VOLVO Complaints

THE ENGINE THROTTLE CONTROL LIGHT ACTIVATED SPORADICALLY BEGINNING IN JULY, 2005. I NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS NOT PERFORMING ADEQUATELY WHEN GOING UPHILL OR IN SEVERE HEAT. MY HUSBAND CONTACTED THE VOLVO DEALERSHIP IN ALLENTOWN, PA WHERE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. HE WAS TOLD THAT THE COST TO REPAIR SAME WOULD BE OVER $800. WE DECIDED TO PASS ON THIS REPAIR DUE TO THE COST AND THOUGHT THAT ANOTHER AUTO SERVICE MECHANIC COULD PERFORM THE REPAIRS AT A LESSER PRICE. APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS LATER, THE ETS LIGHT WAS ACTIVATED ON EVERY OCCASION THAT THE VEHICLE WAS USED. SINCE A SECOND MECHANIC (NOT AFFILIATED WITH VOLVO) STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO DO THE REPAIRS, WE DECIDED TO CONTACT ANOTHER VOVLO DEALERSHIP. THE REPAIR OF THE THROTTLE BODY AND ETM "RELOAD" WAS PERFORMED BY A VOLVO OF FORT WASHTINGTON, PA AT A COST OF OVER $800 ON AUGUST 17, 2005. AFTER READING THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THAT NHTSA RECEIVED ON THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM AND THE POTENTIAL FOR INJURY, WE DECIDED TO HAVE THE REPAIR PERFORMED. WE DID CONTACT VOLVO IN ROCKLEIGH, NJ VIA EMAIL AND RECEIVED AN INITIAL RESPONSE FROM A MR. JOHN WILLETS REQUESTING INFORMATION ON OUR VIN NUMBER AND MILEAGE. WE SUPPLIED SAID INFORMATION ON THE SAME DATE (AUGUST 10, 2005). WE DID NOT HEAR BACK FROM HIM DESPITE REPEATED REQUESTS VIA EMAIL. WE HAD TO PAY THIS EXPENSIVE REPAIR BILL TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF OUR FAMILY.

I WAS DRIVING MY VLOLVO S80 ON 07/10/2005 ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN IT SUDDENLY LOST POWER. I COULD BARELY OPERATE IT OVER 30 MILES AN HOUR. I GOT STOPPED BY A STATE POLICEMAN AND GOT TICKET FOR OPERATING UNDER 30 MILES/HOUR AND NEGLIGENT OPERATION. I'M SCHEFULED FOR AN APPEAL HEARING. THROTTLE WAS REPLACED BY A DEALESRHIP, NUT THEY SAID THAT IT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN, SINCE IT'S THE SAME DESIGN PART.

MY CAR HAD A SUDDEN LACK OF POWER AND IN SOME TURNS WOULD STALL. THESE WOULD CAUSE A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN TRAFFIC. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY HAD THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE AND THROTTLE BODY HAD TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND SHOULD NOT OCCUR.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY (JUST NORMAL HIGHWAY DRIVING), I LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR - THE GAS SEEMED TO STICK AND THE ENGINE REVVED UP AND THEN THE CAR JUST SHUT DOWN. IT SEEMED TO STALL. THIS HAPPENED TWICE BEFORE IT TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE SYSTEM FOR $2,000. IT HAS NOT HAPPENED AGAIN BUT DURING OTHER ROUTINE MAINTENANCE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE THROTTLE SYSTEM WAS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY SO IT WAS REPLACED FOR A SECOND TIME.

CAR BEGAN LURCHING WHEN IDLING. TOOK TO DEALER, WHO SAID THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE NEEDED REPLACEMENT - AND THAT NHTS WAS INVESTIGATING THIS.

DT:THE PROBLEM BEGAN LAST YEAR WHILE DRIVING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AT ABOUT 25-30 MPH, THE OWNER FELT TUGGING AND HESITATION. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS ON TO WARN OWNER OF A PROBLEM. THE CAR EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER UNTIL THE OPERATING TEMPERATURE WENT UP TO NORMAL TEMPERATURE PROBLEM HAPPENED EVERY TIME THE CAR WAS DRIVEN, AND GOT WORSE WITH TIME. THE PROBLEM HAPPENED ABOUT 20 TIMES, THEN OWNER TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER NOTIFIED OWNER HE WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE ( ETM). THE FAULT CODES THAT SHOWED ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM 9150 AND 914F). THE OWNER DID NOT HAVE THE REPAIRS DONE AND THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE. THEN ABOUT 9 MONTHS LATER, THE OWNER EXPERIENCED THE SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING/COMING ON TO THE OFF RAMP, AND MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. THE OWNER TRIED TO SPEED UP. THERE WAS A FEELING OF COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER AT 3000 RPMS. THE OWNER PUSHED THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THERE WAS NO POWER AFTER 3000 RPMS. THERE WAS A FEELING OF THE CAR HAVING ONLY ONE GEAR. THE OWNER COASTED OFF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED THE CAR AND IT WAS FINE FOR A WHILE. THE PROBLEM IS STAYING THE SAME NOW, NOT GETTING WORSE. THE OWNER WISHED TO HAVE IT REPAIRED, BUT COULD NOT AFFORD IT. THE OWNER HAS SPOKEN WITH VOLVO, WHO WON'T OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THEY SAY THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK

BOUGHT USED 2000 VOLVO V70 XC 3 WEEKS AGO. DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN THE CAR STARTED SHAKING, FELT LIKE BUCKING & FLAT TIRE. THEN THE CAR JUST DIED. ETC (ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL / MODULE) LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST AT LEAST $900 TO FIX AND THAT ONLY A VOLVO DEALER COULD FIX IT, NOT MY VOLVO MECHANIC. I WAS TOLD BY VOLVO OVER THE TELEPHONE THAT THIS WAS "BEING LOOKED INTO" THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM. IF I WAS GOING ANY FASTER I FEEL AS THOUGH IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE. LUCKILY I WAS ON A BACK ROAD IN VT AND THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD. IT WAS ALSO VERY DIFFICULT TO GET THE CAR COMPLETELY OFF OF THE ROAD BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT RUN AT ALL. I COULD NOT MOVE IT ON MY OWN.

WHILE DRIVING, I SUDDENLY LOST POWER/ACCELERATION IN MY VEHICLE. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO CAME ON. I TURNED THE CAR OFF, BUT COULD NOT RESTART IT. MY VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MY LOCAL VOLVO DEALERSHIP. DIAGNOSIS - REPLACE THROTTLE BODY AND DOWNLOAD SOFTWARE (ETM). BECAUSE MY VEHICLE WAS PAST THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY, I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPARIS SINCE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY DID NOT SPECIFICALLY LIST THESE DEFECTS . . . $815 PARTS AND LABOR. APPROXIMATELY 1 YEAR 3 MONTHS LATER, I BEGAN EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS IN 2002 WHICH VOLVO DIAGNOSED AS A THROTTLE BODY FAILURE; HOWEVER I HAVE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO START MY CAR, BUT WITH SOME TROUBLE. NON-WARRANTY REPAIRS ARE COVERED FOR ONLY 1 YEAR. I CALLED THE WARRANTY COMPANY TO SEE IF THEY COULD HELP ME OUT. THE WARRANTY COMPANY KNEW OF THE DEFECT FROM PREVIOUS OTHER COMPLAINTS, AND THEY TOLD ME TO TRY TO WORK OUT A DEAL WITH VOLVO (WHICH DIDN'T HAPPEN). ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2002, I TOOK MY VEHICLE INTO VOLVO BECAUSE MY ENGINE FLUCTUATED WHILE IDLING. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS FLICKERED AS THE IDLE SURGED. VOLVO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS AN IGNITION COIL FAILURE. PARTS AND LABOR COST ME $250. I TOOK THE CAR IN AGAIN ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2002 (5 DAYS LATER) WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I REQUESTED A FUEL FILTER CHECK/REPLACEMENT, BUT VOLVO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM WITH THE THROTTLE BODY. THE CHECKED AND CLEANED THE THROTTLE BODY. THIS HAPPENED, OF COURSE, JUST 2 MONTHS BEFORE COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE THROTTLE BODY. I'VE SPENT OVER $1000 FOR MIS-DIAGNOSIS AND AN DEFECTIVE PART THAT VOLVO AND THEIR WARRANTY COMPANY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR CUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING. STRANGELY, FIRST IT STARTED OUT CUTTING OFF WHENEVER I WOULD MAKE A RIGHT TURN. THE CAR WOULD JUST CUT OFF, ALL THE LIGHTS IN THE DASH WOULD COME ON. I HAVE HAD THREE AUTO REPAIR PLACES LOOK AT IT. OF COURSE I WAS ADVISED TO DO SEVERAL THINGS WHICH THEY THOUGHT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. IT DID NOT. WELL THE LASTEST AND WORST HAPPENED ON 8/6 WHEN THE CAR CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING AND ON A BUSY STREET. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE FAR SIDE AND SWITCH THE CAR OFF AND IT STARTED RIGHT BACK UP. PLEASE I NEED HELP. I AM SCARED TO GET ON THE INTERSTATE IN FEAR THAT IT WILL SHUT DOWN ON ME.

FAILURE OF ETM IN 1999 VOLVO S80T6 CAUSE NEAR COLLISION WHEN THE CAR STOPED RUNNING WITHOUT WARNING AT 45 MPH.CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO VOLVO DEALER WHERE REPAIRS WERE MADE AT A COST OF $1439.16