2005 Volvo XC90 owner complaints

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Volvo xc90. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled while driving at various speeds. The first occurrence occurred while driving approximately 55 MPH. The contact was able to successfully restart the vehicle after the failures occurred. The vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 110,000.

Please review my write up about the complaint in the attached pdf document.

The heater pipes that go through the firewall have corroded in less than 2 years and north point Volvo wants a $1,000.00 to take of the dash and replace this part on the heater which in and of itself is only a $40.00 part. This pipe should not be defective on a car that's less than two years old. Poor quality!!!!!!!!!! *tr

Counter balance shaft failure leading to complete engine failure. Defective design. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Volvo xc90. The bearings that were installed are steel. The bearings have deteriorated because they are not greased.. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection. He was advised that the engine needed to be replaced at an expense of $16,000. The manufacturer has not been contacted. The failure mileage was 67,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Volvo xc90. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, a fuel odor emitted from the rear of the vehicle as the vehicle lost power and the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact also mentioned that fuel was leaking from the vehicle. In addition, the contact stated that after the vehicle was restarted, the fuel odor recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the fuel line needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 113,000.

The balancer bearing and shaft on the 2005 Volvo xc90 SUV is defective in the first 6000 vehicles manufactured for that model year. The balancer shaft bearing can go bad at any time without warning, causing catastrophic engine damage. If this happens on a highway while traveling at a high rate of speed, the results could be deadly. Volvo north america is aware of this and does nothing to address this serious, potentially deadly situation. We have been working to get Volvo of north america to recognize this issue and they have doing nothing to date except point to maintenance, which has no impact on the problem. There is no maintenance procedure to insure this does not happen and Volvo will not pay for damages. The remedy in most cases is an engine replacement which costs about $15,000 ,

We own a 2005 Volvo xc90 and it has 54k miles on it. We heard a whining sound from the rear and took it to the dealer and they said the rear hub bearings need to be changed. We were not convinced and took it to our auto mechanic who works on our avalon, he looked at it and after spending 5hrs on it came to the conclusion that it was the rear differential. We went back to the Volvo dealer and asked him to check again and said it may be the transmission. They came back and said yes it is the rear differential and it needs to be replaced. The price tag was for $5200. This seems to be the problem with all the xc90's. We are afraid to drive this car on the highway never knowing when our transmission will give way. *tr

Volvo knows the v8 engine on the 2005 xc90 is faulty. Specifically, the counterbalance shaft bearing failing due to water intrusion. Fortunately mine failed while at idle. Unfortunately the entire engine is now seized up and my otherwise clean car is a large and useless paperweight. If this were to happen while the car is moving at speed, it could cause a horrible accident. Unless Volvo actively finds the remaining engines in service and fixes this problem, it remains a risk regardless of the mileage. Appropriately, they should also reimburse anyone who was affected by this problem since they learned of it back in 2005. *tr

Yesterday, our 2005 Volvo xc90 stalled completely at around 84,000 miles and was towed for service. A diagnosis determined that the radiator leaked into the transmission causing a mechanical failure. This will likely require the replacement of the transmission and possibly the radiator. Our extended warranty will cover the cost of major components such as the transmission and radiator but will not cover the new hoses and other required accessories. The NHTSA needs to act on this soon. As a brief search of the internet will show, these problems are far too common to be considered "normal wear and tear." most failures are occurring at around 4 years of age and between 50,000-88,000 miles. The frequency of failures in this make and model at the same age/mileage are clearly a result of a desig

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Volvo xc90. While stopped at a traffic stop, the vehicle began to shake back and forth uncontrollably. The contact applied pressure to the brake pedal in order for the vehicle to stop shaking. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing where the technician advised that the four wheel drive motor was not engaging and would have to be replaced. The four wheel drive warning light was not indicating that there was a failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 39,000.

Urgent service transmission light came on 2005 Volvo xc90 t6 with 80,000 km. Flush and new software tried to fix problem. It didn't solve anything. One month or two later the gears starting slipping from stopped position and while driving. Light came on again. A large amount of sludge and filing were found in the pan. Had to have to a complete rebuild of the transmission. *tr

I am writing this letter to notify the NHTSA of a total system failure of my 2005 Volvo xc90 that I believe was due to a manufacturer defect which should be part of a recall. After driving on the interstate (in extreme rainy conditions) for approx 2 hrs, the car displayed a warning message that read ?anti-skid disabled? And then ?brake system failure? At which point we experienced total brake failure. W/in a minute of this happening, the entire control panel illuminated then went blank and all the electronic components in the car turned off, including the windshield wipers. Fortunately we were able to maneuver the car safely to side of the road (after the brakes reengaged)t. The car was towed to freedom Volvo in va beach, va for inspection and repair. Upon explaining the incident t

2005 xc90 v8 stalled in traffic. Would not restart, but starter would crank. Fuel pump controller was found to be internally corroded and filled with dried salt. This controller is mounted forward of the right rear wheel well. Many instances of this controller failing due to salt / moisture ingress have been reported by other owners. The controller was relocated to the inside of the vehicle some model years later. *tr

I was driving with my daughter on a very long bridge at night in my 2005 Volvo xc90. The check engine light came on and while the car stayed on, it appeared to have lost power. I have had other electrical problems with the car and have had it to the dealer 3 times but they say they can't find anything wrong with it. This was by far the most dangerous incident! After doing some internet research, I have read hundreds of reports similar to mine. There is a definite issue with this car and it should be recalled. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Volvo xc90. During an inspection, the technician diagnosed that the vehicle had a strong odor of fuel near the engine. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact believed that the vehicle may be included in NHTSA campaign number: 09v483000 (fuel system, gasoline); however, the VIN was excluded. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 131,792.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Volvo xc90. The contact stated that there was a fuel odor emanating from the vehicle while driving at various speeds. The odor caused the contact to sustain occasional headaches. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 137,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Volvo xc90. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact stated that he took the vehicle to a mechanic for inspection where they advised that the fuel pump module needed to be replaced. The contact notified the dealer three times but they did not complete the repair. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was unknown. Updated 9/4/13 *cn

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 Volvo xc90. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the driver side headlight would shut off intermittently. The vehicle was inspected by a dealer where the contact was informed that they would have to replace the cem unit. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

I brought my 2005 xc90 in for routine maintenance at 25,500 miles. At that time, it was determined three of the four tires were worn on the outer edges and should be replaced. This is unacceptable for a vehicle to have three of its tires replaced within the first 25k miles of service. Something is obviously wrong with either the tires or the vehicle dynamics. *jb