I unfortunately own a 1997 S-90 which within the first 2 year time period did not fit the definition of a lemon. The numerous problems range from 2 sunroofs, 2 CD players to 5 different sets of brakes, massive front end work (struts replaced twice, lower and upper control arm bushings replaced twice, sway bar replaced,) major engine work from crankshaft to gasket and seals, transmisssion pan gasket replaced, transmission range sensor replaced, air conditioner evaporator replaced because it constantly smelled mildewy, and wait there's more - to cosmetic things such as moldings popping off, the visor falling off to carpeting in the rear falling off etc. etc. The car is unbelievable. I am the original owner and the main driver and the car has only 33,000 miles on it. The car is not abused, I had two dangerous situations with the car and feel it is unsafe and unreliable. Although the dealer has always fixed the car and I have been given practically every loaner they have to drive, I can't believe this is happening. I was offered an extended warranty for 2 additional years but should have been given a new car a couple years ago. I've been fighting with them practially since I bought the car but I guess I didn't scream loud enough. I can't wait to see what happens next. I bought this car with the thought of giving it to my teenage children in a few years but forget it. They won't be allowed to drive it since it is unsafe. Any thoughts on this from anyone? Anybody else own an S-90 with problems? Thanks for letting me vent. By the way I am a previous Volvo owner and there have been 5 other Volvos within my family. I know there are lemons everywhere but Volvo should have done something. I spent a lot of money on a car I thought I would enjoy. It is unsafe and unreliable. Never again. I should have leased and I could kiss it goodbye.

Diane,

Well I have a 96 964 and I push my car really hard. I have nto had the problems that you have had. I have had a few such as the PNP switch, Intake manifold gasket. Now Brakes are every 7,000-12,000 miles and tires are 15,000-20,000 miles, I don't mind these costs too much becuase It's my fault that they wear so much. I did have rotor problems but that was my own fault, I used an off brand rotor and drove really hard and over heated the rotor to where it turned a bluish-purple and the rotors also warped. I made a fuss at the auto parts store and recieved a full refund. I then went and bought Volvo rotors. I love my car and don't have much to complain about it, never left me on the side of the road. Here in California we probably have the most strict Lemon laws so If I would have gotten a lemon the dealer would have given me a new one.

I really love the way my car handles and drives. Well im sorry you guys got the rotten apples I wish you luck with them. It is probably better the trade the car in for a new one than to sell it.

Last week I picked up the new Consumer's Report Used Car Guide. The '98 S90 is one of the used cars to avoid, and the reliability data listed is dismal. There was insufficient data for the '97s.

I have a '97 S90 also that has been troublesome too. It's had 2 A/C evaporators, a complete new front end, a gear position switch, more brake work than I care to remember, a new steering rack, and a bunch of other smaller problems. It now has 48.5K miles, and I'm trying to sell it. It's difficult to keep things fixed well enough to sell though, in the past couple of weeks the front rotors have warped again and the check engine light has come on.

I used to have a companion '98 V90 that was even more troublesome, so we got rid of it at 30K miles.

These cars are pretty good if they work, and I'm envious of anyone who has one that is troublefree, if such a beast exists.

This is painful, resale value sucks, and will only get worse with the Consumer Reports rating.

Hi Diane,

Same problems. I bought a '98 S90 in August of '97. Fourteen trips to the shop during the warranty period, mostly for brakes. Two sunroof failures, linkage distorted both times. I finally had it fixed properly at an independent shop. This is the same shop I had to use to straighten out the mess the dealer made "fixing" a major engine oil leak. Several module failures and like yours, things just seem to fall off. The car has numerous rattles and squeaks. It might as well have 250,000 miles on it. The car is not abused or driven hard. It's routinely serviced, always kept in a garage. What more can you do? I've been driving Volvos since 1968. I've had several but his one is my very last. I had many discussions with my dealer and Volvo of North America. No help from either. They just don't care about repeat business any more. The dealer offered me a Cadillac or a Buick from his used car lot if I wanted trade in the S90. Of course I would have lost a substantial amount of money on the trade and ended up with a car that would have probably been worse than the Volvo. Extended warranty? Sure, for a price. My state has a lemon law but it's very weak and definitely weighted in favor of the dealers and manufacturers. I hope you get something resolved with your car. I can't wait to get rid of mine. By the way, I'm sure that there will be many posts of positive experiences with these cars. They are decent cars for the most part but when they begin failing it seems like there's no end to the problems.

Wow!

My used 960 has had 3 problems since I got it with 58K on it over 2 years ago. None that I considered bad. New battery and voltage regulator immeadiately after I got the car. An intake manifold gasket about a year later and I just replaced the rear window washer pump. (It's a wagon.) A problem with the brakes cleared by cleaning the wheel mounting surfaces and useing a torque wrench when putting the wheels back on. My first auxillary purchase for the car was a set of new Volvo shop manuals and I have done all the work myself. The "shell" may be familiar but almost everything "under the hood" is of new design.

Is it possible your dealer has been providing "provocative" maintainence on the car? The car has a lot of newly designed features and if the mechanics haven't been keeping up-to-date, the old way of doing things may have not worked. The fact that several things needed to be done twice is suspicious. Is there another dealer or independent you can try?

Even though I love my V90, and I do think that V90 are the best models that Volvo has managed to produce so far, if I were you, I would be screaming from the top of my lungs to have my car replaced under the lemon law. Next time your car breaks down, you need to start demanding your rights. I hate to make this assumption, but it is quite possible that the reason your dealer has not offered you a new car is that he thinks that you are a woman and thus he can get away with it. Don't let them do this to you!

Hope you are haing a nice day.

Volvos....if they're good, they're good, but if they're bad, they're very bad. I've heard of problems with 960s, buy you're the first I can recall hearing of with multiple problems with a S90 (which as you know is essentially the same car). That Volvo actually offered you an extended warranty does suggest there is some hope for the company.

I don't have any logical explanation, but this does seem to happen, and especially with Volvos. Perhaps it's cars built after a long weekend, or at the wrong time of year. I don't know. I do think they're among the safest cars around, and that's why many of us put up with the problems.

My V70, purchased new in September 1997 had exactly ONE problem up to 10,000 miles. It had exactly ONE new problem from 40,000 up to the present 61,000. Between 10,000 and 40,000 it was truly the "Volvo From Hell", with, I think, about TWENTY separate problems. Mostly minor problems, but it was enough to encourage me to buy the extended warranty.

Anyway, good luck. And thanks for the idea. Maybe leasing IS the answer with Volvos, if it's a "good" one, you can buy it at the end of the lease, if it's "bad" just return it.

None of my comments are at all helpful, I'm sure. However, there are plenty of sympathetic ears here.

-Whitey