[DreamensioN]

I'm sure you really, really don't want to have to revisit this but have they found a solution?

Yeah so the problem they identified was a "sensor" that is located "on top of the battery". So I can only imagine it's some sort of sensor in the Battery Disconnect Unit (BDU) which is the thing that sits on top of the battery more or less under the rear passenger seats. In the VIDA video on removing the battery, there is a process to open up and disconnect the BDU before removing the cover to the main high voltage battery to access to the battery modules.

I haven't got all the detail yet on the exact sensor but I was hoping to get that information when I pick up my car, but due to the repair not being able to get finished I haven't been able to get the car.


And just on that note, I still haven't got any closer to getting my car back. No word on the sealant (this is now more than a month for something that was suppose to be express posted). I've also been in further conversations with Volvo Customer Care here in Australia. They had some meeting about my car's issues from an "overall perspective" the other day. I've informed them in writing that I am open to "all options". Ideally I would like my actual car back and for it to be reliable for once. But at the same time right now I'd be happy just to get my money back and walk away.

 

[Speed_Bump]

I had this message intermittently along with one pedal drive malfunctions and it was a bad connection behind the go pedal. Relaced the connector and all was good. Came on a few weeks after the wiring recall was done so possibly caused by the shop.

 

[DreamensioN]

So just another update... apparently the sealant arrived last Thursday 2nd of March. It's going to take a few days to put everything back together and get the battery back up in the car, then do their tests, software updates, and then to detail the car (removing over 3 months of workshop dust from it).

At this stage I'm looking to get the car back by the end of this week. <- that's my hopefully prediction. They said maybe Wed/Thurs, but my money is on Friday. The way things have gone I'm less than optimistic. I also didn't clarify which week or month they meant

 

[Zappa]

Are you getting any type of compensation?

 

[DreamensioN]

Are you getting any type of compensation?

That's the next conversation. I asked for some in writing on Jan 20th, but still have not had any official response. I've had a couple of different case managers for this issue and now I've looped back to the same (very helpful) case manager that I was in contact with for the first time I had a problem back in May 2022. Right now my main priority is getting the car back. Then once I've got it back, I know a firm date I got it back and then I can calculate my exact financial impact (repayments & lost insurance). At the moment that number just keeps going up by the day, so I can't really say today "I want $xxxx", and they agree to it, then I get a phone call tomorrow saying they found another issue and my car needs 5 more weeks or something.

I also want it noted somewhere in my file that if this problem happens again (Propulsion System Failure and the car cannot be driven) - I am out. I will be seeking a full refund. So if this issue happens again, I'm won't even be interested in getting it fixed. They can just start processing the refund immediately while they're loading it on the tow truck.

It's just such a shame if that happens because I actually really do like the car and I want it to work. But I just can't put up with this crap again - not for 3-3.5 months at a time.

 

[koldoi77]

Hello, let's see if you are lucky and it is completely repaired, in my case the car works wonderfully after the complete battery change, after 1200 km without problems. It seems that by repairing that battery temperature sensor the car works correctly. I wish you good luck with your encounter with the car, I hope it is resolved definitively. For other users who get the same problem, in the event that they do not know in the workshop that they tell them that almost 100% the failure comes from inside the battery, specifically this sensor. Regards

 

[DreamensioN]

Finally some good news. 3 months and 3 days since being towed back to the dealership the car has come back online late this afternoon.

One thing I'm a little concerned about is the battery percentage. When I was driving the car it was at 50% or so and when the issue happened the battery instantly dropped to 34% as turtle mode kicked in and everything went belly up. Now that the car has been "repaired", it still reports 34%. I'm hoping this is just the last known percentage by "something", and it hasn't updated properly yet, or they need to reset/clear something and it will report correctly. I would be expecting to see 48-49% battery remaining (giving a bit of loss for the 3 months it has been parked).

So I hope this means I'm still on track to get the car back this week. They will still need to run tests, update to v2.7 (as per my ask the other week), and then clean 3 months of workshop dust out of it. I still don't think it'll be tomorrow (Thursday), but more likely Friday.

Also it has been that long since I've seen my car in the app... that bright strip on the right hand front window (drivers door for us here in Australia) - does that mean the window is down?

 

[Adkmooserider]

Yes the window is open. Sooo keeping my fingers crossed for you.

 

[Greg S]

Finally some good news. 3 months and 3 days since being towed back to the dealership the car has come back online late this afternoon.

View attachment 6112

One thing I'm a little concerned about is the battery percentage. When I was driving the car it was at 50% or so and when the issue happened the battery instantly dropped to 34% as turtle mode kicked in and everything went belly up. Now that the car has been "repaired", it still reports 34%. I'm hoping this is just the last known percentage by "something", and it hasn't updated properly yet, or they need to reset/clear something and it will report correctly. I would be expecting to see 48-49% battery remaining (giving a bit of loss for the 3 months it has been parked).

So I hope this means I'm still on track to get the car back this week. They will still need to run tests, update to v2.7 (as per my ask the other week), and then clean 3 months of workshop dust out of it. I still don't think it'll be tomorrow (Thursday), but more likely Friday.

Also it has been that long since I've seen my car in the app... that bright strip on the right hand front window (drivers door for us here in Australia) - does that mean the window is down?

Yay - hope U get it back soon. Yeah, I'd say the orange strip on RHF window means it's down. Neat - didn't know app would tell you that? Hmm...must test! We're in Thredbo in a bit of a pickle...on the way to Bermagui tomorrow. Thredbo Alpine Hotel Tesla Destination Charger didn't work on the Volvo...and Jindabyne NRMA chargers broken...we have 29%SOC

 

[SamTheMan]

I'm sure you really, really don't want to have to revisit this but have they found a solution?

Well had a good service visit at the local. Arrived at 0745, loan car was available C40 -single VERY GLAD i have the XC40 Twin
They found the history of 2 faults, updated software to 2.7 and returned the car 2 hours later.
Between the fault and arrival at service I have done another 1,000 km without additional problems.
I hope this is the end of it!

 

[DreamensioN]

We're in Thredbo in a bit of a pickle...on the way to Bermagui tomorrow. Thredbo Alpine Hotel Tesla Destination Charger didn't work on the Volvo...and Jindabyne NRMA chargers broken...we have 29%SOC

Oh dear! Hope you're able to find a charge (or brought a long extension cord). hehe. Good luck. Keep us posted!

 

[Greg S]

Oh dear! Hope you're able to find a charge (or brought a long extension cord). hehe. Good luck. Keep us posted!

Whew. Rang the nearby Lake Crackenback Resort and they said their Tesla Destination chargers are open to the public, and we saw a Polestar 2 had checked in there on Plugshare previously. So all good. We headed down and charged while we took a bushwalk around the lake and up along the creek. That was all a bit too stressful! The silver lining is it was a beautiful day for a walk.

 

[DreamensioN]

Unfortunately I had some bad news today that the repair to the car was not successful. I've emailed my case manager at Volvo Australia asking to speak with someone about what happens next and I'm waiting a response.

 

[SeattleCat]

Unfortunately I had some bad news today that the repair to the car was not successful. I've emailed my case manager at Volvo Australia asking to speak with someone about what happens next and I'm waiting a response.

And the award for mellow response goes to …

You

Good job keeping sane

Hope it gets resolved soon.

 

[Zappa]

Dude. For the love of Christ. Do not take that car home. Time to get a refund and move on. Especially now there’s a bit more EV choice. P.S loving my Atto 3!

 

[Br53]

Sorry to hear. That’s extremely disappointing after all that waiting. At least they knew straight away.

 

[realizt]

Yeah mate, definitely time to push for either a refund or a new vehicle...

 

[JPDion]

We own a 2021 XC40 P8 Recharge Ultimate Twin. I have reported the following to NHTSA as a potential serious safety issue with the XC40 P8 Recharge.

"My wife and I were driving the vehicle and began to stop in a let hand turn lane when it shuddered violently and stopped without any ability to move forward or in reverse - an emergency message appeared in the dash display indicating a 12V battery charging fault, and to immediately take the vehicle to a service center, also indicating that vehicle could not be restarted. Had we been on a highway in the process of merging, changing lanes or simply in front of another vehicle a serious accident could have occurred causing injury or death for occupant of multiple vehicles (beyond significant property damage). Furthermore, the 12V Battery charging fault is a known issue to Volvo, having been experienced by many drivers over the past several years with no resolution by Volvo other than replacing 12V batteries when they fail (mine was replaced in November 2022, and previously the battery was recharged after failing in December 2021 when it stranded us at the airport after returning from a trip.) Finding the vehicle dead is one thing, having it die when operating it is another more serious thing. I have raised this issue through my dealership on at least 2 prior occasions, as noted above. The service department at the Volvo dealership has inspected the vehicle for this 12V battery charging issue but has not provided a physical and/or software fix for this issue over the year and seven months I have owned this vehicle. This failure occurs without warning."

Volvo has known about this software/physical engineering design flaw for at least the past 18 months and so far has not provided a physical/software fix - beyond providing an after the event identification of it in the dashboard screen when you are totally disabled. If you have had this same issue please consider submitting an additional complaint to NHTSA at: Report a Safety Problem | NHTSA.

At this point I will be exploring my rights under Florida's Lemon Law if my dealership is unable to demonstrate a that a factory authorized permanent physical/software fix is/has been applied to my vehicle. You can check out Lemon Law by state here: https://www.kbb.com/car-advice/vehicle-lemon-laws-by-state/ .

For further examples of owners who have had this problem see the thread "Dead As A Doornail" on this forum.

Update: Just to be clear the "12V Battery charging fault" is a specific message that followed a "Propulsion system failure" general message.

 

[Zappa]

Unfortunately I had some bad news today that the repair to the car was not successful. I've emailed my case manager at Volvo Australia asking to speak with someone about what happens next and I'm waiting a response.

So what’s the latest?

 

[DreamensioN]

So what’s the latest?

Urgh.... not good.

The "CMS" (whatever that is) on my main high voltage battery was replaced but the vehicle still has no drive. That's what they're trying to work out now. I've been told that people are working on the car remotely (via a computer that is hooked up to it). I take that as they've had to pull in assistance from overseas to help run tests/diagnostics on it. They've been trying to work out why the repair didn't fix it for more than a week now - which really indicates to me they have NFI. And this exposes a bigger issue of the lack of knowledge about the car.

I did ask (again) if the problem is with the high voltage battery, that they just replaced the ENTIRE battery unit. They can then take my dead one and use it for however long they want in their "lessons learnt" debrief. But no word on that yet.

I don't have any more information about my ask for compensation about the 7 months of downtime my car has experienced. Apparently there's a conversation taking place at the moment, but keep in mind I sent that email on January 20th and it's now March 17th and there's still no word if any compensation will be given. That's one long conversation.

I did ask for a bigger loan car as the Kona I have at the moment is really too small for what I need to do (eg. get my mountain bike to places), so I "think" they might be upgrading my loan vehicle but that was 2 days ago and I haven't heard anything since.

BUT.....

I got a call from Avis Rentals today that Volvo have stopped paying for my current loan vehicle on March 8th, and that's why I got a huge bill on my Amex card from them. Once Volvo stopped paying then the bill just goes to the credit card on file, which is mine for the road tolls. So I called Volvo Customer Care today to see if I could get that sorted out. They said they would call me back by close of business today. Once that's sorted I then need to figure out if Avis will just refund me or if Volvo reimburse me.

The situation is actually going from bad to slightly worse.