NHTSA Complaint #721272 — 1999 VOLVO S80

IN OCTOBER 1999, I BEGAN NOTICING A CLUNKING NOISE EMINATING FROM BENEATH THE DRIVER'S-SIDE FOOTWELL, WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PLACED IN REVERSE, OCCASIONALLY WHEN ACCELERATING, BRAKING AND WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN OVER ROUGHER ROAD SURFACES. THE CLUNKING NOISE IS ALSO HEARD WHEN APPROACHING AN INCLINE AND CRESTING A HILL AS WELL. I REPORTED THIS CLUNKING NOISE PROBLEM TO RAMSEY VOLVO (SELLING/SERVICING DEALER) ON 10/13/1999. THE DEALER REPLACED THE LEFT-REAR SUBFRAME MOUNT AND SECURED IT USING JB WELD, PER VOLVO SERVICE BULLETIN. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE REPAIR, THE CLUNKING NOISE RETURNED. ON 10/18/1999, RAMSEY VOLVO AGAIN REPLACED THE LEFT-REAR SUBFRAME BUSHING , THIS TIME USING A DIFFERENT ADHESIVE, AS RECOMMENDED BY VOLVO CARS OF NORTH AMERICA. THE DEALER ALSO REPLACED A DEFECTIVE SWAY BAR END LINK. THE CLUNKING NOISE RETURNED A WEEK LATER. ON 10/26/1999, I ALERTED VOLVO CARS OF NORTH AMERICA OF THIS RECURRING PROBLEM AND REQUESTED THAT THEY ASSIST IN THE THE REPAIR OF THIS VEHICLE. MY REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE WENT UNANSWERED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. ON FEBRUARY 3, 2000 VOLVO CARS OF NORTH AMERICA RECOMMENDED I AGAIN BRING MY VEHICLE TO RAMSEY VOLVO FOR REPAIR OF THE CLUNKING NOISE. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN ON MARCH 16, 2000, THE DEALER CLAIMS THAT THE CLUNKING NOISE HEARD WHEN PLACING THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, WAS CAUSED BY THE FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS AND IS CONSIDERED TO BE "NORMAL" AND DID NOT ANY OTHER CLUNKING NOISES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. I AGAIN CONTACTED VOLVO CARS AND REQUESTED THE VEHICLE REPAIRED OR REPLACED IF THE NOISE PROBLEM CANNOT BE ELIMINATED. ON MARCH 30, 2000, THE VEHICLE WAS ROAD-TESTED BY THE VOLVO CARS OF NORTH AMERICA FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE. VOLVO CARS OF NORTH AMERICA CONCLUDED THAT THE CLUNKING NOISE HEARD WHEN PLACING THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE WAS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE S80. HOWEVER, THE VOLVO REPRESETATIVE CLAIMS HE DID NOT HEAR ANY CLUNKING NOISE FROM THE FRONT-END OF THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING. THIS CONCLUSION IS FALSE.