[wheelsport]

Several months ago I purchased an '08 C70. The next morning when I tried to start the car, it wouldn't start. I had the message telling me to turn the wheels but that didn't work. I called a repairman and he went through the routine of un-sticking the steering lock. Everything was fine until this morning. No Start!! Again turning the wheels didn't work. I removed the lock assembly and flushed it with brake cleaner and pried the lock lug in and out a bunch of times, sprayed it with blaster and finally silicone spray. I tested it before reinstalling it and it worked fine. After installation and installing the panels, it still didn't work. I removed it again and left the spring loaded pin out. I then reinstalled it. I figured that maybe the spring loaded pin somehow was hindering the lock from working properly. The lock now works so I can start the car but for how long!! I'm lucky this happened at home instead of somewhere else. I know that I'm definitely not alone with this re-occurring problem and that many of you on the Volvo forums has been in contact with Volvo with nothing more than a sorry and having to pay a bunch of bucks. This dangerous problem is clearly a design problem that should have been remedied free of charge by Volvo years ago with a solution other than fazing the lock out on later models. I'm all in for a class action law suit. Is there anyone else with me?

 

[lensguy]

First, sorry to hear about your aggravation - that has to be very frustrating.

Now here is where I am a little confused. Are you suggesting this is a problem with '08 going forward, or all recent Volvo's? I can't say I'm familiar with it. I had an '08 V70 for 12 years and 112,000 and never experienced it. Now at the risk of jinxing it my wife has a 2013 XC70 with 85K and nothing like that. I haven't checked every thread here so I can't say it hasn't been discussed but I believe a problem has to be pretty huge before a class action lawsuit is effective.

 

[Tech]

Everyone wants everything for free. Just because something is a common problem doesn't mean Volvo has to pay for it to be fixed on a used car you bought that has been out of warranty for 8 years. You buy a used car out of warranty, you are responsible for fixing and maintaining it. But Yeah, let's sue everyone!

 

[lflorack]

But Yeah, let's sue everyone!

+1. Suing "because you can" seems to be the American way.

 

[coachrick]

We've had 11 Volvos, including four C70s('04, '08, '11 and '13) and haven't experienced what you describe.

 

[tomkat73]

My ‘08 C70 T5 M66, 115,000 miles - never had this problem. My ‘05 V50 T5 AWD GT 218,000 miles - never had this problem.

You bought a used car - out of warranty...how is this problem Volvo’s fault?

 

[Capndirk]

You'll maybe have better luck if you use a proper lubricant. Silicone spray has locked up more mechanical assemblies than I care to remember. I sprayed it on a working table saw blade elevation mechanism and it locked it up like right now.. The stuff is just dry bits of silicone (sometimes) that's supposed to have the properties of ball bearings. All the different brands have some kind of liquid carrier that evaporates away rather quickly. That liquid is not a cleaner or a lubricant. Save the dry silicone for sliding patio doors, and plan on applying it often, because it doesn't last.
Clean the moving parts and assemble with a light oil. Graphite is the time-honored lubricant for locks with an exterior exposure as it's not hdroscopic and won't hold moisture that freezes into ice. I've worked on Volvo's since 1967, both professionally and on personal cars. My experience is that lock assemblies are something that almost never present problems. Uncanny, actually, how reliable they are.

By the way, The NHTSA maintains records on consumer complaints on vehicle systems. For the 2008 C70, there are 16 complaints, and I could find no mention of a ignition key lock issues:
https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2008/VOLVO/C70/C/FWD#complaints

 

[wheelsport]

This problem will give a couple warnings of not starting. Then out of the blue leaves you stranded with a car that won't start. The only real fix is to replace the lock switch and reprogram it at cost of over $400. However that doesn't really fix it. The new switch is prone to do it again when you least expect it. If you haven't experienced this problem, you are very fortunate. Volvo has known about this problem for years and should have done a recall when the problem first came up. They refused to do anything about it until they finally acknowledge that it was problem and dropped the steering lock in '09. This problem has been thorn in many a Volvo owner's side in a number of cars '08 and earlier. Its not about not having to pay for repairs. This problem should have been taken care of from the start.

 

[Tech]

If it occured under warranty, it would have. But your car is 13 years old. Stuff breaks.

 

[DFrantz]

First car? Nearly every model car has something that can be "known to happen"... you fix it. No doubt the challenge with more electronic controls is that when they fail, they tend to just plain fail rather than slowly wear out. But that's the nature of everything. You're saying that doesn't really fix it, only it does completely.. it's just the part you fix it with will also eventually fail.

Volvo has a warranty for most of it's parts... so if you don't cheap out and actually get a dealer to do the work with Volvo parts, you do get some protection.

https://www.volvocars.com/en-bh/own/shop/parts-warranty