[SteveXC90owner]

I’m hoping I can get some advice from the forum as to what you suggest I do regarding an incident with my XC90 Ultimate T8.

I am experienced with the operation of an XC90 Hybrid having owned a T8 R Design Pro for the last 3 years. On 1st September I received my brand new XC90 Ultimate T8, 7 days later I pulled into a car park to make a phone call. I stopped the car and applied the handbrake and put it into Park but left the car “on” as I was on a call. 2 minutes into the call without me doing anything the car suddenly launched forward and hit a large rock structure I was parked in front of, doing significant damage to the front of the car making it undrivable. (I have the dashcam footage of the whole incident).

I had been told many times by Volvo that they are there for you in the case of a problem so I pressed the on call button for help. After answering a question about data protection the automated assistant asked how it could help. I told it I had had an accident and it said it would be transferred to someone who could help. After a minute or so I got an announcement in German saying the number was out of service and then it disconnected me. This happened several times and on the last occasion I made a video recording of the process.

When I called a number I had for Volvo assist customer service it put me on hold for 35 minutes before someone answered and said they would transfer me – this whole process took 1 hours 30 minutes. Then Volvo arranged a tow truck which arrived 6 hours after the incident and took the car to their storage yard where it still is.

I am currently stuck in an endless loop being passed between Volvo Assist Breakdown and Volvo Assist Accident. (neither of which are actually Volvo employees but two different outside contractors) Accident Assist said that because I am claiming it was a car error that made it launch itself forward I need to be dealt with by Assist Breakdown. Breakdown Assist say because the car was damaged it is Assist Accidents problem. I am also talking to the “middle office” and Volvo UK customer service – both of these groups seem unable to make anything happen and just tell me I have to work with Volvo Assist!

The car has now been in the storage yard for 10 days and I still can’t get it to a Volvo dealer for them to read the black box that hopefully will confirm there was no input from me to make the car launch forward. At one point Volvo Customer Service said they would get me a rental car but they never managed to make it happen.

I feel totally helpless in this situation so I’m reaching out to the forum to see if anyone can suggest where I go next.