VOLVO Complaints

THIS IS THE SECOND SERIOUS INCIDENT RECORD. PLEASE REFERENCE ODI NUMBER 10134007; THAT DOCUMENTED THE FIRST INCIDENT.

MY 2001 S60 2.4T VOLVO SEDAN HAS HAD NUMEROUS ERROR MESSAGES DISPLAYED OVER THE 4 YEARS I HAVE OWNED IT. MOST TIMES THERE WAS NO PROBLEM IN DRIVING THE VEHICLE UNTIL I COULD SAFELY PULL OVER. THE "FIX" FOR THE ERROR MESSAGE WAS TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, SIT FOR A MOMENT AND RESTART. ON TWO OTHER FRIGHTFUL OCCASIONS, HOWEVER, I LOST STEERING ASSIST AND ACCELERATION. BOTH TIMES I WAS ON BUSY INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS AND FEARED FOR MY LIFE AS MY CAR LIMPED TOWARD THE BREAKDOWN LANE. IT APPEARS THAT I HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY FORTUNATE IN THAT BOTH TIMES THE CAR LOST POWER AND CONTROL THAT IT STARTED UP AGAIN. I WILL BE SUBMITTING 2 ACCOUNTS ONLINE. MY REPAIR GARAGE CONFIRMED YESTERDAY THAT THERE ARE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF ERROR MESSAGES CAUSED BY THE "THROTTLE CONTROL" AND THAT I HAVE TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER. I HAVE MY APPOINTMENT FOR SEPTEMBER 6 AND WAS GIVEN AN ESTIMATE OF $900 TO REPLACE THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL. IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY.

THE TAILGATE LOCK MECHANISM ON MY 1998 V70XC WAGON OFTEN FAILS TO LATCH IN COLD WEATHER. THIS AS NOT BEEN TOO BIG A PROBLEM HERE IN ARIZONA - TYPICALLY OCCURRING IF THE TAILGATE IS OPENED IN THE OCCASIONAL COLD MORNINGS - AS THE DAY WARMS UP THE MECHANISM USUALLY ALWAYS LATCHS CORRECTLY. USUALLY WHEN IT BEGINS NOT TO LATCH A LITTLE CLEANING AND LUBRICANT WOULD CURE IT FOR A WHILE. THIS SOLUTION IS NOW PRODUCING LIMITED RESULTS, AND NOT WANTING TO DRIVE THE KIDS TO SCHOOL WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF THEIR BACKPACKS FALLING OUT OF THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE, I HAVE DECIDED TO REPLACE THE LATCH. WHILE SEARCHING THE INTERNET FOR REPLACEMENT INFORMATION, I CAME ACROSS NUMEROUS OWNER REPORTS OF OCCURRENCES OF THIS FAILURE, AS WELL AS A RECALL OF THE MODEL YEAR 2000 VERSION OF THIS VEHICLE FOR THE SAME ISSUE. I MADE A CLOSE INSPECTION OF THE MECHANICAL PART OF THE LATCH, AND IT APPEARS THAT THE TWO ROTATING ELEMENTS THAT FORM THE CATCH & LOCK ASSEMBLY ARE NOT WELL ALIGNED (ARE NOT MOVING IN THE SAME PLANE), POSSIBLY DUE TO THE POOR FORMING AND/OR ASSEMBLY OF THE STAMPED AND FOLDED STEEL HOUSING IN WHICH THESE TWO PIECES ARE LOCATED. THIS MECHANICAL PROBLEM IS LIKELY THE REASON THAT THE CLEANING/LUBRICATION SOLUTION HAS ALWAYS PRODUCED LIMITED RESULTS. IN ALL OTHER FUNCTIONS (POWER LOCK/UNLOCK, LATCH RELEASE, CHILD LOCK, ETC.) THE ASSEMBLY WORKS CORRECTLY, IT IS JUST THE BALKY ROTATION OF THE LOCKING CATCH THAT APPEARS TO BE KEEPING THE LATCH FROM OPERATING PROPERLY. I CALLED VOLVO CUSTOMER CARE TO SEE IF THE 2000 MODEL YEAR RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM HAD BEEN EXTENDED TO MY YEAR VEHICLE, BUT WAS TOLD NO. I BELIEVE THE FAILURE IS DUE TO AN APPARENT DESIGN AND/OR MANUFACTURING DEFICIENCY AND NOT FROM JUST WEAR AND TEAR. DUE TO THE SAFETY ISSUE, I HAVE REPLACED THE LATCH ASSEMBLY, THOUGH I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DETERMINE IF THIS HAS CORRECTED THE PROBLEM UNTIL COLDER WEATHER.

PART OF 10133805, SECOND VEHICLE S70, CATASTROPHIC FAILURE, STALLED WHILE GOING 35 IN MODERATE TRAFFIC. IF IT HAD FAILED 20 SECONDS LATER THERE COULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT. RESTARTED 30 SECONDS LATER IN LIMP HOME MODE, ETM REPLACED. *SMCH. *AK

ETM (ETS) ON 2000 YEAR MODEL S70 (V70). UNIT FAILED AFTER MODEST USE (74915 MILES). REPLACED AT COST OF $860.13. THIS APPEARS TO BE A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM, AND THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD OWN UP TO POOR DESIGN. PLEASE FILE COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER.

ELECTRONIC THROTTLE SYSTEM IN MY 2000 VOLVO S70 NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. MY VOLVO STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION, I DIDN'T KNOW WHY THIS WAS HAPPENING. 2 DAYS LATER MY ETS LIGHT CAME ON AND I DID SOME RESEARCH ABOUT WHAT THIS WAS AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS SOME ARBITRATION GOING ON REGARDING 98-2001 VOLVOS WITH THIS SAME ISSUE AND THERE IS SOME TALK ABOUT A RECALL. I FEEL THAT THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, AND IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN ON A BUSY HIGHWAY GOING 65-70 MPH AND MY CAR STALLED, THE RAMIFICATIONS COULD BE TREMENDOUS. I FEEL THAT IF THERE IS SUCH A BIG ISSUE WITH THIS PARTICULAR PART ON VOLVOS THAT IT SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR THE SAFETY OF THE CONSUMERS WHO HAVE PURCHASED THESE VEHICLES. IT SEEMS TO BE THE ETHICAL THING THAT VOLVO COULD DO. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE VOLVO DEALERSHIP TODAY (8/23/05) AND ASKED THEM IF THERE WAS ANYTHING BEING DONE ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THEY TOLD ME NO, THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT OUT OF MY OWN POCKET UNTIL THERE WAS A RECALL. I HAD TO PAY $1200.00 OUT OF MY POCKET FOR A DEFECT IN A VEHICLE THAT SHOULD BE MADE GOOD BY THE COMPANY WHO MAKES THESE CARS.

ANOTHER COMPLAINT FOR THE VOLVO S80 THROTTLE MODULE CAUSING THE CAR TO LOSE ALL POWER ON THE FREEWAY. I WAS FORTUNATE THAT EACH TIME THIS OCCURRED, I WAS IN A POSITION TO GET OFF THE ROAD SAFELY. THE SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS, HOWEVER. I WORK IN NASHVILLE WHERE EVERY ROUTE TO WORK IS UNDERGOING ROAD CONSTRUCTION AND DOES NOT HAVE A SHOULDER TO PULL OFF ON. HAD THE ETM FAILED IN ONE OF THESE LOCATIONS, I WOULD LIKELY HAVE BEEN HIT BY OTHER AUTOS UNABLE TO AVOID ME. I HAD THE PART REPLACED FOR ABOUT $850 AS VOLVO CLAIMED THAT IT WAS NOT A PROBLEM AND REFUSED TO FIX IT. IN ADDITION TO THE FAULTY ETM IS THE ABS CONTROL UNIT FOR THE AIRBAGS AND TRACTION CONTROL. ACCORDING TO WHAT I'VE SEEN ON VOLVO MESSAGE BOARDS (VOLVOSPY.COM, SWEDESPEED.COM AND BRICKBOARD.COM), THIS PART ALSO SEEMS TO FAIL AS FREQUENTLY AS THE ETM. MINE IS FAILING NOW AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED OR I CAN HAVE IT FIXED AT AN INDEPENDENT SHOP - PLEASE CHECK THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS SHOP: HTTP://HOME.EARTHLINK.NET/~VICROCHA/ IF THE ABS CONTROL UNIT FAILS IN AN ACCIDENT, THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT TO DEPLOY. IF THE TRACTION CONTROL IS NOT WORKING, THE CAR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AVOID A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT AS WELL. THE PART CAN BE MADE TO BE MORE DEPENDABLE, ACCORDING TO INFORMATION FROM THE INDEPENDENT SHOP LISTED ABOVE. THE INCIDENT DATE IS NOT ACCURATE. IT OCCURRED OVER A PERIOD OF A COUPLE OF WEEKS A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO. I CAN CHECK THE DATE OF REPAIR TO GIVE YOU A MORE ACCURATE DATE IF YOU WISH. THANKS!

THE CAR WAS SHAKING WHEN STARTED. IT ALSO HAD A HORRIBLY LOUD NOISE. I CALLED TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE VOLVO DEALERSHIP BUT THEY WERE CLOSED SO I HAD IT TOWED TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC IN MY TOWN. HE CHECKED THE SYSTEM AND SAID THE THROTTLE WAS DEFECTIVE AND THAT I SHOULD HAVE THIS DONE BY WARRANTY FROM THE VOLVO DEALERSHIP. WHEN I CALLED THE VOLVO DEALERSHIP IN SANTA ROSA, CA. THEY SAID THAT IT COULD BE CAUSED BY A DIRTY THROTTLE AND I SHOULD HAVE THE CAR CHECKED FIRST TO MAKE SURE THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. MY MECHANIC CHECKED THIS AND IT COST ME $129.35 FOR HIM TO TROUBLE SHOOT THE SITUATION TO MAKE SURE THIS WAS A WARRANTY ISSUE. HE THEN CALLED THE VOLVO DEALERSHIP AND SPOKE TO ALEX IN SERVICE AND TOLD HIM THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE THROTTLE DEFECT. THE CAR WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP/SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THEY CHECKED IT AND SAID A PART IN THE THROTTLE WAS DEFECTIVE. THEY REPLACED THAT PART AND THEN HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ETM SYSTEM. THEY HAD PROBLEMS DOWNLOADING THE NEW SOFTWARE BUT FINALLY WERE ABLE TO GET IT TO RUN. THEY GAVE ME A LOANER CAR BUT WOULDN'T PAY FOR MY CHARGES TO HAVE THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED. ($129.00). I WOULD HAVE HAD IT TAKEN TO THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE BUT THEY WERE CLOSED. THIS WAS VERY FRIGHTENING! IT TOOK 5 DAYS TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE

ABS AND TRACS OFF INDICATOR LIGHTS ARE ON. DEALER DIAGNOSED AS FAILING ABS CONTROL MODULE. DEALER STATED THAT ABS DOES NOT WORK WHILE INDICATOR LIGHTS ARE ON, BUT BRAKES DO. WITH INDICATOR LIGHTS ON, THE SAFETY FEATURE OF ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AND TRACTION CONTROL ARE COMPROMISED.

VEHICLE HESITATES UPON ACCERLERATION , ALMOST TO THE POINT IT FEELS AS THOUGH IT IS GOING TO STALL. I HAD THE VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL VOLVO DEALER BACK IN NOVEMEBER OF 2004, BUT AFTER $700.00 IN DIAGNOSTIC CHARGES NO PROBLEM WAS DETECTED.