NHTSA Complaint #11498747 — 2019 VOLVO XC40

The vehicle has approximately 16,000 miles on it. It began to shudder in the front end when the brakes were applied at any speed. I contacted the dealer, Parkway Volvo of Wilmington, NC concerning the problem and was told that the vehicle had just gone out of warranty. On December 16, 2022, I took the vehicle to Derhams Alignment and Auto Repair, Wilmington NC to have the problem diagnosed. They found that the discs of the disc brakes on all four wheels were warped. They recommended replacement of these to repair the problem. Following this I took the car to Parkway Volvo on December 19, 2022, for a second opinion. Parkway came back with the same diagnosis and recommended that the discs be turned to straighten out the surface. I had this done at a cost of $420, and it repaired the problem. There is no reason that a vehicle with 16,000 miles should have warped discs unless it is abused, which this one has not been. I believe that the brake discs are made from inferior steel. I have been driving Volvos for over 20 years and the discs last well over 100,000 miles without an issue. I believe that Volvo is no longer using Swedish steel and instead importing the discs. The Volvo dealer made a number of excuses for the reason for the warping, one being that we have not used the car enough and/or that the electronic emergency brake warps the back discs if the car is parked to long. The car is garaged and parked on a level surface, without the emergency brake on. Also, this does not explain the front disc warping. I do not think that any of their excuses are reasonable, and I believe that Volvo should replace the discs with properly manufactured and safe ones without a charge. I am unable to find the receipt from Derhams Alignment at the moment, but would be glad to get a duplicate and submit it if you need it. Sincerely, Craig A. Wenger