NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
103 reportsMileage unknown · Feb 11, 2006
Electrical System
MY VOLVO V70 XC ALSO HAS REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE ETM - ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE COSTING $1350. AFTER, LIKE MANY OTHERS HAVE STATED, LOSING ALL POWER, SHUTTING DOWN, LOCKING UP, CAUSING ME AND THOSE AROUND ME A NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE GARAGE ONLY TO BE TOLD THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYT…
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MY VOLVO V70 XC ALSO HAS REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE ETM - ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE COSTING $1350. AFTER, LIKE MANY OTHERS HAVE STATED, LOSING ALL POWER, SHUTTING DOWN, LOCKING UP, CAUSING ME AND THOSE AROUND ME A NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE GARAGE ONLY TO BE TOLD THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THE CAR CONTINUED TO DRIVE IN A VERY UNPREDICTABLE MANNER, LOSING ACCELERATION, STALLING, DYING, ANOTHER NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE WHEN IT DIED IN AN INTERSECTION, MULTIPLE TOWS AND SEVERAL DIFFERENT GARAGES, SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS OF NO ANSWERS LATER, ONE GARAGE WAS AWARE OF THE COMMONALITY OF THIS PROBLEM AND REPLACED THE ETM. THIS WAS AT ~65K MILES. NOW AT 92K AND I AM BEGINNING TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS-CAR DYING, GOING INTO LIMP HOME MODE-20 MPH WITH NO ACCELERATION, ANOTHER $1000 IN REPAIRS WITHOUT ANY RESOLUTION TO PROBLEMS. IT FEELS LIKE THE ETM MIGHT BE GOING AGAIN. THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND DANGEROUS! WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CARS THAT COST OVER $30000!! *JB
NHTSA ODI #10150033
137,000 miles · Jan 29, 2006
Vehicle Speed Control
I HAVE A 2000 VOLVO V70XC CROSS COUNTRY. I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE ( THROTTLE BODY) ACCORDING TO MANY OWNERS WITH 98-00 V70, C70, S70, THEY ALSO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THESE PARTS AREN'T SUPPOSE TO BREAK ,THEY ARE PART OF THE ACCELERATOR. MY CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EXPRESSWAY DUE THE THE TH…
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I HAVE A 2000 VOLVO V70XC CROSS COUNTRY. I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE ( THROTTLE BODY) ACCORDING TO MANY OWNERS WITH 98-00 V70, C70, S70, THEY ALSO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THESE PARTS AREN'T SUPPOSE TO BREAK ,THEY ARE PART OF THE ACCELERATOR. MY CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EXPRESSWAY DUE THE THE THROTTLE BODY. IT COST ME A LOT OF MONEY CLOSE TO A $1000. INSTEAD OF RECALLING THESE PARTS VOLVO HAS NOT, RESULTING IN MANY FAILURES, AND IS VERY COSTLY. I DO NOT WANT ME AND MY FAMILY TO B ESUBJECTED TO THAT, NEXT TIME WE COULD POSSIBLY BE DEAD. IT HAS BEEN ON THE NEWS. VOLVO AGREED TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY, BUT THE PART IS STILL DEFECTIVE, AND SHOULD BE REDESIGNED, AND PUT IN ALL THE CARS THAT HAVE THE OLD THROTTLE BODY. VOLVO IS SUPPOSE TO BE ABOUT SAFERTY , SEEMS TO ME THEY CARE MORE ABOUT THEMSELVES AND THERE POCKETS INSTEAD OF THE CUSTOMERS AND THERE FAMILIES. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10148919
56,410 miles · Dec 29, 2005
Vehicle Speed Control
VEHICLE REQUIRED A NEW ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY DESPITE BEING ONLY SIX YEARS OLD AND HAVING ONLY 56,410 MILES. VEHICLE WAS INITIALLY MILDLY HESITATING AND JERKING, THEN WORSENED TO THE POINT WHERE WE WERE CONCERNED FOR OUR SAFETY. WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO GO TO THE DEALER AND SPEND $1,078.93 TO REPLACE THE PART. (KBB VALUES VEHIC…
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VEHICLE REQUIRED A NEW ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY DESPITE BEING ONLY SIX YEARS OLD AND HAVING ONLY 56,410 MILES. VEHICLE WAS INITIALLY MILDLY HESITATING AND JERKING, THEN WORSENED TO THE POINT WHERE WE WERE CONCERNED FOR OUR SAFETY. WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO GO TO THE DEALER AND SPEND $1,078.93 TO REPLACE THE PART. (KBB VALUES VEHICLE AT $14,365, SO THIS REPAIR COST APPROX. 7.5% OF THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE!) WORSE YET, THE PART WAS REPLACED WITH THE EXACT SAME PART, NOT A NEWER/RE-ENGINEERED ONE LESS LIKELY TO FAIL. WE HAVE SAVED THE PART IF ANYBODY WANTS TO LOOK AT IT. THIS IS NOT WHY WE BOUGHT A VOLVO. *NM
NHTSA ODI #10146397
53,092 miles · Dec 15, 2005
Electrical System
CAR BEGAN TO RUN IN AN UNCONTROLLABLE MANNER, SPEEDING UP THEN LOOSING POWER WHILE SHAKING VIOLENTLY. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING WITH MY DAUGHTER IN THE CAR. THEY WERE TERRIFIED. I DROVE IT AFTER SHE CALLED FOR HELP IT WAS A TERRIBLE RIDE. HAD THIS OCCURRED IN TRAFFIC ON ONE OF THE MANY HIGH SPEED ROADS AROUND HERE, THIS COULD HAVE B…
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CAR BEGAN TO RUN IN AN UNCONTROLLABLE MANNER, SPEEDING UP THEN LOOSING POWER WHILE SHAKING VIOLENTLY. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING WITH MY DAUGHTER IN THE CAR. THEY WERE TERRIFIED. I DROVE IT AFTER SHE CALLED FOR HELP IT WAS A TERRIBLE RIDE. HAD THIS OCCURRED IN TRAFFIC ON ONE OF THE MANY HIGH SPEED ROADS AROUND HERE, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A TRAGIC EVENT. THE FOLLOWING MORNING IT ACTED THE SAME AND I DROVE IT TO THE NEAREST VOLVO REPAIR SHOP. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT IT WAS A FAILED ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY. THE REPAIR COST AS OVER $1100. IT WAS NOT COVERED BY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY I HAD PURCHASED FOR THE CAR. I HAD THE CAR REPAIRED. THE SHOP TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD SEEN MANY SUCH FAILURES IN VOLVOS AT ABOUT 50K . THEY JOKED IT WAS A SERIOUS MID-LIFE CRISIS FOR VOLVOS. I DID NOT FIND IT FUNNY. IT WAS A DEVASTATING, UNPLANNED COST. I CALLED VOLVO, THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED IN COST SHARING OR ANY SORT OF HELP. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10145411
40,989 miles · Dec 12, 2005
Fuel System, OtherVehicle Speed Control
ON 7 DECEMBER 2005, WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE NORTH ON I-94 IN MASSACHUSETTS AT A SPEED OF 65 MPH, SUDDENLY THE ENGINE HESITATED AND LOST POWER. ETC LIGHT ON DASHBOARD ILLUMINATED. I WAS ABLE TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION AND PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. WENT TO THE LOCAL VOLVO DEALER IN SOUTH DEERFIELD MASS. TO HAVE THE CA…
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ON 7 DECEMBER 2005, WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE NORTH ON I-94 IN MASSACHUSETTS AT A SPEED OF 65 MPH, SUDDENLY THE ENGINE HESITATED AND LOST POWER. ETC LIGHT ON DASHBOARD ILLUMINATED. I WAS ABLE TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION AND PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. WENT TO THE LOCAL VOLVO DEALER IN SOUTH DEERFIELD MASS. TO HAVE THE CAR EXAMINED. DEALER STATED THAT THEY "CLEANED THE ETM AND CLEARED FAULT CODES." DROVE THE CAR BACK HOME (UPPER MARLBORO,MD) ON THE EVENING OF 8 DECEMBER. ALONG THE ROUTE HOME THE CAR REPEATEDLY HESITATED. ON 9 DECEMBER, ON ANDREWS AFB, ETC LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND CAR IMMEDIATELY LOST POWER AND STALLED. CAR RESTARTED. ON SOUTH OSBORNE RD IN UPPER MARLBORO WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, CAR LOST POWER WITH NO WARNING AGAIN. I HAD TO LITERALLY DRIVE THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD TO AVOID BEING REAR ENDED BY APPROACHING TRAFFIC. CAR IS AT MARTENS VOLVO IN BETHESDA, MD. THE ETM IS SCHEDULED TO BE REPLACED. DEALER IN MASSACHUSETTS AND MARYLAND STATE THAT THE ETMS IN THIS MODEL CAR IS DEFECTIVE. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10144997
54,900 miles · Nov 28, 2005
Unknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control
MY 2000 XC V70 VOLVO BEGAN 'CHOKING' AND THEN STALLING ONE DAY. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND GET TO MY DESTINATION. INCIDENT DATE NOTED BELOW IS WHEN THE INITIAL PROBLEM OCCURRED. HOWEVER THE STALLING OCCURRED REPEATEDLY OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, RESULTING IN REPLACING THE THROTTLE, WHICH I NOW FOUND OUT IS UNDER INVESTIGATI…
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MY 2000 XC V70 VOLVO BEGAN 'CHOKING' AND THEN STALLING ONE DAY. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND GET TO MY DESTINATION. INCIDENT DATE NOTED BELOW IS WHEN THE INITIAL PROBLEM OCCURRED. HOWEVER THE STALLING OCCURRED REPEATEDLY OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, RESULTING IN REPLACING THE THROTTLE, WHICH I NOW FOUND OUT IS UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR POSSIBLE DEFECT AND VOLVO KNOWS ABOUT IT, YET FAILS TO WARN IT'S CUSTOMERS!! THE REPLACEMENT OF THE THROTTLE WAS OVER $1000. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10143750
58,000 miles · Nov 25, 2005
Vehicle Speed Control
DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE (ETM ) LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP ,AND THEY REPLACED THE ETM. THE MANUFACTURER ASSISTED WITH THE COST OF THE REPAIRS. *AK UPDATED 01/04/06.*JB
NHTSA ODI #10143653
Mileage unknown · Nov 9, 2005
Vehicle Speed Control
THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE (ETM) FAILED TWICE ON 2000 VOLVO V70XC. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, THE SECOND WAS ABOUT 17, 000 MILES AFTER THE FIRST. BOTH TIMES IT FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT HIGH SPEED. BOTH TIMES ENGINE STALLED IN TRAFFIC. BOTH TIMES MANAGED TO GET TO SHOULDER, RESTARTED, AND GOT H…
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THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE (ETM) FAILED TWICE ON 2000 VOLVO V70XC. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, THE SECOND WAS ABOUT 17, 000 MILES AFTER THE FIRST. BOTH TIMES IT FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT HIGH SPEED. BOTH TIMES ENGINE STALLED IN TRAFFIC. BOTH TIMES MANAGED TO GET TO SHOULDER, RESTARTED, AND GOT HOME WITH CAR ALTERNATELY SURGING AND STALLING THE WHOLE WAY. BOTH TIMES HAD PRESCHOOL AGE TWINS IN THE CAR, AND DIDN'T FEEL IT SAFE TO STOP ON THE SHOULDER TO WAIT FOR HELP. ALSO, WOULD HAVE HAD A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING THEM HOME SAFETY IN THEIR CAR SEATS. THEN, HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10143180
Mileage unknown · Nov 9, 2005
Vehicle Speed Control
E-MAIL: THE CONTACTS OWNS OF A 2000 VOLVO V70 XC THAT EXPERIENCED THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE (ETM) FAILURE AT AROUND 100000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING THREE TIMES WITH MY WIFE IN VEHICLE VEHICLE STALLED 3 TIMES. FIXED AT WALVO CREEK FOR $1,000. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10143179
45,597 miles · Nov 9, 2005
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control
E-MAIL: VEHICLE GOES INTO LIMP MODE, ETM LIGHT COMES ON, REPLACED TWICE, X REF 10129414, SMCH.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10143178
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.