2000 VOLVO V70XC Complaints

ON A TRIP ALONE TO VIRGINIA FROM LOUISVILLE KY WHEN CAR SLOWED DOWN AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS IN A DESOLATE PART OF THE MOUNTAINS IN W.VA WHEN THIS OCCURRED. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DEALER IN LOUISVILLE, KY WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND AFTER EXPLAINING THE SITUATION THEY TOLD ME TO NOT PULL OVER OR STOP BUT TO KEEP GOING,I COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO GO OVER ABOUT 45 MPH, AND THEY WOULD LOOK UP THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP TO WHERE I WAS GOING AND CALL ME BACK. THEY DID THIS AND IT WAS CHARLOTTESVILLE VA WHICH WAS AN HOUR FROM MY DESTINATION. THEY WOULD NOT BE OPEN UNTIL THE FOLLOWING DAY SO I CALLED THEM AND TOOK MY CAR TO THEM AND THEY REPLACED THE MASS AIR FLOW PART #8670263-6 FOR A TOTAL OF $268.45 ON 12/3/04. WHEN I RETURNED TO LOUISVILLE AND TOLD MY DEALERSHIP THERE WAS NO OFFER TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THIS EXPENSE. I HAD 62,064 MILES ON MY V70XC WAGON AT THAT TIME AND NO WARRANTY WAS IN EFFECT. I READ AN ARTICLE ABOUT THIS IN THE COURIER-JOURNAL NEWSPAPER TODAY, AUGUST 2, 2005 AND FELT LIKE THERE ARE PROBABLY MANY, MANY MORE COMPLAINTS THAT YOU HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED ABOUT. IF I CAN SUPPLY YOU WITH ANY OTHER INFORMATION PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO CONTACT ME. I DO A GREAT DEAL OF HIGHWAY TRAVEL AND AM ALONE SO I BOUGHT THIS CAR SO THAT I WOULD BE SAFE ON ALL OF MY HIGHWAY TRIPS. *NM

I OWN A 2000 VOLVO CROSS COUNTRY XC 70 THAT HAS EXPERIENCED STALLING AND LOSS OF POWER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. I CONTACTED THE DEALER I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH VOLVO'S BETWEEN THE MILEAGE OF 35,000 AND 45,000 MILES. THEY ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE REPAIR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER ANY RECALLS OR EXTENDED WARRANTY. A SEARCH OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE ON THE INTERNET SHOW THAT THERE IS AN ABOVE AVERAGE OF FAILURES OF WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS THE "ELECTRONIC THROTTLE SYSTEM". I FEEL THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT VOLVO IS AWARE OF BUT REFUSES TO HELP THE CUSTOMER WITH. IN MY OPINION, A $1,300 TO $1,600 REPAIR IS NOT NORMAL. VOLVO/FORD NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND RECALL THESE VEHICLES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. *NM

2000 VOLVO V70 XC. PROCEEDING UP ON-RAMP AND ACCELERATING TO HIGHWAY SPEED. VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED ACCELERATING AND ETS (ELECTRONIC THROTTLE SYSTEM) LIGHT CAME ON. VEHICLE CONTINUED AT APPROX 20 MPH BUT WOULD GO NO FASTER. I EXITED AT THE NEXT OFF-RAMP (ABOUT 1 MILE) PULLED INTO A LOT, SHUT THE VEHICLE DOWN AND THEN RESTARTED, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE OWNERS MANUAL. THE ETS LIGHT CLEARED AND VEHICLE OPERATED PROPERLY. THE NEXT MORNING, DRIVING TO WORK , THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I DROVE TO MY BUILDING AT ABOUT 20 MPH, THEN CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO TAKE MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THEY TOLD ME THE ETS SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A CRITICAL FAULT IN THE SYSTEM. REPAIRS TOTALED $914.00. *NM

2 WEEKS AGO MY 2000 V70 XC ABRUPTLY LOSS ACCELERATION POWER, WHERE THE VEHICLE COULD NOT GO OVER 20 MPH AND THEN STALLED WHICH LOST POWER STEERING ABILITY WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY 2 YOUNG CHILDREN. LUCKILY, SHE PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT. SHE SHUT THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED WITH NO APPARENT PROBLEM AND DROVE THE REMAINDER OF THE WAY WITH HER HAZARDS ON. THE CAR HAD JUST BEEN BACK FROM THE VOLVO DEALER AFTER DEALING WITH ANOTHER UNRELATED ISSUE APPROX A WEEK EARLIER. I DROVE THE CAR TO THE VOLVO DEALER AND EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT WAS DRIVING CAUTIOUSLY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE WHICH COST APPROX $1,000.00. I PREVIOUSLY HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH A 1999 VOLVO S80 T6, WHICH I SUBSEQUENTLY SOLD DUE TO REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM!! *JB

MY 2000 VOLVO V70XC ETS LIGHT CAME ON AND MY CAR ENGINE RPMS. WERE LIMITED TO 2 THOUSAND . I HAD TO PULL OVER AND SHUT OFF MY CAR AND RESTART TO TEMPORARILY RESET IT. THE DEALER WANTS $1200 TO REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY . THE CAR HAS BEEN MAINTAINED PROPERLY, HAS 77K MILES AND THE THROTTLE BODY HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED ONCE BEFORE 2 YEARS AGO. THIS FAILURE CREATES DANGEROUS CONDITIONS ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS IS AN UNSAFE DESIGN AND A KNOWN DEFECT BY VOLVO. PLEASE ENCOURAGE VOLVO TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

VOLVO DEALER-SERVICED 2000 VOLVO V70XC WITH @60K MILES OCCASIONALLY REFUSED TO START. DEALERSHIP FLASHES CHIPS. 6 MONTHS LATER, AT 67K, ELETRONIC THROTTLE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES REPEATEDLY DURING 1500 MILE JOURNEY CAUSING VOLVO TO SURGE & VARY SPEED CONTINUOUSLY. PROBLEM REOCCURS OCCASSIONALLY DURING NEXT WEEK BEFORE VOLVO V70XC CAN BE DEALER SERVICED - PLANNED TRIP CANCELLED DUE TO QUESTIONABLE STATUS OF VOLVO RELIABILITY. VOLVO DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT ADMITS EVENTUALLY ENGINE WOULD JUST QUIT STRANDING OCCUPANT. SINCE OUT-OF-WARRANTY, OWNER PAYS $1200 REPLACEMENT OF FAULTY ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE. OWNER OBTAINS OLD PART BUT NO LONGER TRUSTS VOLVO WITH WIFE & CHILD AS REPLACEMENT THROTTLE BODY SAME WITH NO BETTER GUARANTEE AGAINST FAILURE.

WHILE ON A VACATION IN MONTANA OUR 2000 VOLVO XC70 HAD ROUGHT IDLE, STALLING, NO RESPONSE TO ACCELERATOR (WOULD NOT GO ABOVE 20 MPH) AND EVENTUALLY WOULD NOT START. THERE WERE NO VOLVO DEALERS IN MONTANA FOR REPAIR AND A LOCAL MECHANIC INSTRUCTED US TO PULL THE MAIN FUSE TO RE-SET THE COMPUTER. THIS WOULD GET US GOING AGAIN BUT IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN EVERY 50 OR SO MILES. DEALERSHIP BACK AT HOME REPLACE THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE AT A COST OF $1200. THERE APPEARS TO BE A HIGH NUMBER OF ETM FAILURES IN THESE CARS AND IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH VOLVO.

MY SON'S 2000 VOLVO 70 XC FAILED DUE TO A FAILIED ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE (ETM). AS A RETIRED ENGINEER I WANTED TO KNOW WHY. I HAVE FOUND THAT IT IS A COMMON COMPLAINT FOR THE 1999, 2000 AND 2001 SERIES 60,70 AND 80 MODELS AT THE TIME OF FAILURE THE CAR FIRST EXHIBITS HESITATION, SURGING AND ERATTIC IDLE. AT FAILURE IT GOES INTO A LIMP- HOME MODE OF 20 MILES PER HOUR OR STALLS. FROM YOUR WEB SITE I HAVE FOUND 101 CASES LISTED FOR THIS FAILURE. I HAVE PERFORMED FAILURE ANALYSIS ON 5 UNITS AND HAVE IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM. IT IS THE WEARING OUT OF THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR POTENTIOMENTER. VOLVO HAS CONSISTANTLY KEPT THE DEALERS AND CUSTOMERS IN THE DARK AND BLAMED THE PROBLEM ON A DIRTY THROTTLE BORE AND OTHER ERRONEOUS CAUSES. OTHER THAN THE COST OF REPAIRS, ABOUT $1000, IS THE REALIZATION THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART IS OF THE SAME DESIGN AND IT TOO WILL FAIL, ONE CORRESPONDENT REPORTING 3 FAILURES OF THE SAME TYPE. THE FAILURE APPEARS TO BE ACCELERATED BY HEAT, THUS NORTHERN TIER STATES HAVE FEWER FAILURES THAN SOUTHERN STATES. THERE ARE ABOUT 860,000 CARS WORLD WIDE WITH OVER 250,000 IN THE US. I ESTIMATE THAT MORE THAN 80% WILL FAIL, ONE OR MOER TIMES, WITHIN 100,000 MILES. TO DATE NO ONE HAS BEEN INJUREID OR KILLED THAT WE KNOW OF BUT STALLING ON A BUSY FREEWAY IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I CAN SEND YOU MY REPORTS OR YOU CAN PICK THEM UP OFF OF THE INTERNET. I ALSO HAVE FAILED PARTS FOR YOUR EXAMINATION. PLEASE HAVE AN INVESTIGATOR CONTACT ME. WITH A DIRECT E-MAIL ADDRESS FOR THE INVESTIGATOR I CAN SEND MY DATA. DON WILLSON, 970 266-9797, [email protected]

AFTER A CHANGE OF OIL AT THE DEALERSHIP I DROVE 168 MILES. WHEN I TRIED TO START THE CAR THE OIL WARNING LIGHT WENT ON. I TRIED TO CHECK THE OIL LEVEL AND A BURST OF OIL CAME OUT OF THE STICK PIT. I HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER. *AK WE WAITED THREE WEEKS FOR A PART TO REPLACE THE TURBO, BUT THE MECHANIC COULDN'T FIND OIL PRESSURE. NOW THEY ARE ASKING FOR 2,700 DOLLARS TO OPEN THE ENGINE AND SEE WHAT IS THE PROBLEM OR 6 THOUSAND TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. I HAD THE WARNING LIGHT ON TWO TIMES BEFORE, FIRST TIME I PAID TO REPLACE SOME SEALERS, THE SECOND TIME THEY COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. (I COMPLAINED ABOUT HAVING TO ADD OIL) THEIR ANSWER WAS THAT AFTER 100,000 MILES IS CONSIDERED NORMAL.

ETM MODULE FAILED ON THE FREEWAY AND I HAD TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY STOP ON THE FREEWAY AT NIGHT. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES THE CAR WAS ABLE TO STARTUP AGAIN. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR REPAIR, THEY DID NOT TELL ME THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL OF VOLVO AND I ENDED UP PAYING $128 DOLLARS FOR BOGUS TROUBLESHOOTING AND NO PROBLEM FOUND. THEN LESS THAN 4 DAYS LATER, THE CAR DIED AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME I WAS LUCKY AND IT DIED ON A SIDE STREET. I LOOKED UP THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND QUITE A FEW ARTICLES OF PEOPLE WHO HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM. UPON DRIVING MY CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP, IT DIED AND I HAD TO COAST THE CAR DOWN 3 HILLSIDE BLOCKS AND INTO THE DEALERSHIP. ANOTHER $50 DOLLARS WAS CHARGED TO ME FOR DOING THE WARRANTY WORK AND THE TOTAL COST TO REPLACE THE THROTTLE MODULE WAS $723.67. I AM VERY LUCKY TO HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THIS VEHICLE, BUT FOR ANYONE THAT DOES NOT, THEY ARE BEING TOTALLY SCREWED BY VOLVO AND ITS DEALERS BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT STEPPED UP AND REPLACED THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS MODULE THAT CAN LEAVE YOU STRANDED. IT ALSO APPEARS THAT THE PARTICULAR DEALERSHIP THAT I TOOK MY CAR TO, MADE TROUBLESHOOTING MONEY ON ME EVEN THOUGH NOBODY WOULD TOUCH MY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE PROBLEM WHEN I SHOWED THEM 3 PAGES OF ARTICLES THAT I FOUND ON THE WEB REGARDING THE PARTICULAR PROBLEM AND USER GROUPS THAT TALKED ABOUT COMPLAINING TO VOLVO.*AK