1998 Volvo V70XC Problems

SINCE OWNING THE VEHICLE (PURCHASED USED) I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE ABS AND TRACS SYSTEMS. I NOTICED IF THE CAR WAS "COLD" IN A COLD CLIMATE, THE ABS/TRACS SYSTEM APPEARED TO BE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, IF ONLY FOR A FEW MINUTES. OTHERWISE, THE ABS/TRACS SYSTEM FAILED TO FUNCTION ALTOGETHER. THE BRAKES WOULD FAIL COMPLETELY WHEN THE ABS MODULE WOULD TRANSFER FROM FUNCTIONING TO NON-FUNCTIONING. THE VOLVO MECHANIC STATED THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT THE ABS MODULE WOULD NEED REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF $700. MY QUESTION IS, IF IT'S SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM CONCERNING A VITAL SAFTY PART(THE BRAKES) WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A RECALL? THIS IS ONE IN A MYRIAD OF FUNCTIONAL ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON AN INCLINE IT ROLLED BACK, AND CRASHED INTO A HOUSE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A GARAGE FOR INSPECTION. HOWEVER, THE CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED AT THIS TIME. *AK *BF *NM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 VOLVO V70XC. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE SERPENTINE BELT DETACHED AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF WITHOUT ANY WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATING. HOWEVER, AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED, ALL OF THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED, AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT WHEN THE TIMING BELT DETACHED THE PISTONS STOPPED MOVING ON ONE SIDE , AND ON THE OTHER SIDE THE PISTONS CONTINUED TO MOVE ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. THE COST TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WAS $6,000. THE CONTACT STATED THAT REGULAR MAINTENANCE CHECKS WERE ALWAYS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE AS AUTHORIZED BY THE VOLVO DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 120,000. *AK

I HAVE A VOLVO V70 XC, AWD, 1998. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A VOLVO DEALER, SMYTHE VOLVO, FOR A ROUTINE REPAIR OF CLUNKING NOISE I HEARD. THEY SAID IT WAS DUE TO A STRUT PROBLEM, BUT ALSO FOUND SEVERAL UN-RELATED REPAIR ITEMS. ALL TOGETHER, THEY SPENT TWO DAYS ON REPAIR AND CHARGED ME $1700 FOR IT. ON THE SAME NIGHT THAT I GOT THE CAR BACK, THE ENGINE DIED ON THE FREEWAY WITHOUT ANY WARNING BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE INCIDENCE. I ALMOST GOT KILLED ON THE FREEWAY. I WAS ABLE TO SLIDE IT OUT OF THE FREEWAY RAMP AND HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER. ON THE 3RD DAY, THE DEALER SAID IT WAS AN ENGINE SENSOR FAILURE BUT HAD NO EXPLANATION OF WHY THERE WAS NO WARNING SIGNAL TO USER, AND WHY THEY COULDN'T PICK UP ANY SIGN FROM THE PRIOR TWO DAYS OF REPAIR. IF WHAT THEY SAID WAS TRUE, THERE IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE HERE THAT COULD IMPACT THE LIVES OF MILLIONS OF DRIVERS OUT THERE. PLEASE CLARIFY FOR ME IF THIS ISSUE WAS KNOWN TO THE NHTSA AND WHAT VOLVO AS A COMPANY SHOULD DO OR HAVE DONE ABOUT IT. I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS ISSUE GOT ANSWERED QUICKLY. *NM

THIS PARTICULAR MODEL HAS A PROBLEM WITH FUEL TANKS CRACKING. IT ISN'T HAPPENING TO THE ONES THAT AREN'T ALL WHEEL DRIVE. I NEED MINE REPLACED. PEOPLE ARE APPREHENSIVE ABOUT PULLING A USED TANK FROM A YARD BECAUSE IT MIGHT ALSO BE CRACKED. I WAS TOLD THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM BUILT AROUND IT IS PUTTING PRESSURE ON IT.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE CRANKED BUT WOULD NOT START. UPON INSPECTION, THE FUSE TO THE FUEL PUMP WAS OBSERVED TO BE BLOWN. THE FUSE WAS CHANGED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. LATER, WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHUDDER AND LOSE POWER. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER, AN ODOR OF SOMETHING BURNING APPEARED. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE BOTTOM OF THE FUEL TANK WAS SMOLDERING, AND THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC SHOP. THE MECHANIC SHOP DETERMINED THE FUEL PUMP SHORT-CIRCUITED.

DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHEN DOOR WAS SHUT AND CAR WAS OFF. VOLVO N.A. WAS CONTACTED AND REQUESTED THAT THEIR SPECIALIST LOOK AT VEHICLE. THEY CLAIM THAT SOMETHING WAS STUCK IN THE DOOR, WHICH CAUSED THE DEPLOYMENT. THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. VOLVO CLAIMS THAT A MARK ON THE DOOR IS PROOF. HOWEVER, JIM DOWNY FROM NATIONWIDE INSURANCE TOOK PICTURES AND INVESTIGATED MY CLAIM AND FAILED TO FIND THIS SUPPOSED MARK. THE DEPLOYMENT OCCURRED FROM NO IMPACT OR ACCIDENT. THE CAR WASN'T EVEN ON AT THE TIME. THIS WAS NOTHING MORE THAN A MALFUNCTION OF THE VEHICLE'S SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND VOLVO SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE TO FIX THE AIRBAG AND DAMAGE TO THE LEATHER SEAT CAUSED BY THE DEPLOYMENT. *TR

I HAVE A 1998 VOLVO V70 XC. THE SRS LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON- I HAVE IT TESTED AND 2 OR 3 TIMES I WAS TOLD EVERYTHING CHECKS OUT OK IT JUST NEEDS TO BE RESET BUT WITHIN A FEW DAYS OR WEEKS IT IS BACK ON AGAIN. OTHER TIMES THE SENSOR CODES INDICATED THE REAR SEAT BELT SENSOR WAS BAD, THE DRIVERS ENTIRE SEATBELT MECHANISM WAS BAD AND THEY WERE REPLACED. BUT AGAIN THE LIGHT COMES BACK ON WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IF THE SRS LIGHT IS ON THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY - IS THIS CORRECT? I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT MAY BE THAT THE MAIN COMPUTER FOR THE AIRBAG SYSTEM THAT IS BAD. IF THAT IS THE CASE, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT ALL FO THE OTHER ERROR CODES /REPLACEMENTS WERE INCORRECT/UNNECESSARY? I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MY MECHANIC THAT HE HAS HA A LOT OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH VOLVOS ESPECIALLY V70 IN THIS MODEL YEAR RANGE, BUT THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL.*AK

65,000 MILES - TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON A REGULARLY DEALER SERVICED VEHICLE. *TR

TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 68000 MILES WITH GOOD MAINTENANCE AND NO PRECIPITATING FACTORS. *JB

THE TAILGATE LOCK MECHANISM ON MY 1998 V70XC WAGON OFTEN FAILS TO LATCH IN COLD WEATHER. THIS AS NOT BEEN TOO BIG A PROBLEM HERE IN ARIZONA - TYPICALLY OCCURRING IF THE TAILGATE IS OPENED IN THE OCCASIONAL COLD MORNINGS - AS THE DAY WARMS UP THE MECHANISM USUALLY ALWAYS LATCHS CORRECTLY. USUALLY WHEN IT BEGINS NOT TO LATCH A LITTLE CLEANING AND LUBRICANT WOULD CURE IT FOR A WHILE. THIS SOLUTION IS NOW PRODUCING LIMITED RESULTS, AND NOT WANTING TO DRIVE THE KIDS TO SCHOOL WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF THEIR BACKPACKS FALLING OUT OF THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE, I HAVE DECIDED TO REPLACE THE LATCH. WHILE SEARCHING THE INTERNET FOR REPLACEMENT INFORMATION, I CAME ACROSS NUMEROUS OWNER REPORTS OF OCCURRENCES OF THIS FAILURE, AS WELL AS A RECALL OF THE MODEL YEAR 2000 VERSION OF THIS VEHICLE FOR THE SAME ISSUE. I MADE A CLOSE INSPECTION OF THE MECHANICAL PART OF THE LATCH, AND IT APPEARS THAT THE TWO ROTATING ELEMENTS THAT FORM THE CATCH & LOCK ASSEMBLY ARE NOT WELL ALIGNED (ARE NOT MOVING IN THE SAME PLANE), POSSIBLY DUE TO THE POOR FORMING AND/OR ASSEMBLY OF THE STAMPED AND FOLDED STEEL HOUSING IN WHICH THESE TWO PIECES ARE LOCATED. THIS MECHANICAL PROBLEM IS LIKELY THE REASON THAT THE CLEANING/LUBRICATION SOLUTION HAS ALWAYS PRODUCED LIMITED RESULTS. IN ALL OTHER FUNCTIONS (POWER LOCK/UNLOCK, LATCH RELEASE, CHILD LOCK, ETC.) THE ASSEMBLY WORKS CORRECTLY, IT IS JUST THE BALKY ROTATION OF THE LOCKING CATCH THAT APPEARS TO BE KEEPING THE LATCH FROM OPERATING PROPERLY. I CALLED VOLVO CUSTOMER CARE TO SEE IF THE 2000 MODEL YEAR RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM HAD BEEN EXTENDED TO MY YEAR VEHICLE, BUT WAS TOLD NO. I BELIEVE THE FAILURE IS DUE TO AN APPARENT DESIGN AND/OR MANUFACTURING DEFICIENCY AND NOT FROM JUST WEAR AND TEAR. DUE TO THE SAFETY ISSUE, I HAVE REPLACED THE LATCH ASSEMBLY, THOUGH I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DETERMINE IF THIS HAS CORRECTED THE PROBLEM UNTIL COLDER WEATHER.

THE HOOD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOES NOT OPEN ON COLD DAYS. BECAUSE OF THAT I CANNOT FILL THE WINDSHIELD FLUID AND WHEN THE WINDSHIELD GETS DIRTY FROM THE VEHICLES IN FRONT, MY WIFE CAN BARELY SEE HER WAY.*AK I COMPLAINT TO THE DEALER ABOUT IT SINCE THE FIRST WINTER, WE GOT THE CAR IN 1998. THIS YEAR I WENT TO THE DEALER MAYBE 3 TIMES WITH THIS PROBLEM BUT THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND THEREFORE COULD NOT FIX IT. I COMPLAINED TO VOLVO HEADQUARTERS BUT THEY REFERRED ME BACK TO THE DEALER.

I HAVE A VOLVO V70 XC, AWD, 1998. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A VOLVO DEALER, SMYTHE VOLVO, FOR A ROUTINE REPAIR OF CLUNKING NOISE I HEARD. THEY SAID IT WAS DUE TO A STRUT PROBLEM, BUT ALSO FOUND SEVERAL UN-RELATED REPAIR ITEMS. ALL TOGETHER, THEY SPENT TWO DAYS ON REPAIR AND CHARGED ME $1700 FOR IT. ON THE SAME NIGHT THAT I GOT THE CAR BACK, THE ENGINE DIED ON THE FREEWAY WITHOUT ANY WARNING BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE INCIDENCE. I ALMOST GOT KILLED ON THE FREEWAY. I WAS ABLE TO SLIDE IT OUT OF THE FREEWAY RAMP AND HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER. ON THE 3RD DAY, THE DEALER SAID IT WAS AN ENGINE SENSOR FAILURE BUT HAD NO EXPLANATION OF WHY THERE WAS NO WARNING SIGNAL TO USER, AND WHY THEY COULDN'T PICK UP ANY SIGN FROM THE PRIOR TWO DAYS OF REPAIR. IF WHAT THEY SAID WAS TRUE, THERE IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE HERE THAT COULD IMPACT THE LIVES OF MILLIONS OF DRIVERS OUT THERE. PLEASE CLARIFY FOR ME IF THIS ISSUE WAS KNOWN TO THE NHTSA AND WHAT VOLVO AS A COMPANY SHOULD DO OR HAVE DONE ABOUT IT. I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS ISSUE GOT ANSWERED QUICKLY. *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER PURCHASED HER VEHICLE OVER TWO YEARS AGO. THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND IT WILL NOT HOLD A BALANCE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY ARE CURRENTLY TELLING HER IT IS FIXED. THE STEERING WHEEL IS STILL SHAKING. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE PURCHASE. VOLVO OF NORTH AMERICA AND THE DEALERSHIP ARE BOTH TELLING HER THAT THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN FIXED. SHE REPLACED THE TIRES WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST PURCHASED, THEY WENT BAD AND SHE'S HAD TO PUT ON 2 MORE SETS OF TIRES. THEY RECOMMENDED SHE USE HIGH END MICHELIN TIRES AND IT HAS MADE NO DIFFERENCE. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM VOLVO HAS LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE TWICE, ONCE LAST SUMMER AND LAST WEEK. CONSUMER STATES SHE HAS COMPLAINED ABOUT THE PROBLEM SINCE SHE HAD A WARRANTY AND HAS A LETTER STATING THAT IF IT IS NOT THE TIRES, THEY WILL RESOLVE THE ISSUE UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE VOLVO REPRESENTATIVE STATED THERE WAS A BOLT LOOSE IN THE FENDER AND THE MUD FLAP WAS MISSING AND THE TIRES WERE WEARING UNEVENLY. THE PROBLEM ONLY OCCURS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE MECHANIC DID NOTICE THE VIBRATION AT 35 MPH. THE LOCAL VOLVO DEALER, A DIFFERENT ONE, DID RIDE WITH THE CONSUMER AND STATED HE DID FEEL THE VIBRATION, BUT WROTE ON THE RECEIPT IT NEEDED A BALANCE. *JB

WHILE RUNNING SLOWLY MY VOLVO 98 XC JUST SLOWED UP AND STOPPED. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART AFTER ABOUT A HALF MINUTE AND 3 TRIES. WHEN IT DID NOT START, THERE WAS NO SOUND OF "TURNOVER" OCCURRING. NO DAMAGE HAPPENED, SINCE I WAS DRIVING SLOWLY WITHIN A PARKING GARAGE. THE FIRST FAILURE (THAT MIRRORED THE MOST RECENT) WAS ABOUT A MONTH AGO WHILE DRIVING SLOWLY DOWN A RESIDENTIAL STREET. THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND A DEFECT FOLLOWING THE FIRST FAILURE, SO I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THE CAR SINCE THEN. THE DEALER DID NO REPAIRS AFTER THE FIRST FAILURE. THE WEATHER HAS BEEN COOL (30-50F) AND DRY. *NM

I HAVE A VOLVO V70 XC, AWD, 1998. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A VOLVO DEALER, SMYTHE VOLVO, FOR A ROUTINE REPAIR OF CLUNKING NOISE I HEARD. THEY SAID IT WAS DUE TO A STRUT PROBLEM, BUT ALSO FOUND SEVERAL UN-RELATED REPAIR ITEMS. ALL TOGETHER, THEY SPENT TWO DAYS ON REPAIR AND CHARGED ME $1700 FOR IT. ON THE SAME NIGHT THAT I GOT THE CAR BACK, THE ENGINE DIED ON THE FREEWAY WITHOUT ANY WARNING BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE INCIDENCE. I ALMOST GOT KILLED ON THE FREEWAY. I WAS ABLE TO SLIDE IT OUT OF THE FREEWAY RAMP AND HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER. ON THE 3RD DAY, THE DEALER SAID IT WAS AN ENGINE SENSOR FAILURE BUT HAD NO EXPLANATION OF WHY THERE WAS NO WARNING SIGNAL TO USER, AND WHY THEY COULDN'T PICK UP ANY SIGN FROM THE PRIOR TWO DAYS OF REPAIR. IF WHAT THEY SAID WAS TRUE, THERE IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE HERE THAT COULD IMPACT THE LIVES OF MILLIONS OF DRIVERS OUT THERE. PLEASE CLARIFY FOR ME IF THIS ISSUE WAS KNOWN TO THE NHTSA AND WHAT VOLVO AS A COMPANY SHOULD DO OR HAVE DONE ABOUT IT. I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS ISSUE GOT ANSWERED QUICKLY. *NM

ON A LARGE NUMBER OF VOLVOS THE ABS COMPUTER FAILS RESULTING IN LOSS OF PROPER BRAKING. NORMAL USE CAUSES THIS, IN THIS ALL TO COMMON FAILURE, AND VOLVO IS AWARE OF THEIR SHORT COMINGS IN THIS PROBLEM, THUS FAR REFUSING TO CORRECT A HIGHLY DANGEROUS CONDITION THAT MAY HAVE ALREADY RESULTED IN INJURY AND DEATH. THE REPLACEMENT COMPUTERS FROM VOLVO ARE OF THE SAME LACK OF RELIABILITY. THIS HAS BEEN A MAJOR PROBLEM FOR YEARS AND CERTAINLY REPRESENTS A SERIOUS FAILURE IN A CRITICAL SYSTEM TO THE AUTOMOBILE. IN ADDITION TO BEING A SERIOUS FAILURE, VOLVO HAS MADE IT A VERY EXPENSIVE (HENCE PROFITABLE) REPAIR. ESTIMATES RANGING FROM $500.00 TO $850.00 FOR THE REPAIR ARE THE NORM. THE PART ITSELF IS AROUND $500.00, SO VOLVO MAKES A NICE PROFIT FROM EACH ONE REPLACED AND IS GUARANTEED ANOTHER REPLACEMENT FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD SINCE THEY HAVE NOT EVEN ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM WITH THEIR REPLACEMENT UNITS. TO DO SO WOULD BE ACKNOWLEDGING A PROBLEM THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF, SO THEY WONT. IF EVER A GOVERNMENT MANDATED RECALL WAS APPROPRIATE THIS IS IT. IT WOULD SEEM THAT A CAR COMPANY AS PROUD OF THEIR SAFETY RATINGS AS VOLVO IS WOULD BE WILLING TO CORRECT THIS POTENTIALLY FATAL FLAW. AS THEY SEEM NOT TO BE IT SHOULD BE DEMANDED OF THEM. THEY SHOULD BE MANDATED TO RECALL ALL MODELS PRONE TO THIS FAILURE AND TO BE REQUIRED TO REIMBURSE CONSUMERS THAT CAN PRODUCE RECEIPTS PROVING THEY HAD TO HAVE THIS REPAIR DONE. THERE ARE REBUILDERS THAT CAN MAKE THE OLD UNIT STRONGER, MORE RELIABLE, IF YOU SEND IT TO THEM, SO VOLVO COULD DO IT AS WELL. *TR

I HAVE A 1998 VOLVO V70 XC. THE SRS LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON- I HAVE IT TESTED AND 2 OR 3 TIMES I WAS TOLD EVERYTHING CHECKS OUT OK IT JUST NEEDS TO BE RESET BUT WITHIN A FEW DAYS OR WEEKS IT IS BACK ON AGAIN. OTHER TIMES THE SENSOR CODES INDICATED THE REAR SEAT BELT SENSOR WAS BAD, THE DRIVERS ENTIRE SEATBELT MECHANISM WAS BAD AND THEY WERE REPLACED. BUT AGAIN THE LIGHT COMES BACK ON WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IF THE SRS LIGHT IS ON THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY - IS THIS CORRECT? I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT MAY BE THAT THE MAIN COMPUTER FOR THE AIRBAG SYSTEM THAT IS BAD. IF THAT IS THE CASE, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT ALL FO THE OTHER ERROR CODES /REPLACEMENTS WERE INCORRECT/UNNECESSARY? I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MY MECHANIC THAT HE HAS HA A LOT OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH VOLVOS ESPECIALLY V70 IN THIS MODEL YEAR RANGE, BUT THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL.*AK

THE COMPLAINT THAT I HAVE WITH MY 98 V70 XC AWD IS WITH A RECENT TIRE ROTATION WITH MY OIL CHANGE A WEEK AFTER IT STARTED TO SOUND AS IF MY MUFFLER WAS DRAGGING AND IT ALSO SOUNDED LIKE REAR TIRES ARE DRAGGING. MY MECHANIC THINK IT MAY POSSIBLY BE THE DRIVE SHAFT AND FROM THE INTERNET WHAT I'VE THIS SEEMS TO BE A CONSISTENT PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY ISN'T VOLVO TAKING ACCOUNTABILITY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THE MORE I ALSO KEEP READING ON MY YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL OF MY VEHICLE IT SHOULD BE RECALLED JUST FRO THE NUMBER OF ONGOING ISSUES IT HAS ESPECIALLY IF VOLVO WOULD LIKE TO STAND BY IT'S CUSTOMERS. *TR

HEADLIGHT SWITCH FELL APART CAUSING US TO LOOSE LIGHTS WHILE ON HIGHWAY. THOUGH A RECALL IS LISTED FOR THIS YEAR AND THIS PROBLEM, VOLVO REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT APPLIES TO THIS VEHICLE OR DO THE REPAIR PER THE RECALL. RECALL CAMPAIGN # 99V235000. *AK

ON A LARGE NUMBER OF VOLVOS THE ABS COMPUTER FAILS RESULTING IN LOSS OF PROPER BRAKING. NORMAL USE CAUSES THIS, IN THIS ALL TO COMMON FAILURE, AND VOLVO IS AWARE OF THEIR SHORT COMINGS IN THIS PROBLEM, THUS FAR REFUSING TO CORRECT A HIGHLY DANGEROUS CONDITION THAT MAY HAVE ALREADY RESULTED IN INJURY AND DEATH. THE REPLACEMENT COMPUTERS FROM VOLVO ARE OF THE SAME LACK OF RELIABILITY. THIS HAS BEEN A MAJOR PROBLEM FOR YEARS AND CERTAINLY REPRESENTS A SERIOUS FAILURE IN A CRITICAL SYSTEM TO THE AUTOMOBILE. IN ADDITION TO BEING A SERIOUS FAILURE, VOLVO HAS MADE IT A VERY EXPENSIVE (HENCE PROFITABLE) REPAIR. ESTIMATES RANGING FROM $500.00 TO $850.00 FOR THE REPAIR ARE THE NORM. THE PART ITSELF IS AROUND $500.00, SO VOLVO MAKES A NICE PROFIT FROM EACH ONE REPLACED AND IS GUARANTEED ANOTHER REPLACEMENT FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD SINCE THEY HAVE NOT EVEN ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM WITH THEIR REPLACEMENT UNITS. TO DO SO WOULD BE ACKNOWLEDGING A PROBLEM THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF, SO THEY WONT. IF EVER A GOVERNMENT MANDATED RECALL WAS APPROPRIATE THIS IS IT. IT WOULD SEEM THAT A CAR COMPANY AS PROUD OF THEIR SAFETY RATINGS AS VOLVO IS WOULD BE WILLING TO CORRECT THIS POTENTIALLY FATAL FLAW. AS THEY SEEM NOT TO BE IT SHOULD BE DEMANDED OF THEM. THEY SHOULD BE MANDATED TO RECALL ALL MODELS PRONE TO THIS FAILURE AND TO BE REQUIRED TO REIMBURSE CONSUMERS THAT CAN PRODUCE RECEIPTS PROVING THEY HAD TO HAVE THIS REPAIR DONE. THERE ARE REBUILDERS THAT CAN MAKE THE OLD UNIT STRONGER, MORE RELIABLE, IF YOU SEND IT TO THEM, SO VOLVO COULD DO IT AS WELL. *TR