Volvo - rip off

When I spoke with Volvo I asked them if they were prepared to do an FOC change on the injectors. I realise this may have sounded like a threat but the alternative was to go to the press.

I would have gone to the press anyway but a story like Volvo - wishing to maintain their reputation as a quality car manufacturer who care about their customers etc would have read so much better than the story the press will get -the truth adn what really happened.

Bit warm today to comment on the effectiveness of the repair but I've definately got 5 new injectors with a different part no to the old ones.

I'm prepared to hand Volvo another branch - pay the bill and make the cheque payable to the charity of my choice.

[imac]

Originally Posted by silverfox2

The S80 went in today to the main Volvo dealer in Teesside. £100 quoted to put the car onto the diagnostic machine. As if by magic the bill turned into £160 to diagnose the fault - a fault known to Volvo.
I've been offered the standard 50% on the cost of the injectors so bottom line is I'm waiting to collect a bill for £940.

Why didn't you just buy an aftermarket warranty which covers the diesel injectors? That way all you have to pay is the excess on the policy (£25 or £50) and let the warranty company pay for the total £1500?

Originally Posted by VolvoT5

Why didn't you just buy an aftermarket warranty which covers the diesel injectors? That way all you have to pay is the excess on the policy (£25 or £50) and let the warranty company pay for the total £1500?

Couple of reasons - the first one is that it is fraud and the second one is that I can't believe any insurance company would go near Volvo D5 injectors right now - especially the 2002/2003 models.

Having had many diesels before and obviously many injectors its not a problem I have ever encountered before. The fact glo plugs and injectors were specifically excluded didn't phase me at the time I purchased the car. Many of the aftermarket insurances also have damage limitation to £500 a time.

I'm hacked off but as not as hacked off as Volvo will be by the time I've finished. A couple of dozen people who opt for BMW or SAAB rather than Volvo will cost Volvo more than £1000 and if Volvo don't keep half an eye on web sites such as this to get some real feedback on their products then they probably deserve to loose some trade.

Interesting looking at some of the American sites where the petrol models are more prevalent and the problems they are having with the fly by wire accelerator.

[KeatV70D5SE]

Well known problem apparently - I'm waiting for mine to go one winter.

The ETM (Electronic Throttle Module) problem is a well known one also. I think Volvo America are now replacing them free as a result of a class action lawsuit.

If only this could happen over here for the D5 injectors........

I seem to remember reading that 3rd party Warranty companies are reluctant to pay for all 5 injectors as they are only replacing 4 of them as a preventative measure.

[imac]

Originally Posted by silverfox2

Couple of reasons - the first one is that it is fraud and the second one is that I can't believe any insurance company would go near Volvo D5 injectors right now - especially the 2002/2003 models.

Why? If mine go I have a warranty that covers the injectors (named specifically in the policy wording) and its not fraud if I make a valid claim?

Do you have the part numbers for the new injectors? Is it possible to see if they've been replaced? Mines at 76k and is a late 02 model - no problems as of yet (touch wood), although I do have the reluctance to go into first gear on the first start of each day - although it's not a problem as it just needs a little more effort than normal to put it in gear.

[pyaap]

Originally Posted by VolvoT5

Why? If mine go I have a warranty that covers the injectors (named specifically in the policy wording) and its not fraud if I make a valid claim?

If you have taken out a warranty policy before a component fails, then you can make a valid claim. If you take out the policy after you know a component has failed, with the main purpose of claiming for that failed item, then that would be fraudulent (which is what I think Silverfox2 was implying). Unfortunately, warranty is always worth its weight in gold in these situations, but that is usually with the benefit of hindsight.

Exactly that. I bought the car from a garage in Harrowgate who insisted that I took out their warranty. The warranty company was something like warranty 2000 but the upshot was it contains the clause injectors and glo plugs are specifically excluded.

In many years with Citroen diesels I have never had cause to change an injector and would have thought by now we know how to make them. Glo plugs I consider to be a disposable at about £5 - £10 a shot.

I'll check on the revised part number and let you know.

4 deg this morning and no problems starting it.

Even as a very new member I have already come across a number of threads on these forums which complain about Volvo's failure to do recalls or remedy design faults free of charge. I would be interested to know, however, if anyone has thought of basing a claim on sale of goods legislation which factors in "fitness for purpose" and entitles the customer, taking price, advertising claims, etc into account to expect an item to last for a period much longer than the contractual guarantee period (even if it is as long as three years).

For example, one would expect a Volvo car to last much longer than three years with everything in full working order (given nothing more than routine maintenance as prescribed by the manufacturer and replacement of pads, bulbs, and anything else that wears out with normal use).

A great advantage of the internet is that customers world wide can compare experiences, inform a wide audience of a common problem, and possibly gang up against the manufacturers. A recent recall by Sony (of faulty digital camera imagers which had been used by a number manufacturers and probably affected hundreds of thousands of customers) would possibly never have happened had the word not been spread over the internet thus saving people from paying individually for repairs in ignorance of how widespread the problem was and that it was the manufacturer's fault.