— A Volvo hybrid battery recall has caused a class action lawsuit filed by a vehicle owner who complains the recall will take hours of his time.
The lawsuit was filed about two weeks after Volvo recalled 7,483 of these hybrid vehicles.
- 2020-2021 Volvo S90
- 2020-2022 Volvo S60
- 2020-2022 Volvo V60
- 2020-2022 Volvo XC60
- 2020-2022 Volvo XC90
- 2022 Volvo V90
Volvo estimates 5% of the recalled hybrid vehicles may suffer from battery problems which could cause smoke, melting and fires. The Volvo hybrid high voltage batteries were built by LG between June 3, 2019, and November 30, 2021.
Volvo determined the hybrid battery could experience a short circuit when the vehicle is parked and the battery is fully charged.
To repair the vehicles, Volvo dealers will inspect the batteries to search for cell deviations in the battery modules. The vehicle will receive a software upgrade if no problems are found with the battery modules. The diagnostic software will monitor the battery modules for potential problems.
The Volvo high-voltage battery module will be replaced for free if a dealer finds a battery problem, and the vehicle will also receive the diagnostic software to monitor the new battery.
Volvo customers who paid for battery repairs prior to the recall can request reimbursement for expenses.
The Volvo Hybrid Battery Recall Lawsuit
The class action includes the 7,483 recalled Volvo vehicles and was filed by California 2020 Volvo XC60 owner Burhaan Saleh.
The plaintiff asserts he "has never been told of any recalls or defects related to the battery," and the plaintiff doesn't claim his Volvo had any problems. However, the plaintiff complains the recall will cost him "hours of his time."
According to the Volvo class action, there is no reason for any individual vehicle parts to fail. And even though the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Volvo blame the problem on battery manufacturer LG, the plaintiff says the problem is caused by Volvo's "improper engineering, design, or manufacturing."
The plaintiff complains the recall has made his Volvo vehicle "worthless" and he "must spend time and money to transport himself and his defective Class Vehicle to a Volvo certified mechanic."
Volvo has warned owners not to fully charge their high voltage hybrid batteries, but the automaker hasn't warned vehicle owners not to drive their vehicles. And even though it cost $405 to file the class action for more than $5 million, the plaintiff complains about the cost to tow his Volvo to a dealership.
"In addition to the sheer amount of time spent in repairing his vehicle, Plaintiff is faced with another difficult expense, the price of towing his vehicle. The average cost of towing, per mile, is $4.75 per mile. Given the additional time it takes for a tow truck to arrive, roughly thirty minutes, Plaintiff would spend more than an hour on his vehicle, unless of course, one is to assume that Plaintiff drives his potentially flammable Class Vehicle to the dealership." — Volvo hybrid battery lawsuit
Saying he has been "greatly inconvenienced" by the free Volvo battery recall, the plaintiff complains the recall "amounts to tens of thousands of hours and dollars needlessly taken from Plaintiff and other Class Vehicle owners."
The lawsuit alleges if Volvo would have built a vehicle "that was roadworthy and reliable, Plaintiff would not have had to spend hours upon hours of his life tending to this Recall."
The Volvo hybrid battery recall lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania: Burhaan Saleh v. Volvo Car USA, LLC, et al.
The plaintiff is represented by Carpey Law, P.C.