2001 VOLVO S80 Complaints

THE FOLLOWING NARRATIVE IS SUBMITTED AS INFORMATION REGARDING THE NHTSA PRELIMINARY EVALUATION ON JULY 26, 2005 TO INVESTIGATE A VARIETY OF CONCERNS RESULTING FROM THE FAILURE OR REDUCED PERFORMANCE OF THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE IN 1999-2001 VOLVO PASSENGER CARS. IN ADDITION TOO THE HIGH FAILURE RATE OF THE ETM, THE AIR MASS METER FAILURE RATE IN MY OPINION IS JUST AS HIGH AND AS COSTLY. IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE AS WELL AS OTHERS TO LOOSE ENGINE POWER WHEN THIS UNIT FAILS. THIS UNIT FAILED WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT. ONCE THE LIGHT CHANGED THE CAR REFUSED TO MOVE. ONCE THE ACCELERATOR WAS DEPRESSED THE ENGINE WOULD BOG DOWN AND SHUT OFF. THIS RESULTED IN A $425 REPAIR AND $35 TOW. MY VEHICLE IS A VOLVO S-80, 2001. *JB

ON OR ABOUT MAY 3RD, 2005, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2001 VOLVO T6 WHEN SHE SUDDENLY LOST ENGINE PERFORMANCE. SHE WAS TRAVELING ALONG A BUSY INTERSTATE AND SHE MANAGED TO GET THE CAR INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE WHILE HOLDING UP TRAFFIC BEHIND HER. THE FOLLOWING MSG APPEARED ON THE DASH, "ENGINE PERFORMANCE REDUCED". WHEN SHE GOT THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, SHE TURNED THE CAR OFF AND CALLED ME TO INFORM ME THE CAR WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. SHE STARTED THE CAR AFTER A FEW MINUTES AND IT PERFORMED OKAY ON THE WAY HOME. AT THIS TIME, I THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A FUEL OR GAS CAP PROBLEM. SHE WAS VERY CLOSE TO HAVING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE NEXT DAY SHE WAS TRAVELING WITH OUR CHILDREN ON A VERY BUSY BYPASS AND THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. THIS TIME, I MADE A CALL TO THE VOLVO DEALER AND THEY INFORMED ME TO LEAVE THE CAR OFF FOR A MINUTE AND THE COMPUTER WOULD RESET. NOT A GOOD SOLUTION. NEEDLESS TO SAY, SHE HAD TO NAVIGATE THE CAR FROM THE INSIDE LANE TO THE EMERGENCY LANE WHILE TRAVELING NO FASTER THAN 20 MPH. AGAIN, THIS WAS A VERY BUSY BYPASS AND LUCKILY SHE MANAGED TO GET THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. FINALLY, I DROVE THE CAR THE NEXT DAY TO SEE HOW IT PERFORMED FOR ME. AGAIN, THE CAR FAILED (I.E. SLOWED TO 20 MPH ON A 70 MPH INTERSTATE) WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I CALLED THE DEALER AGAIN THE NEXT DAY AND THEY INFORMED ME THEY WOULD NEED TO SEE THE CAR IN ORDER TO DIAGNOSE. I INFORMED THEM I NEEDED RECALL WORK PERFORMED ON AN ELECTRICAL FAN SO THEY COULD CHECK INTO MY "ENGINE PERFORMANCE REDUCED" PROBLEM AT THE SAME TIME. ALL THIS SAID, THE CAR FAILED APPROXIMATELY 8-10 TIMES BEFORE I COULD GET THE CAR TO THE SHOP AND REPAIRED ($933.00). THE PROBLEM PART WAS DETERMINED TO BE AN ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE. LUCKILY, MY WIFE, AS WELL AS MYSELF, WERE ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT GETTING RAN OVER BY TRAFFIC. THIS PROBLEM DEFINITELY NEEDS THE ATTENTION OF THE NHTSA. THANKS FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN PROVIDE. *JB

I WAS ON THE RAMP GETTING ON TO THE HIGHWAY, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR STALLED. I COULD NOT ACCELERATE, AND A SEMI WAS GOING TO HIT THE BACK OF MY CAR BECAUSE I GOT OUT THERE IN FRONT OF HIM AND THEN I CAN'T MOVE. SO TO AVOID THE ACCIDENT, I DARTED OF THE HIGHWAY UNTO THE SHOULDER WITH THE DISMAY OF THE TRUCK DRIVER. THE INFORMATION IN THE LEFT CORNER GAVE "PERFORMANCE REDUCED". I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. SO I HAD IT TOWED, AND WITHOUT FINDING ANYTHING THE FIRST DAY, THEY FOUND THAT IT WAS THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE. SO I HAD TO PAY OVER $1000 TO GET THIS FIXED. THIS WAS BACK IN MARCH, AND NOW I AM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM NOT GOING TO PAY ANOTHER $1000 FOR THE SAME THING. I ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT AND I ALREADY PAID OVER $1000 TO GET IT FIXED, AND NOW I HAVE TO COME OUT OF POCKET AGAIN ONLY 4 MONTHS LATER. THIS IS HORRIBLE, AND VOLVO SHOULD RECALL ALL THE CARS WITH THIS ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE. I HAVE ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT SEVERAL TIME BECAUSE OF THE RESULT OF THIS DEFECT. I REFUSE TO GET IT FIXED, BECAUSE VOLVO WILL NOT PAY FOR IT. I HAVE HAD IT REPLACED ONCE BEFORE, AND IT IS STILL DOING THE SAME THING. VOLVO NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF THIS, BECAUSE IT IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT ON THEIR END. PLEASE HELP TO GET THIS FIXED. I DON'T HAVE ANOTHER $1000 TO GET THIS FIXED EVERY THREE TO FOUR MONTHS!!! *NM

I HAVE A 2001 VOLVO S80 2.9 AND I AM EXPERIENCING MY CAR TRYING TO PUSH ITSELF AND THE RPM IDLING VERY FAST AND THE CAR FEELS LIKE ITS GOING TO SHUT OFF. I SUBMITTED A COMPLAINT ALREADY ABOUT MY SONS S60 AND C70, WHICH ARE HAVE THE SAME TROUBLES AS MY S80. THE THROTTLE CONTROL MODULE I THINK IS DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. LUCKILY MY CAR HASN'T TURN OFF ON ME YET, BUT ONE TIME I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO GET IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE CAR JUMPING FROM A COMPLETE STOP. PLEASE GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED. THANKS. *NM

I WAS DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY WHILE ON VACATION IN BIRMINGHAM, AL AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. WHILE IT DID RESTART, IT WOULD REGAIN POWER TO CONTINUE. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A VOLVO DEALER WHO REPLACED THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AT COST OF OVER $850. *JB

OUR 2001 VOLVO S-80 STALLED TWICE, SO WE HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE VOLVO DEALER WHERE THEY CHARGED US $1,044 TO REPLACE THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL MODULE. I FULLY SUPPORT A PRODUCT RECALL AS THIS CAUSED A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *NM

I WAS DRIVING ON I-75 INTERSTATE AND WHEN I WENT TO PASS A VEHICLE IN THE LEFT LANE I FELT A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER IN MY ENGINE. I THEN HAD TO CUT ACROSS 4 LANES OF EXPRESSWAY TRAFFIC TO GET MY CAR ONTO THE SHOULDER. THEN MY CAR STALLED OUT. WHENEVER I RESTARTED IT, IT WOULD STALL BACK OUT AGAIN. THE AUTO SHOP TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE MY ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE, MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, AND GAS PEDAL SENSOR COSTING ME WELL OVER $2000. (THE OLD PARTS ARE AT MY HOUSE, I'VE KEPT THEM). *NM

DT: ON JULY 23 WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT 75 MPH THE OWNER NOTICED THE PERFORMANCE REDUCED LIGHT"CAME ON . THE CRUISE CONTROL SHUT OFF BY ITSELF. THEN OWNER PUSHED THE GAS, THERE WAS A FEELING OF LOSS OF POWER. THEN, THE OWNER GOT OFF ON THE NEAREST EXIT. STOPPED FOR A SECOND, AN D THE CAR SEEMED SLUUGISH.THE OWNER CONTINUED ON THE TRIP AND SHUT THE CAR OFF. WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED BACK ON THE OWNER NOTICED THE PERFORMANCE REDUCED LIGHT WENT OFF. THE OWNER TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO SAID THAT SINCE THE LIGHT WASN'T ON THE COMPUTER WOULD NOT FIND THE CODE. THE MECHANIC SAID GO AHEAD AND DRIVE IT SINCE NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE SHOWING RIGHT NOW. THEN ON AUGUST 9 WHILE GOING 75 MPH. THE "PERFORMANCE REDUCED LIGHT" CAME ON AND AT THE SAME THE TIME CRUISE CONTROL WENT OFF AND WOULD NOT COME BACK ON.THERE WAS A FEELING OF LOSS OF POWER. THE OWNER TOOK IT DIRECLTY TO THE MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THE CAR WAS SHOWING A CODE INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE. SO THE OWNER WILL TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TOMORROW. THE OWNER CALLED THE DEALERHSIP WHO ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL AND THE OWNER SHOULD JUST BRING IN THE CAR FOR INSPECTION. THE OWNER CALLED VOLVO AND THEY HAVE ADVISED THAT THEY ARE NOT HELPING WITH THE COST OF REPAIR BECUASE THERE IS NO RECALL.DID THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY STALL OUT AND DIE OR DID IT LOSE POWER AND OPERATE AT A REDUCED SPEED? REDUCED SPEEDIF NO CRASHES OR INJURIES WERE THERE ANY NEAR-MISSES CAUSED BY THE PROBLEM? THE OWNER SAYS NO NEAR MISSES YET.THE OWNER WILL TAKE IT TO DEALER TOMORROW. VOLVO HAS ADVISED THEY WILL NOT HELP PAY FOR REPAIR.HAS THE ETM HAS NEVER BEEN REPLACED. *AK

THIS IS MY SECOND COMPLAINT FOR THE SAME VEHICLE. SEE ODI NO. 10131592. DESPITE REPAIRS MADE IN JUNE 2005, THE CAR STALLED APPROXIMATELY 12 TIMES ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2005. I DROVE IT STRAIGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP ON THE 5TH FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. DIAGNOSTIC CODES NOW IDENTIFIED A FAULTY MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR AND ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE/RELOAD AND THROTTLE BODY. THESE REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE CAR. *JB

YESTERDAY MORNING, IN A BUSY INTERSECTION (CHARLOTTE NC) MY CAR, VOLVO S80 2001 JUST STOPPED DURING A TURN. IT WAS UTTER CHAOS--I WAS PETRIFIED WITH A LARGE TRUCK ONLY INCHES FROM MY BUMPER. THEN IT LATER STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. ON MY WAY HOME, IT WOULDN'T STAY STILL. IT KEPT JUMPING FORWARD WITHOUT THE GAS BEING PRESSED. AS I WAS TURNING INTO THE MECHANIC SHOP THIS MORNING, IT STOPPED ONCE AGAIN, LUCKILY MY REAR END WAS INSIDE THE PARKING LOT, OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN REAR ENDED. THIS MORNING THE MECHANIC SAYS THE PROBLEM ASSESSED, AT A COST OF 1000$; BUT THE CAR MAY STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS A MANUFACTURER'S PROBLEM. I PURCHASED THIS CAR IN MAY 05. I BOUGHT IT BECAUSE VOLVO BOASTS OF BEING ONE OF THE MOST SAFE CARS MANUFACTURED. WELL, STOPPING DURING TURNING, GOING WITHOUT THE GAS BEING PRESSED AND STALLING AT A LIGHT DOESN'T SEEM VERY SAFE FOR MY 8 YR OLD. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN REAR ENDED TWICE, WITH MY YOUNG SON IN THE BACK SEAT. THANK GOODNESS NOTHING HAS HAPPENED YET. I AM CURRENTLY WAITING FOR MY SERVICE DATE, BECAUSE THE MECHANICS I HAVE CONTACTED ARE SWAMPED WITH THE SAME TYPES OF COMPLAINTS. I AM VERY NERVOUS TO DRIVE THE 9 MILES TO THE MECHANIC, UPSET TO DRIVE THE 6 MILES TO DAY CARE BEFORE GOING TO THE MECHANIC, TERRIFIED BY THE THOUGHT OF BEING REAR-ENDED WITH MY SMALL CHILD IN THE CAR AND DISMAYED THAT I CANT MAKE IT 3 MILES TO WORK WITHOUT MY CAR CEASING TO OPERATE. PLEASE HELP US. I WAS GOING ONLINE TODAY TO TELL VOLVO ABOUT MY ISSUE WHEN THIS WEB SITE WAS DISPLAYED. PLEASE HELP MY FAMILY AND OTHER FAMILIES REMAIN SAFE ON THE ROAD IN THEIR VOLVO CARS. *JB