A sign that the ETM is on its way out?
 

The restoration of my 2001 V70 2.4 came to a quickening end this week as the wife's Astra complained of a howling wheel bearing. Whilst that's off the road I took the golden opportunity to tax the Volvo and use it to and from work.

I've had an intermittent starting problem which I figured might be down to an old fuel filter (which I've still not replaced yet). Picked it up from the garage where its stored the other night, started first time with the usual "Engine System Service required" on the DIM and orange triangle, it never goes in to limp home and occasionally the DIM error will clear itself. Low and behold it wouldn't start the morning I wanted to use it. Would cough as if it were going to start but then die. Drained the battery trying so put in on charge whilst I took the somewhat unhappy Astra to work.

Didn't want it beating me today so I took a half day to have a proper interrogation with fuel, spark and air to rule them out as being the problem. Also tried a replacement immobiliser antenna just in case but that made no difference. I cleaned the ETM again having done it a few weeks ago and putting it back together again it started. After a little warm up it started hunting up to about 2k revs and then dropping back down again. It did this a few times and then levelled off and then kicked the engine management light on (no DIM message or warning triangle though which is a first). Put a code reader on it and it threw up code P0507 which translates to Idle Air Control System RPM Higher Than Expected. Took it for a good half hour run which cleared the engine management light and the car ran fine.

Parked up and started again later to find that it struggles to tick over, tries to run circa 5-600 rpm and then after either cutting out or gently feathering the accelerator if comes to life.

Having read various peoples stories of ETM issues I haven't come across one that has behaved in the same way as mine, however I do have a white sticker Magnetti Marelli ETM and my car has done 177k so I'm assuming this is a good possibility that the ETM may be the cause of starting issues.

Could anyone comment on whether an ETM problem could or would cause intermittent starting problems similar to those I am experiencing?

The engine firing then dying sounds more like immobiliser aerial or do you have two keys on your key ring for the car, if so try removing one of them to avoid confusing the car.
The rest of your post with idle fluctuations from 500 to 2000 RPM does indeed sound like a shot ETM, the one on your car can be repaired by one of the forum members for a little over £100 which is the cheapest option - Mike

Hi Mike

Thanks for the response. Only 1 key with the car and no fob. Its not a service key though as it locks the glove box. I thought it might have been the immobiliser aerial so I actually have a replacement part here. Replaced the existing one and it made no difference at all.

I guess the only way I'm really going to tell is to get the codes read on Vida. Am I right in thinking that would correctly diagnose the direct fault?

Does anyone have Vida in the Hampshire/Berkshire/Surrey area at all?

I had the exact same symptoms. Sometimes the "engine service required" disapeared but later did´nt go away. And intermittent start was always plus my car sometimes didńt start at all. That was most embarrasing for me, when sitting infront of the market and i have to turn engine at least 30 sec then car started somehow. All my problems were gone after 8hours of TPS replacement.
When i installed my sacer unit and started my car the feeling was amazing, felt like im in heaven. Car drives like a dream ever since.

PS! I had same codes, "rpm higher then expected" and "idle speed too high". Later appeared code "Electronic throttle module: internal fault".

PS! Wannavaux, i cant send you private message, so i wrote to you under my TPS thread.

Respectfully,
Raivo.

Well, yesterday was D-Day. Took my faulty ETM apart and repaired. It was evident that the ribbon was past its sell by date, image below is taken in front of our kitchen light. The contact strips had masses of debris as did all of the fingers attached to the shaft, no way a gentle clean would have fixed this. So, for anyone who's ETM is giving them hell, this is probably the cause of it:

http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...1/IMAG0181.jpg