If you are thinking about buying a Volvo XC90 you may be interested in reading this.
My new Volvo XC90 was built in Sweden on 5 December 2003 and sold retail in Austria on 17 December 2003.
It ceased to function after 78 days it was out of the factory.
On 21 February 2004 the engine came to a complete stop while I was driving with my family on a Swiss road: no warning signals whatsoever, it simply stopped to function, period.
Total car mileage was then around 3,000 kilometers.
The Swiss authorised Volvo garage where it was towed (on my expenses) had to replace entirely the engine with a new one (this on Volvo's expenses).
I was out of the garage with my car and its new engine on 28 February 2004.
This time it lasted approximately 5 minutes.
The engine came to a complete stop (same as before) just 2-3 kilometers out of the garage.
Back to the same Volvo garage, they were more puzzled than I was: as the issue was investigated further, it became clear that the same problem had happened in other occasions, elsewhere but with the same model, and it would seem that at Volvo they still have no idea of the possible causes.
Now I am waiting for another new engine to be put in place (again on Volvo's expenses) but still am unsure whether the same problem will happen again and again ...
As I am still without my car, I am renting one in order to be able to continue my work (again on my expenses).
Just hope to help other people avoid the dreadful experience I am going through.</P>


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So, this was 8 months ago. Do you have a follow-up?

Posting like you have without follow-up isn't fair to the rest of us that are considering the purchase of a similar SUV. Please update your experience.

Franzo,
Appreciate your input. It is unfortunate that you had to go through this experience with Volvo. Not to be sound applogeistic for Volvo. But I can assure you, this would never happen here in US (Particularly in California). I have had Volvo's since 1983, and have never expericed engine dying on me with no appearant reason. The only time where my engine stopped on the freeway, it was purly my fault, because I did not replace the Timing Belt on my 740 before 70,000 Miles (120,000 km).

In regards to "renting cars at your expense". Again, here in US the dealer must provide you with a loaner car at HIS expense until your car is fixed. Besides, here in CA we have the "Lemon Law", which obligates the car manufacurer to replace your car with a new one free of charge, if the same problem (i.e. engine dies) occures more then twice.

Yeah here in the states, we have to give a loaner car to anybody that needs one thats still under warranty. Did the Motor stop or did the electroics shut off?