Volvo brake software recall 2020-2026 PHEV/EVs

You had to be using “B mode” in the transmission you had to be going downhill for greater than 1 minute and 40 seconds with NO pedal application. Without audio, it’s hard to tell what is happening with the video you linked. I can’t tell if they are in B mode, or not, if they have applied the pedal, or not, or if they are just driving too fast.

It’s a recall - it’s already fixed.

I don’t know too many folks using “B mode” - it’s the one pedal drive mode with stronger regenerative braking - and I find it really annoying.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/volvo-recall-urgent-brake-failure-warning-select-vehicles

Instead of error-filled “news” articles, here is the NHTSA recall notice.
 
Astro14 said:
You had to be using “B mode” in the transmission you had to be going downhill for greater than 1 minute and 40 seconds with NO pedal application. Without audio, it’s hard to tell what is happening with the video you linked. I can’t tell if they are in B mode, or not, if they have applied the pedal, or not, or if they are just driving too fast.

It’s a recall - it’s already fixed.

I don’t know too many folks using “B mode” - it’s the one pedal drive mode with stronger regenerative braking - and I find it really annoying.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/volvo-recall-urgent-brake-failure-warning-select-vehicles

Instead of error-filled “news” articles, here is the NHTSA recall notice.
Click to expand...

Most people with EVs use one pedal driving? In my previous EVs I didn't use it often, but in the Tesla you basically have no choice and now that I'm used to it, I'd probably continue to use it in any other EV (assuming it's a decent implementation).

I understand the recall is already fixed (although apparently there are still some cars out there that haven't got the software update). I just thought it would make for interesting discussion. A pretty serious error in an important part of the car.
 
Well, what's new ?

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/volvo-in-killer-brakes-inquiry/IYDR6TY7WOCL5DDL5FS2TOOV3I/

https://www.swedespeed.com/threads/...ion-with-the-wasselone-accident-in-france.70/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7219826.stm

In short - a Volvo 850 went down the sloped main street in the village of Wasselone, gathered speed and crashed killing two kids, gravely injuring a third.

I was the prime witness to an (unrelated) accident where an air-cooled 911 flew and did a longitudinal rollover after a snap oversteer in front of me on a very, very rainy night, just next to Wasselone, and the gendarme who took my testimony mentionned the investigation into that Volvo accident.

He didn't share much as the investigation was still ongoing and he was the stone cold, eyes of steel poker champion type, but he did mention that the lady who caused that tragic accident swore adamantly that her brakes became hard as rock on the sloped main street and the car accelerated, the car was picking up speed no matter what she did, then she released the pedal, pressed again and it worked that second time (but too late). Or something like that.

Volvo did eventually pay a 200k Euros fine without admitting guilt. Usually, in France one pays one symbolic Euro unless they are guilty as hell. It was the first time in France that an automotive maker was found guilty. Turned out they were having recurring issues with vacuum pumps on these, and going through different fixes but no recalls. The dealership had supposedly applied a fix, but it turned it was both the wrong fix, and done with the wrong repair kit, with a badly translated instructions sheet. There were no instructions in the user manual on what to do in case of vacuum loss. And the little lady's foot was not heavy enough or insistent enough to get it to stop in time.
 
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goblin said:
Well, what's new ?

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/volvo-in-killer-brakes-inquiry/IYDR6TY7WOCL5DDL5FS2TOOV3I/

https://www.swedespeed.com/threads/...ion-with-the-wasselone-accident-in-france.70/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7219826.stm

In short - a Volvo 850 went down the sloped main street in the village of Wasselone, gathered speed and crashed killing two kids, gravely injuring a third.

I was the prime witness to an (unrelated) accident where an air-cooled 911 flew and did a longitudinal rollover after a snap oversteer in front of me on a very, very rainy night, just next to Wasselone, and the gendarme who took my testimony mentionned the investigation into that Volvo accident.

He didn't share much as the investigation was still ongoing and he was the stone cold, eyes of steel poker champion type, but he did mention that the lady who caused that tragic accident swore adamantly that her brakes became hard as rock on the sloped main street and the car accelerated, the car was picking up speed no matter what she did, then she released the pedal, pressed again and it worked that second time (but too late). Or something like that.

Volvo did eventually pay a 200k Euros fine without admitting guilt. Usually, in France one pays one symbolic Euro unless they are guilty as hell. It was the first time in France that an automotive maker was found guilty. Turned out they were having recurring issues with vacuum pumps on these, and going through different fixes but no recalls. The dealership had supposedly applied a fix, but it turned it was both the wrong fix, and done with the wrong repair kit, with a badly translated instructions sheet. There were no instructions in the user manual on what to do in case of vacuum loss. And the little lady's foot was not heavy enough or insistent enough to get it to stop in time.
Click to expand...
Had to go back to the 1999 to find another Volvo brake incident, eh?

That’s some serious digging, right there.

A 1999 crash of an early 1990s diesel car. From the description, it sounds like the vacuum pump for the booster failed, which isn’t a failure unique to this car.

And the brakes still work without vacuum assist, whether or not there were specific instructions in the “user manual” about having to press harder.

So, what’s new? You dredged up one incident from 26 years ago - hardly new.
 
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