Warranty

[Steff79]

Hi All,

I just wondered how people have found Volvo dealers when it comes to warranty issues.

My car is under 3 yrs old, just over 25k miles, I have also taken out an extended warranty for another year from November and I have gone for a service pack with the local dealer. I admit that I bought it privately, not from a dealer but it has only ever been serviced by a dealer, and I would think the above shows that I am comitted to keeping it so.... certainly while in warranty.

When I just phoned up to ask for it to be booked in for a complimentary 'All systems go' check which is on Volvo's website (basically a free diagnostic) and a complimentary sat nav software update to enable me to download the latest maps, it sounded like no one had asked for it before.

Then when I reeled off my list of niggles I wanted looking at... I'll list them below... she was very quick to point out that I may be charged £138 plus vat for a diagnostic if they don't find these to be warranty issues.

I would have thought they would at least look at the car before deciding that. I don't really want them to look at it only to be told Volvo wont do any of it and I owe them £138. am I being unreasonable asking them to check these out? My 100k 4yr old V60 that i've had since new hasn't had any issues like this

What are others experiences?

Niggles are:
-Hill start assist doesn't appear to work - checked the spec and it should have it
-Gearbox is jerky at low speed, particularly in conjunction with start stop, and quite delayed in accelerating when you press throttle from rest
-As per other thread - Leather/fake leather front seats seem excessively worn and are split, gear selector gaiter also seems to be developing a hole
-The trim in top of the gear selector is loose
-Drivers seat back will move back or forth slightly under acceleration or braking
-Constant squeaking and rattling from something inside towards the back when going over bumps
-Front suspension knock/creak when over speed bumps.

[Tatsfield]

Must assume that by diagnostics the mean plugging in Vida and only the first two niggles would seem to be electronically scannable. Unless they claim that these two faults don't exist I cannot see how they can avoid liability.

The Volvo extended warranty is the best I have ever encountered. When my 2012 sat nav wouldn't accept map updates as it should once the software has been upgraded to allow map upgrading the dealer replaced the entire sat nav unit under the warranty and didn't charge for the upgrade as the supplied replacement unit has to come with maps and they can't load the latest maps without the upgrade. So I got a £350 sat nav and £60 of software free of charge under the warranty which is an exact extension of the warranty which covered the car from new.

If you bought a VIDA/DiCE diagnostic, you could check the problem for yourself and see what the Volvo diagnostics software said about the two electronically scannable faults you have found.

[Peter86]

I find Volvo the best dealer, well my local one is. I didn't buy my car of them but a part failed at low mileage that shouldn't have and they fixed it for free for me and they suggested it. Now that's customer service!

[Considered1]

When my car was coming up to 3 years and due service/mot my dealer (I did purchase new from them) offered a pre end of warranty health check at no cost.

I also took out the extended warranty with them for piece of mind.

[100K+]

I have had no issues with my V70 D5 P3 during its warranty, but about 10 years ago my P2 AWD R V70 had an extended Volvo Warranty. One day I noticed green fluid in the snow where my car had been. I took the car to my local dealer, but they said they could not investigate to see what the problem was unless I was to request it. If they found nothing amiss I'd have to pay for the tearing down and then rebuilding costs which as the gearbox was being removed would be a good 3 figure sum.
I told them to proceed, and was "rewarded" with a new clutch slave cylinder ( the cause of the leak) additionally they replaced the whole clutch - as the fluid had ruined the clutch driven plate, and then to top it off, they noticed the DMF was "out of spec" and that was replaced too. All paid for under warranty.

What I don't comprehend is each of the "Faults" could be considered "wear and tear" ( harsh at 50K I know ) and replacement under warranty then refused. But the service manager at the dealership went into bat for me, so I got all items free. This is on top of the replacement bevel gear, and a 4 C shocker I got before this extended warranty even came into effect.

Volvo is good warranty but you are never sure until its repaired and you don't have a bill.

Cheers
Bob

[Steff79]

Thanks All, sounds reassuring that it is a decent warranty.

Based on comments on another thread I'm expecting them to tell me that the hill hold and jerky gearbox is 'they all do that sir'.... but I don't think it's unreasonable to ask a volvo technician to check while it is still under warranty.

Likewise, things like the seat wear could be argued as wear and tear, but on a 25k car this seems unreasonable so again, I think its worth pursuing it.

As you say Bob, until you have any issues rectified and don't have a bill it's a bit risky.... but it sounds like it's worth pursuing.

[Steff79]

quick update, as per the seat leather thread.

The car is with Hatfields in Bury. New seat base cover and gear lever gaitor on order and still investigating the rattles etc.

No mention of the £138 diagnostic yet....

[Steff79]

Finally getting my car back tomorrow, they've had it over 2 weeks!

So they have replaced the seat base cover and the gear lever gaitor.

Regarding everything else they seem to just be saying it's wear and tear. I'm honestly doubting they've looked into it too much. For example, a seat back moving slightly back and forth under acceleration and braking is surely not wear and tear on a 25k miles car.

They also say the noises from the rear are just the load cover, which I'm not convinced about.

Anyway, there's no mention of any diagnostic charges and I think I've done ok getting the seat cover sorting for free considering I didnt buy the car from them.

So I might have to start rooting around with the special door hinge/rubber grease mentioned in other threads to find the squeaks.

I've got an extended warranty so its still covered for another 14 months, so might just have to raise the seat back issue again.

[Baggiebird8]

Hi, interesting. I am the second owner of my car, which I purchased from Volvo North London in February, I went to London as the car there was exactly the specification I was after. That was 2 wheel drive and D4 181 with Euro 6 emissions.
I wasn't going to have finance but as the Volvo Selekt finance package came with a Service pack of 2 free services and 0% interest, I thought that was too good to ignore. My car is now just under 3 years old and had its first service in my ownership last week at FRF Volvo in Swansea. together with a requested MOT. All good.
Be aware (and it is clear in the descriptions in the paperwork/web site) that the Service Pack will cover scheduled and listed service work only. So for example, all filters, oil, cam-belt if due, and labour but not consumables (my brake pads and discs are quite worn after 22000 miles, and I don't over use them, but it is a heavy automatic car, but these are not covered). Equally, a check that I requested, pressure test on cooling system due to a perceived small loss in coolant level was charged.
I don't really have a problem with any of this, but I thought more might be covered. I have no experience yet of the Volvo Selekt warranty which commences in September 2018.
By the way none of this is in any way critical of Volvo North London or FRF in Swansea who have been excellent (and I consider myself a fairly demanding car enthusiast!!)

[tommyweaves]

Front suspension creak:

Front subframe rear bushes was a known issue. There was a "technical service bulletin" issued to dealers on the subject. Mine went in 4 times under warranty before it was finally sorted.

Do a search for it on this forum.