XC90 2016 won't start, locked in park

[Quacker]

Originally Posted by gaby

So they say that a car won't keep working if not updated regularly?

They probably mean that the car will not get updates to glitchy early software unless dealer serviced. If the car works AOK then software updates might or might not make the driving experience better but are not essential to operations.
On most new vehicles, software updates are fairly common until maybe the fourth year of production and then just fade away, unless a significant issue needs to be resolved as a result of longer term experience.

Years ago if you bought a glitchy annoying car with lots of irritating faults, you were lumbered with it as it was. Today software and occasional hardware updates are fairly common. Thank goodness for that. Consumers today do not generally appreciate just how their lot has improved over the decades.

[Barriehoban]

XC90 Failed to start …. I have chosen to share my experience with a number of Volvo forums so as to warn people of the potential dangers they face with a car that can leave them completely stranded and I a vulnerable situation.

Be very aware this is a real issue and one that can leave you stranded with you car stuck in the middle of a busy road with no means of being able to move without a specialist removal vehicle, skids and or a crane tow truck.

On Friday 16th August, I was traveling to Dulverton in the west country, however my 2016 XC90 made sure that I was never going to arrive. In the process of making a 3 point turn the vehicle shut down and locked all 4 wheels with the nose of the car sticking out into a main road. I could turn on the ignition, the dials on the dashboard would perform a sweep from left to right, all the test came up OK but then nothing, it would not start, this was at 00 am.
I called Volvo assist who sent out a technician who knew very about XC90’s and after arriving at 04:00 am was soon back on the Volvo assist for a recovery vehicle. After another 3 1/2 hours a tow truck arrives, but no one had told him he needed specialist skids to get the car moving and he did not know how to get the car into neutral. At 7:17 am he basically dragged my car up the ramp of his tow truck. The car was recovered to Kastner Volvo in Exeter 50 minutes away, they were able to release the electronic brake using specialist equipment. (why should a car that cost £59,000 end up in a position that cannot be recovered from the roadside without the use specialist equipment and deep knowledge and why Volvo assist contract a technician who know nothing about Volvo’s, especially considering the information is on the internet).

My problems had only just begun, the dealer called me (4 days later) to tell me that my car was fixed and that they had replaced the alternator (I really did not believe that this was the issue), however I drive 50 mins in the hire car to pick up my car and return to my rented holiday home. Guess what? I park the car on the drive, went to re-start the car and the car will not start - exactly the same problem as described above… I call Volvo Assist and start the process all over again, the problem is now more complex because I am parked on a gravel drive and apparently you need a crane to recover the car and yes you have guessed it there are no cranes available. I have to wait another 6 hours before a specialist technician to arrive and one who could unlock the electronic brakes and get the car into neutral so that we could tow it onto a normal recovery tow truck.

The car was recovered back to Kastner Volvo Exeter and despite the specialist technician mentioning that he thought the issue was related to a module in the steering column they replaced the battery (so now I have a new alternator and a new battery and still a broken car). I had to leave the car with Kastner as my vacation ended and I had to return to Oxford, 4-hour drive.

I get another call from Kastner telling me that they have finally fixed the problem, some switch or module related to charging the battery. (One again I am not fully convinced, as the Volvo forums mention out modules that may need to be replaced).

Now the car needs to be recovered to my home in Oxford this is now 12 days after the initial breakdown.

To-date; I have wasted 3 days of my vacation trying to get my car fixed, I have no car and no certainty of when I will be safely and reliably back on the road.

I have had five Volvo's from brand new, which is a considerable investment in a brand noted for its safety and reliability, however I have lost complete confidence in my XC90 in such a way that I will have to consider moving it on which is a real shame. The Volvo extended warranty ends in Jan/Feb 2020 and I am not sure that the warranty can be extended for another year and I am certain that the car will have to be replaced.

I would like Volvo to at the very least provide a response to my complaints and going forward as a responsible manufacturer provide a remedy and either fix or replace my car.

[Philip Fisher]

Sorry for your trouble and such a pain when on holiday.

Sounds like you just need a better dealer. Complete failure and locking up is never going to be alternator or battery. Find a better dealer, get it fixed and all will be well. Most likely as you predict the steering module. Some dealers are unfortunately useless. Some are great.

In my experience of many marques, what often matters most is the dealer not the brand......

[Barriehoban]

I had the same issue after performing 3 point turn, my 2016 XC90 just died and failed to re-start, all 4 wheels locked and stuck in the middle of a T junction late at mid-night. After 2 complicated roadside recoveries, unsuccessful repairs, replacement hire cars etc. eventually my XC90 was recovered to my home 12 days later ruining my vacation. 4 weeks later the XC90 is back with the dealer who does not seem to know what the problem is and I am without a car.
I would like to warn people of the potential challenges they face may with a car that can leave them completely stranded and in a vulnerable situation.
I respectfully suggest that before anyone purchases a new XC90 that they check out the forums and make an informed decision.
I believe that the manufacturer should be held accountable and either provide remedies or replacement of faulty cars..
What was the cause and how did they fix your car?

[Barriehoban]

Originally Posted by Simon Eames

I have an urgent problem with a car that won't start. The battery is fine, the LCD display comes live when entering the vehicle, and when the start knob is turned the display shows both speedo and rev counter coming live, but total silence and the engine doesn't even try to start. Sometimes a message to put foot on brake, which of course I already have. So it's stuck in park and the recovery company say it therefore won't roll and they want £300+ to crane-lift it and take to garage. Please any urgent and not too technical help for a newbie? Thanks in anticipation...

how was the problems fixed?

[Philip Fisher]

It sounds like it just needs a new steering module. Have you suggested this to the dealer?

[Philip Fisher]

Originally Posted by Barriehoban

how was the problems fixed?

The answer is in post number 26.

[gead27]

Hello, I had the exact same thing happen to me on New Years eve...2020 Strikes again!

As the OP pointed out in post 26, it was a steering column issue that the dealer is telling me is was brought about by a battery in poor condition.

Volvo are covering the cost of the new part, but i have to pay for the labour and a new battery (around $1100 AUD). My car is about 18 months out of warranty.

We were unable to get the parking brake off which made getting the car on the back of the truck super difficult.

Aprt form this, the car has been superb for 4.5 years

[kentt4]

I suppose it might be worth it to change our 12V batteries before they give up the ghost

[Emilyk78]

Did anyone find out the issue? We have an xc90 2016 t6 which we have hardly used iver the last year due to covid. We also have a 2010 v50 which we use most days for short journeys to take the dog out. We had to use the xc90 to jump start the v50 recently. We then used the xc90 the day after, came home and parked. Next day the xc90 won't start, lights come on but noone is home. We're three months out of warranty and hubby not working. I'd this going to cost a fortune? Tried manually releasing the gears to move to neutral but waiting for a truck to put it on skids to get to volvo