This Problem Across All Years
I am submitting this report to formally document a severe safety-related failure involving my 2013 Volvo S60, VIN # [XXX] . This vehicle is part of the Volvo brand, widely recognized and marketed as among the safest in the world. Incident Summary: On [XXX], at approximately [XXX] in Norwalk, Connecticut, the vehicle experienced a catastrophic mechanical failure while in operation. The auxiliary (serpentine) belt suddenly failed, shredded itself, and wrapped around the timing pulley. Debris from the failed belt entered the timing belt housing — a supposedly sealed and protected compartment — causing the timing belt to jump. This resulted in an immediate loss of engine power while driving, placing me in a highly vulnerable position. Fortunately, I was not on a multi-lane highway or in fast-moving traffic. Had I been traveling on a busier route, the sudden loss of power could have led to a serious crash and potential injury. This failure represented a genuine threat to my safety. Further inspection revealed that: The lower crankshaft sprocket had skipped three teeth due to the intrusion of the auxiliary belt. The timing belt, although not broken, was off track. A new timing belt was installed in an attempt to restart the engine. The engine would crank but failed to start. A compression test revealed zero compression in all cylinders. The valve train was severely damaged (bent valves), and the engine sustained internal mechanical failure beyond repair. Conclusion and Context: This is not an isolated incident. Upon further research, I discovered that this failure — specifically the auxiliary belt disintegrating and compromising the timing belt system — is a known and well-documented problem in vehicles equipped with the B5254T12 Turbo engine. Volvo has been previously alerted to similar cases before. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I am submitting this report to formally document a severe safety-related failure involving my 2013 Volvo S60, VIN # [XXX] . This vehicle is part of the Volvo brand, widely recognized and marketed as among the safest in the world. Incident Summary: On [XXX], at approximately [XXX] in Norwalk, Connecticut, the vehicle experienced a catastrophic mechanical failure while in operation. The auxiliary (serpentine) belt suddenly failed, shredded itself, and wrapped around the timing pulley. Debris from the failed belt entered the timing belt housing — a supposedly sealed and protected compartment — causing the timing belt to jump. This resulted in an immediate loss of engine power while driving, placing me in a highly vulnerable position. Fortunately, I was not on a multi-lane highway or in fast-moving traffic. Had I been traveling on a busier route, the sudden loss of power could have led to a serious crash and potential injury. This failure represented a genuine threat to my safety. Further inspection revealed that: The lower crankshaft sprocket had skipped three teeth due to the intrusion of the auxiliary belt. The timing belt, although not broken, was off track. A new timing belt was installed in an attempt to restart the engine. The engine would crank but failed to start. A compression test revealed zero compression in all cylinders. The valve train was severely damaged (bent valves), and the engine sustained internal mechanical failure beyond repair. Conclusion and Context: This is not an isolated incident. Upon further research, I discovered that this failure — specifically the auxiliary belt disintegrating and compromising the timing belt system — is a known and well-documented problem in vehicles equipped with the B5254T12 Turbo engine. Volvo has been previously alerted to similar cases before. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
THE VEHICLE SHIFTS ERRATICALLY IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC WITH FREQUENT SURGES AND JOLTS AT LOW GEARS. THIS ALSO OCCURS AT HIGHER TEMPERATURES (AFTER DRIVING FOR A WHILE ON HOT DAYS) AND DURING STOP AND GO TRAFFIC ON HOT DAYS. TRANSMISSION ENGAGES SLOWLY AFTER A FULL STOP AND OFTEN WITH A JERK, ESPECIALLY FELT WHEN STOPPED AT AN INCLINE. ALL OF THESE JERKS AND JOLTS OCCUR AROUND GEARS 1 OR 2 AND DURING STOPPING OR STARTING FROM STOP.
THE VEHICLE SHIFTS ERRATICALLY IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC WITH FREQUENT SURGES AND JOLTS AT LOW GEARS. THIS ALSO OCCURS AT HIGHER TEMPERATURES (AFTER DRIVING FOR A WHILE ON HOT DAYS) AND DURING STOP AND GO TRAFFIC ON HOT DAYS. TRANSMISSION ENGAGES SLOWLY AFTER A FULL STOP AND OFTEN WITH A JERK, ESPECIALLY FELT WHEN STOPPED AT AN INCLINE. ALL OF THESE JERKS AND JOLTS OCCUR AROUND GEARS 1 OR 2 AND DURING STOPPING OR STARTING FROM STOP.
WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON IT, MY S60 JUST COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING ON MY WAY TO WORK. WHILE PULLING OUT OF MY DEVELOPMENT, THE ENTIRE ENGINE, POWER STEERING - EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN. I HAD TO COAST INTO A TURNING LANE TO PUT ON MY FLASHERS. I HAD NOT GONE MORE THAN 3 MINUTES FROM MY HOUSE. AFTER VOLVO HAD IT FOR A FEW DAYS THEY TOLD ME THAT THE ALTERNATOR BELT HAD JUMPED OFF, HITTING THE ALTERNATOR, FRAYING THE BELT. THIS THEN RESULTED IN THE BELT WRAPPING AROUND ANOTHER PART OF THE ENGINE IMPACTING THE DRIVE BELT. THIS RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO THE DRIVE BELT, ALTERNATOR, 1/3 OF MY ENGINE AND MY CYLINDER BLOCK. VOLVO IS BLAMING THIS ON A FAULTY BELT TENSIONER, YET THEY ARE MAKING ME PAY FOR PART OF THE REPAIR WHICH IS A TOTAL COST OF $6,000. THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECTIVE PART - EITHER IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY OR IT WAS NOT PROPERLY BUILT AS A BELT DOES NOT JUST "JUMP". I WAS LUCKY THAT I HAD NOT YET GOTTEN ONTO THE HIGHWAY OR I WOULD HAVE BEEN INJURED ALONG WITH OTHER PEOPLE IF NOT WORSE. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AND VOLVO DOES NOT SEEM TO WANT TO ADMIT COMPLETE FAILURE HERE. THIS CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AND AT THE SAME DEALERSHIP.
WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON IT, MY S60 JUST COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING ON MY WAY TO WORK. WHILE PULLING OUT OF MY DEVELOPMENT, THE ENTIRE ENGINE, POWER STEERING - EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN. I HAD TO COAST INTO A TURNING LANE TO PUT ON MY FLASHERS. I HAD NOT GONE MORE THAN 3 MINUTES FROM MY HOUSE. AFTER VOLVO HAD IT FOR A FEW DAYS THEY TOLD ME THAT THE ALTERNATOR BELT HAD JUMPED OFF, HITTING THE ALTERNATOR, FRAYING THE BELT. THIS THEN RESULTED IN THE BELT WRAPPING AROUND ANOTHER PART OF THE ENGINE IMPACTING THE DRIVE BELT. THIS RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO THE DRIVE BELT, ALTERNATOR, 1/3 OF MY ENGINE AND MY CYLINDER BLOCK. VOLVO IS BLAMING THIS ON A FAULTY BELT TENSIONER, YET THEY ARE MAKING ME PAY FOR PART OF THE REPAIR WHICH IS A TOTAL COST OF $6,000. THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECTIVE PART - EITHER IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY OR IT WAS NOT PROPERLY BUILT AS A BELT DOES NOT JUST "JUMP". I WAS LUCKY THAT I HAD NOT YET GOTTEN ONTO THE HIGHWAY OR I WOULD HAVE BEEN INJURED ALONG WITH OTHER PEOPLE IF NOT WORSE. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AND VOLVO DOES NOT SEEM TO WANT TO ADMIT COMPLETE FAILURE HERE. THIS CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY AND AT THE SAME DEALERSHIP.
WHEN COMING TO A STOP, ONCE STOP HAS COMPLETED, WHILE FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE AT RANDOM TIMES THE VEHICLE WE JOLT FORWARDED. THE JOLT WOULD BE IN COMPARISON TO THE FEELING OF BEING REAR ENDED AT A COMPLETE STOP. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE LOCAL VOLVO DEALERSHIP AND THEY CHECKED IT AND CAME BACK WITH NOTHING BEING WRONG. ON THE FOURTH RETURN TO THE DEALERSHIP I ASKED IF ANYONE DROVE THE VEHICLE. THE ANSWER WAS NO. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SPECIALIST ASKED IF HE COULD DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME FOR THE NIGHT. I SAID YES, BECAUSE THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS RANDOMLY. THE NEXT DAY, THE SERVICE SPECIALIST SAID THAT HE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. AGAIN, NOTHING THEY SAID COULD BE DONE BECAUSE NO ERROR CODE APPEARED. THE TRANS JUMPS TOO MUCH, TO BE NORMAL.
WHEN COMING TO A STOP, ONCE STOP HAS COMPLETED, WHILE FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE AT RANDOM TIMES THE VEHICLE WE JOLT FORWARDED. THE JOLT WOULD BE IN COMPARISON TO THE FEELING OF BEING REAR ENDED AT A COMPLETE STOP. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE LOCAL VOLVO DEALERSHIP AND THEY CHECKED IT AND CAME BACK WITH NOTHING BEING WRONG. ON THE FOURTH RETURN TO THE DEALERSHIP I ASKED IF ANYONE DROVE THE VEHICLE. THE ANSWER WAS NO. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SPECIALIST ASKED IF HE COULD DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME FOR THE NIGHT. I SAID YES, BECAUSE THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS RANDOMLY. THE NEXT DAY, THE SERVICE SPECIALIST SAID THAT HE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. AGAIN, NOTHING THEY SAID COULD BE DONE BECAUSE NO ERROR CODE APPEARED. THE TRANS JUMPS TOO MUCH, TO BE NORMAL.
WHEN I AM SOMETIMES EITHER STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN, INTERSECTION OR ON A HIGHWAY, THE TRANSMISSION WILL ALMOST STOP, BUCK AND THEN RESUME DRIVING.
WHEN I AM SOMETIMES EITHER STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN, INTERSECTION OR ON A HIGHWAY, THE TRANSMISSION WILL ALMOST STOP, BUCK AND THEN RESUME DRIVING.