2000 Volvo S40 Suspension Problems

ON 3/4/2009, WHILE DOING OTHER WORK TO THE CAR, A MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE COIL SPRING WAS BROKEN. IT WAS BROKEN AT THE LOWEST POINT AND THE CAR STILL SAT LEVEL, SO I WAS NOT EVEN AWARE. I DO NOT KNOW HOW LONG IT WAS BROKEN. IT LOOKED LIKE IT JUST DETERIORATED OVER TIME. ALTHOUGH OVER 9 YEARS OLD, THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 64,000 MILE, SO I WOULD NOT EXPECT A COIL SPRING TO DETERIORATE LIKE THAT. THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS FOR $773. *TR

NHTSA ID

10262473

Incident

Mar 4, 2009

Mileage

63,750 mi

1. EVENTS = REGULAR TIRE ROTATION IN SEPTEMBER 2008. TECHNICIAN POINTED OUT TO ME THE CORROSION AND CRACK/FAILURE IN BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS. MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE ABOUT 68,000 AT TIME OF DISCOVERY ON MY 2000 VOLVO S40. 2. CORRODED AND CRACKED REAR COIL SPRINGS (BOTH). THE CORROSION AND CRACK WERE ALMOST IN THE SAME LOCATION WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF CORROSION NEAR THE BOTTOM (THE FIRST HALF-MOON CURVE) OF BOTH SPRINGS WHERE THEY ARE SEATED/BRACED. 3. OCTOBER 2008 - TOOK VEHICLE TO LOCAL VOLVO DEALER FOR EVALUATION. THEY ORDERED NEW REAR COIL SPRINGS. I RETURNED A WEEK LATER TO HAVE THE NEW COIL SPRINGS INSTALLED AT THE COST OF APPROXIMATELY $550, PLUS ALIGNMENT. THE COST OF THE COIL SPRINGS WAS APPROXIMATELY $220 FOR BOTH. THE REMAINDER WAS LABOR. I WROTE A LETTER TO VOLVO OF NORTH AMERICA ABOUT THIS CONDITION. I INCLUDED PHOTOS, AND I REQUESTED A REFUND. VOLVO CUSTOMER SERVICE OF NORTH AMERICA CALLED ME ON NOVEMBER 6, 2008, AND DENIED MY REQUEST. I WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND THE ENGINEERS DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM AS AN "ANOMALY," NOT A DEFECT. SINCE I HAVE A LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE, I LIVE IN A "SALT STATE," AND CERTAIN SAABS IN SALT STATES ARE BEING INVESTIGATED FOR FRONT COIL SPRING FAILURE, IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO KNOW WHETHER THERE IS A CONNECTION WITH THESE VEHICLES AND THE REAR COIL SPRINGS. I HAVE LOANED THE FAILED REAR COIL SPRINGS TO A PROFESSOR OF AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING TO USE IN HIS UPPER LEVEL DESIGN CLASS TO USE AS AN EXAMPLE OF A FAILURE. I COULD LIKELY GET THE PARTS BACK, IF NEEDED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10254138

Incident

Sep 14, 2008

Mileage

68,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLVO S40. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD, UNFAMILIAR NOISE WHILE DRIVING. HE DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR COIL SPRINGS HAD FAILED ON BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT IT WAS UNUSUAL FOR BOTH SPRINGS TO FAIL SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE DEALER DID NOT STATE WHETHER OR NOT THE VEHICLE WAS RELATED TO ANY RECALL(S) BASED ON HIS VIN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 130,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.

NHTSA ID

10195256

Incident

Dec 1, 2006

Mileage

128,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TURNING OR DRIVING ON AN UNLEVELED ROAD, THERE WAS A METAL GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HIT A CURB AND THE VEHICLE BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED TO THE COTNACT'S RESIDENCE, WHERE IT HAS BEEN PARKED.

NHTSA ID

10155516

Incident

Apr 17, 2006

Mileage

63,300 mi

BOTH OF THE VEHICLE'S FRONT SHOCKS FAILED. *NM WHEN THE SHOCKS FAILED THE CONSUMER COULD HEAR RATTLING ABD CLUNKING NOISE IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE'S THERMOSTAT FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10110999

Incident

Oct 1, 2003

Mileage

33,999 mi

2000 VOLVO ("V") S40.ON BELOW DATE I EXIT. HWY AFTER DRIVING NORMAL&WITHIN SPEED LIMIT&PARK AT A GAS PUMP.I WAS AT PUMP FOR 30 SEC. WHEN I HEARD "BANG", "POP", "HISS",& FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF CAR DIPPED DOWN.TIRE HAD GONE FLAT IN 2 SECONDS.I & EMPLOYEES TRIED TO CHANGE TIRE. WE COULD NOT PULL TIRE FREE. COIL AROUND STRUT SNAPPED&WHEN UNWINDING (I ASSUME), COIL WENT THROUGH ONE SIDE OF BACK OF TIRE & CAME OUT OTHER SIDE.TIRE WAS BEING HELD ONTO CAR BY COIL. CAR WAS TOWED TO NEAREST GARAGE ABOUT 50 FT. AWAY.WASN'T TOWED TO NEAREST V DLR FOR MANY REASONS INC. DEALER WAS AT LEAST 15 MILES AWAY, WAS 3:00 AM BY THE TIME I COULD GET A TOW,& DLR HAD DAMAGED MY CAR ON AT LEAST 2 OCCASIONS WHEN I BROUGHT IT THERE FOR SERVICE.TIRE THAT WAS PUNCTURED WAS LESS THEN 2 MON. OLD BECAUSE DEALER HAD PUNCTURED IT WHEN I BROUGHT MY CAR IN FOR RECALL.I ASKED GARAGE TO KEEP DETAILED RECORDS OF REPAIRS,TAKE PICS IF THEY HAD A DIGITAL CAMERA,&SAVE ALL PARTS SO THEY COULD BE EXAM. TO DETERMINE WHY THEY FAILED.GARAGE REPLACED PRETTY MUCH THE WHOLE FRONT END SUSPENSION ON BOTH SIDES.MECHANIC COULDN'T SAY WHY COIL FAILED, BUT SAID (BEARINGS WERE MISSING FROM TOP OF STRUT (?)).I CLD V ON 8/2/04 & TALKED TO SAM. TOLD ME THAT V WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DETERMINE HOW FAILURE OCCRD SINCE I HAD NOT HAD CAR FIXED AT V & THAT V WOULD NOT REIMBURSE ME FOR OVER $1300 IN REPAIRS CUZ I DID NOT GO TO A V DEALER. I TOLD HIM V NEEDED TO FIND OUT WHY COIL SNAPPED BECAUSE FAILURE IS VIRTUALLY UNHEARD OF ON OTHER CARS. TOLD ME HE WOULD LOOK INTO SENDING A FIELD REP OUT TO LOOK AT PARTS,ALL OF WHICH I SAVED.NHTSA NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS V HAS REC'D ABOUT THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM SO IT CAN BE CORRECTED. HAD FAILURE OCCURRED 60 SECONDS SOONER,I PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE ALIVE RIGHT NOW,OR WOULD BE VERY SERIOUSLY INJURED. V DOES NOT SEEM TO BE TAKING THIS PROB. SERIOUSLY & SHOULD INVESTIGATE TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS A COMMON DEFECT IN PART & REIMBURSE ME FOR HAVING PROBLEM FIXED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10083162

Incident

Jul 28, 2004

I OWN A 2000 VOLVO S40. WE JUST HAD OUR FIFTH TRIP TO THE DEALER TO CORRECT KNOCKING NOISE/RATTLE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION. PROBLEM STARTED AT 44,191 MILES. NOW AT 59,800. TWO SETS OF CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS AND TWO SETS OF SWAY BAR BUSHINGS REPLACED. NOISE RETURNS WITHIN 2000 MI OF SERVICE. ALSO, I HAVE HAD THE REAR BRAKES GO OUT AT 17,500 MILES. PADS WORE THIN AND CUT INTO THE ROTORS. THAT ONE COST $335. ALSO, AIR CONDITIONER WENT OUT AT 9000 MILES. I PAID THE EXTRA MONEY TO GET A VOLVO BECAUSE I KEEP MY CARS FOR A LONG TIME. (I ALSO OWN A 18 YEAR OLD AUDI 4000.) I BOUGHT VOLVO FOR ONE WORD: RELIABILITY. I HAVE FOUND THAT VOLVO DOES NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS. THIS S40 IS HUGELY EXPENSIVE TO MAINTAIN. I AM MAKING FAR TOO MANY TRIPS TO THE DEALER TO KEEP TRYING TO GET DEFECTS FIXED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10060610

Incident

Mar 4, 2004

Mileage

44,191 mi

VEHICLE SERVICED FOR PULL AND HARSHNESS (5TH TIME VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR PULL IN LESS THAN 40,000 MILES). *AK

NHTSA ID

10028712

Incident

Jul 9, 2002

VEHICLE SERVICED FOR PULL AND HARSHNESS - DEALER REPLACED REAR STRUTS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10028711

Incident

May 30, 2002

VEHICLE SERVICED FOR PULL- DEALER STATED THAT NO ACTION WAS NECESSARY.*AK

NHTSA ID

10028706

Incident

Aug 31, 2001

VEHICLE PULLS (ALIGNMENT CONDUCTED 1088 MILE AGO). *AK

NHTSA ID

10028700

Incident

Feb 21, 2000

VEHICLE PULL. *AK

NHTSA ID

10028698

Incident

Jan 31, 2000

THE VEHICLE CONTINUALLY PULLS TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT, THE DEALER HAS PERFORMED NUMEROUS ALIGNMENTS BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. NLM

NHTSA ID

561662

Incident

Nov 3, 1999

THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT WHEN ACCELERATING AND WHEN COMING TO A STOP. YH

NHTSA ID

552686