Volvo Owners Club Forum - ETM and the formal VOSA position

Dear all,

Mr Sweeting, Head of Vehicle Safety at VOSA, has provided the following information for posting on our forum (with his agreement)

"Dear Oli [Forum name inserted by me],

Thank you for your email.

The VOSA position is that this matter has been investigated under the terms of the Code of Practice on Vehicle Safety Defects.

VOSA has worked closely with Volvo, the North American and Australian Authorities to understand the effects of a malfunction with the Electronic Throttle module and have agreed and supported the remedial action now being taken in the UK, which is replicated in North America and Australia,.

Volvo have agreed to carry out free of charge an ETM software upgrade (this is model specific and not one fix fits all) and an ETM and crankcase ventilation clean.

If this solution does not rectify the problem, the ETM may need replacing. Volvo have agreed to offer a cost contribution to replace the ETM depending on the vehicle age and mileage, regardless of service history.

I trust this is helpful.

Jeffrey Sweeting
Head, Vehicle Safety
VOSA "

Further clarification was sought by me....

"...Thank you for your swift reply, it is indeed most helpful. May I post your reply on the Volvo Owners Club Forums? And will you continue to monitor the situation, leaving open the opportunity to examine the effectiveness of the software upgrade and reassess the safety issue that many of the forum members continue to be worried about?

Regards"

to which he's replied...

"....Yes, you may post my reply on the website.

Please be assured that VOSA continues to monitor this ETM issue...."

Key points are that the fix was coordinated with the equivalent agencies in the US and Australia (although the US still get the free 10 year warranty, which was as a result of a "clean air" requirement in California, not safety), that Volvo will carry out the software upgrade, ETM and Crankcase clean FOC, and that a contribution will be made to the replacement cost, depending on age and mileage, but not on service history.

I suggest that any worried members, get a reference number from Volvo UK for the work first, then contact dealer. If a replacement is required, then contact Volvo UK again to negotiate discount and report back here the result. Other action has also been suggested [small claims court] which according to other threads, may prove successful, but you'll need to make your own minds up about that.

By keeping the forum informed of your ongoing experiences, we can collectively keep VOSA informed. Maybe well get a proper replacement one day.

Regards

Oli

(p.s. I'd like to thank Mr Sweeting for allowing his info to be posted and continuing to take an interest in the ETM)