BBC WatchDog & XC90 fires

[Merod]

Has anyone experience, or knows (first hand) of someone who has experienced, the XC90 car fire issue? Any comments on why Volvo did not represent themselves on WatchDog - I think it's pretty shoddy and although I'm not a conspiracy theorist leads me to believe they have something to hide.

[botty]

I caught the tail end of the piece. I too can't believe they didn't represent themselves. I also can't believe their pr department would have just ignored it if they truly knew there was a problem. It could be quite devastating to the model and the marque.
I've had my XC90 D5 for 3 months, bought for my wife and kids. She's only just got used to the idea of driving 'such a big car'. She watched the programme.......looks like i will be getting it back, so it's not all bad news!

[Adamski]

I have also just seen the Watchdog report and I was shocked. I've had my XC90 D5 for over a year now and bought it thinking I had one of the safest cars on the market. I couldn't believe given the safety conscious ethos of Volvo that they did not come on to the programme to reassure their customers. I've just logged a complaint via their Customer Relations web page and would urge all other XC90 owners to do the same. Hopefully this will drive them to take action - I myself have demanded a safety test of my vehicle to assure me and my family that we will not be party to the first fatal incident. I don't think I'll ever be able to sell this car now either ...

[basher]

Thats Volvo Car UK for you.... I think their management is a complete shower of sh1t, I've had a run in with them and they simply don't care! I think they just go on the premis that people will just give up and go away. I hope that someone somewhere can get enough of a case together and sue their asses for as much as they can.

[1997 t5 cd]

Iwas stunned as much as the next person to learn about this serious defect of which nobody it would seem wants to own up to!!!!!!!
I worked for a volvo dealer for many years(b4 ford got their hands on them) and i can only think that they now call all the shots.
check out some of the U.S car safety recall notices on the xc90,they seem to have some clue as to where the fire starts.

[xc90er]

hi,
i missed the programme. what was it all about?

[1997 t5 cd]

there has apparantly been 3 cases where they have caught fire!!!!!!
1 started at the rear and the other 2 under the bonnet.It maybe a problem with the battery cable/b+ leads on the starter motor.dont quote me but i found this info on some U.S sites

[Merod]

Removed as a legal requirement

[Bob]

It may be this:

www.volvoclub.org.uk/xc90recalls.shtml and read number 4. This is from the USA so I don't know if it market specific.

Bob

[4120]

My volvo xc 90 has just gone on fire!!! Absolutely gutted we loved this car my son cant stop crying its like one of the family has died we've had it 5 yrs it was a 2005....Any suggestions on what we can do... whilst driving it the management light came on to say it needed a service then loss of power black smoke then whole engine went on fire, fire brigade call now gone to the heaven in the sky. fire service say it started by the fuse box.

[Clan]

most likely a lit discarded cigarette sucked up into the air filter , you'd be surprised how often Cigarette ends are found when changing air filters , and burned right down into the cig filter tip , many lucky cases and a few unlucky ones .

[BestGear]

Was your car within the recall range?

http://www.vosa.gov.uk/vosa/apps/recalls/searches/expand.asp?uniqueID=F6615657B35ECBB0802570C00031A0 A8&freeText=Blank&tx=

Might be worth checking - if your car has a main dealer history, it should have been subject to the recall.....

[Coconut]

When I first read this thread I must admit I panicked !

Volvo XC90's catching fire ? ... and featured on BBC watchdog ??? - I hadn't seen it or heard anything, then realised that this thread is 6 years old, and the original reasons for those previous incidents seem to have been covered by Volvo recalling the affected range of cars and fixing them.

This latest one is of course a concern - especially for "4120" - my condolences mate.

fire service say it started by the fuse box

Which fuse box ? - Under the bonnet, end of the dashboard, under the steering column, in the rear cargo area ??

Any further information you could provide woudl be useful, particularly if it identifies another potential problem that coudl be checked and remedied.

The previously reported issues were from a short circuit at the starter motor connection, or the U.S. reference appears to be from a diesel leak from injectors onto hot engine.

As suggested - check to see if your car was on the recall list, and whether it was in fact recalled - if not, and the fire WAS caused by the fault going unrepaired, you might just have grounds for some sort of a claim ?

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d129/coconut11/Coconut1.jpg