1999 Volvo S70

MY 1999 VOLVO S-70 RECEIVED SOFTWARE UPGRADE CODE #155 IN 2006 SUBJECT TO RECALL AND IN AUGUST 2009 STARTED TO EXPERIENCE RANDOM THROTTLE SURGING AND LOSS OF POWER ,ESPECIALLY ON HIGHWAY DRIVING CONDITIONS(I-95), MAKING VEHICLE UNSAFE TO OPERATE,ALONG WITH INTERMITTENT ETS LIGHT COMING ON. I AM NOW TOLD BY DEALER THAT CAUSE IS DUE TO FAILURE OF ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE & NOT COVERED BY 10 YEAR OR 200,000 MILE WARRANTY AS "IN-SERVICE" DATE ON MY VEHICLE WAS FEB. 2009 AND THEREFORE PAST 10 YEAR WARRANTY PERIOD. HAVING RESEARCHED YOUR DATA BASE INVOLVING SAFETY ISSUES & ACCIDENTS CAUSED DIRECTLY FROM THIS TYPE OF PART FAILURE, I AM AT A LOSS AS TO WHY A FULL RECALL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED BY VOLVO TO REPLACE ALL ETM'S ON THESE MODEL VEHICLES. I AM NOW OUT-OF-POCKET $1200.00 FOR SOMETHING THAT VOLVO HAS NEGLECTED TO FIX. STATISTICALLY, IT APPEARS THAT MORE OF THESE ETM'S WILL FAIL OUTSIDE OF THE VOLVO WARRANTY PERIOD.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 VOLVO S70. IN 2001, THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED AND DISPLAYED ZERO WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING 10 MPH. EVENTUALLY, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHUT OFF IN TRAFFIC AND WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 60-65 MPH. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SENSORS SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THE SENSORS WERE REPLACED AGAIN. SHE WAS UNSURE ABOUT THE NAME OF THE SENSOR; HOWEVER, THE FAILURES CONTINUED AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE RESTARTED. RECENTLY, IN JUNE OF 2009, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THEY STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE FAILED AND THE BATTERY CABLE WAS CORRODED. THE REPAIR COST WAS ESTIMATED AT $1,021. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,842 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 189,000.

AT APPROXIMATELY 206,000 MILES MY CAR WOULDN'T DRIVE OVER 40 MPH, THE ENGINE WOULD REV UP ON ITS OWN AND SPUTTERED THROUGHOUT THE REDUCED RPM RANGE. RPMS WOULD NOT GO OVER ABOUT 3500. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. DROVE IT TO VOLVO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY AT AN OUT OF POCKET COST TO ME OF APPROXIMATELY $1,000. THEY STATED THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UP TO 200,000 MILES AS THIS PART HAD A RECALL. I DO NOT FEEL THAT I WAS ADEQUATELY NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL. I RECEIVED A LETTER ABOUT A RECALL LAST YEAR AND CALLED THE DEALER TO ASK WHAT IT ALL MEANT SINCE I DID NOT UNDERSTAND IT. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS JUST A SOFTWARE UPGRADE AND WOULD ONLY TAKE ABOUT FIVE MINUTES. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR THAT SOFTWARE UPGRADE IN MARCH OF 2007 WITH LESS THAN 200,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND THEY DID NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE ETM / THROTTLE BODY ISSUE. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT THAT TIME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 VOLVO S70. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND STALLED, BUT NEVER COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. THE FAILURE OCCURS DURING ACCELERATION AND WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE. NO OTHER SYSTEMS OF THE VEHICLE WERE AFFECTED AND NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE VIN AND DEALER INFORMATION WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,736 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000.

MY 1999 VOLVO S70 HAS BEEN STALLING ON A DAILY BASIS FOR SOME TIME NOW. I STALL ON MY WAY TO WORK; A SEVEN MILE DRIVE. I HAVE TRIED TO GET IT IN FOR SERVICE AT A LOCAL VOLVO DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY ARE "BOOKED UP". I HAVE NO OTHER MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION BESIDE THIS DEATH TRAP. I PRAY ALL THE WAY TO WORK. TODAY IT REFUSED TO IDLE UP TO A NORMAL SPEED (35) AND STUCK SOMEWHERE AT 15, SO I COASTED IN UNTIL IT FINALLY STALLED IN THE PARKING LOT. THIS IS A DAILY OCCURRENCE. *JB

1999 VOLVO S70'S ETM (THROTTLE) HAD ACTED UP IN JUNE/JULY 2004, PAID AROUND $900 IN JULY 2004 TO HAVE IT FIXED. THE THROTTLE CAUSED THE CAR TO GO DEAD MULTIPLE TIMES & STRONGLY REV ITSELF OCCASIONALLY. THIS WOULD OCCUR WHEN SLOWING DOWN OR WHEN STOPPED. I WOULD OCCASIONALLY HAVE TO KEEP FOOT ON THE GAS TO KEEP THE CAR FROM GOING DEAD. ***NOW LESS THAN A YEAR AND A HALF AFTER HAVING THE PROBLEM "FIXED" (REPLACED UNIT) - THE PROBLEM IS BACK. THE CAR HAS GONE BACK TO SAME ISSUES. THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT OCCUR SLOWLY, FROM GOOD PERFORMANCE TO BAD, IT TOOK ONLY ONE WEEK FOR IT TO RECCUR. *JB

SINCE OWNING THIS VEHICLE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS ILLUMINATED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND FAULT CODES FOR THE ENGINE HAVE BEEN ENTERED. I EVEN HAD THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR REPLACED DURING ONE OF THESE EPISODES. BUT DURING THE PAST 7 MONTHS I'VE HAD ENGINE PROBLEMS THAT HAVE AFFECTED THE DRIVEABILITY OF THE VEHICLE. PERIODICALLY, AFTER THE ENGINE HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR 30+ MINUTES, THE VEHICLE WILL HAVE PROBLEMS IDLING (FEELS LIKE IT WILL STALL) AND THEN BLACK SMOKE WILL START EMITTING FROM THE EXHAUST. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON DURING THIS PROCESS BUT ONLY WHEN THE CAR IS ONCE AGAIN RUNNING NORMAL. THIS PROBLEM IS AN INTERMITTENT ONE. THE VEHICLE WILL RUN FINE FOR 2 WEEKS AND THEN SUDDENLY THE PROBLEM WILL REAPPEAR. SINCE THIS PROBLEM BEGAN, I'VE HAD THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR REPLACED (TWICE--THREE TIMES IN TOTAL SINCE OWING THIS CAR), O2 SENSOR REPLACED (TWICE), CLEANING OF INTAKE AND THROTTLE PLATE, THROTTLE BODY REPLACED, UPGRADED SOFTWARE FOR THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL (ETC) AND SPARK PLUG REPLACEMENT. NONE OF THESE HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP HAS HAD MY CAR FOR DAYS AT A TIME. THEY HAVE RECENTLY BEEN ABLE TO RECREATE THE PROBLEM BUT THE COMPUTER READINGS ARE NOT SHOWING ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE COMPONENTS. MY CAR IS STILL AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THE PROBLEM STILL HAS NOT BEEN SOLVED. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT 1999 VOLVO S70 EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH STALLING WHILE DRIVING UNDER 40 MPH. THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS COMING ON AND THE CAR WAS UNCONTROLLABLE. THE CAR WOULD SHAKE AND JERK, SPEED AHEAD AND SLOW DOWN. T THE CONTACT TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED THE FUEL THROTTLE BODY, PUT IN NEW SPARK PLUGS, AND REPROGRAMMED THE COMPUTER. THE CAR HAS SINCE THEN RAN WELL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS HAPPENED A YEAR AGO. THE REPAIR COST FOR THE CONTACT WAS ALMOST $1,000.00. THE CONTACT HAS BEEN IN TOUCH WITH VOLVO DEALERSHIP, AND THEY TOLD HIM THAT THEY HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT RECALL. THE VOLVO MANUFACTURER SAID THAT THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION ON THE CAR, AND TO CALL THE NHTSA. THE CONTACT HAS ALSO FILED A COMPLAINT WITH VOLVO.*AK

I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR: 1) ENGINE/THROTTLE SYSTEM: A) INTERMITTENTLY, THE CAR WILL NOT START WHEN THE ENGINE IS WARM, WHETHER FROM DRIVING OR IT IS A HOT DAY. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE VOLVO DEALER FROM MY GARAGE WHEN IT HAD <20K MILES AND WAS TOLD THAT I WAS NOT DRIVING IT HARD ENOUGH. THEY ADVISED THAT THE ENGINE HAD TO BE BLOWN OUT AND SUGGESTED THAT I REV-UP THE ENGINE WHILE THE CAR WAS IN PARK TO CLEAN IT OUT. THAT DID NOT HELP. I HAVE HAD THE CAR SERVICED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE PROBLEM HAD GOTTEN SO BAD, THAT THE CAR BEGAN STALLING WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT, PARTICULARLY, IF I STOPPED FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR TURNED A CORNER. I PAID $1,500 IN JANUARY 2005 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AGAIN, AND NOW THE PROBLEM IS BACK. THE VOLVO DEALER IS USELESS. B) THE ENGINE EITHER LEAKS OR BURNS OIL. I WILL INTERMITTENTLY HEAR A CLICKING NOISE TO FIND OUT THAT ALL OF THE OIL IS GONE. THE OIL LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON. I ROUTINELY HAVE TO ADD 3-4 QUARTS OF OIL. 2) SAFETY FEATURES: THE REARVIEW MIRROR BROKE OFF IN MY HAND AND I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT IT WAS A SAFETY FEATURE. WHEN IT BROKE OFF, IT LEFT A METAL SPIKE STICKING OUT THAT WOULD HAVE DONE FAR MORE DAMAGE IN AN ACCIDENT THAN THE MIRROR. THE CHILD LOCK ON THE REAR CENTER SEAT BELT FAILED. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT I WAS PULLING THE BELT TOO TIGHT AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE SOME "GIVE". OF COURSE, I KNOW THAT THE CHILD SEAT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO WIGGLE AROUND IN THE BACK SEAT, SO I INSISTED THAT IT BE REPLACED. BODY: THE MECHANISMS TO HOLD UP THE TRUNK LID NO LONGER FUNCTION. THE LATCH TO RELEASE THE HOOD HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED. *NM

MY S70 VOLVO, STALLED ON FREEWAY A NUMBER OF TIMES WITHIN A ONE DAY PERIOD, WOULD RESTART AND GOT IT TO VOLVO OF ESCONDIDO CA, HAD MY CAR FOR 3 DAYS AND I RENTED ( I AM A SINGLE MOM AND CANNOT AFFORD THIS OR TO BE WITHOUT A CAR) RECEIVED MY CAR& BILL $457.69 TO CLEAN THE THROTTLE BODY. ON 7/ 18 I RETURNED IT TO VOLVO BECAUSE IT BEGAN DOING IT AGAIN ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THAT TIME VOLVO HAD IT FOR 1 DAY AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR AND TO COME GET IT. ON JULY 19TH IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND THEY HAD MY CAR FROM 7/ 19TH - 27TH BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. ON THE 27TH, $160 FOR LABOR AND PARTS.(SPARK PLUGS) I REFUSED TO PAY FOR LABOR. MY CAR NEVER RAN THE SAME AND IT SEEMED TO BE SLUGGISH. I THEN RETURNED TO WORKING STRICTLY WITH MY OWN CERTIFIED VOLVO MECHANIC. HE HAS DONE ALL OF MY TUNE UPS, OIL CHANGES AND MINOR MAINTENANCE. (PRIOR TO THIS STALLING PROBLEM) LAST WEEK I HEARD A HORRIBLE AND SUDDEN NOISE AND ALTHOUGH NO LIGHTS OR WARNING INDICATORS APPEARED I TOOK IT TO HIM IMMEDIATELY. HE HAS FOUND THAT IT HAS A CRACK IN THE LOWER BLOCK WHICH HAS NOW LEFT ME WITH A SHELL OF A CAR AND NO ENGINE. MY REGULAR MECHANIC SAID THAT HE HAS NEVER SEEN THIS ON A CAR AS WELL KEPT AND MAINTAINED AS MINE. HE BELIEVES IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE FAULTY STALLING PROBLEM THAT IS STILL A MYSTERY TO VOLVO COULD BE THE REASONING. I PUT A LOT OF TIME, MONEY AND ENERGY OUT AS A RESULT OF THIS CAR AND MOST IMPORTANTLY RISKED THE LIVES OF MY CHILDREN AND MYSELF WITH THIS PROBLEM. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE NHTSA IS DOING TO RESOLVE THIS AND HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD A CRACK LOWER BLOCK AS AN END RESULT?. I FEEL VOLVO SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE MY ENGINE. TIME, LOSS OF WORK AND COSTS HAVE RESULTED IN A MAJOR HARDSHIP FOR ME. I CRINGE AT THE FACT THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN SUCH A TRAGIC ENDING AS AN ACCIDENT OR DEATH. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT THE NEXT STEP IS OR HOW I PURSUE VOLVO. THANK YOU, [XXX]. *NM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR