2005 Volvo XC90 Steering Problems

MY STEERING DOESN'T WORK ALL THE TIME AND IT IS BECOMING MORE DIFFICULT TO TURN THE WHEEL WHEN DRIVING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLVO XC90. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK AND THE TURNING SIGNALS FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM, SRS AIR BAG SERVICE, ANTI-SKID, AND THE IMMOBILIZER WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CENTRAL ELECTRONIC MODULE, RACK AND PINION NUT, AND PINION SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 139,419.

I BOUGHT THIS CAR AT 12/12/2013 WHEN I TEST DROVE THE CAR THE DEALER HAD THE RADIO ON AND I NEVER SUSPECTED ANY NOISE AT THE TIME.AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR I KEPT HEARING THIS KNOCKING NOISE AT FIRST I THOUGHT IS WAS THE SKI RACK MAKING THE NOISE THEN WHEN MY HUSBAND DROVE IT HE SAID IT WAS COMING FROM THE TIRES SO I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND HE CHECK IT A OUT AND FOUND MULTIPLE PROBLEMS THE SUSPENSION,INNER TIE RODS,AXLES,SWAY BAR, STEERING,BUSHINGS ETC HIS REPLY WAS HOW DID THIS CAR PASS INSPECTION WITH ALL THE PROBLEMS AVAILABLE TAKE THE CAR BACK AND ASK THE DEALER TO FIX THE PROBLEMS.I TOOK THE CAR BACK AND ASK THE DEALER TO COMPLY THEY WOULD NOT I TOLD THEM THEY HAD RECEIVED A FAULTY INSPECTIONS ON THE CAR SO I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC SAME RESPONSE. I THEN CALLED THE SAFETY INSPECTORS AND THEY CAME OUT TO CHECK OUT THE CAR AND FOUND NOTHING. I THEN TOOK IT TO ANOTHER DEALER AND THEY REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEMS AND ADDED A CRACKED ENGINE MOUNT. I THEN ASKED THE INSPECTOR TO COME AND LOOK AT ALL THE THINGS THAT VOLVO FOUND THAT THE SAFETY INSPECTORS MISSED HE AGREED AND SAW BUT ONLY WROTE A REPORT I STILL HAVE A BROKE CAR THAT WAS FAULTY INSPECTED. I WANT THE DEALER TO FIX MY PROBLEM AND THEY HAVE REFUSED I COULD SUE THEM FOR GETTING A FAULTY INSPECTION AND SELLING A LEMON BUT I FELL LIKE I AM STUCK I NEED TO KNOW WHAT TO DO FROM HERE I HAVE ALREADY PAID FOR SEVERAL THINGS THE RACK AND PINION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT I HAVE TO FIX BUT EXPENSIVE AND THE BUSHINGS AND TIE RODS ARE GOING TO BE THE NEXT THING I REPAIR I REALLY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX THEM I AM PAYING 7000.00 FOR A USED CAR AND I FELL THAT THE DEALER AND THE INSPECTORS ARE CROOKS AND USED A FAULTY INSPECTION TO SELL A BROKE CAR PLEASE HELP. *TR

WAS DRIVING ON FREE WAY, AS I WAS ACCELERATING I LOST ALL POWER AND STEERING.. THE ENGINE STALLED OUT AND I HAD TO VEER OFF TO SIDE SO THAT I WOULDN'T CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR

I WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE VOLVO XC90 2005 RACK AND PINION GOING BAD. I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING OVER THE INTERNET AND THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THERE MUST BE AN INFERIOR WORKMANSHIP/COMPONENT, THAT IS CAUSING THIS PART TO BECOME DEFECTIVE FOR SO MANY CUSTOMERS. THIS PROBLEM IS SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS AS IT CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO DEVELOP SUDDEN STEERING PROBLEM CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHIFT STEERING UNCONTROLLABLY AS SOON AS THE BRAKES ARE APPLIES WHEN DRIVING OVER 30 MPH WHICH CAN RESULT IN ACCIDENT. THE TYPE PF SHIFT (PULL) TENDS TO BE EVEN MORE DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVER 60 MILES AN HOUR AND IT HAPPENS IN VERY SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED WAY. I HOPE THAT YOU TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY AND YOU ARRANGE FOR VOLVO TO COMPLETE A RECALL OR CONTACT ME ABOUT THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. *TR THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A LOT OF STIFFNESS WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE PROBLEM WORSENED AFTER A FEW WEEKS AND THE VEHICLE BECAME TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TIE ROD END WAS FAULTY. THE CONSUMER CALLED A LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE TIE ROD ENDS, BUT THEY WERE REPLACED BACK IN 2006. THE CONSUMER STATED THE REPLACEMENTS PARTS WERE NOT UP TO STANDARDS. THE LOCAL DEALER DID NOT WANT TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PARTS, SO THE LOCAL MECHANIC SHOP REPLACED THE TIE RODS AT A COST OF $401.83. UPDATED 06/16/10. *JB

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 XC90 VOLVO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A SAFETY RECALL ON THE VEHICLE WHICH WAS ISSUED MAY 3 2006. SHE WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE SAFETY RECALL UNTIL SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE IN JANUARY 2007. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE PROBLEMS SHE CURRENTLY HAD WITH THE TIRES HAVING UNEVEN WEAR AND WEARING DOWN TO THE INDICATORS, AND CRACKED TREAD WERE CAUSED BY THE DEFECT STATED IN SAFETY RECALL 06V155000.THE RECALL STATED THAT THE OUTER TIE ROD BALL JOINT COULD DEFORM AT HIGH LOADS CAUSING A LOSS OF THE CLAMPING FORCE ,AND THE NUT MAY LOOSEN, WHICH MAY EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A FATIGUE FRACTURE OF THE OUTER TIE ROD BALL JOINT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES CURRENTLY HAVE 17,000 MILES, THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12000. THE CONTACT WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE TIRES REPLACED BY THE MANUFACTURER. *AK THE TIRES WEARING WERE DUE TO THE RECALL. UPDATED 03/19/07. *JB

I TOOK MY 2005 VOLVO XC-90 TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE OUTER TIE RODS REPLACED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A RECALL NOTICE I RECEIVED FROM VOLVO. WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE ADVISER THAT I SHOULD HAVE THE REAR WHEELS ALIGNED BECAUSE THEY WERE FINDING THAT WHEN THIS RECALL SERVICE WAS BEING PERFORMED, THE REAR WHEELS NEEDED ALIGNMENT AS WELL AS THE FRONT WHEELS. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT VOLVO WOULD BE PAYING FOR THE FRONT WHEELS TO BE ALIGNED, BUT THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REAR WHEEL ALIGNMENT AT THE SPECIAL PRICE OF $59.95. I DECLINED THE REAR WHEEL ALIGNMENT BECAUSE I FELT IT WOULD BE FOOLISH TO PAY FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEFORE KNOWING WHETHER A PROBLEM REALLY EXISTED. SEVERAL HOURS LATER, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALERSHIP SAYING THAT THEY WERE WORKING ON MY CAR AND THAT MY REAR WHEELS REALLY DID NEED TO BE ALIGNED. NOT KNOWING WHAT ELSE TO DO, I CONSENTED TO PAY TO HAVE THE WORK DONE. I RETURNED FROM THE DEALERSHIP WITH THE RECALL WORK COMPLETED AND MY WALLET HAVING BEEN EMPTIED OF $66.37 ($59.95 + TAX AND MISCELLANEOUS CHARGES). I DECIDED TO WRITE TO YOU SINCE I BELIEVE THIS WHOLE PROCESS IS BLATANTLY UNFAIR TO THE CONSUMER. VOLVO RECALLS DEFECTIVE PARTS BUT ONLY PAYS FOR THE FRONT WHEELS TO BE ALIGNED, YET THE DEALERSHIP IS SAYING THAT THEY ARE FINDING THAT ALL OF THE WHEELS NEED TO BE REALIGNED? MY CAR IS ABOUT 15 MONTHS OLD, AND I HAD MY 15,000 MILE SERVICE DONE IN EARLY JUNE. AT THAT TIME, MY WHEELS WERE ROTATED AND BALANCED AND NOTHING WAS SAID INDICATING I HAD AN ALIGNMENT PROBLEM EITHER IN THE FRONT OR THE REAR OF THE CAR. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT VOLVO IS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ITS CUSTOMERS BY HAVING THEM COME IN TO HAVE PARTS REPLACED "FREE" OF CHARGE ONLY TO WALK OUT WITH A BILL FOR "NECESSARY" SERVICES WHICH ARE "NOT COVERED". I DON'T KNOW IF OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS, BUT I WANTED TO GO ON RECORD WITH WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION. *JB

AT TIME OF PURCHASE, A VIBRATION FROM THE FRONT OF VEHICLE OCCURS UPON TURNING, MANUFACTURER REPLACED ENTIRE STEERING ASSEMBLY AFTER 5K MILES. OTHER VOLVO XC90 OWNERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND REPAIRS OF STEERING ASSEMBLY AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO BRING THE ISSUE TO NSTB AS IT MAY REFLECT POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUES IF NOT REPAIRED.