VOLVO Complaints

IN EARLY JUL 05, I EXPERIENCED ELECTRONIC THROTTLE SYSTEM (ETS) PROBLEMS WITH MY 2000 VOLVO S80. PARTICULARLY CONCERNING TO ME FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT WAS THAT SEVERAL TIMES, INCLUDING WHEN I WAS IN HIGHWAY DRIVING SITUATIONS, THE CAR ON ITS OWN SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND DECELERATED, HESITATED ON ACCELERATION OR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, AND DISPLAYED ENGINE STALL SYMPTOMS. THE COMPUTER INDICATED DEGRADED ENGINE PERFORMANCE (LIMP MODE). I LINED UP A SERVICE APPOINTMENT WITH LOVERING VOLVO OF MEREDITH. AFTER LOVERING'S FIRST ATTEMPT AT REPAIRS, THE CAR WAS STILL NOT OPERATING NORMALLY AND I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER A SECOND TIME. I PAID A TOTAL OF $2,074.42 FOR REPAIRS, $1,741.44 THE FIRST TIME AND $332.98 DURING THE SECOND VISIT. IN ACCORDANCE WITH A JUNE 2006 VOLVO LETTER, I TOOK MY S80 BACK TO LOVERING FOR INSPECTION AND ETS SOFTWARE UPGRADE. I SUBMITTED TO VOLVO A CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR ETS REPAIRS. THE ADVERTISING CHECKING BUREAU (ACB), WHICH ADMINISTERS THE ETS WARRANTY REBATE PROGRAM ON BEHALF OF VOLVO, SENT ME A CHECK FOR $747.93 FOR THE ETS REPAIRS. ACB SAID IT WAS AUTHORIZED TO REIMBURSE ME ONLY THE $587.93 COST OF ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY, ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE RELOAD, AND GASKET, AND ASSOCIATED $160.00 LABOR COST. ACB ADVISED ME TO CONTACT THE VOLVO CUSTOMER CARE CENTER. A VOLVO CUSTOMER CARE REPRESENTATIVE CONFIRMED THAT ACB HAD DONE AS INSTRUCTED AND SUGGESTED THAT I TAKE UP THE MATTER OF THE REMAINING REPAIR COSTS WITH LOVERING. THE LOVERING INVOICES, DATED JULY 26, 2005 AND AUGUST 8, 2005, INDICATE THAT A $295.65 PORTION OF THE INITIAL $1,741.44 REPAIR BILL HAD TO DO WITH TOTALLY UNRELATED STEERING/SUSPENSION AND ENGINE MOUNT REPAIRS. STILL QUESTIONABLE IN MY MIND ARE THE OXYGEN SENSOR REPAIRS WHICH ADDED UP TO $897.86 AND THE SUBSEQUENT MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR REPAIRS WHICH CAME TO $332.98. I SUSPECT THE PROBLEMS ARE ALL ETS-RELATED AND I AM CURRENTLY PURSUING THE MATTER WITH THE DEALERSHIP. *NM

RIGHT FRONT POWER WINDOW AND LOCK IN OPERABLE. LEFT (DRIVER'S SIDE) DOOR LOOK SWITCH INOPERABLE. AMBIENT TEMPERATURE READOUT INOPERABLE. *NM

RIGHT FRONT POWER WINDOW INOPERABLE FROM EITHER SIDE SWITCH CONTROL. POWER DOOR LOCKS DO NOT RESPOND TO REMOTE. AMBIENT TEMPRARTURE READOUT INOPERABLE. DEALER CLAIMED TO HAVE UPGRADE COMPONENT SOFTWARE. POSITION BULB OUTAGE ERROR TEXT: REPLACED RIGHT REAR POSITION BULB. *NM

POWER OUTLETS ARE INOPERABLE AGAIN. BRAKE LAMPS OUTAGE AGAIN. REPLACE FUSE AND BULBS. *NM

POWER OUTLETS INOPERABLE. DEALER SERVICE REPLACED FUSE (20 AMP BLADE YELLOW). *NM

ERROR TEXT LAMPS OUTAGES: 2 BRAKE LAMP BULBS, 2 TAG LAMP BULBS AND A RIGHT REAR POSITION BULB REPLACED. *NM

EMISSION SERVICE ERROR TEXT APPEARED INTERMITTENTLY AFTER ONLY TWO MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP. SERVICE AT DEALER RESET THE MODULE. LESS THAN A MONTH LATER SAME MESSAGE APPEARED WITH ENGINE KNOCK. DEALER REPLACED KNOCK SENSOR TWICE BUT TO NO AVAIL...THEN REPLACE THE ENGINE ON THIS CERTIFIED USED VEHICLE. *NM

REAR LIFT GATE ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS HAS WIRES SEVERED DUE TO THE LIFTGATE HINGE. THIS PROBLEM RESULTED IN A FAILURE OF THE CENTER REAR MOUNTED BRAKE LIGHT, A WARNING INDICATOR THAT THE REAR GATE IS AJAR, AND FAILURE OF THE REAR DEFROSTER. DEALERSHIP MECHANIC INDICATED THAT VEHICLE HINGE CUT THE WIRING HARNESS AND THAT THE ROUTING OF THE WIRING HARNESS AND DESIGN WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH AND ABOVE, THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHO REPLACED BATTERY CABLES AND THE CONTROL MODULE. THE CONSUMER STATED SOMETIMES IT WOULD TAKE ANYWHERE FRO 30 SECONDS TO 2 MINUTES BEFORE THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION AFTER STALLING. UPDATED 12/01/06. *JB

1993 VOLVO 850GLT ENGINE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING. NEWSPAPER AD SAID 1999 THROUGH 2001, C70,S60,S80,V70 & V70XC. THE 850 WAS NEVER MENTIONED. HAVE HAD THE CAR SINCE 1998 & IT HAS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES. REAL SCARY, CAN IT BE FIXED? *NM