NHTSA complaint: 2004 VOLVO XC90 — SERVICE BRAKES
3 HOURS INTO A 3-1/2 HOUR WEEKEND ROAD TRIP THERE WAS A CLUNK IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THINKING I HIT A POTHOLE, I CONTINUED ON CAUTIOUSLY. WHILE CONTINUING ON THESE UNFAMILIAR 2 LANE WINDY ROADS GOING 43MPH (THE SPEED LIMIT WAS 55) ABOUT 2 MILES FROM WHERE THE CLUNK HAPPENED MY ENTIRE DASH CLUSTER STOPPED WORKING. ALL MY DOME LIGHTS AND LEG LIGHTS CAME ON. THE CAR CLUNKED HARDER THIS TIME. I LOST POWER TO THE ENGINE, STEERING WAS LIKE TRYING TO TURN A TANK, AND THE BRAKES WERE VERY SPONGY. STILL TRAVELING ON WINDY ROADS WITH LARGE SEMI TRUCKS BEHIND ME AND CARS PASSING BY IN THE OPPOSITE LANE I VEERED TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID BEING REAR ENDED BY A SEMI. NOT BEING ABLE TO STEER OR STOP AS EFFICIENTLY AS BEFORE I COASTED INTO A RESIDENTS 2-3 MAN ROCK LANDSCAPE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 5MPH. I DENTED MY FRONT LICENSE PLATE AND SCRATCHED THE BUMPER. WITH MY HEART POUNDING, I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND GOT OUT TO SEE THE DAMAGE. I WENT TO THE RESIDENTS HOME AND TOLD THEM MY STORY. THEY WERE THANKFUL MY FIANC AND I WERE OKAY. SINCE I HIT ROCK THERE WAS NO DAMAGE DONE TO THEIR LANDSCAPE. AFTER 20 MINUTES I STARTED THE CAR. IT WAS HESITANT TO START. THE BRAKE FAILURE LIGHT WAS ON FOR A FEW SECONDS THEN THE SRS SERVICE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEKEND TRIP THE CAR WOULD LURCH LIKE THE TRANNY WAS SLIPPING. ESPECIALLY AFTER TAKING OFF FROM A STOP LIGHT. IT STILL CLUNKS ONCE IN AWHILE BUT WE ONLY DRIVE IT AROUND TOWN. IT'S CURRENTLY AT A CERTIFIED VOLVO SPEC
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation