2000 VOLVO S70 Complaints

AT APPROX. 80K MILES, MY 2000 VOLVO S70 COMPUTER SYSTEM BEGAN RETURNING A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALONG WITH A ETS LIGHT ON SEVERAL INCIDENTS. WHEN THOSE WARNING LIGHTS WERE ON, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT HOLD A STEADY CURB IDLE. RPMS WAVERED FROM 500 TO 1500 AND CAUSED A DANGEROUS SURGING AT STOP SIGNS AND STOP LIGHTS. CHECKING THE OWNERS MANUAL ON THE ETS LIGHT, IT SAID TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF THEN BACK ON, IF THE LIGHT WENT OUT-FINE. IF NOT, GO TO THE DEALER. THE INCIDENCE THIS HAPPENING GOT MORE AND MORE FREQUEST UNTIL FINALLY THE ETS LIGHT WOULD NOT GO OUT AND THE CAR COULD NOT BE SAFELY DRIVEN. RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND THAT IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE ETM OR ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE, ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL YEAR AND THAT THE ONLY THE DEALER COULD REPLACE IT. SO, I WENT TO THE DEALER AND HAD THEM REPLACE THE ETM ON AUG 19, 2005 AT THE EXCESSIVE COST OF $917.91. (IT WAS LESS EXPENSIVE THAN AN ACCIDENT.) EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM SINCE, I EXPECT THAT THE PROBLEM WILL REOCCUR SOME 50 TO 80K MILES IN THE FUTURE SINCE THE DEFECTIVE PART WAS JUST REPLACED WITH A NEW PART WITH THE SAME FLAWED DESIGN. I FEEL THAT VOLVO SHOULD RECALL THIS PART IMMEDIATELY AND MAKE REPARATIONS TO THOSE OF US WHO HAVE HAD TO HAVE IT REPLACED. I FEEL THAT THEY KNEW THAT THE PART WAS FLAWED AT THE TIME OF MANUFACTURE. WHY ELSE WOULD THEIR OWNER'S MANUAL EXPLAIN THE ETS ERROR AND THE TEMPORARY FIX LIKE IT DOES? THE "TURN THE ENGINE OFF" FIX JUST POSTPONES THE REPAIR UNTIL AFTER THE WARRANTED MILEAGE HAS PAST. *NM

2000 VOLVO S70 MILEAGE: 49642 ETS (ELECTRONIC THROTTLE SYSTEM) LIGHT CAME ON. SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER, HESITATION, AND STALLING WITHOUT ANY INDICATION. SUBSEQUENT SEARCH ON THE INTERNET I FOUND OUT THE ETM (ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE) AND THE ETS FAILURES WERE RELATED AND POSSIBLE RECALL ON PARTS BY VOLVO. SERVICED AT FAIRFAX VOLVO (703) 591-1820 ON 10/18/2005. SERVICE COST $900.00.*JB

AT 45000 MILES CONSUMER REPLACED THE THROTTLE UNIT ON 2000 VOLVO S 70. *TS THE MANUFACTURER REIMBURSED THE CONSUMER FOR REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE THROTTLE UNIT. THE DID NOT REIMBURSE THE CONSUMER FOR THE LABOR AND TAX PAID TO INSTALL THE NEW UNIT. *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT 2000 VOLVO S70 HAD TO HAVE THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL MODULE (ETCM ) REPLACED ON AUGUST 1, 2005 WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH. THE ETCM LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER HAD TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND RESTART IT. BEFORE THE CONSUMER COULD GET HELP THE CAR STALLED ABOUT 6 OR 7 TIMES. THEY HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A VOLVO DEALER. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE ETCM AND IT WAS DESTROYED. THE VOLVO DEALER REPLACED THE ETCM, AND UPDATED THE SOFTWARE FOR THE CONSUMER. THE CAR WAS RUNNING BETTER AFTER THE REPLACEMENT MODULE. THIS WAS THE ONLY TIME THAT THE CAR HAD THIS PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS ADVISED TO CALL NHTSA AND FILE A COMPLAINT. *AK

ETS LIGHT IS ON AND THROTTLE IS ERRATIC. FOR A DAY OR SO TURNING THE KEY OFF AND ON FIXED THE PROBLEM BUT NOW IT SEEMS TO BE ON CONTINUOUSLY. *JB

DRIVING TO DENVER ON SUNDAY 10/8/2005 AND MY CAR STARTED TO MISS AND JERK SEVERELY. THERE WAS A LOT OF TRAFFIC BEHIND ME GOING WELL OVER 60 MPH AND NO PLACE TO PULL OVER. I ALMOST GOT REAR ENDED. I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX THE CAR AS I WAS TOLD THE COST IS OVER $1000. IT NOW DOES THIS INTERMITTENTLY SO I CAN DRIVE IT PART TIME ANYWAY. *NM

ETS DASH LIGHT CAME ON, CAR BEGAN TO LOSE POWER, WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. PER THE DIRECTIONS IN THE MANUAL, I STOPPED FOR A WHILE, RESTARTED. THE LIGHT DID NOT COME ON IMMEDIATELY, BUT AFTER SEVERAL MORE MINUTES ON THE ROAD, THE ETS LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I WAS ON A HIGHWAY IN ANOTHER STATE WITH MY ELDERLY MOTHER IN THE CAR. THIS WAS A WEEKEND AWAY TO ATTEND A FAMILY WEDDING. I SOUGHT THE ADVICE OF A LOCAL CAR REPAIR WHO INFORMED ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS COMPUTER-BASED AND HE COULD NOT HELP ME. EVENTUALLY, THE CAR STALLED AND HAD TO BE TOWED ABOUT 50 MILES BACK TO MY VOLVO REPAIR FACILITY. THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE SYSTEM WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $ $1131.60. PLUS THE COST OF A CAR RENTAL FOR 2 DAYS OF $80.43, PLUS A TOW OF ABOUT $ $255. IN ADDITION, THE TOWING PROCEDURE PIERCED THE OIL PAN FOR AN ADDITIONAL COST OF ABOUT $925.00. SO THE WHOLE EXPEDITION COST ME $2,393.!!! THE CAR HAS ONLY 62,000 MILES ON IT.*JB

WHILE TEACHING MY SON TO DRIVE OUR 2000 VOLVO S70, OUR CAR STARTED JERKING AS HE WAS COMING TO A STOP. AT THE STOP LIGHT,THE CAR CONTINUED TO HAVE A JERKING MOTION. THE ETS LIGHT CAME ON SO I LOOKED THIS PROBLEM UP IN OUR MANUAL. IT SAYS, 'IF THE LIGHT REMAINS ON, THE SYSTEM SHOULD BE INSPECTED BY AN AUTHORIZED VOLVO RETAILER'. THE LIGHT WENT OUT SO WE DIDN'T THINK THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM. WE CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR AND IT WORKED FINE. ON SOME OCCASIONS THE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND WE WOULD SIMPLY BRING THE CAR TO A STOP AND TURN THE CAR OFF. THE LIGHT WOULD GO OFF. I BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ONLY AFTER THE LIGHT CAME ON AND I COULDN'T BRING THE CAR TO AN IMMEDIATE STOP. I WAS GEARINGUP TO A MERGE WHERE CARS ARE WEAVING AND OUT OF EACH OTHER AT RUSH HOUR TO POSITION THEMSELVES TO GET ONTO OR OFF THE HIGHWAY,RESPECTIVELY. THE LIGHT CAME ON AND I COULDN'T STOP. THE CAR'S ACCELERATOR BEGAN TO BEHAVE ERRATICALLY LIKE IT WAS LOSING PRESSURE BUT I WASN'T IN A LOCATION WHERE I COULD STOP;I BARELY AVOIDED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A STOP AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF THE LIGHT WENT OFF AGAIN AS IF NOTHING WAS WRONG. I CAME STRAIGHT HOME AND GOT ONLINE TO GET INSIGHT. I READ THAT VOLVO OWNERS IN CAL HAD BROUGHT A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT OVER THIS SAFETY ISSUE. IRONICALLY, WE HAD JUST HAD OUR 90K SERVICE PERFORMED 3 MOS BEFORE THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED. WE THOUGHT THAT WE WERE MAINTAINING OUR VEHICLE TO ITS HIGHEST SAFETY STANDARDS. NOW WE HAVE TO BRING THE CAR BACK IN FOR A $1K FIX. I AM ADDING MY VOICE TO OTHER VOLVO OWNERS WHO'VE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND BELIEVE THAT IT'S VOLVOS DUTY TO CORRECT IT BEFORE THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT DEATHS ATTRIBUTED TO IT. IF NOTHING ELSE, THE MANUAL SHOULD SAY, 'BRING YOUR CAR IN IMMEDIATELY TO BE FIXED BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WILL WORSEN AND EVENTUALLY LEAD TO COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE AND POTENTIALLY YOUR DEATH AND THE DEATH OF INNOCENT PEOPLE IN THE CARS AROUND YOU WHO HIT YOU UNSUSPECTING BECAUSE YOUR CAR'S ENGINE FAILS'. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLVO S70. WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 55-70 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE LIGHT (ETM) ILLUMINATED. THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE HAD FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL/DIE AND LOSE POWER. *AK *MR *NM

REFERENCE 10130593, SECOND VEHICLE LISTED, STALLED IN AN INTERSECTION, LIFE THREATENING ISSUE, THROTTLE BODY FAULT CODE. DEALER RECOMMENDED REPLACING UNIT, CONSUMER DID NOT HAVE DONE BECAUSE DEALER COULD NOT GUARANTEE IT. SAME PART PUT IN AS FAILED PART. ALSO, HAD FAILURE ON S80. *AK *JB