2000 VOLVO V70 Complaints

FIVE YEARS AGO, WE BOUGHT A NEW 2000 VOLVO V70-XC. IT CURRENTLY HAS 39,600 MILES ON IT. STARTING IN ABOUT 2003, THE CAR BEGAN EXPERIENCING REPEATED ENGINE MALFUNCTIONS -- ROUGH IDLE, JERKY ACCELERATION, STALLING AND, MOST ALARMINGLY, SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER WHILE MOVING. I ONCE LOST POWER ON A TRAFFIC CIRCLE, WHICH WAS TRULY TERRIFYING -- ESPECIALLY SINCE THE MAIN REASON WE PURCHASED THE CAR WAS THE SAFETY OF OUR TWO SMALL CHILDREN. WE HAVE REPEATEDLY HAD THE CAR IN THE SHOP (MARTENS SERVICE CENTER ON RIVER ROAD). INITIALLY, WE WERE TOLD THE CAR WAS CLOGGED WITH CARBON AND THAT THE PROBLEM WAS ESSENTIALLY OUR FAULT FOR NOT DRIVING IT ON THE HIGHWAY MORE OFTEN. NOW THAT WE ARE PAST THE WARRANTY, WE HAVE BEEN PAYING FOR REPAIRS -- THOUGH ON OUR MOST RECENT VISIT IN SEPT 2005, WHEN I MENTIONED THE NHTSA INVESTIGATION, MARTENS REPLACED THE ETM FOR FREE. I THINK THIS IS A DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS VEHICLE AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED A LONG TIME AGO. EARLIER IN THE CAR'S HISTORY, WE EXPERIENCED A RANGE OF ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS INVOLVING THE TURN SIGNALS, WHICH FAILED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. BECAUSE THOSE PROBLEMS OCCURRED DURING THE WARRANTY PERIOD, WE DID NOT HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THEM REPAIRED -- BUT THE DANGER AND HASSLE FACTORS WERE STILL SIGNIFICANT. *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER STATES: THE ETM LIGHT WAS COMING ON AND THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THE CONSUMER HAD TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND RESTART IT. THIS WOULD HAPPEN AT ALL SPEEDS. THE CONSUMER WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER HAD NOT REPLACED THE ETM AND HAD BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE ETM WAS BAD. *AK (11/17/05) *SC

I PURCHASED A 2000 VOLVO V70, 5DR, WAGON A/T AWD, VIN: [XXX] FROM PUTNAM VOLVO 3 CALIFORNIA DRIVE BURLINGAME CA., AN AUTHORIZED VOLVO DEALERSHIP AND REPAIR SERVICE PROVIDER. JAN 14, 2000. ALL WARRANTY AND SUBSEQUENT ROUTINE SERVICE WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE BY PUTNAM VOLVO THRU MAY 2004. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE MY WIFE AND I DISCOVER THAT THE REAR HATCH LATCH WOULD NOT PROPERLY ENGAGE, FASTEN OR LOCK UNDER COLD TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS MEANING TEMPERATURES NEAR OR BELOW FREEZING (32? F OR 0?C). WE REPORTED THE PROBLEM AT THE FIRST SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE SERVICE AND PERIODICALLY THEREAFTER DURING SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE SERVICE CALLS PARTICULARLY DURING WINTER AND SPRING MONTHS. WE HAVE A CABIN IN THE HIGH SIERRAS WHERE TEMPERATURES ARE BELOW FREEZING DURING WINTER SKI SEASON. THE REAR HATCH LATCH SIMPLY DOES NOT ENGAGE AND THE HATCH CAN NOT BE SECURED CLOSED UNDER COLD CONDITIONS. I RECENTLY DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 00V239000 CONCERNING THE LATCHES/ LOCKS/LINKAGES:TAILGATE:LATCH DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM WE HAVE REPEATABLE EXPERIENCED WITH OUR VEHICLE AFFLICTING VOLVO OF THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL LINE AS OURS. I CONTACTED THE PUTNAM VOLVO SERVICE AND REQUESTED REPLACEMENT OF THE REAR HATCH LATCH OF OUR VEHICLE BASED UPON IDENTIFIED RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE SERVICE PERSONNEL PERFORMED A VIN SEARCH PROVIDED BY VOLVO, AND ASSERTED THAT OUR VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE THE INCORRECTLY MANUFACTURE REAR HATCH LATCH. NOT DID THE SERVICE PERSONNEL OFFER TO INVESTIGATE WHETHER THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN WAS IN FACT AFFLICTING THE VEHICLE, AND EVEN DENIED AWARENESS OF THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. *NM UPDATED 07/18/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

MY 2000 V70 VOLVO'S ETS SYSTEM BROKE DOWN THIS SUMMER, HAVING BEEN ON THE ROAD FOR APPROX. 5 HRS. I WAS TRAVELING HOME ON 95 FROM NY, & I WAS ON THE DC BELTWAY (495) WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. I WAS IN THE CENTER LANE, GOING WITH THE PACE OF TRAFFIC (OR A LITTLE SLOWER - I HAD MY 23-MONTH-OLD SON IN THE CAR WITH ME), WHEN THE CAR STARTED BUCKLING A LITTLE BIT. ABOUT .10 MILE LATER, THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULDN'T WORK, & I COULD NO LONGER ACCELERATE. I WAS QUICKLY DECELERATING FROM 60+ MPH DOWN TO 20. THE SHOULDERS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO ME AS THERE WAS CONSTRUCTION ON THE SIDES, BUT I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT THE CAR WOULD JUST GO FAST ENOUGH & TRAFFIC WAS JUST LIGHT ENOUGH THAT I COULD MOVE TO THE CLOSEST EXIT - ABOUT A .5 MILES FROM THE BREAKDOWN. MY CAR ONLY HAS 75K MILES - NEARLY BRAND NEW FOR A VOLVO - SO YOU CAN IMAGINE MY SHOCK WHEN I FOUND MYSELF BROKEN DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF DC WITH A 5-YEAR-OLD CAR. A 107-MILE TOW BACK TO RICHMOND ($300), PLUS THE $1000 FOR THE FIX WHICH INCLUDED THE HEAVILY RECOMMENDED COMPUTER UPGRADE, & I AM STILL LEARY OF THE CAR'S FUTURE PERFORMANCE. (APPARENTLY THE DEALER KNOWS THAT THIS PROBLEM CAN HAPPEN AGAIN IF YOU DON'T UPGRADE THE COMPUTER SYSTEM). THIS SITUATION TURNED OUT TO BE A RELATIVELY SAFE ONE FOR MY FAMILY, BUT IT COULD HAVE EASILY TURNED DISASTROUS - IF NOT DEADLY. I COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN REAR-ENDED BY A FAST-MOVING VEHICLE ON THE BELTWAY SINCE SHOULDERS OF THE ROAD WERE NOT AN OPTION. CARS WERE WHIZZING PAST ME AT 70 MPH - I CANNOT BEAR TO IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF IMPACTED AT SUCH HIGH SPEEDS - ESPECIALLY WITH MY SON IN THE CAR. THIS ETS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY - ESPECIALLY SINCE SO MANY PARENTS BOUGHT VOLVOS TO TRANSPORT THEIR PRECIOUS BABIES BASED ON THEIR REPUTATION OF SAFETY. ALSO: THE CAR HAD NOT HAD ITS 60K SERVICE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT (COMPLETED MID- AUGUST, AS WELL AS THE 75K SERVICE). WE ARE THE 3RD OWNER OF THE CAR. WE BOUGHT AT AUCTION IN PA. *JB

DURING LAST THANKSGIVING BREAK, MY HUSBAND AND I DROVE OUR 2000 VOLVO XC FROM NEW MEXICO HOME TO FORT COLLINS, CO. THE MORNING OF OUR DEPARTURE, THE ETS (ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE) LIGHT CAME ON, THEN WENT OUT. ON THE WAY HOME, THE CARE SHUDDERED AND LURCHED, AND LOST POWER WITH ACCELERATION. IT TOOK US 6 HOURS TO TRAVEL 125 MILES FROM COLORADO SPRINGS TO FORT COLLINS, AND WE WERE TRYING TO BEAT A SNOW STORM. WE LITERALLY LIMPED HOME. IT WAS TERRIFYING. WE TOOK THE CAR TO OUR LOCAL VOLVO DEALER, AND THE DIAGNOSED IT AS A FAILED ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE. IT COST ABOUT $854 TO REPLACE IT. IT WAS NOT WARRANTY WORK, AND THE DEALER SAID NOTHING ABOUT THIS BEING A COMMON PROBLEM VOLVO WAS ALREADY AWARE OF -- EVEN WHEN WE ASKED. I NOW UNDERSTAND VOLVO HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR MORE THAN FIVE YEARS AND HAS DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT. I AM ALSO AWARE THAT SOME VOLVO DEALERS HAVE BEEN PAYING THE COST TO REPLACE THE UNITS. WE WERE NOT SO LUCKY. VIRGINIA MOHR-CALLAHAN, FORT COLLINS, CO. *NM

I PURCHASED A 2000 VOLVO XC AND HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. I UNDERSTAND SOME OF THEM ARE VERY VERY COMMON AND I WAS TOLD I SHOULD REPORT THIS TO YOU. PROBLEM 1 ETS SYSTEM LIGHT IS NOW ON. PROBLEM 2..HAD TO REPLACE AWD UNIT. PROBLEM 3 HAD TO REPLACE BLOWER MOTOR FOR HEAT/AC. *JB

ENGINE LIGHT AND ETS WARNING LIGHTS COME ON. WAS SUPPOSEDLY REPAIRED AT DEALER BUT LIGHTS ARE COMING ON AGAIN. HAVE READ ON A NUMBER OF FORUMS THAT THE ETS FAILURE CAN CAUSE DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS...SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. IF THIS PROBLEM CAN CAUSE THIS PROBLEM VOLVO SHOULD OFFER A RECALL ON THE DEVICE. I HAVE ALSO RESEARCHED THAT INCORRECT DIAGNOSTIC SOFTWARE WAS INSTALLED ON SOME MODELS. *NM

DT: WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH VEHICLE STALLED LOST POWER DUE TO THROTTLE BODY FAILURE. DEALER REPLACED THROTTLE BODY. *AK

THERE IS A CURRENT RECALL ON HATCH DOOR LATCHES ON 2000 VOLVO V70'S. I HAVE A 2000 VOLVO V70 XC AND THE VOLVO PEOPLE ARE TELLING ME THAT THERE IS NOT A RECALL ON THAT VEHICLE. I CALLED A LOCAL VOLVO DEALER TODAY AND THEY SAID THAT THE TWO VEHICLES HAVE THE SAME LATCH SYSTEM OUR LATCH IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND OUR IDIOT LIGHT NOW COMES ON TELLING US THE BACK LATCH IS NOT SHUT WHEN IT IS. I AM NERVOUS THAT THE BACK HATCH IS GOING TO OPEN UP WHEN WE ARE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. *JB

DT: THE CONSUMER WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH 2000 VOLVO V70 XC LOSING POWER AND THEN SURGING WHILE DRIVING 20-25 MPH. THE CONSUMER DID NOT MAKE IT UP A HILL . THE LOSS OF POWER EVEN OCCURRED WHEN THE CAR WAS SLOWING TO STOP AND TURNING. THIS HAPPENED TWICE. THEN, IT WAS SURGING AND SMOKING, AND SURGING WITH NO SMOKING, THE CAR WAS WOBBLY AND SLUGGISH. DEALER REPLACED THE FOLLOWING PARTS; SPARK PLUGS, COILS, THERMOSTAT, AND THE FILTERS. OTHER PARTS HAVE BEEN FLUSHED, THIS INCLUDED FUEL INJECTORS AND IGNITION. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER ONCE, A CERTIFIED VOLVO SPECIALIST ONCE, AND AT PEP BOYS ONCE. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY $1300.00 TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE CAR HAS HAD 2 DIAGNOSTIC TESTS DONE. NO ONE KNEW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND WAS TURNED OFF. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY PRETENDED THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW ANYTHING. THE CONSUMER HAD ALL THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION. HOWEVER, AT THIS POINT, NO ONE KNEW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. *AK