2003 & 2004 XC90's are unsafe towing according to Volvo USA!

[MEATKINS]

I posted a thread here some time ago expressing confusion over the recommendations in the new 2005 XC90 owner's manual regarding towing capacities. In the new manual the max capacity of 5000lbs is reserved only for the new V8 with only 2 people in the vehicle. The 5 cylinder awd identical to my 2004 won't pull 3000lbs safely, according to the new 2005 owner's manual, while in my 2004 manual the recommended weight is 5000lbs. I contacted Volvo USA headquarters in NJ and spoke to a Vice-President of customer relations who referred the matter to the XC90 engineers and product managers. He called me back and Volvo USA has authorized the buy back of my 6mo. old 2004 XC90 over this towing issue I raised with them. He said that the 2005 manual "is correct". I asked him if that meant that my 2004 manual was wrong and his response was very measured and legalistic. He said, "That is not what I said. Just that the 2005 manual is correct." I then asked if that meant that Volvo would be contacting all current owners of XC90s to inform them of this severe towing risk. His response was that "we are just going to deal with your unique situation." Since Volvo is not interested enough in the safety of its owners to inform them of this hazard, may I ask your assistance in getting the word out to families like mine who may be towing trailers that the XC90 won't handle so that they are aware of the risk. I have a meeting scheduled with a representative of Volvo USA to negotiate the terms of their re-purchase. After that meeting I may be barred from discussing this further by the terms of the agreement. I'll let you all know.

[v70+xc70]

Don't start two threads on the same subject.
PIA to have to do search for your old thread just to see what you are talking about.
Original thread
http://www.volvoxc.com/forums/showth...ghlight=towing

[arejohn]

If this had not been a new post I would have missed it.

[AWD*V70XC]

Good post, I missed it last time as well, makes you wonder if there was some misunderstanding in the change of languages when the books were done. I wonder if this throws out other cars as well.

[Big]

I posted a thread here some time ago expressing confusion over the reccommendations in the new 2005 XC90 owner's manual regarding towing capicities...

Please modify your inflammatory and inaccurate heading, "2003 & 2004 XC90's are unsafe towing according to Volvo USA!" They said nothing of the sort. As I pointed out in your original thread, Volvo simply refined their ratings to give more information. Nothing about the new ratings is a surprise to those who tow and they should not be to you, either. What exactly did you want to tow that makes you so upset?

[TrueBlue]

I think Meatkins has got a jolly good deal. Volvo UK would have walked away from it (assuming that they picked up the call anyway), claiming that the manual was a "misprint". I know, I've been there (not with towing), and it still smarts.

Let's not go down the flaming route - this is not that sort of Forum, deciding whether or not to start a new thread has to be up to the originator. (IMHO)

[Big]

I think Meatkins has got a jolly good deal. Volvo UK would have walked away from it (assuming that they picked up the call anyway), claiming that the manual was a "misprint". I know, I've been there (not with towing), and it still smarts.

Let's not go down the flaming route - this is not that sort of Forum, deciding whether or not to start a new thread has to be up to the originator. (IMHO)

Indeed but I can also point out that the heading is inaccurate and ask that the owner try to be less sensationalist about it. We are, afterall, trying to give useful information here and to not become one of those boards where people mostly rant about things they don't understand.

From what I can gather from MEATKINS posts, he believed what the dealer said about towing but the manual goes into much more detail about specific load conditions--better than most car manuals that never give that kind of information. I looked at it and see nothing unusual there with respect to towing. Towing safely is serious business. He didn't do his homework and he's trying to blame Volvo. The dealer has some responsibility if MEATKINS explained clearly his towing requirements. I doubt that he did.

[v70+xc70]

Let's not go down the flaming route - this is not that sort of Forum, deciding whether or not to start a new thread has to be up to the originator. (IMHO)

My response was not a flame.
I missed the original post as well and had to go looking for it. Takes time.
The original thread updated would have continued the informational nature of MEATKINS' experience which is important information without having to waste time. Suppose I could edit my post to delete the link to the original thread and let people go find out what he is talking about for themselves, but thats really unhelpful - Forums are here to help.
Perhaps Volvo is getting to badly burnt by the Aisin/warner transmissions problem.
Wonder if Volvo will take the hitch off MEATKINS' vehicle before they resell it.

[MEATKINS]

I think BIG misses the point. The 2003 & 2004 Volvo owner's manual states, on pg 101 or so, that the towing capacity for the XC90 AWD is 5000lbs. There are no "ifs, ands, or buts". No calculations of how many passengers, cargo, rows of seats. No asterisks referring the owner to another reference for more specific instructions. In fact, the training manual published by Volvo and sent to dealers to instruct them what to say about the XC90 specifically instructs dealers to say that all XC90 (5cyl and 6cyl) have the same towing capacity of 5000lbs. I am not inflammatory in my title since, when I asked the Volvo USA headquarters to clarify this issue, I told them that if my 2004 5cyl XC90 was not safe towing the weights recommended in the owner's manual then I would like them to take the vehicle back. They have offered to buy back the vehicle. Therefore, one can assume that the 2004 XC90 is unsafe to tow the weights suggested in the owner's manual. I also realize that the max. capacities in manuals are just that MAXIMAL. I wanted to tow a 3500lb trailer, and figuring 100lbs of stuff per passenger packed in the trailer, that brings us to 4000lbs for a family of four. Figuring a 20% safety margin from the max capacity of 5000lbs, I should be able to tow my trailer, if the 2004 owner's manual is accurate. However, this is not the case, according to the reps. from Volvo USA. I did do my homework prior to purchasing this vehicle. I did not take the dealer's word about towing, but rather investigated enough to find out what Volvo was telling it's dealers about towing for 2004 models. I found out about the discrepancy between the 2004 and 2005 models because the service manager at my dealership told me about a seminar he recently attended in Arizona regarding the XC90s. During that seminar he was told that, despite what was written in the 2005 owner's manual for all XC90s, other than the new V8, towing should be limited to less than 2000lbs. Finally, I started a new thread so this would not get lost in the old one. All I really want from Volvo USA is for them to let owners of all XC90s know about this so people do not get hurt or killed. Again, please help me get the word out about this important safety hazard for owners of 2004 & 2003 XC90's.

[Big]

I think BIG misses the point....

Rather, you do not appear to understand tow ratings. The 5000 pounds is the maximum trailer that the XC90 can tow under ideal conditions. Most tow ratings are given this way but it does not mean you can tow that much weight with a loaded vehicle! There are plenty of "ifs ands or buts" with tow ratings that, had you done your homework, you would have considered. With any vehicle you have to pay attention to the gross weight, axle ratings, tongue weight, trailer weight and center-of-gravity, tire pressure, and other factors. The numbers in the manual are just guidelines! Nothing special about Volvos.

I tried to help in the original message but you are hung up on a literal interpretation of the numbers. Use your head and stop trying to blame the manufacturer for not leading you by the hand through the complicated world of towing.