Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Options
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
It has 61,940 miles on it (~24K when purchased) and the transmission is intermittently "slipping" when going from a stop into first gear. I thought I was imagining it at first until it became a "stutter-like" sound for a few seconds and slammed into gear. this has happened three times and in between it has been occasionally slipping as I noted. It has been going on for about three weeks (at least that is how long I have noticded it).
I thought about getting the transmission fluid flushed/changed but I couldn't find anything in the owners manual about it so an Auto parts store associate said he had heard of problems with the these transmissions and to look it up on-line and I happened to find this.
We don't drive the vehicle hard AT ALL. In fact, as you can see we have averaged less than 10K per year on it since ownership. We go through tires and brakes frequently but this transmission thing is scary and I don't have $5-7K to pay for a new transmission! Does anyone have the name, number and/or contact information for the SoCal mfg rep? If so, I will gladly call or write a letter. I am familiar with several class action "incubation" attorneys in the Los Angeles area and if Volvo won't help me with what seems to be such a frequent and dangerous issue I would glady hop on board with such an action. I have two little kids and a wife with cancer and I am through with letting big companies make billions of dollars while seemingly shirking responsibility from such exposures until people die.
The only reason I purchased this vehicle was because of Volvo's safety record /reputation and I didn't want a minivan. I can't be constantly worrying that I am going to get in an accident with my kids because of this!!!
1. Cold weather = cold square tires, same affect as point 2.
2. Bent rim, and out of balance wheels: sent shake through the system, causing vibration at the joint. Had the vehicle up on stands on all four wheels - see the drive shaft and hear it clanging.
3. Worn out cv joint at the front of the driveshaft. Mechanic just took it apart, worn out at 43000 miles.
Looking for new or rebuilt shaft for delivery to Canada.
I'm curious aren't you out of warranty .
Thank you
Same experience for me, local dealer said I had no loyalty to them or Volvo since I had not purchased the car from them nor did I have them ever perform service (I bought my 03 T6 used from 3rd party). I'm out $5,000 for my transmission.
The mechanic I had do the work used a modified rebuild & I know have over 40K miles on it & no troubles so far (knock on wood).
Hopefully today will open some doors for the rest of us who have suffered financially & in other ways from this blatant disregard for Volvo taking responsibilty in this problem.
I wonder how many 03 - 05 T6 are out there that have had this problem. looks like there has been over 600 according the numbers of posts on this forum.
Wish me luck.
VeroT6
After 5000km of owning it :
DCM Differential control module (2500$)
TCM Transmission control module (850$)
Instrument cluster (1280$)
ECM Engine controle module (1650$)
All needed to be changed. The truck was basically turning itself off while driving on the highway. I videotaped it when it happened and showed the volvo dealership that I wasnt lyeing... Volvo Canada? they were really sorry about the mess, but they basically couldnt care less that their truck basically turned itself into a death trap every time i was driving it.
Then... 2000km down the road, tie rods, steering column, driver's side suspention and ball beiring needed to be replaced (2800$)
And then... another 400km down the road, transmission is leaking fluid from the coolant to the transmission oil. Transmission needs to be replaced. (7800$)
So what's next sell the vehicule? Who the hell would want to buy this peice of crap? Anyways, if you ever see one for sale and think its a good deal and a nice truck, get whoever you are with to slap you in the face and tell you to wake up, NEVER BUY THIS TRUCK!!!!!!!!!
Even Volvo knows its a peice of junk, and they couldnt care less about you!
Here is the link to the court filing - http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/08/14/CarsVolvo.pdf.
From what I read on the web it seems that a judge has given a "go ahead" on two of the four counts filed against Volvo- II and III. I sincerely hope that this does not stop here. Volvo's attitude has been extremely disappointing in dealing with the problems due to these transmissions.
In the mean time, it seems that there is a some kind of a change in Volvo's response. It took them only 45 minutes to call me back after I posted on their website that I will try to join the class action. They even offered to help me with fixing my transmission. I do not know what the extend of this "help" would be but it is interesting that Volvo reacted so quickly after two years of totally ignoring me.
As far as the cars go, I must say that the transmission is not the only weak link. I had to have the two turbos replaced (it was about $5000 job), the rear self-leveling shocks, the bearings on all wheels and something on the oil system that cost about $1500. It is true that my car had 102K when all of this needed to be done, but still...I have had other cars with more miles on them and not even a 10th of the problems. Also, one thing that bothers me about the replacement transmissions is that they are not new and improved, just rebuilt ones and have one year warranty only. So, will they fail in a few thousand miles too?
Good luck with the Dealer and the transmission.
Thanks :sick:
By the way, I was told by the dealer that Volvo does not replace the broken transmissions with news ones; only with rebuilt ones, one year warranty. I guess, given the history of these machines, they are assuring repeat profitable business for their shops, since most of us will be back there very soon.
Essentially they covered 75% of the cost, no loaner car. My cost was 1684 or something like that. Volvo Customer Service Sent me a Rebate coupon that would send up to 250.00 for parts. You might want to call and see if you can get them to send you the same coupon. They sent the rebate quickly. when all was said and done there was also a 2 year warranty on the transmission. After I read and saw so many issues even after the replacement I sold the car that weekend after I got it back. I don't believe after this I will ever own another Volvo. Not because they didn;t fix my car for free, but because of all the inconsistent results people have had getting their car fixed. Some 100% some 50% some none at all, some 75%, some parts only, Seriously come through with some real method of helping Volvo owners out.
Good luck everyone, I own a BMW now, and love it!
I spoke with a supervisor at the Volvo Customer Service who reached back out to the Servicing Manager at Volvo of Dallas in an attempt to reduce the labor costs of $1700. The servicing manager's response was that they had already reduced it as far as they could and it is rare for them to provide assistance to cars this old. They further explained that the repair method for replacing the transmission changed in 2009 after they replaced mine in 2008 (hence the reason why my 3rd transmission should be free as it was not done properly in the first place). Also, they mentioned that the warranted is now 2 years and not 1 year previously and they claim they have seen a reduction in the number of complaints of the transmissions going out. I was appalled with this response as Volvo is fully aware of the designed flaws in these cars. They need to start advertising (disclose) that the transmission are sure to go out on their vehicles and to purchase them at your own risk. However, they won't but expect the consumer to pick up the tab of these defective cars.
The transmission problems are not only with XC90 but others Volvo cars (station wagons and other sedans). My friend's transmission went out on her station wagon and Volvo refuses to provide any financial assistance.
Please let me know of all the avenues available to us so that we can all get the word out to the public of the problems with these Volvo cars. We need to impact their bottom line.
Also, I have to mention that my dealership went above and beyond to fix this problem at no cost to me. I now have a new transmission, hoses etc. I am on my way to pick it up. I will report further findings if there are any.
1 automatic transmission
1 radiator
1 oil cooler
1 # 8 oil line
1# 1 oil line
1# 3 hose
2 transmission O
1 anti freeze
1 ECM gasoline U
1 TCM UPGRADE
1 sealing ring
4 SEMS SCREW
1 # 2 O-ring
3 cable ties
1 # 4 O-Ring
1 spacer sleeve
NO CHARGE!! Where there's a will there's a way. Don't give up!!
It was running K of the about 103,420 miles.
The transmission of XC90 began to slip at about 500 miles.
The former owner has exchanged transmission•radiator at 74,248 miles in January, 2009.
I think that the exchange with the new article and breaking at 30,000 miles are abnormal.
It brings it in to the check repair the dealer of Volvo in this coming Monday.
I think that Volvo should have it of cost.
The owner of other XC90 T6 seems also to be experiencing, and give good advice to this problem, please.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I am in the exact situation as you, except I had to go overseas because I lost my job back home in the US last year. I am trying to convince Volvo that you should be treated the same no matter where you live.
Is there any chance you will be able to provide me with a copy of the work order, of course hiding your personal details? if so, please let me know and forward to bwconrad747@gmail.com.
I have been quoted $11200 by the local dealer here, and have pressured them down to $3950. They tell me that they will still provide the GM transmission, is that what they put back in yours?
Any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated.
BWC7
Good Luck and let me know how this turns out for you.
Sugree
Here is my dilemma. I have a 2004 XC90 T6 - I have consciously taken great care of the vehicle in an effort to maintain the high resale value that is prevalent with Volvo cars. I took mine in for its annual spring check and decided that I wanted it appraised because it is time to start looking for a new car. The one I have has 71K miles and I'm in the mood for better gas mileage.
The Volvo dealer I have used since 2005 says they won't even stock that model year on their lot because it is a lemon. So even if I get a new transmission, the vehicle has NO resale value. They said they'd give me $10,000 for the car and ship it to auction.
I am not going to be an irresponsible car owner and try to sell it to someone else. It isn't my fault that there is the problem.
If it costs $6000 for a new transmission then Volvo should give me the best they can give me for the cost of the vehcile. They should give me an additional $6000 toward the cost of a new car and they should give me a 60 months NO INTEREST loan.
Why? They sold me a lemon and then have done NOTHING about it. Including notify me in advance. Now I am in a situation where I feel I need to get rid of this car as soon as possible.
But of course, thanks to Volvo, I have a car that is of limited value and worth NOTHING as a trade in.
Makes me really not want to buy another Volvo.
Thanks, for the info.
veggiekim
The first transmission was replaced at no cost during a recall; as was the second when the first one rapidly failed. After the second transmission was replaced I was told by my service manager that the real problem had been with the radiator (cooling system), not the transmission. The second time they replaced the radiator as well as the transmission, and indicated that they had this choice the first time, but did not want to do more than was necessary. I paid nothing for both repairs, and thought that the fact that my transmission had been replaced and the low miles on my car would bring me high blue book or above, should I decide to sell my car.
Volvo later offered an extended warranty which expires soon. The warranty was a good investment, but did not cover the cost of repairs for replacing the leaking sunroof or drying out my car.
After reading these posts, I am becoming more concerned that the transmission is not the only reason why Consumer Reports has placed the 2003-2007 XC90 on their list of used cars that should not be purchased if shopping in the range of $10,000 to $15,000 USD.
Because I do not wish to have large expenses for a car that is 7 years old, I decided to sell it even before I read these posts. This was my second Volvo, having purchased a certified 2001 in 2003. I still own this car and have no plans to sell it in the foreseeable future.
In 2007, I had a one car accident in my XC90. I recall putting the car in park, but did not engage the emergency brake. There were about $3000 USD in repairs, of which I paid $500 under my insurance policy. The accident was ruled by my highly regarded insurance company as driver error, because I could not provide legal proof that the car had slipped out of gear. The next time the car was serviced, I reported the possible slippage to my service adviser who agreed with me that I would have no way to show the possibility that the transmission had malfunctioned. The $500 deductible, and higher rates for insurance have been additional costs of driving this car, but my injuries were minor, and could have been much worse.
The car fax report shows that there was an accident, not that it was body damage at 5 mph or less. For another cosmetic repair that would cost $2,000, but which does not affect appearance or drivability, I was advised to deduct an additional $500. Even with the receipt from the body shop, I was offered less than low bluebook by a Volvo dealership; I was offered mid bluebook by the dealership where I purchased it and where it is serviced, and could probably get more if I purchased a second Volvo. An independent foreign car service company provided an informal appraisal of $15,000.
Now that I am ending the time period for the extended warranty, I am again having some of the same problems I had before the second and third transmissions were installed. The car sometimes will not start, perhaps a separate issue, and the steering wheel has locked, a simple fix. But there remain some strange sounds emanating from underneath the car. All in all, something unexplainable happens about once a week. The first time I took it into the dealership, a $100 computer analysis was performed at no cost and there were "no problems" with either the brakes or the transmission. I believe the issues I am experiencing may be related to a recently replaced fuel pump (?), again under warranty, with a $100 deductible.
I would consider participating in a class action lawsuit, but do not expect to accomplish more than sending a message to Volvo and to others that the design and execution of the XC90 was not Volvo's best effort. They were the second or third to produce an SUV like this, and newer models (2008 and newer) compete well with the Acura MDX, for slightly less money for the same safety and other high tech features.
Volvo has been responsive to requests from Don Beyer Volvo to cover repairs that are arguably covered by the extended warranty. Occasionally I receive coupons via email or internet that cut the costs of the oil changes in half. (In addition to premium gas, the Volvo XC90 requires oil changes twice as the same age Acura MDX. ) So my experience with the company, as represented by Don Beyer Volvo of Falls Church, has been favorable -- more favorable than any other dealership for sales or service, including the ones I am contacting now about replacement vehicles, other than a Volvo.
Regarding the change in ownership of Volvo since 2003, when I purchased my first Volvo, this has not been a problem from the standpoint of service or sales, based on my own observation and the reports of Volvo employees. I recall that the XC90 was manufactured in North America, and the XC60 I am considering is manufactured in Sweden. In fact, I was pleased to introduce two new drivers to the dealer ship in order that they might attempt to find the same level of service in other parts of the country.
New and used car sales persons at Acura and Volvo have advised me to make a decision about a vehicle to replace my XC90 sooner rather than later, because all car manufacturers depend to a certain extent on parts that may be difficult to obtain because of the tragic events in Japan. The effect of this tragedy on the supply chain is difficult to predict at this time.
I appreciate the time everyone has taken to share concerns, and hope that this post is helpful. Yes, this has been one of the most expensive cars I have driven, given the purchase price, premium gasoline, frequent oil changes, regular maintenance, and repairs -- but it has been one of the safest, other than a Chevy Suburban, and most rewarding, other than....well, my other Volvo.
Is there anything else I can do to support this claim.
Gerri