2004 Volvo XC90 Powertrain & Transmission Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO XC90. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT OUT OF THIRD GEAR. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO ALERTED TO A MESSAGE DISPLAY WHICH INDICATED A TRANSMISSION FAILURE. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE WOULD INDEPENDENTLY SHIFT TO NEUTRAL. NIELLO VOLVO CARS SACRAMENTO LOCATED AT 4609 MADISON AVE, SACRAMENTO, CA 95841, (916) 488-2400), WAS CONTACTED BY PHONE. THE CONTACT INQUIRED ABOUT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V434000 (WHEELS). THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 125,000.

BOUGHT THE VEHICLE WITH 112,000 MILES ON IT, IT HAS A GAS LEAK TRICKLING DOWN THE SIDE OF THE GAS TANK, PROBABLY A BAD SENDING UNIT, FUMES ARE BAD SOME DAYS BUT WORSE ON WARMER DAYS. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ONE DAY WITH NO WARNING OR LIGHT, IT JUST LOST MOMENTUM AND FAILED TO ENGAGE IN DRIVE. I THINK THIS IS DUE TO THE POOR ENGINEERING DESIGN VOLVO USED. THIS MODEL IS THE T6 WITH THE GM 4T65E TRANSMISSION WHICH IS WIDELY KNOWN TO FAIL EVEN AT LOW MILES. I THINK A FULL SAFETY RECALL SHOULD E SANCTIONED FOR ALL MODEL YEARS WITH THESE HORRIBLE PROBLEMS

THE VOLVO HAS CONSTANT ISSUES WHEN SHIFTING AND GETTING STUCK IN A SPECIFIC GEAR. ALSO IT WILL DECIDE TO DOWN SHIFT OUT OF KNOW WHERE. I CAN BE DOING 55 ON THE HIGHWAY THEN IT SLAMS INTO 3RD AND I LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE ALMOST MAKING ME CRASH. MECHANICS DO NOT SEE ANYTHING WEONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION IE ITS GOING BAD BUT SOMETHING IS MAKING THE VEHICLE DO THIS. SOFTWARE POSSIBLY TCM NOT WORKING PROPERLY BUT MY MECHANIC ALSO INSEPECTED THAT. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH IT SEEMS TO BE A VERY WELL KNOWN AND UNSAFE CONDITION.

SIMILAR TO MANY OTHERS, WHILE DRIVING OUR 2004 VOLVO XC90, WE HEAR A CLICK, THEN THE CLIMATE, RADIO AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS (IF ON) SHUT OFF AND THEIR DISPLAY LIGHTS BLACK OUT, THEN ANOTHER CLICK IN A FRACTION OF A SECOND AND THEY COME BACK ON. THIS WAS HAPPENING RANDOMLY, AND NOTHING ELSE WAS AFFECTED, UNTIL THIS WEEKEND, WHILE ON A TRIP. WE WERE DRIVING ON HIGHWAYS, OUTSIDE TEMP IN THE 80'S, NO RAIN, AVERAGE SPEED ABOUT 70MPH. IT HAPPENED A FEW TIMES OVER ABOUT 45 MINUTES, THEN BEGAN HAPPENING EVERY 5 MILES OR SO. WHEN I TURNED UP THE AC FAN, WITHIN ABOUT A MINUTE IT CLICKED AND WE LOST THE USUAL THINGS, BUT THEY DID NOT COME BACK ON. THEN WE HEARD ANOTHER CLICK AND LOST ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTING AND CONTROLS; WE COULD NOT SEE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, THE CLIMATE CONTROL WAS BLOWING HOT AIR AND COULD NOT BE SHUT OFF OR TURNED DOWN, AND WE HAD NO IDEA WHAT SPEED WE WERE GOING AS IT WAS NIGHTTIME. EXTREMELY FRIGHTENING AND DANGEROUS. WE MADE IT TO THE FIRST EXIT THAT HAD A GAS STATION AND STOPPED. THE CAR WAS VERY HARD TO ACCELERATE WHEN WE GOT OFF AT THE EXIT AS WELL. I WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE WINDOWS BUT WHEN I OPENED THE MOON ROOF, IT STOPPED HALF WAY AND THEN WOULD NOT CLOSE OR OPEN. WE WERE STRANDED FOR HOURS AWAITING A FAMILY MEMBER TO COME GET US AND THEN HOURS LONGER WAITING FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE TOWED. OUR MECHANIC RESEARCHED THIS AND ENCOURAGED ME TO REPORT, AS HE SAID THERE SEEM TO BE HUNDREDS OF REPORTS OF SIMILAR THINGS HAPPENING WITH THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE.

TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT CORRECTLY. NUMEROUS OF PROBLEMS INVOLVING OTHERS. NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ON HIGHWAY DID NOT WANT TO GO DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. COULD OF BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHEN THEY OBVIOUSLY KNOW THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS A PROBLEM

WHILE I'M MOTION THE SRS AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON TRANSMISSION URGENT LIGHT CAME ON AND ABS LIGHT THE BATTERY KEEPS BUBBLING LIKE ITS GONE BLOW UP IN MY TRUNK I HAVE TO JUMP IT OFF EVERY MORNING I PAID ALOT FOR THIS SUV CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME KEEP MY ONLY CAR IN WORKING ORDER I HAVE HAD ALL MAINTAINS DONE IN PAST NOW THE COOLANT SYSTEM IS LEAKING WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THIS VOLVO XC90 T6 AWD [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *PM

WHEN I BROUGHT MY CAR TO RAMSEY VOLVO FOR SERVICE, VOLVO RECOMMENDED THE ANGLE GEAR RESEAL SERVICE BECAUSE THE ANGLE GEAR BOX IS LEAKING AS SHOWN IN THE ATTACHED PICTURE. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH ALL VOLVO XC90S, SO MUCH SO THAT IT CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT, AND QUALIFIES AS A RECALL IN MY OPINION. THE ANGLE GEAR BOX IS AN UNDISTURBED PART AND IS SUPPOSED TO BE SEALED FOR THE LIFETIME OF THE CAR. WHEN THE FLUID IN THE ANGLE GEAR BOX IS COMPLETELY LEAKED OUT, WHICH IS SOMETHING WITH NO INDICATION WHATSOEVER, THE CAR WOULD LOSE ALL WHEEL DRIVE ACCORDING TO VOLVO. WHEN THAT HAPPENS IN A SLIPPERY SITUATION WITH ICE OR SNOW, THE CAR IS MOST LIKELY TO LOSE CONTROL AND WOULD LEAD TO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH POTENTIAL LOSS OF LIVES. I WOULD LIKE VOLVO TO VOLUNTARILY RECALL ALL VOLVO XC90S TO FIX ALL LEAKING ANGLE GEAR BOXES SO NO LIVES WOULD BE LOST.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO XC90. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, BUT WAS UNABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V434000 (WHEELS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 172,000.

2004 VOLVO XC90 SUDDEN ENGINE STALL WITH LOSE OF HEADLIGHTS: I WAS TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE AT NIGHT WITH THE CRUISE SET AT 75 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY IT WAS LIKE SOMEONE TURNED THE IGNITION KEY TO OFF FOR ABOUT 3 SECONDS, AND THEN TURNED THE KEY BACK ON WITHOUT RESTARTING THE ENGINE. WITH ALL THE WARNING LAMPS ILLUMINATED, AND THE ENGINE AT A STALL I PULLED INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE, AND STOPPED. I THEN SHIFTED TO PARK AND ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, WHERE IT TOOK SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO START. THE HEADLIGHTS DID NOT STOP WORKING WHILE PULLING OVER, AND WHEN I STOPPED I SWITCHED THE LIGHTS OFF BEFORE I RESTARTED THE ENGINE. THE FIRST THING AT MIND WAS A FUEL PUMP THAT WAS STARTING TO ACT UP. AFTER RESTARTING I REVVED THE ENGINE UP A FEW QUICK TIMES (TO CLEAR THE ENGINES THROAT). I THEN GOT BACK ON THE INTERSTATE ACCELERATING TO 75 MPH , BUT DOING SO MANUALLY THIS TIME(NO CRUISE CONTROL). ABOUT 10 MIN HAD PASSED WHEN SUDDENLY THE ENGINE STARTED LOSING POWER AS I WAS HAVING TO PRESS THE ACCELERATOR HARDER TO MAINTAIN SPEED. WHILE STILL COASTING AT 65 MPH OR SO I PLACED THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL, AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE, WHEN I TURNED THE KEY TO THE START POSITION I LOST ALL THE LIGHTS, I QUICKLY RELEASED THE KEY TO THE ON POSITION, AND THE LIGHTS REMAINED OFF. I QUICKLY PULLED TO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND USED THE FORCE TO AVOID THE GUARDRAIL AND THE DITCH. ALL THE WARNING LIGHT WERE ILLUMINATED, AND THE ENGINE WAS AT A STALL. I THEN TURNED THE IGNITION KEY OFF AND THEN BACK ON, AND THAT RESTORED THE HEADLIGHTS. IT TOOK 5-8 ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE, AND AGAIN I'M THINKING FUEL PUMP ACTING UP. EACH TIME I ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE IT WOULD SPIT AND SPUTTER LIKE IF THE FUEL PUMP WERE ONLY DELIVERING HALF THE PRESSURE NEEDED FOR THE FUEL INJECTORS. AFTER THE ENGINE RESTARTED I MADE IT HOME, AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT ARISEN SINCE,

TRANSMISSION IS DEFECTIVE AND FAILS EVERY 50,000 MILES WITHOUT WARNING WHICH COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT AS VEHICLE BECOMES INOPERABLE (STOPS AND CANNOT BE MOVED) THIS IS THE 3RD TRANSMISSION INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE BY VOLVO. EACH OF THE TRANSMISSIONS HAVE FAILED AROUND 50,000 MILES WITHOUT WARNING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO XC90. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND LOST POWER. THE CONTACT ALSO HEARD WATER RUNNING ON THE RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,00. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO XC90. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE STOPPED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIE ROD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

AS I WAS TAKING MY KIDS HOME THE TRUCK WENT INTO LIMP MODE EVEN THOUGH IT WAS STILL IN DRIVE LEAVING ME AND MY TWO KIDS STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY MY DAUGHTER AND I HAD TO ACTUALLY PUSH THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD TO SAFETY. NOW I FIND OUT THAT IT NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION WHICH WE AREN'T ABLE TO LOCATE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLVO XC90. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE ENGINE RPMS DECREASED AS IF THE BRAKE PEDAL WERE DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000....UPDATED 01/27/16 *BF *JS

WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE AT 60MPH, EXPERIENCED TEMPORARILY LOSS OF POWER, THE IP DISPLAYS AND AN ABNORMAL 'JERKING' IN THE TRANSMISSION/DRIVETRAIN. THE SRS AIRBAG AND BRAKE FAILURE ERROR MESSAGES APPEARED IN THE IP ERROR DISPLAY. THE WIPERS MOMENTARILY CAME ON. LIGHTS DIMMED. POWER FAILURE WAS ONLY FOR A SPLIT-SECOND (AT 60MPH) BEFORE RETURNING TO NORMAL. AFTER NORMAL POWER WAS RESTORED, ERROR MESSAGES CONTINUED TO BE SHOWN IN THE IP ERROR DISPLAY. THE BRAKE FAILURE MESSAGE INSTRUCTED ME TO PULL OVER AND BRING THE VEHICLE TO A SAFE STOP. UPON BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO A SAFE STOP AND TURNING OFF IGNITION, I HEARD EXCESSIVE ELECTRICAL CLICKING UNDER THE DASH (LIKE RELAYS CLICKING). ALL IP DISPLAYS WERE NON-RESPONSIVE (DARK). I LOCKED THE CAR (ALARM ARMED) AND LATER RETURNED WITH A TOW-TRUCK. UPON RETURN TO THE CAR, I WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK IT OR DISARM THE ALARM. CAR WAS UNRESPONSIVE. ALARM WAS ARMED (UNABLE TO BE DISARMED) AND THE ENGINE BYPASS FEATURE OF THE ALARM PREVENTED ME FROM STARTING THE CAR. COULD ONLY GAIN ENTRY INTO THE CAR FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WITH PHYSICAL KEY. CAR WAS PLACED IN NEUTRAL AND LOADED ONTO A FLATBED TRUCK FOR TOW BACK TO VOLVO DEALERSHIP. TEMPERATURE AT TIME OF FAILURE WAS 110F. *TR

WHILE DRIVING, CAR STOPPED ACCELERATING AND URGENT TRANSMISSION REQUIRED LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP TODAY AND WAS TOLD A NEW TRANSMISSION IS NEEDED; TOTAL COST $6800. I KNOW THIS YEAR AND MODEL VEHICLE HAS HAD SEVERAL ISSUES WITH TRANSMISSION. WHEN I CALLED VOLVO, THEY SAID NOTHING COULD BE DONE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH ON I-5 WE HEARD A LOUD THUMP IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND WE SUDDENLY WENT TO ABOUT 25 MPH ALL OF OUR ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS SHUT DOWN, THERE WAS AN EXTREMELY LOUD GRINDING SOUND FOR APPROX. 2-3 SECONDS. NOW I THINK MY TRANSMISSION IS DAMAGED AND THE ELECTRONICS SYSTEM SHUTS DOWN PRETTY FREQUENTLY. I AM TOTALLY DISAPPOINTED TO READ THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO NUMEROUS OTHER FAMILIES. THANK GOD NO ONE HAS DIED FROM THIS.....THIS IS VERY IRRESPONSIBLE AND NEGLIGENT FROM A REPUTABLE AUTO COMPANY. IS IT GOING TO TAKE SOMEONE OR FAMILY TO GET SERIOUSLY INJURED OR DIE BEFORE THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THIS VERY SERIOUS ISSUE. ITS TIME FOR SOMEONE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS. *JS

AFTER SEVERAL HOURS OF DRIVING IN THE GEORGIA / NORTH CAROLINA MOUNTAINS WITH THE WIFE AND 2 KIDS IN THE BACK, THE AIR-CONDITIONER AND RADIO ON WITH THE 2004 XC90, THE CAR STARTED EXPERIENCING WEIRD BEHAVIOR. SHORTLY AFTER CROSSING THE GEORGIA BORDER INTO THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE UNDER THE HOOD OF THE CAR AND THE VEHICLE JERKED VIOLENTLY. THE CAR IMMEDIATELY LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER (NO DASHBOARD, HAZARD LIGHTS, BLINKERS, WINDOWS AND DOOR LOCKS, SUNROOF, ETC.). THE DRIVE TRAIN ALSO SEEMED STUCK IN A HIGH GEAR AND WOULD NOT DOWNSHIFT WHICH MADE NORMAL DRIVING CLOSE TO IMPOSSIBLE ESPECIALLY ON MOUNTAIN ROADS. ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER, THE CAR MADE THE VIOLENT NOISE AGAIN UNDER THE HOOD AGAIN AND JERKED VIOLENTLY AGAIN. LUCKILY THERE WAS AN AUTOZONE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE SECOND INCIDENT AND I HAD THEM READ THE ENGINE CODES WHICH WAS ONLY SHOWING A 'DSTC FAILURE' (DASHBOARD WAS NON-FUNCTIONAL). I DECIDED TO REPLACE THE BATTERY WITH A NEW ONE IN HOPES THAT THE FAILURE WAS BECAUSE OF A WEAK BATTERY TRICKING THE COMPUTER TO GO INTO SURVIVAL MODE. UPON RESTARTING THE CAR, POWER WAS RESTORED TO THE CABIN (AC, RADIO, AND DASH WERE ALL WORKING AGAIN) AND THERE WAS NOW A 'SRS AIRBAG SERVICE URGENT' MESSAGE WHICH I COULDN'T CLEAR FROM THE DASH, NOR COULD THE TOOL FROM AUTOZONE DETECT OR CLEAR VIA THE PLUG TO THE COMPUTER PORT. THERE WERE NO ENGINE CODES IN THE AUTOZONE COMPUTER AFTER THE BATTERY CHANGE BUT WE STILL HAD THE SRS WARNING LIGHT / MESSAGE ON THE DASH. THE NEXT DAY, WE HAD THE SAME ISSUE ABOVE DRIVING HOME FROM OUR DESTINATION. WE WERE HOPING THAT NEW BATTERY WOULD SOLVE THE ISSUE, BUT I NOW BELIEVE IT'S THE CEM. CAR IS GOING TO THE DEALER TOMORROW TO INVESTIGATE SINCE OF COURSE IT HAPPENED ON MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND AND NOTHING WAS OPEN OTHER THAN SOME STORES. *TR

AT 65 MPH WIPERS WENT ON BY THEMSELVES THEN FOLLOWED BY SPLIT SECOND POWER FAILURE,MEANING DASHBOARD LIGHT OUT,HAZARD LIGHTS COULD NOT BE TURNED ON,WINDOWS WOULD NOT OPEN,A/C OUT,IN THE MESSAGE SCREEN AT THAT MOMENT ANTILOCK BRAKE FAILURE WAS DISPLAYED BEFORE EVERYTHING WENT OUT,DRIVING ANOTHER 20 MILES TILL NEXT EXIT AT THE DUSK,AFTER PULLING OVER AND RESTART ( TO RESET) SRS FAILURE IN THE MESSAGE SCREEN. CAR CHECKED BY VOLVO DEALER AND STATEMENT FROM THEM:FAULT IN CEM IS SHUTTING DOWN NETWORK AND CAUSING DIM TO BLACK OUT. REPLACEMENT WILL RUN ABOUT $1500,THIS CAR HAD AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 91822 MILES AND IGNITION FAILURE RECENTLY,AND MANY MANY OTHER COSTLY PROBLEMS. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. ENGINE REVS AND THE TRANSMISSION WON'T UPSHIFT...EVENTUAL GEAR CHANGE CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO LURCH FORWARD A BIT, WITH A LOUD THUD HEARD. THE VEHICLE ALSO FAILS TO MOVE OFF FROM A STOP ON OCCASION...WITH THE ENGINE REVVING FOR A WHILE BEFORE MOVING FORWARD. DISPLAY MESSAGE IN THE CLUSTER: "TRANSMISSION SERVICE URGENT"...GOES OFF AND ON FOR DAYS AT A TIME. *TR