NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Vehicle Speed Control complaints
53 reportsClear category filterMileage unknown · Nov 8, 2005
Vehicle Speed Control
DT: WHEN THE SURGING HAPPENS THERE ARE NO NECESSARILY WARNING MESSAGES. THE FIRST TIME THE THROTTLE MODULE WAS REPLACED THERE WERE SOME MESSAGES ON THE DASH, BUT FOR ITEMS NOT RELATED TO THE THROTTLE MODULE. THE SECOND TIME THERE WERE NOT ANY MESSAGES UNTIL THE CAR DIED AND WOULD NOT START. THE THIRD TIME THE CAR STARTED TO SURG…
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DT: WHEN THE SURGING HAPPENS THERE ARE NO NECESSARILY WARNING MESSAGES. THE FIRST TIME THE THROTTLE MODULE WAS REPLACED THERE WERE SOME MESSAGES ON THE DASH, BUT FOR ITEMS NOT RELATED TO THE THROTTLE MODULE. THE SECOND TIME THERE WERE NOT ANY MESSAGES UNTIL THE CAR DIED AND WOULD NOT START. THE THIRD TIME THE CAR STARTED TO SURGE , AND BROUGHT THE CAR TO DEALER BEFORE IT GOT TOO BAD. BASICALLY, IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO REPLACE THROTTLE MODULE A FOURTH TIME. THE CONTACT ONLY HAD TO PAY FOR 1 REPLACEMENT, AND THEN IT WAS REPLACED 2 MORE TIMES BY THE DEALER AT NO COST. FROM THE TIME THE SURGING STARTED TO THE CAR STALLED. THE CLEANING OF THE THROTTLE MODULE WILL KEEP THE CAR RUNNING GOOD. IT SEEMED THAT THE CONTACT HAS TO CLEAN IT EVERY 6 MONTHS. IT STARTED TO SURGE. ABOUT 8000 - 10000 MILES. THE LAST TIME IT WAS REPLACED WAS 5/14/04 ,AND I THE CONTACT CLEANED IT TWICE SINCE THEN. VOLVO TOLD THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD NOT WARRANTY IT ANY MORE BECAUSE THE CONTACT DECLINED TO HAVE THEM DO $1000 WORTH OF WORK THAT DID NOT NEED TO BE DONE. THE CONTACT ENDED UP DOING THE WORK HIMSELF, AND THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE PARTS THEY SAID WERE BAD. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10143175
127,489 miles · Nov 7, 2005
Vehicle Speed Control
DT:THE CONTACT STATED THIS VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS MENTIONED IN NHTSA INVESTIGATION PE05-041. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40 MPH ,AND IT LOST POWER/STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED IMMEDIATELY, AND …
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DT:THE CONTACT STATED THIS VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS MENTIONED IN NHTSA INVESTIGATION PE05-041. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40 MPH ,AND IT LOST POWER/STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED IMMEDIATELY, AND WOULD NOT GO FASTER THAN 20 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE STATION. THEY WERE UNABLE TO ASSIST THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN THE DEALER. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE ETM BY THEIR COMPUTER ERROR NOTICE. HE WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACT, AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10142005
64,000 miles · Nov 2, 2005
Engine And Engine CoolingVehicle Speed Control
ENGINE MISS FIRING AND EMISSION LIGHT ON. LATER ENGINE RUNNING GOOD BUT CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT WORK AND TEXT MESSAGE 'ENGINE SYSTEM FIX NEXT SERVICE' WITH ORANGE WARNING LIGHT ON. TOOK TO VOLVO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE ETM FOR NO CHARGE. THEY KEPT THE OLD PART BECAUSE THEY HAD REPLACED THE ORIGINAL ONE. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10141529
102,000 miles · Oct 28, 2005
Vehicle Speed Control
THE THROTTLE SURGES AT IDLE AND WHILE DRIVING. SOMETIMES NO POWER AND SOMETIMES IT JUST TAKES OFF. DEALER SAYS ITS THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY. STATED THEY HAVE REPLACED A NUMBER OF THESE. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10141147
53,000 miles · Sep 29, 2005
Engine And Engine CoolingVehicle Speed Control
DT:THE CONTACT OWNS A VOLVO S80 VEHICLE. IT INTERMITTENTLY STALLED/ DIED, AND LOST POWER. THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE FAILED AND WAS CLEANED THREE TIMES. *AK THE LINE SEAL AND GASKET WERE REPLACED DUE TO AN OIL LEAK. THE TOP ENGINE TORQUE ARM WAS CRACKED. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10132993
41,000 miles · Sep 15, 2005
Vehicle Speed Control
EMT FAILURE IN 1999 S80T6 VOLVO. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER, THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME IN 2 WEEKS. THE FIRST TIME THE DEALER REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR >$900. THE NEXT TIME W/IN 2 WEEKS IT LOST POWER AND THEY REPLACED THE EMT >$1000. ONLY 41K MILES ON THE VEHICLE. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10136599
75,700 miles · Sep 11, 2005
Engine And Engine CoolingVehicle Speed Control
ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2005 AT APPROXIMATELY 2:30 PM, MY ENGINE ABRUPTLY STALLED WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITH CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED. I PULLED THE CAR OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IT WOULD NOT RESTART. UPON EACH ATTEMPT TO RESTART, THE ENGINE WOULD ACTUALLY RUN ROUGHLY FOR 1-2 SECONDS AND THEN STALL. I HAD THE CAR TOWED…
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ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2005 AT APPROXIMATELY 2:30 PM, MY ENGINE ABRUPTLY STALLED WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITH CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED. I PULLED THE CAR OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IT WOULD NOT RESTART. UPON EACH ATTEMPT TO RESTART, THE ENGINE WOULD ACTUALLY RUN ROUGHLY FOR 1-2 SECONDS AND THEN STALL. I HAD THE CAR TOWED ABOUT 35 MILES TO MY VOLVO DEALER. WHEN IT ARRIVED, IT STARTED. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. THE LAST TIME, THE DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM. I AM AWARE THAT VOLVO SUSPECTS THE THROTTLE BODY IN THESE MATTERS. MINE HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED! *NM
NHTSA ODI #10136123
84,000 miles · Sep 8, 2005
Vehicle Speed Control
DT: WHILE DRIVING AT 20-25 MPH THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND SURGED ON ITS OWN. THE CONSUMER WAS THE VEHICLE'S SECOND OWNER. THE FIRST OWNER EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR PROBLEM. THE PROBLEMS WAS FIRST NOTICED ON 05/01/2005. *AK *MR
NHTSA ODI #10135870
165,992 miles · Sep 1, 2005
Vehicle Speed Control
1999 VOLVO S80; THROTTLE UNEXPECTEDLY STOPPED OPERATING AND VEHICLE WENT INTO A "LIMP HOME MODE". VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER. DIAGNOSTIC TESTS REVEALED A FAULTY THROTTLE CONTROL MODULE (TCM). THE TCM WAS REPLACED AND NEW SOFTWARE DOWNLOADED. OLD PARTS WERE NOT PROVIDED BY THE DEALER. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10135135
54,000 miles · Aug 31, 2005
Fuel System, GasolineVehicle Speed Control
MY 1999 VOLVO S80 SIMPLY DECIDED TO STALL WHILE I WAS MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. I WAS ABLE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. A MESSAGE CAME ON THE DASH THAT STATED THAT I NEEDED AN URGENT SERVICE VISIT FOR MY EMISSION SYSTEM. THE VOLVO DEALERSHIP CHARGED ME $1,000 TO REPLACE THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE. A SECOND DEFECT OF THIS CAR IS A LEAK…
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MY 1999 VOLVO S80 SIMPLY DECIDED TO STALL WHILE I WAS MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. I WAS ABLE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. A MESSAGE CAME ON THE DASH THAT STATED THAT I NEEDED AN URGENT SERVICE VISIT FOR MY EMISSION SYSTEM. THE VOLVO DEALERSHIP CHARGED ME $1,000 TO REPLACE THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE. A SECOND DEFECT OF THIS CAR IS A LEAKING FUEL SENDER ASSEMBLY WHICH WAS A FIRE HAZARD. ABOUT $700 TO REPAIR. I EMAILED AND CALLED VOLVO REGARDING BOTH OF THESE ITEMS. THEY HAVE NEVER RESPONDED. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10134981
Official recalls
4Nov 15, 2006
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, A COMBINATION OF THROTTLE POSITIONING SENSOR IRREGULARITIES, A DIRTY THROTTLE HOUSING, AND/OR INEFFICIENT SOFTWARE CALIBRATION MAY CAUSE A WARNING LAMP TO LIGHT AND THE SUBSEQUENT ONSET OF LIMP HOME MODES.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS RESULTED IN A HIGH NUMBER OF VEHICLES GOING INTO THE LIMP HOME MODE WITHOUT NEED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE CURRENT SOFTWARE UPGRADE ONTO THE INVOLVED VEHICLES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 29, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.
Sep 13, 2004
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, UNDER CERTAIN OPERATING CONDITIONS, SOME ELECTRIC COOLING FANS MAY OVERHEAT POTENTIALLY CAUSING HEAT DAMAGE AND, IN RARE INSTANCES, A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE COOLING FAN. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 29, 2004. CUSTOMERS SHOULD CONTACT VOLVO CARS AT 1-800-458-1552.
Apr 7, 2002
ON SOME PASSENGER VEHICLES, CERTAIN ELECTRIC COOLING FANS COULD BE INADEQUATE IN A HOT CLIMATE. UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, EXCESSIVE HEAT COULD BE GENERATED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SHOULD THIS OCCUR, THE ENGINE COOLING FAN COMPONENTS COULD OVERHEAT AND CAUSE THE MELTING OF ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS AND ADJACENT COMPONENTS, INCREASING THE LIKELIHOOD OF A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ENGINE COOLING FAN. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 1, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT VOLVO AT 1-800-458-1552.
Aug 24, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. OVER TIME, THE BALL JOINT BETWEEN THE FRONT WHEEL KING PIN AND THE SUSPENSION LINK ARM, CAN EXPERIENCE INCREASED LOOSENESS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD AFFECT THE BALL JOINT'S DURABILITY AND PERFORMANCE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH FRONT BALL JOINTS.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2EA05021 · Throttle Control Malfunction
Opened Dec 6, 2005 · Closed Dec 12, 2006
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control
ON NOVEMBER 14, 2006 VOLVO SUBMITTED A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT TO NHTSA CONCERNING ETM FAILURES IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999 THROUGH 2001 VOLVO MODELS (NOT INCLUDING THE S40 AND V40), MY 2002 S60 AND V70 WITH NATURALLY ASPIRATED ENGINES AND MY 2002 V70S.ACCORDING TO VOLVO, ?A COMBINATION OF THROTTLE POSITIONING SENSOR IRREGULARITIES, A DIRTY THROTTLE HOUSING AND/OR INEFFICIENT SOFTWARE CALIBRATION MAY CAUSE A WARNING LAMP TO LIGHT AND THE SUBSEQUENT ONSET OF LIMP HOME MODES.VOLVO FURTHER STATED THAT,THIS RESULTED IN A HIGH NUMBER OF THESE VEHICLES GOING INTO LIMP HOME MODE WITHOUT NEED.?VOLVO INDICATED THAT THIS WAS THE MOST SEVERE CONSEQUENCE OF AN ETM FAULT IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THE RECALL REMEDY IS A SOFTWARE UPGRADE INTRODUCED BY VOLVO ON MARCH 16, 2006 IN A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM.AT THE TIME OF THE NOTIFICATION 161,202 VEHICLES OF THE POPULATION OF 331,301 HAD ALREADY HAD THE SOFTWARE UPLOADED AND WERE THEREFORE NOT INCLUDED IN THE POPULATION COUNT OF THE RECALL. ODI?S ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINTS TO ODI AND VOLVO, VOLVO FIELD REPORTS AND WARRANTY DATA FOUND THAT ETM FAILURE COULD RESULT IN (1) ENGINE STALL; (2) MECHANICAL LIMP MODE; (3) LUNGING FORWARD DURING LOW-SPEED DRIVING MANEUVERS; AND (4) FALTERING DURING HIGH SPEED MERGES OR WHEN CROSSING TRAFFIC.ODI IDENTIFIED 12 CRASHES RELATED TO ETM FAILURE, WITH 6 CAUSED BY LUNGING INCIDENTS, 3 CAUSED BY STALLING INCIDENTS, 2 CAUSED BY MECHANICAL LIMP MODE AND 1 FROM THE FALTERING CONDITION.ODI'S ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINT DATA AND INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM CONSUMER INTERVIEWS IDENTIFIED 1,289 INCIDENTS WITH SAFETY RELATED CONSEQUENCES (389.1 PER 100,000 VEHICLES), INCLUDING 479 INVOLVING ENGINE STALL (144.6 PER 100,000 VEHICLES) AND 729 INVOLVING MECHANICAL LIMP MODE (220.0 PER 100,000 VEHICLES).ODI'S ANALYSIS OF WARRANTY CLAIM NARRATIVE TEXT SHOWS AT LEAST 14,965 WARRANTY CLAIMS WITH CODES INDICATING AN ETM FAULT RESULTING IN VEHICLE OPERATION IN MECHANICAL LIMP MODE (4.5% OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES). VOLVO?S RECALL ADDRESSES ODI?S SAFETY CONCERNS WITH ETM FAILURES.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES TO DETERMINE IF ADDITIONAL ACTION IS REQUIRED.THIS ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS CLOSED.
PE05041 · Throttle Control Malfunction
Opened Jul 26, 2005 · Closed Dec 7, 2005
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control
PE05-041 WAS OPENED ON JULY, 26, 2005, BASED ON 136 CONSUMER COMPLAINTS TO ODI ALLEGING THROTTLE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.ODI HAS NOW RECEIVED 591 COMPLAINTS OF ETM FAILURES WHICH ALLEGE SYMPTOMS WITH POTENTIAL SAFETY RELATED CONSEQUENCES.THESE INCLUDE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE STALL, VEHICLE SURGING FORWARD WITHOUT ACCELERATOR INPUT, VEHICLE HESITATION UPON ACCELERATION AND SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED TRANSITION INTO REDUCED PERFORMANCE OPERATION (LIMP MODE).VOLVO SUBMITTED OVER 2,900 COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THE ETM IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES DURING PE05-041.ODI'S PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF A SAMPLE THE VOLVO COMPLAINTS IDENTIFIED APPROXIMATELY 55 PERCENT WITH ONE OR MORE OF THE SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED ABOVE.ODI IS CONTINUING ITS ASSESSMENT OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE VOLVO COMPLAINTS. IN NOVEMBER 2005, TO RESOLVE AN INVESTIGATION BY THE CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCES BOARD, VOLVO ANNOUNCED THAT IT WOULD EXTEND THE WARRANTY COVERAGE TO 10 YEARS / 200,000 MILES FOR THE ETM IN APPROXIMATELY 356,000 MODEL YEAR 1999 THROUGH 2002 PASSENGER CARS SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA.UNDER VOLVO'S POLICY, VEHICLES THAT EXPERIENCE ETM FAILURES WILL RECEIVE A VARIETY OF REPAIRS INCLUDING ETM CLEANING, REPROGRAMMING THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND/OR REPLACEMENT OF THE ETM. THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA05-021) TO CONTINUE TO ASSESS THE SAFETY CONSEQUENCES OF ETM FAILURES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.
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