VOLVO Complaints

THIS COMPLAINT IS REGARDING 2 FAULTY THROTTLE MODULES (ETM) THAT HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY VOLVO DEALERSHIPS FOR MY 1999 VOLVO V70 XC. THE FIRST/ORIGINAL ETM WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY WITH 58,635 MILES ON 22 MAY 03. 14 MONTHS AND 12,474 MILES LATER, THAT ETM FAILED AND I HAD TO REPLACE IT AT MY COST. SYMPTOMS INCLUDED IRREGULAR AND ERRATIC ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION OF THE CAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITH THE ACCELERATION PEDAL PRESSED, BUT STEADY. IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT THE TWO ETM'S THAT WERE INSTALLED WERE BOTH MODEL# 8644347. THIS SHOWS EVIDENCE THAT VOLVO IS ONLY REPLACING A FAILED DEFECTIVE ETM WITH A NEW DEFECTIVE ETM. I URGE THE NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER FOR THE SAFETY OF VOLVO DRIVERS WHO MIGHT GET INTO A FUTURE ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS DEFECTIVE PART. THANK YOU. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS NHTSA RECALL 91V010000 CONCERNING THE FUEL SYSTEM GASOLINE DELIVERY: FUEL PUMP. THIS VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE AT THIS TIME. *AK

I OWN A 2000 VOLVO S80 2.9 - VIN: [XXX]. I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW FROM BRIDGEWATER VOLVO IN NJ ON AUG 15, 2000. I HAVE 49,100 MILES ON THE CAR AND I HAVE MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE IMPECCABLY IN THE LAST 5 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. TWO WEEKS AGO THE CAR STARTED STALLING AND THE MESSAGE DISPLAY READ "REDUCED PERFORMANCE". MY WIFE USES THE CAR TO COMMUTE TO WORK AND THE STALLING OF THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAYS PUT HER INTO A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SHE WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULLOVER AND THE CAR WOULD RE-START AGAIN EVERY TIME IT STALLED. SHE FINALLY GOT HOME AND AFTER THE SECOND DAY OF THE PROBLEMS SHE LEFT IT IN THE GARAGE AND USED THE SECOND CAR FOR COMMUTING. SHE THEN TOOK IT TO THE VOLVO DEALER IN EDISON NJ. VOLVO OF EDISON DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND HERE IS THE DIRECT QOUTE FROM THEIR BILL - "PERFORMANCE REDUCED LIGHT FAULT TRACE ECM 91A7 AND ABS 00B1-FOUND INTERNAL FAULT IN ETM AND BRAKE PEDAL POSITION SENSOR REPLACE AND DOWNLOAD ETM AND BRAKE PEDAL POSITION SENSOR" SINCE THE CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY I HAD TO PAY THE FOLLOWING AMOUNTS: PARTS - THROTTLE BODY, GASKET & SENSOR = $655.42 LABOR - $472.50 TAXES = $67.68 TOTAL = $1,195.60 I CALLED VOLVO CUSTOMER SERVICE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE PRE-MATURE FAILURES AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT. I ALSO STATED THAT I AM DISSATISFIED WITH THEIR PRODUCT QUALITY AND I MAY NOT CONSIDER BUYING ANOTHER VOLVO PRODUCT. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP TOLD ME THAT IN THAT CASE VOLVO MAY NOT EVEN CONSIDER REVIEWING MY CASE AS I MAY NOT CONSIDER BUYING ANOTHER VOLVO. IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE PROBLEM LAST YEAR I HAD A COOLING FAN FAILURE WHICH WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY JUST BEFORE IT EXPIRED. NOW I HAVE NEVER EVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM VOLVO ON ANY PROBLEMS. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE FRONT SUSPENSION BALL JOINTS AND I DO NOT KNOW IF VOLVO DURING THE ROUTINE SERVICE VISITS EVER APPLIED THE RECALL FIX. *NM UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

I WAS DRIVING AT APPROX 50 MPH ON A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE UP A HILL WHEN MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. THE COMPUTER DISPLAYED A "REDUCED POWER" MESSAGE. I PULLED TO THE RIGHT, AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE ABOUT 1/8 MILE AT SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED POWER UNTIL I COULD PULL COMPLETELY OFF THE ROAD (MY CHILDREN WERE WITH ME AND I WANTED TO BE OFF THE ROAD). I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT, TURNED OFF MY VEHICLE. AFTER A TWO PHONE CALLS, I ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE VEHICLE ON. IT SEEMED TO RUN FINE. I CONTINUED ON, DROPPED MY CHILDREN AT SCHOOL, AND DROVE TO THE VOLVO DEALER. THEIR NOTES INDICATE: "...FOUND THAT ETM IS DEFECTIVE AND HAD INTERNAL FAULTS IN IT. ALSO FOUND THAT THE CODES WERE SET FOR MAF SENSOR READING OUT OF RANGE. REMOVED ETM AND FOUND THAT IT WAS COVER WITH OIL. CHECKED BANJO FITTING AND FOUND IT TO BE PLUGGED, CLEAN OUT BANJO FITTING, REPLACED ETM AND MAF SENSOR DOWN LOADED NEW SOFTWARE INTO CAR. CLEARED ALL OLD DTCS AND TEST DROVE CAR. CAR NOW DRIVING TO VOLVO'S SPECS." COST OF REPAIRS: $1332.47 OUCH! THE LOST OF POWER OCCURRED FIRST -- THE ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS WERE, I BELIEVE, A RESULT OF THE ETM FAILURE OR DUE TO THE FACT THAT I NEEDED TO CONTINUE DRIVING A SHORT DISTANCE TO FIND A SAFE STOPPING PLACE. REPLACED: THROTTLE BODY, GASKET, MASS AIR FLOW, ETM RELOAD. *NM

WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT 65-70 MPH, 2001 VOLVO S80 T6 DISPLAYED A MESSAGE INDICATING REDUCED POWER. WAS ABLE TO STEER THE CAR, BUT PUSHING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IT HAD NO EFFECT. THE CONTACT WAS FORCED TO MANEUVER TO THE SHOULDER, AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO LOCAL DEALER. THE CAR WOULD START AND CONTINUED TO RUN, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT GO. IT WAS AS IF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL HAD BEEN DISCONNECTED. THIS HAPPENED AT ALL SPEEDS. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ELECTRICAL THROTTLE MODULE (ETM) MALFUNCTIONED. *AK

ETM BAD/ ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE THIS HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE AND IT'S NOT RESOLVED YET! I BOUGHT MY USED VOLVO S-80 T6 OCTOBER 20 TH WITH 76,000 MILES. WITHIN THE DAY OF OWNERSHIP THE SERVICE ENGINE REQUIRED LIGHT CAME ON, AND I FAILED MASS INSPECTION. I TRIED TO GET MY MONEY BACK, BUT I BOUGHT OUT OF STATE, AND THEY REFUSE TO RETURN CALLS. I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND IT WAS THE ETM. ON WEDNESDAY NOV 10TH 2005, I CALLED MY LOCAL DEALER PIONEER VOLVO IN SOUTH DEERFIELD MASS 1 800 680 2140, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE ETM WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 70,000 MILES, AT 76,000 MILE, THERE WAS NO WARRANTY. I ASKED HIM ABOUT KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH THE ETM, AND DENIED THAT HE WAS AWARE OF ANY! I ASKED HIM FOR AN APPOINTMENT, EXPLAINED THAT HE IS THE CLOSEST DEALER AT 47 MINUTES AWAY, AND THAT I NEEDED HELP ASAP DUE TO FAILED EMISSIONS. HE TOLD ME "BRING IT IN...AT 9 30 AM AND MAYBE I'LL LOOK AT IT....WHEN I ASKED HIM FOR A GUARANTEED TIME....HE SAID ..."MAYBE IN 2 WEEKS" I DECIDED TO FIX THE PROBLEM MYSELF BY CLEANING THE ETM, WHICH I UNDERSTAND HELPS TEMPORARILY. I HAD NO CHOICE BEING I AM EXTREMELY BUSY IN AN UNFLEXIBLE JOB AND FINANCIALLY STRAPPED. HOWEVER, WHEN REINSTALLING THE ETM, THE BOLTS ARE DESIGNED TO SHEER. THE BOLT SNAPPED AND I HAVE BEEN UNDER MY CAR FOR 3 DAYS....STILL CAN'T EXTRACT IT. I NEED MY CAR! I NEED IT TO PASS INSPECTION! WHY WON'T VOLVO COVER THIS? *NM

DT: CONTACT STATES THE HEADLIGHTS ON HIS VEHICLE WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING HIS VEHICLE AT NIGHT. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING, HEADLIGHT: SWITCH, CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V504000. THE DEALER REFUSED TO PERFORM THE RECALL WORK ON THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THEY SAID THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO PHYSICAL DAMAGE OF THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. *NM

2001 VOLVO S60 T5 W/MANUAL TRANSMISSION STALLED ABRUPTLY WITH A "REDUCED POWER" MESSAGE ON THE DASHBOARD COMPUTER DISPLAY WHILE ACCELERATING ON A HIGHWAY ONRAMP. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, AS ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS BEHIND ME AND CAME CLOSE TO COLLIDING WITH MY VEHICLE DUE TO IMMEDIATE DECELERATION W/NO WARNING/BRAKE LIGHTS UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO REACT TO THE UNEXPECTED SITUATION. AFTER PULLING OVER, STOPPING THE CAR FOR A FEW MINUTES AND RESTARTING, I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING IT, BUT IT SEEMED TO RUN ROUGH AND "STUTTER" A BIT FOR THE REST OF THE TRIP. DROVE TO LOCAL VOLVO DEALERSHIP FIRST THING NEXT MORNING AND RESULTING DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR WAS "THROTTLE UNIT INTERNAL FAULT" AND REPLACEMENT OF THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE (ETM). ENGINE FAULT CODES WERE: ECM 915D, 916D, 904C, 928A & 903F. REPAIRS TOTALED $1,012.03. *JB

MY 2001 VOLVO V70XC HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERE SURGING AT CRUISING SPEEDS AND AT LOW SPEED ACCELERATIONS. NUMEROUS TIMES IN A COUPLE WEEKS THE PERFORMANCE REDUCED WARNING LIGHT APPEARED DURING SOME OF THE SURGING EPISODES. ONE EPISODE CAUSED THE CAR TO STALL. AFTER RESTARTING I MADE IT HOME. SEARCHING THE INTERNET I FOUND MANY SIMILAR STORIES AND LENGTHY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE ETM (ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE) PROBLEMS. DUE TO THE POTENTIAL OF COMPLETE FAILURE AND BEING STRANDED, I REPLACED THE ETM AT A LOCAL DEALER (THE DEALER RECOMMENDED THE ETM REPLACEMENT BASED ON THE ENGINE HISTORY CODES). THE CAR NOW RUNS VERY WELL, BUT I'M SKEPTICAL BECAUSE THE SAME DESIGNED PART HAS BEEN INSTALLED THAT IS TROUBLESOME. *JB

DT: CONTACT'S WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND VEHICLE SPEED SLOWED DOWN TO ALMOST NO SPEED AT ALL. SHE WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE RAMP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VOLVO DEALERSHIP IN JUNE OF 2005 TO BE CHECKED. HE WAS TOLD AT THAT TIME THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE CLEANED. THE VEHICLE RAN FINE UNTIL SEPTEMBER, 22,005. THIS TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A VOLVO MECHANIC, THE THROTTLE BODY WAS REPLACED AT THIS TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY AT THAT TIME .THEN ON NOVEMBER 12, 2005 HE WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING PLACE AND THE THROTTLE BODY WENT OUT AGAIN. THIS, IN TURN, ALMOST CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. ON NOVEMBER 14, 2005 HE TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE MECHANIC AND HE WAS TOLD THAT THE THROTTLE BODY THAT WAS REPLACED IN SEPTEMBER 2005 WAS DEFECTIVE FROM VOLVO. THE VEHICLE IS NOW AT A REPAIR SHOP HAVING THE THROTTLE BODY REPLACED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY.*AK UPDATED 12/16/2005. *NM