NHTSA Complaint #737025 — 2001 VOLVO V70

I LEASED A 2001 VOLVO V70 WAGON ON 9/27/00. I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A SEVERE AMOUNT OF REFLECTION FROM TOP OF DASHBOARD ONTO THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. REFLECTION IS POSITIONED HIGH UP ON THE WINDSHIELD IN THE AREA WERE THE DRIVER WOULD NORMALLY LOOK OUT OF THE CAR. WHEN DIRECT SUNLIGHT IS ON THE DASHBOARD TOP, THE REFLECTION IN THE WINDSHIELD IS SO GREAT THAT IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. EVEN IN LOWER LIGHT SITUATIONS (AS WITH NIGHTTIME STREET LIGHTING AND OVERCAST DAYS), THE REFLECTION POPS UP AND IS DISTRACTING TO THE DRIVER. IT APPEARS THAT THE REFLECTION IS DUE TO THE RAKE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND THE ANGLE OF THE DASHBOARD TOP. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE VOLVO DEALER AND THEY IN TURN NOTIFIED THE VOLVO REPRESENTATIVE. THE RESPONSE WAS "CONDITION NORMAL TO ALL 01 MODELS". I NOTE THAT THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPT INDICATED THAT OTHER OWNERS HAD ALSO COMPLAINED OF THIS PROBLEM. I AM 53 AND HAVE DRIVEN AND OWNED MANY CARS, BUT HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS TYPE OF SAFETY IMPAIRMENT IN ANY OTHER CAR. TO FIND OUT IF I WAS ALONE IN MY PERCEPTION, I POSTED A NOTE ON EDMUNDS.COM AND WITHIN SEVERAL HOURS I RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING RESPONSE: "YEP, I'M SURE EVERYONE HAS THIS PROBLEM." THE AMAZING THING ABOUT THIS REFLECTION IS THAT IT APPEARS TO EXIST IN THE FULL LINE OF VOLVO'S NEW MODELS. MY GUESS IS THAT OVER TIME THERE WILL BE NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS RELATED TO THE DRIVER'S INABILITY TO FOCUS THROUGH THE REFLECTION OR DUE TO THE DISTRACTION CAUSED BY IT POPPING UP IN CHANGING LIGHT SITUATIONS SUCH AS TRANSITIONS DRIVING FROM SHADE TO SUNLIGHT ON A TREE LINED STREET. FOR MY PART, ALTHOUGH IT WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL LOSS, I AM GOING TO DISPOSE OF THE CAR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE I BELIEVE IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I KNOW THIS SOUND ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE THAT A COMPANY SUCH AS VOLVO COULD PRODUCE A CAR WITH THIS DEFECT, BUT SIT IN ONE WHEN THERE IS LIGHT SHINING ON THE DASH TOP AND YOU WILL UNDERSTAND.