The Volvo dealer did acknowledge the failed ball joint and replaced it under warranty. Even if I were skeptical, the car would't pass inspection without the repair and therefore couldn't be licensed here. I finally got plates today - after a month of agony (border inspections, title inspections by both the US and Canada, taxes, duty, waiting for a letter from the Registrar of Imported Vehicles, then the failed ball joint business.)

I love the car but the repairs are horrendous (I've had two major warranty failures - the other being an electronic throttle sensor ), many minor warranty problems and expensive routine maintenance visits ($400 a shot minimum.) To top it all off, there is no way one can drive the regular V70 (not all wheel drive) in Canada without winter tires - the all weather ones don't cut it. With an odd wheel size, the only decent tires available are roughly $300 each. Would love to trade it in but when one brings it across the border, one committs to keeping it for a year.