VOLVO Complaints

NHTSA #PE05041. I OWN A VOLVO C70 WITH THE 2.3L HPT. ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 16TH WHILE DRIVING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILUMINATED. I THEN, AFTER MAKING A STOP WAS GOING TO PROCEED TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE CODE CHECKED. ON MY WAY THERE I WENT TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC FROM A SIDE LOT AND WHEN I PRESSED DOWN THE ACCELERATOR VIRTUALLY NOTHING HAPPENED. THE CAR ALMOST STALLED PULLING INTO FAST MOVING TRAFFIC. IT THEN RECOVERED, AND FROM THAT POINT ON I NOTICED THAT THE THROTTLE RESPONSE WAS VERY SLUGGISH. THE DEALER COULD NOT LOOK AT THE CAR ON THE 16TH BUT LOOKED AT IT ON THE 17TH AND FOUND THAT THE CODE INDICATED A THROTTLE MODULE FAILURE. THEY THEN REPLACED THE THROTTLE MODULE. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT MY CAR ALTHOUGH BEING A 2001 ONLY HAS 26,000 MILES ON IT AND SHOWS NO SIGN OF CORROSION OR MECHANICAL OBSTRUCTION OF THE THOTTLE MODULE. AFTER READING REVIEWS OF OTHER COMPLAINTS I FELT I SHOULD ADD MINE AS IT COULD HAVE TURNED OUT DIFFERENTLY WITH SUCH UNPREDICTABLE PERFORMANCE. ALSO IT MAY HELP DETERMINE IF A MANUFACTUING DEFECT IS THE CAUSE OF SUCH THROTTLE MODULE FAILURES. *AK

DT: THE CONSUMER HAS A 2004 VOLVO 670 TRACTOR. WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE AIR ROD THAT HELD UP AIR BAGS FOR THE AIR BAG SYSTEM, SUSPENSION, THE ROD SLIPPED AND FELL, CAUSING THE AIRBAGS DROP. WHEN THE AIRBAGS DROPPED WITH A TRAILER ON THE TRUCK IT CAUSED ALL THE WEIGHT OF THE TRAILER TO BE CONCENTRATED ON THE REAR OF THE TRUCK DUE TO THE AIRBAGS DROPPING AND LETTING THE REAR OF TRUCK LOWER. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE ROD WORE OUT. THIS WAS THE SIXTH TIME THAT REPAIRS HAD TO BE DONE. ALSO, DEALER ALSO TOLD CONSUMER THAT IF HE DID NOT STOP AND FIX THE ROD WHEN DRIVING IT WILL RUIN THE TRANSMISSION. DEALER STATED THAT THE ORIGINAL ROD WAS TOO SHORT AND THIS CAUSED THE ROD TO POP OUT. MECHANIC AT DEALER STATED THAT HE HAD A LOT OF THIS PROBLEM IN THESE TRUCKS. *AK

THROTTLE BODY FAILURE ON MY 200V70XC. THE UNIT HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE.#1@77000MILES, #2@115000. THIS IS VERY SERIOUS. I DRIVE A BUSY HIGHWAY TO AND FROM WORK. THE FALIURE OCCURENCES ON SOME OCCASSIONS HAVE BEEN FRIGHTENING IN AN EFFORT TO GET OUT OF ONCOMING CARS WAYS. I HAVE BEEN COMMUTING WITH MY 22 MONTH OLD FOR HIS ENTIRE LIFE. AFFORDABILITY AND TIMING AFFECTS THE OPPORTUNTY WHEN THE TIME ARISES TO GET THE PROBLEM FIXED. THIS IS A VERY COSTLY ISSUE. THEREFORE SEVERAL FAILURES HAPPENDED IN BOTH OCCASSIONS PRIOR TO GETTING FIXED. THE MOST RECENT TIME TOOK TWO ADDITIONAL TRIPS AND THE REPLACEMENT OF AN ACCELLARATOR PEDAL TO CLEAR THE CODE AND STOP THE ETS FAILURES FOR NOW.*AK

THE FOLLOWING NARRATIVE IS SUBMITTED AS INFORMATION REGARDING THE NHTSA PRELIMINARY EVALUATION ON JULY 26, 2005 TO INVESTIGATE A VARIETY OF CONCERNS RESULTING FROM THE FAILURE OR REDUCED PERFORMANCE OF THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE IN 1999-2001 VOLVO PASSENGER CARS. IN ADDITION TOO THE HIGH FAILURE RATE OF THE ETM, THE AIR MASS METER FAILURE RATE IN MY OPINION IS JUST AS HIGH AND AS COSTLY. IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE AS WELL AS OTHERS TO LOOSE ENGINE POWER WHEN THIS UNIT FAILS. THIS UNIT FAILED WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT. ONCE THE LIGHT CHANGED THE CAR REFUSED TO MOVE. ONCE THE ACCELERATOR WAS DEPRESSED THE ENGINE WOULD BOG DOWN AND SHUT OFF. THIS RESULTED IN A $425 REPAIR AND $35 TOW. MY VEHICLE IS A VOLVO S-80, 2001. *JB

CAR DISPLAYED MESSAGE REDUCED PERFORMANCE MODE. CAR RUNS AT 2 MPH. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED!*JB

ENGINE FAILED ON 2001 VOLVO V70 XC ON TRIP TO NORTH CAROLINA. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT RESTARTED, OPERATING UNDER "REDUCED POWER". I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A VOLVO DEALER IN MYRTLE BEACH WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A THROTTLE MODULE FAILURE AND REPAIRED IT AT A COST OF $656.00. THE CAR HAD 61,685 MILES (BEYOND THE 50,000 MILE WARRANTY) AND WAS PURCHASED ON 9/9/2000. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE HAVE BEEN WIDESPREAD FAILURES OF THIS COMPONENT AND THAT THERE ARE VARIOUS ACTIONS IN PROCESS THAT MIGHT RESULT IN RECALL. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD MY PROBLEM TO THE LIST. *JB

HUB CAPS RUB ON TIRE VALVE STEMS, CAUSING VALVE STEM FAILURE AND TIRE FAILURE. VALVE STEMS REPLACED. HUB CAPS REMOVED. *JB

IT HAS BEEN 4 TIMES ALREADY (SINCE AUGUST 2002) THAT MY CAR'S ENGINE HAS STALLED WHILE DRIVING. IN ALL INSTANCES THE ENGINE STARTS BACK UP AGAIN. I NOTICE RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE I LOOSE THE POWER STEERING. FIRST TIME [AUGUST 2, 2002]: THE FIRST DAY I BOUGHT THE CAR (BRAND NEW) I WAS AT A RED LIGHT AND THE CAR TURNED OFF. SECOND TIME: THIS WAS LIKE SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. THIRD TIME [JUNE 7, 2005]: I LEFT MY CAR AT THE DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE. THE DEALER TOOK MY CAR FOR A TEST DRIVE AND THE ENGINE STALLED ON HIM. I TOLD THEM THAT I HAS HAPPENED TO ME 2 TIMES PREVIOUSLY. THEY REPLACED THE STARTER SWITCH FOR THAT REASON. FOURTH TIME [JULY 16, 2005:] I WAS DRIVING UPHILL ON A ZONE WITH TIGHT CURVES AND THE CAR STALLED AGAIN. THIS TIME I ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT CAUSE THE TURNS WERE TIGHT AND I HAD NO POWER STEERING. *JB

1. ETS (ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM) WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. THIS CAN AFFECT DRIVABILITY OF A VEHICLE. 2. THROTTLE BODY FOR VOLVO 2001 C70 HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1075. 3. THIS IS WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM WITH VOLVO CARS MADE FROM 1999 TO 2001 AFFECTING MODELS S70, V70, C70, S80 AND S60, BUT VOLVO REFUSES TO COMPENSATE FOR THE COST OF REPAIRS OR ISSUE A RECALL. *JB

ON OR ABOUT MAY 3RD, 2005, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2001 VOLVO T6 WHEN SHE SUDDENLY LOST ENGINE PERFORMANCE. SHE WAS TRAVELING ALONG A BUSY INTERSTATE AND SHE MANAGED TO GET THE CAR INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE WHILE HOLDING UP TRAFFIC BEHIND HER. THE FOLLOWING MSG APPEARED ON THE DASH, "ENGINE PERFORMANCE REDUCED". WHEN SHE GOT THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, SHE TURNED THE CAR OFF AND CALLED ME TO INFORM ME THE CAR WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. SHE STARTED THE CAR AFTER A FEW MINUTES AND IT PERFORMED OKAY ON THE WAY HOME. AT THIS TIME, I THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A FUEL OR GAS CAP PROBLEM. SHE WAS VERY CLOSE TO HAVING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE NEXT DAY SHE WAS TRAVELING WITH OUR CHILDREN ON A VERY BUSY BYPASS AND THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. THIS TIME, I MADE A CALL TO THE VOLVO DEALER AND THEY INFORMED ME TO LEAVE THE CAR OFF FOR A MINUTE AND THE COMPUTER WOULD RESET. NOT A GOOD SOLUTION. NEEDLESS TO SAY, SHE HAD TO NAVIGATE THE CAR FROM THE INSIDE LANE TO THE EMERGENCY LANE WHILE TRAVELING NO FASTER THAN 20 MPH. AGAIN, THIS WAS A VERY BUSY BYPASS AND LUCKILY SHE MANAGED TO GET THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. FINALLY, I DROVE THE CAR THE NEXT DAY TO SEE HOW IT PERFORMED FOR ME. AGAIN, THE CAR FAILED (I.E. SLOWED TO 20 MPH ON A 70 MPH INTERSTATE) WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I CALLED THE DEALER AGAIN THE NEXT DAY AND THEY INFORMED ME THEY WOULD NEED TO SEE THE CAR IN ORDER TO DIAGNOSE. I INFORMED THEM I NEEDED RECALL WORK PERFORMED ON AN ELECTRICAL FAN SO THEY COULD CHECK INTO MY "ENGINE PERFORMANCE REDUCED" PROBLEM AT THE SAME TIME. ALL THIS SAID, THE CAR FAILED APPROXIMATELY 8-10 TIMES BEFORE I COULD GET THE CAR TO THE SHOP AND REPAIRED ($933.00). THE PROBLEM PART WAS DETERMINED TO BE AN ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE. LUCKILY, MY WIFE, AS WELL AS MYSELF, WERE ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT GETTING RAN OVER BY TRAFFIC. THIS PROBLEM DEFINITELY NEEDS THE ATTENTION OF THE NHTSA. THANKS FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN PROVIDE. *JB