I have a 3.5 year old Volvo V50 with under 30,000 miles. Recently the AM side of the radio packed up (FM, ipod and CD works fine). I've been told this necessitates the entire unit being replaced at a cost of around £600.

I have an enquiry in to Volvo through my dealer to see what if anything they will contribute to the repair (maybe they will agree to replace it but somehow I doubt it).

After some googling it seems that this is a known problem with info on Volvo forums and even on you tube about it.

It seems to me that it would be reasonable to expect a radio to last more than 2.5 years and if this was an in-home unit I would have no hesitation in claiming my rights under the european legislation that gives up to 6 years protection. Would there be any difference in the fact it is part of a car? If it comes to it who would I make the claim against? - possibly complicated by this being a my old company lease car that I bought a year ago after retiring (funds are tight so cannot afford to just replace it!)

Your thoughts would be appreciated - thanks.

Yes SOGA applies as the radio is part of the overall specification.

Why the differnce in ages noted, 2.5 years or 3.5 years? At 2.5 it should be under warranty. at 3.5 I would be asking for a contribution for a know fault. Check the offer with care as it may be possible to spend less on an aftermarket repair or replacement unit then you will spend in Volvo.

Thanks for your replies - the car is 3.5 years old excuse the typo!

I bought the car from Lex autoleasing (as providers of what was my company car) - so if I were able to make any sort of claim it would be against Lex rather than Volvo.

I note you feel 2.5 years is under warranty but 3.5 is not - technically quite correct but does not the law supercede this giving guarantees of a sort for up to 6 years on electrical items. I know if you bought a quality stand alone radio/cd/ipod music system (which lets face it from Volvo would be an expensive system) you'd be pretty pissed off if it didn't last 3.5 years

Any further SOGA thoughts please?

Despite what you have read you are entitled to nothing.

Anything you get will be goodwill but I am doubtful tbh.

Good luck

Whilst it is not common for a car dealer to state the law doesnt apply with no justification I woud be grateful if you could let us in on the secret as to why.

This is the reality of the situation rather than the law.



Twenty five years of experience buying cars helps... Buy lots of cars just our of warranty, often with the odd fault, some manufacturers will give goodwill, we have found Volvo don't too often, and not once on a radio, and I have tried many times.

Whilst it is always worth a try, a warranty period is just that, it runs for a defined period, you know that when buying a vehicle, to expect cover beyond that is questionable.

Best of luck to the OP, but in my view, there isnt entitlement...If there is, it would save my business many thousands of £££'s a year in preperation costs, as we are spending money on a daily basis on such repairs.

The relevant legal principles give the OP at least a potential claim, but it would be a matter of judgment whether the defect is, in context, one that might reasonably occur so long after the sale. In practice, you are probably right, and unless the OP is very persistent or the seller is feeling warm and cuddly, they may say no, and it is hardly worth the candle to sue.

Post 2001 model?

I know when I worked in a Volvo dealer even fitting an identical radio from a S70 into a V70 killed the car as it upset the ECUs due to using CANBUS. I wonder how that's been got around?