2004 VOLVO XC70 Suspensionfront Problems

24 JUNE 2011, GOT IN TO MY 2004 VOLVO XC70, APPX 90000 MILES ON GERMAN ROADS, TO DRIVE OFF TO WORK IN THE MORNING. HEARD LOUD SCREECHING NOISE NEAR THE RIGHT WHEEL WELL WHEN I PLACED THE CAR ON DRIVE TO MOVE FORWARD. NEXT THING YOU KNOW, I HAVE A SEVERE AIR LEAK IN THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE. JUST A DAY PRIOR, THE CAR WAS DRIVEN THROUGH THE DAY WITHOUT ANY SYMPTOMS OF PROBLEM AND PARKED IN THE DRIVE WAY WITH NO ISSUES. WHEN I PULLED THE TIRE OFF, I FOUND THE SPRING SNAPPED IN TWO PIECES WITH SHARP ENDS. GOOD THING THIS DID NOT HAPPENED ON THE AUTOBAHN. WE COULD HAVE HAD ANOTHER AMERICAN SOLDIER OR FAMILY ON THE FRONT PAGE OF GERMAN AND AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS AND DIGITAL MEDIA. *TR

2004 VOLVO XC70: I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY GARAGE AND IMMEDIATELY HEARD A GRINDING SOUND. I THEN HEARD A WHOOSHING SOUND. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SPRING COIL CRACKED AND PUNCTURED (AND RUINED) A FOUR WEEK OLD TIRE. THERE WAS NO WARNING THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. I WAS LUCKY THAT I WASN'T ON THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE HAD A SUDDEN TIRE BLOWOUT. SUBARU HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH SPRING COILS AND HAD A RECALL TO INSTALL SHIELD TO PROTECT TIRE. *TR

LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING CRACK AND FAILURE, LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. *TR

2004 VOLVO XC70 WAGON, 89,000 MILES. FRONT LEFT COIL SPRING BROKE WHILE CAR PARKED IN DRIVEWAY (FINE PREVIOUS EVENING, OBVIOUS CLUNKING SOUND WHEN TURNING OUT OF DRIVEWAY IN MORNING). LOUD NOISE WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL, CAR NOT DRIVABLE. MECHANIC FOUND SPRING BADLY CORRODED, FRACTURED NEAR BOTTOM OF COILS. VOLVO DEALERSHIP'S PARTS DEPARTMENT INFORMED MECHANIC THEY WERE "STOCKING PLENTY OF SPRINGS." THIS VEHICLE HAD A SIMILAR BREAK IN THE LEFT REAR SPRING 8 WEEKS PREVIOUSLY. CAR IS USED AS COMMUTER VEHICLE AND HAS NEVER BEEN OFF-ROAD (4 WHL DRIVE SOLD AS "CROSS COUNTRY") OR USED IN COMMERCIAL SERVICE OR FOR CARRYING HEAVY LOADS. *TR

DRIVING ~30MPH STRAIGHT ON SNOW COVERED ROAD. FRONT LEFT COIL SPRING FAILED. *TR

WE HAD JUST DRIVEN ABOUT 200 MILES ON THE HIGHWAY AND PULLED INTO OUR HOTEL PARKING LOT. THE CAR WAS IN PERFECTLY FINE WORKING ORDER WITH NO INDICATION OF A PROBLEM. WHEN WE RETURNED TO THE CAR TO GO OUT, IT MADE A SCRAPING CLUNKING, SOUND FROM THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL WHEN WE MOVED OR TURNED THE WHEEL. WE MANAGED TO GET IT TO A NEARBY REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE COIL SPRING HAD SNAPPED WHILE IT WAS PARKED IN THE HOTEL PARKING LOT. THE COIL WAS REPLACED. *TR

CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF FRONT PASSENGER COIL SPRING. *TR