1999 Volvo S80

TWIN TURBO HAD TO BE REPLACED IN FEBRUARY 2008. NOT CHEAP. BUT EVER SINCE THEN, THERE HAS BEEN A LACK OF POWER AND VERY SLUGGISH ON TAKE OFF AND WHEN TRYING TO PASS ON THE HIGHWAY. HAD THE CONTROL VALVE REPLACED JUST RECENTLY, HELPED SOME, BUT STILL VERY SLUGGISH. THINK THE VOLVO DEALER HERE HAVE MORONS FOR SERVICE TECH'S. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 VOLVO S80. THE VEHICLE FIRST BEGAN HESITATING AND STALLING INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 50-60 MPH. THE FAILURE IS NOW OCCURRING MORE FREQUENTLY. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER THREE OR FOUR TIMES FOR THIS FAILURE. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS REPLACED TWICE AND THE THROTTLE HOUSING MODULE WAS CLEANED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE LAST TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE OR PROVIDE FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED DEFECT INVESTIGATION NUMBER PE05041 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 141,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,000.

INVESTIGATED GASOLINE ODOR IN/AROUND CAR. RESULTING INSPECTION FOUND SIGNIFICANT GAS LEAK ON TOP SIDE OF FUEL TANK - PASSENGER SIDE. FURTHER INSPECTION BY REPAIR SHOP REVEALED CRACKED FUEL PUMP FITTING THAT WHEN POWERED SPRAYED FUEL ON UNDERSIDE OF VEHICLE. FUEL SPRAY / VAPORS WERE REACHING CLOSE TO IF NOT IN CONTACT WITH HOT EXHAUST COMPONENTS. IN ADDITION TO DANGERS (TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS) RELATED TO INHALATION OF GAS FUMES THIS FAILURE RESULTING IN A CRITICAL AND POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC RISK OR FIRE/EXPLOSION. REPAIR INVOLVED REPLACEMENT OF FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY, APPROXIMATELY $700. BOTTOM LINE - THIS IS A COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE FAILURE AT ANY MILEAGE AND COULD HAVE RESULTED IN INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE. FURTHER, IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE (FROM READING OTHER COMPLAINTS FILED WITH NHTSA) AND ONE THAT MUST BE IMMEDIATELY ADDRESSED TO PREVENT FURTHER FAILURE(S) WITH SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL FOR LOSS OF LIFE. OLD PART IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION UPON REQUEST. *TR

FIVE LANE RUSH HOUR FREEWAY DRIVING, 1999 VOLVO S80 T6 WENT INTO LIMP HOME MODE WITHOUT WARNING. WITH HIGH SPEED TRACTOR TRAILERS COMING UP THE REAR, THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO ACCELERATION RESPONSE FROM MY VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY WAS ABLE TO QUICKLY PUSH THE HAZARD WARNING INDICATOR AND MOVE OVER TO THE SHOULDER. THIS IS POTENTIALLY VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY TO MYSELF OR OTHERS. AFTER SPEAKING WITH SEVERAL SERVICE MANAGERS AT LOCAL DEALERSHIPS, I AM LESS THAN SATISFIED THAT THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS DEFECT IS PROPERLY ACKNOWLEDGED. ACCORDING TO VOLVO NORTH AMERICA CUSTOMER SERVICE REP, THE SYMPTOMS SUGGEST A DEFECTIVE ETM (ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE). *TR

DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AT NIGHT, THE LOW BEAM (DIPPED BEAM) HEADLIGHTS FAILED WHILE OUT OF TOWN WITH MY WIFE AND TWO DAUGHTERS. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO A SAFE LOCATION USING THE HIGH BEAMS. A CHECK OF HEADLAMP BULBS AND FUSES SHOWED THAT EVERYTHING WAS IN GOOD WORKING ORDER AND I WAS LEFT SCRATCHING MY HEAD. THE HEADLIGHTS ARE STILL NOT WORKING THREE WEEKS LATER, AND I FINALLY KNOW WHY. VOLVO OWNERS EXCHANGE INFORMATION ON VARIOUS WEBSITES AND ON MORE THAN ONE I FOUND PEOPLE SUGGESTING THAT THE CEM (MAIN COMPUTER) USED "SHUNTS" FOR VARIOUS COMPONENTS ON THE VEHICLE AND THEY WERE PRONED TO SHORTING OUT DUE TO RANDOM OVERHEATING ISSUES. I CHECKED THE AREA UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE DASH AND SURE ENOUGH, THERE IS A SHUNT INSERTED INTO THE CEM WITH HEAVY CHARRING AROUND THE TERMINALS. THE 1999 VOLVO S80 WAS THE FIRST YEAR OF MY PARTICULAR MODEL, AND THE FIRST YEAR THIS TYPE OF WIRING ARCHITECTURE WAS USED ON THEIR VEHICLES. THE SHORTING OF A CRUCIAL CIRCUIT SUCH AS HEADLAMPS NOT ONLY POSES A GRAVE DANGER WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT, BUT COULD ALSO CAUSE A FIRE. I FEEL THE FAILURE IN THE DESIGN OF THE CEM AND THE VEHICLES WIRING ARCHITECTURE COULD ALSO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RANDOM ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS OCCURRING WITH THE S80 AS WELL. THERE ARE SEVERAL WEBSITES THAT MENTION THE CONSTANT "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT THAT COMES ON AND DEALERS ARE CLAIMING THEY REPAIR THE PROBLEM AFTER EACH VISIT, WHICH USUALLY END UP COSTING OVER $1,000.00. THERE'S ALSO SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF CUSTOMERS , INCLUDING MYSELF, WHO LOSE THE A/C COMPRESSOR RANDOMLY, AND THE ALTERNATOR INDICATING THAT IT ISN'T CHARGING CORRECTLY. FINALLY, THERE IS ALSO SOMETHING INHERENTLY WRONG WITH THE DESIGN OF THE FRONT SUSPENSION OF THE S80. I'VE PAID FOR STRUTS AND BALL JOINT REPAIRS AND HAVE HAD THEM REPAIRED THROUGH A MANUFACTURER RECALL. AGAIN, THE DEALER CLAIMS TO HAVE REPAIRED THE PROBLEM AFTER EACH VISIT, YET THE PROBLEM HAS RECENTLY COME UP AGAIN IN MY VEHICLE. PLEASE CONTACT ME ANYTIME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 VOLVO S80. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITH A MESSAGE STATING "TRANSMISSION SERVICE URGENT". THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VALVE BODY WAS FAULTY AND THERE WAS MECHANICAL FAILURE WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT FELT THERE MAY BE A DEFECT WITH THE SOFTWARE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 100,255 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,769.