Last week I had my 59 Volvo v70 2.4 Automatic into Volvo (North East UK) for repairs as water was coming in from the light above the centre console on rainy days. After hours of troubleshooting I pinned it on a split in the sunroof seal and the windscreen seal had failed. It was the Friday before last it went in. A few days beforehand I noticed grinding noises and heavy steering and noticed the power steering reservoir was pouring oil out. I taped the sunroof and window to try and stop any more leaking and left it until it went in, there was alot of water ingress.
A few days before it went into Volvo I noticed water sloshing under the car and a fan blowing anytime I unlocked it but couldn’t turn the engine on due to the power steering pump, ive never seen anything like this before. I rang Volvo back and asked if it was even worth repairing as I would just scrap it if not and they told me they’d diagnose it and let me know.
It got towed over to Volvo on the Friday and they had it a few hours before calling to say they’d checked it all, it was fine and just needed stripped and dried out with a new power steering pipe and it would be brand new, quoted £950. Brilliant I thought as they offer a 9 month payment plan and I told them to go ahead with it. They had the car for 7 days and a or 2 day before pick up they rang and said there was more damage to the pump and it would cost £500 more. Nightmare but OK go ahead.
Pick up day came (11/04/2024) and I got a taxi over, immediately I noticed they hadn’t even took the tape off the sunroof which is covering a huge split in the seal. I questioned it straight away and he told me they have ways of checking the car without opening the sunroof which made no sense to me but they know best. I’ve now had the car back 6 days and these are the problems I’ve found:
Various buttons on the centre console don’t function.
Centre console button lights don’t work.
Radio power button doesn’t work unless engine is off.
Car key not serviced after I was told it would be as it needed it.
Heated seats buttons light up but the seats don’t heat up.
Fans don’t work at all so I can’t demist windscreen or warm up the car as it constantly blows freezing cold air but only gently.
Indicator stick doesn’t work for information (mpg, fuel economy etc.)
Rear view mirror doesn’t work (Dimmer or compass).
Auto windows won’t work.
Loud whining when steering (checked the reservoir and they’ve filled it fully, much further than the max line) and steering is very heavy.
I really am sorry for anyone who takes the time to read all that but I’m 27, just started my own business 2 month ago, I have a 2 year old daughter and recieve no help from the government. They’ve charged me £1988.17 for all of this and I feel like I’m going to have the scrap/sell the car before I even pay the repairs off. I told them I inherited this car from my uncle and it has a lot of sentimental value but I just cannot afford to keep on paying for repairs. If they had just looked and found these problems id have either bit the bullet and gotten them to do it or scrapped the car if its beyond repair. I’ve transcribed the receipt beloe and am happy to provide any further details. Any advice would be appreciated so much 🙏🙏
Receipt:
A Lab
Stripped interior seats/carpet/trims
Allowed to dry
£450.01
S Sub
Replaced front screen
£250
A Lab
Power steering pump split
Requires further investigation
Traced to oil cooler and return pipe
Replaced parts, replenished fluid
Bleed and tested.
Anchorage x2 – £7.40
Oil Cooler – £336.50
Return Pipe – £111.50
Power Steering oil – £21.40
Total 956.80
Vat 331.36
Owing £1988.17