2000 Volvo S40

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

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

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.

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

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