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Volvo issues

C

ccrider

Seasoned Expediter
I'm just now finding the words.

Three weeks ago we were in the MN cold when our 2008 780/D13 started running rough. Checking the unit I found a code for the 6th injector. We started towards the closest Volvo service center when the issue appeared to resolve itself and we continued to another area (I thought it was most likely a cold or airlock issue since it was #6). 200 miles down the road the issue came back and we ended up at a Volvo dealer. 3 days and $2400 later we were back on the road and working.

The issue was the injector harness. The tech knew almost right away having seen this issue before. Once they removed the old harness I was shown the cracks and chips missing from the wire insulation causing an electrical short at the #6. It could have been just as easily the 1,2,3,4, or 5 though.
The insulation was cracked everywhere. What set me off is that we were just at 289K and 39k out of warranty and this is clearly a defective part. The wire didn't just crack at 289k miles. It has been going bad from the start. Volvo is not interested in standing by the product. Oh well.

Has anyone else had this type of issue or am I just lucky?
 
moose

moose

Veteran Expediter
ccrider said:
. What set me off is that we were just at 289K and 39k out of warranty and this is clearly a defective part. The wire didn't just crack at 289k miles. It has been going bad from the start.
Click to expand...

250 K Mil. warranty ?

you will soon be driving down the road , at night , and suddenly feel that all you got left is the seat & steering wheel ...
if not for the luck of warranty , it will be do to the deicer stuff they use up there...
 
C

ccrider

Seasoned Expediter
2008 Volvo's came with a 250,000 mile warranty on major and some minor components. I guess I could have purchased the extended but I never expected the injector harness to be allergic to oil. I had heard of harness failures but they were on trucks with 2-3 times the miles.
 
piper1

piper1

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
It's cheap wiring that cant handle the heat and oil. They should have warranted this for you under a policy adjustment, or, at the very least they should have eaten the parts or labor part of the bill. A fleet would have gotten warranty on it. I'd call the regional service rep for Volvo and calmly state what happened and see if you can get something covered.
 
C

ccrider

Seasoned Expediter
Thank you for the sentiment. I worked with both the shop and the original dealer to bring this to Volvo's attention. Two different regional managers supposedly reviewed this and determined that Volvo wasn't interested in covering any part of the repair. I truly expected them to cover the parts and thought I'd end up covering the labor but Volvo was not interested.

I am very disappointed in Volvo. If we are lucky, business will be good enough that someday we might need to purchase a new truck again. I will be remembering how Volvo stands by their trucks.
 
bluejaybee

bluejaybee

Veteran Expediter
Wow! $2400 just for a wiring harness? Wow! Was it just injector harness or the whole truck? Wow! We get ripped no matter how simple the fix is. Wow! I feel your pain.
 
R

Refer Hauler

Expert Expediter
I have had to replace the injector wiring harness on two different Detroits series 60 and both times the parts and labor were in the $600 range. I think they ripped you off.
 
C

ccrider

Seasoned Expediter
On my 2008 780 the injector harness is the whole enchilada.

The entire harness to every electrical component.

The harness itself ran about $800 and the rest was labor,

I am lucky the dealer only charged me (I guess) the book rate rather than the actual time his techs spent on it (could have been the quote I got at first too). We sat in the lounge for 3 days sleeping in the shop (in the truck at night). By my clock they spent 24 hours on it at $98/hour plus parts it could have been more. They had not done a D13 before and it took longer than they thought it would. I was told this has been an issue on many other Volvo's as well.
 
greg334

greg334

Veteran Expediter
That's good. I know many will ask why keep it but the harness can be rebuilt.

The amazing thing is unless there is a core charge, all the parts are yours, not theirs and they do get a recycle price for some of these parts - so after paying a few thousand they still make more money.
 
Moot

Moot

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
ccrider what you done, done? Sorry I couldn't resist that line.

Your post got me thinking about electronically controlled engines, micro processors and other technologies found in modern trucks. I realize these things help us squeeze more miles out of a gallon of fuel but is there any real dollar savings after the initial cost and repair bills? Designing and installing a wire harness that can't hold up to heat, oil and road gunk is bordering on criminal.
 
davekc

davekc

Senior Moderator
Staff member
Fleet Owner
Moot said:
ccrider what you done, done? Sorry I couldn't resist that line.

Your post got me thinking about electronically controlled engines, micro processors and other technologies found in modern trucks. I realize these things help us squeeze more miles out of a gallon of fuel but is there any real dollar savings after the initial cost and repair bills? Designing and installing a wire harness that can't hold up to heat, oil and road gunk is bordering on criminal.
Click to expand...

We had one of these done on a Cat engine and it was $300. That is a heck of a bill for that repair. It did get me thinking again on these new engines with the EPA junk on them They run a lot hotter and it is still to be determined how fast the external items will wear prematurely. My guess is they are still using the same harness. Volvo has a history of customer service problems ranging from front end issues to electrical fires.
I remember a couple of years ago at MATS there was people walking around with anti Volvo signs.
 
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