Independent customer review · Ottawa–Gatineau
My Carling Motors Volvo review: what happened after I signed
Before 4,000 km, the repair orders for my new EC40 recorded replacement of both the high-voltage battery and the high-voltage inverter. The experience that followed changed my view of Volvo.
If you are reading Carling Motors reviews before buying or leasing a Volvo in Ottawa or Gatineau, I want you to see what happened after I signed.
I’m Michael Brulotte, an Ottawa resident. In December 2024, I leased a new 2025 Volvo EC40 Black Edition through Carling Volvo, the Volvo dealership operated by Carling Motors Co. Limited at 1622 Carling Avenue in Ottawa. I chose it for my growing family.
Four months later, it would not go into drive while my infant daughter and dog were with me. Major repairs, further warnings, and repeated efforts to get answers followed.
Based on my experience, I would not buy or lease another Volvo, and I would not recommend Carling Motors. Before you commit your money, read the record and ask how you would be supported if your vehicle developed serious problems.
October 2026 case snapshot
The scale of my experience
- Before 4,000 km
- The repair orders document replacement of both the high-voltage battery and the high-voltage inverter.
- 400+ cumulative days
- By October 2026, I was reporting more than 400 cumulative days without my EC40 across service visits and the continuing dispute. I have had loaner vehicles during its absence.
- $543.79 every two weeks
- My lease payment, including HST. My October 2026 account reported that the payments continued while I remained without my EC40.
The day total describes my reported time without the vehicle I leased, including the ongoing dispute. In January 2026, Volvo stated that the vehicle was repaired or drivable; I disputed whether my concerns had been fully resolved and requested written confirmation. The vehicle’s condition and the appropriate remedy remain disputed in this October 2026 account.
Read the dated timeline01 / After the contract
My Carling Motors service experience
A serious failure within the first few months
In April 2025, my EC40 developed propulsion warnings and would not engage drive. It was subsequently towed to the dealership. The first major repair included replacement of the high-voltage battery under Volvo technical support’s direction.
This was a new family vehicle. I expected dependable transportation. Instead, I was arranging a tow and finding another way to get around.
April 19, 2025 · The first breakdownA warning still on the dashboard at collection
On June 2, after being told the car had been repaired and tested, I arrived to collect it. The propulsion warning was still on the dashboard. I went back to the service desk before leaving the lot. The dealership addressed what it described as a software issue that afternoon.
Five days later, another propulsion warning appeared. The car remained driveable, but acceleration was reduced. A further repair involved replacement of the high-voltage inverter.
Another handover, another warning
When the EC40 was delivered back to me on June 20, it displayed an eCall service warning. A technician subsequently returned to my driveway to replace a component associated with that system.
Being told a vehicle is ready should mean the reported concerns have been checked and any remaining issues clearly explained. These handovers seriously damaged my confidence in the service process.
A charging failure and a much longer dispute
On September 21, while my wife had the EC40 in Montreal, it stopped accepting a charge and displayed “Reconnect Error.” The charging cable remained locked in the port until she used the emergency release.
The vehicle returned to Carling Motors on October 14, 2025, for charging and noise concerns. Further manufacturer technical involvement and a prolonged dispute followed. The later disagreement about repair completion is part of the record, too.
02 / The documentation
What the repair records show
The major component replacements are recorded in Carling Motors’ own repair orders.
Repair order 513484
High-voltage battery replacement following a propulsion-system fault and Volvo technical-support direction.
- Recorded odometer
- 3,635 km in / 3,640 km out
- Source
- Brulotte RO1, page 1
Repair order 516320
High-voltage inverter replacement after a further propulsion warning and a fault that remained following an initial software procedure.
- Recorded odometer
- 3,993 km in / 3,994 km out
- Source
- Brulotte RO2, pages 1–2
The orders show these repairs at no charge to me. My criticism includes the repeated problems, the handovers, the loss of use, and the difficulty of reaching a satisfactory resolution. The financial impact I describe is separate from the cost of those warranty repairs.
These are summaries of repair records held by the author.
03 / The proposed resolution
What happened when I sought a resolution
Volvo Car Canada did offer a repurchase. In its December 19, 2025 correspondence, it proposed repurchasing the vehicle, refunding my initial down payment, and providing $500 toward fuel, conditional on signing a release.
I did not consider those terms an adequate resolution of my losses and rejected them. The timeline summarizes my requests and Volvo’s response.
That offer belongs in this account. So does the fact that the dispute continued. By October 2026, I remained dissatisfied with the outcome and continued reporting lease payments while using a loaner instead of my EC40.
For someone considering a new Volvo, this is a practical question: what happens to your family, your transportation, and your payments while a serious problem turns into a prolonged dispute?
Read the timeline summary of the offer and my response04 / Before the next signature
Questions I would ask Carling Volvo before signing today
Ask for the answers in writing. These are questions about what the dealership would commit to for you; they are not statements of its current policies.
If my new Volvo repeatedly develops serious faults, what would trigger consideration of a replacement, repurchase, or lease termination?
Ask who has authority to make that decision and what process applies if repairs or disagreements continue for weeks or months.
What happens to my lease payments and additional expenses while I am without the vehicle?
Ask what assistance may be available, who approves it, and whether it covers fuel costs when an electric vehicle is replaced by a gasoline loaner.
How soon will a serious fault be assessed, and who will keep me updated?
Ask how a recurring problem is escalated to Volvo technical support and when you will receive the next written update.
What will you give me to show that the repair is complete?
Ask for the work performed, testing completed, outstanding warnings, unresolved concerns, and a written explanation before collection.
Will replacement transportation be available for the full period I am without my car?
Clarify availability, vehicle type, duration, charges, and what happens if the dealership considers the repair complete but the customer still disputes it.
Can my partner drive the loaner, and can we use it in Quebec?
Confirm authorized drivers, provincial travel, kilometre limits, insurance conditions, fuel costs, and arrangements for winter driving.
If the car breaks down when the service department is closed, how do my passengers and I get home?
Ask what assistance is available for people as well as the vehicle, and who arranges and pays for alternative transportation.
Will I receive complete records of each service visit?
Ask for the diagnosis, parts replaced, relevant manufacturer involvement, mileage in and out, and explanations of unresolved concerns or extended road testing.
Questions by Michael Brulotte · My Volvo Experience · October 17, 2026
https://myvolvoexperience.ca/carling-motors-volvo-review
One question to bring to the showroom
A question you can ask.
“I’ve read Michael Brulotte’s account at MyVolvoExperience.ca. Before I commit to a Volvo, can you explain what you would do for me if the car developed repeated faults and I was without it for months while continuing to make payments?”
05 / On both sides of the river
Shopping for a Volvo in Ottawa or Gatineau?
If you live in Gatineau or elsewhere in the Outaouais and expect to have your vehicle serviced in Ottawa, the details of replacement transportation deserve particular attention.
Ask whether a loaner can be driven to your home in Quebec, whether your partner can use it, and what happens if the arrangement extends into winter. If you depend on the vehicle for work, childcare, or family visits on both sides of the river, those conditions matter immediately.
My experience concerns one 2025 EC40 and the handling of my case. The questions above are also useful when considering a different Volvo model or a used vehicle, without assuming those vehicles share my EC40’s faults.
Vous magasinez une Volvo à Gatineau ou en Outaouais?
Je m’appelle Michael Brulotte. J’habite à Ottawa et j’ai loué une Volvo EC40 2025 chez Carling Motors. Les dossiers de réparation indiquent que la batterie haute tension et l’onduleur haute tension ont été remplacés avant 4 000 km. Après cette expérience et le différend qui a suivi, je ne choisirais plus Volvo et je ne recommanderais pas ce concessionnaire. Avant de signer, demandez ce qui arrive lorsque les réparations se prolongent, qui assume les frais supplémentaires et si un véhicule de courtoisie peut circuler au Québec et être conduit par votre conjoint ou conjointe. Demandez les réponses par écrit.
06 / Other perspectives
Reading Carling Motors reviews? Look beyond the sales appointment.
A useful review should help you assess what happens over time. When reading about Carling Motors or another dealership, look for the date, the vehicle, the problem, the response, and the eventual outcome. Pay particular attention to experiences involving repeat repairs and extended service visits.
A pleasant purchase appointment tells you something about that appointment. Longer accounts can tell you how a dealership communicates and handles difficult problems after the contract is signed.
My review is one customer’s experience. You can read other perspectives on the platforms linked below and compare their details with the record I have published.
Before you make your decision
I wanted a dependable family car. I ended up spending an extraordinary amount of time documenting problems, chasing answers, and pursuing a resolution while the lease payments continued.
I would choose a different brand and dealership today. If you are considering Carling Motors or a Volvo anywhere in the Ottawa–Gatineau area, read the evidence and get clear answers before you sign.
Support stronger consumer protection
This is Michael Brulotte’s independent account and personal assessment. The dispute described here remains before the courts in the October 2026 record. Carling Motors and Volvo Car Canada are welcome to provide a substantive response or factual correction through the contact page.
About this record