Random electrical gremlins?

Faults and Technical chat for the Volvo XC40
Post Reply
stu22
Posts: 260
Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2019 12:36 pm
Location: Colchester

Post by stu22 »

Only way we could get the issue resolved is by trading it in against an XC60.
Our XC40 sold within a few days so be interested to see if a new member turns up on here with the same issues....

tareas412
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2022 4:28 am

Post by tareas412 »

Hello,

I had the same problem with my XC40 2022.

The windows, air conditioner, start stop, and locks were not working when the car was started. After some minutes, they started working again but not always…

The dealer took over a month to find the issue and guess what?…. Just as it was mentioned before, the issue was with some connectors in the passenger door.

The connector had scale on it and that's why sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't.

I hope my experience helps others.
JeffdeBruges
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2024 7:07 pm

Post by JeffdeBruges »

A bit of an old thread, but we experienced the same issues with a five month old XC-40 B4 petrol/mild hybrid. Central console went black save for text headed 'Stop the Vehicle' unable to reset and fan at full blast (as had been delisting on freezing afternoon). Dashboard was largely blank except for a number of warning lights. Fortunately not far from home so drove home. Next morning, screen did reset but then crashed again and lots of error codes. Volvo Assist seriously unhelpful but eventual sent a technician by which time the battery was completely flat. All the functions had been working although ignition was fully off. He recharged and used his bluetooth diagnostics which threw up 22 error codes plus eight on the dashboard console; he couldn't reset the central one. Those error codes relate to lots of key functions including brakes, lights and indicators. He said the car was unsafe to drive and it was towed to Snows in Winchester as above!

They reported they had never seen any fault like it which was clearly untrue. There were also error codes that neither they, nor Volvo Technical recognised. They decided that reloading the software would resolve the issue although there are multiple reports, particularly in the US that this just makes the symptom (ie error codes) go away, but the underlying issue almost invariably recurs. The US safety regulator (NHTSA) has multiple reports of similar incidents, sometimes causing sudden braking or suddenly getting the 'tortoise' while on a fast road. The DVSA has five safety reports all from drivers, not Volvo. Volvo UK not too interested; they seem to be in denial like Post Office/Fujitsu but this is clearly a very real and rather frightening issue.

With the benefit of hindsight there had been lots of little electrical issues with TPM, petrol cap locking, sunroof etc. that may possibly have been precursors to total failure.

Noticed also that in looking into this that there is a recall in Canada and Australia on all 2023 XC-40 models for a fault with the indicators.

The Volvo Assist technician, low loader driver and the two Enterprise people who delivered and collected the car all volunteered they see the issues we reported on a regular basis. Funny that Volvo haven't!
User avatar
Moss
Posts: 222
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2020 8:52 pm
Location: Belgium & France

Post by Moss »

JeffdeBruges wrote: Sat Jan 27, 2024 5:55 pm A bit of an old thread, but we experienced the same issues with a five month old XC-40 B4 petrol/mild hybrid. Central console went black save for text headed 'Stop the Vehicle' unable to reset and fan at full blast (as had been delisting on freezing afternoon). Dashboard was largely blank except for a number of warning lights. Fortunately not far from home so drove home. Next morning, screen did reset but then crashed again and lots of error codes. Volvo Assist seriously unhelpful but eventual sent a technician by which time the battery was completely flat. All the functions had been working although ignition was fully off. He recharged and used his bluetooth diagnostics which threw up 22 error codes plus eight on the dashboard console; he couldn't reset the central one. Those error codes relate to lots of key functions including brakes, lights and indicators. He said the car was unsafe to drive and it was towed to Snows in Winchester as above!

They reported they had never seen any fault like it which was clearly untrue. There were also error codes that neither they, nor Volvo Technical recognised. They decided that reloading the software would resolve the issue although there are multiple reports, particularly in the US that this just makes the symptom (ie error codes) go away, but the underlying issue almost invariably recurs. The US safety regulator (NHTSA) has multiple reports of similar incidents, sometimes causing sudden braking or suddenly getting the 'tortoise' while on a fast road. The DVSA has five safety reports all from drivers, not Volvo. Volvo UK not too interested; they seem to be in denial like Post Office/Fujitsu but this is clearly a very real and rather frightening issue.

With the benefit of hindsight there had been lots of little electrical issues with TPM, petrol cap locking, sunroof etc. that may possibly have been precursors to total failure.

Noticed also that in looking into this that there is a recall in Canada and Australia on all 2023 XC-40 models for a fault with the indicators.

The Volvo Assist technician, low loader driver and the two Enterprise people who delivered and collected the car all volunteered they see the issues we reported on a regular basis. Funny that Volvo haven't!
I have a few questions :

* since you talk about Enterprise, may we assume you’re talking about a rented car, so not your car ?

* what happened with the car after Enterprise took it back ? Was it repaired ? Did the fault reoccur ?

* how do you know that Volvo UK was/is « not too interested » and even « in denial » ?

* why do you mention a recall (the left turn indicator lamp may not illuminate as intended) in (Canada ?) Australia of 2513 pcs. of 2023 built XC40’s having nothing to do with the issue described by you  ?

* if the Volvo Assist technician, the low loader driver and the two Enterprise people who delivered and collected the car say that the fault you’re talking about is an issue they reported on a regular basis, meaning no doubt that the issue occurs « regularly », how come we’ve heard so little if anything about it on this forum ?

* do you think there’s a conspiracy going on among Volvo cars UK and Volvo XC40 owners and drivers from all over the world ?
JFDIT
Posts: 1240
Joined: Tue Sep 28, 2021 5:21 pm

Post by JFDIT »

Sounds like BS, hopefully they'll get a Toyota next time.
XC40 MY24 B4 Ultimate Dark, Black Leather, Crystal White, 20" Rims
Lincolnshire England.
JeffdeBruges
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2024 7:07 pm

Post by JeffdeBruges »

Enterprise provided a courtesy car while our car was being investigated.

There are actually quite a number of very similar reports on this forum (and the .com one), just on lots of different threads. There are even more reports to the NHTSA with remarkably similar facts. My comments re Volvo and dealers related to the fact that our dealership said they had never seen the problem before when there is a report here about the same problem at that dealership and Volvo Technical apparently told the dealer they also had never seen the same issue, something that doesn't appear to be true. Volvo Technical also has no solution other than reloading the software which treats the symptom temporarily but doesn't fix whatever is causing the malfunction which many report recurs after the software reload and even after IHU replacement.

I have absolutely no reason to doubt the word of the various people who deal with Volvo breakdowns/recovery on a daily basis. Most people don't use these forums so it doesn't mean there isn't an issue; I only came to search after the event and discovered that what happened was in fact a known issue, but one not yet resolved. I'm very grateful for that but rather bemused by the response to my post.

The car is going back and my next car won't be a Toyota, but it also definitely won't be a Volvo.
User avatar
Moss
Posts: 222
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2020 8:52 pm
Location: Belgium & France

Post by Moss »

The learned gentleman does not answer my questions, but assumes a lot of things he does not know for a fact. Statements such as « … Volvo Technical apparently told the dealer they also had never seen the same issue, something that doesn't appear to be true » are no more than hearsay, at the very best.

However, it is true that most people don’t use these forums, and it doesn’t mean there isn’t an issue indeed. But it also doesn’t mean there is an issue, so the fact that most people don’t use these forums is a non argument : it’s irrelevant.

Anyway, if you have proven knowledge of a modern car totally free of electrical gremlins, please let us know.

I sincerely wish you the best of luck with whatever car you eventually buy, and I hope my response does not bemuse you beyond measure.

PS. Perhaps we all assume too much : since you call yourself JeffdeBruges (that’s Jozef van Brugge in the language spoken in Brugge) I assume you’re a man, but I just don’t know that for a fact. Maybe I should have started this post with « The learned person does not answer my questions…. »
Post Reply