NHTSA Complaint #726340 — 2000 VOLVO S80

RESIDENCE SHOWN IS IN NY WHERE I AM CURRENTLY LOCATED AND CAN BE CONTACTED.; I AM FLORIDA HOMEOWNER AT 6366 PEBBLE CREEK WAY,,BOYNTON BEACH,FL 33437 DURING WINTER MONTHS. CAR COLOR IS METALLIC MOONDUST WITH INTERIOR COLOR "SAND". REFLECTIVE GLARE ON WINDHIELD FROM DASH IS CRITICAL SAFETY HAZARD. DRIVING IN BRIGHT SUNLIGHT OR DAPPLED SHADE/SUN IS IMPOSSIBLE. HAVE HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO 5 MPH ON INTERSTATE, OR EVEN STOP AT TIMES, BECAUSE OF TOTAL INABILITY TO SEE. MFR REPRESENTATIVE PAT SACUS AT EXEC OFFICES (1 2017674737 EXT 1976) ROCKLEIGH,NJ INDICATES THEY CAN,AND WILL, DO NOTHING DESPITE ACKNOWLEDGING THE POSSIBLE SERIOUS SAFETY IMPICATIONS. IN TWENTY OR MORE CARS I HAVE OWNED, HAVE NEVER HAD SUCH A SEVERE SAFETY CONCERN IN NEED OF CORRECTION. SUN GLASSES DO NOT HELP, NOR DOES PLACING A PIECE OF DARK CLOTH ON DASHBOARD. ACCORDING TO MS SACUS, ALL PREVIOUS VOLVOS HAD BLACK(ONLY) DASH BOARDS, BUT COLORS WERE INSTALLED IN RESPONSE TO CONSUMER DESIRES. PRESUMABLY, THE PROBL;EM EXISTS ONLY WITH THE LIGHTER COLORS, BUT THERE IS NO QUESTION IN MY MIND THAT A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT AWAITS. SIMILARLY, AN ADDITIONAL SAFETY HAZARD EXISTS ON THE DASH BOARD AND INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DARK BACKGROUND AND L.E.D. LIGHTING IS ALMOST INVISIBLE DURING DAYLIGHT (ALTHOUGH FINE AT NIGHT). IN ORDER TO READ ITEMS ON DASH SUCH AS RADIO STATION IN TUNE OR , MESSAGE BOARD, EYES MUST BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD AND ONE MUST ACTUALLY BEND DOWN TO LOOK AT THE PANEL CLOSELY IN ORDER TO SEE WHEN IN BRIGHT LIGHT. A HAZARD INDEED, BUT ONE I HAVE LEARNED TO LIVE WITH....I JUST DO NOT TRY TO READ RADIO STATION INFO. I URGE TESTING OF THIS AUTO (IN THE COLOR AND DASH COLOR SPECIFIED)WHILE DRIVING INTO BRIGHT SUNLIGHT. HOWEVER, I URGE YOUR TESTER TO DRIVE SLOWLY!! ALSO, PLEASE TEST IN DAPPLED BRIGHT SUN/SHADE; OR DRIVE FROM SUNLIGHT INTO A DARKENED GARAGE. ONE IS ALMOST TOTALLY BLIND. VOLVO HAS SHOT THEMSELVES IN THE FOOT WITH A QUALITY AUTOMOBILE THAT IS VIRTUALLY UNDRIVEABLE IN DAYLIGHT SUNSHINE.*AK