Fuel pump failure, 03 S80

[John Callahan]

Hi, Just had to have my fuel pump replaced to the tune of well over a thousand dollars. Cost and problem fall in to the "unreal" category. Hard to believe that something as simple as a fuel pump has evolved into a piece of equipment that apparently as complicated as something that is vital to the launch of the Shuttle. Oh for the days when a fuel pump was activated by the cam shaft, held on to the engine with two bolts, cost five dollars, took about ten minutes to replace and seldom failed. According to the Stealership that did my work, in order to get to the fuel pump, they had to remove the rear seat to get to the fuel pump? I haven't had time to survey the total amount of damage they did in doing this, but do know that the headliner and steering wheel are covered with greasy hand prints and after three days there is still a strong odor of gasoline in the car. My Volvo is an 03 S80 with only 45000 miles on it. Is this typical of Volvo dependability and excellence? Guess i'm going to have to go Japanese.
Comments please.

[MadeInJapan]

Hi, Just had to have my fuel pump replaced to the tune of well over a thousand dollars.

You bent over, grabbed your ankles and let the stealership have their way with you....Hate to say it but they're laughing all the way to the bank. Not only that, they'll expect you go come back, pay some more (bend over again, sir!) to rectify (pun intended) what must be something you did and not them. My suggestion is to COMPLAIN LOUDLY...to the service manager first, then the Area Manager and then to Volvo of North America. That still might not help you, but it might....Then find a good indie machanic or learn to do this stuff yourself. Otherwise you're going to do as you planned and begin hating your Volvo and swear it off. The fuel pump should have cost you well under $200 if you had done it yourself (and yes, the rear seat has to come out but that's 15 or 20 minutes tops and not hard)...and you could have with help from folks on this site, and done it right with no greasy hand prints or the smell of gas. I hate the dealer and have not stepped foot in their doors in several years...what you described is EXACTLY why.

[John Callahan]

Well my friends (as John McCain would say), normally I do do my own work, however my Volvo failed in the parking lot of a cardiac hospital, where the following day I was scheduled for a Defibrillator-Pacemaker implant. My wife was in dire need of an automobile( I don't dare say Volvo), so we were forced to put ourselves at the hardhearted mercy of a Stealership, so I had no alternative to, as you say "bending over"! The thousand dollars I mentioned doesn't include a two hundred dollar towing charge. I guess , to sum it all up, if your elderly and living on Social Security don't mess with Volvo's. I have driven Volvos for many years and have always found them to be dependable. No more!
I have started the process, as you suggest, of climbing the ladder of responsibility, but doubt that it will do much good.
Thanks for your response.

Odometer reading 45,506

[MadeInJapan]

I'm sorry that I was so blunt. I would have probably been more tactful if I had known your situation...and I feel great empathy for you. I have ailing parents myself and my Dad of all people is still trying to do maintenance on his vehicle himself and recently asked me if he should switch to synthetic oil on his Oldsmobile which has well over 100K miles on it. I told him to just leave it alone...at this point, why chance something happening- if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Anyway, I'm afraid that you are correct. If you're retired or have reason not to be able to work on these things, best to stay with the tried and true older Volvo's or go with something that takes absolutely zero, or if any, very little maintenance to keep up...Toyota's and Honda's come to mind here. Good luck and you're in my prayers.