2001 Volvo V70

The contact owns a 2001 Volvo V70. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling, the engine caught fire. The air bag warning light was illuminated. There was damage to the garage. There were no reported injuries. The fire department extinguished the fire and confirmed the origin of the fire was the engine. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 178,000.

THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR ON MY 2001 VOLVO V70 FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. I DID QUITE A BIT OF RESEARCH ON 2001 VOLVO V70 AND FOUND THAT MANY OF THIS PARTICULAR MAKE AND MODEL HAVE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. IN MY PARTICULAR CASE, THE TRANSMISSION GAVE ME "PROBLEMS" SEVERAL MONTHS PRIOR TO NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. EACH TIME THE REPAIRS MADE NO DIFFERENCE. ON MY FINAL ATTEMPT TO HAVE THE PROBLEM RESOLVED (AFTER THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED) I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *TR THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HESITATE WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE IS ON HER 3RD TRANSMISSION. UPDATED 08/26/08. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLVO V70. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, RADIATOR FLUID SATURATED THE DRIVER SIDE FLOORBOARD UNDERNEATH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SEALS OR HEATER CORE COULD HAVE CAUSED THE FAILURE. AS OF APRIL 8, 2008, THE DEALER HAD NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 86,000.

2001 VOLVO V70 SURGES WHILE UNDERWAY, SURGES AND STALLS AT IDLE, GOES INTO REDUCED PERFORMANCE MODE (20 MPH OR LESS). CAR RUNS NORMALLY WHEN COLD (UP TO 1 MILE AFTER STARTING IN MORNING), THEN BEGINS TO SURGE AND FAIL. NEED TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDER, STOP ENGINE FOR 3 MINUTES, AND RESTART. IF ENGINE IS STOPPED FOR LESS THAN 3 MINUTES, IT RESTARTS IN 20 MPH MODE. THIS HAS HAPPENED DAILY FOR 2 WEEKS. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED IGNITION COIL BASED ON OBD CODE, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED THE NEXT DAY. HAVE APPOINTMENT WITH VOLVO SERVICE DEPARTMENT 11/22/06. *JB

I OWN A 2001 VOLVO V70 <TURBO> .. AND HAVE HAD REPEATED EXPERIENCES WITH THE VEHICLE EITHER STALLING WHILE IN GEAR AND / OR "SURGING" FORWARD WHILE AT A STOP WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED ... THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO AN AUTHORIZED VOLVO REPAIR SHOP AND TO THE DEALER FOR THESE PROBLEMS A MINIMUM OF 4 TIMES UPON THE RETURN OF MY VEHICLE TO ME <AFTER HAVING WORK DONE UNDER CAMPAIGN 155> THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME PROBLEMS .. THE MOST RECENT EVENT HAVING TAKEN PLACE ON 08.08.06 AT THIS MOST RECENT INCIDENT I HAD MY TWO GRANDDAUGHTERS IN MY VEHICLE AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS EVENT PUT ALL OUR LIVES IN DANGER .. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE / HAZARD ! I <YESTERDAY> PLACED A CALL TO THE DEALERSHIP <BOZZANI VOLVO IN COVINA, CA> ONLY TO BE GIVEN THE "RUN-AROUND" FROM JON, TONY, AND GLORIA ... JON BURNHAM SUGGESTED THAT I LET THEM HAVE MY VEHICLE TO DRIVE UNTIL THE "PROBLEM" IS DUPLICATED .. GLORIA MASTERLY <A SERVICE ADVISOR> SAID I SHOULD NOT TAKE MY CAR TO MY LOCAL VOLVO APPROVED REPAIR SHOP ... THAT I SHOULD HAVE IT TOWED TO THEM, INSTEAD <WHICH I HAVE ALREADY HAD DONE <HAVING IT TOWED> BOTH THRU ASC AT NO CHARGE ... AND AT MY EXPENSE NUMEROUS TIMES> TONY RIVAS TOLD ME THAT HE HAD TO MAKE A CALL AND THAT HE WOULD GET BACK TO ME ... NO ONE GOT BACK TO ME ... NOR HAS ANYONE <AS OF NEARLY 12 NOON, TODAY < RETURNED A CALL TO ME ... I HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE EXISTING <AND WELL KNOWN> ISSUES WITH THE MAGNATE MARELLI ETM AND AM APPALLED AT THE DEVIL MAY CARE ATTITUDE THAT VOLVO IS TAKING TOWARDS THIS WHOLE AFFAIR I BOUGHT VOLVO <THIS BEING OUR THIRD> BECAUSE OF THEIR REPUTATION FOR SAFETY ! I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR ... AND AM RECEIVING NO ASSISTANCE FROM ANY VOLVO ADVISORS OR REPRESENTATIVES I AM NEARLY 80 YEARS OLD .. AND WOULD HATE TO LOSE WHAT YEARS I DO HAVE LEFT TO AN AVOIDABLE PROBLEM WHICH MAY VERY WELL TAKE MY LIFE <AS WELL AS OTHERS, POSSIBLY>

SURGING, MISSING, SKIPPING WHILE IDLING IN GEAR. IT MAY SURGE, MISS, SKIP WHILE OUT OF GEAR, BUT IT IS HARD TO DETECT. I HAVE HAD THE ETM SOFTWARE UPDATE AND THEN THEY CLEANED IT. THE DEALER DOES NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT NOW AND IT IS STILL HAPPENING. THEY HAVE NOT YET DONE THE VOLVO CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE FAULTY ETM'S BECAUSE THE GUIDELINES ARE STRICT. (SOMEONE HAS TO DIE FIRST, THEN THEY WILL REPLACE IT) THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER THREE MONTHS NOW. *JB

VOLVO, 2001 V70 - VIN [XXX] THIS SPECIFIC VEHICLE IS UNRELIABLE AND UNSAFE. SINCE PURCHASED NEW, CAR HAS HAD MULTIPLE SYSTEM FAILURES LEADING TO VARIOUS UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS INCLUDING BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE AND ENGINE FAILURE (INCLUDING LOSS OF BRAKING AND STEERING SYSTEMS). MANUFACTURER HAS ACKNOWLEDGED UNUSUAL NATURE OF THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE QUALITY DEFECTS - CONCERNED THAT CAR MUST BE TAKEN OFF ROAD TO AVOID SERIOUS CRASH. PLEASE ADVISE. *NM UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

CAR'S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE ON INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH. DROVE CAR ADDITIONAL 15 MINUTES TO GET HOME. FOLLOWED ON-DASH & OWNER'S MANUAL INSTRUCTIONS TO GET CHECKED AT EARLIEST CONVENIENCE. CAR BROKE DOWN NEXT DAY ON WAY TO MECHANIC. CAR BUCKED AND SURGED, DECELERATING AND ACCULTURATING WITHOUT ANY WARNING. CEL CAME ON. DISPLAY READ "PERFORMANCE REDUCED". COULD GO NO FASTER THAN 20-25 MPH. IN NO POSITION TO STOP VEHICLE. ON BUSY ROAD WITH NO USABLE SHOULDER. CAR REQUIRED TOWING. ONBOARD DIAGNOSTICS (OBD) SAID THERMOSTAT WAS BAD, BUT MECHANIC SUSPECTED FAILED ETM. HE SAID THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH CAR. THE THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED. CAR WAS DRIVABLE. USED APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES MORE. CAR BROKE DOWN ON WAY HOME, STRANDING ME IN INTERSECTION. SAME ISSUE. CAR WENT INTO "LIMP HOME" MODE. SHUT IT OFF. AFTER FIVE MINUTES, CAR RETURNED TO NORMAL OPERATION. WAS ABLE TO DRIVE BACK TO MECHANIC. THIS TIME OBD REPORTED TELL-TALE CODES FOR FAILED ETM. ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE WAS REPLACED AT TOTAL COST OF $1200. I PHONED STILLMAN VOLVO WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR. THEY DENIED KNOWLEDGE OF ANY WIDESPREAD, WELL-KNOWN ISSUE REGARDING ETM ON 2001 VOLVOS. I CALLED VOLVO AMERICA CUSTOMER CARE AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGED A NHTSA INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY AND THAT THEY HOPED TO HAVE A RESOLUTION IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. THE REPRESENTATIVE, HOWEVER, TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD BE UNLIKELY THAT I WOULD GET ANY COST ASSISTANCE FROM VOLVO OR MY VOLVO DEALERSHIP SINCE I HAD THE WORK DONE BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH ON-LINE WITH OTHER VOLVO OWNERS. I NOW UNDERSTAND THAT VOLVO AMERICA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS ISSUE FOR YEARS AND HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL. I AM UPSET REGARDING THEIR STATEMENT REGARDING INDEPENDENT MECHANICS. BUT I AM FURIOUS THAT THIS CAR MANUFACTURER WOULD RISK THE LIVES OF THEIR CUSTOMERS AND THEIR PASSENGERS BY FAILING TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS ISSUE. *JB