Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports1 fire reports5 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

4 reports

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102,500 miles · Aug 8, 2007

Engine And Engine CoolingUnknown Or Other

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7/26/07 TRAVELING ON I-77 AND THE CAR RAN GREAT. SUDDENLY, IN SAME MANNER AS CAR DID APPROX 2 YRS AGO ON SAME INTERSTATE RPMS DROPPED, CAR LOST SPEED, NO RESPONSE AT THROTTLE, AND WITHIN A FEW SECONDS WE LOST POWER, BRAKES, STEERING. SINCE THIS SEEMED JUST LIKE 2 YRS AGO (WE REPORTED THIS INCIDENT IN 2005) WE THOUGHT MAYBE THE CAR WILL START IN 10-15M. AFTER 15-20 M OF ATTEMPTS WHERE CAR STARTED & IMMEDIATELY STALLED CAR DID START AND RAN FINE. SINCE 2 YEARS AGO DEALERS WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE & CORRECT WE CONTINUED TO DRIVE THAT EVENING AND AGAIN THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE FOLLOWING DAY THE CAR STALLED AGAIN ON I-? NEAR ATLANTA, BUT THIS TIME IN MORE TRAFFIC WITH DIFFICULTY GETTING CAR TO SIDE SAFELY. AGAIN CAR STARTED LIKE THE EVENING BEFORE. AGAIN-SIMILAR FUEL LEVEL. WE TRAVELED 2 1/2 MORE HOURS ON INTERSTATE. AT DESTINATION AND LOCAL DEALER FOUND NO FAULTS SO NO CORRECTION WAS MADE. AFTER THIS 2ND OCCURRENCE WE FILLED UP MORE OFTEN 1/2 FULL OR MORE. 2 DAYS LATER AND 7 MORE HRS ON ROAD WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM.. AS WE ARRIVE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ALTHOUGH CAR RAN FINE WE TOOK CAR TO LOCAL DEALER 1 HOUR AWAY. THEY SAID THEY HAD A CATALYTIC CONVERTER ERROR BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE ONE IN STOCK. I TOLD THEM I WASN'T SURE THIS WAS THE PROBLEM THAT WAS CAUSING THE STALLING BECAUSE IT STALLED 2X (+1X 2 YEARS AGO) BEFORE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I CALLED MY LOCAL DEALER TO DISCUSS AND HE SAID HE DIDN'T THINK THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS CAUSING THE STALLING. AGAIN, NO DEFINITIVE ANSWERS. AFTER WE LEFT THE DEALER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS OFF AND IT HAS STAYED OFF. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER WE DROVE THE CAR 9-10 HOURS ON THE INTERSTATE TO GET HOME. AGAIN, I KEPT THE FUEL LEVELS APPROXIMATELY 1/2 TANK AND ABOVE. THE CAR PERFORMED FINE. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE STALLING. WHEN I CHECK OTHER COMPLAINTS LISTED IT APPEARED THAT SOMEONE ELSE MAY HAVE HAD A SIMILAR ISSUE WITH LOW FUEL STALLING. PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO CALL TO DISCUSS. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10198919

68,000 miles · Mar 7, 2006

Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainSeat Belts

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I HAVE A 2001 VOLVO V70 XC WAGON. THE CAR WAS REVVING HIGH FOR A WHILE WHEN SHIFTING GEARS, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY TOLD ME THERE WASN'T A PROBLEM. ABOUT A MONTH OR SO LATER THE ETM FAILED. I WAS BEING LEFT STRANDED AT FREEWAY OFF RAMPS, AND GREEN LIGHTS WHEN THE CAR WOULD SUDDENLY DIE. IT'S A MIRACLE I WASN'T REAR-ENDED! AFTER A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE TRYING TO GET THE DEALERSHIP TO HONOR THE ETM WARRANTY, (THEY ONLY CLEANED THE ETM THEY DID NOT REPLACE IT-SAYING IT WASN'T BAD ENOUGH!), A MONTH HAS PASSED AND NOW MY TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED! THE DEALERSHIP GAVE ME A $5300 ESTIMATE FOR REPLACEMENT AS IT IS UNREPAIRABLE! I TOOK IT TO OUR REGULAR MECHANIC, AND HE TOLD ME THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE @ 70,000 MILES HAPPENED BECAUSE THE ETM WOULDN'T ALLOW THE TORQUE CONVERTER DO WHATEVER IT IS A TORQUE CONVERTER DOES, AND THAT CAUSED THE OIL TO HEAT UP AND THEN THE RESULTING TRANSMISSION FAILURE. HE SAID THERE IS NO ONE AROUND WHO WILL TOUCH MY TRANSMISSION. I HAVE TO USE A DEALER TO REPLACE IT. I AM COMPLETELY DEVASTATED AND CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THE CAR IS A LEMON. IT HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO BE INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS, AND I'D REALLY APPRECIATE IT IF SOMEONE COULD CONTACT ME ABOUT WHAT RESOURCES I HAVE. YOU ARE WELCOME TO TEST MY CAR! I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET ABOUT OTHERS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THEIR ETMS AND THEN SUBSEQUENT TRANSMISSION FAILURES. PLEASE HELP!*JB

NHTSA ODI #10152130

Mileage unknown · Jul 1, 2005

Unknown Or Other

VEHICLE SUFFERED LOSS OF POWER ON I95 IN CONNECTICUT CAUSING DRIVER TO HAVE TO PULL OFF ONTO BREAKFDOWN LANE CROSSING TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC ALMOST CAUSING A SERIOUS COLLISION. PROBLEM CAUSED BY FAULTY ELECTRONIC THROTTLE MODULE (ETM). IT IS BEING REPLACED BY VOLVO DEALER FOR $1200.

NHTSA ODI #10127260

43,000 miles · May 4, 2005

Unknown Or Other

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IN APRIL, 2005, I WAS TRAVELING A SHORT DISTANCE WHEN MY 2001 VOLVO V70 XC SUDDENLY STALLED AND WOULD NOT START FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES. THE MESSAGE "LOW PERFORMANCE" APPEARED ON THE MONITOR. THE CAR STALLED ON AT LEAST 4 SEPERATE OCCASIONS. AFTER FOUR DAYS OF WAITING FOR AN APPOINTMENT, I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH A FAULT IN THE THROTTLE MODULE. I ASKED IF THIS WAS A TYPICAL FAILURE WITH THE CAR ESPECIALLY ONLY HAVING 43,000.00 MILES. I WAS TOLD THAT IT CAN SOMETIMES HAPPEN AT ANY MILEAGE, THAT THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER CARS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT "SOMETIMES PROBLEMS ARE ISOLATED." THE CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY SO THE DEALERSHIP WAIVED THE PRICE FOR THE THROTTLE BODY, IN THE END I PAID $400.00 FOR THE MODULE AND LABOR. I'M SHOCKED THAT THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM CAN HAPPEN AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE.

NHTSA ODI #10119713

Official recalls

04V451000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System:fan

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.

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

EA05021 · 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.