Faults:

Anyone have a miss issue that cannot be diagnosed or fixed?

General Comments:

Funny, I found this board again after seven years and was reading away on someone's entry. Wow, that sounds just like my car!!! Lo and behold, it was my entry from 2001.

I still own my 2000 Volvo V40. It's been paid for, for many years.

Volvo had a recall and installed some type of pump, which resulted in brakes not having to be replaced every 15,000 miles or so. Last time my mechanic changed the brakes, he stated the rotors really required replacing too, but we eeked out another set of pads without replacing them.

My struts have been fully replaced.

About 3 years ago, the check engine light came on. Took it to a Volvo dealership and they said it was the valves and wanted to do complete engine/valve job $2,000+. Husband drove it out of there for a 2nd opinion. Needless to say, it's 3 years later and we never have replaced the valves.

Last year something broke on the exhaust/converter that was a Volvo only part, no longer under warranty. My mechanic would have been able to get a part from somewhere in CA for $637.36. Merlin wanted about $1,000 to replace it. Another mechanic shop just did a weld and, knock on wood, so far it's held up.

Both of my rear springs are broken. I haven't fixed them, mechanic said not necessary.

But, the thing that is really bothersome. All of a sudden my car got extremely loud and began running rough. Mechanic was able to fix it, the noise component of things, but for over a year now, I have dealt with the miss on start-up, some days worse than others. The car never shuts off, just misses a bit on idle, never on acceleration or during driving. This morning, the check engine went back on, but car appears to be running okay. Will take back to mechanic and I'm certain he'll tell me I need to have a brake job and those back springs are still broken and need replacing. All in all, paying $1,200 a year for maintenance is better than a new car payment.

Would I buy a Volvo ever again, no way!!!

Faults:

Oil gasket leaking at 50,000.

Thermostat for climate control not working at 54,000.

Engine coolant sensor not working at 54,000.

Front brakes replaced every 20,000 miles. I'm on my second replacement set.

Front rotors gone at 54,000.

Rear brakes replaced last November and already 1/2 finished.

General Comments:

I am frustrated with this model of Volvo. I traded a Villager with 80,000 for a smaller, runaround town car and find the performance of the Volvo unsatisfactory. While most of the repairs were covered under either the new car warranty or the used car warranty, I have already spent over $1500.00 in repairs. I hate to think about what the future will bring.

Specifically, I find the replacement of brakes so often unacceptable. Of course, they look to the driving habit and the driver. These have not changed and on no car I've owed have I gone through brakes like this particular car does. In the 6 years I owned my Villager I replaced brakes twice.

Now the rotors! I've never replaced rotors on any vehicle. I also own a Ford Explorer with 84,000 miles and the rotors have never needed replacements.

I've tried to talk with the dealership about my concerns. They really don't want to hear it. I have, however, been told told by the service rep that I should have purchased the S60 or S80 because the brake system is different. Not sure how much to believe this, but I can infer lots of negative things from his comment.

Never again!