V50 General : Difficulties with mechanic

[S60D5NI]

Hard to tell the extent of the damage from this photo, but on what I can see it does look like an extremely serious defect. No wonder Volvo have 'confiscated' the car! It does look like the main trailing arm - if this had let go at speed - it just doesn't bear thinking about what the potential consequenses could have been. The rear of the car would likely jerk sharply left or right and potentially pitch you into a spin.

I note the following (but based on limited info. in the photo): -

1) There doesn't appear to be any reason why the arm has cracked where it has. Normally cracks will start at a stress raiser ( a transition in shape, at a weld, at a hole, due to corrosion etc.).

2) The force opening the tear is in a downward direction. It's hard to imagine what sort of 'accident' could have caused this. Given the sping / shock adsorber location, if you had hit a pot hole, the force is in the upward direction. If the wheel hit a kerb, the force would be sideways which may have bent the arm, but hard to imagine that it would cause this damage.


I await more photo's with interest!

[ladybird]

I will post some more pics once we have the part in our hands - it is easier to photograph once off the car. It will be done today or tomorrow I think, who knows when we will collect it. We are awaiting Volvo's response as we faxed off a letter to the dealership directly and Volvo France head office. Who knows what will result - I'm not particularly hopeful.

[GMcL]

There's a mark on the anti-roll bar to the bottom right and on the arm itself to the upper left of the split.
It looks to me like something has hit the underside of the car but what ? I do not know and whether or not it would cause the arm to split like this, who knows ?

Is there any damage inside the wheelarch ?
Are any of the tyres marked on the inside shoulder or any new tyres appeared ?

[ladybird]

My husband met with Volvo and they have justified that it was reverse parking and bumping the curb that did it. My husband says he does not recollect bumping the curb and especially not hard, but he says he can not exactly recall for sure (can anyone else recall if they have in the last 6 months?). There is a decent bend in the metal and considering I was in the car most of the time it was driven then I reckon I would remember something like that. But I can't say it didnt happen with us. Anyway, we are dropping it and paying our half of the 1200 repairs because it isnt going anywhere with Volvo. It does leave open the possibility that in the 500kms done by the new owner that they themselves in fact could have done it, but of course we can't prove that either. If they did do it themselves in fact they are paying some price through inconvenience as it still isnt fixed as Volvo ordered in a wrong additional part that they required!

It is all just and exercise in frustration now so we are letting it go.
Thanks to everyone who contributed, I am extremely grateful for the support and advice.

Just remember park really carefully and stay off of that curb! If you don't remember if you bumped your car on the curb then I suggest you get someone to take a look.....

[MavUK]

I can't beleive that simply bouncing the kerb when reverse parking could do that damage...

[Citizen.Agfa]

Originally Posted by MavUK

I can't beleive that simply bouncing the kerb when reverse parking could do that damage...

Ditto to that. More important than the (alleged) kerb jumping is the actual 500 clicks done by the purchaser...

C.A.