTACTED VOLVO. THERE WAS SOME BACK AND FORTH BUT VOLVO AGREED TO A PARTIAL OFFER TO PAY $4,248 TOWARD THE REPAIR COST OF $12,743.42. WE PAID $8,657.43 FOR THE REPAIR. THE TECH'S SAID A SPARK PLUG TIP HAD BROKEN OFF AND WENT THROUGH THE ENGINE. THEY NOTED COOLANT IN THE CYLINDER. WE SUSPECTED THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE BLEEDER HOSE LEAKING THE COOLANT, CAUSING IMMEDIATE OVERHEATING AND SPARK PLUG AND ENGINE FAILURE. NOW THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FOR THE COOLANT BLEEDER HOSE, RECALL R29936, DATED 6/17/19. IT IS ATTACHED. THIS OEM PART ISSUE WAS PRE-EXISTING AND UNADDRESSED BY VOLVO. OUR ENGINE WAS OPERATING FINE WITH NO NOTICE OF PENDING TROUBLE. WE WANT HELP TO PERSUADE VOLVO TO COVER THE ENTIRE ENGINE REPAIR.