Reader M writes:
I purchased a certified used 2005 Volvo XC90 two months ago, from a large, well-known national used car dealership. I purchased the vehicle in North Carolina. After purchasing the vehicle, I realized that the remote was not working to unlock/lock the doors. When the auto superstore was unable to figure out the problem, they told me to go to the Volvo dealership, and that they would reimburse me for any costs I incurred. The associate in the service department at my local Volvo dealership took the key apart, to find that it was filled with black, thick, sticky residue. He had no guess what the substance was. It had the consistency of corn syrup, but very dark in color. He tried putting in a new battery, but could not get the key to work. They ended up ordering a new key for me, and $376 later, I thought my issues were resolved (the $376 was later reimbursed by the auto superstore where I purchased the car).
Two weeks after purchase, I got in my car to drive to work…and it would not come out of park. I tried everything under the sun, turning the car off and on, mashing the brake all the way to the floor…and no results. After twenty minutes of trying, it clicked right into drive, as though nothing was the matter. The same thing happened again two days later. I was concerned, so I called the auto superstore and they told me to bring the car in. They kept the car for a week, and could never replicate the problem, and “are you sure you were doing it correctly…did you know you have to push the brake down in order to get it out of park?”
So I picked the car up, frustrated, both for being insulted and because I was having problems with a car that I had owned less than a month. The very next day, the same thing happened. So back I went to the auto superstore. This time, they had the car for two weeks, and finally called me, saying they had the same problem. They told me there was a small catch in the gear shift, and that was causing the problem, so they had replaced it, and now my car was totally fixed. Relieved, I went pick up my car.
Three days after I picked up my car, it would not come out of park AGAIN. I was beyond angry at this point. I called the auto superstore, and the Volvo went back to them. They decided that they could not handle the problem, so they sent the car to the local Volvo dealership. I got a call yesterday from the auto superstore, saying that the Volvo dealership took the gearshift apart, and found that it was covered in a thick, black, gunky residue. (Sound familiar?–the substance that was inside of my key/remote??) The service technician from the auto superstore said he was sure it wasn’t me (*sarcastic*), but that someone had probably spilled coffee down in the gearshift. He also told me that Volvo had cleaned up the residue, and my car was good to go.
I then pointed out that my key/remote had been covered in the same thick black substance, and that I had never seen coffee that looked like the substance that was found all over my key, and down in the gearshift. The technician at the auto superstore was astonished, and pulled out my key, took it apart, and had no idea what the substance was. He then noted that the remote did not have a battery, but that it worked to lock and unlock the car–how is this possible?? The remote can not work without a battery…he suggested it was battery acid, but that he had no clue about the gear shift. (I am wondering how on earth he thinks that battery acid would cause a remote to work…but I didn’t push that issue.)
So, my situation now is that the auto superstore thinks that my issues are resolved. They think that because Volvo cleaned up the gearshift, that I should be “good to go.” I am angry and frustrated, because I have no explanations as to what the black gunk is. Why was it in both my key and the gearshift? (The gearshift is in between the two seats, not on the steering wheel…so the key and the gearshift are nowhere near each other). The auto superstore supposedly does not sell damaged cars. I have now owned the SUV less than two months, and it has been in the shop for the majority of those months. Do I push the superstore to send the vehicle back to Volvo, have them take the entire thing apart, and figure out what the problem is? Why did the auto superstore sell me a vehicle in this condition? It obviously has not been through the “so many hundred checks” they do in order to ensure they are selling an undamaged vehicle. Is there any way (other than proving it is a lemon) to make them take the Volvo back and refund my money? Am I just SOL because I bought a problematic car?
I would appreciate any advice or recourse you think i may have.
North Carolina’s lemon law doesn’t apply to used cars, so that’s out of the question, and it’s hard to tell from a description what exactly is wrong with the car. You could try pressing the Volvo dealership for a better answer as to what the gunk was so that you could confront the used car dealer with some evidence, but if they don’t know… You’re probably going to reach a place where you’ll have to hire a lawyer in order to proceed further, especially if your car’s symptoms don’t reoccur.
You never know, it might have really just been coffee.
Does anyone with more auto expertise want to take a crack at this one?
(Photo:Getty)
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If the remote really doesn’t have a battery, is it possible that the doors never lock?
Since Ford bought a chunk of Volvo, quality across the board is down and cost across the board is up. Enjoy your new lemon and welcome to the Hell that is used Volvo ownership, model year 1998 and later. If I had all the money I have dumped into my used s80 back (including original purchase price), I would have enough money to buy a brand new Accord v6 and would be very happy to do so. Or I could buy a new Fordvo s40 and be considerably poorer due to maintenance and bullshit.
If you can take it back, do so.
I’m a forensic scientist (for reals). Send me some of the gunk, I’ll figure out what it is.
@loueloui: Heh, I totally didn’t realize that until you pointed it out, and then I saw it right away. I’ve also been watching a lot of Sopranos lately.
To those saying “Katrina Flood”, if the car was indeed flooded up to the shift lever there would have way too much damage to even consider repairing it. And I doubt a key fob that flooded would be working at all, let alone be transferred with the car to a new owner. Look for a “water line” somewhere in the engine compartment or trunk.
@hossfly: Most of the Katrina flooding in the New Orleans area was with fresh/brackish water. My house flooded with “fresh” water due the fact that the parish sent all the pump operators north to safety and then had no way to contact them to come back when the storm passed.
Did you keep the receipt? Maybe you can return it.
Seriously, the problem seems to be that the buyer still isn’t satisfied with his original Certified Pre-Owned Volvo purchase because nobody seems to have any clue what this gunk is or care enough to find out for him. In situations like this you just take the car to CarMax (or your local equivalent) and sell it, and consider it a lesson about Volvo.
that goo could very well be some kind of bitumen sealant – stuff is used to rustproof hollow metal parts, glue sheets of plastic to door metal and anywhere else where “soft” seal is required. Its pitch black, very sticky and a lot of sh*tty stereo installers/mechanics use it to hold stuff they broke together.
its possible when car was “conditioned” before the sale they just used a glob of it to hold the broken keyfob and some plastic around the shifter together.
@paulprod: You should win a prize of some sort.
I concur on the soda syrup diagnosis. That stuff may as well be roofing tar and it collects ANY dirt and debris that comes in contact with it. It will turn black in an environment where there are lubricants or a chance for it to absorb alot of dirt.
Might I also state I hate that stupid brake pedal interlock in gearshifts. Just because some fuckwit leaves their keys in the car with their kid not straight-jacketed I have to have my foot on the effing brake pedal to put the vehicle into gear.
@Geekybiker: Oh contraire, Ever hear of three on the tree? The manual shifter can go on the column too. What gets my goat is that there’s so many vehicles these days sold with that damn console automatic shifter in models that don’t even have a manual transmission option. If I drive a standard I reach for the shifter on the floor, I drive an automatic I reach for the column shifter. My first car was a 4 speed, but I absolutely HATE a floor-shifted auto.
@Geekybiker: In the majority of modern manual transmission cars, the transmission is sort of under and beside the engine, and the transmission linkage is cable actuated, thus enabling the gearshift to go a multitude of places. My friend Ben says that I look like a stone cold badass when I shift my ’77 Dodge with the column shifter, and I’d have to agree.
@MrEvil: You beat me. But I’m the first to mention a 3 on the tree plus bench seats plus your sweetie equals smooching.
@MrEvil: I think the real reason is that floor shifters are seen as “sportier” than column shifters.
@Stitchopoulis: I was just chuckling over “stone cold badass”
Do you prefer three on the column or four on the floor?
(Missing my old 72 Challenger with the Slap Stick automatic)
I can’t believe you’d even consider shopping at carmax. They promote the no-haggle atmosphere, then charge 20% more than any sane person would ever pay for anything.
Shit what’s the point in buying a car if you can’t haggle anyway?
And then there’s the fact that they fill your volvo with black goo.
We purchased a “certified pre-owned Volvo XC90″ in October,and what a mistake that was. No black gunk, but just about everything else that could go wrong has. The first two month’s that we owned the car it had two recalls, the transmission went, needed new rotors, replaced 4 bulbs, replaced stereo panel, failed inspection, replaced ball-joints, etc…it just never ends. Volvo the corporation offers nothing but a complaint line, and the dealership has told us that it is our problem now. We are left with nothing else to do, but to file a suit against the dealership for falsly certifying the vehicle. The vehicle we purchased obviously never went through the 130+ point VOLVO CPO check. If you are experiencing a similar situation contact Volvo the Corp or write to your chapter of consumer protection or attorney general for your state. Maybe if they get enough complaints something will be done. Don’t trust CPO!
Both the Car and the Key? Sounds like you have a classic case of automotive possession. I suggest using aquafina, and book of random religious-sounding gibberish. Feel free to substitute any liquid and text of your choice.
Maybe this was brought up already, but you shouldn’t be able to buy a “Certified” vehicle at a superstore. Only dealerships offer that.
And I agree with the coffee/soda spill theory, anything with sugar in it combined with the high heat of an interior turns rock hard fast.
I still agreed with paulprod. The quantity of goo described far exceeds that of spilled soda.
This is a lube/tacky job gone wrong.
And, anyone can certify anything. I myself have been certified as “Excellent”. It really depends on how much you value the opinion and reputation of the certifier.
I agree with paulprod as well. I live in Michigan and in the 70′s and early 80′s there was a company called Ziebart, (It’s us or rust) that used to undercoat vehicles. The method involved drilling holes in all the hidden crevices of your car, including the doors, and spraying this black tarry gunk all over the inside, and underside of your car. The gunk prevented moisture and road salt from causing rust from the inside, and it really did work. In those days, Michigan cars would rust out in two years from the Winter road salt. But that was before manufacturers started dipping the entire chassis in rust inhibiter during production. It could be that the original dealer sold the original owner rust proofing that he really didn’t need. Ziebart caused the exact same symptoms that are described, but it usually dried and stopped after a few weeks. In the mid 80′s, most cars started coming with high mileage no rust guarantees, and Ziebart turned into an accesories aftermarket type company.
I don’t understand how you can buy a Volvo Certified used Volvo from a non-Volvo dealership?
Oh wait. Yes I can: you got scammed!
The car was flooded.
All batteries and fluids have congealed inside -with- any possible molds/silts/residues.