Serious safety incident – Volvo XC40 recharge

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acoops
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2020 6:13 pm

Post by acoops »

Sorry, this is quite lengthy but if anyone has a similar safety issue please do let me know, I really want to make other people aware in case it happens to them and also we really need some help from other Volvo owners please.

After owning our brand new Volvo XC40 recharge for 7 days I was driving home with my 2-year-old son in the car on the M25, in middle lane doing about 65mph, when the Volvo XC40 performed an emergency stop by applying the brakes on its own. We went from 65mph to a complete stop without me doing anything. I was terrified, once we had ground to a halt, I then couldn’t get the car to restart initially and then after a few minutes when it did finally start and I put it in drive mode the car wouldn’t move as the electronic handbrake wouldn’t release. I couldn’t get the car to move at all and were stuck in the middle lane of the M25 with cars and lorries narrowly missing them every few seconds.

I called 999 for help as we were just over the brow of a small hill, so cars and lorries had very little chance to brake and miss us – at one point a huge lorry missed us by about an inch – I genuinely thought we were going to get hit and die. I cannot overstate how utterly terrifying this ordeal was, it was really only a matter of time before we got hit at speed by another vehicle. The police said they could see the car on the motorway cameras and were sending help but weren’t able to get there immediately to help. Luckily a very kind man and his wife stopped and at great danger to themselves used their car to attempt to semi block the motorway and stop the traffic. Another man in a pickup recovery truck also stopped and did the same, resulting in slowing the traffic somewhat. I was absolutely distraught by this time, probably not helped by the fact I was 7 months pregnant at the time, and we'd been stuck on the middle lane for 5 minutes. One of the people who stopeed to help got into the driver’s seat and managed to get the car to the hard shoulder, he said he did this by pumping the brake numerous times to get the electronic handbrake to release eventually.

This was a very harrowing experience in a car, ironically, we had chosen to keep our family safe.

We returned the car to Volvo immediately and haven't take it back from the garage since. Doves Volvo Croydon and Volvo UK had been dragging their heels to tell us what is wrong with the car. They had their garage technician look at it and Volvo UK but have said they can’t find a fault. In fact, they said the car's onboard data system that should have recorded the incident has recorded absolutely nothing – in fact it has said absolutely nothing even happened at the time, so Volvo UK have said there’s nothing more they are prepared to do. I’m a very competent driver with over 20 years driving experience of both manual and automatic cars so to have this happen and there be absolutely no explanation or any data actually recorded in the car’s database during the incident means I’ve completely lost faith in this vehicle.

Volvo's only suggestion has been to take the car back and my husband just drive it around without myself or our children in the car, to see if it happens again, which as you can imagine is not really something we want to risk doing.

Has anyone had any similar issues?

Please let me know on this thread or private message me, I really need some help to get this issue looked into properly by Volvo so if anyone else has had a simiar experiences it would be really helpful to know?

Thanks in advance.

Den48
Posts: 248
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2020 10:13 pm

Post by Den48 »

Hi
Read your post must have been a terrible experience for you, I have yet to take delivery of my Volvo but I am reading this forum for info

There are several posts on the forum where the collision avoidance systems has flashed the red warning on the dashboard and applied the brakes because the system believes that a driver has not responded quickly enough to a potential collision, however none of the posts that I can remember ever mention that the car has been bought to a complete standstill.

People have been writing that the alerts were usually happening when they were driving down a road with parked cars on both sides, you were in the centre lane of the M25 with cars presumably on both sides of you in close proximity. Some people have turned down the sensitivity of the collision avoidance system to help with this.

I have experienced the warnings myself in VW Tiguan and my current Ateca and I have turned the sensitivity down to alleviate the problem, I still get occasional alerts but the brakes are only applied for a second or two. The first thing that I will do on receiving my Volvo is to turn the sensitivity down on the collision avoidance system. My point here is that the problem is not confined to Volvo cars.

However I believe that you should not have to tweak these systems to make them function in a satisfactory manner they are obviously not foolproof otherwise why make this particular system adjustable.

Finally make sure that communication with the dealer is via email mail or text message, ask them to put it in writing that there’s no problem with the car. I understand that you can reject a car within 30 days where a fault existed on taking delivery, this may be a problem for you to prove this but hopefully others on the forum may be able to help.

Good luck with this
T4 recharge, plus spec, 23my
Peter8642
Posts: 56
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2020 12:22 pm

Post by Peter8642 »

That sounds hideous. I’d be tempted to report this to the DVSA (details on .gov.uk web site). They can withdraw a vehicle’s certification or order a recall.
2021 XC40 Inscription T5 Recharge, Denim Blue + Blond.
Driver Assist, Lounge, Versatility, Towbar, Spare Wheel and Jack.
frtsrm
Posts: 85
Joined: Thu May 07, 2020 11:19 am

Post by frtsrm »

Peter8642 wrote: Tue Dec 29, 2020 8:23 pm That sounds hideous. I’d be tempted to report this to the DVSA (details on .gov.uk web site). They can withdraw a vehicle’s certification or order a recall.
Yes! This is outrageous, reminded me of a scene from the dystopian movie "Upgrade", where a fully autonomous car inexplicably speeds up and crashes. Thankfully you made it out OK.

Since the police were able to see your car through motorway cameras, there must be enough evidence that this in fact happened and Volvo should take responsibility. Plus, you have a witness in the person who helped you.
Dermottdog
Posts: 768
Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2019 7:39 pm
Location: Orpington, Kent

Post by Dermottdog »

frtsrm wrote: Wed Dec 30, 2020 12:49 pm
Peter8642 wrote: Tue Dec 29, 2020 8:23 pm That sounds hideous. I’d be tempted to report this to the DVSA (details on .gov.uk web site). They can withdraw a vehicle’s certification or order a recall.
Yes! This is outrageous, reminded me of a scene from the dystopian movie "Upgrade", where a fully autonomous car inexplicably speeds up and crashes. Thankfully you made it out OK.

Since the police were able to see your car through motorway cameras, there must be enough evidence that this in fact happened and Volvo should take responsibility. Plus, you have a witness in the person who helped you.
Hi

With respect, Volvo has done the investigation, had a technician look at it and interrogated the fault/error logs. The logs didn’t record anything. The fact that Highway cameras saw the stranded vehicle and a member of the public helped to recover it is neither here nor there. I know from experience that error logs don’t always show faults and record occurrences that happen. Almost all of the time any errors that occur leave a trace. In some rare circumstances an error can happen so fast that no fault is detected. It definitely doesn’t mean It didn’t happen but don’t get your hopes up about Volvo taking the opinions of others. I think this one will run and run.
R Design Pro T5 AWD in Crystal White. Convenience Pack, Front Parking and Apple Car. Couldn’t afford anything else!! Arriving late September 2019.
acoops
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2020 6:13 pm

Post by acoops »

Thanks to everyone that's replied, it's really helpful and yes I think sadly this is going to run and run too, so I've now contacted the DVSA to see if there's anything they can do.

Volvo did looked into the anti-collision system but they said it wouldn't have casued what happened and there were no warming lights or audible alarms at the time. I wish in way it had been that and at least there's be an actual answer and I could move on get back in the car. I genuinely/naively thought when this happened that Volvo would be able to find and fix the issue, not that nearly 3 months later we'd still be without a car and the only option they've given me is to take the car back and drive it around without my family in the car to see if it happens again.

I'm really hope this is just an issue with this particular car but I'll keep looking at the message threads and forums and if anyone hears of anything similar then please do let me know.

Thanks so much.
DarrenF
Posts: 274
Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2019 4:50 pm

Post by DarrenF »

Good luck getting this sorted out

As this is Doves of Croydon I know a place you can check your collision avoidance system - Wickham Court Road. The mix of parked cars and the traffic islands sets mine off quite often. I have had it happen on the Motorway as well but only with good cause (usually an idiot driving like they own the place).

I have worked in Technology for a long time and getting a fault with no logs is usually when a system restarts before they can be saved. Do you remember if the system restarted when you stopped?

I have been on this XC40 forum and several Facebook pages for 18 months and I seem to remember reading a couple of other cases when the Car stopped and could not be moved but can not remember the details so not sure if connected. Worth doing a search and seeing what you can find.
XC40 T5 R-Design Pro in Bursting Blue with Convenience, Intellisafe Pro, Winter Plus and Xenium Packs and a few other bits. Ordered July'19 picked up end of Nov'19.
Peter8642
Posts: 56
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2020 12:22 pm

Post by Peter8642 »

Goodness! You didn’t say in your first post that you have been at stalemate for three months.

You’ve probably checked the consumer law – if a car has a very serious fault in the first month that you have it, you are entitled to reject it and have a refund.

As always the complicating factor is getting the vendor to agree that there was a serious fault. Reading between the lines it sounds to me as though they are disputing your account of what happened.

As Darren mentioned, a complete electrical shutdown may well prevent a fault log from being recorded or saved, so the lack of a fault log does not cast any doubt on your account of what happened.

I think with no resolution in three months it might well be time to get a solicitor involved. They may help you draft a letter saying that since Volvo have found no explanation or remedy for a life-threatening fault you are rejecting the car which you only had seven days use out of and demand a full refund.

Good luck with that.

My experience with the XC 40 is that the first one I bought in June 2020 went broke down twice in the six weeks we had it, as well as having rattles and an incorrectly fitted tow bar. Since I had accepted one repair and the second breakdown only occurred after six weeks, I was not entitled to reject it under the 4 week rule and have a full refund but I told the dealer that I had completely lost confidence in that vehicle and wanted a replacement. They did this for a small cash adjustment that I thought was a fair price for getting a 2021 model year vehicle.

My first vehicle left me stranded on my own driveway twice. Had it done what yours did I think I would have just wanted my money back and no replacement vehicle.

Best wishes

Pete
2021 XC40 Inscription T5 Recharge, Denim Blue + Blond.
Driver Assist, Lounge, Versatility, Towbar, Spare Wheel and Jack.
RealGoneKid
Posts: 34
Joined: Sun Sep 06, 2020 7:15 pm

Post by RealGoneKid »

I remember reading this first in December in slight trepidation. At that time we had encountered two no starts in our garage at home, both times the left headlight failed to light too. Fault was eventually solved by a software update something to do with the active light circuit.

We’ve had four breakdowns now, and of relevance to this, in the last whilst driving in town the car ground to halt, flashed up red battery (alternator) and turtle symbols. Ten minutes later it powered up fine and we got it home. After two days this week with the dealer today they referred the issue to Volvo UK, then a report went to Sweden, and last thing today we heard a replacement part had been ordered, some sort of inverter? A known issue apparently.

On all four occasions diagnostics drew a blank. Frightening really, if electric is the future.

After the third breakdown we did wonder if we were starting it right. We have had a B4 courtesy car and that failed to start once yesterday, in exactly the same fashion as our third “breakdown”. OH pressed start button, brake depressed as usual, but we didn’t get any gears showing on the display. Eventually it did start. She has started to think if she gets in the car and doesn’t start it straight away maybe after a certain time is some sort of immobiliser kicking in?

Anyone else had this, or know that something like this might be the case?
T5 Recharge PHEV MY21, R Design Pro, Glacier Silver, Lounge & Climate packs. New purchase from dealer stock Oct 20. Ceramic Coated after purchase.
eugen61
Posts: 1211
Joined: Sun May 10, 2020 7:33 am

Post by eugen61 »

acoops wrote: Wed Dec 30, 2020 5:11 pm Thanks to everyone that's replied, it's really helpful and yes I think sadly this is going to run and run too, so I've now contacted the DVSA to see if there's anything they can do.

Volvo did looked into the anti-collision system but they said it wouldn't have casued what happened and there were no warming lights or audible alarms at the time. I wish in way it had been that and at least there's be an actual answer and I could move on get back in the car. I genuinely/naively thought when this happened that Volvo would be able to find and fix the issue, not that nearly 3 months later we'd still be without a car and the only option they've given me is to take the car back and drive it around without my family in the car to see if it happens again.

I'm really hope this is just an issue with this particular car but I'll keep looking at the message threads and forums and if anyone hears of anything similar then please do let me know.
Check this report issued by the European Commission, maybe it has to do with your issue: https://ec.europa.eu/safety-gate-alerts ... l/10003329
More also here: https://car-recalls.eu/recall/volvo-xc4 ... ge-system/
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