Does Your Volvo CX40 or C40 Have Excessive Shaking at Highway Speeds? Here's Why Volvo May be Avoiding Fixing the Issue.

Owners of 2021-2024 Volvo XC40 Recharge and 2022-2024 C40 vehicles have long complained of excessive shaking and vibrations at highway speeds. Unfortunately, Volvo's response to this issue has been less than ideal (to put it lightly).

Recently, Volvo finally issued an internal dealer bulletin--Technical Journal 36752.2.0--which acknowledges the issue as being "vibrations occur[ing] in the steering wheel, mostly noticeable at speeds between 60-80mph/100-130kph." However, other than directing its technicians to confirm that a separate bulletin--Technical Journal 36580.1.0--does not apply, Volvo provides no repair for the excessive vibration/shaking issue. Instead, Volvo states that a repair would be made available in the first Quarter of 2024. Now, well into the second Quarter, no repair has yet been released.

The problem lies in the older bulletin referenced by Volvo. In that bulletin--Technical Journal 36580.1.0--the dealer was instructed to check the tires and wheels (i.e., checking tire pressures, tire balancing, wheel alignments, etc.) to ensure those are not the "cause." However, such items would fall under "normal wear and tear" items or routine maintenance, and hence are not likely to be covered under the terms of Volvo warranty. Effectively, Volvo's dealers may be delaying any permanent effort to find and fix the problem by simply blaming the tires (perhaps even suggesting replacing the tires when no such need actually exists).

Anecdotal evidence would suggest this is actively going on at Volvo's dealers, as well. Whether it is charging customer repeatedly for new tires, wheel alignments, or tire balancing, or just turning away the customer by claiming there was nothing verified, Volvo and its dealers appear not to be addressing the underlying issue.

If you are an owner or lessee of one of the affected vehicles, and have taken it to Volvo's dealer several times with similar concerns, give us a call to see whether your car may be a lemon (and entitle you to a refund of the money you paid for the car).

Contact us for a free attorney consultation and see whether you're entitled to relief under the lemon law.