VOLVO Complaints

SPUTTERING AND STALLING OF 2001 VOLVO S80 T-6 AT LOW SPEEDS. IN JUNE, VOLVO AUTHORIZED DEALER REPLACED TWO OXYGEN SENSORS (BASED ON THEIR BEST GUESS). CAR OPERATED SATISFACTORILY FOR 60 DAYS; NOW EXPERIENCING SPUTTERING AND STALLING AGAIN. *JB

IN THE SUMMER OF 2003 MY WIFE'S 2000 VOLVO V70 XC SUFFERED A FAILURE OF THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM. I WAS DRIVING AT THE TIME AND THE ENGINE POWER DECREASED ABRUPTLY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS LITTLE OR NO TRAFFIC IN THE VICINITY OF THE FAILURE SO THAT I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND THEN RESTARTED IT. IT WORKED WELL ENOUGH TO GET ME BACK HOME. I GOT QUOTES TO FIX THE SYSTEM AND WAS TOLD AT THE TIME THAT IT WOULD COST AROUND $1000 TO REPLACE THE PART. THE CAR HAD ABOUT 80K MILES WHEN THIS OCCURRED. I DIDN'T NEED THE CAR TO BE IN SERVICE AND SO WAITED UNTIL THE SUMMER OF 2004 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. I WAS ALSO PRETTY UPSET AT THE ATTITUDE OF THE VOLVO PEOPLE WHO TOLD ME THAT THE PART WAS OUT OF WARRANTY (WHICH IT REALLY WASN'T SINCE IT IS PART OF THE EMISSIONS SYSTEMS AND THEREFORE MUST LAST AT LEAST 80K IN CT AND THAT IF I COULD AFFORD TO REPAIR THE CAR I SHOULDN'T HAVE BOUGHT IT. THE COST FOR THE REPAIR WAS AROUND $1200. THIS FAILURE, IN MY OPINION, CAUSES AN UNSAFE CONDITION. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT THE OUTCOME WOULD HAVE BEEN HAD I BEEN DRIVING IN HEAVIER TRAFFIC. THE CAR WOULD HAVE SUDDENLY DIED AND IF I WERE IN THE PASSING LANE, THERE WOULD NO WAY TO GET TO THE ROADSIDE. NO TELLING WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. ALSO, THIS PART SHOULD LAST FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A MECHANICAL THROTTLE SYSTEM EVER FAILING. THE MECHANICAL SYSTEMS WILL GIVE AMPLE WARNING BEFORE FAILING SO THAT CORRECTIVE ACTION CAN BE TAKEN BEFORE IT BECOMES HAZARDOUS. THIS CONDITION CAME ON SO SUDDENLY IT WAS UNSAFE. *NM

WHILE GOING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH THE ETS (ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD WENT ON, THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM WENT OFF AND THE CAR STARTED LOSING POWER. I WAS ABLE TO REACH HOME (APPROXIMATELY 200 MILES, BUT THE CAR'S PERFORMANCE WAS SERIOUSLY COMPROMISED. THE NEXT DAY THE LIGHT WAS OFF, BUT THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND IT WENT BACK ON WITH SIMILAR RESULTS. BROUGHT IT INTO VOLVO DEALER WHO REPLACED THE ENTIRE ETS SYSTEM COSTING ME $975. *NM

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT FAILURE. MESSAGE INDICATED LOW BEAM FAILURE. INSERTED NEW BULB IN LEFT LOW BEAM HOLDER. DID NOT FUNCTION. TO BE CERTAIN THAT I HAD A GOOD BULB, I REMOVED THE RIGHT LOW BEAM BULB AND INSERTED IT INTO THE LEFT LOW BEAM HOLDER. THIS BULB, WHICH HAD WORKED PREVIOUSLY, NOW FAILED AND I WAS LEFT WITH NO LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS. THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH MY 2000 VOLVO CROSS COUNTRY. *NM

ON MAY 9, 2005 MY HUSBAND AND I WERE TRAVELING NORTH ON THE NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE NEAR EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ WHEN OUR 2000 VOLVO S80 SEDAN LOST ACCELERATION. AS THE VEHICLE SLOWED FROM 60 MPH IN TRAFFIC TO 15 MPH, THE MESSAGE WINDOW READ, "PERFORMANCE REDUCED." AS MY HUSBAND NEGOTIATED THE FAILING VEHICLE FROM THE CENTER LANE, SURROUNDED BY 60 MPH TRAFFIC, TO THE SHOULDER, I PHONED OUR VOLVO DEALERSHIP IN PA FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. THEY INFORMED ME TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD AND TO TAKE IT TO THE NEAREST VOLVO DEALERSHIP. AS WE INCHED ALONG THE SHOULDER AT 15 MPH, A NJ STATE TROOPER SPOTTED US AND RECOGNIZED THAT WE WERE IN TROUBLE. HE PULLED ALONG SIDE US AND THEN OFFERED TO FOLLOW US, WITH LIGHTS FLASHING, INTO THE NEAREST REST AREA, WHICH WAS 8 MILES NORTH. AS HE SAID, "YOU'RE A SITTING DUCK." ONCE AT THE SERVICE AREA, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART, AND WE HAD IT TOWED TO KUNDERT VOLVO IN HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, NJ. ALL IN ALL, WE WERE FORTUNATE UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. IT WAS 10:30 AM ON A CLEAR SPRING DAY. THE STATE TROOPER'S ASSISTANCE WAS FORTUITOUS AND OUR CAR SERVICE WAS COMPLETED BY 4 PM. AT KUNDERT VOLVO, THE SERVICE AREA REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY, A GASKET AND PERFORMED AN ETM RELOAD. TOTAL LABOR AND PARTS WAS $729.00 PLUS $150 TOWING CHARGE. ALTHOUGH ALL IS WELL THAT ENDS WELL, THERE WAS GREAT POTENTIAL FOR A SERIOUS ACCIDENT DURING OUR TIME UNASSISTED ON THE NJ TURNPIKE, CAUSED BY VEHICLE FAILURE. *NM

I PURCHASED MY 1999 USED S70 IN JUNE OF 2001. IT HAD APPROX. 47,000 MILES ON IT. WITHIN A WEEK OR TWO THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL MODULE HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE LOSS OF SPEED, ETC. WITHIN 1 YEAR I HAD TO REPLACE THE TURBO AND THE WHOLE ENGINE DUE TO MALFUNCTIONS. IN ALL, I HAVE SPENT ABOUT $9,000 IN REPAIRS TO THIS CAR DUE TO ENGINE PROBLEMS. IT HAS BEEN THE ABSOLUTE WORST CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED. IT HAS ALSO HAD NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS SINCE I PURCHASED. *NM

I OWN A 1999 VOLVO S70 FRONT WHEEL DRIVE. THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM (ETS) HAS FAILED, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM THAT VOLVO DOES KNOW ABOUT. THEY DO NOTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF THE HIGH REPAIR BILL ( $800.00 - $900.00). I AM A MEMBER OF A VOLVO WEBSITE, AND MANY, MANY OTHERS ON THE SITE KNOW OF THE PROBLEM. THE ETS FAILS ON THE VEHICLE, AND THE DRIVER IS LEFT UNABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLES SPEED, AND SOMETIMES DIRECTION ( IF THE CAR QUITS) WHEN MINE FAILED, I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE WITH MY CRUISE CONTROL ON ABOUT 72 MPH. I ALMOST COMPLETELY LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR, WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE CAR EFFECTIVELY, AND ALSO UNABLE TO STEER THE CAR EASILY BECAUSE THE ENGINE WENT DEAD. I WISH SOMEONE WOULD LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM, BECAUSE IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. IT IS ABOUT THE SAME AS A THROTTLE CABLE BREAKING WHILE DRIVING, AND THE CAR JUST GOING DEAD. VOLVO KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM, BUT REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THE ETS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *NM

"CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON 8/3/05. TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSIS. SAID IT WAS MALFUNCTION OF THROTTLE THAT REGULATES AIR GOING INTO ENGINE. NO CONSEQUENCES AS OF YET. *NM

DT:THE PROBLEM BEGAN IN APRIL AT STOP LIGHT. THE OWNER STATED THE CAR BEGAN TO REV. OWNER NOTICED THE RPMS RISING. THE CAR DID NOT HAVE ANY ENGINE LIGHTS ON. THE CAR STALLED IN APRIL. THE HUSBAND WAS DRIVING WHEN IT STALLED. THE WIFE HAS NEVER BEEN DRIVING WHEN IT STALLED AND SO SHE REALLY CAN'T GIVE FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT THE STALLING. THE OWNER WAS DRIVING TO WORK IN D.C. WHEN IT STALLED COMPLETELY OUT. THEN SHE TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE ETM ON MAY 20. THE DEALERSHIP KEPT THE CAR FOR ABOUT 10 DAYS. THE OWNER DID NOT WANT TO PAY FOR A REPAIR. VOLVO OF AMERICA AGREED TO PAY FOR THE PART IF THE OWNER PAID FOR LABOR.SO THE WORK WAS DONE AT A COST OF ABOUT 700 DOLLARS TO OWNER. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE IT WAS REPAIRED.*AK A.CONSUMER''S E-MAIL ADDRESS IF THEY HAVE ONE SEE ONWER INFORMATION B.DID THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY STALL OUT AND DIE OR DID IT LOSE POWER AND OPERATE AT A REDUCED SPEED? THE CAR COMPLETELY STALLED OUT AND RESTARTED. C.IF NO CRASHES OR INJURIES WERE THERE ANY ''NEAR-MISSES'' CAUSED BY THE PROBLEM? THERE WAS NO NEAR MISSES IN THIS CASE. D.HAS THE PERSON TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR REPAIR, DID THE CONSUMER PAY FOR THE ENTIRE REPAIR OR DID VOLVO/THE DEALERSHIP ASSIST IN THE COST OF THE REPAIR? THE VOLVO DEALERSHIP DID NOT WANT TO PAY FOR REPAIR, BUT VOLVO OF AMERICA AUTHORIZED PAYMENT OF THE PART IF OWNER PAID FOR LABOR. E.HAS THE SAME COMPONENT BEEN REPLACED MORE THAN ONCE, OR HAVE THEY HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS AFTER THE COMPONENT WAS REPLACED? THE COMPONENT WAS REPLACED BUT NO SIMILAR PROBLEMS HAVE RETURNED.

I READ RECENTLY OF YOUR INQUIRY INTO A STALLING PROBLEM WITH CERTAIN VOLVO MODELS. I HAD THAT PROBLEM WITH MY 2000 VOLVO S80. FOR NO APPARENT REASON, THE CAR STARTED STALLING WITHOUT ANY WARNING. SOMETIMES IT WOULD RESTART IMMEDIATELY, SOMETIMES NOT. I MANAGED TO FIGURE OUT THAT, IF I ALWAYS KEPT THE ENGINE REVS UP (MEANING I HAD TO ALWAYS HAVE MY RIGHT FOOT ON THE THROTTLE AND KEEP THE REVS ABOVE @1500 RPM), I COULD PREVENT THE STALLING MOST OF THE TIME. I CALLED MY VOLVO DEALER, BETTEN IMPORTS, WHO UNFORTUNATELY IS 120 MILES AWAY IN GRAND RAPIDS. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR THERE, BUT IT WAS A LONG, NERVE-WRACKING TRIP. THEY SEEMED TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM AND REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY UNDER WARRANTY. MY CONCERN, AFTER READING SEVERAL ARTICLES BEING REPORTED IN THE ONLINE PRESS, IS THAT OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THIS REPAIR HAVE EXPERIENCED A RE-OCCURRENCE OF THIS PROBLEM. IN RECENT DAYS I'VE NOTICED AN UNUSUAL "HESITATION" UNDER MILD ACCELERATION SOMETIMES, BUT NOTHING WORSE - SO FAR. BELOW, THE "NUMBER OF FAILURES" IS A BEST GUESS ON MY PART. ALSO, THE "INCIDENT DATE" I'VE USED BELOW IS ACTUALLY THE DAY THE DEALER REPAIRED THE CAR, AS I DON'T HAVE A RECORD OF WHEN THE PROBLEM ACTUALLY BEGAN. IT HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE I COULD GET THE CAR REPAIRED, THOUGH.