VOLVO Complaints

UNEXPECTED AND INTERMITENT BRAKE FAILURE. DISCUSSED AT LENGTH ON VOLVO FORUM. HERE IS THE LINK: HTTP://FORUMS.SWEDESPEED.COM/ZEROTHREAD?ID=32551

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON AN INCLINE IT ROLLED BACK, AND CRASHED INTO A HOUSE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A GARAGE FOR INSPECTION. HOWEVER, THE CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED AT THIS TIME. *AK *BF *NM

CONTINUOUS PROBLEM WITH SURGING ENGINE AT IDLE. WHEN STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR COASTING TOWARDS ONE, THE ENGINE SURGES UNEVENLY INCEASING THE RISK OF AN ACCIDENT. I BELIEVE THE CAUSE IS A FAULTY ELECTRIC THROTTLE MODULE ETM. DEALER WILL ON;Y REPLACE A MAP SENSOR, BUT PROBLEM CONTINUES TO EXIST.

DT ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM CONTACT STATES EACH TIME THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE VEHICLE IS MORE DIFFICULT TO STOP AND THE WHEELS HAVE ALSO LOCKED UP. TRANSMISSION CONTACT STATES THE VEHICLE MAKE A SQUEAKING NOSE WHEN PARKING, THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT SIDE WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEED. ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING CONTACT STATES OIL MOVES UP THROUGH THE IGNITION CONTROL. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER AND THE MECHANIC STATED THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. *NM *SB

MY SON'S 2000 VOLVO 70 XC FAILED DUE TO A FAILIED ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE (ETM). AS A RETIRED ENGINEER I WANTED TO KNOW WHY. I HAVE FOUND THAT IT IS A COMMON COMPLAINT FOR THE 1999, 2000 AND 2001 SERIES 60,70 AND 80 MODELS AT THE TIME OF FAILURE THE CAR FIRST EXHIBITS HESITATION, SURGING AND ERATTIC IDLE. AT FAILURE IT GOES INTO A LIMP- HOME MODE OF 20 MILES PER HOUR OR STALLS. FROM YOUR WEB SITE I HAVE FOUND 101 CASES LISTED FOR THIS FAILURE. I HAVE PERFORMED FAILURE ANALYSIS ON 5 UNITS AND HAVE IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM. IT IS THE WEARING OUT OF THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR POTENTIOMENTER. VOLVO HAS CONSISTANTLY KEPT THE DEALERS AND CUSTOMERS IN THE DARK AND BLAMED THE PROBLEM ON A DIRTY THROTTLE BORE AND OTHER ERRONEOUS CAUSES. OTHER THAN THE COST OF REPAIRS, ABOUT $1000, IS THE REALIZATION THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART IS OF THE SAME DESIGN AND IT TOO WILL FAIL, ONE CORRESPONDENT REPORTING 3 FAILURES OF THE SAME TYPE. THE FAILURE APPEARS TO BE ACCELERATED BY HEAT, THUS NORTHERN TIER STATES HAVE FEWER FAILURES THAN SOUTHERN STATES. THERE ARE ABOUT 860,000 CARS WORLD WIDE WITH OVER 250,000 IN THE US. I ESTIMATE THAT MORE THAN 80% WILL FAIL, ONE OR MOER TIMES, WITHIN 100,000 MILES. TO DATE NO ONE HAS BEEN INJUREID OR KILLED THAT WE KNOW OF BUT STALLING ON A BUSY FREEWAY IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I CAN SEND YOU MY REPORTS OR YOU CAN PICK THEM UP OFF OF THE INTERNET. I ALSO HAVE FAILED PARTS FOR YOUR EXAMINATION. PLEASE HAVE AN INVESTIGATOR CONTACT ME. WITH A DIRECT E-MAIL ADDRESS FOR THE INVESTIGATOR I CAN SEND MY DATA. DON WILLSON, 970 266-9797, [email protected]

I WAS DRIVING ALONG THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE JUST DIED, I PUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS AND IT DID NOT ACCELERATE. WARNING LIGHTS DID NOT COME ON, NOTHING SIGNALED TO ME THAT ANYTHING HAPPENED. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE MAIN ROAD AND ONTO A SIDE ROAD, WITH MUCH DIFFICULTY TURNING MY WHEEL. I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND RESTARTED AND DROVE BACK HOME TO SWITCH OUT WITH ANOTHER CAR. MY 3 YEAR OLD WAS IN THE BACK SEAT AND I WAS ABOUT TO GET ON A HIGHWAY. LUCKILY THIS DID NOT HAPPEN WHILE DOING 65MPH DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC.

1) DRIVING IN URBAN TRAFFIC OVER A TWO LINE BRIDGE IN PORTLAND OREGON. THE SERVICE INDICATOR LIGHT IS ON FOR A TAIL LIGHT BULB OUT. I HAVE SCHEDULED A SERVICE APPOINTMENT FOR THE NEXT WEEK TO HAVE IT REPLACED. 2. THE CAR DECREASES IN SPEED FROM 50 MPH TO 20 MPH IN ABOUT 100 FEET. TRAFFIC BEHIND FORTUNATELY IS FAR ENOUGH BACK TO AVOID COLLISION ON A VERY NARROW BRIDGE. I DRIVE THE CAR OFF THE BRIDGE AND PARK IT. IT IS TOWED THE FOLLOWING DAY TO THE DEALER. 3. THE DEALER STATES THAT IT NEEDS A NEW ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE. I ASK IF THIS IS ANYTHING UNUSUAL, AND HE STATES THAT IT IS NOT AND THEY JUST SOMETIMES NEED TO BE REPLACED. HE ESIMATES THE COST AT $1000 DOLLARS. I COMPLAIN ABOUT THE COST AND SEVERAL HOURS LATER I AM TOLD THE PART WILL BE FREE AND I ONLY NEED TO PAY THE 360 DOLLARS FOR LABOR. THIS ALL SEEMS STRANGE- I FEEL MY LIFE WAS ENDANGERED AND PERHAPS THERE IS MORE TO THIS PROBLEM THAN SOMETHING PARTICULAR TO MY CAR. I GET ON THE WEB AND RESEARCH SHOWS THIS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM- INCLUDING RECENT ARTICLES IN THE LA TIMES. IN TALKING WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE AT VOLVO NORTH AMERICA- IT WAS CLEAR THEY WANTED TO FIND A WAY TO GET IT FIXED SO I WOULDN'T COMPLAIN TO ANYONE. I SUGGEST, HOWEVER, THAT A RAPID DEACCELLERATION IS A POTENTIALLY LARGE SAFETY ISSUE AND IF AS WEB RESEARCH SHOWS, THAT MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THIS SPECFIC MALFUNCTION- THEN SOMEONE SHOULD COMMENCE A RECALL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BEFORE SOMEONE REALLY IS HURT. I AM HAVING THE DEALER REPLACE THE PART NOW.

CONSUMER STATES: MIRRORS SHAKE WHEN DRIVING, CAN'T TELL WHAT TYPE OF VEHICLE IS BEHIND YOU,THEY ARE A SAFETY HAZARD. THE MIRRORS DO QUIVER. *AK

IN APRIL, 2005, I WAS TRAVELING A SHORT DISTANCE WHEN MY 2001 VOLVO V70 XC SUDDENLY STALLED AND WOULD NOT START FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES. THE MESSAGE "LOW PERFORMANCE" APPEARED ON THE MONITOR. THE CAR STALLED ON AT LEAST 4 SEPERATE OCCASIONS. AFTER FOUR DAYS OF WAITING FOR AN APPOINTMENT, I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH A FAULT IN THE THROTTLE MODULE. I ASKED IF THIS WAS A TYPICAL FAILURE WITH THE CAR ESPECIALLY ONLY HAVING 43,000.00 MILES. I WAS TOLD THAT IT CAN SOMETIMES HAPPEN AT ANY MILEAGE, THAT THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER CARS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT "SOMETIMES PROBLEMS ARE ISOLATED." THE CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY SO THE DEALERSHIP WAIVED THE PRICE FOR THE THROTTLE BODY, IN THE END I PAID $400.00 FOR THE MODULE AND LABOR. I'M SHOCKED THAT THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM CAN HAPPEN AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE.

MARCH 25, 2005 HAD WRECK, HIT REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR; AIR BAGS ON DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AND DRIVER SIDE REAR DOOR DID NOT DEPLOY. VOLVO WILL NOT COOPERATE WITH CAR OWNER TO FIX PROBLEM WITH AIR BAGS. THEY SAID AIR BAGS DID DEPLOY. OWNER WOULD LIKE FURTHER RESEARCH ON SIDE CURTIN AIR BAGS. *AK