NHTSA Complaint #11687093 — 2017 VOLVO XC90

The A/C evaporator core in my 2017 Volvo XC90 failed prematurely, cracking and leaking refrigerant. This is a well-known problem among XC90 owners from model years 2016–2020. Repair costs are USD$5k+ because the entire dashboard must be removed to replace the evaporator. This is not normal wear and tear. Volvo has issued multiple Technical Journals (e.g. TJ 35912.1.0 -- attached -- and later revisions) instructing dealers to install an additional resistor in the evaporator temperature sensor harness when replacing the evaporator. This proves Volvo knows there is a design defect causing evaporator cracking and failure. However, Volvo corporate has declined to assist with repairs for my vehicle. Driving without A/C in high summer heat presents a serious risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke, particularly during long commutes (I drive over an hour each way daily). The HVAC system is also critical for defogging and defrosting the windshield. Loss of refrigerant and evaporator performance can impair defroster operation, creating visibility hazards. The combination of extreme cabin heat and impaired defrosting creates an unreasonable risk to safety, not merely an inconvenience. In addition, right now it costs me just a few hundred dollars to refill my AC system every summer. This is what I've been doing for several summers now. But the Volvo quote to fix this factory defect was over $6k. So that means myself and thousands of others are all incentivized to just fill up R134A and have it leak out, harming the environment in the process. Volvo's refusal to recall and fix this issue is causing this economic incentive. It should be on them to fix their failure, not us. I asked Volvo corporate to goodwill this repair but they declined to do this (see attached).